Chat with Chic, October 23, 1984

October 23, 1984 By United States Senator Chic Hecht Now that Congress is in adjournment, I would like to reflect briefly on one piece of legislation which I helped defeat in the U.S. Senate on October 2 by a vote of 53-45. This was H.R. 5490, the so-called Civil Rights Act of 1984. I continue to be amazed that the measure passed the House so easily on June 26 by a vote of 375-32. Simply put, there is no bill having greater impact upon people since the basic Civil Rights Act was adopted about 20 years ago. This bill, if passed would have had far-reaching effect on almost everyone. As an example, if you were in the grocery business and accept-ed food stamps from customers or if you were a rancher receiving any kind of federal subsidies for crops or irrigation, you automatically would have been subject to the full range of federal civil rights rules and regulations. This would include the paperwork, the assurances of compliance, the affirma-tive action programs, the liability for civil suits, the legal expenses and the endless correspondence that bureaucracy demands. Companion bill to the House version was S. 2568 which had 63 co-sponsors, strongly supported by ultraliberal Senators Kennedy of Massachusetts and Cranston of California. I am thankful for all of us that seme of these colleagues of mine, when it came time to vote, "saw the light" and voted as I did to kill this legislation. The legislative battle erupted as the result of last February's Supreme Court ruling in Grove City vs. Bell, an important case involving Grove City college in Pennsylvania, which narrowed the reach of anti-discrimination laws in the United States. Background shows that Grove City received no direct federal aid, but seme of its students received federal tuition grants. A circuit court held that grants to the students constituted federal aid to the institution as a whole and thus made every aspect of the college's operations subject to federal law prohibiting discrimination in higher education. Page 2 "Chat with Chic" The Supreme Court reversed that decision. Then along came H.R. 5490, which not only would have nullified the Supreme Court decision but would have also broadened four major statutes banning discrimination on account of age, sex, handicap or race. While closely analyzing every aspect of H.R. 5490, I felt very strongly that this legislation was much too broad in scope. I would have extended federal authority into areas never before contemplated. And I'm convinced that's something we certainly don't need. There is enough federal intrusion into our everyday lives. We don't need any more. * * * * * * * * * \ ! / \ \ /