Reproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library

i

CEREMONY FOR SIGNING OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH ACT OF 1970

PARTICIPANTS:

The President of the United States
RiChard M. Nixon

The Secretary of Labor
J.D. Hodgson

Conference Room B,
Departmentai Auditorium
December 29, 1970 - 12:00 Noon

SECRETARY HODGSON: Mr. President, distinguished Members of the Senate,
the House, Ieaders of organized Tabor, industry, AdministratiOH officiais,
professionais in the fier of safety and heaith, Tadies and gentIemen:
Neicome to the Labor Department and to our signing ceremony.

Through the years, Federal Tegisiation has been marked by some measures
that are truiy miTestones in the fieid of worker protection. When you think
back, there is the Sociai Security Act, with its provisions to provide a
cushion for various kinds of economic advarsity, the NationaT Labor Reiations
Act, with provisions protecting organizing rights and concerted activity;
then the Fair Labor Standards Act, with provisions to prevent abuses in hours
and conditions of wages and work.

Through a1] this period, there had been, it seems to us, a gap in worker

protection nameiy with regard to safety and heaTth. It is rather CUVIOUS

Reproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library
-2-

thatlnore attention has not been paid to this subject earlier, Through the
years, a number of workers were killed, were injured, fell ill due to working.
conditions on the job. But it has been only in the last few years that
there has been special concern shown for Federal legislation in this subject
area.

There are probably two fundamental reasons for this almost sudden
surge of concern. First of all, we are a progress-minded nation. I think
it began to dawn on us a few years ago that in the area of workplace
safety, we Were backsliding; that in fact, as our blue bar chart on the
left over here shows, since l958 safety conditions had worsened in the
American workplace. Well, the conclusion was inescapable. Something had
to be done.

Then, too, the last few years have shown the birth of what might be
called a new national passion, a passion for environmental improvement.
When you come to think of it, what environment is more important to 80
million working Americans than their workplace? Aside from their homes,
this is primarily where they spend their time. So this bill that we have
before us today constitutes another piece of landmark legislation in the
area of worker protection.

We believe that the nation should be proud of this bill, and there
are a number here particularly that should have special pride in their
participation in it. Men like Senator Williams and Congressman Daniels,
Congressman Bill Steiger, who worked so hard on it. In fact, I do not
think Bill Steiger has had a sit-down lunch since this legislation started
working its way through the Congressional mill. The bill was triggered

originally, probably, you would have to say, by the President in his

Reproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library

-3-

initiai message to Congress for such iegisiation.

Last year, a number of us in the Labor Department feit the 1ash of
then Secretary of Labor Shuitz to get on with this thing. Secretary
Richardson got more of a heaith component into this than in any of
the previous introduced of this nature. Under Secretary Larry
Siiberman worked feverishiy and to make this a strong
1abor-supported 

So this opens up a whoie new vista for the Labor Department. From
this day forward, the occupationai safety and heaith of the American
worker becomes a top priority objective for us and we pian to 1aunch
the administration of this Act with a1] the vigor and momentum we can
generate.

So, Mr. President, the you have befbre you constitutes a iandmark
piece of 1egisiation, in our judgment. It is one in which you can take
considerabie satisfaction and sign with great pride.

Thank you.

[Appiause.]

PRESIDENT NIXON: Mr. Secretary and a11 of our distinguished guests:
Before I sign this and then hand the signing pen to the Secretary of
Labor and other pens be availabie to of the guests here so you
can have a memento of the occasion I wouid 1ike to respond to the
remarks of the Secretary in these ciosing days of the Congress and to
speak about the system of Government which has been taking some pretty
hard knocks recentiy, I note in some of the coiumns and editoriais,

and on the Floor of the House and the Fioor of the Senate.

Reproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library

-4-

It is always the case, and perhaps this year more often than is
usually the case, that at the conclusion of a Congress, emphasis is on
those particular matters that did not get through. Often we lose sight
of the fact that a number of very important pieces of legislation do get
through the legislative mill and benefit the nation.

We have here perhaps one of the most important pieces of legislation
to pass in this Congress. .But as the Secretary of Labor has already
indicated, it is probably one of the most important pieces of legislation,
from the standpoint of 55 million people who will be covered by it
ever passed by the Congress of the United States, because it involves
their lives. l2,500 people lose their lives, each year in accidents
in America's factories and in other places of business, and over 2 million
people are injured. This bill deals with that.

It goes beyond that. It deals with the environment in which the people,
the 55 million Americans who are covered by it, will be working. It provides
for an institute which will look into the problems of the environment, the
problems of noise, the problems of cleanliness, all of these things that
can affect health in an indirect way. So it is, as the Secretary has
indicated, a landmark piece of legislation.

Now, let?s talk about who is responsible. Usually, at an occurrence
like this, the President stands up and says, I did it, or the Congress says,
I did it, or the Democrats say they did it or the Republicans say they
did it, or labor takes the credit, or management takes the credit. I

would like to have the record very clear here that this bill Could not be



Reproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library

-5-

signed by the President of the United States today unless everybody
had worked together to get it through. I submitted the proposal in August.
of last year. Since that time, it has been before the Congress, both
the House and the Senate. Senator Williams, taking the leadership

in the Senate, and Congressman Steiger and Congressman Daniels, working
on it in the House along with the other members of the committee who are
present here, have refined the bill I think that is the term we used

to use in the House and the Senate -- until we have this present proposal.
It differs from some of those that we recommended, but in
substance it attains the goal that we all wanted to reach.. So this
bill could not have been signed unless it had had bipartisan support,
Democrats and Republicans working together. It could not have_bcen signed
unless both houses of the Congress had worked together. The Senate
Often does not follow the House and vice versa; but in this case, both
Houses of the Congress worked together so this bill could be signed.

And it would not be signed today unless it had the support of organized
labor. Organized labor is represented here today by Mr. Meany, Mr. Abel,
Mr. Fitzsimmons, and others who are leaders of those organizations.

It could not be signed today unless it also had very enthusiastic
support by the representatives of business and management who will be
affected by the regulations issued under this bill. That is why the
President of the Chamber of Comnerce and the President of the NAM are here
today.

So we see a bill that represents in its culmination the American system

at its best Democrats, Republicans, the House, the Senate, the White

Reproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library

-5-

House, business, labor all cooperating in a common goal, the saving of
lives, the avoiding of injuries, making the places of work for 55 million
Americans safer and more pleasant places. This is certainly a great
goal and it is one that I think would be particularly appreciated by the
man whose picture hangs on the wall behind me.

I think all of you will pardon a personal reference when I say that I
suppose in the Eisenhower Administration, when I was Vice President,
my closest friend in the tabinet was Jim Mitchell. Many of you knew him,
too. I recall that he used to talk to me at great length about occupational
safety. I remember he was very proud of the achievement of a bill
on maritime safety which came through during the Eisenhower Administration.
But he pointed out then that that was only the beginning. I am sure that
he, as one of the great former Secretaries of Labor, would be very proud
of the fact that this bill finally is being signed and that the principle
that he stood for l2 years ago now is enacted to cover all of the men
and women who worked in America?s factories and in places of business,
55 million.

For that reason, I think today is a day when we can all be proud.
The Congress can be proud; the Senate, the House, the Republicans, the
Democrats, and of course, the Administration. And we thank you, therefore,
for your part in making it possible for the President of the United States
now to attach his name to a bill that took so many hours of work, represents
so much devotion, and that is going to do so much good for so many people

across this land.

Reproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library

1?

[Appiause]

PRESIDENT NIXON: Many of you will aiready have a signing pen, but this

one is speciai.

[Nhereupon, the signing ceremony was conciuded.]