Evening star., 1961-04-27
Leaders Hail
Speedup on
Kennedy Bills
BY ROBERT X. WALSH
Star staff Writer

SAAOSA oOAN ASSAoAoOAFC ACoNCLo q
happily noted today a speed
up in congressional action on
major domestic measures of
the Kennedy administration.
aid to depressed areas.
The 1894 million depressed
areas bill with a controversial
"backdoor spending" method
of financing aid to areas of
chronic unemployment and re-
ceSsion passed on a 223 to 1893
vote in the House yesterday.
The 30-vote margin of VIC
tory was attributed almost en-
tirely to the fact that 81 Re-
publicans joined 1872 Democrats
in support of the bill. Fifty
six Democrats sided with 1877
Republicans against it.
Final passage of the de-
pressed areas bill nevertheless
was hailed by Democratic lead
ers as evidence of progress in
New Frontier legislation, espe-
cially in the House. The meas
ure now is on President Ken
nedy's desk. He is expected to
sign it today.
Childrens' Aid Voted
The Senate today passed and
sent to President Kennedy a
bill providing an estimated $500
million in benefits for needy
children Of unemployed parents.
Senate action came on a
voice vote after brief debate.
The House gave final approval
Of the bill yesterday.
The bill was a legislative
companion to an administrative
measure passed by Congress
last month to give $3.50 million
in additional unemployment
compensation benefits to job
less workers who exhaust their
State benefits.
The House completed final
action yesterday on still an
other important bill and sent
it to the White House for ex-
Ipected approval.
This would authorize the
President to make agreements
during the 1861 calendar year
for sale of an additional So
billion in surplus agricultural
commodities to foreign coun-
tries. Republicans contended
yesterday that only $1.1 bill
lion of this was justified.
Major Bills Await Action
I Several of the administra-
tion's biggest bills still await
House and Senate action.
These include proposals for
housing, medical care for the
aged. Federal aid to education
and tax revision.
Speaker Rayburn said the
House planned to take up min
imum wage legislation next
Tuesday or Wednesday If
House and Senate conferees
agreed on a compromise be-
tween differing bills recently
passed by both branches. Con-
fereeS repeatedly were close to
agreement today.
Conferees agreed yesterday to
take the main framework of the
Senate bill. as desired by Mr..
Kennedy, but were still arguing
about same details.
Financing at Issue
Final congressional action en-
the depressed areas bill in the
House yesterday came on a
House Senate conference rec
ommendation. Debate Swirled
almost entirely around the is
sue of so-called "backdoor
spending"
The House and Senate orig
inally passed bills similar in
most respect except for the
method of financing. The
House bill required annual ap-
preparations by Congress. The
Senate bill made a general auJ
thorization for the 1894 mil
lion in loans and grants and
permitted withdrawal of funds
from the Treasury without the
necessity of subsequent appro-
priation action by Congress or
review by House and Senate
appropriations committees.
Most House Republicans de-
nounced that financing meth
cd. House Republican Leader
Halleck insisted. however, that
a vote against the bill yester-
day should be interpreted as
opposition only to "backdoor
spending" and not to aid for
depressed areas.