Richard Nixon photo

Statement on House Action on the Recommended Budget for the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.

August 12, 1969

THE House of Representatives recently added more than $1. 1 billion to the budget which I had recommended for the present fiscal year for the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. I regard this action as inconsistent with the intent of the Congress a week earlier when it imposed a ceiling on spending for the current fiscal year.

In enacting the ceiling, the Congress reflected the concern of the citizens of this Nation with inflation and excessive Federal expenditures. Because of this same concern, I stated my intention when I signed the Second Supplemental Appropriation Act to restrict expenditures in this fiscal year to $192.9 billion, the same figure transmitted to Congress in April. Estimates made then for some of the uncontrollable programs--such as interest on the national debt, Medicare, social security, public assistance, and veterans' benefits-have already risen by some $2.5 billion. This increase, plus another billion dollars of added expenditures arising from congressional action or inaction to date other than on HEW, requires an offsetting reduction of $3.5 billion in other programs. I have ordered that cut.

Congressional action to date on my revenue recommendations also has been disappointing. In the aggregate, congressional policies thus far add up to taxing less and spending more. Appealing as this may be at the moment, it promises long-term grief for the people.

Most of the spending increases in the HEW bill are for education programs. I share the concern of all Americans for improved quality of our education system. But I am also mindful of the needs of this Nation for improved housing, more readily available health care, more adequate nutrition, better training for jobs and job placements, increases in social security benefits, welfare reform, and improvements in other social programs. We must demonstrate the discipline to hold down inflation, which continues to work a special cruelty upon the very poor, those on pensions and fixed incomes, and home buyers who pay increasing prices and high interest rates.

In the interest, therefore, of those who most need our help, we must act responsibly to hold down National Government spending in the present economic environment.

Present circumstances plainly require a point of predictable firmness and responsibility in dealing with these budgetary problems.

I shall serve as that point in the interest of the American people.

Let me reiterate my intention not to spend in this fiscal year any funds appropriated in excess of my budgetary estimates of April this year. No commitments will be made to spend these additional appropriations until the Congress has completed action on all appropriation bills and revenue measures.

At that juncture we will be in a position to measure the economic circumstances we confront, to determine which programs must be cut by the executive to accommodate increases made available by the Congress and which programs have received compensatory cuts by the Congress to offset the increases. Then, consistent with my obligation under the Constitution and the laws, I will not spend funds in excess of the expenditure ceiling.

In short, I have pledged fiscal responsibility. The Congress has imposed an expenditure ceiling; I have myself accepted the spirit of the ceiling and pledged this administration to respect a ceiling for this fiscal year of $192.9 billion.

Let the Congress and the country understand that I shall keep that commitment. I trust that the future actions of Congress will be consistent with its own commitments to fiscal responsibility.

Note: The statement was released at San Clemente, Calif.

Richard Nixon, Statement on House Action on the Recommended Budget for the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/240015

Filed Under

Categories

Simple Search of Our Archives