Show I I 1 President Violating Road Rules Rules Bennett Bennett r j Sen Wallace F F. F Bennett R- R Utah has said that the Johnson Administration is Is glaringly violating the Intent of Congress Congress' In of Federal Highway Funds and that he In Intends intends intends in- in tends to ask the Senate Public Works Committee to lift lUt the construction ban IT IS EXPLICITLY written into the law that the National System of Interstate and De- De fen feri Highways be completed on s s. s schedule Sen Bennett said I 1 feel that the systems system's primary primary primary mary importance Is to our na national national national na- na defense and a prompt and early completion would In the thelong thelong thelong long run save money and be In Inthe Inthe inthe the national interest The Utah Republican pointed out that the Presidential action last November amounts to a 11 II billion cutback or 25 per cert cent of the new construction work that is scheduled for fiscal year 1967 and which would be financed fi financed financed fi- fi by the Highway Trust Fund An additional rollback of million was proposed for fiscal year 1967 three weeks ago I I 1 FEEL THAT the President has exceeded his authority by Impounding these funds Sen Bennett said I recall that when President Eisenhower refused to spend funds for a few public works projects In the the then Majority Leader Lyndon B B. B Johnson angrily said We eWe might as well vell abolish Congress II Sen Bennett in an effort to have the freeze lifted also joined in sponsoring a resolution resolution resolution tion expressing the sense of Congress that the deferment of Highway Trust Fund expenditures expenditures expenditures expendi expendi- tures should be lifted ECONOMICALLY the Presidents President's action Is unsound Sen Bennett declared The eventual cost of completing the Interstate System will be substantially substantially substantially sub sub- higher If the postponement postponement postponement post post- is allowed to continue much longer He said In addition the ef efforts efforts ef- ef efforts forts to economize by limiting the construction of safer sater roads will result In significant financial financial financial finan finan- cial and personal loss throughout through through- out the country THE UTAH said The Interest and safety of the American people people people peo peo- and the future defense of the nation should not be subordinated subordinated subordinated to non-essential non clety programs The administrations administration's administrations administration's administrations administration's adminis adminis- cutback In the improvement Im Improvement improvement im- im provement of highways will result re result re- re sult suIt in the loss of life Ufe limb time and money to the traveling public Tl This s action to cool off of the economy is especially drastic when viewed in terms of forced bankruptcy of contractors re repossession repossession re- re repossession possession of equipment and layoff layo of many people now empI employed em em- pI oyed by highway contractors contractors- i he said THE SENATOR pointed out that a summary compiled by the House Public Works Committee shows that a total for Utah will be frozen as a result re result result re- re sult of the order A total of will be held back from fiscal year 1967 and prior fiscal year programs and a total to total total to- to tal from apportioned apportioned apportioned fiscal year 1968 funds also will be held back It seems to me that the Johnson Johnson Johnson John John- son Administration is being grossly unfair to Utah whenever it has seen fit to curtail much- much needed programs such as highways highways high high- ways and reclamation he said TWO YEARS ago the Administration Administration Administration Admin Admin- diverted all of Utah's Congressionally appropriated a ate t e d funds for the Central Utah to other reclamation states Last year the Central Utah Project was cut by more than 43 per cent of what Congress ap ap- ap proved NOW WE WITNESS a cutback cutback cutback cut cut- back of Utah's vitally needed road program he said It makes you wonder where they are going to strike next |