CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - HOUSE August 31

PUBLIC WORKS APPROPRIATION

BILL, 1960-VETO MESSAGE FROM

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED

STATES (H. DOC. NO. 222)

The SPEAKER laid before the House

the following veto message from the

President of the United States:

To the House of Representatives:

I return herewith, without my approval H.R. 7509, a bill making appropriations for civil functions administered

by the Department of the Army, certain

agencies of the Department of the Interior, and the Tennessee Valley Authority, for the fiscal year ending June

30, 1960, and for other purposes.

This public works appropriation bill

for fiscal 1960 includes 67 unbudgeted

projects estimated eventually to cost over

$800 million. It ignores the necessity

for an orderly development of America's

water resources within the Nation's fiscal ability.

Without any of the unbudget projects provided for in this measure, 1960

expenditures for the Corps of Engineers

and the Bureau of Reclamation will

reach $1.1 billion-an alltime high and

almost three-quarters again as much as

the expenditure level in fiscal 1955.

Moreover, just to carry on construction

currently underway will require by 1962

even higher expenditures-approaching

twice as much as those of fiscal 1955-

and will ultimately cost $6 billion.

These future expenditure commitments result largely from the fact that

in the last 4 years the Congress has

added to budgeted construction over 200

unbudgeted starts, involving total costs

of nearly $3.8 billion. In view of these

commitments, I recommended in the

January budget message that no funds

be appropriated to start additional projects in 1960.

This tremendous expansion in Government expenditures in just this one area in so short a period of time brings into

sharp focus how Congress by action in

one year builds increases into the Federal

budget in future years. For example,

although the cost of the unbudgeted

projects in H.R. 7509 will be relatively

small in fiscal 1960-about $50 milliontheir ultimate cost will be more than $800

million. This illustrates how easily

effective control of Federal spending can

be lost.

Overspending in respect to water resources is hurtful to the United States

and to the proper development of these resources themselves. The American

people are opposed to overspending no

matter where it is attempted.

The unbudgeted projects provided for

in this bill will, at the proper time, make

an important contribution to the economic development of the areas in which

they are to be built and to the Nation as

a whole. But by any sound test of

urgency, these projects should not be

started this year if we are to have a

responsible Federal fiscal policy. I believe that the American people look to

the Government to see that their tax

money is spent only on necessary projects

and according to a priority as to urgency

that does not weaken our financial

structure nor add to the tremendous

debt burden that posterity will have to

pay.

I urge the Congress to enact a new bill

appropriating funds only to finance proj -

ects now under construction and other

going programs. If the Congress continues its refusal, in the case of the

Trinity River project, to save $60 million

of taxpayers' money through providing

for construction of electric power facilities by non-Federal interests, such new

bill should of necessity include funds to

provide for Federal construction of such

facilities, since the dam is now being

built and it is essential that power facilities be in place when the reservoir is full.

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER.

THE WHITE HOUSE, August 26, 1959.

The SPEAKER. The objection of the

President will be spread at large upon

the Journal and, without objection, the

bill and message will be printed as a

House Document.

Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, I ask

unanimous consent that further consideration be postponed until Wednesday

next.

The SPEAKER. Is there objection to

the request of the gentleman from Missouri?

There was no objection.

JOINT COMMITTEE ON ATOMIC

ENERGY

Mr. HAYS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent for the immediate consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 356) to

authorize printing of additional copies of

the Joint Committee print entitled "Summary-Analysis of Hearings on Biological

and Environmental Effects of Nuclear

War."

The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy be authorized to have printed for its use, at a cost not to exceed $1,200,

additional copies of the Joint Committee

print entitled "Summary-Analysis of Hearings on Biological and Environmental Effects

of Nuclear War" prepared by the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy during the Eightysixth Congress, first session.

The resolution was agreed to.

A motion to reconsider was laid on the

table.

EXTENSION OF REMARKS

Mr. PATMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask

unanimous consent to extend my remarks

at the end of the proceedings today and

to include an address by Ernest 0.

Thompson, chairman, Texas Railroad

Commission, on Oil Centennial Celebration.

The SPEAKER. Is there objection to

the request of the gentleman from Texas?

There was no objection.

HIRING OF OLDER PERSONS IN

PRIVATE INDUSTRY

Mr. RHODES of Pennsylvania. Mr.

Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to

address the House for 1 minute and to

revise and extend my remarks.

The SPEAKER. Is there objection to

the request of the gentleman from

Pennsylvania?

There was no objection.

Mr. RHODES of Pennsylvania. Mr.

Speaker, I am today introducing a bill

to encourage the hiring of older persons

in private industry. It is an identical

measure to H.R. 8695, introduced by the

gentleman from Illinois [Mr. PUCINSKI].

One of the most difficult problems facing millions of middle-aged and elderly

persons is the difficulty of finding jobs.

Many companies refuse to hire persons

over age 45, not because they are not

experienced or capable of doing the job

well, but because of higher costs of providing insurance, pension plan benefits,

and other fringe benefits for which they

would be eligible.

The bill would give employers full tax

credit for the additional cost of hiring

people of advanced age. It would permit

the employer to compute what it costs

him in fringe benefits for younger and

older age group employees, and to receive

a tax credit for the difference. Thus,

he would be completely relieved of the

additional cost of hiring older workers.

From personal experience I know the

extent of job discrimination based on

age and the hardships which it brings

to these persons and their families.

Many residents of my district faced with

this discrimination have written to me to

urge that the Government recognize this

problem and find a way to solve it.

We cannot afford to waste the skills

and productive capacity of our people

merely because they are over a certain

age. These persons are entitled to the

chance to work and earn a decent living

for themselves and their families. I am

hopeful that this legislation will offer

a workable solution to this problem.

REPORT OF THE BOARD OF VISITORS TO THE U.S. COAST GUARD

ACADEMY, NEW LONDON. CONN.,

MAY 1, 1959

Mr. GEORGE P. MILLER. Mr.

Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to

insert a report at this point in the

RECORD.

The SPEAKER. Is there objection to

the request of the gentleman from

California?

There was no objection.

Mr. GEORGE P. MILLER. Mr.

Speaker, the report is as follows:

The PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE.

The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

GENTLEMEN: Pursuant to section 194 of

title 14 of the United States Code, the following Senators and Members of the House of

Representatives were designated to consti- tute the 1959 Board of Visitors to the U.S.

Coast Guard Academy.

By the President of the Senate: Senator

PRESCOTT BUSH, Republican, Connecticut.

By the chairman of the Senate Committee

on Interstate and Foreign Commerce: Sen- ator E. L. (BOB) BARTLETT, Democrat, Alaska;

Senator NORRIS COTTON, Republican, New

Hampshire.

By the Speaker of the House of Representatives: Representative CHESTER BowLEs, Democrat, Connecticut; Representative WILLIAM

B. WIDNALL, Republican* New Jersey.

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