Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 20, No. 4, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 27, 1972 Page: 11 of 16
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THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 1072 THK RIO GRANDE HERALD PACK 11
Smith Says No
Special Session
RATTLERS CONTINUE TO DOMINATE — The Rio Grande City High School Rattlers
dominated the score board Tuesday night in Donna to hand Donna another loss by beating
the Redskins 83-47. The Rattlers who led in 16-3A district were led by Ovidio Acevedo
with 19, Jorge Pena, 18. and Charlie Madrigal, 18. Jose Leon Garcia checked in 1G to
lead the Rattlers to a spotless and undisputed district lead of 5-0. (Herald photo by Raul
Trejo)
AUSTIN, Tex. - Gov.
Preston Smith says ho won't
give the legislature a chance to
rewrite the congressional re-
districting plan that was
knocked out last week by a
three-judge federal court.
Smith blasted the hopes of a
number of conservative Demo-
crat House members—and
some congressmen— who want-
ed him to tall a special legisla-
tive session on the issue.
The governor made his state-
ment at a Monday news confer-
ence several hours after Atty.
Gen. Crawford Martin asked
U.S. Supreme Court Justice
Levi is Powell to stay the three-
judge court's order "pending
the state's appeal" to the Su-
preme Court.
Smith also said he would not
call a special session if a three-
judge federal court strikes
down the new state House and
Senate districts drawn by the
legislature last year.
lie used the occasion for an-
other blast at Lt. Gov. Den
Barnes, president of the state
Senate and one of Smith's opi>o-
nents for re-election this year.
"I will not <all a special ses-
sion at any time to deal with
any redistricting matter,"
Smith said.
He said Barnes "lias person-
ally taken credit for the draw-
ing of these (legislative dis-
trict) lines, which are of
dubious constitutionality."
Smith said it was "obvious"
that the "legislature and the
legislative leadership— particu-
larly tliat of the Texas Senate-
would not provide any reason-
able alternative to the court-
drawn (com; ressioita 1 redistrict-
ing) plan."
"What can one expect of
those who, like the lieutenant
governor, have claimed credit
for the passage of an uncon-
stitutional ethics bill, an uncon-
stitutional filing fee 1'ill and un-
constitutional redistricting
bills?" Smith said.
See SMITH Page 12
CONGRESSMAN
KIKA de la GARZA
Reports
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Con-
gress last year amended the
Small Reclamation Projects Act
in a way that is expected to af-
fect the drainage problems in
the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
Under the amended law, sin-
gle-purpose drainage projects
are eligible for financing. The
Federal loan cannot exceed $10
million and the total project
cost cannot exceed $10 million.
Such projects must be for the
drainage of irrigated lands on-
ly, without regard to whether
the water supplies were devel-
oped under reclamation law.
Loans can also be made for re-
habilitation and improvement of
existing drainage systems. Ail
other provisions of the Small
Reclamation Projects Act will
apply to drainage projects, in-
cluding the requirement that
each project must be a com-
plete and distinct unit. Loan
funds for drainage, except the
portion of the land which pro-
vides benefits to excess lands,
are fully reimbursable without
interest. Loan funds related to
excess lands are reimbursable
with interest.
The Commissioner of the Bu-
reau of Reclamation tells me
that comprehensive guidelines
under the amended law have not
yet been prepared. However, he
assures me that the Bureau is
aware of the drainage problems
in our area, adding that "an
opportunity now exists to initi-
ate programs to alleviate these
long-standing problems." I hope
information will be available
soon on how the amended law
can be specifically applied to our
situation in the Valley.
MEDICARE — South Texans
and others who failed to apply
for medicare's optional medi-
cal insurance when they first
became eligible get another
chance during January, Febru-
ary and March. It is too late
for persons born before Octo-
ber 1, 1903, and is the last
chance for those born between
October 1, 1903, and September
30, 1904. A person failing to ap-
ply when he reaches age 65 has
only three more chances to do
so — the first three months of
each of the succeeding three
years.
HONORS --On the 2nd day of
this 2nd session of the 92nd Con-
gress, I was honored by my
colleagues in the Texas House
Delegation in their election of
me as chairman of the group.
This means I will have the pri-
vilege of presiding over the
weekly luncheon meetings tra-
ditionally held in the Speaker's
Dining Room at the Capitol.
These are sessions of good fel-
lowship, with no speeches al-
lowed and naturally everybody
pays for his own lunch. We en-
joy ourselves and the talk is all
Texan.
One outstanding event at the
beginning of every session is the
reception given by the Texas
State Society of Washington for
the state's Members of Con-
gress, I had a double role in the
affair this year, since I am the
current President of the Soci-
ety. For a while, I thought I
ought to wear two hats as I stood
in the receiving line, one for
each of the honors my fellow
Texans in Washington have been
so kind as to pay me. But then
I decided against wearing any
figurative hat at all and just
had a good time with all the
other Texans.
That was fun, but now we are
down to serious work — of
which there is a great deal to
do this year. Legislation of im-
portance to the people of South
Texas will be corning up for
consideration in the months a-
head, and I will be doing my
best to watch out for the inter-
ests of our people. After all,
that's what I'm here for.
FARM CONSERVATION
FUNDS — The Administration
has announced the release of
$50.5 million in previously fro-
zen funds for the 1972 Rural
Environmental Assistance Pro-
gram, known until last year as
the Agriculture Conservation
Program. These funds will en-
able the Agriculture Department
to use the entire $190.0 million
appropriated by Congress for
the program.
Last year, by comparison,
the Administration used only
$ 150 million even though the
conservation appropriation was
$ 190,5 million then too.
debby says, "Oh Boy, I'm getting
my very own Savings Account!"
Ireat news, Debby! A special-purpose Savings
Account, just for baby, makes a lot of sense . . .
earns a lot of money through the years. Interest,
compounded regularly, helps steady savings really
mount up. Are you listening, Mom and Dad?
First State Bank and
Trust Company
Rio Grande City
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Trejo, Raul. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 20, No. 4, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 27, 1972, newspaper, January 27, 1972; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth194340/m1/11/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.