David Thomas: “In 1954, the House of Representatives passed a bill numbered H.R. 9835, legislation to require the executive branch to…”

“In 1954, the House of Representatives passed a bill numbered H.R. 9835, legislation to require the executive branch to increase its reliance on the private sector--1954. Among the concerns addressed by the bill were manufacturing, construction and service activities of the Federal Government. Final action on the bill was dropped only upon assurance from the Executive Branch that it would implement the policy administratively. Bureau of the Budget Bulletin 55-4 was issued in 1955, prohibiting agencies from carrying on any commercial activities which could be provided by the private sector. Unfortunately, today we face exactly the same problems Congress faced in 1954. The Federal Government continues not only to compete with the private sector by providing its own goods and services but it also competes with the private sector to provide those goods and services for some other unit of Government or to other private sector entities. Of course, that unfair competition kills private-sector jobs, stifles the economy, erodes the tax base, and hurts small business.”