He made our nation stronger because he made it better.

I urge the communications media, educators, the aerospace industry, scientific and public-service organizations and the American people to join with the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration during this period…

I am deeply moved to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom along with Martin Luther King, Jr., whose life and work contributed so richly to the ultimate freedoms we seek.

This Medal of Freedom can only express our gratitude, and our deepest thanks.

I'd like to first call Dr. Jonas Salk forward to present an award to him and to read a citation.

Our Founding Fathers spoke about the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but without freedom from oppression and from disease, the pursuit of happiness has little meaning.

I think the country is well served when the different levels of government can cooperate and legitimately share responsibilities under our system of federalism.

I don't think there is any doubt that the Nation faces devastating consequences in the absence of a comprehensive and fair and understandable energy policy.

My own inclination, when a decision must be reached, would be to give those responsibilities to State and local officials.

HAROLD L. MURPHY, of Georgia, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Georgia, vice James C. Hill, elevated.

I will nominate John D. Negroponte, of New York, for the rank of Ambassador.

An act for the relief of Hee Kyung Yoo.

An act for the relief of Tulsedei Zalim.

I will nominate David B. Bolen, of Boulder, Colo., to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States to the German Democratic Republic.

National Advisory Committee on Oceans and Atmosphere Act of 1977.

Earlier in the day, in a ceremony at the Department of State, Academician Kirillin and Dr. Press had signed the renewal for another 5 years of the U.S.-Soviet Agreement on Cooperation in the Fields of Science and Technology of May 24, 1972.

An act for the relief of Soo Jin Lee.

JOHN H. SHENEFIELD, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Attorney General, vice Donald I. Baker, resigned.