David Thomas: “we, of course, have been dealing, over the last several weeks, with some of the most important issues that will be dealt…”

“we, of course, have been dealing, over the last several weeks, with some of the most important issues that will be dealt with in this entire year, as we should. One, of course, is the budget. I think our success in the budget is holding down spending to something somewhat below what it has been in the past. Because we have had a surplus, the expenditures have gone up really more than you would imagine they would in terms of inflation and those kinds of things. So this budget was held--I think the President asked for 5 percent--to a little in excess of that, but, nevertheless, a reasonable budget of which we can be proud. The question now, of course, is staying within the budget. The budget is not an imposition of a limit; it is a pattern and a scheme to try to stay within. But it does not necessarily ensure that. That will be the real challenge. The second thing we have dealt with, and have not yet completed, of course, is education. For most people in this country, education is the first issue they mention when they talk about issues. Again, there are some rather basic issues that really ought to be talked about and decided. One issue is, What is the role of the Federal Government in elementary and secondary education? I think most of us would agree--and our experience has been--that State and local governments have the principal responsibilities in education. With that certainly ought to go the opportunity to make the decisions on a local basis.”