The President and the Congress

Report Outline
Roosevelt and the New Deal Congresses
Development of Presidential Leadership
Legislative Checks on the Executive Branch

Roosevelt and the New Deal Congresses

Defeats for President in Second New Deal Congress

Revolt in congress, touched off by the President's defeat at the hands of the Senate on the prevailing wage issue, now threatens the entire legislative program of the administration for the present session. A new Senate test on the prevailing wage issue is in immediate prospect. Administration leaders assert their confidence that enough changes in votes have been brought about to defeat the McCarran (D., Nev.) prevailing wage amendment on this second test, but the methods by which the reported changes were effected has created ill-feeling in the Senate, which threatens later reverses for the President on other features of the work-relief bill.

The legislative program was delayed for nearly three weeks while the administration re-formed its lines. Aside from the World Court protocol, which was rejected by the Senate on January 29, no measure involving an important question of public policy has yet come to a final vote in either house. Among the measures which have been delayed, some of which are now threatened with abandonment, are the administration's social security bill, its banking and holding company bills, the N. R. A. extension, railroad legislation, and the regular appropriation measures.

Recently the spirit of revolt has spread from the Senate to the House. Arthur Krock, editorial correspondent at Washington of the New York Times, warned ten days ago that: “Essential control of Congress on the bonus, inflation, and the costs of social security may hang upon the President's attitude toward the senators who have, flouted him, after requiring and receiving from the House support which many representatives thought perilous when they rendered it.” The last week has seen the organization of a new group in the House, including Democrats, Republicans, Progressives, and Farmer-Laborites, which is pledged to oppose future imposition of “gag rules” and which has a full-fledged legislative program of its own. In addition there is a larger group of 100 or more Democrats who are dissatisfied with the patronage awarded to them to date and are prepared to join with others in obstructing the administration's program until their wishes are met.