April 13, 1976
Page 10730
PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYMENT ACT OF 1976
The Senate continued with the consideration of the bill (S. 3201) to amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965, to increase the anti-recessionary effectiveness of the program, and for other purposes.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The bill is open for further amendment.
Mr. GRIFFIN. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. GRIFFIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. BEALL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Maurice White of the Labor and Public Welfare staff be granted the privilege of the floor during further debate on this measure.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
If there is no further amendment, the question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, and was read the third time.
Mr. RANDOLPH. Mr. President, the Senate has by a vote approved the amendment offered by Senator MUSKIE and other Members of this body. I opposed the amendment.
Mr. FORD. Mr. President, the Senator from West Virginia deserves the attention of the Senators on the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Will the Senate please come to order? Will those who have conversations please take those conversations to the cloakroom?
The Senator will proceed, please.
Mr. RANDOLPH. Mr. President, I opposed the amendment, as I have indicated, with good purpose and good humor. But I opposed it as a realist because I believe that what we have done not only invites but assures a veto by the President of the United States. I cannot speak for him or for the administration, but I have every reason to believe that will happen if the measure is placed before him with the amendment which has just been adopted.
I am going to vote for the bill. I am interested in placing people in gainful employment and bringing to fruition meritorious projects that strengthen the very economy of our country over a long period of years.
Certainly each and every Member has to decide his vote. We do not know what the House will do in reference to the measure but, presumably, there will be a conference on the bill and those who sit as conferees can, through well-reasoned discussion and determination, bring a measure to the Senate on which a veto can be overridden, if it is necessary.
Mr. President, I respect every Member of this body and I respect the conviction which causes each and every Member to vote the sentiments that he believes are in the best interests of the country.
I perhaps, could have left these words unsaid because I am not one who wants to look back, and there is no recrimination on my part. The Senate has acted in a manner it believed to be best under all the circumstances.
On final rollcall I will vote for the measure. If I am a conferee I will do what I can to bring into being a bill that the President can sign.
We are all, I am sure, determined in our own ways to do everything we can to strengthen the economy, to place unemployed construction workers in jobs, and to create programs of lasting benefit to the United States.