of H.R. 1292 closed with the Biblical words, "The Sabbath This is the very reason we stand in opposition to this proposed legislation. As now written and as now pursued, this bill is concerned only with man's physical and economic needs. These are imrortant and must always be kept in mind. But there is a third dimension in man's nature. This third dimension must not be neglected, or else we mutilate and ultimately destroy the very man whose interests we declare to be our chief concern. Man is a spiritual being. The Sabbath was made for man, for his economic, his physical, and his spiritual good. This bill, if adopted, would be another roadblock over and around which religious educators would have to go in the task of teaching spiritual values to a materialistically oriented society. The church does not ask for your help in this task. She does ask that you do not hinder her in hers. Another factor that should be given careful consideration is the problem of highway safety which is created by long weekend holiday periods. Indeed, I find it somewhat macabre that a program which would avowedly contribute to the spiritual life of a nation would, in fact, result in the increased destruction of human life with concomitant human suffering as a result of highway accidents. A study of statistics of the National Safety Council reveals that over a 20-year period, 1947-66, the deaths on Memorial Day weekends totaled $,375. However, four of these Memorial Days were just 1-day holidays (1951, 1956, 1957, and 1962). The total deaths on these four 1-day holidays totaled 610, or an average per holiday of 152. The Memorial Day weekends of the other 16 years reported an average of 485 deaths per holiday period, or a total for the 16-year period of 7,765. An examination of the same statistics indicates that over a 20-year period there were 9,735 total deaths on Fourth of July weekends. However, in 1951, 1956, and 1962 this was a 1-day holiday, and on these three 1-day holidays there were 595 total deaths, or an average of 198 for each holiday. Labor Day weekends always involve a 3-day holiday, and the total deaths for this weekend for a 20-year period add up to 11,785, which is 2,050 more than Fourth of July weekends and 3,410 more than Memorial Day weekends. Some of the proponents have contended that fatalities are higher on 1-day holidays than on holidays extending over a longer period of days. This is not supported by the record. The following chart will give an adequate idea of the ratio of highway deaths to holiday observances. H.R. 1280 Note: An immediate death is one that occurs by midnight of the last day of the holiday period. Total deaths include immediate deaths plus delayed deaths which occur within 2 months after the day of the accident. CONCLUSION While this legislation has rather heavy support from certain business interests for whom I have the highest respect, I cannot agree with them that the Congress should ignore the spiritual side of American life in favor of profitmaking pursuits. I believe that we must avoid creating roadblocks to the efforts of the religious leaders of our Nation to bring about a higher degree of spirituality and family life in America. If either side must yield in this legislative proposal, I believe that those who have placed the dollar mark on Monday holidays should yield to those who are concerned about family and spiritual life. This proposed break with tradition in holiday observances would be extremely damaging to those causes which I believe deserve our support in our present era of turmoil. O BASIL L. WHITENER, H.R. 1280 APRIL 4, 1968.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. STAGGERS, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, submitted the following REPORT together with MINORITY VIEWS AND ADDITIONAL VIEWS [To accompany H.R. 15986] The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H.R. 15986) to amend the Communications Act of 1934 by extending the authorization of appropriations for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. PURPOSE OF LEGISLATION H.R. 15986 would postpone from fiscal year 1968 to fiscal year 1969 the authorization for the appropriation of $9 million to support the Corporation for Public Broadcasting until it can be sustained by a permanent plan for financing. BACKGROUND In 1967 the Congress enacted the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967. Title II of that act provided for a nonprofit corporation to be known as the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The Corporation will, among other things, assist in developing educational programs of high quality, facilitate the availability to noncommercial educational broadcast stations of educational programs, assist in the establishment and development of one or more systems of interconnection to be used for the distribution of educational television or radio programs, and assist in the establishment and development of one or more systems of noncommercial educational television or radio broadcast stations. As enacted, the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 authorized the appropriation of $9 million for fiscal year 1968 to support the Corporation until a long-range plan for financing could be formulated and placed in operation. In his education message to the Congress dated February 5, 1968, the President stated: We have acted also to launch an historic educational Last year the Congress authorized the Corporation for Last year I stressed the importance of a long-range financing plan which would ensure that public broadcasting would be vigorous, independent and free from political interference or control. The problem involved is complex. It concerns the use of the most powerful communications medium in the world today. It should not be resolved without the most thorough study and consultation. I am asking the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, the Secretary of the Treasury and the Director of the Bureau of the Budget-who have been studying this problem since the law was enacted-to work with the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the appropriate Committees of the Congress to formulate a long-range financing plan that will promote and protect this vital new force in American life. In hearings held on this legislation, your committee was assured by representatives of the Bureau of the Budget, the Treasury Department, and the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare that work is underway on formulating a long-range financing plan for the Corporation and should be completed this year. The Senate confirmed the membership of the Board of Directors of the Corporation on March 12, 1968. On March 27, 1968, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting was incorporated under the laws of the District of Columbia. Because of delays in initiating the Corporation's activities, the Corporation did not need appropriated funds during fiscal year 1968. However, the Corporation will need such funds in fiscal year 1969. This legislation permits the funds already authorized by the Public Broadcasting Act to be appropriated for fiscal year 1969 instead of fiscal year 1968. HEARINGS The Subcommittee on Communications and Power of your committee held hearings on H.R. 15986 on March 27, 1968. Joseph D. Hughes, a member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, appeared for the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Frank Pace, Jr., who was unavoidably absent. In addition, H.R. 1281 representatives of the Bureau of the Budget, the Treasury Department, and the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare gave testimony, as well as representatives of the National Association of Educational Broadcasters and the National Citizens Committee for Public Television. All of the witnesses supported enactment of H.R. 15986. COST Since the funds to which H.R. 15986 applies have already been authorized in the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, enactment of the bill will have no effect in terms of cost to the United States. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED In compliance with clause 3 of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in italic, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman): Section 396(k) of the Communications Act of 1934 Financing (k) (1) There are authorized to be appropriated for expenses of the Corporation for the fiscal year ending June 30, [1968] 1969, the sum of $9,000,000, to remain available until expended. (2) Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this section, no grant or contract pursuant to this section may provide for payment from the appropriation for the fiscal year ending June 30, [1968] 1969. for any one project or to any one station of more than $250,000. AGENCY REPORTS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, Hon. HARLEY O. STAGGERS, Chairman, Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: This is in response to your request for our views on H.R. 15986, a bill to amend the Communications Act of 1934 by extending the authorization of appropriations for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, introduced March 14, 1968. H.R. 15986 would change the authorization enacted in the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 from fiscal year 1968 to fiscal year 1969. This is necessary because the Corporation is only now being organized and getting underway. The Bureau of the Budget recommends favorable consideration of H.R. 15986 and its enactment would be in accord with the program of the President. Sincerely yours, WILFRED H. ROMMEL, Assistant Director for Legislative Reference. H.R. 1281 |