THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON

November 2, 1979

Because of your expressed interest in the

important national issues facing our country
today and in specific administration programs
and policies, I thought the enclosed document

might be of interest to you. This is the
third in a series of annual reports which
summarize for the public the objectives,
programs and accomplishments of the Carter
Administration.

I hope you will find this material informative
and useful.

Anne Wexler

Assistant to the President

NOV

5 1979

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THE RECORD OF

PRESIDENT CARTER'S ADMINISTRATION

SUMMARY

October 1979

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THE RECORD OF PRESIDENT CARTER'S
ADMINISTRATION

During his Administration, President Carter has worked
toward the basic goals of:
V Ensuring our Economic Strength and
Independence

V Adapting Government to Meet the Changing
Needs of our Society

■/ Restoring Basic American Values

V Preserving Peace Through A Strong Defense

The progress and the achievements made toward each of

these goals are described briefly in this summary.

SUMMARY

(1) ENSURING AMERICA'S ECONOMIC STRENGTH AND INDEPENDENCE
The President has worked to achieve this goal by reducing taxes, reducing

unemployment, and reducing the Federal budget deficit, and, by fighting
inflation, through a program of government restraint and voluntary private
sector cooperation.. He has moved to ensure economic independence by
developing a comprehensive national energy program which will reduce
America's future dependence on foreign oil.
ECONOMY

Tax Cuts

- $28 billion in tax cuts in 1977-1978.
~ These tax cuts will saVe Americans $35 billion in 1979 and $40 billion
in 1980.

Employment

~ $21 billion economic stimulus package in 1977 (directed toward low
income and unemployed).

~ Nationwide unemployment rate reduction of 25% (for blacks a 14%
unemployment reduction; for youth a 26% increase in employment;
and for women 4.3 million additional jobs over 1976).

~ 8.3 million jobs created (greatest 27-month employment growth in
America's history).
~ Employment of over 97.5 million Americans (highest level in history;
highest percentage of the workforce in history).

Federal Budget

-- Federal deficit spending reduction of $36 billion (over 50% reduction
in 3 years).

-- Federal spending reduced from 22.6% to 21.5% of GNP.
Economic Growth

~ . 27-month consecutive real GNP growth.
~ Personal savings increase of 35.5%.
~ Real GNP increase of 10.4%.

~ Corporate profits up 49.5%.
~ Dividends up 30.8% to stockholders.

, " Housing starts up 50% in first 2 years.
-- Real business investment increased 19.1%.
Inflation

The Council on Wage and Price Stability has been monitoring more
than 1,000 businesses using the price guidelines and publicly
identifying violators.

More than one million union employees reached agreements which
coihplied with the President's voluntary wage guidelines.

~ The rate of price increases in the sectors of the economy covered by
the wage price standards have been one-half of the overall inflation

rate, and the rate of increase in hourly wages (during the first nine
months of 1979) was actually lower than during the comparable

period of 1978.

~ The Consumer Price Index, excluding energy cost, was at about the
same 8% growth level during July-September 1979 as it was for the
same periods of 1977 and 1978. Thus the basic nonenergy inflation
rate has been kept at an even level over the past several years.

~ An accord with labor to participate fully in the Administration's
voluntary anti-inflation program (representing the first time that the

government and labor have reached a common understanding on
economic principles to combat inflation), will assist the anti-inflation
program and ensure greater labor and business participation.

- A Pay Advisory Committee and a Price Advisory Committee were
established to provide anti-inflation participation for Labor, Business
and Government cooperation.
ENERGY

National Energy Policy

- First comprehensive National energy package proposed by a
President; 65% of program enacted in 1978.

-- Creation of the Department of Energy (consolidating energy
programs of seven different agencies).

- Proposed energy program in July of 1979 which, when combined
with program enacted in 1978, will reduce U.S. imports of oil by 67%
by 1990.
Conservation

~ Energy conservation programs and incentives (those enacted which

will save 1.0 million barrels of oil per day by 1980; additional

proposed measures will save another 1.5 million barrels per day by

1990).

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-- Enacted first residential energy conservation tax credits.

~ Proposed $6 billion residential conservation program.
~ Mandated 5% reduction in annual energy use in Federal buildings.

~ Mandatory automobile fuel efficiency standards for each model year
through 1985.

-- Proposed $900 million grant program to provide 50% of cost for
insulation and conservation measures in schools and hospitals.
" Mandatory nonresidential building temperature restrictions.
Increased Energy Development

-- Proposed Energv Securitv Corporation (to develop 2.5 million barrels
of oil from alternate fuel sources).

~ Proposed Energy Mobilization Board (to eliminate red tape in
construction of energy facilities).

~ Phased decontrol of domestic crude oil (producing more than 800,000
barrels per day by 1985).

- Gradual decontrol of natural gas (assuring interstate gas supplies
ending 30 years of congressional stalemate).
~ Committed to a doubling of coal production by 1985 (will be aided
by coal conversion initiatives enacted in 1978, and proposed
conversion program to require utilities to reduce their oil use by 50%
by 1990).
Solar and Renewable Resources

~ Tripled funding for solar and renewable resource development
~ Committed to 20% of the nation's energy from solar and other
renewable resources by the year 2000.

~ ^ Established the Solar Energy Research Institute; increased solar
research and development funding by 40%.

~ Proposed creation of Solar Bank to provide $2 billion over next ten
years to aid in the financing of solar homes.
~ Enacted first solar tax credits.

- Enacted first gasohol tax credits; tripled Federal funding for gasohol.

Tax on Windfall Profits

~ Proposed tax to recover windfall profits(to be used for energy-related
purposes not otherwise being met)such as:
0 Extensive commitment to alternative energy development(goal

of producing equivalent of 2.5 million barrels of oil from
alternate energy sources).
0

Additional $16 billion for mass transit and auto fuel efficiency

improvements over 10-year period.
o $24 billion over 10-year period to assist low-income households
with increased energy cost

International Energy Cooperation

~ Tokyo Summit agreement (7 industrialized nations agreed to limit

imports as a way of restraining world-wide consumption).
~ Alaska natural gas pipeline agreement (Canada/U.S. agree on
pipeline construction; pipeline to carry 5% of our totd natural gas
supplies).
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" Mexican natural gas agreement(assures U.S. of additional natural gas
at reasonable price).

(2) ADAPTING THE GOVERNMENT TO MEET THE CHANGING NEEDS OF
OURSOQETY

The President has worked to reshape the government and make it more
efficient

MORE EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT

Reorganization

~ Civil Service Reform (first overhaul since 1880's).

- Seven reorganization plans(proposed, approved and implemented).

-- Creation of Department of Energy.

-- Creation of Department of Education (giving education a cabinet
level voice in the Federal government).
Eliminating and Reducing Regulations

-- Airline deregulation (annual consumer savings of $2.5 billion; opens
more routes and increases competition).

~ Elimination of 1,000 OSHA regulations; exempted 40,000 small
businesses from OSHA reporting requirements.
-- Proposed trucking deregulation (will save consumers billions of
dollars and increase competition).

-- Proposed railroad deregulation (will rebuild a competitive, viable rail
system nationwide).

Limit Government Bureaucracy

~ Reduction of 20,000 permanent Federal government employees by
end of 1979.

-- Reduction of paperwork by nearly 15% throughout the government;
25% reduction at HEW.
MEETING SOCIAL AND HUMAN NEEDS
Health Care

~ Proposed National Health Care Plan (will provide catastrophic
coverage to all Americans and comprehensive care to 15 million lowincome persons).

~ Proposed Hospital Cost Containment(will save consumers $50 billion
over a 5-year period).
Protection for Older Americans

~ Saved Social Security System (averted certain bankruptcy to protect
the 34.7 million Social Security beneficiaries).

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/

-- Age Discrimination Act (eliminated forced retirements for Federal
workers; raised mandatory retirement age from 65 to 70 for private
sector).
-- Older Americans Act amendments (simplified and strengthened

economic protection for older Americans).
Protection for the Poor

-- Proposed Welfare Reform (will create 660,000 jobs; provide nearly $1
billion in fiscal relief).

-- Food Stamp Reform (allows 2.2 million additional eligible lowincome Americans to receive benefits).
" Humphrey-Hawkins Full Employment Act (expresses
commitment of Federal government to full employment).

first

- Minimum Wage increases each year from 1977 through 1980.
Education

~ 60% funding increase for education programs.

'

~ Created a Cabinet-level Department of Education.
" Middle Income Student Assistance Act (1.2 million additional
students eligible for college aid).
Urban Policy

~ Developed Nation's first comprehensive urban policy (13 of 19
proposals enacted in 1978).
~ More than 100 administrative changes to improve urban focus and
targeting of existing Federal programs.
~ Creation of the Urban Development Action Grant Program
(providing $1.5 billion in grants to leverage private sector investment
and create jobs in urban areas).

- Additional 1 million units of Federally-Assisted Housing for low and
moderate income renters and homeowners.

" New York City assistance (providing loan guarantees to ensure fiscal
recovery of New York).
" Proposed Countercyclical Fiscal Assistance Program (to provide up to
$1 billion for urban areas).
~ $2 billion expansion for elderly and handicapped housing.
- 1500% increase in Economic Development Grants.
Agricultural and Rural Policy
~ Nation's first farmer controlled grain reserve estabhshed (ensures
stable grain markets).
~ Farm prices up 35% Overall since 1977.
~ Net income for farmers approaching highest level in history.
~ Agricultural exports -- set records in 1977 and 1978; with another
record year expected in 1979.

~ Enacted Rural Health Clinics Act (providing 1.5 million Americans
unique access to primary health care).
~ Streamlined $2.5 billion in water and sewer funds for rural areas.
NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT
Protection

~ Removed 115 million acres of Alaska from development by executive
action.

~ Strip Mining Act (first Federal standards).
~ Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act amendments (strengthening the
vital protections provided by those Acts).
~ Omnibus National Parks Act(created 15 new national parks).
~ Outer Continental Shelf Leasing Act(first reform in 25 years).
~ Major initiatives to improve urban environments, including a new

$725 million program to upgrade urban parks.

-- Proposed $1.6 billion superfund to clean up oil and chemical and
hazardous waste sites.

(3) RESTORING BASIC AMERICAN VALUES
President Carter has worked to restore to the Federal government the basic
values which Americans have a right to expect from their leaders.
Human Rights

~ Reassertion of America's traditional commitment to human rights.
~ Negotiation of prisoner exchange with Soviet Union.

-- Expanded protection and assistance to refugees (such as the
Vietnamese boat people).
~ $60 million commitment to assist Cambodian refugees.
Integrity and Openness

~ Enacted Ethics Act(required for the first time full financial disclosure
by all high-ranking government officials).

~ Inspectors General(placed in each Federal agency to oversee honesty
and integrity of Federal spending and to root out fraud and abuse).
Equality and Equal Opportunity

~ Equal Pdghts Amendment (worked to secure ratification deadline
extension).

~ D.C. Voting Rights Amendment (helped to pass effort to secure full
voting representation for D.C.).
" Senior Management Appointments (more blacks, Hispanics, and
women appointed to senior positions in the administration than by
any previous President).
~ Doubling of Federal purchases from minority businesses.

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" Judges (appointed more blacks, Hispanics, and women to Federal
^ courts than all previous Presidents combined).
Anti-Discrimination

" Increased funding and staffing for enforcement of civil rights laws to
highest levels in history.

T- Anti-foreign boycott law (led effort to enact).
~ Affirmative Action (filed amicus briefs in Bakke and Weber cases on

behalf of affirmative action).

~ Handicapped Regulations issued (Section 504 Regulations issued to
prohibit discrimination against the handicapped).

~ Supported the EEOC in its efforts to provide current dispensation
and reduce the backlog of discrimination complaints.
Civil Liberties

~ Proposed FBI Charter(charter for the Bureau for the first time in its
50-year history).

~ Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (first legislative controls on
foreign intelligence surveillance).
~ Individual privacy protection (developed Federal government's first
comprehensive program; reduced Federal files on individuals by
almost 10%).

(4) PRESERVING PEACE THROUGH A STRONG DEFENSE

The President has succeeded in preserving peace. At the same time, he has
taken steps to strengthen our nation's defense capabilities.
National Security

~ No American soldiers killed in combat(first time in over 40 years).
" SALT II negotiations completed after 7 years of negotiation (most
comprehensive nuclear arms limitation ever negotiated).

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- Continued developnient of the TRIDENT submarine and missile
system, and the cruise missile program.
~ Adoption of MX riiissile system to ensure strategic response
capability.
-- 3% real growth in defense spending (reversing declining defense
commitments during the decade).
Resolving Regional Conflicts
- Middle East Peace Treaty.

- Panama Canal Treaty negotiation (completed negotiation and
obtained Senate ratification).

~ Southern Africa (maintained commitment to majority rule;

nonrecognition of Muzorewa Government in Ziinbabwe-Rhodesia).
East-West

- Recognition of the People's Republic of China. ,
Cooperation with Allies

- Strengthening of NATO.

-- Multi-national Trade Negotiations (completed negotiations and
obtained Congressional approval).
~ Improved relationship with Japan.
Global Issues

~ Nuclear Npn-Proliferation Act (first statutory controls in the transfer
and sale of nuclear materials).
~ Establishment of Nation's first comprehensive conventional arms

transfer policy (reduction of U.S. arms sales).
International Economy

~ International intervention to protect value of dollar.

~ Exports have hit record levels on most products.

~ Development of country's first comprehensive trade policy.

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