HILL VOTES CUSTODY OF TAPES BILL NULLIFIES FORD-NIXON DOCUMENT PACT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP76M00527R000700170020-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 4, 2001
• Sequence Number: 20
• Publication Date: December 10, 1974
• Content Type: NSPR

Approved For Release 2001/11/01 : CIA-RDP76MOO~L750,W70020-4
THE WASHINGTON POST DATE PAGE
Votes
custody
Of Tapes
Bill Nullifies
Ford-Nixon -ri
Document Pact
By Spencer Rich
House e final bill alnsa
to setting up-a
national study commission-T6
recommen ermanen
Lion on rules for handling the
r_ iments of all n+i,e =ub
office The White House as
late asyes er ay morning was
hunting for a member of e-
gress who would seek k i l l
this provision ; but 'four o
f5 errs.
Both Brademas and Sen.
1 Gaylord Nelson (D-Wis.), one
of the chief Senate sponsors,
i said there weren't any assur-
ances that President Ford
,would sign the bill. In fact,
', Brademas said. "I had cause
for apprehension" that he
might pocket veto it if Con.
gress is out of session when
the 10-day period for the Pres-
ident to sign or reject expired.
For that reason, the bill was
to be rushed to the White
House last night. The 10-day
period would begin immediate-
ly, and with Congress still in
sesi,on when it expired, a Ford
veto would send the bill back
to the Hill for a possible over-
ride.
The bill doesn't take any di-
rect position on whether tapes
and documents legally belong
to Nixon; it leab}es that up to
the courts to detCide, if Nixon
should choose to bring suit de-
claring that Congress has de-
prived him of his property.
However, the bill does specify,
Nelson said on the floor, that
if a court finds that any provi.
sioor ,geprives a person of pri
cial pension, and $45,000 for
permanent staff for the next
six months. -
Although the appropriations
bill as a whole won final tenta
tive Senate clearance, the Sen-
ate has not yet cleared a con-
troversial House amendment
by Rep. Marjorie S. Holt (i-
Md.) barring. government with-
!holding of school-aid funds to enforce desegregation.
It will vote today on a pro.
posed language change by Sen-
ate Minority L e a d e r Hugh
Scott (R-Pa.) and Majority
Leader Mike Mansfield (D-
Mont.) that would probably
nullify the Holt language. This
could produce a fight with the
House. Until that issue is re-
solved, the Nixon money in the
appropriations measure can't
be released.
The Nixon tapes bill was
cleared after both chambers
agreed to drop a Clouse provi-
I sion allowing Congress to ap;
(point a special counsel to rep-
I Congress in any lawsuit
I arising from the bill.
Sen. Roman L. Hruska (R-
j Neb.) demanded deletion of
the provision, and sponsors
1 said Presumably the Attorney
General could be relied upon
to represent the public inter-
I est in such suits.
Washington Post Staff Writ,-r
bill giving the federal
,government p e r m s n.e.n1
custody and control over aM
of former Presidelit Nixon-'R
White ouse an "cad
documents Ilea the
House and Senate ystrday.
Plans are to rush it to the
White House so President
Ford can't pocket 'veto it
after C o n g r e ss adjourns
Dec.. 20 or 21.
The bill wipes out the Seat.
8 agreement between i e
White House an ixon, w- ich
gave the former President
control over the tapes, mem-
oranda and other historical
documents. T h e agreement
had aroused angry charges
that Nixon would have such
close' control over the ma-
aerials that he could thwart or
obstruct their use in. future
criminal trials r e 1 a to d to
Watergate.
ation . -, funds for compensa-
tion is authorized.
TAPES, From Al
A second bill affecting!
Nixon won partial clearance
The bill, passed by voice yesterday, when the Senate I
vo e in both houses, covers gave tentative 80-to-9 approval
mi liJ of Documents o the to an $8.7 billion appropria-
Nixon presidency plus hun- tions conference report carry-
d,e c of h ,rte ~# +apP~ of ing $200,000 in pensions and
White House conversations re- staff aid for the former Presi-
-.corded durin Nixon's term. It dent, in place of the $850,000
hanTs them all over o e ju- sought by the Ford admnis-
risdiction and. custody of the 'tration.
General Services Administra- The $200,000 consists of
tion, to be kept in. the Wash- $100,000 for staff aid on trans-
ington metropolitan area. ition expenses, $55,00 for the
They would be "immediately first 11 months of Nixon's spe- I
available for use in judicial
proceedings either by sub-
poena or other legal process,"
according to Rep. John Brad-
s I emas (D-Ind.), the chief House
sponsor, and they might also
be made A IhedP OrfRelease 2001/11/01: CIA-RDP76M00527R000700170020-4
public inspection.