April 21, 1977

Carey introduces new no-fault auto ins bill that Supt Thomas Harnett says would, if adopted, eliminate 90% to 95% of accident-related suits and cut cost of premiums by 1/3 within next several yrs; key proposal would replace $500 med expense figure with 'verbal threshold' of 'significant and permanent' injury or long-term disability; bill was negotiated with Assemblyman Leonard Silverman, who heads Ins Com; major features of bill outlined (M)

Carter, in nationally televised speech on energy policy before joint session of Cong, calls for some new taxes, tax changes; asks for: standby gasoline tax that would be imposed when consumption exceeds targets and would rise by 5c yrly increments up to 50c; graduated tax that would be highest on least efficient autos, and graduated rebates that would be highest on most efficient autos; new tax at wellhead on domestic oil production that, over 3-yr period, would raise price of such oil and gasoline derived from it 7c a gal, with proceeds of tax going to citizens as income tax rebates; tax incentives for homeowners to conserve energy by insulating and other measures; special tax credit of 10% for industries that undertake energy conservation measures; effect of special tax credits noted; illus (L)

work stoppages, staged in effort to force resignation of Prime Min Bhutto, paralyze commercial activities in Karachi; nationwide gen strike is called for Apr 22; illus (M)

1st qr '77 econ recovery has led to sharply rising employment trend; currently there are 89.5-million people working, 2.6-million more than yr earlier and 5-million more than in Mar '75; jobless rate remains relatively stable at 7.3% but is expected, based on econ activity, to drop below 7% by end of yr and to around 6.5% by end of '78 (M)

text of White House fact sheet on nuclear power