"(c) Such clerical and technical assistance as may be necessary to discharge the duties of the Board shall be provided from the personnel of the Public Health Service. "FUNCTIONS OF BOARD "SEC. 385. The Board is authorized "(1) to review research projects or programs submitted to or initiated by it relating to the study of the cause and prevention of accidents, and certify approval to the Surgeon General, for prosecution under section 382, of any such projects which it believes show promise of making valuable contributions to human knowledge with respect to the cause and prevention of accidents; "(2) to collect information as to studies which are being carried on in the United States or any other country as to the cause and prevention of accidents, by correspondence or by personal investigation of such studies, and with the approval of the Surgeon General make available such information through the appropriate publications for the benefit of agencies and organizations (public or private), or any other scientists, and for the information of the general public; "(3) to review applications from any university, hospital, laboratory, or other institution, whether public or private, or from individuals, for grantsin-aid for research projects relating to the cause and prevention of accidents, and certify to the Surgeon General its approval of grants-in-aid in the cases of such projects which show promise of making valuable contributions to human knowledge with respect to the cause and prevention of accidents; "(4) to recommend to the Surgeon General for acceptance conditional gifts pursuant to section 501 of this Act; and "(5) to make recommendations to the Surgeon General with respect to carrying out the provisions of this part. "APPROPRIATIONS "SEC. 386. Appropriations to carry out the purposes of this part shall be available for the acquisition of land or the erection of buildings only if so specified, but in the absence of express limitation therein may be expended in the District of Columbia for personal services, stenographic recording and translating services, by contract if deemed necessary, without regard to section 3709 of the Revised Statutes; traveling expenses (including the expenses of attendance at meetings when specifically authorized by the Surgeon General); rental, supplies and equipment, purchase and exchange of medical books, books of reference, directories, periodicals, newspapers, and press clippings; purchase, operation, and maintenance of motor-propelled passenger-carrying vehicles; printing and binding (in addition to that otherwise provided by law); and for all other necessary expenses in carrying out the provisions of this part." Hon. OREN HARRIS, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, Chairman, Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Thank you for your letter of February 14 giving us the opportunity to report on House bill 133. The bill is entitled "To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to establish a National Accident Prevention Center." The purpose of the Center would be to assist in the advancement, dissemination, and exchange of knowledge relating to the cause and prevention of accidents through research, investigations, and studies. The Department of Agriculture is vitally interested in this subject and is devoting considerable effort to educational work on accident prevention, particularly as it relates to farm and rural people. The Department has conducted research within this area from time to time, but this has been limited by available resources. Accidents continue to kill or disable nearly a million farm residents annually, and cause needless suffereing and economic waste to both the agricultural community and the Nation. Increased emphasis on the safety and productive efficiency of farm families is essential to assure a continuing abundance of food and fiber for the well-being of all our people. This Department has authority to implement a continuing research and informational program in rural accident prevention through available appropriation channels and has no recommendation to make regarding the enactment of H.R. 133 which would provide similar authority for other areas of governmental interest. The Bureau of the Budget advises that there is no objection to the submission of this report from the standpoint of the administration's program. Sincerely yours, ORVILLE L. FREEMAN, Secretary. DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE, Hon. OREN HARRIS, Chairman, Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Reference is made to your request for the views of the Department of Defense with respect to H.R. 133, 88th Congress, a bill to amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to establish a National Accident Prevention Center. The Secretary of Defense has delegated to the Department of the Air Force the responsibility for expressing the views of the Department of Defense. The purpose of H.R. 133 is to establish in the Public Health Service a National Accident Prevention Center which would assist in the advancement, dissemination, and exchange of knowledge relating to the cause and prevention of accidents. The Department of Defense appreciates the general objective of establishing national facilities to conduct and promote the coordination of accident research, but defers to the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare as to the merits of establishing such facilities in the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare and as to the specific provisions of H.R. 133. Enactment of H.R. 133 would not involve the expenditure of any Department of Defense appropriations. This report has been coordinated within the Department of Defense in accordance with procedures prescribed by the Secretary of Defense. The Bureau of the Budget advises that, from the standpoint of the administration's program, there is no objection to the presentation of this report for the consideration of the committee. Sincerely, EUGENE M. ZUCKERT. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, Hon. OREN HARRIS, Chairman, Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: This is in reply to your request of February 14, 1963, for a report on H.R. 133, a bill to amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to establish a National Accident Prevention Center. The overall objective of H.R. 133, as we interpret its provisions, is to provide additional legislative authority to the Public Health Service to enable that agency to more effectively carry out its current accident prevention activities. This objective would be met by establishing a National Accident Prevention Center in the Public Health Service, by establishing an Accident Prevention Advisory Board, and by authorizing the Surgeon General to carry out a broad range of research, control, promotional, coordinative, informational, and technical assistance functions. The intent of the bill is not clear as to whether the National Accident Prevention Center is to be a specific organizational unit within the Public Health Service or whether a new facility is authorized for construction. The report you are receiving on this bill from the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare points out that the Public Health Service Act already provides broad authorization for establishment of organizational units and that the current flexibility thus afforded provides a better legislative basis for efficiently organizing service functions than would a specific statutory organizational unit. With respect to authorizing the construction of a specific facility, the Public Health Service Act now provides broad authority for the construction of additional facilities when required to carry out service programs, and therefore such specific authorization as may be intended by this bill would appear to be un necessary. With respect to the broad substantive program authorities for research, promotion, control and other related activities which the bill would grant to the Public Health Service, the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare report points out that, with the possible exception of authority for training and special project grants, the existing statutory authority of the Public Health Service provides an adequate base for the development of service programs in the field of accident prevention. The activities of the Public Health Service in this field have expanded from a level of 5 employees and $49,000 in 1957 to 147 employees and $4.9 million proposed for 1964 under the broad research and technical assistance authorities already available. In addition, the accident prevention program was raised to division status in the Bureau of State Services in 1961. This substantial increase in the accident prevention activities of the Public Health Service and the elevated organizational status of the program indicates that the Public Health Service has recognized the importance of the subject and has taken appropriate steps, as the principal Federal health agency, to make its proper contribution to the total Federal effort in accident prevention and safety. Reports to your committee from a number of Federal agencies indicate serious concern that some parts of the bill raise questions of duplication and overlapping of authority and responsibility as between the Public Health Service and other Federal agencies. Without repeating the concerns detailed in the reports of other agencies, we would nevertheless agree in general that the bill, in its present form, appears to authorize the Public Health Service to engage in a number of activities now specifically authorized to be carried out by other Federal agencies, and also appears to authorize the Public Health Service to coordinate such activities. Such broad authority, by extending the role of the Public Health Service beyond its legitimate and particular concern in the field of accident prevention, would, in our opinion, be undesirable and would serve to unnecessarily complicate and burden the effective functioning of the overall Federal effort in accident prevention and safety. Accordingly, while the Bureau of the Budget favors and has supported an effective Public Health Service program in accident prevention, we do not believe that any additional legislation is necessary at this time to enable the Service to develop and carry out its appropriate functions in this field. Further, we believe that the bill raises serious questions as to the relationships and responsibilities of the Public Health Service vis-a-vis other Federal agencies. Sincerely yours, PHILLIP S. HUGHES, Assistant Director for Legislative Reference. CIVIL AERONAUTICS BOARD, Hon. OREN HARRIS, Chairman, Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: This is in further reply to your letter of February 14, 1963, requesting a report by the Board on H.R. 133, a bill to amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to establish a National Accident Prevention Center. H.R. 133 would establish a new unit in the Public Health Service to be known as the National Accident Prevention Center. The functions of the Center would be administered by the Surgeon General, who, among other things, would be authorized to conduct investigations and studies relating to causes and methods of preventing accidents. The bill proposes a very comprehensive program in relation to the cause and prevention of accidents. The Board looks with favor upon the general objective of the bill. While presumably not so intended, the coverage of the bill appears broad enough to include aircraft accidents, which the Civil Aeronautics Board has the statutory responsibility of investigating under title VII of the Federal Aviation Act. For this reason, the Board would be opposed to the legislation in its present form. In order to preserve the jurisdiction of the Board and prevent undesirable duplication, we recommend that a new section 387 be added to H.R. 133, reading as follows: "SEC. 387. The provisions of this Act shall not be deemed to modify or repeal any provisions of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, or to limit in any way the functions of the Civil Aeronautics Board relating to accidents involving civil aircraft, or relating to studies and investigations on matters pertaining to safety in air navigation and the prevention of accidents. Nothing in this Act shall authorize the Surgeon General or the Accident Prevention Advisory Board to perform any of the accident investigative functions which are the statutory responsibility of the Civil Aeronautics Board under the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, as now or hereafter amended." Apart from the foregoing, we have no comment to make on the proposed legislation. The Board has been advised by the Bureau of the Budget that there is no objection to the submission of this report from the standpoint of the administration's program. Sincerely yours, ALAN S. BOYD, Chairman. GENERAL COUNSEL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, Hon. OREN HARRIS, DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: This letter is in further reply to your request for the views of this Department with respect to H.R. 133, a bill to amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to establish a National Accident Prevention Center. The bill would establish in the Public Health Service a National Accident Prevention Center which would have certain powers and duties with respect to research and investigations relating to the causes and prevention of accidents. Our report is limited to the effect that enactment of the bill would have on traffic accident prevention. While this bill deals principally with the functions and organization of the Public Health Service in the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, the Department of Commerce is fully in accord with the stated objective of furthering the advancement, dissemination, and exchange of knowledge relating to the prevention of accidents. The interest of this Department in this objective is demonstrated in many ways, notably through programs of the Office of Highway Safety in the Bureau of Public Roads and by active participation in the Interdepartmental Highway Safety Board. The Secretary of Commerce serves as Chairman of the Interdepartmental Highway Safety Board, recently activated and operating under the terms of Executive Order 10898. The Board functions as a means for coordination, through voluntary agreement, of the policies, programs, and projects of the several Federal departments and agencies having responsibilities in the field of highway safety. It is our understanding that the interest of the Public Health Service in this bill is directed toward three principal provisions. The first is the proposed authority to establish within the Public Health Service an intramural research center for work in medical, clinical, and behavioral science aspects of accident prevention. To the extent that this work would be within the areas of responsibility and competence of the Public Health Service, we believe that the establishment of such a center would make an important contribution to the broad interdisciplinary effort required in highway safety. H.R. 133 would also permit the Surgeon General to make special project grants to underwrite research. It is understood that while certain research authority in this area already exists, that additional authority is required to carry forward developmental projects. A related feature of the bill would permit the Surgeon General to make training grants. Both of these provisions also seem warranted. It also appears that the proposed grant of authority to the Surgeon General contained in H.R. 133 would authorize activities which might infringe upon the functions of the Office of Highway Safety in the Bureau of Public Roads of this Department, and the coordinating functions of the Interdepartmental Highway Safety Board. In order to more accurately identify the scope of the authority which would be granted, we suggest that the bill be amended to insert, in the section relating to purpose and establishment, after the word "knowledge" on line 8 of page 1, the words "in the medical, clinical, and behavioral sciences." Other than to suggest the above amendment, the Department of Commerce would defer to the views of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare concerning H.R. 133. The Bureau of the Budget advises that there would be no objection to the submission of this report from the standpoint of the administration's program. Sincerely, ROBERT E. GILES. Hon. OREN HARRIS, FEDERAL AVIATION AGENCY, Chairman, Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: This is in reply to your letter of February 14, 1963, requesting the views of this Agency on H.R. 133, a bill to amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to establish a National Accident Prevention Center. We understand that the Bureau of the Budget does not believe that any additional legislation is necessary at this time to enable the Public Health Service to carry out its appropriate functions in this field. Certainly the Federal Aviation Agency has adequate legislative authority for securing information relating to aviation accidents. I therefore defer to the views of the Bureau with regard to the need for the proposed legislation. The Bureau of the Budget has advised that there is no objection from the standpoint of the administration's program to the submission of this report to your committee. Sincerely, N. E. HALABY, Administrator. GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION, Hon. OREN HARRIS, Chairman, Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Your letter of February 14, 1963, requested the views of the General Services Administration on H.R. 133, 88th Congress, a bill to amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to establish a National Accident Prevention Center. GSA is currently represented on the Federal Safety Council reestablished by Executive Order No. 10990 of February 2, 1962, to advise the Secretary of Labor on the development and maintenance of safety organizations and programs in the Federal Government. The Council also establishes criteria, standards, and procedures designed to eliminate work hazards and health risks, and to prevent injuries and accidents in Federal employment. In addition to the activities of the Federal Safety Council, the Secretary of Labor is engaged currently in developing and promoting standards of industrial safety and health, and in assisting the several States in the preparation of industrial safety codes and development of statewide accident prevention programs. The subject bill, H.R. 133, proposes to establish a National Accident Prevention Center in the Public Health Service of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. The functions of the proposed National Accident Prevention Center appear to overlap those already vested in the Secretary of Labor. It is the view of GSA that the functions prescribed by the subject bill are more closely related to conditions of employment than to problems of health. Although GSA is in full accord with the objectives of H.R. 133, we do not favor enactment of this bill in its present form for the reasons stated above. It is not anticipated that H.R. 133, if enacted, would have any financial effect upon GSA operations. |