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Conversation: 124-005

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Start Date: 5-Jun-1973 8:38 AM

End Date: 5-Jun-1973 10:19 AM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Agnew, Spiro T. (Vice President)Scott, HughGriffin, Robert P.Bennett, Wallace F.Tower, John G.Brock, William E., IIIFord, Gerald R.Arends, Leslie C.Anderson, John B.Rhodes, John J.Devine, Samuel L.Michel, Robert H.Martin, David T.Conable, Barber B., Jr.Bush, George H. W.Kissinger, Henry A.Haig, Alexander M., Jr.Timmons, William E.Korologos, Thomas C.Friedersdorf, Max L.Ziegler, Ronald L.Lehman, John F., Jr.

Recording Device: Cabinet Room

124a.mp3

124b.mp3

124c.mp3

124d.mp3

NARA Description:

On June 5, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, and Republican Congressional leaders, including Hugh Scott, Robert P. Griffin, Wallace F. Bennett, John G. Tower, William E. Brock, III, Gerald R. Ford, Leslie C. Arends, John B. Anderson, John J. Rhodes, Samuel L. Devine, Robert H. Michel, David T. Martin, Barber B. Conable, Jr., George H. W. Bush, Henry A. Kissinger, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., William E. Timmons, Thomas C. Korologos, Max L. Friedersdorf, Ronald L. Ziegler, and John F. Lehman, Jr., met in the Cabinet Room of the White House from 8:38 am to 10:19 am. The Cabinet Room taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 124-005 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 124-5

Date: June 5, 1973
Time: 8:38 am - 10:19 am
Location: Cabinet Room

The President met with Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, Hugh Scott, Robert P. Griffin, Wallace
F. Bennett, John G. Tower, William E. Brock, III, Gerald R. Ford, Leslie C. Arends, John B.
Anderson, John J. Rhodes, Samuel L. Devine, Robert H. Michel, David T. Martin, Barber B.
Conable, Jr., George H. W. Bush, Henry A. Kissinger, General Alexander M. Haig, Jr., William
E. Timmons, Thomas C. Korologos, Max L. Friedersdorf, Ronald L. Ziegler, and John F.
Lehman, Jr.

     Greetings

     Agenda
         -Structure
         -Ford and Scott
         -Kissinger’s briefing
               -President’s meeting with Georges J. R. Pompidou in Iceland
                     -US-European relations
               -Vietnam Peace Accord
                     -Recent negotiations in Paris

     Atlantic alliance
          -President’s policies
                 -”Year of Europe”
                 -West Germany
                 -France
                       -Structure
                             -Past compared to future
                                   -Need for change
          -Status
                 -Defense
                 -Economics
                 -Foreign policy
                 -Future
                       -Need for change
          -The President’s negotiations with Europeans
                 -Goals
                       -Strengthening alliance
                       -President’s policies
                                               10

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/08)



                -European nations’ internal politics
                     -Domestic concerns

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     France

     Vietnam peace accord

[To listen to the segment (21m8s) declassified on 02/28/2002, please refer to RC# E-626.]

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     Vietnam Peace Accord
          -Senate vote on Cambodia
               -Possible briefing
                     -Kissinger, William H. Sullivan, and Haig

     White House relations with Congress
          -Haig and Kissinger
               -Future meetings
               -Availability
          -The President’s schedule
               -Congressmen
          -Haig
          -Agenda
               -Possible future meetings
                     -Participants
                           -Ranking committee members
                     -Ford’s view
          -The President’s messages and draft legislation
               -Early consultation with Republican leaders
                     -Reasons
               -Spending limitation
                     -Ford’s conversation with Richard W. Bolling
          -Agencies’ positions on pending legislation
               -Importance of coordination
                     -Department of Energy and Natural Resources
               -Timing
          -Spending limitation and impoundment
               -Possible compromise
                                       11

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                               Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. 10/08)



          -Samuel J. Ervin, Jr.’s proposal
          -Mahon’s bill
          -Bolling
          -Rhodes’ suggestion, June 4, 1973
     -Administration consultation with congressmen
          -Cabinet members
          -Meetings with ranking Republicans
          -James T. Lynn’s practice
          -Possible new procedures
          -Timing
          -Possible Department of Energy and Natural Resources
                -Meeting with Office of Management and Budget [OMB]
          -Department of Health, Education, and Welfare [HEW]
                -Hill-Burton
                      -Problems
                -Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger’s activities
                -Devine’s meeting with Frank C. Carlucci
                -James F. Hastings
     -Cabinet
          -Political skills
                -Congressional leaders
          -Consultation
                -Importance

Pending legislation
     -Spending limitation and impoundment
          -Par value legislation in Senate
     -Democratic caucus, June 4
          -Forthcoming bills

Political appointments
      -Bush’s meetings with congressmen and administration
      -Democrats
      -Vacancies
            -Number unfilled
      -Jerry H. Jones
            -Agreement with Scott and Ford
                  -List of vacancies
                  -Consultation
                  -Prospective appointees
            -Procedures
                  -Clearances
                                        12

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. 10/08)



     -Procedures
          -Ford’s conversation with Robert T. Hartmann
          -Compared with Dwight D. Eisenhower’s administration
          -Effectiveness
               -Bush’s role
               -Timmon’s role
          -Cabinet officer’s reaction
               -Political clearances
                     -William P. Rogers
                     -Loyalty
          -Bush’s efforts
               -Haig

Pending legislation
     -Revenue sharing
          -Fall-back position
                 -Cabinet involvement
                 -Vice President’s position
                 -Vice President’s forthcoming visit to Governors’ conference
          -New York Times article, June 4, 1973
          -Possible compromise
          -Education
                 -Ford’s meeting with Weinberger, Albert H. Quie, and Michel
                 -Expiration of current legislation
                       -Funding
                 -Weinberger’s role
                 -Congressional bills
     -HEW Appropriations Bill
          -Michel
          -Funding levels
                 -Education
                 -Health
          -Excess over budget
          -Possible veto strategy
     -Revenue sharing
          -Education
                 -Expiration of current legislation
                       -Effect of automatic extension
                 -Carl D. Perkins
          -OMB study
          -Possible effect on 1974 elections
                 -Support from state and local officials
                                    13

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                          Tape Subject Log
                            (rev. 10/08)



               -Potential problem
     -OMB
     -The Vice President’s forthcoming meetings with governors
           -Governors’ reactions
                 -Congress
           -Nelson A. Rockefeller and Ronald W. Reagan
           -Kenneth R. Cole, Jr.
           -Effect on mayors
-Special revenue sharing
-White House staff members’ attendance at congressmen’s meetings
     -Haig and Kissinger
     -Domestic Council
     -Haig’s role
           -Cambodia
-Possible vetoes
     -Compromise
     -Minimum wage
           -John N. Erlenborn
     -Foreign assistance bill
     -Rural Electrification Administration [REA] bill
           -Earl L. Butz’s efforts
     -Compromises
           -Strategy
           -HEW bill
           -Strategy
-Vocational Rehabilitation Bill
     -Quie’s compromise
     -Earl F. Landgrebe’s vote
     -OMB and HEW
           -Efforts with House and Senate
     -Forthcoming House vote
     -Compared with vetoed bill
           -Funding levels
           -Administrative structure
     -House and Senate versions compared
     -Ford’s view
-Economic Development Administration [EDA] bill
     -Compared with other compromise bills
-Highway bill
-Rivers and harbors bill
-Veterans’ legislation
-EDA
                                       14

                       NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. 10/08)



          -Prospects
     -Airports bill
     -Farm bill
     -Energy bill

Use of pesticides
     -Occupational Safety and Health Administration [OSHA] regulations
           -Effects
           -Ralph Nader’s role
           -Procedures
           -Problems
     -Judge’s threat
     -Labor Department’s emergency regulations
           -Public objectives
           -Possible lawsuits
           -House member’s joint letter
           -Applicability
           -Peter J. Brennan’s motive
           -Effects
                 -Enforcement
                       -Agriculture
           -George A. Goodling
           -OSHA statistics
                 -Fatalities
           -Ford’s conversation with John H. Stender
           -Ford’s view
           -Brennan
           -George P. Shultz’s forthcoming involvement
                 -President’s position

White House relations with Congress
     -The President’s meeting with congressmen
          -Future meeting
          -Scheduling
          -Agenda
          -Participation by junior members
          -Participation by leaders
     -Cabinet
          -Cooperation with congressmen
     -The President’s meetings with congressmen
          -Value and effect
          -Attendees
                                               15

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                         Tape Subject Log
                                           (rev. 10/08)



           -Congressional support
                -Legislation
           -Public approval of the President’s foreign and domestic policies
                -Public support
                -White House and Cabinet efforts
           -White House staff reorganization
           -The President’s meeting with congressmen
                -Value
           -Possible statement by congressmen
                -Public confidence in economy
                -Press coverage of administration

     Pending legislation
          -Procurement authorization
               -Possible administration action

     The President’s meeting with congressmen
          -Attendees
               -New members

     The President’s schedule
          -Forthcoming state dinner
               -William R. Tolbert, Jr.
          -Meetings with congressmen
               -Timmon’s role
               -Number and kind
                      -New members
                      -Leadership
                           -Past meetings
                      -Social events
                      -Bipartisan meetings
               -Attendees

     [General conversation/Unintelligible]

The President, et al. left at 10:19 am