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7342553
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Remarks of the President at the Veteran's Administration Center Hospital, Bay Pines, Florida [Ford Speech or Statement]
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7342553
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Remarks of the President at the Veteran's Administration Center Hospital, Bay Pines, Florida [Ford Speech or Statement]
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White House Press Releases (Ford Administration)
Press Releases
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1976-02-14
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1976
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Digitized from Box 21 of the White House Press Releases at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FEBRUARY 14, 1976-
OFFICE OF THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY
(St, Petersburg, Florida)
THE WHITE HOUSE
REMARKS OF THE PRESIDENT
AT THE
VETERAN'S ADMINISTRATION
CENTER HOSPITAL
BAY PINES, FLORIDA
1:07 P.M. EST
Bill, Mr. Haile, Dr. Burke and all of you wonderful
people:
Let me reiterate what Bill Young said -- Happy
Valentine. I hope you have many, many more.
I have spent a good many hours with Bill Young,
talking about Bay Pines. When I was in the House of Repre-
sentatives, Bill kept telling me about the great need, and
I was also pushed a little bit by Skip Bafalis and Lou Frey
and the rest of the Florida delegation.
So, when I became Vice President, the desire on
the part of Bill and all of his colleagues was even greater
and, as a result of their interest -- and to some extent,
my effort -- we undertook a very comprehensive study,
not only of this facility but seven other veteran's
hospitals where the need was quite obvious.
The report that has been developed over the last
month is going to be submitted to me officially within the
next week or SO. I have been briefed by not only Bill
and the others, but with the knowledge that I have had
in the past, when I was coming to St. Petersburg, I decided
that rather than to rely on just some words on a piece of
paper that I wanted to come out and see you and to see the
facility and learn firsthand what the circumstances are.
On the way down, I was talking to the Director
of the Office of Management and Budget -- you know he
controls all the money (Laughter) -- and I said that if I
found conditions the way I understood them to be, we had to
get going on Bay Pines.
It is obvious that there is a tremendous need.
You have an unbelievable high veteran's population in
this part of Florida. You have, as I understand it, a
very high age category among veterans.
MORE
Page 2
So, with the combination of the circumstances,
plus the need to construct a new modern facility, I don't
think you are going to be too disappointed with the
kind of results that you are going to get.
Let me, if I might, pay tribute to the doctors
and the directors and the personnel that try to do a first-
class job for the veterans here. I understand you have
about 600 beds, the new one would be some 900, and you would
end up with not only this facility modernized, but a new
facility up to the highest standards.
But, I know that not only the doctors that you
have and the personnel that serve you, but the many veteran's
organizations that come out and try to be helpful -- the
wives, veterans themselves -- this is a great aid and
assist, I know, to all of you who are unfortunately in the
hospital.
But, we have a tremendous program that started
two years ago, to upgrade the facilities and quality care
in VA hospitals.
Last year, in January, when I submitted the budget
for the VA, I added $404 million to carry out the recommen-
dations that we had to have more people, we had to have
more equipment, and in addition, I recommended -- and we
are trying to achieve it -- some 7,000 more personnel for
the 180 some hospitals under VA jurisdiction.
But, even that program was not enough, and in the
budget that I submitted in January of this year, we added
another 1,700 more people to help achieve quality care for
our veterans in every one of the 180 some VA hospitals.
What I am really saying is our country owes a
tremendous debt of gratitude to the veterans who have
fought for freedom and liberty for 215 million Americans.
With the help of the VA, the American Legion and
the AMVETS, and all of the other organizations, and
with the help of the people in the Executive Branch of the
Government, with the help of the people in the Congress, we
are going to make certain that quality care is given to
every veteran who fought for America in our military conflicts.
Good luck and God bless you.
END
(AT 1:14 P.M. EST)