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1252848
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5/7/76 - Remarks at Groundbreaking Ceremonies for Archbishop Bergan Mercy Hospital, Omaha, Nebraska
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1252848
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document
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5/7/76 - Remarks at Groundbreaking Ceremonies for Archbishop Bergan Mercy Hospital, Omaha, Nebraska
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collections
President's Speeches and Statements Reading Copies (Ford Administration)
Reading Copies of Presidential Speeches and Statements
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Nebraska
Speeches, addresses, etc.
Hospitals
Presidential birthplaces
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1252848
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7
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1976-05-07
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5
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1976
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7
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1976-05-07
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5
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1976
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The original documents are located in Box 31, "5/7/76 - Remarks at Groundbreaking
Ceremonies for Archbishop Bergan Mercy Hospital, Omaha, Nebraska" of the President's
Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies 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. Gerald Ford 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States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.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 31 of President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
THE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Archbishop Bergan Mercy Hospital
- Thank you, Sister Mary Kieran
- Archbishop Sheehan
- Senator Hruska
- Senator Curtis
- Secretary Butz
- Mayor Zorinsky (Omaha)
- Distinguished Guests
- Ladies and Gentlemen
YOU KNOW, I CAN'T HELP BUT SAY THIS --
A LOT OF PEOPLE THESE DAYS ARE SAYING THAT NOTHING GOOD EVER
COMES OUT OF WASHINGTON, D.C.
=
WHEN YOU HAVE A TORNADO OR A FLOOD OR AN
EARTHQUAKE, IT'S NICE TO KNOW THAT SOMEBODY IN THE
Washington
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CARES
-1-
ON MY WAY HERE THIS AFTERNOON, I VISITED THE SITE
OF THE HOUSE WHERE I WAS BORN, AT 32nd AND WOOLWORTH.
AS IT IS FOR ANYONE WHO REVISITS THE SCENE OF HIS EARLY
CHILDHOOD, THE VISIT WAS A MOVING EXPERIENCE
-2-
MIXED WITH THE NOSTALGIA WAS A NEW APPRECIATION FOR
HAVING BEEN BORN IN THIS WONDERFUL PART OF THE COUNTRY
-3-
THANKS TO THE GENEROSITY OF THE PEOPLE OF OMAHA,
THE SITE WHERE THE HOUSE ONCE STOOD IS BEING TRANSFORMED
INTO A GARDEN TO MARK THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE FIRST NAT IVE
OF NEBRASKA TO SERVE AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
-4-
THAT'S CERTAINLY A RECORD I NEVER EXPECTED TO ESTABLISH
WHEN I LEFT THIS CITY FOR MICHIGAN AT THE RIPE OLD AGE
OF A YEAR AND A HALF
I AM DEEPLY HONORED BY THE THOUGHTFULNESS
OF THE PEOPLE OF OMAHA IN PRESERVING THIS SITE
-5-
MY REAL PURPOSE IN BEING HERE,
THOUGH
IS TO
HONOR THE COURAGE AND RESOURCEFULNESS OF A GREAT NUMBER
OF OTHER NEBRASKANS
-6-
JUST ONE YEAR AND A DAY AGO , DISASTER STRUCK
OMAHA IN THE PATH OF A DEVASTATING TORNADO
ARCHBISHOP
BERGAN MERCY HOSPITAL WAS STRUCK WITH ITS FULL FORCE
BUT
/
MIRACULOUSLY
NONE OF THE 900 PATIENTS AND STAFF
MEMBERS INSIDE THE HOSPITAL WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED
-7-
THE SISTERS OF MERCY AND THE HOSPITAL STAFF
MEMBERS SHOWED GREAT COURAGE AND HEROISM IN EVACUATING
THE SELF-CARE UNIT BEFORE IT WAS WRECKED AND MOVING PATIENTS
INTO THE SAFETY OF THE MAIN BUILDING
-8-
IT WAS A TRULY MAGNIFICENT JOB OF RESPONDING
TO THE RAVAGES OF THE WORST STORM EVER TO HIT OMAHA
THROUGHOUT THE CITY PEOPLE BROUGHT ORDER TO THE CHAOTIC
SITUATION
\
PROVIDED FOR THE INJURED AND HOMELESS
-
AND CLEANED UP THE DAMAGED SECTIONS OF THE CITY
-9-
I FIRST HEARD ABOUT THE TORNADO DIRECTLY FROM
SENATOR HRUSKA AND CONGRESSMAN JOHN McCOLLISTER
TWO MEMBERS OF YOUR FINE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION
-10-
FEDERAL DISASTER RELIEF WAS ON THE WAY WITHIN 24 HOURS
AND NOW THE REBUILDING OF THE DAMAGED AREAS IS so COMPLETE
,
IT IS DIFFICULT TO FIND ANY SIGN THAT A TORNADO EVER PASSED
THROUGH HERE
-II-
YOU SHOULD BE PROUD OF YOUR SELF-SUFFICIENCY
AND YOUR COMMUNITY SPIRIT
-12-
YOU ARE PREPARING NOW , NOT ONLY TO REBUILD
FROM THE RUINS OF A MAJOR DISASTER -- BUT TO EXPAND ON
THIS SITE
THIS GROUND BREAKING IN ITSELF IS AN ACT OF
COURAGE AND OF FAITH -- TWO QUALITIES THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN
IN SHORT SUPPLY IN THE STATE OF NEBRASKA
-13-
THE NEW EAST TOWER WHICH WILL RISE FROM THIS
SITE WILL BE MORE THAN AN INSTITUTION OF HEALTH CARE --
IT WILL BE AN INSPIRATION TO ALL THE CITIZENS OF OMAHA
IT WILL SYMBOLIZE YOUR STRENGTH.
YOUR COMPASSION
YOUR SOPHISTICATION,
AND YOUR RISING AMBITION
-14-
IN MORE PRACTICAL TERMS, , IT WILL SERVE YOUR
COMMUNITY WITH NURSING CARE OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY FOR
OLDER CITIZENS IN THE OMAHA AREA
-15-
ALL OF US KNOW THAT IT TAKES MONEY --
AND LOTS OF IT -- TO BUILD A FACILITY LIKE THE EAST TOWER,
MONEY TO MAINTAIN IT, TO STAFF IT, AND TO PROVIDE THE
PROFESSIONAL CARE THAT IS NEEDED so MUCH
-16-
AS A RESULT, , MEDICAL TREATMENT
ESPECIALLY FOR THE ELDERLY
CAN BE A VERY EXPENSIVE
PROPOSITION
-17-
IF AN OLDER PERSON HAS TO STAY IN A HOSPITAL OR NURSING HOME
OR UNDER A DOCTOR'S CARE FOR A VERY LONG TIME IT CAN PUT
AN INCREDIBLE STRAIN ON A LIFETIME'S SAVINGS AND ON THE
PEACE OF MIND OF THE PATIENT AND LOVED ONES ALIKE
-18-
BEING IN POOR HEALTH FOR A LONG TIME IS BAD
ENOUGH WITHOUT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT THE RUINOUS ECONOMIC
EFFECT OF A LONG-TERM ILLNESS
I HAVE A PLAN TO ENSURE
THAT OLDER AMERICANS WILL RECEIVE THE MEDICAL AND HOSPITAL
CARE THEY NEED
WITHOUT GOING BROKE IN THE PROCESS
-19-
UNDER MY PLAN, , MEDICARE PATIENTS IN HOSPITALS
OR NURSING HOMES WOULD NEVER HAVE TO PAY MORE THAN
500 DOLLARS A YEAR FOR MEDIAL CARE \ OR TEN PERCENT OF THEIR
TOTAL HOSPITAL BILLS, WHICHEVER IS LESS
-20-
FOR COVERED DOCTOR'S SERVICES, THE MAXIMUM WOULD BE
250 DOLLARS OR 20 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL, WHICHEVER
IS LESS
MEDICARE WOULD PAY THE REST, WHETHER IT COSTS
1,000 DOLLARS OR 10,000 DOLLARS OR 50,000 DOLLARS
-21-
I WANT TO SEE AMERICA'S OLDER CITIZENS
LIVE THEIR LIVES IN DIGNITY AND SECURITY AND IN THE
BEST POSSIBLE HEALTH
so DO THE SISTERS OF MERCY,
WHO HAVE GIVEN MORE THAN A CENTURY OF SERVICE TO THE SICK
AND DISABLED IN AMERICA
-22-
THEY HAVE SHOWN COUNTLESS TIMES THAT THE QUALITY OF MERCY
BLESSES BOTH THOSE WHO RECEIVE IT AND THOSE WHO GIVE IT
-23-
THE REBUILDING OF YOUR CITY AND THE EXPANSION OF
THE ARCHBISHOP BERGAN MERCY HOSPITAL EXEMPLIFIES ANOTHER
IMPORTANT TRAIT THAT I AM PROUD OF AS AN AMERICAN --
OUR CONTINUING FAITH IN OUR AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE
-24-
THE FEARS OF INFLATION AND UNEMPLOYMENT
so STRONG 0 A YEAR AGO
PROVIDED
ANOTHER CHALLENGE.
AS WE HAVE SEEN so OFTEN IN THE HISTORY OF OUR NATION
THE THREAT OF ADVERSITY MERELY UNCOVERED NEW RESERVOIRS
OF STRENGTH AND RESOURCEFULLNESS
-25-
YOU HAVE NOT ONLY REPAIRED THE DAMAGE
FOLLOWING A DISASTER -- YOU HAVE BUILT NEWER AND
BETTER FACILITIES FOR A NEWER AND BETTER COMMUNITY
-26-
Il
THE FEELING OF CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE THAT I SEE
BEING REKINDLED ALL ACROSS AMERICA IS NO BETTER DEMONSTRATED
THAN RIGHT HERE IN OMAHA -- ON THIS SITE WHERE THE RAVAGES
OF THE PAST HAVE so CONFIDENTLY BEEN REPLACED WITH OUR
BEST HOPES FOR THE FUTURE
END OF TEXT