Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935

Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935 was a significant piece of legislation passed by the 73rd United States Congress and signed into law by Franklin D. Roosevelt on April 8, 1935. The act provided $4.8 billion in funding for various programs and agencies, including the Works Progress Administration, Civilian Conservation Corps, and Federal Theatre Project, to alleviate the suffering of those affected by the Great Depression. This legislation was a key component of Roosevelt's New Deal program, which aimed to provide relief, recovery, and reform to the United States during a time of great economic crisis, with notable supporters including Harry Hopkins and Frances Perkins. The act also received support from prominent figures such as Eleanor Roosevelt and Henry A. Wallace.

● Introduction

The Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935 was introduced by Franklin D. Roosevelt as part of his New Deal program, which included a series of laws and programs designed to help the United States recover from the Great Depression. The act was passed by the 73rd United States Congress and signed into law on April 8, 1935, with the goal of providing relief to those affected by the economic crisis, including the Dust Bowl victims and Bonus Army marchers. The legislation was influenced by the ideas of John Maynard Keynes and Marriner Eccles, and was supported by prominent figures such as George Norris and Robert F. Wagner. The act also drew inspiration from the National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933 and the Federal Emergency Relief Act of 1933, which provided earlier forms of relief to those affected by the Great Depression.

● Background

The Great Depression had a devastating impact on the United States, with widespread unemployment, poverty, and homelessness, affecting cities such as New York City and Chicago. The Federal Emergency Relief Act of 1933 provided initial relief, but it was clear that more needed to be done to address the crisis, as noted by Herbert Hoover and Al Smith. The National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933 also provided some relief, but its focus on industrial recovery was not enough to address the scale of the problem, as seen in the Detroit and Toledo areas. The Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935 was designed to provide more comprehensive relief, with a focus on creating jobs, providing financial assistance, and supporting those in need, including the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations members. The act was influenced by the ideas of Thorstein Veblen and John Dewey, and was supported by prominent figures such as Fiorello La Guardia and Harold Ickes.

● Provisions

The Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935 provided funding for a range of programs and agencies, including the Works Progress Administration, Civilian Conservation Corps, and Federal Theatre Project. The act also provided funding for the National Youth Administration and the Federal Emergency Relief Administration, which were designed to provide assistance to young people and those in need, including the Navajo Nation and Cherokee Nation. The legislation included provisions for the creation of jobs, the provision of financial assistance, and the support of those in need, including the American Red Cross and Salvation Army. The act also included funding for the Tennessee Valley Authority and the Rural Electrification Administration, which were designed to provide infrastructure and support to rural areas, such as Appalachia and the Ozarks. The provisions of the act were influenced by the ideas of Gifford Pinchot and Aldo Leopold, and were supported by prominent figures such as Henry Morgenthau Jr. and Frances Kellor.

● Implementation

The implementation of the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935 was overseen by the Works Progress Administration, which was headed by Harry Hopkins. The WPA was responsible for creating jobs, providing financial assistance, and supporting those in need, including the Federal Writers' Project and Federal Art Project. The Civilian Conservation Corps was also responsible for implementing the act's provisions, with a focus on conservation and infrastructure projects, such as the Grand Coulee Dam and Boulder Dam. The act's provisions were implemented in a range of contexts, including urban and rural areas, and had a significant impact on the lives of those affected by the Great Depression, including the Dust Bowl refugees and Bonus Army veterans. The implementation of the act was influenced by the ideas of Lewis Mumford and Charles Beard, and was supported by prominent figures such as Paul Douglas and Chester Bowles.

● Impact

The Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935 had a significant impact on the United States, providing relief to millions of people affected by the Great Depression. The act's provisions helped to create jobs, provide financial assistance, and support those in need, including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and American Legion. The act also helped to stimulate economic recovery, with the Gross National Product increasing by over 10% in 1936, as noted by Milton Friedman and John Kenneth Galbraith. The act's impact was felt across the country, with notable effects in cities such as New York City and Chicago, and in rural areas such as Appalachia and the Ozarks. The act's impact was also influenced by the ideas of Joseph Schumpeter and Wesley Clair Mitchell, and was supported by prominent figures such as David Dubinsky and Sidney Hillman.

● Legacy

The Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935 has had a lasting legacy, with its provisions and programs continuing to influence social and economic policy in the United States. The act's focus on creating jobs, providing financial assistance, and supporting those in need has been particularly influential, with many subsequent programs and policies drawing on its ideas, including the Great Society programs and the War on Poverty. The act's impact on the New Deal program has also been significant, with its provisions helping to shape the course of Roosevelt's presidency and the development of the Democratic Party. The act's legacy has been recognized by prominent figures such as Lyndon B. Johnson and Hubert Humphrey, and continues to be studied by scholars such as Arthur Schlesinger Jr. and Doris Kearns Goodwin. The act is also remembered as a key moment in the development of the American welfare state, with its provisions and programs helping to establish a new framework for social and economic policy in the United States, including the Social Security Act of 1935 and the National Labor Relations Act of 1935. Category:New Deal