President's Review Committee for Development Planning in Alaska
Encyclopedia
Enabling Authority
President Lyndon Johnson created the Commission on April 2, 1964, with Executive Order 11150. He later abolished the Commission on October 2, 1964, with Executive Order 11182, and replaced it with the President's Review Committee for Developmental Planning in Alaska.Purpose
Officially known as the "Federal Reconstruction and Development Planning Commission for Alaska", it served as coordinator for existing federal programs' relief efforts in Alaska following the 1964 Alaska earthquake of March 27, 1964. This earthquake scored a 9.2 on the Richter scale, making it the most powerful earthquake to hit American territory.Specifically, the Commission
- Cooperated with Alaskan state representatives in creating surveys and scientific studies to determine what short-range and long-range government actions were needed
- Created and maintained field committees to carry out this work
- Planned federal programs in Alaska focusing on reconstruction, economic issues, and development of natural resources
- Recommended ways to carry out these proposed federal programs
- Reported its work to Congress
Members
- Senator Clinton Anderson (D-NM), Chair
- Robert S. McNamara, Secretary of Defense
- Stewart L. Udall, Secretary of the Interior
- Orville L. Freeman, Secretary of Agriculture
- Luther H. HodgesLuther H. HodgesLuther Hartwell Hodges, Sr. was an American politician, who served as the 64th Governor of the state of North Carolina from 1954 to 1961 and as United States Secretary of Commerce from 1961 to 1965.-Biography:...
, Secretary of Commerce - W. Willard WirtzW. Willard WirtzWilliam Willard Wirtz was a former U.S. administrator, cabinet officer, attorney, and law professor. He served as the Secretary of Labor between 1962 and 1969 under the administrations of Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. At the time of his death, he was the last living member of...
, Secretary of Labor - Anthony J. CelebrezzeAnthony J. CelebrezzeAnthony Joseph Celebrezze Sr. was an Italian American politician of the Democratic Party, who served as the 49th mayor of Cleveland, Ohio, as a cabinet member in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, and as a U.S. appeals court judge....
, Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare - Edward A. McDermott, Director, Office of Emergency Planning
- Najeeb E. Halaby, Administrator, Federal Aviation Agency
- Joseph C. Swidler, Chair, Federal Power CommissionFederal Power CommissionThe Federal Power Commission was an independent commission of the United States government, originally organized on June 23, 1930, with five members nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate...
- Robert C. WeaverRobert C. WeaverRobert Clifton Weaver served as the first United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 1966 to 1968. He was the first African American to hold a cabinet-level position in the United States.As a young man, Weaver had been one of 45 prominent African Americans appointed by...
, Administrator, Housing and Home Finance Agency - Eugene P. Foley, Administrator, Small Business AdministrationSmall Business AdministrationThe Small Business Administration is a United States government agency that provides support to entrepreneurs and small businesses. The mission of the Small Business Administration is "to maintain and strengthen the nation's economy by enabling the establishment and viability of small businesses...
- Dwight A. Ink, Executive Director
- Frank C. Di Luzio, Asst. to the Chair
Accomplishments
The Commission recommended that Congress allocate large amounts of additional federal funds for needed reconstruction programs in Alaska. First-term Senator Bob Barlett (D-AK) introduced the Commission's proposals as S. 2881 in the 88th congress (1964–1965). The resulting public lawPublic law
Public law is a theory of law governing the relationship between individuals and the state. Under this theory, constitutional law, administrative law and criminal law are sub-divisions of public law...
- made $15,000,000 available for highway repair or reconstruction
- extended or forgave housing loans made through the Farmer's Home Administration
- made $25,000,000 available for urban renewalUrban renewalUrban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
projects - extended the term of home disaster loans made through the Small Business AdministrationSmall Business AdministrationThe Small Business Administration is a United States government agency that provides support to entrepreneurs and small businesses. The mission of the Small Business Administration is "to maintain and strengthen the nation's economy by enabling the establishment and viability of small businesses...
to 30 years - made $10,000,000 available for the Corps of Engineers to modify previously authorized civil works projects
- made $25,000,000 available to the Housing and Home Finance Administration to purchase Alaskan state bonds for capital improvements
- made $5,5000,000 available as matching funds enabling the state of Alaska to retire or adjust home mortgage loans.