16. Preserve our national resources. (Res. 325)

17. Provide a special enrollment period for Medicare. (Res. 327)

18. Support National Health Service Organizations drives. (Res. 330)

19. Support legislation to provide funds to Eisenhower College. (Res. 331)

20. Support United States airlines in international flights. (Res. 333)

21. Express sympathy to Governor George Wallace. (Res. 335)

22. Commend Senator John O. Pastore for his action on the VA appropriations. (Res. 670)

23. Include a V.F.W. representative on State Manpower Planning Councils. (Res. 693)

Chairman DORN. I want to thank you for the very timely splendid statement to this committee and to the country. Again, I thank your staff for staying by you and accompanying you through the year. I would like to recognize a past national commander, Mr. Rondebush. I am glad to see him around. He served as your distinguished commander then as a Member of Congress, and he is now in daily contact with us in behalf of the Veterans' Administration.

I do want to say, and I am sure Mr. Hammerschmidt will agree, Mr. Saylor over the years has been a very valuable, outstanding member of this committee, and I hope he can come in later.

We appreciate your gracious invitation to dinner this evening and I am sure that most of the Members of the Congress will be there. Mr. Commander, we appreciate what you said about our distinguished chairman. He will always be chairman to me and I want to present him to you now for comments.

Mr. TEAGUE of Texas. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Commander, I want to second what Mr. Waggonner and Mr. Dorn said about Cooper Holt. I worked with him and with Francis Stoner for years and they do a great job. When this thing came out on the rating schedule, they were the one to start work first and were very responsible for changing the whole thing and turning it around. You have a great staff here.

I would like to tell you a little human interest story that isn't widely known, and that is, that the Veterans of Foreign Wars was directly responsible for the first four ladies that went to Paris and went down to that North Vietnam compound and pushed the bell, and said, we want to be told whether we are widows or wives. I hadn't really given serious thought to the problems of MIA's and POW's until I found out those wives were so courageous. I went down to Texas that year, and I was told there were four young ladies that wanted me to talk to them. At that time, they weren't supposed to tell anyone they were wives of POW's. That was changed. These four young ladies came here and talked with our Government, talked to the Pentagon, the State Department, the White House, and then it was suggested they go to Paris. They were told if they went over there supported by any veteran group or any way attached with our Government, they would not be seen or talked to. Within a very short time sufficient money was raised by the VFW, your auxiliary, to send them to Paris. They went and stayed 2 days before they got into that North Vietnam compound and they were browbeaten, told their husbands were nothing but murderers. They were told if they came back home and demonstrated against the war, they would hear from their husbands. They said nothing doing and they came out of that place with their heads high and some tears in their eyes.

Then, last night, at the airport, I met two of those girls and their husbands, and they will be present tonight at the dinner. Their attitude is great. One of these men was a rescue helicopter pilot and the other was a fighter pilot. From reports from our Government in Paris, I was told these were four real ladies, and that they were a great comfort and credit to our Government. These were two captains, who were prisoners for 7 years each. One had a 7-year-old son whom he had never seen until he got back and the other one had a tiny baby when he left who is now 7 years old.

I want to commend the VFW for the real work they have done. I doubt if most members realize how much good you do. You do a lot of good. Thank you very much.

Chairman DORN. Congressman Jim Haley from Florida.

Mr. HALEY. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Commander, you have, as usual, and you represent a great organization, presented a program here that I am completely in accord with.

I note, on page 9 of your statement, that you say that the Office of Management and Budget sent to Congress a proposal which was aimed directly at making the disabled Vietnam veteran a second-class citizen. I think I can assure you that will never happen as far as this committee is concerned.

When I came into the room today, I met my old friend and a very able man, and a man who worked for many years for the veterans, your past commander, Commander Rondebush. He said something I think made quite an impression on me. He said, "Jim, let's get ahead here. Give us what we need to carry out our programs and let us go home." I agree with that statement thoroughly. Especially, I noted that in the presentation of your national commander, a fine gentleman from the State of South Dakota. I say, let's get through here and let these men go back home because, apparently, from what I can hear from Wounded Knee, they are needed back there.

Thank you very much.

Again, I reiterate that you have presented a real down-to-earth program for the benefit of all of you, which I want to thank you for. Mr. DORN. Thank you. Mr. Hammerschmidt.

Mr. HAMMERSCHMIDT. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Commander Carr, let me congratulate you on a very clear and forceful statement. I think you have set forth very precisely the needs and desires and apprehensions of your members and, second, Commander, I want to commend your organization for the voice of democracy program. Each year I have been impressed, as this whole committee has been for many years, with these young Americans and the attitude of the young winners you bring to Washington, and this program brings to young Americans an outstanding opportunity to express their feelings about this great Nation.

Before I get into the questions I have, I would like to introduce some members on our side that have come in that have been able to get away from their other committees.

First, I would like to introduce a man who really needs no introduction, a man who has served for many years as a ranking member on this committee, Mr. Charles Teague of California.

Mr. TEAGUE of California. Thank you. I know you said, no comments, but I have got to get back. I am in the same position as my cousin Olin, having moved down from the ranking position on this committee, but we have rules of the House that you can't serve as a ranking member or chairman of more than one committee and I am a ranking Republican on the Agriculture Committee. This is a year when we have a vast amount of very important agricultural legislation facing us. Many of you are probably farmers and I hope you understand I have an important assignment there. That is why I was late this morning and have to get back over there to that committee. I do want to say I will continue to cooperate with our new chairman. I can't remember once when I disagreed with Cousin Olin. We have gotten along very well, and I will continue to consult with him as well as the chairman, as well as Mr. Hammerschmidt on mutual problems.

I do want to take the opportunity to welcome members of the California delegation, and now I will ask you if you will excuse me, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. HAMMERSCHMIDT. Then, just for a brief standup introduction, I would like to introduce Chalmers Wylie from Ohio, Bud Hillis from the Fifth District of Indiana, Robert Huber from Michigan's 18th District, James Abnor from the Second District of South Dakota, and Joe Maraziti from New Jersey's 13th District.

Mr. Commander, getting back to your statement, at the top of page 6, you have indicated that you do not know for sure what this administration's national health policy is regarding veterans. I share your confusion as we study the 1974 budget, but I am heartened by a statement by President Nixon, made in June of last year, at the dedication of a VA hospital at Columbia, Mo., and I think, for the record, I should read that statement and it might hearten the VFW to know what he said. It should also put the Office of Management and Budget on warning that the VFW and the President are totally together on this. I would like to read a quote from his statement. President Nixon said at that time:

Fulfilling the Nation's obligation to its veterans is a matter of justice and national honor. Meeting their medical needs is one of our greatest national priorities. To insure that they are met, I intend to maintain and reinforce the independent system of Veterans' Administration health care facilities when and as required.

So I do hope somebody does take note of that.

Mr. CARR. We hope they do, too.

Mr. HAMMERSCHMIDT. Mr. Commander, I refer to page 6 where you quote the disapproval memorandum on H.R. 10880, the omnibus bill vetoed in the last Congress. I suppose the President, as he reviews the Nation's fiscal posture and the line he has to hold on spending, has to consider how all of the citizens are affected, particularly the veterans, as to whether they would be more affected by higher taxes or improving the staff patient ratio in VA hospitals. I do, however, think the veterans programs should be exempt from budget restrictions.

I know that it must be a tremendously difficult job to look at the budget and realize that 75 percent of it is uncontrollable. They only have 25 percent to look at. I suppose that the VA is a tempting spot

to look, as they have $12 or $13 billion in the budget, the third highest, but I reiterate my statement, this isn't where they should cut, this is not where they should look. I think I should clarify the statement made with respect to the President's veto message.

In your statement on page 6, I was concerned that you quote the President as saying:

The bill runs counter to this Administration's national health strategy which would provide national financing mechanisms for health care and sharply reduce the Federal Government's role in the direct provision of services.

Well, I think that, also, for the record, that we do need to look at the total thrust of that sentence. I don't think he is referring to medical care for veterans. He was referring to medical care for dependents, and the sentence in whole reads, "By providing direct medical service to veterans dependents, the bill runs counter to this administration's national health strategy which would provide national financing mechanisms for health care and sharply reduce the Federal Government's role in the direct provision of services." I do understand your apprehension and this might be a foot in the door to you, of transferring the veterans health care program to some national health care strategy, thus diluting the care for veterans, I assure you, I, as a member of this committee, share that apprehension, and I appreciate your pointing it out, but I did want to put the entire sentence in the record.

One other comment, and I will yield to our chairman, Mr. Dorn. The veterans employment service, as you mentioned here do you intend to discuss this matter of funding the new positions with the new Secretary of Labor, Mr. Brennan, commander?

Mr. CARR. Yes, sir, I definitely do. I have a tentative appointment at this time for next week. I am not sure of the confirmation, but we certainly are going to discuss it with him.

Mr. HAMMERSCHMIDT. I urge you to do so. It is my understanding the new Secretary, a veteran himself, is most sympathetic to the veterans employment needs and I hope something constructive comes from your meeting. Once again I do want to commend Mr. Stover and Mr. Holt for the great job they do here in Washington.

Thank you.

Mr. DORN. Thank you, Mr. Hammerschmidt.

Now, I will call on Mr. Dulski, Post Office and Civil Service, one of our great committee chairmen here.

Mr. DULSKI. I do want to commend you, commander, for the very fine statement, very responsible statement.

In reading it, I was very much interested, on page 6, following Mr. Hammerschmidt's comments, "sharply reduce the Federal Government's role in the direct provision of services." I happen to be the chairman of the Post Office and Civil Service Committee. It is the cry of the entire Nation that there is too much politics in the Post Office. Reorganization has occurred. They have relieved many of the standbys of the Post Office, who have worked for 20 to 30 years, and put them out to pasture by the companies they have worked for, and they became members of the Executive Board of the Post Office. I feel, that if we have a good organization, it should be retained. I am sure the administration is very much interested in the veterans' problems. Many of the people in the OMB who are there with that sharp knife are the

same people who have no understanding of veterans' problems. So I want to express my deep concern about the reorganization of the Veterans' Administration in such a way that they have to report to other segments of the administration, such as HEW, or the other Cabinet members.

Chairman DORN. Thank you.

Mr. HAMMERSCHMIDT. I yield to my good friend, "Peggy" Heckler from Massachusetts.

Mrs. HECKLER. I, too, am very, very impressed with your statement, with the thought and work that it exhibits. We cannot argue with these facts. You have amassed a very significant collection of data, and I think you have brought them to the right place. Whether we are Republicans or Democrats, we do care deeply about veterans. I would like to say also that I find the VFW in Massachusetts a very thriving, responsive organization, and I am glad to see the national spirit is equal to what we enjoy in our own State. This is one field where Massachusetts is in line with the rest of the country.

I do like the fact that you are continuing the Voice of Democracy contest. I think it is an extremely significant program. I am impressed by the fact, as I see the award winners, that you are giving equal opportunity to the young women as well as the young men. This pleases me a great deal, as well as the fact that you have brought representatives of the auxiliaries. There couldn't be a successful veterans' post of any kind without a competent auxiliary.

I would like to make just one other comment. Much of the material in your statement will be digested and debated in the committee, as it should be, at length.

There is one point you touched upon, which is of great concern to me, and that is the whole question of the VA hospital system. I think you made some thoughtful criticism, and I will, as one of the members of the hospital subcommittee, pursue them very, very carefully. I think it is terribly important to balance the ledger and acknowledge the benefits of the VA hospital system.

With the permission of our excellent new chairman-who, in time, will, I am sure, equal Mr. Teague, who is a superstar-I did visit some VA hospitals in California recently. I witnessed, firsthand, one of the most significant medical breakthroughs, which offers so much hope for both veterans and nonveterans. This new procedure, known as Bio-Feed-Back, is a procedure whereby an individual is able, with the assistance of a machine and electrodes, to gain control of his autonomic nerves, his muscles, and by the use of a machine to control body temperature. I learned how to develop a higher and a lower temperature. I learned also, how, with another machine, and the electrodes, to control the brain waves. There was a variation of this machine, used in a display, presumably for children, but which actually intrigued all of the adults. It was a little train set in which the subject would sit in a chair with electrodes on his head and connected to a monitor.

The monitor was connected to the train, this child's train. When the subject sitting in the chair achieved what is called "outward waves," the train moved. When the individual's mind wondered and went to a different brain wave, the train stopped. Here was human electricity actually generating power to move this little train. I saw the same

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