Speech #830077051

I am advised that the Atomic Energy Commission itself has prepared proposed legislation which the Bureau of the Budget is currently considering. It was pending action on these proposals for private ownership of the community properties. particularly the housing. which resulted in a request of the Town Council of Oak Ridge for continuation of Federal rent control and designation of the Oak Ridge area as a critical area under Public Law 96. The Critical Area Advisory Committee did designate the area under terms of Public Law 139. which had the identical criteria as under Public Law 96. except for the requirement that a substantial immigration of workers shall have occurred. Now in this community it was not possible to meet this criteria because the total community is a controlled community. Each house is allocated in effect by a Federal agent. and though Oak Ridge is currently faced with a tremendous expansion program unlike problems created in other communities where inmigration could be shown statistically. the methods used by the Government agencies did not provide for the kind of situation which this community faced.