94th Congress, 1st Session House Document No. 9t-826

VETO OF THE DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR AND

HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE

APPROPRIATION ACT, 1976

MESSAGE

FROM

TME PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES VETOING

H.R. 8069

AN ACT MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, AND HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE, AND RELATED AGENCIES, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR

ENDING JUNE 30, 1976, AND THE PERIOD ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1976, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Dnnmn 19, 1975.-Message and accompanying act ordered to be prInted

as a House document

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

57-011 O WASHINGTON : 1975

94th Congress, lst Session House Document No. 9"--26
To the Howe of Rsprentativ e:

Iareturn without my approval H.R. 8069, the Departments of Labor

and Health, Education, and Welfare Appropriation Act, 1976.

As you know, I have just vetoed H.R. 5559, which would have ex- tended for six months the temporary tax cut due to expire on New

Year's Eve, because it was not accompanied by a limit on Federal

spending for the next fiscal year. H.R. 8069 is a classic example of

the unchecked spending which I referred to in my earlier veto message. IR. 8069 would provide nearly $1 billion more in spending authority than I had requested. Not only would the $45 billion total in this

bill add significantly to the already burdensome Federal deficits

expected this year and next, but the individual increases themselves are unjustified, unnecessary, and unwise. This bill is, therefore, inconsistent with fiscal discipline and with effective restraint on the growth

of government.

I am not impressed by the argument that H.R. 8069 is in line with

the Congress' second concurrent resolution on the budget and is, therefore, in some sense proper. What this argument does not say is that

the resolution, which expresses the Congress' view of appropriate

budget restraint, approves a $50 billion, or 15 percent, increase in

Federal spending in one year. Such an increase is not appropriate

budget restraint.

Effective restraint on the growth of the Federal Government re- quires effective limits on the growth of Federal spending. This bill

provides an opportunity .for such limitation. By itself, this bill would

add $382 million to this year's deficit and would make next year's deficit $372 million more than if my recommendations had been

adopted. In addition, the increases provided for this year would raise

expectations for next year's budget and make the job of restraining spending that much more difficult. Thus, this bill would contribute

to excessive deficits and needless inflationary pressures.

Furthermore, if this bill became law, it would increase permanent Federal employment by 8,000 people. I find it most difficult to believe

the majority of the American people favor increasing the number of

employees on the Federal payroll, whether by Congressional direction or by other means. On the contrary, I believe the overwhelming ma- jority agree with my view that there are already too many employees

in the Federal Government.

I am returning this bill without myjignature and renewing my

-request to the Congress to approve a ceiling on Federal spending as the best possible Christmas present for the American people.

GsALD E. FonD.

Tn Wurra HousE, December 19, 1975.