Page 5 -~ | For The Record 1 Congress Votes is issued every week that Congress is in session. |. It covers all votes of record and reports the position taken on each measure by the elected official whose name appears be- low. ik Daniel J. Flood 11th Congressional District, Pennsylvania No. 66 93rd Congress July 4, 1974 H.R. 15580 makes appropriations totaling $32.8 billion for the Departments of LABOR, and HEALTH, EDUCATION and WELFARE, and related agencies during fiscal year 1975. While considering the bill in the Committee of the Whole, record votes came on the following amendments: An amendment providing an additional $300 million for man- power training and public service employment programs. Ayes 9231. Noes 171. Agreed to. Bi Mr. Flood voted no. ) An op Bament reducing the appropriation for the Occupa- tional Safety and Health Administration by $30 million. Ayes 179. Noes 218. Rejected. Mr. Flood voted no. An amendment earmarking $5 million of the OSHA appropria- tion for grants to states for on-site counseling to assist employ- ers in their efforts to comply with OSHA regulations. Ayes 301. Noes 100. Agreed to, June 27. Mr. Flood voted no. An amendment prohibiting inspections of firms with 25 or less employees for compliance with OSHA regulations. Ayes 201, Noes 194. Agreed to. Mr. Flood voted no. An amendment deleting the $101 million appropriation for OSHA. Ayes 97. Noes 295. Rejected, June 27. Mr. Flood voted no. An amendment reducing the appropriation for the National Institute of Education by $90 million. Ayes 44. Noes 331. Reject- ed, June 27. Mr. Flood voted no. An amendment prohibiting the use of funds for the busing of students or teachers to overcome racial imbalance or to carry out a plan of racial desegregation in any school system. Ayes 231. Noes 137. Agreed to. Mr. Flood voted no. An amendment prohibiting the use of funds for abortions, abortion referral services, or abortifacient drugs or devices. Ayes 123. Noes 247. Rejected, June 27. : Mr. Flood voted no. After reporting the bill back to the House a separate vote was demandd§@on the amendment prohibiting OSHA inspections of firms with 25 or less employees (see above). Ayes 190. Noes 182. Agreed to, June 27. Mr. Flood voted no. Whether to pass H.R. 15580 as amended. Ayes 329. Noes 43. Passed. Mr. Flood voted aye. On a motion instructing House conferees to insist on House- passed provisions extending aid to school districts serving areas populated with Federal employees in the conference on the ELEMENTARY and SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT AMENDMENTS (H.R. 69): Ayes 144. Noes 187. Rejected, June 28. Mr. Flood voted no. The conference report on S. 3458 extends through fiscal year 1977 the Department of Agriculture’s authority to purchase commodities for donation to DOMESTIC FOOD ASSISTANCE programs. Yeas 325. Nays 0. Agreed to. Mr. Flood voted yea. The conference report on H.R. 7724 authorizes the appropria- tion of $208 million for a program of training and fellowships for BIOMEDICAL and BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH during fiscal year 1975. Yeas 311, Nays 10. Agreed to, June 28. ry Mr. Flood voted yea. H.R. 1” provides $1.1 billion for the construction and operating expenses of the District of Columbia government dur- ing fiscal year 1975. Yeas 236. Nays 36. Passed, June 28. Mr. Flood voted yea. H. Res. 1210 permits the House Judiciary Committee to pro- ceed Viti IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY without regard to a rule requinng that each Committee member have 5 minutes to question a witness. Ayes 207. Noes 140. Rejected, two-thirds not having voted in the affirmative as required by the procedure under which the resolution was considered, July 1. Mr. Flood votes aye. S.J. Res. 218 extends for 30 days, until July 30, 1974, the ex- piration date of the EXPORT-IMPORT BANK ACT of 1945. Ayes 238. Noes 115. Passed, July 1. Mr. Flood voted aye. H.R. 15276 creates a JUVENILE DELINQUENCY PREVEN- TION ADMINISTRATION to administer a program of grants to states, localities and nonprofit agencies for the prevention and treatment of juvenile delinquency. The bill authorizes appro- priations totaling $480 million over the next four years for the program. ; : On an amendment placing the program in the Department of Justice rather than the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare as provided in the bill: Ayes 144. Noes 210. Rejected, July 1. f Mr. Flood voted no. Whether to pass H.R. 15276. Yeas 329. Nays 20. Passed, July 1. Mr. Flood voted yea. H.R. 15465 authorizes $1.5 billion, to be paid in 4 annual install- ments of $375 million, as the U.S. contribution to the IN- TERNATS®YAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION. The bill also permits American citizens to purchase, hold, sell, or other- wise deal with GOLD as of December 31, 1974. During consideration of the bill in the Committee of the Whole, a motion was offered to report the bill back to the House with the recommendation that the enacting clause be stricken. On the motion: Ayes 96. Noes 268. Rejected, July 2. Mr. Flood voted aye. On a motion to recommit the bill to the Committee on Banking and Currency with instructions to report it back with the IDA provisions deleted: Yeas 135. Nayes 230. Rejected, July 2. ; Mr. Flood voted yea. Whether to pass H.R. 15465. Yeas 225. Nays 140. Passed, July 2: Mr. Flood voted yea. Ambulance Log ih NOXEN * June 14—Richard Meade, accident to General Hospital. Crew: Ralph McCormack, Roger Boston and Sandra Swingle, RN. June 18—Martin Brobst, accident to General Hospital. Crew: Earl Crispell and John Lyons. June 22—Mrs. O’Boyle, Harveys Lake to General Hospital. Crew: Jerry Tallent, Ralph McCormack and Earl May. June 25—Mary and Elizabeth Jenkins, accident Lutes Corners, to Noxen Clinic. Crew: Roger Boston, Howard Keller and Dave Fritz. HARVEYS LAKE July 3 - Motorcycle accident, Pole 269. Bernard Kastaliba, Plains and Alfred Filipini, Plains to Nesbitt Hospital. Crew: Jim Faerber and Fred Merrill. July 5--Irene Shmegleski, Spring and Dudley Avenues, Sandy Beach to General Hospital. Crew: Art Wagner and Jim Faerber. July 5-George Bytheway, Smith’s Trailer Court to Noxen Clinic and home. Crew: Art wagner afid Paul Wheat. July 8-Leonore Megargel, First Street Warden Place to Mercy Hospital. Crew: Paul Wheat and Jim Faerber. Dallas Township Three accidents were reported in Dallas Township last week. The first happened July 4 at 8 p.m. on Route 309. According to the report, Robert Crompton, Burlington Road, Unionville, Conn. was traveling south and crossed over into the northbound lane, striking a vehicle operated by Robert Goeringer, RD 3, Dallas, which was traveling north. When the Crompton car struck the Goe- ringer car, Mr. Goeringer lost control. He went into the south- bound lane and came to rest on the embankment. Mr. Cromp- ton came to rest on'the guard rails and then proceeded from the scene of the accident. He did not identify himself. Mr. Goeringer got the license number and the owner was traced through the Luzerne County police communications center. Patrolman John Appel in- vestigated and estimated damages to the Goeringer car at $500. A further investigation into the aecident is being conducted by the police and the insurance companies. July 5 at 1 a.m., Patrolman James Kelly investigated an accident on Dallas Township Route 819 near the intersection with Legislative Route 40053. Susan Laux, 101 White Birch Lane, Elmerest, Dallas, stated that the car she was driving hit a car driven by Elaine Kovak, 45 Fall St., Ashley, but she did not stop. The Kovak vehicle proceeded after her. Both operators had the same story. Damages were estimated at $100 to each car. ‘Chief Carl Miers investigated an accident July 5 at 10:05a.m. at the intersection of Route 309 and Main Road, Dallas. R.E. Weaver, RD 2 Tunkhannock, had stopped for a stop sign on the Main road, and Gary Smith, RD 2, Dallas, was traveling south on Route 309. Mr. Weaver pulled out from the stop sign and into the path of the Smith car. Mr. Smith tried to avoid impact and swerved to across the intersection and collision took place in the south bound lane when Mr. Smith's brakes locked. Mr. Weaver stated that he did not see the oncoming car. Chief Miers recommended that Mr. Weaver be recalled for examin- ation by the motor vehicle of- fice. Encon Company, Fernbrook, was entered between July 6 and July 8 through a rear door. Entry was made by breaking the glass in the door and opening the latch. Vending machines and telephones were opened and the change re-. moved. The incident was reported. July 8 at 6:15 a.m. and patrolmen James Kelly and Doug Lamoreux investigated. This is the second incident of breaking and entering at the plant in recent weeks. The investigation is continuing. Kingston Township Three accidents were noted by the Kingston Township police last week. The first happened July 2 at 9:30 p.m. and Patrolmen Walter Davis and Merle Bigelow investi gated. Anne M. Bealla, 42 Moyes Ave., Swoyersville, was driving north on Route 309 and swerved to avoid a collision with Ann Marie Poliansky, Provincial Towers, Wilkes-Barre, who was coming out of Donachies par- king lot. Impact took place in the northbound lane and the Poliansky car was removed from the point of impact before the police arrived. Damages were estimated at $300 to the Bealla car and $150 to the Poliansky car. July 3 at 6:50 p.m., John Petro, 40 Harris Hill Road, Trucksville, was backing out of his driveway and backed into a motorcycle driven by Steven Franklin, RD 5, Shavertown. Mr. Franklin tried to stop to avoid collision but was unable. Patrolman Davis and Chief Paul Sabol investigated and estimated damages at $200 to the car and $100 to the motor- cycle. There were no injuries. July 4 at 5:50 a.m., Alfred Williams, RD 2, Dallas, was traveling north on Route 309 when at a:point 1200 feet from the intersection with Carverton Road, Mr. Williams lost control of his car, struck a culvert, and proceeded 200 feet before coming to rest on the side of the road. Patrolman Joseph Berube damages at $400. The car had to be towed away. Dallas Borough Dallas Borough Patrolman John Fowler assisted by Walter Davis, Kingston Township in- vestigated an accident July 6 at 10 p.m. at the intersection of Route 415 and Center Hill Road. Richard E. Zneimer, 133 White Birch Lane, Dallas, was passing a truck and attempted to make a left hand turn into Center Hill Road from the southbound lane of Route 415. Nancy Derhammer, RD 1, Dal- las, was traveling north on Route 415 and was attempting to make a left hand turn into Center Hill Road toward the American Legion Home. The two autos collided as both operators tried to make the turns... Damage was estimated at $1,000 to each car. Both cars had to be towed. Jackson Township One accident was reported in the township last week ac- cording to Police Chief Don Jones. On July 3 at 9:30 a.m., Maeryta Ann Parkhurst, 126 Doran Drive, Trucksville, was proceeding south on the, Chase Road when a bee flew ito her car. It caused her to lose control of the car and she ran off the west berm of the road and struck three trees. Her Volvo sedan was a total loss. Miss Parkhurst advised Don Jones, who investigated, that she would see her family physician for her injuries. Malak’s Towing Service towed the car. WASHINGTON—Congress- man Harley Staggers’ daughter is a young physician in West Virginia. She has treated pat- ients suffering from con- taminated drinking water. Yet she is not familiar with the safe been bogged down in her father’s House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee for several months due to lack of quorums, oil industry lobby- ing and nit-picking. She is not alone in this un- awareness. Cleaning up the na- actly a burning political issue. Politicians do not lose or win elections over their stands on the level of mercury, admium, nitrates, asbestos, lead, live viruses, bacteria or other drinking water pollutants that cause short or long term damage to citizens’ health. But if the urgent facts about community and metropolitan water supplies which have been compiled by the U.S. Public Health Service and the En- vironmental Protection Agency do not move voters to action, they have had an effect on Con- gress. Last year the Senate passed a bill providing for federal drinking water stan- dards and technical assistance to the states who retain the pri- mary enforcement role. How- ever, should a state fail to pro- tect its citizens by not enforcing these standards, the EPA would insure compliance. The House bill, as it is pre- sently written, would require water systems which violate the health standards to notify con- sumers and the media. Passage of such legislation would alert the residents of Cleveland, for example, more frequently about the antiquated systems of pipes and water-processing plants which bring water from Lake Erie. It would have led to the disclosure earlier of asbes- tos leaching from asbestos- cement pipe or from industrial water pollution in numerous cities. The drinking water bill must be reported out within three weeks by Chairman Staggers’ Committee of this truly historic effort to show how little it would cost (about $1 per American per year) to apply known tech- nology for much purer drinking water will be lost. To bring this bill to a vote on the House floor before the im- peachment process dominates the legislators’ attention, three changes are necessary. First, the Committee must stand up to the omnipresent oil lobbyists who want to block a provision dealing with con- tamination of underground water supplies by careless oil operations. As always, the men from the American Petroleum Institute want special Congres- sional treatment. Second, the members of the Staggers Committee must show constitute a quorum. Some members, such as Congress- man John McCollister of Nebraska or Congressman Dick Shoup of Montana, have been engaged in delaying and trivial- izing tactics that are demeaning and disgraceful to them. Fuller bring more support to the work of Congressman Paul Rogers and his Subcommittee majority who have worked hard on this bill. Third, Chairman Staggers must assume a vigorous role in completing Committee con- sideration of the legislation soon. For several years, some mittee members have chafed under Staggers’ lack of leader- ship in getting the committee to consider bills before it with rea- sonable attentiveness. Bills lan- quished in the Committee long after the Senate Commerce Committee—no speedy unit it- self—has gotten parallel legis- lation through the Senate. Such attrition must not stop these efforts for drinking water stan- dards which are so long over- due. So if you drink water, write to Congressman Staggers and your own member of the House of Representatives. They need to hear from you in some detail. WASHINGTON—For every tax dollar Pennsylvanians pay to the federal government for defense, only 62 cents is return- ed to the state, according to a new study. The study shows Pennsylvania is the sixteenth biggest loser nationwide. The figures come from a study on defense spending by Michigan State political scien- tist James Anderson which was released by Rep. Les Aspin, (D- Wisc). The biggest losers were Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin and Oregon, which each get back less than 30 cents on every defense tax dollar. According to the study, Penn- sylvania loses about $1.755 billion annually in defense dol- lars. That works out to $147.22 per person. Aspin said the study was sur- prising evidence that defense is By century's end, according to a special study-Probing the Future-by Engineering News- Record, A-frame buildings 400 to 500 feet high will span high- ways and parks. a significant drain on the economy of most major in- dustrial states. In addition to Pennsylvania, New York, Illinois, Ohio and New Jersey all showed net losses. Aspin said the study is start- ling evidence that the defense burden is shared very unequally by the American people. “Taxpayers in the loser states should know that high Pentagon spending does not create more jobs for their states but destroys jobs by removing more money than is returned,”’ Aspin said. The study shows that 28 states receive fewer defense dollars than they pay to Uncle Sam while 22 states and the District of Columbia receive more. The biggest winner is Washington, D.C., which received $5.17 in de- fense spending for every dollar ‘paid in taxes. In compiling the study, the tax burden for each state was calculated from information gathered by the Tax Founda- tion, a private, non-partisan re- search group. The tax burden was compared to the defense outlays for each state to de- termine if the state is a net ES — Forty Years Ago 1934 Frog legs were in season and many frog-catchers were sold solid on the time-honored lure of a bit of red flannel offered on a barbed hook. After frog legs quiet down in the frying pan they're superb eating. Stella Fiske, wife of the for- mer Dallas constable Edward Fiske, died at her home in Parish Heights. former Dallas Township tax collector Milton Neyhart, died at the age of 76. Helen England resigned from Kingston Township faculty; Sarah Pfahler was appointed. Dallas firemen were ready for the four-day carnival on the Adelman plot. Nightly dances, a midway, an air circus and sup- pers were on the agenda. Reunion of Bertram, Elston and Myers families at Hunts- ville. Tuna fish was two cans for a quarter; coffee, 21 cents a pound; and no farmer could get rich on butter at two pounds for 55 cents. Thirty Years Ago 1944 Russell Houser Jr., 17, a member of Wyoming Seminary swimming team, broke his neck in a fall into a Wapwallopen stream when the bank gave way. Ann Griffin, 19, Pioneer Ave- nue, was killed in a highway accident. Lt. Peter Skopic was held by the Germans after his plane was downed by Nazi fighters. Two airborne men were wounded in France a week after D-day. William Glenn Knecht, was a glider flight officer; Jack An Analysis Evans, a paratrooper. Robert Norman Smith, Huntsville, was appointed to Annapolis. Mrs. W. B. Sutton, Carverton, 74, suffered ‘deep lacerations when injured in a car driven by her nephew. Mrs. Sutton went through the windshield. Coach Tinsley left Dallas High for a job at Sharon High. In the Outpost: Ralph White- bread, India; Thomas Bately, England; Bob Grose, Sampson; Charles Gordon, Virginia; Edward Tutak, Walla-Walla; Gilbert Husted, Jacksonville; Ray Pritchard, England; Walt Schuler, China; T. Jefferson Miers, on a speck of land in the Pacific; John Youngblood, Bed- ford Springs; Jimmie Trebil- cox, Hawaii. Died: Alice Major, Lehman; Mary Pearson, 80, Outlet. Belles-Shaver-Compton union. : Twenty Years Ago 1954 Nancy Wood was going over horse show jumps on the front page and an impressive list of new goods for the auction was printed. The eighth annual auc- tion was imminent. Franklin firemen served 700 dinners on the Fourth of July. More of Stefan Hellersperk’s story about being a captive in Russia. Harold Lewis, Franklin Township, was elected pre- sident of the joint Dallas-Frank- lin board. Schooley Memorial at Gener- al Hospital reflected the love of former patients. Millie Evans, 30, Centermore- land, was killed in a car crash. Brakes failed. Seven children were in the car. re- by Doug O’Boyle Post’s Washington Bureau WASHINGTON--The agricul- tural sector of the economy, particularly the beef industry, has attracted lots of attention in Washington the last few weeks. With the attention has come a closer congressional scrutiny of food industry middlemen--the “‘pipeline”’ from the farmer to the consumer--than ever before. Questions congressmen have been asking at recent congress- ional hearings are: Why is the margin between the tarm price and the retail price so large? Why aren’t drops in farm prices reflected at the retail level? Who’s making a buck off the farmer? Getting the answers to those questions has been difficult for Congress, for . the food ‘‘pipeline’”’ has many twists and turns. But some facts are known. The difference between the farm prices and consumer prices--the so-called farm-retail spread--has increased steadily over the past 20 years and has been the primary factor in spiraling food prices. More and more of the food dollar is going to process, package, transport, and sell the food than to produce the food. From 1952 to 1971, retail food prices increased 27 percent, according to the U.S. Agricul- ture Department. Of that in- crease, 94 percent was due to rises in middleman costs while the remaining six percent was due to increased farm costs. The biggest middleman cost increases were . in labor, transportation and packaging. The chief USDA economist said in a recent statement, “The long-term rise in the level of food prices was due to per- sistently and relentlessly rising market margins.” In 1973, three-fifths of the consumer’s food dollar went to middlemen, while two-fifths went to farmers and livestock producers. Translated into dollars, $83 billion of the $134 billion consumer expenditures for food went to middlemen last year. The country has recently gone through price freezes and economic phases and unpre- cedented inflation. Naturally, food production and marketing costs have increased. But while these costs have skyrocketed, cattle prices have plummeted over recent months. Yet, at first glance, the sharply lower cattle prices do not appear to be reflected at the meat counter. The reason involves a maze of marketing procedures which can be illustrated mathe- matically. The farmer and live- stock producer receive approxi- mately 40 cents of every con- sumer dollar spent for food. Thus, when the livestock ‘producers’ cattle price falls 35 percent, as it has in recent months, that drop is actually 35 percent of 40 cents, which amounts to a 14 cent drop at the retail level. In other words, price fluctuations at the far- mers’ level have only a marginal effect on retail food prices. Food retail representatives made this argument in the hearings, but many congress- men were perplexed by it. The retail chains insisted they had passed on the beef price decreases to consumers, citing 17 percent retail beef price cuts in recent months. Several members of the House Agricul- ture Committee were openly skeptical. Apparently in response to this growing skepticism in Congress, the Administration announced the formation of a “Task Force on Meat Margins’ to investigate the beef industry. Another similar investigation is underway in the Federal Trade Commision. The USDA disagreed with the food chains’ claims. According to a USDA economist, ‘Feed cattle prices have declined severely since Febrauary, but retail prices of beef have been slow in reflecting this decrease.” The USDA economist said that in 1973 the middlemen’s take on beef ‘registered the largest gain for all commodity groups, averaging 34 percent higher than a year ago.” Food retail chains make more money off beef than any other com- modity, it appears from the USDA figures. But this is not the case, ac- cording to Safeway. ‘‘For several years,”’ a Safeway executive testified, “our meat department gross profit rates on sales have shown a steady decline. And so far in this year 1974, our records show a further decline from the corresponding period a year ago.” Despite this claim, the USDA economist said, ‘‘We believe that retailers could reduce their margins and prices’’ on beef. The fact that meat packers and food chain profits went up, while cattlemen were! losing millions of dollars, did not win many friends in Congress. Charges of ‘‘profiteering’’ were made, which the middlemen emphatically denied. et USDA figures show food chain and meat packer profits are increasing, sometimes dramatically. For instance, in the last quarter of 1973 and first quarter of 1974, during the ‘period cattle prices were falling, food chains’ profits I Big article on how to keep children out of abandoned refri- gerators. Ten Years Ago 1964 Firemen battled a blaze at the home of Tony Wisnewski, Lake Silkworth, which destroyed the frame building. Torchy Wilson was saved from death after an encounter with a rattlesnake. 20th annual Lehman Horse Show was termed huge success. Delegation of Shavertown parents bombarded the Kings- ton Township supervisors with request for a traffic light at the Center Street intersection. Jackson Township supervi- sors passed a land sub-division ordinance. Headlines announced the 18th annual auction and list of goods new and glamorous, helped fill the pages. Nick Sosick Jr. attended the American, Legion 1964 Annual Keystone State at Penn State. Dallas Borough Council viewed architects’ plans of new post office. i Summer band program began with concert as target. YWCA softball league was underway in Shavertown. Born: Stephen, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Bestwick, Dallas, and Stephen Wayne, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Yatsko, Har- veys Lake. Died: Julius Long Stern, 71, Idetown, former owner of Isaac Long’s. watermelons were 79 cents each; bacon, 49 cents a pound; spaghetti, 19 cents a pound, and a 38-ounce bottle of salad oil could be bought for 49 cents. Profits Puzzle increased to .95 percent of sales compared to .4 percent in the third quarter of 1973. Although small compared ‘to other in- dustries, based on the food chains’ billions of dollars in sales, a slight profit percentage increase can add up to millions of dollars. Meat packers’ net profits increased to 1.1 percent of sales in 1973, up from 1.0 percent in 1972. In the first quarter of 1974, meat packers’ profits averaged 1.4 percent of sales. Spectacular profit increases were posted by two large meat packers--Iowa Beef Processors, with a 66 percent profit increase last year, and American Beef Processors, with a 288 percent profit jump. Citing these profit increases and the widening farm-retail spreads, consumer groups fold the congressmen that the fault rested with ‘‘an apparent failure of competitive mechanisms to work.” There is a ‘high market concentration’ in the beef industry, one con- sumer representative said, resulting in an ‘‘oligopoly’’ among the largest food chains which stifles competition. Food retailers countered that the industry was one of the most competitive in the country. The consumer groups also charged that the meat packing industry’s vertical integration-- increasing involvement of meat packing firms in feedlot opera- tions--allowed them to manipul- ate cattle prices to their advant- age. : The meat packers tried to downplay their feeding opera- tions and denied they wield such power in the cattle market. What emerged from the conflicting facts and figures, charges and denials is that no one--including the Department of Agriculture--apparently has a handle on the whole problem. Congress has asked for more information, but the more it has gotten the more puzzled the lawmakers have become. Whether the Nixon Ad- the USDA studies will provide some clear answers remains to be seen. Equivalent combinations of experience and training may be accepted for state civil service job requirements. Candidates should refer to the examination announcement for details on position requirements and acceptable combinations of ex- perience and training. Si
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers