Letter from President Harry S. Truman to Senator James E. Murray, with Internal Memoranda

75/2/46 286-A april 30,1946 Dear Senator Murray: It has been most gratifying to observe the deep interest displayed and the progress nade by the Senate Education and Labor Committee under your x419 Chairmanship in the conduct of the hearings on S. 1606, the bill designed to give legislative effect to a large part of the National Henlth Message which I submitted to the Congress on November 9, 1945. In providing generally for medical and hospital services under s. 1606, it is intended that these most essential and valuable benefits be within *286-B the reach of those persons who are not eligible for medical and hospital services under existing laws and be afforded to sone persons alreedy eligible therefor, in whole or in part, who for various practical reasons do net have such services made readily available. The latter aspect of the program is deserving of special attention to remove any doubts as to the real effects intended by the proposed legislation. It 1s not intended that existing programs of medical and hospital services are to be supplanted. For example, it is not intended that our x190-A obligations to veterans for medical and hospital care shall be changed or impaired in either service connected or non-service connected cases. The 1 special provisions for veterans under laws administered by the Veterans' x8 Administration reflect our nation's gratitude for their services and I urge that when the bill emerges from your Committee it provide in explicit x419-B terms for the preservation of medical and hospital services under laws administered by the Veterans' Administration. # A Metional Health progrem such as I have recommended, and as envisaged in 8. 1606, would make it possible for persons to get complete medical and hospitel services locally. As to veterans the program would merely provide additional means of securing medical and hospital care. Veterans with non-service connected disabilities, in common with others, would becone entitled to out-patient treatment. As to persons eligible under other laws, particularly veterans, the program under S. 1606 would include the families of such persons for complete medical and hospital services which benefit is not now available to them. I have conferred with the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs and the Federol Security Administrator and they ahare in my convictions. x7 Sincerely yours, Honorable James E. Murray S. TRUMAN Henry J.Trumm United States Senate Washington, D. c. x103 x286