This Day In 1970's History: Thursday February 5, 1976
- Liberal Democrats, in a dramatic comeback in the House, defeated the administration-backed natural gas deregulation bill, making it unlikely that any such measure would be passed by Congress this year. The liberals, who lost a key vote on Tuesday, voted 205-201 to substitute for the deregulation bill one that would continue federal regulation on a narrower basis than at present. [New York Times]
- James E. Smith, the Comptroller of the Currency, said that the United States banking system was sound, but he disclosed that there were 28 national banks in either critical or serious financial trouble. Mr. Smith, who testified before the Senate Banking Committee, said that there had been an increase recently in the amount of risky foreign loans to either businesses or governments by the 20 largest banks. [New York Times]
- Senator Frank Church called for the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate evidence of criminal activity by the Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He said that his committee on intelligence had found evidence of criminal activity by Intelligence agencies in eight major areas, including possible perjury before congressional committees, He made the proposal on his own behalf. The question of a special prosecutor has not been placed before his committee. The White House later issued a statement strongly disagreeing with the proposal. [New York Times]
- The American Medical Association and the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association have criticized the five-part series on incompetent physicians and inept medical practices published in the New York Times last week. The A.M.A. said that the articles "stated many things that needed stating," but that some of the conclusions were "unjustified" by the evidence on which they relied. The pharmaceutical association described the article in the series concerning the misrepresentation of drugs as "dangerously negative and misleading," There were other responses from physicians, nurses, dentists, professional organizations and patients, many of whom said they had suffered as result of medical practices such as those described in the series. [New York Times]
- The National Academy of Sciences has found that the efficacy of chemical insect control is declining alarmingly. Alternative methods must be developed to supplement the chemicals, the academy said, or the United States may have difficulty in meeting its goals for increased food production. Many pest species have apparently developed a genetic resistance to insecticides, and it was suggested that biological weapons, such as viruses and microbes, be used against them. [New York Times]
|
