Federal assistance, both financial and technical, is made available to localities, directly influences local organization. Past methods of Federal assistance have been instrumental in the creation of local housing and renewal agencies, duly established under State law with broad powers to undertake slum clearance, housing and community development activity, and including a reserve of trained personnel in housing and renewal operations. As proposals have been made over the past few years to extend Federal assistance in urban development and to better utilize existing resources, some new suggestions have been made in terms of organization. Dr. Ernest M. Fisher, of Columbia University, in his study for the Housing and Home Finance Agency in January 1960, recommended the creation of a single public agency in each local community through which all assistance of the Housing and Home Finance Agency would be channeled. Joseph P. McMurray, in his study for the National Association of Home Builders in December 1960, and as chairman of President Kennedy's task force on housing, cites some basic difficulties of organization in administering Federal assistance in housing. Legislation presently pending before the Congress proposes new assistance for housing and community development which would be utilized by a wide variety of local public and private agencies. We bring these matters to the attention of this committee because they are things which will deeply concern us if a Department of Urban Affairs and Housing should be created. We urge that reorganization of Federal activities in housing and urban development be undertaken with the objectives: (1) of giving urban problems the attention they deserve in the national administration; (2) of preserving local direction and initiative while making available essential Federal assistance; and (3) of opening the way so that the local resources of organization and trained personnel developed over the past 28 years can be effectively utilized. Mr. Chairman, I reaffirm our full endorsement of S. 1633. I appreciate the opportunity to appear before the committee on this important matter. Senator HUMPHREY. We will recess these hearings until 10 a.m. tomorrow when we will receive testimony of local officials. Mr. O'BRIEN. Mr. Chairman, if we have a minute, here are some materials to be placed in the record. Senator HUMPHREY. We have certain materials for insertion in the record on the bill S. 1633, and related bills. We will ask that they be incorporated into these proceedings at this point. (The documents referred to follow :) NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT OFFICIALS SUGGESTED AMENDMENT TO S. 1633 Page 3, after line 21, add two new paragraphs as follows: "In carrying out the provisions of this Act, it shall be the policy of the United States to vest in the political jurisdictions to be assisted (State, county, city, or other local governments; or their official agencies) the maximum amount of autonomy and responsibility in the initiation, planning, development, and administration of all urban development or housing programs. This same principle of autonomy and responsibility shall apply to such private groups, associations, or agencies as may be assisted under this Act. "It shall further be the policy of the United States to recognize and assist urban areas, and their political jurisdictions, in all population classes, and in every geographical region of the Nation." Senator JOHN L. MCCLELLAN, THE COUNCIL OF STATE GOVERNMENTS, Chicago, Ill., March 22, 1961. MY DEAR SENATOR: This is in reply to your letter of March 9, directed to Mr. Driscoll of our Washington office, asking for comments on S. 289, S. 375, and S. 609. Each of the bills would create a Cabinet department dealing with urban matters. Although the board of managers of the Council of State Governments has not taken any action with respect to a policy statement on this subject, I have been authorized to communicate to you the attached comments which are concurred in by a majority of the members of its executive committee. As you will note, the comments are not favorable with respect to the three Senate bills. Comment No. 7, however, makes positive suggestions along alternative lines to accomplish some of the stated goals. You may be interested in knowing that Mr. Joe C. Barrett of Arkansas, past president of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws and a member of our executive committee, concurred fully with the attached comments and, in addition, declared: "Cabinet-rank representation for municipalities would be inconsistent with our concept of government and would breed competition in the administrative branch by geographical areas." With kindest regards, I am, Sincerely, BREVARD CRIHFIELD, Executive Director. [Views of the executive committees of the Governors' conference and the Council of State Governments] COMMENTS ON S. 289, S. 375, AND S. 609 (1) All three bills are substantially similar in purpose and principle, although differing in specifics and in scope. (2) The main purpose of the bills is to establish a Cabinet-rank agency in the Federal Establishment which could serve as spokesman for the views of the municipalities, especially the larger cities. (3) In varying degree, the several bills would abolish existing agencies and would transfer their functions to the new department. Each bill would also authorize the President to transfer other functions from existing agencies and departments-presumably including such enumerated functions as (a) housing, (b) home finance, (c) urban renewal, (d) slum clearance, (e) pollution control, (f) airport construction, (g) highway construction, (h) metropolitan planning, and (i) civil and defense mobilization, among others. (4) A powerful Cabinet department of this type would tend to weaken existing relationships between the States and their political subdivisions and would materially accelerate the dependency of local government upon the National Government. (5) Creation of such a department would focus upon the Congress considerably greater pressure for new programs of Federal aid. (6) Creation of such a department would tend to disintegrate substantive Federal programs in favor of splinter programs aimed at the physical location of the problem. All highway problems, all pollution problems, all housing problems, all civil defense problems do not exist only in urban centers. The proposed department could well preclude unified administration in many of these programs. (7) A more satisfactory approach to the problems postulated in S. 289, S. 375, and S. 609 would appear to lie along the following lines: (a) Strengthening of the Executive Office of the President through a specialized staff which would recommend to the President coordinated policies affecting urban affairs and problems; and (b) Amplification of the facilities of the Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations to handle the several research, consulting, and reference services suggested in the pending bills. (8) The important thing that needs to be done is to strengthen both State and local government to do the jobs that will be required of them in the coming years. A strong Federal system of government is, and should continue to be, the essence of the American governmental structure. Clearly, a national-urban power com plex does not give hope for balanced Federal-State-local cooperation. There is grave risk that the proposed bills could weaken both State and local government eventually and would add power and authority only at the center. Mr. W. E. O'BRIEN, GOVERNOR'S CONFERENCE, Professional Staff Member, Senate Committee on Government Operations, Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. O'BRIEN: I have received your memorandum of June 12 describing the hearings to be held on June 21 and 22 with respect to S. 289, S. 375, S. 609, and S. 1633. Unfortunately I shall be in Honolulu, Hawaii, at the time of the hearings and will not be able to appear in person. Awhile back we wrote to Senator McClellan concerning S. 289, S. 375, and S. 609. A copy of the comments subscribed to by the executive committees of the Governors' conference and the Council of State Governments was attached. In basic principle, these comments also apply to S. 1633, and I would appreciate it if the record could show this additional reference. Chairman, Committee on Government Operations, DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Enclosed is a copy of a letter submitted by the Honorable Ernest F. Hollings, Governor of South Carolina and a member of the Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations, regarding the question of a Department of Urban Affairs. Governor Hollings was not present at the meeting of the Commission at which our letter to you (June 16, 1961), was formulated. Consequently, the Governor's letter, in which he dissents from the majority view of the Commission, should be appended to our communication to you on this matter. Sincerely yours, FRANK BANE, Chairman. STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, Mr. FRANK BANE, Chairman, Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations, Washington, D.C. DEAR FRANK: To the proposal of instituting a Department of Urban Affairs, my views are substantially set out in alternative recommendation B ***: "The Commission recommends to the Congress that it reject proposals for the creation of a Department of Urban Affairs. Establishment of such a department would undermine the basis upon which our Federal system was established-a National Government of delegated powers and State governments with residual powers, including oversight responsibility for the affairs of their political subdivisions." Contrary to the Commission's view that the issue of a Department of Urban Affairs is primarily a matter or organization of the executive branch, I believe it primarily a matter of responsibility for the people to be expressed in their Constitution. Moreover, if we as a Commission are to fulfill our responsibility, I believe we should speak out as strongly as we know how that this would be (a) detrimental to intergovernmental relations; (b) deteriorative to our Federal concept. Sincerely, ERNEST F. HOLLINGS. See preceding page (p. 103), for letter referred to, and the attachment setting forth the views of the executive committees of the Governors' Conference. HONOLULU, June 29, 1961. Senator JOHN MCCLELLAN, Chairman, Committee on Government Operations, The following Governors attending the 53d annual meeting of the Governors' Conference in Honolulu, Hawaii, recognize that 7 out of 10 persons live in the urban political subdivisions of the States and confront the States and Nation with the need for coordinated development of housing, transportation, slum clearance, and urban renewal. We herefore recommend the establishment of a Cabinet department at the Federal level to join the States and localities in meeting these problems in an effective manner. We urge the Congress to consider and adopt legislation at this session to accomplish this end along the lines proposed by the President to the Congress. Edmund G. Brown, California; David L. Lawrence, Pennsylvania; STATE OF WASHINGTON, Hon. JOHN L. MCCLELLAN, U.S. Senator, Washington, D.C. DEAR SENATOR MCCLELLAN: This is to advise you that I do not agree with the series of comments approved by a majority of the Governors' conference executive committee. Their comments were made in response to your request with regard to three bills, S. 289, S. 375, and S. 609. I take issue with comment No. 4. I sincerely doubt that a Cabinet post to deal with urban affairs would tend to weaken existing relationships between States and their political subdivisions. I see such a post as supplementing these relationships. I also feel that with respect to point No. 5 that Congress would be able to deal effectively with pressures for new programs of Federal aid. I do not see these pressures as handicaps to good government. In my opinion President Kennedy's plan to establish a post in the Cabinet to deal with the problems of the cities is preferable to the scheme advanced by the executive committee of the Governors' conference. With kindest regards, I am, Sincerely yours, ALBERT D. ROSELLINI, Governor. RESOLUTION A resolution urging Senators Gordon Allott and John A. Carroll and Representatives Byron G. Rogers, J. Edgar Chenoweth, Wayne N. Aspinall and Peter H. Dominick to support our present administration attempts to create a Department of Urban Affairs Whereas the President of the United States has indicated a need for a Department of Urban Affairs with Cabinet rank; and Whereas the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the American Municipal Association have gone on record as favoring this action; and Whereas the City Council of the City of Aurora, Colo., meeting in regular session, Monday, April 17, 1961, determined they were in accord with the recommendation of the above-named parties for the creation of a Department of Urban Affairs: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Colo., That Senators Allott and Carroll and Representatives Rogers, Chenoweth, Aspinall, and Dominick be urged to support the present administration's attempts to create a Department of Urban Affairs. Resolved and passed this Attest: A.D. 1961. day of B. B. JOHNSTON, City Clerk. RESOLUTION By Mr. Gardner, seconded by Messrs. Brabender, Cannavino, Downing, and Glembocki COUNCIL CHAMBERS, Whereas Senator Clark has introduced in the U.S. Senate, bill No. S. 1633; and Congressman Fascell in the U.S. House of Representatives, H.R. 6433, companion measures calling for the creation of a Department of Urban Affairs, to have Cabinet status in the Federal Government; and Whereas the creation of a Department of Urban Affairs bringing under the supervision of one Department, urban problems which are common to cities in the entire United States, will have a beneficial and invigorating effect toward the solutions of these ever-present problems; and Whereas the unification of those present Federal agencies such as the Housing and Home Finance Agency, which deal with advance city planning and the alleviation of depressed and distressed city areas, etc., will surely be more promptly and competently dealt with by a single and all-encompassing agency; Therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of Erie, Pa., does herewith officially endorse the said pending bills and calls for their speedy enactment, and does further direct the city clerk to forward copies of this resolution to Pennsylvania Senators Messrs. Clark and Scott, District Congressman Carroll Kearns and to the Pennsylvania League of Cities. May 26, 1961. City council adopt by yeas Messrs. Brabender, Cannavino, Downing, Glembocki, and Gardner, 5. Nays 0. May 26, 1961. Signed by the mayor; attested by the city clerk. A true copy. EUGENE GRANEY, City Clerk, City of Erie, Pa. CITY OF LANCASTER, OFFICE OF THE MAYOR, Lancaster, Pa., June 5, 1961. Hon. JOSEPH S. CLARK, U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania, Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. DEAR SENATOR CLARK: The members of city council have discussed at great length the advisability of the creation of the Department of Urban Renewal. We feel very strongly that this department would be of real value to the great majority of the population of our country. Only those who have had experience in going from pillar to post in order to gain proper guidance for essential community services can realize the tremendous value that centering things in one department would have. We, therefore, respectfully request your support of H.R. 6433 and S. 1633. With kindest personal regards, I remain, Sincerely yours, THOMAS J. MONAGHAN, Mayor. |