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Conversation 004-002

TapeTape 4StartTuesday, June 1, 1971 at 4:19 PMEndTuesday, June 1, 1971 at 4:21 PMTape start time00:05:26Tape end time00:07:00ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

President Nixon and H.R. Haldeman reviewed the potential economic impact of a Lockheed collapse, noting that approximately 31,000 jobs were tied to a specific contract. Additionally, Haldeman briefed the President on the status of an administration study aimed at developing objective criteria for new gun control legislation. This initiative sought to address existing loopholes in the 1968 Gun Control Act by regulating the domestic manufacture of firearms based on performance and quality standards.

Lockheedunemploymentgun control1968 Gun Control Actlegislationeconomic policy
AudioNARA Description

On June 1, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 4:19 pm to 4:21 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 004-002 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 4-2

Date: June 1, 1971
Time: 4:19 pm - 4:21 pm
Location: White House Telephone

H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman talked with the President.

     Forthcoming Lockheed unemployment figures

     Gun control

          -Administration's study
              -1968 Gun Control Act
              -Prospective new gun control legislation
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

Yeah.
Mr. Haldeman, sir.
Yeah.
On the line, sir.
Hello.
At Lockheed, there are 31,000 that would be affected, 17,000 on Lockheed's payroll and 14,000 on Lockheed's supplier's payrolls.
Okay.
On that contract.
Fine.
The total Lockheed employment role is 90,000.
And if they go broke, they'd all lose their jobs.
Yeah.
But the other one, the 31, is the contract figure.
Then on the gun control, it gets a little complicated.
We launched a study when we came in because the Gun Control Act of 68 prohibited import of those guns but not domestic manufacture of them.
So we've been testing the domestically manufactured ones, and we're trying to draw a set of objective criteria at which time we will propose legislation, but we haven't done it.
which would outlaw this kind of thing?
No, it's to plug the loopholes.
So our legislation would be to require that only guns that met certain criteria could be manufactured and sold.
And so the ones that can't hit the targets or don't hold up would be outlawed.
Yeah.
But not necessarily just because of price.
Yeah, yeah.
So we have been in the process of extensive testing in order to develop criteria for legislation to plug the loophole in this.
All right.
Okay.
Thank you.
Okay.
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