April 25, 1975
Page 11925
Mr. JAVITS. I thank my colleague.
There will be occasion in a few moments, as I expect an amendment to this subject, to debate this issue respecting the amount provided for public service employment programs. But at the moment I would like to call attention to a number of affirmative things which the committee has recommended to the Senate which I consider to be very constructive and to resolve major problems in a very admirable way.
In the main, these items come under Senator MAGNUSON's subcommittee and both he and the chairman have always shown themselves very sympathetic to these needs.
There is, first, the public service employment which we will be debating on Senator JOHNSTON's amendment.
First, $1.6 billion for public service employment programs under title VI of the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act of, 1973 – CETA, as amended by Public Law 93-567. This is the amount of the House allowance at the level requested by the administration.
This appropriation, together with the $875 million already appropriated, would bring the appropriation level up to the full authorization of $2.5 billion for that title for fiscal year 1975. Together with currently available funds under title II of CETA – which are available in areas of 6.5 percent unemployment or more – this will provide for an aggregate level of 310,000 public service jobs by the end of this fiscal year. This is a substantial number of public service jobs, but very modest in terms of meeting the needs of the nearly 8 million unemployed in March, as well as an additional 1.1 million "discouraged" unemployed.
The Committee on Labor and Public Welfare will soon be considering S. 609, the "Emergency Public Service Employment Extension Act of 1975," which Senator WILLIAMS and I, together with 14 others, have proposed to extend the public employment program under title VI for fiscal year 1976, to provide an aggregate level of 1 million jobs in fiscal year 1976.
Second, there is the provision for $500 million summer youth jobs. The committee has been very provident in that regard in coming as close as it could, and it has come very close, to meeting the views of the National Associations of Municipal Officials, the National League of Cities, and its companion organization. That has provided for over 900,000 summer jobs for poor youth ages 14 to 21, and when one sees the appalling 40 percent rate for teenage in unemployment, one can see just by mentioning, juxtaposing the two figures, what a critical benefit this represents.
Each job opportunity will consist of 9 weeks of employment, 26 hours a week at the minimum wage of $2.10 an hour. This is an increase of $87.3 million and 160,000 opportunities above the House allowance, which in accordance with the administration's request, provides $412.7 merely to maintain last year's level of 760,000 opportunities at the new minimum wage.
Joined by 17 Senators, I wrote the President and the HEW-Labor Subcommittee on Appropriations, on February 28, urging an aggregate of $649 million for approximately 1.1 million summer youth jobs, and $4.5 million for transportation, the amounts which the National League of Cities had documented as necessary for this summer.
Accordingly, the committee recommendation is a shortfall of $149 million and 180,000 opportunities from the amount we requested. However, as the Committee on Appropriations notes on page 35 of its report, State and local prime sponsors can utilize a portion of their general grants under title I to supplement these efforts and I believe that with these additional funds, the 1.1 million job level can be maintained.
The committee's action in this regard is a very gratifying response to the very dangerous summer youth unemployment situation with predictions of rates of unemployment exceeding 50 percent in many urban areas, and this is a very timely action if planning is to proceed for a basic summer program.
Also the committee has provided $26 million for recreation opportunities for the very young who are poor, between 6 and 13. There are few things more heartbreaking than those very young people in the hot city during the summer.
The committee has provided for emergency energy conservation for the poor to the extent of $10 million. Again, a very admirable provision.
In the education field, which is so close to Senator MAGNUSON's heart, the committee has provided for $19.8 million for the college work study program and for a carryover for the basic educational opportunity grants – BEOG..
Also, the committee has been very forehanded in anticipating the passage by the Congress of a bill to deal with employment on railroad rights-of-way. That represents a very splendid and constructive initiative and use of what we have heretofore called public service jobs.
The committee in this case is anticipating the authorizing committees and I hope – I am the sponsor of one of the bills, and I am serving on a committee with responsibilities in that regard – will match the celerity of the Appropriations Committee. We have a joint hearing scheduled for next week by the Labor and Public Welfare Committee and the Committee on Commerce on S. 1326, the Special Public Service Employment and Railroad Improvement Act of 1975, a bill which Senator WILLIAMS and I, along with 14 others including Senator MAGNUSON and Senator HARTKE have introduced.
The committee has even reached into the cultural field and provided some money for the National Endowments on the Arts and Humanities, finding some several hundred jobs in the renovation of museums.
One of the monuments of the great depression was the fact that the WPA was turned to such constructive uses as to survive to this very day, when people can still point to the fact that this was not sterile money wasted, but there were vast public improvements under the Government's organized effort.
The committee has also provided $10 million for emergency energy conservation services under section 222(a) (12) of the Economic Opportunity Act – which I authored – designed to aid low-income families reduce their energy consumption, and lessen the impact of the cost of energy. As the committee notes on page 41 of its report, these funds will be used for short-term assistance including loans and grants to eligible individuals to help them avoid utility cutoffs in instances where they temporarily cannot pay utility bills. The House made no allowance for this program.
Joined by 18 Senators who wrote the President on February 20 and the committee on February 25, we had pointed to needs in terms of pending or expected applications before the Community Services Administration – which administers the program – totaling $144.0 million. The Director of the Administration, Mr. Gallegos, in testimony before the Subcommittee on HEW-Labor Appropriations, stated that $64.0 million of that amount could be effectively utilized in this fiscal year.
The amount recommended by the committee represents a significant start toward meeting these needs, and I hope that the committee will consider adding the balance of $54 million to the second supplemental appropriations bill which it is now considering and which includes the regular appropriations for the Community Services Administration for this fiscal year.
The committee has a lot that is negative, but I am delighted to be able to state some of the very positive aspects of this bill which the committee and senator MAGNUSON's subcommittee are so heavily responsible for.
I thank my colleague.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the RECORD the text of two letters sent by 20 Senators to the President regarding the urgent need for appropriations for summer youth employment and Emergency Energy Conservation Service, together with accompanying materials.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows:
WASHINGTON, D.C.,
February 28, 1975.
Hon. GERALD R. FORD,
President, The White House,
Washington, D.C.
DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: We urge you to submit revised budget requests for fiscal year 1975, aggregating $680,211,844, to meet urgent needs for 1,147,847 summer youth jobs and related transportation and recreational activities for this summer. Last summer, an aggregate of $397.0 million was made available for these purposes which included approximately 709,200 nine-week jobs.
Our request consists of the following elements:
First, an aggregate of $649,681,402 for the provision of 1,147,847 summer jobs for economically disadvantaged youth 14 to 21 years of age, as authorized under section 304(a) (3) of the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act of 1973. Each job would provide a nine-week opportunity of 26 hours a week at the minimum wage of $2.10 an hour. The 1,147,847 jobs consist of 458,463 jobs in the Nation's 50 largest cities, and 689,384 jobs in smaller cities and other areas. Last summer, $380.0 million was made available for approximately 709,200 nine-week jobs.
These needs are documented on a city-by-city basis in the enclosed letter dated January 29, from Alan E. Pritchard, Executive Vice President of the National League of Cities, in response to a request made by Senator Javits.
Second, $4,530,442 under section 304(a) (3) of the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act of 1973 to provide transportation to youth to enable them to participate in the summer youth job program. Last summer, approximately $1.7 million was made available.
This request is set forth in the enclosed letter dated February 6, from Mr. Pritchard.
Third, $26,000,000 to provide recreational opportunities to poor youth, six to 13 years of age, under the Summer Youth Recreation program authorized by section 222(a) (13) of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, as amended by P. L. 93-644, which became law on January 4. $15.3 million was provided last summer.
This request is set forth in the enclosed letter dated February 25, from Dwight F. Rettie, Executive Director of the National Recreation and Park Association.
The Administration has not submitted any specific budget requests for any of these elements.
We note that summer youth job programs are among the eligible activities for which state and local governmental prime sponsors may use funds allocated to them under title I of CETA, "Comprehensive Manpower Services."
However, because of the very substantial needs for comprehensive programs for adults and others under title I – stemming from the crisis unemployment situation – it is clear that title I cannot be regarded as an adequate source to meet to any significant extent the aggregate needs for summer youth jobs and transportation that we have documented. Already, preliminary estimates from the Department of Labor suggest that only a small number of prime sponsors have been able to plan for a summer youth job program, even at last year's level – which will clearly be inadequate.
While the Nation as a whole continues in a severe recession with unemployment at 8.2 percent in January and 7.5 million unemployed – and with the Administration's projections that unemployment will average 8.1 percent throughout this calendar year – poor youth, which have unemployment levels of 30 to 40 percent even in better times, are expected to suffer rates of 50 percent and more this summer. The National League of Cities, which has projected such a rate, indicates that it expects more than 3.1 million poor youth to be looking for jobs this summer.
We urge, in light of the serious emergency situation for the coming summer, that you send to the Congress a revised budgetary request for a special youth job program and related transportation and recreation, to meet the aggregate needs which we have documented.
Sincerely,
Jacob K. Javits, Alan Cranston, Jennings Randolph, George McGovern, Hubert H. Humphrey, Walter F. Mondale, Clifford P. Case, Edward M. Kennedy, Claiborne Pell, Henry M. Jackson, Harrison A. Williams, Jr., Robert T. Stafford, John V. Tunney, Edward W. Brooke, Abraham Ribicoff, J. Glenn Beall, Philip A. Hart, William D. Hathaway, Edmund S. Muskie, and Gaylord Nelson.
JANUARY 29, 1975.
Hon. JACOB K. JAVITS,
U.S. Senate, Old Senate Office Building,
Washington, D.C.
DEAR SENATOR JAVITS: In accordance with your request and as in the past, we have surveyed the nation's cities to determine the needs for a summer youth employment program this year.
The information we have received from the 50 largest cities shows that the total number of slots these cities could effectively use this summer is 458,463. On the basis of our contacts with a sample of smaller cities, we estimate that their needs for summer jobs total 689,384. Combining these figures, the present real need for 1975 is 1,147,847 slots nationwide.
As you are aware, rapidly rising unemployment rates and deteriorating economic conditions are having a severe impact on joblessness among youth. With projected increases in the number of disadvantaged youth and alarming numbers of lay-offs in both the private and public sectors, an unemployment rate of 50% or more may be anticipated among disadvantaged youth this summer.
Congress has recognized the crisis of unemployment among adults through the Emergency Jobs and Special Unemployment Assistance Act of 1974, and it is essential that it address this separate crisis of unemployment among youth.
As summer job prospects for youth in the private sector become increasingly dim, it is clear that job creation in the public sector must be greatly expanded to fill this void. In addition, local government lay-offs are rapidly expanding and substantial efforts made by cities to hire youths during the summer months with local funds will be severely curtailed. In facing dramatically increased needs and evaporating job opportunities, your leadership is again urgently requested in securing additional funds for a summer employment program at the earliest possible date. Adequate time to plan and implement summer youth programs is critical to the operation of an effective national effort.
While it is clear from the survey that those eligible for a summer youth employment program far exceed the capacity of cities to employ these youngsters effectively, it is urgent that the Congress also address the need for additional funds for a recreation program to provide disadvantaged youngsters with some form of constructive activity during the summer months. We are currently in the process of surveying city needs for recreation programs and should have this information to you shortly.
We would appreciate your assistance again this year in assuring adequate funding for a summer jobs program.
Sincerely,
ALLEN E. PRITCHARD, Jr.,
FEBRUARY 25, 1975.
Senator JACOB JAVITS,
Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C.
DEAR SENATOR JAVITS: We are pleased to respond to your request for information regarding dollar needs for operation of the 1975 summer Recreation Support Program (RSP), authorized by the "Headstart, Economic Opportunity and Community Partnership Act of 1974." The National Recreation and Park Association has surveyed the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act "Prime Sponsors," designated in the program's authorization as RSP sponsoring agencies. We specifically requested data on the amount of money needed to run the summer recreation program in the summer of 1975.
The Prime Sponsors were asked to provide NRPA with the dollar figure they would like to receive and could effectively spend in 1975, given staffing, facility and planning limitations. NRPA also asked how much money recipient communities received in 1973 and 1974. This information is basic to ascertaining 1975 funding levels, since the program's authorization contains a hold-harmless clause which insures that no community will receive fewer RSP funds in 1975 than received in the summers of 1973 and 1974.
Though the complete survey results are not yet in, we project the communities will express a need in the range of $30-40 million. However, given the past levels of funding and the present directives for fiscal conservatism, we feel that a $26 million appropriation level will fund a meaningful Recreation Support Program in 1975.
Sincerely,
DWIGHT F. RETTIE, Executive Director.
FEBRUARY 6, 1975.
Hon. JACOB K. JAVITS,
U.S. Senate, Russell Senate Office Building,
Washington, D.C.
DEAR SENATOR JAVITS: In response to your request for need figures and as a follow-up to my letter of January 29, we estimate that the cities will need $4,530,442 for an employer-related transportation program this summer. This compares with an estimated need figure for summer 1974 of $3.9 million and an actual allocation of $1.7 million.
As you well know, the transportation program is essential to provide disadvantaged youngsters with the opportunity to participate in meaningful employment in the city.
We appreciate your assistance on this vital matter.
Sincerely,
ALLEN E. PRICHARD, Jr., Executive Vice President.
WASHINGTON, D.C.,
February 20, 1975.
Hon. GERALD R. FORD,
President, The White House,
Washington, D.C.
DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: We urge that you submit a revised budget request for fiscal year
1975 for Emergency Energy Conservation Services Services" under section 222(a) (12) of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, to meet the urgent energy-related needs of low-income individuals and families.
Section 222(a) (12), which was added to the law this January 4, by P.L. 93-644, is designed to reduce the impact of high energy costs on low-income individuals and families, including the elderly and the near poor. It authorizes the Director of the Community Services Administration, the successor to the Office of Economic Opportunity, to establish winterization programs and provide other supportive assistance, such as emergency loans and grants, and special fuel voucher or stamp programs, as well as transportation, nutrition and health services in emergency cases.
As you stated in your economic message to the Congress of October 8, 1974:
"Now I know that low-income and middle-income Americans have been hardest hit by inflation. Their budgets are most vulnerable because a larger part of their income goes for the highly inflated costs of food, fuel and medical care."
We are pleased that the Administration has proposed some steps to meet these problems through its inclusion of a winterization assistance program in title XI of its proposed "Energy Independence Act of 1975", for which title the Administration has requested $9 million in fiscal year 1975, to be utilized by the Federal Energy Administration through grants to the states.
However to meet the problem effectively in this fiscal year will require, in our opinion, immediate utilization of the existing authority, section 222(a) (12), at a level of funding substantially above what the Administration has proposed.
Already, the Community Services Administration and its agencies are currently expending approximately $25 million on energy related programs from local-initiative and other general appropriations, following the pattern of "Project FUEL" in the State of Maine, which was commenced by the Office of Economic Opportunity.
It seems clearly advisable to expand those efforts under section 222 (a) (12) – which represent an approach closer to the poor – rather than to await new and duplicative authority.
We have been informed by the Director of the Community Services Administration, Bert A. Gallegos, by letter dated February 12, 1975, in response to a request we made, that there are now pending unsolicited and unmet applications for programs under section 222 (a) (12) totalling $88.1 million and that an additional $53.5 million in new proposals are being developed, for an aggregate of $141.6 million.
However, the Community Services Administration has not provided requested information indicating what portion of the $141.6 million can be effectively provided in this fiscal year.
We request, that after consultation with the Community Services Administration, a revised budgetary request be submitted for an amount for that portion of the $141.8 million that can be effectively provided in this fiscal year.
In view of the increasingly serious situation of the poor, we urge that you give this matter your earliest attention. Enclosed is a copy of the letter from Director Gallegos, together with charts indicating overall need on a regional and state basis.
Sincerely,
Jacob K. Javits, Harrison A. Williams, Jr., Claiborne Pell, Edward M. Kennedy, Jennings W. Randolph, Edward W. Brooke, Edmund S. Muskie, Abraham Ribicoff, Henry M. Jackson, Robert T. Stafford, Hubert H. Humphrey, Charles McC. Mathias, Jr., Gaylord Nelson, Walter F. Mondale, Richard S. Schweiker, Clifford P. Case, Alan Cranston, George McGovern, and William D. Hathaway.
COMMUNITY SERVICES ADMINISTRATION,
Washington, D.C.,
February 12,1975.
Hon. JACOB K. JAVITS,
U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C.
DEAR SENATOR JAVITS: Thank you for your inquiry concerning applications to conduct energy-related programs and activities for poor and older people which could be funded under the new Section 222 (a) (12) which you authorized.
The attached lists of applications by State totalling $88 million has been received. The applications do not contain reimbursement for programs currently being conducted.
We have been informed that an additional $53.5 million of new proposals are being developed. In this regard, it should be remembered that CAAs have not been encouraged to apply for such programs because funds were not available. In addition, over 700 of the CAAs have already reallocated approximately $22 million in local initiative funds from existing programs for energy-related programs. In addition, I have reallocated $3 million nationally for similar objectives. An example of the reallocation for winterization is the attached Wisconsin press release.
The President's budget message has requested $9 million in fiscal 1975 and $55 million in 1976 to begin winterization. We fully support such activities.
With best wishes,
Sincerely,
BERT A. GALLEGOS,
Director.