We must also act to prevent the deception of the American consumer—­requiring all packages to state clearly and truthfully their contents—­all interest and credit charges to be fully revealed—­and keeping harmful drugs and cosmetics away from our stores.

It is the genius of our Constitution that under its shelter of enduring institutions and rooted principles there is ample room for the rich fertility of American political invention.  We must change to master change.

I propose to take steps to modernize and streamline the executive branch, to modernize the relations between city and State and Nation.

A new Department of Transportation is needed to bring together our transportation activities.  The present structure—­35 Government agencies, spending $5 billion yearly—­makes it almost impossible to serve either the growing demands of this great Nation or the needs of the industry, or the right of the taxpayer to full efficiency and real frugality.

I will propose in addition a program to construct and to flight-test a new supersonic transport airplane that will fly three times the speed of sound—­in excess of 2,000 miles per hour.

I propose to examine our Federal system—­the relation between city, State, Nation, and the citizens themselves.  We need a commission of the most distinguished scholars and men of public affairs to do this job.  I will ask them to move on to develop a creative federalism to best use the wonderful diversity of our institutions and our people to solve the problems and to fulfill the dreams of the American people.

As the process of election becomes more complex and more costly, we must make it possible for those without personal wealth to enter public life without being obligated to a few large contributors.

Therefore, I will submit legislation to revise the present unrealistic restriction on contributions—­to prohibit the endless proliferation of committees, bringing local and State committees under the act—­to attach strong teeth and severe penalties to the requirement of full disclosure of contributions—­and to broaden the participation of the people, through added tax incentives, to stimulate small contributions to the party and to the candidate of their choice.

To strengthen the work of Congress I strongly urge an amendment to provide a 4-year term for Members of the House of Representatives—­which should not begin before 1972.

The present 2-year term requires most Members of Congress to divert enormous energies to an almost constant process of campaigning—­depriving this Nation of the fullest measure of both their skill and their wisdom.  Today, too, the work of government is far more complex than in our early years, requiring more time to learn and more time to master the technical tasks of legislating.  And a longer term will serve to attract more men of the highest quality to political life.  The Nation, the principle of democracy, and, I think, each congressional district, will all be better served by a 4-year term for Members of the House.  And I urge your swift action.  IV.