Medical and Dental Schools, Scholarships, Construction Grants, and Institutional Research Grants

Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met at 10 a.m., pursuant to recess, in room 1302, New House Office Building, Hon. Kenneth A. Roberts (chairman) presiding.

Present: Representatives Roberts, O'Brien, Rogers of Florida, Brock, Devine, and Nelsen.

Mr. ROBERTS. The subcommittee will please be in order.

Before we get started with the witnesses this morning I would like to, first of all, welcome all of you here. We appreciate your being here, and I am hoping that this will be the type of exploratory hearing that may perhaps allow us to develop some type of legislation in this field where some of us feel there is a dire need.

I am sorry that we haven't a quorum yet, but since my colleague from New York has been honored with being made an honorary doctor of laws from his alma mater, I assume he can pretty well take up the gap whether we have a quorum or not. I guess I should say Dr. O'Brien.

We are very happy, Leo, that you have been so recognized, and I am sure that this is simply a reflection of the fine cr lit that you have bestowed on your school.

I will go ahead with the opening statement until some of the other members get here.

This morning the Subcommittee on Health and Safety is holding hearings on a number of bills relating to medical school construction, medical school education and scholarships, and medical research. In using the term "medical" I mean to include schools of medicine, schools of osteopathy, dental schools, and schools of public health.

The first of these bills on which we are holding hearings is H.R. 6906 introduced by our esteemed colleague, Mr. Fogarty, who holds the important position of chairman of the Subcommittee on Labor, Health, Education, and Welfare, and Related Agencies, of the Appropriations Committee.

Mr. Fogarty's outstanding interest in the subject of health legislation and appropriations is known not only to all of us in Congress but everybody in the United States concerned with health problems and, therefore, our subcommittee is particularly gratified to hold hearings

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on this important bill introduced by Mr. Fogarty which would authorize a 10-year program of grants for the construction of medical, dental, and public health educational facilities.

The second bill on which we have scheduled hearings is H.R. 10255, which was likewise introduced by Mr. Fogarty. It would amend the Public Health Service Act to provide Federal assistance to States which award scholarships to students of medicine and dentistry.

I take it that our colleague Mr. Fogarty introduced this legislation with full realization of the urgent need which exists in the United States in increasing the supplies of doctors of medicine and osteopathy and dentistry in order to meet the steadily increasing health needs of our growing population in this country.

The third bill, H.R. 10341, was introduced by the chairman of our full committee, Mr. Harris of Arkansas, at the request of the administration. This bill is entitled "A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants-in-aid to universities, hospitals, laboratories, and other public or nonprofit institutions to strengthen their programs of research and research training in sciences related to health." This bill is known among persons concerned with health research and research training as the institutional research grant legislation.

The fourth bill, H.R. 11651, was introduced by our colleague, Mr. Halpern, and would authorize a 10-year program of scholarships for medical and dental education.

Since the hearings on these four bills were announced on May 24, 1960, the Secretary of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, on June 2, 1960, addressed a letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives enclosing draft of a bill entitled, "Health Facilities and Training Act of 1960," which comprises four titles.

Title II of this bill deals with grants for the construction of medical, dental, osteopathy, and public health teaching facilities. In view of the lateness of this communication, this legislation has not been formally introduced as yet. However, for the purpose of these hearings I believe the subcommittee should consider title II of this bill since it proposes to deal with the same subject dealt with in some of the other bills on which hearings have been scheduled. After this legislation will have been formally introduced we shall then add the number of this bill to those bills already enumerated.

Before we hear from our first witness this morning, I ask unanimous consent to include at this point in the record copies of the bills and departmental reports as well as a copy of the aforementioned letter of Secretary Flemming to the Speaker dated June 2, and the analysis of the legislation attached thereto.

(The letter of June 2, from Secretary Flemming will be found in the committee files.)

Mr. ROBERTS. I could go to great lengths in detailing the various efforts which this committee has made in earlier Congresses in conducting hearings, making studies, and considering legislation aimed at aiding and strengthening medical schools and medical education. Such a recital might be useful to historians studying the history of aid to medical school legislation during the 86th Congress and earlier Congresses. However, such a recital would only take valuable time.

of which we have very little this close to the end of the session, and therefore I prefer to desist from such recital and give all available time to the important witnesses who have expressed an interest in testifying on this legislation.

Without objection, the exhibits which I mentioned will be included in the record. I should also, Mr. Reporter, like to include a report dated June 3, 1960, from the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, and also a report dated March 24, 1960, from the Bureau of the Budget.

(The documents referred to follow :)

[H.R. 6906, 86th Cong., 1st sess.]

A BILL To authorize a ten-year program of grants for construction of medical, dental, and public health educational facilities, and for other purposes

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may be cited as the "Health Educational Facilities Construction Act of 1959".

NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL ON HEALTH EDUCATIONAL AND RESEARCH FACILITIES

SEC. 2. Paragraph (1) of section 702 of the Public Health Service Act is amended by inserting "Educational and" immediately after "Health".

SEC. 3. (a) The heading of section 703 of the Public Health Service Act is amended by striking out "RESEARCH FACILITIES" and inserting in lieu thereof "EDUCATIONAL AND RESEARCH FACILITIES”.

(b) (1) The first sentnece of subsection (a) of such section is amended by striking out "Research Facilities" and inserting in lieu thereof "Educational and Research Facilities", by striking out "the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service who shall be Chairman, and" and inserting in lieu thereof "the Surgeon General, who shall be Chairman, the Commissioner of Education, and", and by striking out "twelve" and inserting in lieu thereof "sixteen".

(2) The second sentence of such subsection is amended by striking out "Four" and inserting in lieu thereof "Six" and by striking out "eight” and inserting in lieu thereof "ten".

(3) Clause (1) of the third sentence of such subsection is amended by inserting "medical or dental schools or" before "institutions". Clause (2) of such sentence is amended by striking out "research" and inserting in lieu thereof "research or teaching".

(c) Paragraph (1) and (2) of subsection (b) of such section 703 are amended by inserting immediately after "this title", each time it appears, the following: "and title VIII".

GRANTS FOR HEALTH EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES

SEC. 4. The Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C., chapter 6A) is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new title:

"TITLE VIII-HEALTH EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM "SEC. 801. The Congress hereby finds and declares that

"(a) increased demand for health services and health research necessitates the expansion and improvement of existing health educational facilities;

"(b) steadily increasing tuition fees and increasing contributions from private citizens, associations, funds, and foundations and from the health professions themselves have proven insufficient to provide the necessary capital funds required for such expansion and improvement;

"(c) it is, therefore, the policy of the Congress to provide funds for construction of health educational facilities for our public and nonprofit medical, dental, and public health schools, thus insuring the continued production of an adequate number of properly qualified and trained physicians, dentists, teachers, and research scientists.

on this important bill introduced by Mr. Fogarty which would authorize a 10-year program of grants for the construction of medical, dental, and public health educational facilities.

The second bill on which we have scheduled hearings is H.R. 10255, which was likewise introduced by Mr. Fogarty. It would amend the Public Health Service Act to provide Federal assistance to States which award scholarships to students of medicine and dentistry.

I take it that our colleague Mr. Fogarty introduced this legislation with full realization of the urgent need which exists in the United States in increasing the supplies of doctors of medicine and osteopathy and dentistry in order to meet the steadily increasing health needs of our growing population in this country.

The third bill, H.R. 10341, was introduced by the chairman of our full committee, Mr. Harris of Arkansas, at the request of the administration. This bill is entitled "A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants-in-aid to universities, hospitals, laboratories, and other public or nonprofit institutions to strengthen their programs of research and research training in sciences related to health." This bill is known among persons concerned with health research and research training as the institutional research grant legislation.

The fourth bill, H.R. 11651, was introduced by our colleague, Mr. Halpern, and would authorize a 10-year program of scholarships for medical and dental education.

Since the hearings on these four bills were announced on May 24, 1960, the Secretary of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, on June 2, 1960, addressed a letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives enclosing draft of a bill entitled, "Health Facilities and Training Act of 1960," which comprises four titles. Title II of this bill deals with grants for the construction of medical, dental, osteopathy, and public health teaching facilities. In view of the lateness of this communication, this legislation has not been formally introduced as yet. However, for the purpose of these hearings I believe the subcommittee should consider title II of this bill since it proposes to deal with the same subject dealt with in some of the other bills on which hearings have been scheduled. After this legislation will have been formally introduced we shall then add the number of this bill to those bills already enumerated.

Before we hear from our first witness this morning, I ask unanimous consent to include at this point in the record copies of the bills and departmental reports as well as a copy of the aforementioned letter of Secretary Flemming to the Speaker dated June 2, and the analysis of the legislation attached thereto.

(The letter of June 2, from Secretary Flemming will be found in the committee files.)

Mr. ROBERTS. I could go to great lengths in detailing the various efforts which this committee has made in earlier Congresses in conducting hearings, making studies, and considering legislation aimed at aiding and strengthening medical schools and medical education. Such a recital might be useful to historians studying the history of aid to medical school legislation during the 86th Congress and earlier Congresses. However, such a recital would only take valuable time

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Medical and Dental Schools, Scholarships, Construction Grants, and ...