Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935

Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935 was a landmark piece of New Deal legislation signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on April 8, 1935. It authorized the single largest peacetime appropriation in American history up to that point, allocating nearly $5 billion for a massive federal works program. The act marked a decisive shift from direct relief to public works employment, aiming to combat the persistent unemployment of the Great Depression by putting millions of Americans to work on useful projects.

Background and legislative history

The push for the act stemmed from the ongoing economic crisis and the perceived limitations of earlier relief efforts like the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA). With unemployment still devastatingly high, the Roosevelt administration sought a more permanent and dignified solution than cash handouts. The legislation was crafted in response to political pressure from figures like Huey Long and Francis Townsend, and aimed to preempt more radical proposals. It passed through the United States Congress with broad support, though not without debate over the unprecedented scale of spending and executive authority it granted to the White House.

Major provisions and programs

The act's central provision was a blanket appropriation of $4.8 billion, placed at the discretion of the President to fund work relief and increase employment. This led to the creation of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), which became the act's most famous and extensive agency, employing millions in construction and arts projects. Other major agencies launched or expanded under its authority included the Resettlement Administration, the Rural Electrification Administration, and the National Youth Administration. The act specifically funded a wide array of projects, from building Hoover Dam-like infrastructure to supporting the Federal Art Project.

Funding and administration

The enormous $4.8 billion fund was financed through federal borrowing, adding significantly to the United States public debt. Administration was highly centralized under Franklin D. Roosevelt, with the WPA headed by Harry Hopkins. The act required that all projects be "useful," pay a "security wage," and not compete with private enterprise, with exemptions for certain white-collar professions. This structure drew criticism from both the left, which argued wages were too low, and the right, which decried the vast power concentrated in the Executive Office of the President.

Impact and legacy

The act had an immediate and profound impact, employing over 3.5 million people at its peak and constructing lasting public works like LaGuardia Airport, the Triborough Bridge, and countless schools and parks. It sustained millions of households and significantly reduced unemployment rolls before the World War II mobilization. Its legacy established the principle of the federal government as an employer of last resort and vastly expanded its role in the American economy. Many of its agencies' structures informed later initiatives, including the G.I. Bill and the Great Society programs under Lyndon B. Johnson.

Category:New Deal Category:United States federal legislation