On May 18, 1965, the Senate passed S. 306 by a voice vote without debate. On September 24, the House passed an amended S. 306 by a vote of 294 to 4. On September 29, Acting Secretary of HEW, Wilbur Cohen, wrote Muskie of the administration’s…

This letter to Muskie from R. C. Brown, the Director of Research at Caterpillar Tractor Company in Peoria, Illinois, indicated that the air quality control provisions of S. 306 affected an array of economic interests. As the nation’s leading…

On the first day of the subcommittee hearings, the Assistant Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW), James M. Quigley, made comments that seemed to place the administration at odds with Muskie and S. 306. Quigley declared that the…

The subcommittee’s 1964 report declared that the technological skills and equipment to reduce air pollution had “passed the research stage” and that there was “no valid reason to delay” adoption of emissions control equipment in newly manufactured…

This briefing paper for subcommittee members and staff outlined the major parts of S. 306 that would receive attention during the hearings to be held in Washington D.C. and Detroit, Michigan. The briefing paper outlined the subcommittee work plan…

Senator Muskie received support from clean-air advocates who backed tough, national air quality standards. This supporter of S. 306 wrote that “The air we breathe is not private property, and because of this it should be illegal to pollute it.”

Since World War II, air pollution had greatly increased, causing ill health to people and considerable property damage. The committee received letters such as this one from a Tampa, Florida physician who had treated a “young lady” who had been…

Shortly after introducing S. 306, Robert F. Wagner, Mayor of New York, wrote Senator Muskie to express his support for S. 306. The mayor noted that New York City’s efforts to improve air quality were frequently undercut by surrounding municipalities…

On January 7, 1965, Senator Edmund S. Muskie (D-ME), chair of the Special Air and Water Pollution Subcommittee of the Senate Public Works Committee, introduced S. 306 with 20 cosponsors. The bill was based on findings of a 1964 report of Muskie’s…

The administration had to make concessions to Representative Feighan to get his support for the Celler bill. The House Judiciary Committee’s August 3, 1965 vote of 27 to 4 to report an amended H.R. 2580 to the House was the major milestone for…