Page images
PDF
EPUB

(3) Amendment of the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act to permit the Secretary to share in the cost of any land acquired by local organizations for operation as a reservoir of public fish, wildlife, or recreational development.

(4) Modification of the Watershed Act to provide for loans for recreational facilities.

(5) Expansion of the authority of the Farmers Home Administration to make loans to farmers for recreational enterprises.

Additional legislation for conservation of our renewable resources is also necesThese recommendations will be included in a message I will send to the Congress devoted to proposals for the maximum utilization of our land resources.

IV. DEVELOPMENT AND UTILIZATION OF AGRICULTURE'S HUMAN RESOURCES

The Department of Agriculture has launched a series of programs for the development and renewal of rural areas and rural communities. These programs are designed to end rural poverty by offering new opportunities—both agricultural and nonagricultural-to rural people. Activities of the Rural Electrification Administration, the Farmers Home Administration, the Federal Extension Service, and other Department agencies are being coordinated under the rural area development program in close cooperation with the Area Redevelopment Administration.

To make the most of the human resources in these rural areas, there is one need that transcends all others-that is education. Education can give them new vistas, new opportunities, new skills in place of the poverty that no price-support program will ever remove.

Most of the necessary activities are already authorized by law. However, some additional authority is needed.

In many rural areas, the difficulty of financing adequate safe and sanitary housing and modern community facilities such as water and sewerage systems, recreational installations, and transportation, has deterred general community improvement and more rapid industrialization. I recommend, therefore, new legislation to enable the Farmers Home Adminstration to finance sewerage systems and other rural community facilities.

RURAL RENEWAL AND EDUCATION

In some rural areas the general level of economic activity and family income is so low, and the lack of community facilities so acute, that a complete new development operation is the only sensible solution-a program of rural renewal.

For these areas, in addition to the nationwide rural area development program, I recommend a new legislative program under the Area Redevelopment Administration, to provide loans and technical assistance to local public rural renewal corporations. These corpora

72100-S J-87—2——5

tions would aid in developing new uses for land and water, create forest industry parks, assist small farmers in farm consolidation and enlargement, and develop needed public facilities, including outdoor recreation. The bill would permit loans to approved public agencies to acquire, develop, and dispose of land for these purposes, and provide for other loans to individual farmers to establish recreational facilities and other incomeproducing enterprises. Consideration might also be given to making loans available to rural citizens, both young and old, for vocational and other educational training not otherwise available but essential to their preparation for nonfarm jobs.

CONCLUSION

The goals of this program for food and agriculture are goals on which there is broad general agreement.

First, we seek to enable efficient farm operators to earn incomes equivalent to those earned in comparable nonfarm occupations.

Second, we seek continued production of food and fiber at reasonable prices in quantities sufficient to meet the needs of all Americans and to combat hunger and contribute to to economic development throughout the free world.

Third, since we seek abundance for our children as well as for ourselves, we must conserve and use wisely our resources of land and water.

Fourth, we seek to end rural poverty. Farm children, and many farm adults as well, need improved opportunities for education and training, to equip them to earn an American standard of living in whatever occupation they freely choose to follow.

We will enjoy the fruits of the technological revolution in American agriculture only if we recognize its implications. We must learn to live with an agricultural economy of abundance rather than scarcity. That is the purpose of the approach I have outlined-a comprehensive, long-range program to replace the present patchwork of short-run emergency measures.

JOHN F. KENNEDY.

THE WHITE HOUSE, January 31, 1962. ASSISTANCE TO INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION

The Senate resumed the consideration of the bill (S. 1241) to authorize assistance to public and other nonprofit institutions of higher education in financing the construction, rehabilitation, or improvement of needed academic and related facilities and to authorize scholarships for undergraduate study in such institutions which had been reported from the Committee on Labor and Public Works with amendments. Pending debate,

ADJOURNMENT

On motion by Mr. HUMPHREY, at 4 o'clock and 7 minutes p.m.,

The Senate adjourned until Friday next.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1962

The VICE PRESIDENT called the Senate to order, and the Chaplain offered prayer.

THE JOURNAL

On motion by Mr. HUMPHREY, and by unanimous consent,

The reading of the Journal of the proceedings of Wednesday, January 31, 1962, was dispensed with.

MEMBERS OF WOODROW WILSON MEMORIAL

COMMISSION

The VICE PRESIDENT appointed Mr. WILLIAMS of New Jersey and Mr. CASE of New Jersey as members on the part of the Senate to the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Commission, established by the act of October 4, 1961.

COMMITTEE AUTHORIZED TO SIT

The Subcommittee on Internal Security of the Committee on the Judiciary was authorized to sit today during the session of the Senate, on the request of Mr. MUSKIE.

AMENDMENT OF BRETTON WOODS
AGREEMENTS ACT

The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate the following communication from the President of the United States; which, with the accompanying papers, was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

THE WHITE HOUSE,

Washington, February 2, 1962. DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: Transmitted herewith for the consideration of the Congress is legislation which would implement the recommendations of the National Advisory Council on International Monetary and Financial Problems relating to "special borrowing arrangements of the International Monetary Fund." A copy of the report of the Council is attached.

The legislation takes the form of an amendment to the Bretton Woods Agreements Act and authorizes the United States to participate in loans to the International Monetary Fund in order to strengthen the international monetary system.

The International Monetary Fund has been a vital force for economic stability in the free world ever since it was formed in 1946. Its transactions have supported the currencies of free world nations which encountered balance of payments or other monetary difficulties, and it helped maintain confidence in the currencies of its members. The leadership of the United States in the establishment and support of the Fund has been a source of pride and satisfaction.

In my message of last February 6. I discussed the imbalance in our international payments and called for a series of related measures to correct it. A number of these measures have been adopted. But the problem is stubborn and complex and will require additional action over a number of years.

Meanwhile, we can strengthen the monetary system in general and the po

sition of the United States in that system by augmenting the resources and flexibility of the International Monetary Fund to permit the Fund to be utilized more effectively in supporting a healthy and growing world economy.

To accomplish th's purpose, intensive negotiations have gone forward, with the active participation of the Fund. among the major industrial nations of the free world. These negotiations culminated in the proposals described and recommended in the National Advisory Council's report calling for the addition of $6 billion to the resources of the Fund. This addition would strongly reinforce the international monetary system of the free world.

It would, in particular, greatly enhance the ability of the Fund to assist the United States in coping with its international payments problems. Today, the Fund has on hand only $1.6 billion of the currencies of other major industrial countries exclusive of the United Kingdom, which has itself made a large drawing from the Fund-to meet a possible need for a drawing by the United States. The new arrangements would permit an additional $3 billion increase in available resources of these other major currencies, and would thus assure the Fund the assets needed to meet a request for a drawing by the United States should such a request ever be necessary. At a time when the confidence in the dollar is of utmost importance to the free world, the $6 billion addition to the Fund will be especially significant. It will greatly enhance our own financial resources and greatly reduce any possibility of a serious drain upon dollar balances. The every existence of the new standby credits will be an assurance of stability of major currencies.

The new borrowing arrangements would require amendment of the Bretton Woods Agreements Act by authorizing the United States to lend up to $2 billion to the Fund. The other nine participants in the arrangement would commit themselves to provide up to $4 billion. The commitment of nearly $2.5 billion by members of the European Common Market-Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlandswould represent an amount about equal to the present aggregate of their Fund quotas. By contrast the United States and the United Kingdom would provide amounts equal to only about half their present quotas. The United States would not be expected to lend to the Fund in the absence of a substantial improvement in its balance-of-payments position.

The new proposals would strengthen the position of the dollar as the world's major reserve currency. They would also provide new armament for the defense of the currencies of the free world and for reinforcing the entire international monetary system.

I urge, therefore, that the Congress promptly consider this legislation. Participation by the United States in the

proposed arrangements is in the national the approved program of airport develinterest.

Sincerely,

JOHN F. KENNEDY.

Hon. LYNDON B. JOHNSON,
President of the U.S. Senate,
Washington, D.C.

DIGEST OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ACT OF 1962

The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a communication from the Secretary of Agriculture, transmitting a draft of proposed legislation providing for a permanent, realistic, and comprehensive

program for agriculture along the President's recommendations known as the digest of Food and Agriculture Act of 1962; which, with the accompanying paper, was referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry. REPORT OF EXAMINATION OF THE PRICING

OF SELECTED SPARE PARTS FOR CERTAIN COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT WITH MAGNAVOX CO., INDIANA

The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a communication from the Comptroller General of the United States, transmitting, pursuant to law, a report on the examination of the pricing of selected spare parts for ARC-34 communication equipment under Department of the Air Force fixed-price contracts negotiated with the Magnavox Co., Fort Wayne, Ind.; which, with the accompanying report, was referred to the Committee on Government Operations.

MEDICAL STOCKPILE OF CIVIL DEFENSE
EMERGENCY SUPPLIES

The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a communication from the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. transmitting, pursuant to law, a quarterly report of actual procurement receipts for medical stockpile of civil defense emergency supplies and equipment purposes, for the period ended December 31, 1961; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

OVEROBLIGATIONS OF APPROPRIATIONS IN EXCESS OF APPROVED APPORTIONMENTS The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a communication from the Deputy Secretary of Defense, transmitting. pursuant to law, 20 reports of 21 violations of regulations by incurring obligations in excess of approved apportionment of appropriation "Administrative control of appropriations within the Department of Defense"; which, with the accompanying papers, was referred to the Committee on Appropriations.

PROGRAM OF AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a communication from the Administrator of Federal Aviation Agency, transmitting, pursuant to law, a statement explaining that he hasn't had sufficient time since the enactment of the law in late September to comply with the requirement of section 4 of the Federal Airport Act requiring the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Agency to make public by January 1 of each year

opment intended to be undertaken during the fiscal year next ensuing; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce.

EXTENSION AND IMPROVEMENT OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND CHILD WELFARE SERVICES PROGRAMS

The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a communication from the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. transmitting a draft of proposed legislation to extend and improve the public assistance and child welfare services programs of the Social Security Act; which, with the accompanying paper. was referred to the Committee on Finance.

AMENDMENT OF INTERNAL REVENUE CODE RELATING TO SPECIAL STATISTICAL STUDIES

The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a communication from the Secretary of the Treasury transmitting a draft of proposed legislation to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 with respect to moneys received in payment for special statistical studies and compllations and certain other services; which, with the accompanying paper, was referred to the Committee on Finance.

REPORT OF DISPOSAL OF FOREIGN EXCESS PROPERTY

The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a communication from the Deputy Administrator of the Veterans' Administration, transmitting, pursuant to law, the annual report of the Veterans' Administration activities in the disposal of foreign excess property for the calendar year 1961; which, with the accompanying paper, was referred to the Committee on Government Operations.

REPORT OF REVIEW OF WAGE ACCOUNTING AND UNEMPLOYMENT CONTRIBUTION COLLECTION ACTIVITIES, RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD

The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a communication from the Comptroller General of the United States, transmitting, pursuant to law, a report of the review of wage accounting and unemployment contribution collection activities, Railroad Retirement Board, July 1961; which, with the accompanying report, was referred to the Committee on Government Operations.

SORENSEN FISH CO. V. THE UNITED STATES The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a communication from the clerk of the US. Court of Claims, transmitting to Senate Resolution 90 (87th Cong., 1st sess.) the order of the court discontinuing proceedings in the case of Sorensen Fish Co. v. The United States; which, with the accompanying paper. was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

AMENDMENT OF BANKRUPTCY ACT RELATING TO INTEREST-BEARING DEPOSITS The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a communication from the Director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, transmitting a draft

of proposed legislation to amend the Bankruptcy Act to permit a trustee to deposit estate money in interest-bearing time deposits; which, with the accompanying paper, was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

WIRETAPPING

The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a communication from the Attorney General, transmitting a draft of proposed legislation to prohibit wiretapping by persons other than duly authorized law enforcement officers engaged in the investigation or prevention of specified categories of criminal offenses; which, with the accompanying paper, was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

EASTERN JUDICIAL DISTRICT OF WISCONSIN TO INCLUDE MENOMINEE, WIS. The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a communication from the Attorney General, transmitting a draft of proposed legislation to amend section 130(a) of title 28, United States Code, so as to reconstitute the eastern judicial district of Wisconsin to include Menominee County, Wis.; which, with the accompanying paper, was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

REPORT UNDER FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT

The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a communication from the Secretary of Labor, transmitting, pursuant to law, his report under the Fair Labor Standards Act, together with four reports of the Wage and Hour Division, Department of Labor, relating to exemptions available for employment in laundries and cleaning plants, hotels and motels, restaurants, and other food service enterprises, and the handling and processing of agricultural products; which, with the accompanying reports, was referred to the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare.

USELESS PAPERS IN GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND DEPARTMENTS

The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a communication from the Administrator of General Services Administration, transmitting, pursuant to law, a report of the Archivist of the United States of lists of papers in various departments and agencies of the Government, recommended for for disposition, which appear to have no permanent value of historical interest; which, with the accompanying papers, was referred to a Joint Select Committee on the Disposition of Papers in the Executive Department; and

The VICE PRESIDENT appointed Mr. JOHNSTON and Mr. CARLSON as members of the committee on the part of the Senate.

Ordered, That the Secretary notify the House of Representatives thereof. REPORT OF PROFESSIONAL AND SCIENTIFIC POSITIONS

The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a communication from the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Justice, transmitting, pursuant to law, reports of

professional and scientific positions established in the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the calendar year 1961; which, with the accompanying papers, was referred to the Committee on Post Office and Cvil Service.

The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a communication from the Chairman of the U.S. Civil Service Commission, transmitting, pursuant to law, reports of professional and scientific positions established in the Commission for the calendar year 1961; which, with the accompanying papers, was referred to the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service.

PETITIONS

The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate the following resolutions of the Legislature of the Territory of Guam; which were referred to the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs:

A resolution favoring creating the position of Territorial Deputy or Delegate to be elected by the people of Guam as their representative to the Congress of the United States; and

A resolution favoring the enactment of various legislation relative to Guam and extending thanks for such consideration by the Congress.

Mr. TALMADGE presented the following resolutions, which were referred as indicated:

Concurrent resolutions of the Legislature of the State of Georgia:

A concurrent resolution remonstrating against the purchase of bond issue of the United Nations; to the Committee. on Foreign Relations; and

A concurrent resolution favoring legislation to prevent the flow of Communist propaganda through the mails of the United States; to the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service.

A resolution of the Senate of the State of Georgia favoring Federal funds for public education, provided they be received and expended by the Georgia State Board of Education as State funds; to the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare.

Mr. TALMADGE presented a resolution of the House of Representatives of the State of Georgia favoring the appointment of Mrs. Orville Tyler Schaefer as Treasurer of the United States; which was ordered to lie on the table.

REPORT ON HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 612

Mr. MAGNUSON, from the Committee on Appropriations, under the authority of the order of January 15, 1962, reported on February 1, 1962, the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 612) making supplemental appropriations for the Veterans' Administration for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1962, and for other purposes, without amendment and submitted a report (No. 1194) thereon.

EXTENSION OF TIME FOR COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY TO FILE CERTAIN REPORTS

On motion by Mr. CLARK, and by unanimous consent,

Ordered, That the time for the filing of reports pursuant to Senate Resolution 48, and Senate Resolutions 50 through 60 of the 87th Congress, 1st session by the

Committee on the Judiciary, be extended to March 31, 1962.

INTRODUCTION OF BILLS AND JOINT
RESOLUTIONS

Bills and joint resolutions were introduced, severally read the first and second times by unanimous censent, and referred as follows:

By Mr. BYRD of West Virginia: S. 2782. A bill to authorize the conveyance to Hancock County, W. Va., of certain surplus Government-owned property; to the Committee on Government Operations.

By Mr. MOSS:

S. 2783. A bill to repeal the provision of law relating to the mailing of matter by Members of the Senate and House of Representatives under congressional frank with a simplified form of address; to the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service.

By Mr. JAVITS:

S. 2784. A bill to provide civil remedies to persons damaged by unfair commercial activities in or affecting commerce; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

By Mr. BYRD of Virginia (for himself and Mr. ROBERTSON):

S. 2785. A bill to authorize the Commissioners of the District of Columbia to sell certain property owned by the District of Columbia located in Prince William County, Va., and for other purposes; to the Committee on the District of Columbia.

By Mr. ELLENDER:

S. 2786. A bill to improve and protect farm income, to reduce costs of farm programs to the Federal Government, to reduce the Federal Government's excessive stocks of agricultural commodities, to maintain reasonable and stable prices of agricultural commodities and products to consumers, to provide adequate supplies of agricultural commodities for domestic and foreign needs, to conserve natural resources, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry.

By Mr. EASTLAND:

S. 2787. A bill for the relief of Bobby G. Pounders; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

By Mr. ELLENDER:

S. 2788. A bill to amend section 6 of the Agricultural Marketing Act, as amended, to reduce the revolving fund available for subscriptions to the capital stock of the banks for cooperatives; to the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry.

By Mr. DODD:

S. 2789. A bill for the relief of Mrs. Annie Yang; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

By Mr. BENNETT:

S. 2790. A bill to amend the Reorganization Act of 1949; to the Committee on Government Operations.

By Mr. HICKEY (for himself and
Mr. MCGEE):

S.J. Res. 151. Joint resolution permitting the Secretary of the Interior to continue to deliver water to lands in the third division, Riverton Federal reclamation project, Wyoming; to the

Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs.

By Mr. ANDERSON (for himself and Mr. SALTONSTALL): S.J. Res. 152. Joint resolution to provide for the reappointment of Dr. Caryl P. Haskins as Citizen Regent of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution; and

S.J. Res. 153. Joint resolution to provide for the reappointment of Dr. Crawford H. Greenewalt as Citizen Regent of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution; to the Committee on Rules and Administration.

By Mr. KUCHEL:

S.J. Res. 154. Joint resolution to authorize the President to proclaim a week in March of each year as National Health Week; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

ADDITIONAL COAUTHORS OF SENATE BILL 1360

On motion by Mr. JAVITS, and by unanimous consent. Ordered, That his name be added as a coauthor of the bill (S. 1360) to amend the Davis-Bacon Act, as amended; the Federal Airport Act, as amended; and the National Housing Act, as amended; and for other purposes.

On motion by Mr. KUCHEL, and by unanimous consent.

Ordered, That the name of Mr. MORSE be added as a coauthor of the bill (S. 1360) to amend the Davis-Bacon Act, as amended; the Federal Airport Act, as amended; and the National Housing Act, as amended; and for other purposes. AUTHORIZATION TO PRINT AS A SENATE DOCUMENT REPORT ENTITLED “A REPORT OF U.S. FOREIGN POLICY AND OPERATIONS"

Mr. ELLENDER submitted the following concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 56); which was referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration:

Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That there be printed with illustrations, as a Senate document, a report entitled "A Report of United States Foreign Policy and Operations," submitted by Senator ALLEN J. ELLENDER to the Senate Committee on Appropriations on January 24, 1962; and that four thousand additional copies be printed for use of that committee.

COMMITTEE SERVICE

Mr. KUCHEL (for Mr. DIRKSEN) Submitted the following resolution (S. Res. 291):

Resolved, That the Senator from Illinois [Mr. DIRKSEN] and the Senator from Arizona [Mr. GOLDWATER] are hereby excussed from further service on the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs; that the Senator from New Hampshire [Mr. COTTON] is hereby excused from further service on the Committee on the Judiciary; that the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. CASE] is hereby excused from further service on the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare; that the Senator from Pennsylvania [Mr. SCOTT] is hereby excused from further service on the Committee on Public Works and the Senator from New York [Mr. KEATING] and the Sena

tor from Iowa [Mr. MILLER] are hereby excused from further service on the Committee on Rules and Administration: Be it hereby

Resolved, That the Senator from Indiana [Mr. CAPEHART] be and he is hereby assigned to service on the Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences; that the Senator from Illinois [Mr. DIRKSEN] be and he is hereby assigned to service on the Committee on Rules and Administration; that the Senator from Arizona [Mr. GOLDWATER] be and he is hereby assigned to service on the Committee on Armed Services; that the Senator from New Hampshire (Mr. COTTON] and the Senator from New Jersey [Mr. CASE] be and they are hereby assigned to service on the Committee on Appropriations; that the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. SCOTT] be and he is hereby assigned to service on the Committee on the Judiciary; that the Senator from New York [Mr. KEATING] be and he is hereby assigned to service on the Committee on Commerce; that the Senator from Iowa [Mr. MILLER] be and he is hereby assigned to service on the Committee on Public Works and the Senator from New Hampshire (Mr. MURPHY] be and he is hereby assigned to service on the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs and to the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare.

The Senate proceeded, by unanimous consent, to consider the said resolution; and

Resolved, That That the Senate agree thereto.

PUBLIC WELFARE PROGRAM

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. METCALF in the chair) laid before the Senate the following message from the President of the United States; which, with the accompanying papers, was referred to the Committee on Finance:

To the Congress of the United States:

Few nations do more than the United States to assist their least fortunate citizens to make certain that no child, no elderly or handicapped citizen, no family in any circumstances in any State, is left without the essential needs for a decent and healthy existence. In too few nations, I might add, are the people aware of the progressive strides this country has taken in demonstrating the humanitarian side of freedom. Our record is a proud one-and it sharply refutes those who accuse us of thinking only in the materialistic terms of cash registers and calculating machines.

Our basic public welfare programs were enacted more than a quarter century ago. Their contribution to our national strength and well-being in the intervening years has been remarkable.

But the times, the conditions, the problems have changed—and the nature and objectives of our public assistance and child welfare programs must be changed, also, if they are to meet our current needs.

The impact of these changes should not be underestimated.

People move more often-from the farm to the city, from urban centers to

the suburbs, from the East to the West, from the South to the North and Midwest.

Living costs, and especially medical costs, have spiraled.

The pattern of our population has changed. There are more older people, more children, more young marriages, divorces, desertions, and separations.

Our system of social insurance and related programs has grown greatly: In 1940, less than 1 percent of the aged were receiving monthly old-age insurance benefits; today over two-thirds of our aged are receiving these benefits. In 1940, only 21,000 children, in families where the breadwinners had died, were getting survivor insurance benefits; today such monthly benefits are being paid to about 2 million children.

All of these changes affect the problems public welfare was intended to relieve as well as its ability to relieve it. Moreover, even the nature and causes of poverty have changed. At the time the Social Security Act established our present basic framework for public aid. the major cause of poverty was unemployment and economic depression. Today, in a year of relative prosperity and high employment, we are more concerned about the poverty that persists in the midst of abundance.

The reasons are often more social than economic, more often subtle than simple. Some are in need because they are untrained for work-some because they cannot work, because they are too young or too old, blind or crippled Some are in need because they are discriminated against for reasons they cannot help. Responding to their ills with scorn or suspicion is inconsistent with our moral precepts and inconsistent with their nearly universal preference to be independent. But merely responding with a relief check to complicated social or personal problems such as il health, faulty education, domestic discord, racial discrimination, or inadequate skills is not likely to provide a lasting solution. Such a check must be supplemented, or in some cases made unnecessary, by positive services and solutions, offering the total resources of the community to meet the total needs of the family to help our less fortunate citizens help themselves.

Public welfare, in short, must be more than a salvage operation, picking up the debris from the wreckage of human lives. Its emphasis must be directed increasingly toward prevention and rehabilitation-on reducing not only the long-range cost in budgetary terms but the long-range cost in human terms as well. Poverty weakens individuals and nations. Sounder public welfare policies will benefit the Nation, its economy, its morale, and, most importantly, its people.

Under the various titles of the Social Security Act, funds are available to help the States provide assistance and other social services to the needy, aged and blind, to the needy disabled, and to dependent children. In addition, grants are available to assist the States to expand and strengthen their programs of

child welfare services. These programs are essentially State programs. But the Federal Government, by its substantial financial contribution, its leadership, and the standards it sets, bears a major responsibility. To better fulfill this responsibility, the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare recently introduced

a

number of administrative changes designed to get people off assistance and back into useful, productive roles in society.

These changes provided for:

The more effective location of deserting parents;

An effort to reduce that proportion of persons receiving assistance through willful misrepresentation, although that proportion is only a small part of the 1.5 percent of persons on the rolls found to be ineligible;

Allowing dependent children to save money for educational, employment or medical needs without having that amount deducted from their public assistance grants;

Providing special services and safeguards to children in families of unmarried parents, in families where the father has deserted, or in homes in danger of becoming morally or physically unsuitable; and

An improvement in the training of personnel, the development of services and the coordination of agency efforts.

In keeping with this new emphasis, the name of the Bureau of Public Assistance has been changed to the Bureau of Family Services.

But only so much can be done by administrative changes. New legislation is required if our State-operated programs are to be fully able to meet modern needs.

I. PREVENTION AND REHABILITATION

As already mentioned, we must place more stress on services instead of relief. I recommend that the States be encouraged by the offer of additional Federal funds to strengthen and broaden the rehabilitative and preventive services they offer to persons who are dependent or who would otherwise become dependent. Additional Federal funds would induce and assist the States to establish or augment their rehabilitation services, strengthen their child welfare services, and add to their number of competent public welfare personnel. At the present time, the cost of these essential services is lumped with all administrative costsroutine clerical and office functions-and the Federal Government pays one-half of the total of all such costs incurred by the States. By separating out and identifying the cost of these essential rehabilitation, social work and other service costs, and paying the States threefourths of such services a step I earnestly recommend for your consideration-the Federal Government will enable and encourage the States to provide more comprehensive and effective services to rehabilitate those on welfare. The existing law should also be amended to permit the use of Federal funds for utilization by the State welfare agency of specialists from other State

agencies who can help mount a concerted attack on the problems of dependency,

There are other steps we can take which will have an important effect on this effort. One of these is to expand and improve the Federal-State program of vocational rehabilitation for disabled people. Among the 92,500 disabled men and women successfully rehabilitated into employment through this program last year were about 15,000 who had formerly been receiving public assistance. Let me repeat this figure: 15,000 people, formerly supported by the taxpayers through welfare, are now back at work as self-supporting taxpayers. Much more of this must be done-until we are restoring to employment every disabled person who can benefit from those rehabilitation services.

The prevention of future adult poverty and dependency must begin with the care of dependent children-those who must receive public welfare by virtue of a parent's death, disability, desertion, or unemployment. Our society not only refuses to leave such children hungry, cold, and devoid of opportunity-we are insistent that such children not be community liabilities throughout their lives. Yet children who grow up in deprivation, without adequate protection, may be poorly equipped to meet adult responsibilities.

The Congress last year approved, on a temporary basis, aid for the dependent children of the unemployed as a part of the permanent aid-to-dependent-children program. This legislation also included temporary provisions for foster care where the child has been removed from his home, and an increase in Federal financial assistance to the aged, blind, and disabled. The need for these temporary improvements has not abated, and their merit is clear. I recommend that these temporary provisions be made permanent.

But children need more than aid when they are destitute. We need to improve our preventive and protective services for children as well as adults. I recommend that the present ceiling of $25 million authorized for annual appropriations for grants to the States for child welfare services be gradually raised, beginning with $30 million for 1963, up to $50 million for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1969, and suceeding years.

Finally, many women now on assistance rolls could obtain jobs and become self-supporting if local day-care programs for their young children were available. The need for such programs for the children, the children of working mothers has been increasing rapidly. Of the 22 million women now working, about 3 million have children under 6, and another 42 million have school-age children between 6 and 17. Adequate care for these children during their most formative years is essential to their proper growth and training. Therefore, I recommend that the child welfare provisions of the Social Security Act be changed to authorize earmarking up to $5 million of grants to the States in 1963 and $10 million a year there

after for aid in establishing local programs for the day care of young children of working mothers.

II. PROMOTING NEW SKILLS AND INDEPENDENCE

We must find ways of returning far more of our dependent people to independence. We must find ways of returning them to a participating and productive role in the community.

One sure way is by providing the opportunity every American cherishes to do sound and useful work. For this reason, I am recommending a change in the law to permit States to maintain with Federal financial help community work and training projects for unemployed people receiving welfare payments. Under such a program, unemployed people on welfare would be helped to retain their work skills or learn new ones; and the local community would obtain additional manpower on public projects.

But earning one's welfare payments through required participation in a community work or training project must be an opportunity for the individual on welfare, not a penalty. Federal financial participation will be conditioned upon proof that the work will serve a useful community or public purpose, will not displace regular employees, will not impair prevailing wages and working conditions, and will be accompanied by certain basic health and safety protections. Provisions must also be made to assure appropriate arrangements for the care and protection of children during the absence from home of any parent performing work or undergoing training.

Moreover, systematic encouragement would be given all welfare recipients to obtain vocational counseling, testing, and placement services from the U.S. Employment Service and to secure useful training wherever new job skills would be helpful. Close cooperative arrangements would be established with existing training and vocational education programs, and with the vocational and on-the-job training opportunities to be created under the manpower development and training and youth employment opportunities programs previously proposed.

III. MORE SKILLED PERSONNEL

It is essential that State and local welfare agencies be staffed with enough qualified personnel to insure constructive and adequate attention to the problems of needy individuals to take the time to help them find and hold a jobto prevent public dependency, and to strive, where that is not possible, for rehabilitation-and to ascertain promptly whether any individual is receiving aid for which he does not qualify, so that aid can be promptly withdrawn.

Unfortunately, there is an acute shortage of trained personnel in all our welfare programs. The lack of experienced social workers for programs dealing with children and their families is especially critical.

At the present time, when States expend funds for the training of personnel for the administration of these pro

« PreviousContinue »