Nation: Midterm: A Gentleman's C

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As it adjourns, Congress barely merits a passing grade

When the 96th Congress was gaveled into session last January, members talked solemnly about sensing a new mood of conservatism across the land, about voters demanding less spending, less legislation, less Government. "Go slow," warned the electorate, and Congress did just that. The mood lingered. When new crises forced new problems on Congress, progress remained slow. As they adjourned for the year-end holidays, the Senators and Representatives left unresolved some pressing national issues that they will have to confront when they reconvene on Jan. 22.

The crisis that shaped the direction of this Congress was the turmoil in Iran. The revolution reduced world oil supplies and led to the gas shortages of early summer. These in turn brought forth a surge of congressional activity on the patchwork quilt of energy bills submitted by President Carter in the spring. But then followed a textbook example of what ails Washington. The Carter energy program, refined in July, still needed work. The White House leadership was uncertain, and as the gas lines shortened, the public began sending out confusing signals about what it wanted done. The lawmakers began to hesitate and reconsider. Complained House Speaker Tip O'Neill: "The Congress blows like the wind blows the reeds."

Congress failed notably to reduce the use of gasoline. It did pass a stand-by rationing plan, but one that was too complex and hedged to work promptly and effectively. In addition, Congress warned the White House that it would defeat any proposal for a major tax on the sale of gasoline. By adjournment, both Houses managed to pass separate versions of bills that authorized funds for developing synthetic fuels; organized an Energy Mobilization Board empowered to speed the construction of projects deemed vital to the nation's energy needs; and imposed a "windfall" profits tax on the oil companies. Congressional leaders expect the final bills to be worked out and approved in February, nearly a year after Carter's program was presented for consideration.

The Iranian crisis also helped delay the vote on the most important issue before the U.S. Senate: the SALT II accord. With passage already in doubt, treaty supporters feared that the embassy takeover would strengthen SALT opponents, who argued against limiting U.S. power. Thus the vote was postponed until early in 1980, when Senate Majority Leader Robert Byrd says it will receive "top priority." Says Byrd: "I have no reluctance whatsoever to call up SALT, even though I don't know where all the votes are." By the most optimistic Senate head count, the treaty remains at least half a dozen votes short of approval, and the Afghanistan crisis may cause more problems for passage.