APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 1967

HEARINGS

BEFORE THE

SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

UNITED STATES SENATE

EIGHTY-NINTH CONGRESS

SECOND SESSION

ON

H.R. 14745

MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, AND HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE, AND RELATED AGENCIES, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1967, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

PART 1

(Pages 1 through 1385)

(Wednesday, March 2, 1966, through Monday, March 28, 1966)

80-302

Printed for the use of the Committee on Appropriations

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON: 1966

DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, AND HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 1967

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 1966

U.S. SENATE,

SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS,

Washington, D.C.

The subcommittee met at 10 a.m., in room 1318, New Senate Office Building, Hon. Lister Hill, chairman, presiding.

Present: Senators Hill, Stennis, Pastore, Bartlett, Cotton, and Allott.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND

WELFARE

STATEMENTS OF JOHN W. GARDNER, SECRETARY; WILBUR J. COHEN, UNDER SECRETARY; RALPH K. HUITT, ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR LEGISLATION; JAMES F. KELLY, DEPARTMENT COMPTROLLER; AND JAMES B. CARDWELL, DEPARTMENT BUDGET OFFICER

IMPACT ON BUDGET REQUEST OF COMMITMENTS IN SOUTH VIETNAM

Senator HILL. The subcommittee will kindly come to order. We are very happy to welcome Mr. Gardner this morning. We are very happy to have you here, Mr. Secretary. We will be pleased to have you proceed in your own way.

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, I welcome this opportunity to come before you for the first time to discuss the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare's programs and plans for the coming year. I am aware of the genuine interest that this committee has always shown in the programs of our Department, and I am deeply appreciative of that interest.

It is now quite clear that our Nation's military commitments in Vietnam will have a significant impact on the national budget for 1967. It is also clear that the 1967 budget for the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare reflects this impact. You will find as we go through the budget that there are a number of areas where the amounts requested for 1967 are below those which might have been proposed if it were not for the pressures of Vietnam. On the other hand, you will find that the budget provides significant forward movement in all areas of our responsibility.

Last year was marked by some of the most important legislation ever enacted by the Congress: legislation affecting health care for the

aged; elementary, secondary, and higher education; vocational rehabilitation; and other major areas for which this Department is responsible. Since 1967 will be the first full year for many of these new and expanded programs, we feel that it will be a historic year for health, education, and welfare.

Mr. Chairman, our Department has a tremendous job to do in sheer management and organization if it is to achieve results under recently enacted legislation. In 1967, I consider it my most important responsibility to assure that the new and expanded programs are functioning smoothly and effectively.

1967 BUDGET REQUEST

Before discussing the exact dollar amounts proposed in the budget for 1967, I would like to point out some areas to which the budget will give special emphasis.

First, it provides for full funding of the program of health insurance for the aged authorized under last year's social security amend

ments.

Second, there is emphasis throughout the budget on the training and development of additional manpower-the training of new physicians, nurses, teachers, and others needed to meet the growing demand for professional services.

Closely related to this manpower emphasis is the support provided within the budget for the construction and modernization of facilities that are used to train manpower and to provide medical, educational, and social services.

The budget also provides additional support for health research programs and for environmental health and consumer protection activities-with particular emphasis given to water and air pollution control. It also provides funds to carry out title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the Older Americans Act of 1965.

Further, funds are included to staff and organize our two newest operating agencies-the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration and the Administration on Aging.

1967 BUDGET REQUEST

In summary, the 1967 budget for the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare requests a total of $11.7 billion in new obligational authority, an increase of $1.4 billion over appropriations already approved or to be proposed in the form of supplementals for the current fiscal year.

Of the total appropriation request for 1967, $11,654 million is requested to continue currently authorized programs-including extension of programs on which the authorization is scheduled to expire at the end of this year, and a net amount of $60 million is requested to finance new programs requiring new legislation. I will return to that subject a little later on.

(Clerk's Note: The total request referred to by the Secretary, $11,654 million, includes $233 million sought for the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration which is being transferred to the Interior Department, and a total of $171 million for sundry accounts not considered in the Labor-HEW bill. The proper figure for the budget estimates being considered by this subcommittee for inclusion in the Labor-HEW bill is $11.250 million.)