Evening star., 1951-04-13
House Unit Asks
State Payments
IoFreedmen' 5
Committee Cites Core
Given Indigents From
| Maryland, Virginia

The House Appropriations Com
mittee today strongly urged that
efforts be made to get Maryland
and Virginia to pay Freedmen's
Hospital here for the care of indi-
gents from those States.
The recommendation was made
by the committee in sending big
appropriation bill for the Labor
Department and Federal Security
Agency to the House for action.
The committee cut budget esti-
mates for these two agencies by
more than $50 million, recon-
mending appropriations of 5000
billion for both for the next fiscal
year.
The committee declared the Dis
trict government pays about $40O,-
600 a year into the Federal Treas
ury for the care of indigents from
this city at Freedmen's. But the
nearby States pay nothing.
14% From Both States.
OF the total admissions to the
hospital, approximately 10 per cent
are indigents from Maryland and
per cent are indigents from Vir-
glnla. the committee said.
Explaining that hospital off,
cials were exploring the possibility
OF getting the two States to pay.
the committee urged that these
negotiations be pursued" A re-
port on this will be expected next
year, the committee declared.
The committee recommended
$2.9 million for Freedmen's, a re-
duction of $80.5OO below the esti-
mate. but an increase of $311 500
over this years appropriations.
Funds for Research Center.
For the huge Clinical Research
Center for the National Institutes
OF Health now under construction
near Bethesda, Md, the committee
recommended $1769 million to
continue construction. The prof.
ect, estimated to cost eventually
about $50 million, is expected to
oe open for operation late in 1852
or early in 1858.
Progress in the use of sodium
fluoride in protecting the teeth of
children has spread to about $50
communities throughout the
country, the committee reported
FluoridatiOn Issue Pending.
The issue of whether the Dis
trict should fluoridate its water
supply is still pending.
The Appropriations Committee
IN the interests of economy. re-
duced the appropriation for Pub |
lie Health Service mobile units to
demonstrate the value of this
water treatment. But it left in |
the bill enough money to operate
III units in additional communi- /
ties.
st. ElizabethS Hospital was given |
S2.l3 million in the bill for partial
support OF the institution, an in
crease of $130.000 above this years
total. The increase was princi-
pally for pay raises and increased
costs of supplies.
School Building Funds.
Nearby Maryland and Virginia
communities would benefit from
funds recommended in the bill to
aid their school construction and
maintenance. because of the i'm
pact OF the increased Federal en-
ployeS and their families.
The committee approved the
full budget estimate for these two
purposes nationally for next fiscal
year in the sum of $103 million
The ALLEGATION to nearby States
is to be calculated on the basis
OF complicated formula. The
Federal aid is being extended as
result of two laws enacted last
September.
The District would benefit un-
der Federal aid to hospital con-
Struction for which the commit
tee recommended nationally SITS
million to implement the Govern
ment's so-called Hill-Burton hos
pital program.
For the operation of Howard
University the committee recon-
mended $3.8 million and for the
Columbia Institution for the Deaf
here, 100000.