National Energy Plan Letter to the Chairman of the House Ad Hoe Select Committee on Energy.

To Lud Ashley

It is most gratifying to me to see the Ad Hoc Committee begin its work of pulling together the various pieces of the energy plan this week. The cooperation which you, and each of the Committee Chairmen and members, have shown in keeping to a difficult and rigorous schedule for consideration of the plan has been strong and deserves commendation.

As your Committee proceeds with the work of integrating the various elements of the plan, however, I am concerned that we all be mindful of the critical need to keep the energy plan in fiscal balance.

The plan which I put forward to the Congress was consistent with achieving a balanced budget. Its receipts between 1978 and 1985 show a small surplus over its costs. While I do not view the energy plan as a means to balance the budget in and of itself, an internal balance within the plan is essential if we are to have the the resources to realize our goals in other areas such as tax reform, welfare reform and national health insurance, and to move toward a balanced budget. Any deficit created by excess expenditures on the energy plan will reduce our ability to attain these other goals.

It is also essential that, as we keep the energy ledger in balance, we retain the basic elements of equity and economic fairness which I believe we both agree are necessary ingredients of a workable energy program. Jim Schlesinger and I look forward to continuing to work closely with you and members of your Committee for the realization of these objectives.

Sincerely,

JIMMY CARTER

[Honorable Thomas L. Ashley, Chairman, Ad Hoc Select Committee on Energy, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 20515]