February 7, 1973

US Cong source repts that Repr W D Mills has decided to use his power as HR Ways and Means Com chmn to block any liberalization of trade with USSR unless USSR rescinds its exit fees and freely allows Jews and others to emigrate; says Mills will introduce bill on Feb 7, supported by nearly 260 other HR members, forbidding US Govt-backed credits or other trade concessions to US as long as emigration restrictions remain in effect; repts bill is identical with amendment sponsored by Sen H M Jackson and 75 other Sens; Jackson plans to announce at joint news conf with Mills on Feb 7 that he will reintroduce measure; action planned by Mills and Jackson would appear to rule out any chance that USSR will receive trade concessions called for in last fall's Soviet-Amer trade agreement; under terms of Mills-Jackson legis, trade concessions would be barred so long as USSR prevents emigration of its citizens or imposes more than 'nominal tax' on those allowed to leave; aide to Sen Jackson says Mills decided to lend his support to campaign because of 'ideological' sympathy with Soviet citizens, not just Jews, who have suffered from limitations on their civil liberties; group of students on Feb 5 dons prison garb and eats meal, symbolically sharing ration of Soviet Jews reptdly jailed because of their efforts to emigrate to Israel, NYC; demonstration is planned by Greater NY Conf on Soviet Jewry to coincide with scheduled visit to UN by Moscow Mayor V F Promyslov for luncheon with UN officials; luncheon is cancelled but rally takes place

special com of sr Cong members agrees in principle on Feb 6 to major reforms in way Cong deals with Govt spending, including ceiling every yr on total spending that would apply to Cong itself; contents of interim rept, which will be published in few days, are disclosed by com sources; 1 recommendation would establish 2 new 'budget coms', 1 for each house, to establish spending ceiling and goal for revenues early in each session; rept recommends procedure for reconsideration of spending ceiling and revenue goal in 'latter part of session'; proposed ceiling would apply to total outlays to 'budget authority,' which is mainly appropriations

Wide Spending Reforms Urged in Congress Study

 

W Ger specialists suggest on Feb 6 that latest flood of speculative dollars into country was stirred by rept that country's trade surplus in '72 amtd to 20.25-billion marks (more than $6-billion); note most of trade surplus was offset by such things as 12.4-billion marks of transfers and services deficit of 6-billion marks