Evening star., 1956-03-27
Spencer Appeals
For Full Amount
Of U. S. Payment
BY HAROLD B. ROGERS

The District Commissioners
today asked the Senate Appro-
Ipriations Committee to restore
to supplemental appropriation
bill 50 million cut from the Fed.
Ieral payment toward the Dis
Itrict for this fiscal year ending
June 80.
Commissioner Samuel Spencer
outlined the reasons why the
city needs the full $40 million
Federal payment for this fiscal
year.
AS the city approaches the
end of the fiscal year, it has a
Federal payment of only $1S
million appropriated by Con-
gresS for this year instead of
the previously authorized $40
million Federal payment.
Commissioner Spencer EN-.
Iphasized that several obliga-
tions faced the District. Among
these he said were the extra
expenditures to meet pay in.
creaseS for city employees Or
dered by Congress.
Moral Obligations"
Furthermore, he told the Ap-
preparations Committee headed
by Chairman Hayden, Democrat
OF Arizona, Congress has a
moral obligation" to carry for
ward the congressionally-au.
thorized long-range public works
program for the national Cap
Iital.
Senator Hayden asked the
Commissioner when the next Of
f1cial report on the District
Governments revenue would be
available. The committee ap.
parently wanted these latest fig.
ures before it acts on the plea
for restoration of the 50 mil
lion.
When Mr.. Spencer said such
figures would be ready April 4,
the Senator asked that the COM
plete report be filed with the Ap-
preparations Committee. The
Commissioner promised to file it
when available.
In addition to his oral state
ment to justify the need for the
50 million, the Commissioner
also filed an eight-page docu-
ment outlining the history Of
the Federal payment to the city
and going into detail about why
a substantial participation by
the Federal Government in its
national capital was needed.
Restoring of $4,000 Asked
Also, city officials asked for
restoration of an item of $40, 900
cut by the House from the same
supplemental appropriation bill
for payment to eight private
hospitals for the care of indi-
gent patients.
Explaining this item to the
Senate group was DR.. Frederick
C. Heath, deputy director of
Public Health.
The House Appropriations
Committee and later the House
explained they had cut the
medical charity item to $4,000
because this amount would make
available a total Of 81 million
during this fiscal year. DIR.
Heath contended that the $20,-
900 was still needed.
The District Government dele
cation at the hearing included
the three Commissioners, Schuy-
Ter Lowe, Director of Admins
tration. Budget Officer Walter
L Fowler and Deputy Budget
Officer William G. Wilding.
2 Other Bills Pending
The supplemental bill, carry.
ing about $9.5 million for va
rious District expenses this fiscal
year, is entirely separate from
two other important money bills
for the District still pending in
Congress. One of these is the
annual appropriation bill for the
District of Columbia, which has
passed the House and is now
before the Senate Appropria-
tionS Subcommittee on the Dis
trict. Hearings on this measure
will be held after the Easter
recess Of Congress.
A second big money bill is the
revenue measure which passed
the Senate yesterday and was
scheduled to go to conference
between House and Senate today
to resolve differences between
the two versions passed by the
House and Senate.