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THE URBAN COALITION ACTION COUNCIL JOHN W . GARDNER CHAIRMAN 1819 H STREET. N . W . WASHINGTON . D. C . 20006 14 June 1968 WEEKLY LEGISIATIVE REPORT (Current as of June 14, 1968) FROM: The Staff The Status of Substantive Legislation The Emergency Employment and Training Act of 1968 Senate hearings have been completed. Subcommittee Chairman Clark has not been able to set up a meeting to discuss the broad, bi-partisan approach to this legislation (with Javits and Prouty), thus mark-up will be delayed. Administration Position There is no change in the Administration's position of opposition to the bill expected to be evidenced during debate. Status of House Legislation The Select Subcommittee on Labor intends to schedule more hearings, but it is not definite as to when. There is a remote possibility that hearings can be completed before the end of the month. The Revenue and Expenditure Control Act of 1968 (forme rly the Tax Ad justment Act of 1968) As pre v iously reported, the Senate -House Conferees agreed on a 10 per cent tax surcharge with $6 billion in budget cuts. TELEPHONE : 202 2 93·1530 �- 2 - The President has reluctantly agreed to accept the $6 billion in budget cuts. Indications are a substantial amount of this will be out of nonessential defense and space programs. Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 Senate The Senate filed a clean bill, S. 3497, and passed it substantially as introduced on May 28. House The Housing Subcommittee of the House Banking and Currency Committee has reported out its version of the bill. The bill is being marked-up by full Committee. Titles I through V have been acted on, with Title IV (bonding for New Communities) dropped altogether. The Senate allowed $250 million for Title IV. Realistically, the bill will not come up for passage in the House until mid-July. The Status of Appropriations Measures The proposed schedule of action on the part of the Appropriations Subcommittees concerning legislation of interest to the Action Council is: 1. The Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill for Fiscal .Year 1969 passed the House on May 8. It is in the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Independent Offices. Hearings have been completed but the bill will not go to mark-up until the NASA authori zation bill clears the Conference Committe e (NASA's appropriation is part of the HUD appropriation bill) . The appropriations process for HUD is complicated by the fact that. HUD is asking the Senate Committee to approve appropriations which are authoriz ed in �- 3 - this y ear's Housing Act: '$1. 4 billion for Urban Re n ewa l (including projects in Model Ci ty areas) for Fiscal Ye ar 1970 plus $350 million in renewal grants for Model City areas for Fiscal Year 1969. To avoid the n e ed for a s uppleme ntal appropriatio~, the Administra tion would pre f er hold ing up action on the Appropri a tions bill until the Housing Act of 1968 is passed and signed. 2. The Labor-HEW (including OEO) Appropriations bill ha s not ye t b een marke d-up in Subcommittee . The bi l l is sta lle d b e c a u se of a n a ppreh e n s ion it will be cut up if reported soon. Strong efforts are warranted now to get the bill out and preserve the vital appropriations for education and antipove rty. 3. The Regul a r Supp l eme n ta l f o r F i s c a l Year 1 968 has bee n pass ed b y the House and is in mark-up in the S e nate Appropr iations subcommittee on Supple mentals, cha ire d b y Se n a tor Pas tore . No f unds f o r Head Start o r Summe r Jobs programs were inc lud e d i n the Hou se b i ll. An attempt will b e ma d e b y Se n a tor Yarborough on June 17 to a d d $2 5 million fo r Head Start in Sub commi ttee . Se nato r J avits , wh o attempted to add $ 5 1 million for Summe r Jobs and $25 mi ll ion for Head Start t o the Highway Appropriations bill on June 13 (the mot i on to tab l e .carr i e d b y o n l y 44 to 32, mak ing his effort close though uns u c c ess ful) , will like l y join i n th i s effo rt a n d may try to get f u nding for Summe r J obs als o . If the Se n ate does not add f und s f or t h ese two prog rams in the Supp l ementa l appropriat i ons b ill , it is u nlike ly any othe r effort wi l l succeed. 4 . The Ur gent Supplemental Appropr iat ion bill f or 1968 is sti ll technically in Conferen ce Committee. Al though it conta ins the funding f o r Head Start and Summer Jobs, for all p ractica l purposes, this measure is d ead. No one s hould be misled bec a use the Conference Committee ·h as been holding meetings on the bill. They are mere ly going through the motions. �