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Ford Press Releases - Health, 1968-1973
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4525544
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Ford Press Releases - Health, 1968-1973
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Gerald R. Ford Congressional Papers
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1973-09-30
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1973
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The original documents are located in Box D8, folder "Ford Press Releases - Health, 1968-
1973" of the Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R.
Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. The Council donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Digitized from Box D8 of The Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
Statement by Rep. Gerald R. Ford re: Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968
For Fifth District News Media
A greater opportunity to meet hospital construction needs has opened up for
Kent and Ionia County communities as a result of legislation I sponsored in the
90th Congress.
A bill I introduced in April 1967 has been enacted as part of the 1968
Housing and Urban Development Act, just approved by Congress. This legislation
makes FHA-type loans available for hospital construction by insuring the mortgages
of nonprofit hospitals.
The federally-insured mortgage also may be used to cover the cost of major
items of equipment needed to operate the hospital.
Community leaders in Grand Rapids tell me that hospital construction needs
there will total an estimated $35 million over the next 10 years. It was at
their urging that I drafted and sponsored the FHA-loans hospital construction
bill. I managed to keep it in the omnibus housing bill only by exerting every
possible effort.
This new program of FHA-type loans for hospital construction will not supplant
the familiar Hill-Burton program of federal grants for such projects. It will
supplement Hill-Burton. It recognizes the fact that funds for hospital construc-
tion are in constantly short supply and that, nationwide, there is a minimum
need for an estimated $3.7 billion worth of hospital facilities.
My program fills an unmet need. Nonprofit hospitals have found mortgage
lenders reluctant to provide construction loans on such terms that the loan could
be paid back without an undue increase in hospital charges and fees. My program
will make longterm mortgage financing possible for nonprofit hospitals.
I believe communities in Michigan and throughout the United States will
benefit in improved health care as a result of this new program.
The new Housing Act also contains another provision of special interest
in Kent and Ionia Counties. It establishes a national flood insurance program
which will make flood insurance available to families and small businessmen in
areas frequently troubled with flooding.
(more)
-2-
The people of Grandville may be among the first to become eligible for this
new flood insurance because the Army Corps of Engineers has already completed a
study of Grandville as a "flood-prone area."
The flood insurance coverage will be limited to one-to-four family
residential properties and to smaller businesses such as the typical neighborhood
family enterprise.
The insurance will be a joint venture between the Federal Government and the
private insurance industry. The Government will make payments to the participating
insurance companies in high flood-loss years, and the companies in turn will pay
the Government a premium in low flood-loss years.
The Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 is landmark legislation.
There are some features I do not like, but on balance the pluses outweigh the
minuses.
The main thrust of the bill is a new Republican concept which enlists
private resources to help provide decent homes for more than six million
American families now living in slums or dilapidated rural dwellings.
The measure will establish the National Home Ownership Foundation which was
conceived by Sen. Charles Percy, R-I11., and supported by me. Eventually it
should attract many billions in private funds into low-cost housing and
rehabilitation.
There are 13 million American families with incomes under $5,000 a year.
They represent 28 per cent of all the families in the country. Not all of them
live in unsatisfactory quarters, but the latest housing survey shows that
6,353,000 housing units in America are substandard. These units should be
replaced or renovated.
I think we should help those who cannot decently house themselves, making
certain that housing produced with Government assistance be devoted only to
low-income families. And the major emphasis must be on federal guarantees,
guidance and support rather than on big federal outlays.
But we must help slum dwellers and the rural poor obtain decent housing.
We must act if we are to build a sound future for all Americans.
# # #
nither
U. S. HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVES
REPUBLICAN POLICY
COMMITTEE
REP. JOHN J. RHODES, (R.-ARIZ.) CHAIRMAN
1616 LONGWORTH HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING
TELEPHONE 225-6168
10
93rd Congress
September 10, 1973
First Session
Statement No. 19
HOUSE REPUBLICAN POLICY COMMITTEE STATEMENT ON S. 504,
THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SYSTEMS ACT OF 1973
The House Republican Policy Committee supports President
Nixon's veto of S. 504, the Emergency Medical Services Systems
Act of 1973.
President Nixon has endorsed the continuance of outpatient and
dental services of all Public Health Service Hospitals. S. 504, however,
mandates the continued operation of inpatient facilities of those PHS
hospitals which are outmoded and serve a rapidly declining patient load.
The transfer of patients into better and more convenient community
hospitals on a contract basis is prohibited by the bill. S. 504 thus
perpetuates antiquated and costly federal facilities at the expense of
better medical care for those patients now served.
The House Republican Policy Committee decries this counter-
productive and wasteful expenditure of federal funds.
The House Republican Policy Committee supports President Nixon's
veto of S. 504, the Emergency Medical Services Systems Act of 1973.
office
THE
-
U. S. HOUSE
REPUBLICAN POLICY
COMMITTEE
OF REPRESENTATIVES
REP. JOHN J. RHODES, (R.-ARIZ.) CHAIRMAN
1616 LONGWORTH HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING
TELEPHONE 225-6168
10
93rd Congress
September 10, 1973
First Session
Statement No. 19
HOUSE REPUBLICAN POLICY COMMITTEE STATEMENT ON S. 504,
THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SYSTEMS ACT OF 1973
The House Republican Policy Committee supports President
Nixon's veto of S. 504, the Emergency Medical Services Systems
Act of 1973.
President Nixon has endorsed the continuance of outpatient and
dental services of all Public Health Service Hospitals. S. 504, however,
mandates the continued operation of inpatient facilities of those PHS
hospitals which are outmoded and serve a rapidly declining patient load.
The transfer of patients into better and more convenient community
hospitals on a contract basis is prohibited by the bill. S. 504 thus
perpetuates antiquated and costly federal facilities at the expense of
better medical care for those patients now served.
The House Republican Policy Committee decries this counter-
productive and wasteful expenditure of federal funds.
The House Republican Policy Committee supports President Nixon's
veto of S. 504, the Emergency Medical Services Systems Act of 1973.