The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much. The committee is sorry, Dr. Teague, we have not been able to get to you today. Are you going to be here overnight? Dr. TEAGUE. I can, sir. My statement is less than 10 minutes long. The CHAIRMAN. I know, but the bells have already rung for the second round. We have gone as far as we can today, I am sorry. Dr. TEAGUE. I will stay over. The CHAIRMAN. We will hear you the first thing in the morning. The committee will adjourn until 10 o'clock tomorrow morning, at which time Dr. Teague will be the first witness. Thank you again, gentlemen, and let me compliment you on your fine statements. (Whereupon, at 12:15 p.m., the committee recessed to reconvene at 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 11, 1964.) EXTENSION AND REVISION OF HILL-BURTON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 1964 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON INTERSTATE AND FOREIGN COMMERCE, Washington, D.C. The committee met at 10 a.m., pursuant to recess, in room 1334, Longworth Building, Hon. Oren Harris (chairman of the committee) presiding. The CHAIRMAN. The committee will come to order. Our first witness this morning is our colleague from New Jersey, the Honorable Edward J. Patten. Mr. Patten, we will be glad to hear you at this time. STATEMENT OF HON. EDWARD J. PATTEN, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY Mr. PATTEN. Mr. Chairman and members of the House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee, there is an urgent need throughout the Nation for modernizing existing hospital facilities. Many hospitals, particularly those in large cities, require modernization, but lack the funds to implement their plans. Since the modernization projects often involve heavy expenditures, the Federal Government should authorize and appropriate adequate funds to satisfy modernization needs. The modernization projects now eligible under the Hill-Burton program amount to little. This program should be greatly expanded and liberalized. I strongly urge the Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee of the House of Representatives to authorize $340 million for Federal aid for modernizing hospitals, instead of the $160 million recommended in H.R. 10041. Even the $340 million advocated by Secretary Celebrezze recently would not satisfy the modernization requirements of our hospitals, but $160 million would be even more inadequate. A 5-year modernization program of Federal grants, ranging from one-third to two-thirds, would enable many hospitals to replace some of their obsolete facilities and improve operating efficiency and patient comfort. There are many hospitals in the State of New Jersey that would welcome Federal aid of this kind. To illustrate how pressing this problem is, Lloyd B. Wescott, president of the State Board of Control of Institutions and Agencies of New Jersey, recently stated: There are old hospitals desperately in need of modernization. These hospitals by and large carry heavy indigent loads and unlike hospitals in suburban or newely developing areas, find it increasingly hard to secure contributions. 30-883-64- -11 155 This is the time to demonstrate our concern for the mounting financial plight of the aging hospitals of this growing Nation, and also the time to show our desire to help them achieve modernization, so that their patients, staffs, and communities will benefit. I also recommend that H.R. 10041 include the nondiscriminatory wording suggested by Secretary Celebrezze, "without discrimination on account of race, creed, or color." There should be absolutely no doubt about a hospital constructed or modernized with Hill-Burton funds accepting any person, regardless of race, creed, or color. H.R. 10041 would eliminate the "separate but equal" wording in the present act, but I prefer the suggested wording of the administration over the proposed bill. The CHAIRMAN. Are there any questions? If not, we thank you for your testimony, Mr. Patten. Mr. PATTEN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. I observe this morning the presence of our colleague from Georgia, Mr. Weltner. We are glad to have you with us this morning. I personally have known of your interest in this program for some time. We appreciate it. Do you have a statement that you wish to make for the record? STATEMENT OF HON. CHARLES L. WELTNER, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF GEORGIA Mr. WELTNER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I was here to introduce at the proper time my constituent, Charles Emmerich, from De Kalb County, Ga. I understand the scheduling is necessarily determined by the other business of the House today. I did wish to introduce Mr. Emmerich to the committee, and, as his representative, simply to state that he is a man who is well versed in county affairs. I am sure that this committee is familiar with his many talents along those lines. The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much. We are committed to Dr. Teague as the first witness. He was scheduled yesterday, and we held him over. I understand that his presentation will not take very long, after which we shall be glad to have you present Mr. Emmerich. Mr. WELTNER. Thank you, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Dr. Russell E. Teague. Dr. Teague is Commissioner of Health from Frankfort, Ky. Dr. Teague, I am sorry that we were unable to get to you yesterday. You observed the situation. STATEMENT OF DR. RUSSELL E. TEAGUE, COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH, STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, FRANKFORT, KY. Dr. TEAGUE. I was very glad to stay over, sir. The CHAIRMAN. We hope we have not inconvenienced you too much. We do appreciate your interest in this program, and would be glad to have your testimony. Dr. TEAGUE. Thank you, sir. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, my name is Dr. Russell E. Teague. I am commissioner of health of the Kentucky State Department of Health. In addition to a degree in medicine, I have a degree in public health. I have had 9 years' experience in my present capacity. I have also served in public health programs as a county health officer, as the chief executive officer of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, and with the U.S. Public Health Service. I appear before you today, as I have previously, as the representative of, and to present the views and opinions of, the American Public Health Association. It is my privilege to serve as chairman of that association's committee on public policy and legislation. This committee reviews the policies of the association, including those which bear upon both Federal and State legislation, then presents recommendations to the executive board and to the governing council of our association, where the will of the majority decides what shall be the position of the American Public Health Association. I am proud to represent the world's largest association of public health workers, with over 14,000 members and with in excess of 25,000 additional members of State-affiliated public health associations. These members, dedicated to public service in both official and voluntary health agencies, serve not only in home communities but with State and national organizations. I believe that it would not be unduly immodest to suggest that our association's members represent a degree of competence which makes our suggestions of some value on the question now before this committee. The American Public Health Association is a longtime supporter of the hospital construction, the Hill-Burton program. Our support stems from a firsthand realization of the program's contribution to the bettered health of our Nation, a commodity too often taken for granted and one to which we, along with you, are committed. This contribution has been manifested in a number of different ways, including not only the added general hospitals, tuberculosis hospitals, and mental hospitals, but public health centers, public health laboratory facilities, and rehabilitation facilities. And there have resulted new chronic-disease hospitals and nursing homes, especially vital necessities as medical capabilities to preserve life become ever more sophisticated. No simple reciting of pertinent figures really tells the story; over $6 billion expended, the construction of almost 300,000 hospital and nursing-home beds, nearly 1,000 public health centers, or 29 State public health laboratories, or 551 diagnostic and treatment centers, or 272 rehabilitation centers; or that 224,000 general-hospital beds have resulted, along with 18,000 beds in mental hospitals, of 7,200 beds in tuberculosis hospitals, or 14,000 beds for chronic diseases, or 26,000 beds in nursing homes. These, and the many more statistics which could be authentically cited, are essentially without meaning unless you are that person who has been relieved of pain or disability, where a few years ago there was no hospital; or where by having a hospital, with its attendant medical compentencies close at hand, meant the difference between life and death; or who, but a few years ago, went to a tuberculosis hospital with a chance to live instead of just staying home to infect your family with this dread disease; or the one who, previously, had no alternative but to see a family member suffering some mental illness go to a mental hospital hopelessly overcrowded; or that person whose aged mother or father needs care beyond that which your family can provide, and |