Evening star., 1961-09-27
Kennedy Scores High in Congress,
But Tough h Issues Await '62 Session

President Kennedy got a high
percentage of his first legisla-
tive program from this session
Of Congress because his leaders
on Capitol Hill were willing to
compromise on controversial
issues.
But the 1862 session of the
9th Congress may prove a
greater test of Mr.. Kennedy's
leadership, when several of the ,
milestones on the road to his
New Frontier come up for ac-
ton.
These issues, which the pres
ent session sidetracked, will in
clude: Medical care for the
aged under Social Security,
general tax revision to close
loop-holes and stimulate indus
trial expansion, and such
perennial questions as Federal
aid to public schools and in
creased postal rates.
On top of this unfinished {
business, the next session will 4
be plunged into struggle over
the historic tariff issue, which
did not arise this year.
Major Fight Expected /
The Reciprocal Trade Agree
ment Law, which has taken
the tariff-making job cut of
the hands of Congress for many
years, expires in 1862, and a
major fight over its extension
is expected because of the
growing effect of imports on
certain American industries.
The fact that 1862 is con-
gressional election year will in
tensify the debate and the
jockeying between the political
parties to develop campaign
issues.
The major accomplishments
of the Kennedy administration
at this session included:
A long-range foreign aid
economic program.
A greatly expanded housing
law.
A new program Of Federal
aid to chronically depressed
areas.
Liberalized social security
benefits.
A broader minimum wage
law.
Temporary increases in un-
employment compensation.
A new farm program.
Permanent status for the
Peace Corps.
A new arms control and dis
armament agency.
Had to Compromise
In most of these bills the
administration gave up some,
of its ideas to get action.
On foreign aid the PreSidens
had to abandon his request for
Treasury borrowing and accept
annual appropriations to fl
nance economic loans to un-
derdeveloped countries. but he
got authority to make plans
and commitments for five
years, which was major OBJ
jective.
On housing, Congress would
not go along with his request
for 40-year no-doWn-payment
mortgages to stimulate home
construction for rnoderate-in-
come families. His leaders
compromised on 35 years with
a 3 per cent down payment.
But the $4.8 billion Housing
bill was one of the best bills
he got from this session, COW
ering nearly all that he asked
for and, for some programs,
more. 1t included a beginning
on new programs to help mass
transportation facilities in big
cities. and a start toward ac-
QUESTION of open spaces to pro-
vide orderly planning for fu-
ture city growth. 1t also con-
tained all of the existing hous-
ing activities.
Again, on Federal aid to
highways, Mr.. Kennedy got
most of what he asked for, but
had to make some compromises.
The bill authorized an addi-
tional $11.5 billion to complete
by 1912 the interstate system,
and increased taxes on trucks,
tires and tubes to meet the cost.
Learned From Experience
; Congress also made major
changes in his farm bill, but in
signing the bill the President
said it was a step III the right
direction. +
Mr.. Kennedy went into the
White House after Ii years in
the House and Senate, where
he learned from experience
that all major legislation ls the
result of compromise. Il
The Democrats figure that
the President got SO major
benefits for the Nation from
I this first session, and some of
his more enthusiastic support
ers have compared this with II
in the first session under
Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1888,
and 12 in the first session
under President Eisenhower in
1858. f
But there is disagreement
over what can be claSsed
major" legislation and num-
bers alone do not tell the story.
The content of the bills, the
atmosphere in which they we're
considered and the party line
ups in Congress must also be
taken into account.
For example, most of the II
major bills that Mr.. Roosevelt
got from a special session i'm
mediately after his inaugura-
ton we're more reaching in
scope than anything Congress
considered this year.