COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND PUBLIC WELFARE LISTER HILL, Alabama, Chairman PAT MCNAMARA, Michigan JENNINGS RANDOLPH, West Virginia EDWARD M. KENNEDY, Massachusetts BARRY GOLDWATER, Arizona STEWART E. MCCLURE, Chief Clerk UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CONTENTS STATEMENTS Douglas, Hon. Paul H., a U.S. Senator from the State of Illinois_ Shriver, Robert Sargent, nominee to be Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity, accompanied by Stephen J. Pollak, Department of Justice. Page NOMINATION OF ROBERT SARGENT SHRIVER WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1964 U.S. SENATE, COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND PUBLIC WELFARE, Washington, D.C. The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 11:05 a.m., in room 4232, New Senate Office Building, Senator Pat McNamara presiding. Present: Senators McNamara, Yarborough, Randolph, Metcalf, Javits, and Prouty. Also present: Senator Paul H. Douglas of Illinois. Committee staff members present: John S. Forsythe, general counsel; Donald Baker, professional staff member; and Michael J. Bernstein, minority counsel. Senator MCNAMARA: The hearing will be in order. This public hearing has been called for the purpose of considering the nomination of Mr. Robert Sargent Shriver to the position of Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity. President Johnson last week sent Mr. Shriver's name to the Senate and it has been referred to the Labor and Public Welfare Committee. Under the provisions of Public Law 88-452 the Director of the economic opportunity program is a Presidential appointment subject to the confirmation by the Senate. Since we are nearing the end of this session of Congress it is important that the top administrative positions in President Johnson's war on poverty be filled promptly so that the program may be implemented. Mr. Shriver, of course, is no stranger to the members of this committee. He has served with distinction as Director of the Peace. Corps and has been in the forefront of planning for this antipoverty program since its inception. Each member of the committee has been furnished with a document containing biographical information on Mr. Shriver. Let me just say before we start that it is our intention to consider this nomination in executive session today as soon as the public hearing is completed. I will ask Mr. Shriver if he would like to testify, to come to the witness table. I see he is already there. I would call this time upon our distinguished senior Senator from Illinois, who is here I am sure for the purpose of introducing our nominee. 1 STATEMENT OF HON. PAUL H. DOUGLAS, A U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF ILLINOIS Senator DOUGLAS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and colleagues. It is really superfluous for me to introduce Mr. Shriver to this committee. You all know him as the man who, three and a half years ago, was given perhaps the most difficult task in Government; namely, that of organizing and directing the Peace Corps. There were many who predicted utter failure. Mr. Shriver has carried that work through with such success, such energy, tact, and to use a new word, “empathy" and devotion, that it has been, perhaps, the greatest achievement of the last 4 years. We in Illinois knew Mr. Shriver long before that as the efficient manager of the largest office building in the world and as an excellent president of the board of education, one active in all good causes. He has now been given a second hard job; namely, that of serving as Director of the economic opportunity or antipoverty program. We are certain that this program will be carried out with great efficiency and great integrity by Mr. Shriver if he is confirmed by the Senate, as I assume he will be. Thank you very much. Senator MCNAMARA. Thank you, Senator. Senator Yarborough, do you have any questions? Senator YARBOROUGH. No particular question, but this comment: I have watched with great interest Mr. Shriver's great success with the Peace Corps. Some men are very able organizers but do not have administrative capacities; some men are very able administrators, but cannot organize. Mr. Shriver is one of those rare persons who has the capability of organizing something new and being a successful administrator. I think it is an outstanding example of public service to America that he had both the organizational and administrative ability to make the Peace Corps one of America's outstanding accomplishments of the past 4 years. I have personally traveled in Latin America where they have told me, "These people you have sent down in the Peace Corps are the best Americans we have ever seen. They are ones who have come here whose sole interest is helping us benefit through our way of life." I think the good will that has been built by the Peace Corps in this less than four-short-year period, the good will they have built for America in underdeveloped lands has not been equaled by any other thing America has done over a long period of time, even with many other good things, with different types of programs we have used, with loans, with grants, to help underdeveloped nations. Mr. Shriver, I want to congratulate you on this outstanding success for the Peace Corps. As one who stuck my neck out in voting for it, supporting it, I am glad of its success. Being one of the authors of the Equal Opportunity Act of 1964, popularly called the antipoverty bill, I have great confidence in the fact that you are one of the organizers of this program. |