93d Congress, 2d Session House Document No. 93-381

VETOING H.R. 14225, EXTEND REHABILITATION

ACT OF 1973

MESSAGE

FROM

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

VETOING

H.R. 14225, AN ACT TO EXTEND THE AUTHORIZATIONS OF

APPROPRIATIONS IN THE REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973

FOR ONE YEAR, TO TRANSFER THE REHABILITATION

SERVICES ADMINISTRATION TO THE OFFICE OF THE

SECRETARY OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE, TO

MAKE CERTAIN TECHNICAL AND CLARIFYING AMENDMENTS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES; TO AMEND THE

RANDOLPH-SHEPPARD ACT FOR THE BLIND; TO

STRENGTHEN THE PROGRAM AUTHORIZED THEREUNDER; AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE CONVENING OF A WHITE

HOUSE CONFERENCE ON HANDICAPPED INDIVIDUALS

NOVEMBER 18, 1974.-Message and accompanying act ordered to be printed

as a House document

88-011 O

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON 1974

93d Congress, 2d Session House Document No. 93-381
To the House of Representatives:

I am today returning, without my approval, H.R. 14225, the Rehabilitation Act and Randolph-Sheppard Act Amendments of 1974,

and the White House Conference on Handicapped Individuals Act.

I am advised by the Attorney General and I have determined that the

absence of my signature from this bill prevents it from becoming law.

Without in any way qualifying this determination, I am also returning it without my approval to those designated by Congress to receive

messages at this time.

The Vocational Rehabilitation Amendments of 1974 pose some

fundamental issues which far transcend this particular bill. No group

in our country is more in need of supportive services than the Handicapped. Our handicapped citizens have demonstrated time and again that, given a fair break, they can lead as full and productive lives as

other citizens.

Throughout my years in Congress I consistently supported good Federal programs designed to assist the handicapped.

During the last two years spending on the basic grant programs for

Vocational Rehabilitation has grown from $589 million to $680 million. The key issue posed by this bill is not how much money will be

spent. The issue posed is how well the programs will be run.

This bill passed the House of Representatives without any hearings.

Had hearings been held we would have explained the disruption that

would result from such a massive legislative incursion into the administration of a program.

The Congress has the responsibility to legislate, but I have the responsibility for the successful administration of the programs they

enact. This bill is an attempt to administer through legislation. It

transfers a program from one part of HEW to another for no good

reason-indeed for very bad reasons. It dictates where in HEW minute

decisions must be made, it creates independent organizational units at

subordinate levels that are wasteful and duplicative and it sets up a

monitoring process for the construction and modernization of Federal

facilities that would force me to create a new 250-man bureaucracy in

HEW to duplicate functions carried out elsewhere in the Executive

Branch. Most importantly, the bill blurs accountability. I cannot be

responsible for the good management of all Federal programs if I cannot hold my Cabinet Secretaries accountable. Under this legislation

accountability would be diffused. I find myself obliged to return to the

Congress unsigned a bill that would disrupt existing Federal programs

and ill serve the needs of our Nation's handicapped citizens. The present Vocational Rehabilitation legislation does not expire until mid

1975. Plenty of time remains for us to work out a bill which will

improve Federal programs for the handicapped rather than create the

disruptions that will inevitably result from this hastily drawn piece of

legislation. I have requested HEW Secretary Weinberger to meet with

congressional leaders immediately upon their return to initiate this

process.

GERALD R. FORD.

THE WHiiTE HousE, October 29, 1974.

H.D. 381