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Honolulu League Day April 26th
April Calendar
Attention All New Members!
Community Announcement
President Thots! (Dee Lum)
May We Introduce You to: (Nancy Perea)
LWV Monitors Latest HSTA Strike Vote (Claudia Patil)
Finance! Finance!
Garbage Bag
Representative Government (Barbara Nobriga)
International Relations Wrap-Up
Membership Memos (Susie Orient)
Meet and Greet these New Members (Maury Muench)
Report from the Hill

Report From the Hill

March 9, 1973, subscription Price: $7.50

Designed to provide each member with a brief summary of major national issues related to League goals on which individual action would be timely.

What the League needs is more words: views, information, questions from members reaching their elected representatives and key national appointed officials regularly.

HUMAN RESOUCES:

ESEA - Elementary and Secondary Education Act (HR 69) is up for renewal and presently being considered by the House Subcommittee on General Education. At stake, continuation of the League-supported special compensatory education programs to provide equal opportunity for economically and educationally disadvantaged children. Administration wants to substitute Education Revenue Sharing block-grants for categorical programs and let local and state school agencies decide how to spend federal funds. LWV believes that to substitute block-grants without strict federal controls would undermine special education for economically disadvantaged

Let Chairman Carl Perkins (D KY) and [..]king Minority Member Albert Quie (? MN) and your Senators and Congressman know how important the present ESEA programs are in your community -- especially Title I.

HOUSING. The National Ad Hoc Housing Coalition to which the LWVUS belongs, plans to have a Housing for Americans Day (HFAD) in Washington, D.C. on April 2.

The goal is to have a small delegation representative of a broad base of interests from every state up on Capitol Hill to lobby on that day. State and local League presidents are being alerted to the key role Leagues can have in the important event to support housing for low- and moderate income people.

OEO - OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY: The primary issues: funding for Community Action Agencies (cancelled by Mr. Nixon) and legislation to establish an independent Legal Services Corporation. The LWV wants both. People to contact: HOUSE - Equal Opportunity Subcommittee Chairman Gus Hawkins (D CA) and Ranking Minority Member William Steiger (R WI), Ranking Minority Member Jacob Javits (RNY)

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

STRIP MINING legislation is a controversial issue. Senate and House Interior and Insular Affairs Committees are preparing to hold hearings on bills ranging from weak regulation to the banning of strip mining. League members with special information and opinions should inform their Senators and Congressmen and the leadership of the Interior and Insular Affairs Committees: SENATE: Chairman - Henry Jackson (D WA), Ranking Minority Member Paul Fannin (R AZ); HOUSE: Chairman James Haley (D FL), Ranking Minority Member - John Saylor (R PA): -

DIGESTIONS OF NATIONAL INFORMATION (from Dec. Board report, criteria for action, Report from the Hill and Time for Action)

The National Board. has planned no single effort this year as their action effort; but will be directing attention throughout the year to the congressional picture, including the relationships between administration and congress, ensuring the EQ programs are maintained and . working in the solid waste area, using the trade consensus for action, dealing with the equal rights in education legislation, continuing congressional reform pressure when needed* If we are to want action we need to indicate so.

The Report from the Hill has a new look, including umbrellas to highlight the areas affected by the legislative-executive struggle. The LWVUS will be using the congressional reform consensus to work where possible to help clarify the issues, vs the struggle, in the other program areas.

The Time for Action details the three areas that the struggle has affected program priorities by;

1. exex. impoundment of congressionally appropriated funds

2. proposed cuts in the '73 appropriations and '74 budget

3. two methods for returning fiscal control to states - general and special revenue sharing.

We can help by communication with the US congressman, communication with National and action in the community.

***********

REPORT FROM THE HILL SUMMARY:

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY:

President's State of the Union Message on the environment emphasizes progress made, but also notes that economic growth must be balanced against environmental protection. Environmental groups and many Members of Congress disagree with many of the facts and claims in the President's message.

HUMAN RESOURCES: WELFARE REFORM. President Nixon states his plan for a kind of reform having to do primarily with vigorous steps to strengthen the management of AFDC through administrative and legislative proposals". He said the present mess cannot be permitted to continue, that reform would continue to be a major priority; but that reform would not include a guarantee of a minimum floor. The plan, as sketched, provides primarily for administrative moves to simplify state administration and to require as many people as possible to work.

SOCIAL SERVICES. HEW has issued two sets of regulations recently, both designed to reduce welfare rolls and social services and thus the federal outlay for the programs.

  1. Proposed regulations would require that states have a "zero ineligibility rate", or suffer cutbacks in matching grant funds - estimated saving: $116 million in FY 1973 and $456 million in FY 1974.

  2. Proposed regulations which would make drastic changes in the federal matching system for social services. The LWVUS has filed an official protest and is working with a national coalition to secure changes.

Human Resources Budget. The President has signed a resolution to permit continued funding for the Departments of Labor and Health, Education and Welfare, even though there is conflict over how much the President is obligated to spend. The overall federal budget for fiscal 1974 provides $125 billion to support programs labeled "human resources". Only about $30.3 billion however, fund programs that serve low-income people directly.

International Relations

TRADE. President Nixon wants authority to negotiate tariffs and quotas up or down. Labor prefers tighter control over imports and multinational corporations. Lively, year-long Administration and Congressional action is contemplated.

MULTINATIONALS. Secretary of Commerce, Frederick Dent and Andrew Biemiller, rector of Legislation, AFL-CIO, present contrasting arguments as to the role of multinationals and how much they should be regulated.

EAST-WEST TRADE. Controversy grows over the thrust to increase trade with the Soviet Union and Romania, for example.

REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT:

CONGRESSIONAL REFORM. House adopts important rules protecting open hearings and committee work. Congress has established a Joint Study Committee on Budget Control to recommend ways to strengthen Congress' control over setting national spending. priorities.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. Members with Congressmen on the House District Committee should contact them urging prompt hearings and support for D.C. HOME RULE. Subcommittee on Government Operations Chairman Brock Adams (D-W.Va) and Ranking Minority Member Joel T. Broyhill (R-Va) are key contacts whether or not you have a member on the committee.

BUDGET COALITIONS. League is working in two major national coalitions, one gearing up to propose an alternative national budget, and one gearing up for informational exchange and support for local and action efforts to provide more citizen direction on national priorities.

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