Dublin Core
Title
Box 7, Folder 13, Document 40
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STATEMENT ON THE OPENING OF CONGRESS
by
The Urban Coalition
January 12, 1968
As the new year begins and the second session of the 90th
Congress convenes, The Urban Coalition reaffirms its call for recognition
of the compelling needs of the people of our nation's cities and for
immediate and positive action to meet those needs, No longer can this
country tolerate the serious unemployment, housing deficiencies, educa-
tional disparities and urban decay which plague urban America, The Urban
Coalition calls upon American citizens to insist that this session of
Congress enact the legislation necessary to restore health to our cities,
The nation can no longer ignore the intolerable conditions of
life which cripple too many of our fellow citizens and induce the wide=-
spread discontent and disorder which have erupted vear after vear, warn=
ing America that it is not meeting its responsibilities to its own people,
The Urban Coalition, broadly representative of American busi-
ness, labor, religion, civil rights and local government, pledres its
firm and continued support for a re-ordering of national priorities and
a commitment of national resources equal to meeting these responsibilities,
The substantial number of communities forming counterpart Urban Coalitions
all over the country is strong evidence that the citizens of our urban
areas share the Urban Coalition's concern and its commitment, With the
commitment of its citizens this nation has the capacity now to resolve its
urban problems,
We call upon the Congress, the Administration and the nation
to move without delay on urban programs, The Administration's Open
Housing legislation should be enacted into law now,
Definite steps should be taken now to assure government—gener-
ated employment to every citizen able and willing to work but unable to
find private employment,
The Administration's Safe Streets and Crime Control Act and
Juvenile Delinquency amendments were drastically altered in the House of
Representatives last year to channel the programs and funds through a
state planning and allocation process which would delay and frustrate
their effectiveness, The original Administration version of these bills
should be passed by the Senate so as to mount an efficient and effective
attack on the root causes of violence, crime and delinquency coupled
with the development of improved local law enforcement,
A supplementary appropriation bill should be immediately intro-
duced and enacted to fund fully the President's anti=povertv programs as
authorized for this fiscal year,
Programs for low and moderate income housing, urban development,
model cities, mass transportation and community facilities should be
extended, expanded and adequately funded now,
The repressive welfare program amendments enacted last year,
penalizing children born into one=parent homes and shifting the financing
burden to local government, should be repealed immediately,
a
We know these legislative aims are more easily stated than
accomplished, But we also know the needs are massive and urgent, and
the hour is late, We pledge our full support for the legislative
action required and ask the help of Congress and the nation.
Andrew Heiskell A. Philip Randolph
Co-Chairman, The Urban Coalition Co-Chairman, The Urban Coalition
Chairman of the Board, Time Inc, Vice President, AFL-CIO
by
The Urban Coalition
January 12, 1968
As the new year begins and the second session of the 90th
Congress convenes, The Urban Coalition reaffirms its call for recognition
of the compelling needs of the people of our nation's cities and for
immediate and positive action to meet those needs, No longer can this
country tolerate the serious unemployment, housing deficiencies, educa-
tional disparities and urban decay which plague urban America, The Urban
Coalition calls upon American citizens to insist that this session of
Congress enact the legislation necessary to restore health to our cities,
The nation can no longer ignore the intolerable conditions of
life which cripple too many of our fellow citizens and induce the wide=-
spread discontent and disorder which have erupted vear after vear, warn=
ing America that it is not meeting its responsibilities to its own people,
The Urban Coalition, broadly representative of American busi-
ness, labor, religion, civil rights and local government, pledres its
firm and continued support for a re-ordering of national priorities and
a commitment of national resources equal to meeting these responsibilities,
The substantial number of communities forming counterpart Urban Coalitions
all over the country is strong evidence that the citizens of our urban
areas share the Urban Coalition's concern and its commitment, With the
commitment of its citizens this nation has the capacity now to resolve its
urban problems,
We call upon the Congress, the Administration and the nation
to move without delay on urban programs, The Administration's Open
Housing legislation should be enacted into law now,
Definite steps should be taken now to assure government—gener-
ated employment to every citizen able and willing to work but unable to
find private employment,
The Administration's Safe Streets and Crime Control Act and
Juvenile Delinquency amendments were drastically altered in the House of
Representatives last year to channel the programs and funds through a
state planning and allocation process which would delay and frustrate
their effectiveness, The original Administration version of these bills
should be passed by the Senate so as to mount an efficient and effective
attack on the root causes of violence, crime and delinquency coupled
with the development of improved local law enforcement,
A supplementary appropriation bill should be immediately intro-
duced and enacted to fund fully the President's anti=povertv programs as
authorized for this fiscal year,
Programs for low and moderate income housing, urban development,
model cities, mass transportation and community facilities should be
extended, expanded and adequately funded now,
The repressive welfare program amendments enacted last year,
penalizing children born into one=parent homes and shifting the financing
burden to local government, should be repealed immediately,
a
We know these legislative aims are more easily stated than
accomplished, But we also know the needs are massive and urgent, and
the hour is late, We pledge our full support for the legislative
action required and ask the help of Congress and the nation.
Andrew Heiskell A. Philip Randolph
Co-Chairman, The Urban Coalition Co-Chairman, The Urban Coalition
Chairman of the Board, Time Inc, Vice President, AFL-CIO
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