70. Editorial Note
The House of Representatives began debate on the reciprocal trade legislation on June 9, considering both the bill reported by the Ways and Means Committee, H.R. 12591, and a substitute bill proposed by Richard Simpson of Pennsylvania, H.R. 12676. Simpson’s bill extended the Trade Agreements Act for 2 years instead of 5, denied the President the authority he had requested to cut tariffs, empowered the Tariff Commission to establish the range of tariff concessions which the President could negotiate with other nations, [Page 166] and required the President to obtain congressional approval to reject Tariff Commission recommendations. Regarding H.R. 12591, see Document 68.
President Eisenhower wrote to House Minority Leader Joseph W. Martin, Jr., on June 10, urging him to work against the Simpson bill. (Eisenhower Library, Office Files, O.F. 149–B) The next day, the House overwhelmingly defeated both H.R. 12676 and a motion by Daniel Reed of New York to recommit H.R. 12591 without instructions. H.R. 12591 was adopted with only one minor amendment. In his journal, Clarence Randall termed June 11 a day of victory for the cause of liberal trade. (Eisenhower Library, Randall Journals, CFEP, 1958, vol. VIII, May 1–June 11, 1958, June 11 entry) On June 12, however, Senate Minority Leader William F. Knowland announced he would support a 3-year extension of the Trade Agreement Act, rather than the 5 years passed by the House.