Milford chronicle., 1956-06-22
News From u. S.
Senator Frear

AS the final session of this saith
Congress moves toward its antici-
pated conclusion in late July or
early August, one senses a feeling
of increasing urgency in the con-
duct of legislative affairs. This is
especially evident in light of the
expanded amount of attention and
1 thought toward the forthcoming
National Conventions and the gen
eral election in November.
Some of you may recall that in
my first statement of this year,
! issued back in January, / express
ed the hope that Congress would
| be able to devote the maximum de-
/ gree of it's efforts in legislative
/ deliberations without burdening
1 these endeavors with an excessive
amount of partisan consideration.
| TO a substantial extent, | believe,
this has happened and it is only
natural that in the late stages of
the Congress, the particular politi-
cal interests of the various mem
bers of the House and Senate would
come more into prominence.
Under our political system in this
country. legislators must neces-
sarily be in close contact with their
constituents at home in order to
acquaint them with their activities
in the Congress and seek their con
| lidence and support for the next
| election. Thus, you will note that
goodly number of Senators and
| especially Representatives must be
absent from Washington from time
to time during this portion of the
year so as to make preparations
for their political activities at
home once Congress has finally
adjourned.
Despite the high tempo in politi-
cal affairs, however, there remains
a large measure of legislation yet
to be resolved. Foremost among
these matters are the appropriation
bills which constitute perhaps the
most important and influential OBJ
legation of the Congress. This is
true because it is through apprO-
priatiOn of the peoples money that
the Congress keeps the Government
in operation, provides for the pay
|
necessary funds to carry out the
many activities of the Federal Gov
eminent.
In preparing this statement, re-
viewed the status of appropriation
bills as they presently exist in the
second session of this Saith Con-
gress AS of this date, total of
fifteen money bills have passed the
House while thirteen have been
approved in the Senate. OF this
total, eight are still pending be
fore Conference Committees of the
two Houses where differences are
being worked out and five have al
ready become law
Chief among the appropriation
bills still awaiting action by the
Senate is the defense appropriation
| measure which necessarily is by
far the largest of any considered
! During the present week, it is an
ticipated that the Senate, either in
its appropriation committee or the
full chamber itself, will give fur
Their attention to the request for
Mutual Security, that is Foreign
Aid, and perhaps the bill author
izing Legislative appropriations for
the next fiscal year as we'll. f.
We may also expect, | believe,
an executive session of the Senate
Appropriation Committee early this
week on the defense money bill and
soon after, its referral to the full
Senate With action being rapidly
completed on most of the neces-
sary appropriation measures, it
will logically follow that the Con
gress will then give major atten-
ton to those other legislative mat
tiers of the greatest Importance
which are still to be resolved.
The tide of events points to an
early adjournment and yet it is to
be hoped, and I think will be dem
onstrated, that when the Saith Con-
gress finally passes into history
that its record will reflect sub
stantial accomplishment in behalf
of the American people.