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Show Budget Committee- C. 0. Roskelley, Chairman J. R. Riter John H. Bliss Norman W. Barlow Clifford H. Stone There were meetings also of the following special committees: Committee on Rules and Regulations- Clinton D. Vernon, Chairman Fred Wilson Jean S. Breitenstein J. R. Riter Austin P. Russell Finance Committee- C. O. Roskelley, Chairman John H. Bliss Norman W. Barlow V. ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMISSION AND ITS STAFF Certain legislative proposals, made some time ago by the President's Water Resources Policy Commission and but recently disclosed, which include the creation of Federal river basin commissions give rise to the question whether such a commission is needed in the Upper Colorado River Basin and, as a necessary incident, afford an opportunity for the evaluation of the work of the Upper Colorado River Commission to-date. If, in fact, the Upper Colorado River Commission, has objectives no less exalted than those with which a Federal commission would be charged and if, in fact, it has shown a disposition to seek the accomplishment of those objectives in statesmanlike fashion, then it becomes clear that, at least so far as the Upper Colorado River Basin is concerned, a Federal commission would constitute a purposeless appendage, wastef ully duplicating the functions, powers and duties of the Upper Colorado River Commission in many respects, but failing to provide adequately for prompt and suitable response to local needs and to the legitimate aspiration of those immediately affected to participate effectively in the control of their own destinies. The briefest possible survey of the objectives of the Upper Colorado River Commission reveals beyond doubt that they are, at the very least, of equal dignity with those of any Federal commission that might be created for this area; and that, in two respects, they include fields of activity in which no Federal commission so far conceived could play an effective part. In this latter class we may -5- |