1610 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE January 28, 1975 would be informed by mall what benefits "Senior eitlzen.s a.re very proud;' ~~ ays. further morning business? If not~ morn­ would be coming. "They have worked or have been aupporte.d ing business is closed. In June. she received a letter saying that moat. of their l1vea by their working spou.s.e she was entitled to $173.40 a month. and do no~ 1in4 it. easy to a.ak for ilnanclal But the money did not come. Mrs. Menor asaist.ance. It. baa been our experience 'Ula~ 1:1 PROGRAM waited and waited, then she sent her social a prospective- appllea.nt has not received bla worker to apply !or her. check 1n due tim&. he or she Will no~ gn back Mr. ROBERT C. BYRD. Mr. President, "And then the]' discovered. that they had down to 'the SSI omce to inquire about it." the Senate will convene tomorrew at 12 lost my whole rue and they had to start an o'clock noon. After the two leade.rs. or over again. So I"m supposed to be living on Now THE CoMPUTEa H&s CAoGHr 'UP $81.60. How do you get by on that? You ten their designees have been recogn)zed un­ The Social Beemity Administration. un­ der the standing order there will be a me. I pay $75 for my room and pay my own dertclok the Supplemental Security Income electricity. You ten me. How am I supposed period for the transaction of routine tSSif program on short notice and with in­ to eat?"' adequate staff last January, according to morning business of not to exceed 30 Mrs. Mellor. with the aid of the social Marilyn Etchison, assistant clistrict manager. minutes with statements limited to 5 wol!'ker, !ought the system. Late in the sum­ But. &he said. most of the problems have minutes each. at the conclusion of which mer, checks began to arrive. But they were been solved today. the Senate will resume consideration of !or cWfering am.ounts, never !or the $173.40 .. There were quite a. few problems when the unfinished bllSiness, S. 281. a. bill to she was expecting. we started in January. There were 35,000 'I'hls month, !or the first time. the correct amend the Regional Rail Reorganization people to be converted to SSI. There were Act of 1M3. check arrived. some systems problems. About :five to seven "You know there are almost 15,000 old per cent didn't. get. their cheeks on time. There fs a time limitation on that men and women living around here:• she "It took quite a while to get. them some measure of not to exceed 4. hours. with said, "A lot of them can fight for themselves money. The computer would go down for a. time limitation on amendments. de­ and they'l"& going to fight for themselves:. But days at a time. It was pretty hectic. batable motions. or appeals, and with the the hug& majority can't. They'l'e too tired "We had tremendous crowds o! people in understanding that time on any amend­ with life. here--1,500 a day. The work load was tre­ men~ debatable motion, or appeal will "'As far as: Washington is concerned, any mendous. Our people were working 10 hours human being only a nmnber and you're a come out of the overall 4 hours. a day and eight hours on Sa.tUYday. There is a yea-and-nay vote ordered name anymor&. You're only a number and "Most of the people who came were very you're at the bloody mercy of a. machine. upset. They didn't get their cheeks. They on final passage of the measure. So there "It's ridiculous. '~'he-re's nothing sublime had nothing to !all baek oa Sometimes they will be at least one rollca-ll vote to­ about ft. God knows:. In your old age, wnen had to wait. a. couple of hours. Then, when morrow. you want 50me peace. It's just utter!]' the computer wasn't. working. we couldn't stupid ... give them answers." J. Leland Embrey, district manager of the ADJOURNMENT M1 that has improv~ she said. The Social security Administration, said Mrs. crowds have thinned. The computer has Mellor pafnts too gloomy a picture. Mr. ROBERT C. BYRD. Mr. President, caught up. (Critics of the syst~m deny She was. not eligible for SSI untn July, he if there be no further business to come this.) before the Senate, I move. 1n accordance &aid, and shtt did receive speelal checks while "Each month it gets better,'' she said. the governmenl tried to straighten out prob­ "Most people are getting their checks with the previous order. that the Sen­ lems wJth her SSI cheeks. straightened out. The ones who are still haY­ ate stand in adjournment until the hour Embrey denied that anyone bas gone fund­ ing problems have :really complicated prob­ of 12 noon tomorrow. less because o! problems with SSI payments, lems.'' The motion was agreed to; and at5:46 claiming that persons in such circumstances The Social Security oftice does need a bet­ p.m., the Senate adjow·ned until tomor­ were referred to the eountry, which loaned ter reception area. she said. It's not con­ "Chem up to $200 a. month until the SSI checks row, Wednesday. January 29, 1975, at 12 structed to handle crowds. There are no o'clock meridian. eame. toilets. Mario Gutierrez, project director at the "Actually,'' said Mrs. Etchison, "we'd like North of Market Health Council. a Tender­ to be able to do. more work on the tele­ loin agency serving senior citizens, was the phone.'' NOMINATIONS case worker who came to Mrs. Mellor's aid. That wlll be a problem, though. 'I'here is Her case was not unusual. he said. Executive nominations received by the only one number for Social security in the Senate January 28,.1975: The SSI program. which began in Janu­ whole Bay Area. An Examiner reporter who ary and replaced the State Old Age Assist­ DEPARTMENT OF' STATE dialed it last week let it ring 35 times be­ ance program, is "a complete disaster," he Robert J. McCloskey, of Maryland, a. For­ said. fore giving up. "The telephone system has been a big eign Service officer of th.e class o! Career "We'Ve had cases where people haven't Minister, now Ambassador at Large, to be­ received their checks for seven or eight problem for us," Mrs. Etchison admitted. also an Assistant Secretary of Sta.te. "We do have a local office number to call months.'~ NEW COMKVNlTY DEVELOPliOlNT Gutierrez and others at the clinic have for clalms, though.'' compiled a report on the SSI program, con­ The trouble is, it•s not list ed. CoB.PoRA'UON eluding it puts the senior ..at the mercy of a Otto George Stolz. of North Carolina, to disorganized~ poorly planned program which be a. member of the board of directors o! violates clvU: and human rights." the New Community Development Corpora­ One glaring problem is that countless CONCLUSION OF MORNING -tion vice Alberto Faustino Trevino, Jr., re­ senior citizens are stlll unaware or the pro­ BUSINESS signed. gram. Why, the report asks, hasn"t the Social Tlni: JUDICIARY Security Administration Included intorma-:­ Mr. ROBERT C. BYRD. Mr. President, J. Smith Henley, of Arkansas, to be U.S. tion on the extra. help program with the So'­ is there further morning business? circuit judge for th e eighth circuit vice Pa.t cia.l Security checks it mails monthly?" The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there Mehaffy, retired. HOUSE . OF REPRESENTATIVES-Tuesday, January 28, 1975 The House met at 12 o'clock noon. brotherhood. Help u:; to eradicate intol­ May freedom and equality, brother·­ Rabbi Nathan Zolondek, Temple erance, prejudice, and malice from our hood and peace fill our land forever. Tifereth Jacob, Hialeah, Fla., offered the midst. Amen. following prayer: Guard our beloved country from every Almighty G-d, Supreme Ruler of Na­ enemy and drive from the hearts of men THE JOURNAL tions, as the cm*tain rises upon another hatred, lustful desires, and g1·eed that The SPEAKER. The Chair has ~ay in our lives, invoke Thy blessing upon blinds the vision of Thy truth. examined the Journal of the last day's the work of our hands. Fortify our united determination to proceedings and announces to the House We pray Thee, enlighten the minds of establish a better world in our time. his approval the1'e0f. our leaders, endow them with true Grant that these blessed United States Without objection, the .Journal stands wisdom and guidance so they may pursue of America serve as a beacon light for approved. the paths of justice, democracy, and liberty loving people the world over. There was no objection. January 28, 1975 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD- HOUSE 1611 MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE The Clerk read the resolution, as Charles Thone, Nebraska; Alan Steelman, follows: Texas; Joel Pritchard, Washington; Edwin B. A message from the Senate by Mr. H. RES. 101 Forsythe, New Jersey; Robert W. Kasten, Sparrow one of its clerks, announced .Resolved, That the following-named Mem­ Wisconsin; Willis D. Gradison, Ohio. that the' Senate had passed a resolution bers be, and they are hereby, elected mem­ COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION: as follows: bers of the following standing committees of William L. Dickinson, Alabama; Samuel L. S. RES. 34 the House of Representatives: Devine, Ohio; James C. Cleveland, New .Resolved, That the Senate has heard with COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE: William C .