KC Johnson

On delays in the highway beautification, championed by Lady Bird Johnson. LBJ was worried that pressure from the billboard lobby would doom the bill if it faced further delays. He was speaking with House Public Works chairman George Fallon, a Baltimore congressman hardly known as an environmentalist (after being named to the “Dirty Dozen” in 1970, he was upset in his primary by Paul Sarbanes).

Rep. George Fallon: We thought that we could get this bill on [next] Monday, we could pass it probably Monday or Tuesday, because we have the votes to do it. As it is now, our membership can’t–our staff don’t understand the action of the Senate, and certainly we don’t. So that it’s almost unanimous with the Democrats’ side that we wait till we get the Senate bill, study it, bring it out, and pass it–substitute it for the House bill.

[Four-second pause.]

Fallon: Mr President?

President Johnson: Yes?

Fallon: I thought you’d gone.

President Johnson: I am. I’m so damn shocked that you’d take that kind of position that I can’t believe I’m talking to my Democratic chairman. [Break.] And I think that, when you delay it over till next week, you’ve got to get a 21-day rule [to bring the bill to the House floor], that you have just sent it to the graveyard.

Fallon: I wouldn’t think so. I wouldn’t think so.

President Johnson: I would, and I’ve had a little experience up there. [Break.]

Fallon: I think we can get it out this session.

President Johnson: I would like for you all to bring out any bill that serves the public interest if you bring it out. But this is September, and it’s been before your committee since last spring.

Fallon: Well, I–

President Johnson: May, June, July, August, September.

Fallon: Well, I understand that, but we’ve had a lot of other business before the committee.

President Johnson: I know it. I know it! And they’re going to have a lot of delay on this one.

But, OK, George. You just–you make your own bed, and we’ll play with each other the best we can. But I think that you’re screwing me good, and I want you to know that I know it.

Fallon: OK, Mr. President–

President Johnson: I’m like the country girl–I feel it.

Fallon: You do? [Timid laughter.] Mr. President, I’m going to talk to the committee again.

President Johnson: Now, the Senate bill is in the [Congressional] Record. Your people know what it is.

Fallon: We–

President Johnson: If you want to vote with the other crowd, there’s no use postponing it. Just stand up like a man and say, “Hell, I belong to ’em.” Or if you want to vote with us, then move to adopt the Senate bill, report it out, and we file a 21-day notice, and then we separate the men from the boys. It’s that simple, the way I see it.

Fallon: Well, I’m right here with three or four of our best men, and they all feel the same as I do about it.

President Johnson: Who you with, George?

Fallon: [Robert] Jones [D-AL], and [John] Blatnik [D-MN], and the chairman of the subcommittee [John Kluczynski, D-IL], and–

President Johnson: I’m sorry Kluczynski feels that way about it, because I thought that he had agreed with us that he’d report this bill, and I’m sorry that Blatnik feels that way about it. But…

Fallon: There hasn’t been anybody I know that wants to get this bill out and passed as quick as Johnny Kluczynski.

President Johnson: I’m for that. Why in the hell don’t you do it then?! All I get is excuses and reasons as to why.

Fallon: That’s what we’re trying to do, and–

President Johnson: Just take the Senate bill, move/substitute it for the House bill, ask it be reported to the Calendar, call the ayes and the nos. That’s the way to do it.

Fallon: We just can’t do it till we get the Senate bill.

President Johnson: It’s right in the Record, this morning.

Fallon: You know, under a parliamentary situation, we can’t get it till it’s referred to us.

President Johnson: In a parliamentary situation, all you’ve got to do is take a page out of the Record, and say, “I offer this as a substitute for the House bill.” I’ve had a slight amount of parliamentary experience in my younger days.

Fallon: I know you have–you had a lot of it.

President Johnson: Well, don’t give me that stuff about having to wait for a bill being messaged over.