US Congressman Les AuCoin's remarks before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Monopolies and Commercial Law on September 9, 1982. In his speech, US Congressman AuCoin described the struggling Oregon economy, which suffered from high unemployment, a floundering timber industry, and the economic policies of the Ronald Reagan Administration. AuCoin expressed his opposition towards the Antitrust Equal Enforcement Act, which he deemed to be a bailout for -- and organized by -- timber companies.
US Congressman Les AuCoin's House floor remarks on September 16, 1982 advocating for H.R. 562, which would have provided urgent supplemental appropriation to help aid unemployed Americans, and Oregonians especially, in getting back to work. Critical of Ronald Reagan's economic policies, AuCoin asserted that the Reagan Administration had "cleaned the economy of jobs and businesses faster than any administration since Herbert Hoover's."
The House floor remarks of US Congressman Les AuCoin advocating for H.R. 6863, the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 1982, on August 18, 1982. In his speech, Congressman AuCoin expresses his support of the bill's inclusion of additional appropriations for federally supported education programs, and describes how the bill was criticized by the Reagan Administration for decreasing defense, military, and foreign aid spending.
An Extension of Remarks statement by US Congressman Les AuCoin condemning Reaganomics and its impact on Oregonians, on the occasion of what Congressman AuCoin calls the first anniversary of Reaganomics on August 4, 1982.
A copy of a congressional record statement titled "Swan Song for Clinch River," in reference to costly failure of the nuclear Clinch River Breeder Reactor Project in Tennessee, delivered by US Congressman Les AuCoin. A copy of the statement was sent to Congresman AuCoin, who seemingly wrote notes in the margins additionally criticizing the project, stating "It's too bad for America, too, that Mr. Howard Baker's pet project wasn't solar or renewable energy; why is it that political back-scratching never seems to benefit the causes that will do the nation the most good?" A draft letter by AuCoin to the Reagan Administration is attached to the end of the statement copy, calling the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Project "expensive, dangerous, and unnecessary."
A statement for special order regarding the refusenik situation in the Soviet Union, delivered on the US House floor by US Congressman Les AuCoin on July 20, 1982. In his speech, Congressman AuCoin advocated for the thousands of "refuseniks," or Soviet Jews of the late twentieth century who were denied visas to emigrate by the Soviet government. He specifically mentions the story of Ida Nudel, a refusenik who had been trying to leave the Soviet Union for 11 years and had "been subjected to government harassment, social ostracism, KGB arrest, and finally, imprisonment in Siberia under the harshest conditions."
A speech delivered by US Congressman Les AuCoin at a labor convention in Coos Bay, Oregon on June 29, 1982. In his speech, Congressman AuCoin advocated for the "tax-paying, middle-American person" who he argued was ignored by the Ronald Reagan Administration, further criticizing Reaganomics and how Raegan had then recently vetoed an anti-recession housing bill.
A brief speech delivered by US Congressman Les AuCoin introducing colleagues at a hearing on the question of a nuclear weapons freeze in Portland, Oregon in the early 1980s. In his speech, Congressman AuCoin specifically mentions by name Congressman Jim Weaver, though states that "each one of the members of the Congress who are participating in this hearing has fought against the arms race throughout his career in the House of Representatives and each of us has been committed from the beginning, to the question of a Nuclear Weapons Freeze.
An Extension of Remarks insert by US Congressman Henry A. Waxman sharing a 1981 speech delivered by US Congressman Les AuCoin at the Oregon Committee for Israel Bonds. Referencing George Orwell's 1984 in his speech, Congressman AuCoin criticized the Reagan Administration's proposal to sell offensive arms to Saudi Arabia (the US–Saudi Arabia AWACS Sale), a country in which the US had a history of oil pricing disputes with, instead describing Israel as the true "dependable friend in the Middle East." Congressman Waxman states in the introduction of the extension of remarks: "Mr. Speaker, as the gentleman for Oregon points out, Israel is an island of stability surrounded by precarious and capricious enemies. Let us, for a moment, appreciate the benefits of our friendship with Israel as we consider Mr. AuCoin's remarks."
A speech by US Congressman Les AuCoin delivered at the Oregon Human Development Corporation, a farmworker-serving non-profit organization, on May 15, 1982. In his speech, Congressman AuCoin discussed the Hispanic community in Washington County; the increase in Hispanics in business management, colleges, and government service; his past visit to the Virginia Garcia Center; and the federal budget, arms control, the B-1 bomber, and describing how "The $4.2 billion going into bomb shelters could be better spent on the Virginia Garcia Centers and in the farm workers housing and in all the housing for all Americans then in that category."
A speech by US Congressman Les AuCoin advocating for arms control and building a peace admist national discussions of nuclear weaponry and building up arsenals in the defense budget. Delivered in the early years of the Reagan administration, Congressman AuCoin referenced the 1969 book "War by Timetables" by J. P. Taylor and states that "This member of congress has not voted for a single defense appropriations bill since he was elected to office eight years ago-- not a single one. And there's a very simple reason for that -- because it's not longer a defense budget anymore, it is a military provocation budget."
A Wall Street Journal newspaper article titled "Can Congress Staunch Red-Ink Flow?" by US Congressman Les AuCoin published on March 18, 1982. In his article, Congressman AuCoin discussed the $91.5 billion deficit proposed by President Reagan and criticized a previous editorial published on March 8 of that year titled "Deficit Hypocrisy."
The remarks of US Congressman Les AuCoin announcing his candidacy for a fifth term in Congress at a press conference at the Hilton Hotel in Portland, Oregon on March 8, 1982.
The remarks of US Congressman Les AuCoin at the Small Business Hearings in Oregon sometime in the early years of the Ronald Reagan administration. In his remarks, Congressman AuCoin discussed the notable economic debates of the era and their impacts on both the national level and the local level. Criticizing what is now known as Reaganomics, AuCoin questioned and stated "Is it fair or workable to have an economic policy which exempts oil companies from windfall profits taxes and allows the largest corporations to sell their paper tax losses -- while offering no relief to small business from history's largest peacetime tax increase, the 1977 payroll tax hike? Is it fair or workable to have an economic strategy that abandons the 1984 goal of a balanced budget, produces projected deficits of $300 billion in three years and, with that, the continuation of high interest rates? I believe it clearly is not workable -- the collapse of the housing timber, automobile, and thrift industries is clear evidence."
A speech titled "The Middle East -- What Next?" delivered by US Congressman Les AuCoin before the International Forum of the World Affairs Council and American Jewish Committee on January 14, 1982. In his speech, Congressman AuCoin discussed the US–Saudi Arabia AWACS Sale, "the status of American relations with Israel, the recent controversy over the Golan Heights, and ... the likely events after Israel returns the Sinai to Egypt this April."
A Business Week magazine article titled "Reaganomics," as placed in the Extension of Remarks section of the Congressional record by US Congressman Les AuCoin on December 4, 1981. The article discussed President Ronald Reagan's supply-side economic plan to cut taxes and increase military spending, an economic school of thought that was then famously coined "Reaganomics."
The House floor remarks of US Congressman Les AuCoin on the Renewable Resources Recovery Act of 1981 and his emergency legislation to save declining lumber mills admist bankruptcies and high interest rates by granting the Secretary of Agriculture new powers.
The House floor remarks of US Congressman Les AuCoin expressing his opposition to an arms sale to Saudia Arabia, delivered on October 14, 1981. Representative AuCoin and several other members of Congress had criticized the Reagan Administration's proposal to sell offensive arms to Saudi Arabia (the US–Saudi Arabia AWACS Sale), with Congressman AuCoin stating "...these are our most sophisticated intelligence-gathering and surveillance aircraft. AWACS are so sensitive, so advanced, we do not even allow our NATO allies in Europe the exclusive control over the places that Saudi Arabia seeks!...This sale jeopardizes the peace."
The House floor remarks of US Congressman Les AuCoin regarding a "Call to Conscience" vigil on behalf of Solomon Alber, delivered on October 1, 1981. Solomon Alber and his family were among thousands of "refuseniks," or Soviet Jews of the era who were denied visas to emigrate by the Soviet government. The vigil was organized by Congressman Barnes to demonstrate the congressional concern for those oppressed by the Soviet Union.
A speech by US Congressman Les AuCoin, as recorded in the Extension of Remarks, advocating for Congress to exercise oversight authority over the Postal Service following the increase in postal rates, expressing how he and his constituents were skeptical that such an inflationary rate change was necessary.
The remarks of US Congressman Les AuCoin delivered at the Oregon AFL-CIO State Labor Convention on September 17, 1981. In his speech, Congressman AuCoin advocated for organized labor and the working class, and discussed his dissatisfaction with the union busting movement and overall federal budget cuts proposed by the Reagan Administration.
A speech by US Congressman Les AuCoin, as recorded in the Extension of Remarks, advocating for the A-95 Circular Review procedure in the face of proposals to cut it by the Reagan Administration. In his speech, AuCoin explains how the "A-95 Circular Review procedure provides state and local officials the opportunity to participate in the review of proposed federal grants and projects. Through this intergovernmental communications process, A-95 has proven to be a valuable tool for assessing local needs, coordinating resources, and preventing waste or duplication of government services."
The testimony of US Congressman Les AuCoin before the Conservation Subcommittee of the Committee on Energy and Commerce expressing his support for "legislation to remove the Lake Oswego Dam and hydroelectric facility from jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission." AuCoin discusses his House companion bill to Senator Mark Hatfield's bill, S.1573, which eventually became law.
A speech by US Congressman Les AuCoin given at the national convention of IMAGE, an organization of Hispanic federal, state, and local government employees, on June 5, 1981. In his speech, Congressman AuCoin discussed the issue of the Reagan Administration proposing to cut several programs that benefited Hispanic Americans from the 1982 federal budget -- such as portions of the Occupational Safety and Health Adinistration (OSHA), bilingual education and migrant health, housing and social services -- all while increasing military spending. During his time in Congress, AuCoin had been a part of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
