Statement on Appointment of a Committee to Recommend Legislation for the Bonneville and Other Power Projects

The President has appointed an informal committee consisting of Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes; Frederic A. Delano, Vice-Chairman, National Resources Committee; Robert E. Healy, Commissioner, Securities and Exchange Commission; Morris L. Cooke, Administrator, Rural Electrification Administration; Frank R. McNinch, Chairman, Federal Power Commission, to make recommendations to him with respect to legislation for the Bonneville and other power projects. Secretary Ickes will act as Chairman.

The following letter was addressed to Secretary Ickes, and similar letters were sent to the other members of the committee:

Dear Mr. Secretary: Power from the Bonneville project will be available for distribution this year. Therefore, legislation is immediately necessary. At the same time, it is highly advisable that such legislation conform to a national power generating, transmitting and distributing policy, such policy to be uniform as far as practicable or advisable. This does not mean identical rates in every part of the country but it does mean uniformity of policy. This policy once established will apply to existing projects, such as Boulder Dam and portions of the T.V.A. and to all new power developments as they are completed during the next few years.

Instead of asking the National Power Policy Committee of last year to reconvene, I am asking you to serve as Chairman with the following gentlemen as an informal committee to make recommendations to me with respect to legislation for the Bonneville and other power projects: Mr. Delano, Judge Healy, Mr. Cooke and Judge McNinch.

Inasmuch as all of you are in general familiar with the subject, I hope that you can let me have recommendations within a couple of weeks.

Yours very sincerely,
Hon. Harold L. Ickes,
Secretary of the Interior,
Washington, D.C.