Evening star., 1962-03-15

development of educational
television stations; and 1t will
also step up in fiscal year 1868
its enforcement program to
prevent interference with air
navigation signals, distress
calls, and other uses of radio
important to public safety.
For all of the major regu-
latory agencies. I am recon-
mending increased appropria-
tions for 1868 to provide the
increased staff necessary for
more effective protection of the
consumer and public interest.
OF the important changes
in agency organizational pro-
cedure recommended last year
to elimi n a tie delays and
strengthen decision making,
the great majority have been
authorized by reorganization
plans or legislation and are
being put into practice by
agency heads; and, to permit
similar improvements in the
operations of the Securities and
Exchange Commission and the
Federal Power C IN m ssion
through greater delegation of
assignments, I recommend en-
actment this year of legisla-
tion along the lines of S. 2135
for the SEC and S. 1905 and
HR. 6956 for the FPC.
5. Housing Costs and Quality
The largest purchase most
consumers make in their life
tunes is a home. In the past
year, significant steps have
been taken to reduce the cost
of financing housing and to
improve housing quality. The
level of interest rates and other
charges on mortgage loans has
been reduced by a variety of
Federal actions. Under author
ity provided by the. Housing
Act of 1861, new programs have
been started (a) to encourage
experimental construction
methods likely to develop bet
ter housing at lower cost, (b)
to provide lower interest rates
and longer maturities on loans
for rehabilitation of existing
housing, Co to provide espe-
cially low cost rental housing
for moderate income families,
and I'D to provide housing for
domestic farm labor. The same
legislation also authorized DEM
onstration grants to develop
better methods Of providing
housing for low income fam
lilies.
6. Consumer Information and
Research-and Consumer Rep
resentatiOn in Government
Government can help con-
sumers to help themselves by
developing and making avail
able reliable information.
The Housing and Home
!; Finance Agency will undertake,
under the budget proposed for
, fiscal 1868, new studies to dis
cover ways of reducing monthly
housing expenses, lowering the
cost Of land for home building
and minimizing financing
charges.
The Department of Agri-
culture is undertaking similar
research designed to help raise
rural housing standards and
reduce costs.
The Food and Drug Ad-
miniStration will expand its
Consumer Consultant Program
which, together with the home
demonstration program of the
Agriculture Extension Service,
now provides valuable informa-
: ton directly to consumers on
product trends, food standards
and protection guides.
The Bureau Of Labor Sta
: tisticS is now conducting a Ma
: tion-wide survey Of consumer
) expenditures, income, and saw
= ings. which will be used tc
update the widely used Con-
2 sumer Price Index and to pre-.
pare model family budgets.
4 Too little has been done tc
e make available to consumers
d the results of pertinent Govern
r ment research. In addition tt
e the types of studies mentioned
above, many agencies are en-
d gaged-as aids to those prin
q cipally concerned with thei
r activities in cooperation witt
n industry or for Federal procure
!. ment purpoSeS-in testing tn
performance of certain prod
% ucts, developing standards an
specifications and assemblin
a wide range of related infor
| nation which would be of i'm
menSe use to consumers an
y consumer organizations. TIL
q beneficial results of these ef
y forts-in the Departments c
Agriculture, Commerce, De
&c fenSe, and Health, Educatio
J. and Welfare, and in the Gen
II eral Services Administratlo
lg and other agencies-should b
le more widely published. This
but one part of a wider prob
q lem: the failure of govern
TO mental machinery to assur
m specific consideration of tn
consumers needs and point {
s. view. With this in mind,
N am directing:
G. First, that the Council {
lg Economic Advisers create
Is, Consumers Advisory Council
Sc to examine and provide advic
J. to the Government on issues {
Is, broad economic policy, on gov
ernmental programs protectin
l. consumer needs, and on neede
Us improvements in the flow {
rs consumer reaSearch materi;
es to the public; this Consumer
E. Council will also give inter
Ill ested individuals and organ
in cations a voice in these maj
Id tiers;
-. GAnn1nH fhoG tko aood ,