June-July 1973

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September 1973

From the President (Diane Hastert) Board Bulletin Action! (Dee Lum) Voters Service - Capitol Tours (Gretel McLane) League Pulse Fund Raising Is Everybody's Job For Your Information - New Charter in Effect GRPP - Where Do We Fit In? Report from the Hill Neighborhood Commission - Do You Live in a Neighborhood? Temporary Commission for Environmental Planning (Judy Blatchford) Leaguers in the Community Are You a Ms, Miss or Mrs? International Relations and Trade Multinational Corporation and Economic Development (Barbara Fenton) News from Congressman Spark M. Matsunaga of Hawaii (Barbara Wiebanga) Welcome to these New Members! Garbage Bag

Report from the Hill A digest of Congressional activity of LWV interest. Environmental Quality House approved $13.8 million for solid waste program, $8 million more than President requested for Fiscal Year '74. Appropriations Committee takes "strong exception" to plans for elimination of solid waste program, and indicates interest in expansion instead. Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Environment has begun hearings on solid waste disposal and resource conservation legislation. Ruth Clusen, LWVUS' EQ Chairman, to testify. Housing and Community Development House Appropriations Committee approved $682.5 million more than Pres. Nixon wanted for community development programs in FY74, but stopped short of directing him to spend the money. Administration budget calls for only $137.5 million to phase out community development categorical programs in preparation for conversion in m5 to revenue sharing under the "Better Communities Act". The committee voted also to provide $2.1 billion to pay for federally subsidized housing programs--four times more than was spent 14- years ago. The committee- report urged "in strongest terms" that the Administration end its moratorium on new starts in low-income purchase and rental housing programs "at an early date"--pointing to the severely depressing effect on the .home building industry nationally. ERA LWVUS gives qualified support to House compromise bill to prevent Presidential impoundments (HR 8480); Lucy Benson testifies with Coalition on Human Needs and Budget Priorities, hitting hard at Administration's tight fisted policy toward, the. most disadvantaged citizens and urging Congress to strengthen its own priority setting and appropriations mechanisms. International Relations The politics of trade.. The House Ways and Means Committee has just concluded hearings on the Trade Reform Act of 1973 (Mrs. Benson's testimony is posted in LWV office), and has voted themselves into executive (read secret)-sessions for the markup. This will Probably be reported out in time for action before the August 3 recess. Our role is two-fold. Note carefully the info on our trade position in the 17 July Leo liana and be prepared to respond with letters to our Congressmen when Time for Action arrives. We will keep you informed.. This bill is critical to our liberal trade position. There is a new bill on development assistance soon to be reported by the House Foreign Affairs Committee, expected to provide new thrust to assure concentration of development aid on human needs, that more aid goes to the nations in greatest need and to encourage developing countries to allow their poorest people to participate more effectively in development benefits While the higher priority of IR is for trade there won't be a Time for Action of foreign aid7 but this does not mean we cannot act on our own initiative. Let your Congressman know the League objective is having the U.S. bear its share of the responsibility for helping people in the poorest countries--through bilateral and multilateral aid. D.C. Home Rule House District Committee expected to report bill by August 3 Get individual letters to your congressman on the Committee or to the Chairman, Charles Diggs, by July 30. Welfare/Social Services The Senate Finance Committee reported riders to the debt ceiling bill which would delay implementation of HEW social services regulations: increase basic federal benefits to the aged, blind and disabled; require state supplement federal benefits to assure no one receiving less under Supplemental Security income than under present law.

June-July 1973

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September 1973