UF00083768_00007.pdf

UF00083768_00007.txt

UF00083768_00007_pdf.txt

OpF'CE 'OF INFORMATION OFFICE
Rm 515 Winder Bldg. .l7th 8: F. N. W.

Wash. .D. C. 20504-PH(202) 395-5678

D L A N N N G FOR RELEASE AFTER DELIVERY
Tuesday. March 14. 1967



REMARKS BY
HONORABLE FARMS BRYANT
DIRECTOR
OFFICE OF EMERGENCY PLANNING
AT THE
JOINT SESSION
OF THE
MARYLAND STATE LEGISLATURE
ANNAPOLIS. MARYLAND

MARCH l4. 1967

I'm happy to be in the Free State of Maryland. It is fitting we hold this
. meeting on FederalState relations in Annapolis. the oldest State House in the
country. There has been much history written in Maryland; so much of our
early heritage was formed here at Annapolis in this State House. It is diffi-
cult to single out any one chapter of our early years. Yet we know that the
first experiments in freedom took place in Maryland.
It was he re that Washington resigned his commission as Commander-
in -Chief of the Colonial Army.
It was he re that delegates passed a resolution {or a Constitutional
Convention in Philadelphia which was to frame the Articles of Confederation
and. later. the Constitution of the United States.
And it is here today that Governor Spiro '1. (Ted) Agnew has taken
. the initiative to give that Constitutional framework new vitality and force.

Perhaps those who framed the Constitution had more vision than they knew.

They drafted a document which was to survive the shoals of time. the trials
oi experience. and the new challenges of our modern age. We know that
Federal-State relations are not what they were 190 years ago. We know
that problems have grown space. But we also know we can devise new
techniques to overcome those problems. That is why we are here today.

Governor Agnew has put the Free State of Maryland in the forefront
of nationwide efforts to simplify and streamline our Federal-State relation-
ships. He is admirably equipped to do it. A prominent lawyer, he

administered the affairs of one of the most complex counties in the Country

-- Baltimore County.

It is a pleasure to appear before this joint session of the Maryland
State Legislature to begin our meetings on Federal-State relations.

The problems themselves are dramatically demonstrated in the
statistics of those relations. More than 400 authorities exist for grant
programs. At least 160 have been added since 1960. More than 1. 000
new Federal development districts. areas and regions have been funded.

' Conference

Last December. one of our Governors reported to the Governors
that "there are 170 separate Federal aid programs being administered by 21

separate Federal departments and agencies making grants to more than 200

agencies and subdivisions" in his State alone.

Here in Maryland Governor Agnew and his administrative family must
live and work with 160 separate grant programs providing more than 176
million dollars. and affecting every city and county in the State.

All these figures underscore a serious question of centralization which
could weaken our Federal system if the States do not exercise affirmative
and aggressive initiatives in the management of these funds on the State level.
Let me make abundantly clear my conviction that the State must continue to
play a vigorous and vital role in our Federal system. It cannot forfeit that
responsibility despite the increase in Federal grants.

The fact is that State and local expenditures in these areas currently
exceed $75 billion each year. five times the amount contributed by the
Federal Government. And those State and local expenditures are expected
to reach $142 billion by 1975.

Clearly. it is the States playing their traditional role in the partner-
ship which will determine the success of these efforts. There are two
separate problems:

One -- the obvious problem -- is budgetary.

The other -- less obvious. and more important and difficult -- is the
administrative problem.

Neither of these problems is "political. for they are common for
Republicans and Democrats.

Neither of these problems is "deliberate. for they are the unintended

results of many separate actions by the Congress in the pursuit of diverse

but good goals.

Neither of these problems finds a natural or obvious solution within

the framework of our established institutions and practices.

One thing is clear! If we are to find a solution, a methodolOgy must
be formulated to insure the coordination of diverse claims. pragrams and

administrations with related activities, shared concerns and similar

responsibilities within the State. It follows "as the night the day" that this

cannot be done except through the office and person of the Governor.

Essential to their solutions is adequate "communications. The
President. in addressing the Federal Department Heads on November II,

1966. and in his State of the Union Message January 10, placed great

emphasis upon that idea. He said, in part:

"The 88th and 89th Congresses enacted more social and economic

legislation than any two Congresses in our history. But all of
this legislation will come to nothing unless it reaches the people.

"Federal energy is essential. But it is not enough. Only a total
working partnership among Federal. State and local governments

can succeed. The test of that partnership will be the concern
of each public organization. each private institution. and each

responsible citizen. .

"We intend to work with the States and localities to do exactly
that. "

And just a few weeks ago. President Johnson reaffirmed these senti-
ments in his Budget Message to the Congress. He said. in part:

"Our agenda must give high priority to a stronger and more
effective federal system of government in the United States. To
meet urgent and growing needs, the Federal Government is pro-
viding a wide range of programs to assist State and local govern-
ments. Now the chief task is to manage these programs efficiently
at every level of government to assure the most effective public

serviceS. .

"Another aspect of the problem of intergovernmental cooperation
has been the process of consultation with elected ofcials of

State and local governments on matters concerning the develop-

ment and administration of Federal assistance programs.

Cow: more and local chief executives are responsible {or the

management of their units of government. The Federal Govern-

ment should take all practical steps to increase the role of these
executives in the administration of federally aided programs. . "

We are here today to implement those ideas. Our objectives are
simple:

1. To establish adequate communications. We want to be sure that
we are all un the same frequency, that our earphones are plugged in. and
that everyone who should he heard has a working microphone.

2. To ensure coordination in process and purpose. That means
putting the Governor in the co-pilot's seat.

While the President and the Governors are setting our course. the
rest of us can keep the ashtrays clean. and tigers in our tanks.

We have with us today a distinguished group of Federal ofcials.
They know their jobs. We hope this meeting. and the fallout from it. will
enable them to achieve a broader understanding of State problems than can
be secured from dealing exclusively with their special areas of concern.

I recognize the competence of Governor Agnew's staff. With such
a leader. it could not be otherwise. We hope that they will acquire a better
insight into the underlying reasons for Federal procedures.

if this chemistry works, we whl develop administrative initiatives

that will make possible the coordination we all seek.

This is not our first effort in the field of Federal-State relations.

We have over the past year:

1. Held 8. State Legislative Leaders Conference in Washington --
the rst of its kind in history.

2. Arranged for President Johnson to meet with the Executive and
Highway Safety Committees of the Governors' Conference and with Federal
Officials to discuss traffic safety. The suggestions made by the Governors
in these sessions were incorporated in the final legislation.

3. Through Regional Offices of the Office of Emergency Planning we
have maintained a two-way dialogue with the States. 08? administers for
the President. funds made available to the States in times of natural disaster
and coordinates the activities of the entire Federal establishment when
major disasters are declared.

4. The Office of Emergency Planning has several other activities
which impact upon the Federal-State relationship. In the telecommunications
field we are moving forward with planning to improve communications
systems among the various levels of Government. Since law enforcement.
education. water development. transportation and air pollution are not
bound by geographical areas an assault on the problems requires the most
efcient and swiftest communications facilities. In another 08? area.
we are using our computer facilities and expertise to develop a Data
Comparability Study of direct interest to the States. In effect. this study
looks to the simplification of standards and nomenclatures used by the

fifty States. In countless instances. these denitions are different and

7
not translatable unless the criteria are thoroughly understood and programmed.
We do not want uniform measuring rods, but it would be extremely useful to
know how one State's measurement can be expressed in terms of measure-
ments used by other States. This is particularly important as we move
increasingly into regional compacts.

5. Finally, I have been privileged to represent the President at the
National Governors' Conference and at various regional conferences. These
meetings. coupled with a steady correspondence betw¢en my office and the
Governors. have helped to establish and maintain the line of communication
which is the purpose of this Conference.

I would end on this note. The re was a time when Americans enjoyed
parallel citizenship under governments which served different levels of
need -- Federal and State. Today we have parallel citizenship under govern-
ments serving in the same areas of need. Federal grants have risen from
$30 million annually in 1920 to nearly $15 billion today. if we are to use
these funds wisely and well, if we are to develop programs most responsive
to the needs of the people. if we are to keep pace with an era of enormous
change. we must innovate and create the institutional means to master our
age in freedom. In the final analysis. success will depend on the States
and the competence shown by them. as it always has.

We are here today in Maryland to begin that process.




PAGE 1

-:0I| .: ss -0 .. | :'--. 0 :I

PAGE 2

-.. 7 .-afi,-:! : ...,7 .-.| :C':. .:. --: -.-.1r-. :-. -Ei:e Slil:3ALS t.1 is .1.911 1r a ri r i e .::-.:10 C 1-. C I:.! ..'" --..-i ';iir ti": :'.lsETI Lis' E .A:'x r .,... .. .. s -|1..-.:. -:-:. 1:J:i 3:1:li T:-i a -. W
PAGE 3

-. ....2-. C ... -..:--.1: .:t--" --_ -.--. -: -. --r .?!L.. '. -i 1 -..11--. -3-.I -.-.-:. : -...-. s i--. .---:.a -! --:I Cal i i .--s -...-..-., : ; -..-..: .,E. -.,:i! -----! -. --: -.:::.: -:.1: 1-----is -.! --i:al 12.. .:!-1 ---.--.---, :. .: -.-:--. --. .!:. 9.i!-.---: .---.: ---.--: -.! i: .:1-|-. .-.I s---! "-.I ---1-: -' :: -::: !!:-"--..t-( -:: i ....--:-. -.-. ---!! -.: -t .. ----! ., -..; ---..--... ---... .i. .: -.:.1:.. ......

PAGE 4

-: 1-"..:t i:: .I : .": -.! ca .|--!r. .--..s: ---1 .-....:' : ... ..-r-i. .-"..'' I:, .t -:.. ---.:.. .!! :..:. -:--..-.': -:. -! ---:-.t: ------: -.-:! :-:.-:: : ----I .. -C -. .. --.: ; .: -i.:r. -|-1:. -------i-1": -::llii'i --.-: --.---.s :s --| s-a ----.. .-! ...-.. i :.. -1 ... -|| --1 -. ---.----.---------:.it -. i--t .:-s -. -. ..-..1 .,:.: 1.: ."sL: ---. -. ..-.---:..11 1 -1||: -:. ---.---': .: .-. .-. --. !" :: .-.-i --! -tiss:1.'". i-'s -1i L--

PAGE 5

..----... .r --.

PAGE 6

--.----.-j. .i .-r .-.,| -3! i. : ,--I ..| : .: .-.::. : .-. .., ..i. .-. -:s; --... .-. .---...-. .:-. .-. -,.....-. .:i-..... ---.--..---. i ,. : ... ....i ---. .. ...-.--,. 1 -s-. ... ..-.-. -: .1 .--: -.-. .-.-i :. -' :1 -.. |..-. .-! --. --. --. --.. -.-.--

PAGE 7

--: i :.: :: .--::1 -. ......... .i : --:: .-:..-: .: --.. ..--.--.....i -.-