CONTENTS Page 23, 26 Salmon, Peter J., executive director, Industrial Home for the Blind, Switzer, Mary, director, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation.. Walker, Hulen C., legislative analyst, American Foundation for the Letters, prepared statements, etc., submitted for the record by- Federal activities which assist the blind : I. State-Federal aid to the blind program_. II. Old-age, survivors, and disability insurance program. III. Veterans' Administration programs_. IV. Vocational rehabilitation program.. V. Employment of the blind-Department of Labor.. VI. Vending stands for the blind__. VII. National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Blindness___ Ferebee, E. E., acting director, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Folsom, Hon. M. B., Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, let- ter July 10, 1957, to Hon. Lindley Beckworth, re H. R. 1955 and H. R. Roosevelt, Hon. James, a Representative in Congress from the State of Shannon, James A., director, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Switzer, Mary E., director, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, HEW, STATISTICAL INFORMATION Appropriations: Page 35 National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Blindness (eye re- 36 15 Research grants, visual disorders and blindness, awarded to National Insti- State-by-State breakdown of the number of recipients, total payments, and average payment for December 1956__ Veterans' Administration disability award payments for specific eye condi- Vocational rehabilitation grants for 36 separate State commissions or NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE BLIND WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 1957 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON SPECIAL EDUCATION OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND LABOR, Washington, D.C. The committee met, pursuant to call, at 10 a. m., in room 356, Old House Office Building, Hon. Carl Elliott (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. Mr. ELLIOTT. The Subcommittee on Special Education will be in order. Our subcommittee today will hear testimony on H. R. 1955, a bill introduced by Congressman Matthews of Florida, and on H. R. 8427, a similar bill introduced by the gentleman from New York, Mr. Wainwright. These bills provide for the establishment of a temporary National Advisory Committee for the Blind.. Without objection, both bills will be made a part of the record at this point. (The bills referred to follow :) [H. R. 1955, 85th Cong., 1st sess.] A BILL For the establishment of a temporary National Advisory Committee for the Blind Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of the United States of America in Congress assembled, ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TEMPORARY NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE BLIND SECTION 1. There is hereby established a National Advisory Committee for the Blind (in this Act referred to as the "Committee"). The Committee shall investigate and study the entire field of existing Federal, State, and local activities related to the granting of services to the blind, including the history and development of such activity. The Committee shall report to the President and to the Congress, within twenty-four months after passage of this Act, the results of such investigation and study, together with recommendations (1) for accomplishing greater coordination of and more effective results from such activities, (2) for the attainment of maximum benefits for the blind, and (3) with respect to such other matters as the Committee may deem appropriate. MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE SEC. 2. (a) The Committee shall be composed of nine members, who shall be conversant with work for the blind, to be appointed by the President as follows: (1) One individual from the executive branch of the Federal Government; (2) One individual from the Senate of the United States; (3) One individual from the House of Representatives of the United States; (4) One individual from among officers and employees of the State governments; 1 (5) One individual from a national association of professional workers with the blind; (6) One individual from a national organization of the blind; (7) One individual from a national research organization for the blind; (8) One individual from the field of education of the blind; and (9) One individual from the public at large. (c) Any vacancy in the Committee shall not affect its powers, but shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made. ORGANIZATION OF THE COMMITTEE SEC. 3. The Committee shall elect a Chairman from among its members. QUORUM SEC. 4. Five members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum. COMPENSATION OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE SEC. 5. (a) Each member of the Committee who is an officer or employee of the United States shall serve without compensation in addition to that received for his services as an officer or employee of the United States, but he shall be reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred by him in the performance of the duties vested in him by the Committee. (b) Each member of the Committee who is not an officer or employee of the United States shall recive $25 per diem when engaged in the performance of duties vested in the Committee, plus reimbursement for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred by him in the performance of his duties. STAFF OF THE COMMITTEE SEC. 6. The Committee shall have the power to appoint and fix the compensation of such personnel as it deems advisable, without regard to the civil-service laws and the Classification Act of 1949, as amended. POWERS OF THE COMMITTEE SEC. 7. (a) The Committee, or any authorized member thereof, may, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Act, hold such hearings and sit and act at such times and places, and take such testimony, as the Committee or such member may deem advisable. Any member of the Committee may administer oaths or affirmations to witnesses appearing before the Committee or before any authorized member thereof. (b) The Committee, or any authorized member thereof, is authorized to secure directly from any executive department, bureau, agency, board, commission, office, independent establishment, or instrumentality, information, suggestions, estimates, and statistics for the purpose of this Act; and each such department, bureau, agency, board, commission, office, establishment, or instrumentality is authorized and directed to furnish such information, suggestions, estimates, and statistics directly to the Committee, or any authorized member thereof, upon request made by the Chairman of the Committee or any authorized member thereof. (c) The Committee, or any authorized member thereof, shall have power to require by subpena or otherwise the attendance of witnesses and the production of books, papers, and documents; to administer oaths; to take testimony; to have printing and binding done; and to make such expenditures as it deems advisable within the amount appropriated under authority of this Act. Subpenas shall be issued under the signature of the Chairman of the Committee or any mmber designated by him, and shall be served by any person designated by the Chairman or such member. Sections 102, 103, and 104 of the Revised Statutes (U. S. C., title 2, secs. 192-194) shall apply in the case of any failure of any witness to comply with any subpena or to testify when summoned under authority of this section. EXPENSES OF THE COMMITTEE SEC. 8. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated the sum of $100,000 to carry or ovisions of this Act. TERMINATION OF THE COMMITTEE SEC. 9. The Committee shall cease to exist within thirty days after the Committee submits its report pursuant to section 1. [H. R. 8427, 85th Cong., 1st sess.] A BILL To establish a temporary Presidential commission to study and report on the problems relating to blindness and the needs of blind persons, and for other purposes Be it enacted by the Senate and House Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, FINDINGS AND DECLARATION OF PURPOSE SECTION 1. (a) The Congress recognizes that there are upward 320,000 blind persons in the United States; that the number of blind persons has increased during the last decade; the the number is expected to increase as the life span of our people is extended; that many of our blind people do not have an opportunity to achieve full independence or to participate actively in the economic, social, cultural, and educational life of the Nation; and that, consequently, there is need for further study and evaluation of programs and activities relating to the blind to determine what contributions are being made, and, in the light of modern social, technological, and scientific developments, what contributions can be made, to the general advancement of blind persons, and thus to the general welfare and economy of the Nation. (b) It is hereby declared to be the purpose of the Congress to assist in creating a national atmosphere for developing a positive role for, and for the acceptance of, blind persons in our modern society by providing for a thorough study and evaluation of the needs of the blind and problems relating to blindness and the extent and character of current national, State, and community programs and activities, public and voluntary, relating to the solution of these problems or to meeting these needs. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PRESIDENTIAL STUDY COMMISSION SEC. 2. There is hereby established a Presidential Study Commission on Problems of the Blind (hereafter in this Act referred to as the "Commission"). COMPOSITION OF THE COMMISSION SEC. 3. The Commission shall consist of twenty-one members appointed by the President from among persons who are widely recognized for their knowledge of, or experience or interest in, problems relating to blindness and the needs of blind persons, and with a view to securing a broad representation on the Commission of leaders in medicine, education, social work, psychology, rehabilitation, and related professions, representatives of public and voluntary organizations or agencies providing services to blind persons (including those which are not concerned exclusively with the blind), and representatives of industry, labor, and the general public. The President shall designate one of the members to serve as Chairman. Not less than three of the members shall be persons who are themselves blind. FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMISSION SEC. 4. (a) The Commission shall make a broad and comprehensive study, analysis, and assessment of existing knowledge, programs, and activities relating to blindness and the needs of blind persons, including matters such as medical advances in the prevention of blindness, restoration of sight, and utilization of residual sight; availability and adequacy of educational materials and opportunities for blind persons of all ages; employment opportunities for blind persons; current contributions to the economic, social, educational, recreational, cultural, and vocational advancement of the blind made by public and voluntary agencies, including those which are not concerned exclusively with the blind; incidence and problems of blindness in the aging population; and current lay attitudes toward blindness. |