Similarly, the term "Bureau of Older Persons" or "Commission on Aging" does not emphasize the working philosophy which should be guiding such an agency; namely, the servicing of the elderly.

Therefore, I would urge that the subcommittee in its report use the name that is suggested in my bill, the Senior Citizens Service. It lends an element of dignity in that it recognizes both the stature of the population group and the purpose of the agency.

The members of the subcommittee, I am sure, are aware of the monumental work done in this field already by the Senate Subcommittee on Problems of the Aged and Aging. That study, along with others made since by both Government and private organizations, has focused the attention of the Nation on the growing problems of our aged population.

These problems have been intensifying with each passing year.

In

year 1900-I am sure you people know these statistics, but they were most interesting to me when we made the research on this talk of mine. In the year 1900 there were only 3 million Americans over the age of 65. Today this total has climbed to 16 million and experts now inform us that this total will pass the 20 million mark during the next 10 years.

This can be illustrated another way. Before this February 20 ends, another 1,000 persons will have joined the ranks of those 65 years old or older. Yet, as dramatic as these statistics are, they hardly tell the true story of the plight of our senior citizens.

In too many instances the so-called golden years of these men and women has become a nightmare of insecurity where existence is on a bare subsistence level, where tomorrow is feared, and there is an appalling sense of hopelessness.

These instances, as the committee is well aware, are not isolated examples but rather involve millions of Americans. They, through no fault of their own, go on from month to month without adequate incomes, health care, and housing, and without a recognized and respected role in their communities. This represents a tragic waste of human resources.

Mr. Chairman, I am well aware that the bills being considered here today are not designed to alleviate the multitude of ills which are besetting our aged population but the legislation is a step in the right direction. It is a clear-cut recognition of the magnitude of the problem. It will focus the attention of the Government on a task which needs doing, not tomorrow but today. It would harness the resources of communities at the State and local level in mapping a coordinated and expanded program in helping our millions of senior citizens.

I urge the committee members to act favorably on this legislation and to adopt the name "Senior Citizens Service" in making its recommendation to the full committee.

Thank you very much for your kindness in allowing me to appear here this morning, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. BAILEY. The committee is very much concerned over the problems involved. It is the intention of the committee to make a thorough study so that we can make recommendations to other committees interested in this particular field.

Mrs. ProST. Knowing the aggressiveness with which you approach each of the problems that affect your district, Mr. Chairman, I have

no hesitancy in saying that I know this committee is going to give a very thorough consideration of these measures that are before it.

Mr. BAILEY. I thank you for your confidence in the determination and the ability of the committee to handle it. We will try to do a real job.

Mrs. Prost. You have been doing a fine job up to now.
Mr. GARLAND. What is the full cost of your bill?

Mrs. Prost. My bill would cost absolutely nothing because it would bring together those agencies which are already set up within the HEW and they would simply focus their attention upon this phase of doing something for the aging and in this way the same personnel that are employed today could be utilized in this particular service. Mr. GARLAND. No increase in personnel?

Mrs. ProST. No increase in personnel because it would simply mean a coordination of the work they are already doing but pull them together for a more efficient operation within the service that is already established.

Mr. BAILEY. You do have a provision for a $2 million initial appropriation.

Mrs. Prost. My bill does not carry an appropriation, as I re

member.

Mr. BAILEY. On page 6, title 2, it says, "for the purpose of assisting each State to develop"

Mrs. ProST. Yes, I beg your pardon, Mr. Chairman, it is true, in this section; section 201.

Mr. BAILEY. That parallels the suggestion contained in Congressman Lane's bill. I think he has $2,070,000. I think it is for distribution to the States to get their programs started.

Mrs. ProST. That is true. I stand corrected, Mr. Chairman, that is true that there is this effort. But downtown in the agency itself, we are not asking for an additional agency setup that would be another expensive organization which would cost a lot of money. Mr. GARLAND. I see on page 9, section 301, you call for $2 million, $3 million, $4 million, $5 million over a period of years.

Mrs. PFOST. That is right. That is to assist the States.
Mr. BAILEY. Thank you very much.

Mrs. PrOST. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. BAILEY. We appreciate your coming and giving us your time. We are extremely interested in getting the views of not only the Members of Congress but other interested parties.

Now it is a pleasure to call the next witness, the Honorable Charles E. Bennett of the State of Florida.

Mr. BENNETT. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for this opportunity. Mr. BAILEY. You may further identify yourself, if necessary, and proceed with your testimony.

STATEMENT OF HON. CHARLES E. BENNETT, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF FLORIDA

Mr. BENNETT. I am Congressman Charles E. Bennett. I represent the Second Congressional District of Florida.

Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the opportunity of appearing before this subcommittee to present these views in support of my proposed

Senior Citizens Self-Help Act, H.R. 306, which is similar to bills which I have introduced in previous sessions of Congress.

This legislation is following the strong Democratic Party platform pledge to meet head on this ever-mounting problem of adequate help for the aged and President Kennedy's statement that "the test of a civilized society is the treatment of its older citizens. America must not fail that test."

The whole thrust of H.R. 306 is in helping senior citizens to help themselves, giving them an opportunity to be more self-reliant and less dependent on Government financial assistance. It is my strong feeling that Government programs of financial benefit, while of much assistance, do not get to the root of the problem, that of enabling senior citizens to continue active and useful lives after retirement or reaching the status of senior citizens. Many of our older citizens would and could contribute greatly to our economy if given the opportunity. This may even be necessary as they make up a larger and larger group to support in the future, and forward-looking planning now is a necessity for future solutions.

Title I of H.R. 306 would establish in the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare an Office for Senior Citizens which would conduct continued studies and research into special problems of the aged and would widely disseminate information and advice on solving such problems. It is true that there are present efforts being made along this line, but the establishment of a separate office would not only dramatize the administration's acute concern for the problems of the aging and more efficiently focus talent for their solution, but would bring increase in our efforts to match the burgeoning old-age population.

One group of problems which would be studied by the Senior Citi zens Office are the economic ones: The necessity of living efficiently, economically, comfortably, on a small retirement income, of providing additional employment opportunities for senior citizens, and the possibility of supplementing retirement income by raising food.

Secondly, it would study and advise on the ever-growing housing problem and help evolve long-range plans for meeting this need.

Thirdly, it would deal with the health problems of senior citizens, in addition to and supplementing current Federal proposals. Lastly, it would help by training programs and educational materials the most important ingredient in a happy retired life: usefulness, significance, and purpose in declining years.

Other elements of H.R. 306 would declare the policy of the United States to be that of encouraging help on the part of needy senior citizens, and would, in the determination of need under old-age assistance programs disregard $30 per month of earned income. Another clause of my bill would protect older citizens from discrimination in employment by a Government contractor.

We are all aware of the ever-increasing need for an all comprehensive and forward-looking program with regard to the growing retired population, so I will not burden the committee with more statistics. It is my sincere hope, however, that a measure such as H.R. 306 which would commit us wholeheartedly to the tackling of this problem will be approved by this committee. This would be a strong answer by Congress to the question of whether these problems will be resolved

by maximum reliance upon public funds with increased tax burdens or whether they be solved by maximum reliance upon the ability of senior citizens to help themsleves and to be independent and selfreliant. I have no doubt that the great majority of senior citizens prefer the latter alternative. It is the objective of H.R. 306 to further this type of solution which is not only less expensive to the American taxpayer but which gives a greater satisfaction and sense of achievement to America's senior citizens and thus to our citizenry generally. It has long been my opinion, Mr. Chairman and the committee, that many of the aged people of our country, in fact the vast majority, are interested in leading effective, independent lives for themselves. There are many jokes and stories that are told about aged people in this field but, actually, it is a sort of tragedy to many of the aged people in our country who know that they have ability and know that they lack only an opportunity to be more self-reliant and able to care for the problems which they may be able to care for.

The purpose of this bill is to try to emphasize that sort of activity among the aged of our country.

Mr. BAILEY. I would like to ask the witness if he does not feel that there is an added responsibility on the part of Government in this field due to activities over the past 15 or 20 years, maybe as much as 25 years, in improving the health of the average American citizen to the point where possibly the life of the individual has been increased maybe 15 or 17 years. Has not the Government by its own acts contributed to the creation of a group of some 16 or 17 million citizens above the age of 65?

Mr. BENNETT. I think the Government by its own acts has contributed very largely to the creation in our day of many millions of people over the age of 65 who would not be here if it had not been for the acts of the Government.

I may say, however, that there is something else that must be considered with this and that is that many of the people who reach 65 today are actually, from all standpoints, practically all standpoints, comparable to people of 50 years of age 75 years ago. In other words, this question of aging must be looked at as it actually is rather than what we might assume it to be, and what it actually is is that the people not only live longer but, as a general rule, are more capable and more able to carry on activity after they reach the age of 65, which is producing a large number of people in this country who are not only 65 years of age but are 65 years of age and have the ability to carry on many activities in this country if not forced out by the process of laws and insurance regulations and popular belief that they are disabled, and this sort of thing.

I know this because almost every old person I have ever talked to in my life has repeated this refrain many, many times, and they have emphasized that Government and business seems to be interested in putting them on a shelf and they feel, as long as they are going to be here on this earth, they should not be forced to do something which they are not prepared to do and do not have the finances to do or something else. Many of them cannot retire in the ordinary sense. of the word because they do not have the finances to do it.

Our economy cannot stand to have all these wasted brains and ability thrown away from people who really desire more than any

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thing else in their life to be constructive persons and part of the community adding to the sum total of our success as a country. Mr. BAILEY. Mr. Brademas?

Mr. BRADEMAS. Mr. Chairman, I just would like to say that I think the gentleman from Florida has very eloquently hit the nail on the head. I know that I find, when I go home to my own district, that the one problem that people spontaneously come up and buttonhole me to discuss more than any other is the whole spectrum of problems that affect our elderly citizens.

Quite frankly, to be very specific about it, for one issue, the one bill that I am questioned about more than any other, again spontaneously, is President Kennedy's proposal for hospital and nursing home care through the social security system. Any time I go to a meeting where there are older people present, and many younger people, they want to come up and talk about that bill and how is that bill coming. That is almost a symbol of the fear that so many older people have.

The other point that I would make is simply to express my agreement with what you said about the fear that older citizens have about being put on the shelf when they feel they have the brains and the physical capacity to be gainfully employed and yet are told that they are too old.

I had a fellow in my district who, as I recall, was out of a job at the age of 40. He had 20 years seniority with this firm in La Porte, Ind., but the firm left town, and here was a man who was told that he was too old to be employed by other firms in the community. Mr. BENNETT. I might add a little story.

Many of you know my mother who comes up here quite frequently. She is able to take care of herself financially but she feels a very deep concern about being a productive and efficient person in the cog of our community. So, for many years she has given a large portion of the ordinary working hours of an ordinary person, free of charge, to a hospital in our community, and she told me a story which may be interesting to you today. Probably you have not heard of it because it is a unique story. It happened to her. She goes around like a Gray Lady, although she acts like an employee, without money. She tries to help the people who are sick.

The other day she told me she went in to a man who had been quite ill and who had recovered. He attributed a lot of this to her kindness and being nice to him while she visited him on her rounds and she spent some money in bringing things to his room, and things like that.

He pulled out a roll of bills and was about to give her some money. She said, "Don't do that. I couldn't take money for what I have done."

He said, "What do you do this for?" She said, "I do this for love.” He looked over and said, "If you were about 50 years younger, I might be interested."

Anyway, I do think that all of us who have any connection with people who are older realize the deep yearning on the part of most people of advanced years is not so much for material things. Now, if they have nothing else to worry about, they will worry about material things, if you take everything else out of their lives. But there are many people who are aged who want to contribute to our