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F3 LA N N I N (3
FOR RELEASE AFTER DELIVERY

um ounce or THE mm wetland", April 26, 1967

 

REMARKS BY
HONORABLE FARRIS BRYANT
DIRECTOR
OFFICE OF EMERGENCY PLANNING
AT THE
MICHIGAN GOVERNOR'S CONFERENCE
ON FEDERAL-STATE RELATIONS
LANSING, MICHIGAN

APRIL 26, l967

Im happy to be in Michigan. It is fitting that we hold this meeting
on Federal-State Relations in Lansing. If any state represents the
economic sinews of America it is Michigan. If any state was responsible
for pioneering our modern industrial techniques. it is Michigan.

And your distinguished Governor, George Romney. has, in word
and deed, been in the forefront of those Governors who have advanced
the cause of improved Federal-State relations.

That is precisely why we are here today. We want to streamline
and simplify our Federal-State relationships. We look toward a structure
as modern as our age and problems demand, yet as sound as the vision
of Federalism conceived by our forefathers and tempered to each new

challenge which has faced our Nation over 190 years.

Certeinly Governor George Romney is eminently equipped to help us
in this tesk which could well be our overriding problem in this lest third
of the twentieth century. He hes served es Vice Cheirmen end then
Cheirmen of the Midwestern Governors' Conference. He hes been s
member of the Executive Committee of the Netionel Governors' Conference.
Lest year he heeded e Speciel Study Committee on Revenue Sources of
Stete end Locel Governments. And in 1961 he wes Vice President of the
Stete of Michigen Constitutionel Convention. So Governor Romney knows
Stete problems from meny ventege points. He hes invited us here todey
so thet we might together build e closer end more effective Federel-Stete
reletionship.

The problems themselves ere dremeticelly demonstreted in the
stetistics of those reletions. More then 400 euthorities exist for grent
progrems. At leest 160 heve been edded since 1960. More then I. 000
new Federel development districts. erees end regions heve been funded.
Lest December. one of our Governors reported to the Governors' Conference
thet "there ere 170 spperete Federel eid progrems being edministered by
21 separate Federel depertments end egencies meking grents to more then
200 egencies end subdivisions" in his Stete elons.

Here in Michigen, e highly industrielized Stete, Governor Romney
end his edministretive femily must live end work with ebout 160 seperete

Federel grent progrems providing more then 425 million doll.r" .nd

effecting every city end county-in the Stete.

Still, there is 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, ve 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 difcult -- 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, programs and
administration 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 ll,
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 several months ago. President Johnson reaffirmed these
sentiments 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 providing a wide range of programs to assist State and
local governments. Now the chief task is to manage these
programs efficiently at every level of government to assure
the most effective public services. . "

a

"Another aspect of the problem of intergovernmental coopera-
tion has been the process of consultation with elected ofcials
of State and local governments on matters concerning the

development and administration of Federal assistance programs.
Governors and local chief executives are responsible for 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 pro-

grams. . 

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 on the same frequency. that our earphones are plugged in. and
that everyone who should be 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
restrof 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 Romney'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 will develop administrative initiatives

that will make possible the coordination we all seek.

This is not our rst effort in the field of Federal-State relations.
We have over the past year:

1. Held a State Legislative Leaders' Conference in Washington --
the first 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
Ofcials to discuss trafc safety. The suggestions made by the Governors
in these sessions were incorporated in the nal legislation.

3. Through Regional Ofces of the Ofce of Emergency Planning
we have maintained a two-way dialogue with the States. OEP 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 Ofce of Emergency Planning has several other activities
which impact upon the Federal-State relationship. In the telecommunica-
tions eld we are moving forward with planning to improve communications
systems among the various levels of Government. Since law enforcement.
education. water developm ent, transportation and air pollution are not
bound by geographical areas an assault on the problems requires the most
efficient and swiftest communications facilities. In another OEP area. we
are using our computer facilities and expertise to develop a Data Compa-
rability Study of direct interest to the States. In effect. this study looks

to the simplication of standards and nomenclatures used by the fty States.

In countless instances. these definitions are different and not translatable
unless the criteria are thoroughly understood and programmed. We do
not want uniform measuring rods, but it would be extremely useful to
luxow 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 between my ofce
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. There 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
governments 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 nal analysis. success will
depend on the States and the competence shown by them. as it always has.

We are here today in Michigan to begin that process.

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