The House of Representatives voted on Monday to discontinue its summer internship program for college students.
The House vote, 307-77, approved the Supplemental Appropriations Bill--in which Congressmen are specifically denied funds "for the employment of any student congressional interns during the forthcoming summer period." In the past each Congressman was granted $750 for summer interns.
Rep. George W. Andrews (D.-Ala.), whose subcommittee on House Appropriations labeled the appropriation "a deplorable item of expenditure", said in a telephone interview yesterday, "The major factor in our decision was economy." But he added that "the anti-war activity of last summer's interns was also a factor."
Andrews was referring to the uproar that arose last summer when 179 of the 1300 Capital Hill interns signed a letter to President Johnson protesting the war in Vietnam.
Responsible Concern
Mark J. Green, a first year student at the Law School, who drafted that letter, said yesterday, "I was afraid this might happen. We wanted to show the President that responsible students--not just bearded peaceniks--were concerned about the war," he explained. "But the press got hold of it and blew it up."
Rep. Robert Michel (R-III.) denounced the letter and called it the work of a conspiracy, Green said. "He charged that we were planning a walk-out at the President's annual address to the Washington interns--which was false." Rumors of a walk-out led Johnson to cancel his address.
The House move does not effect Senate internships and does not need Senate approval.
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