Letter to the President of the Senate and to the Speaker of the House
Transmitting Bills Implementing the Message on Health and Hospital Care.
February 24, 1961

 
Dear Mr. ----------------:
     I am transmitting herewith two drafts of legislation to carry out recommendations I made in my message to the Congress on February ninth.
 The first bill would, when enacted, increase opportunities for training physicians, dentists and professional public health personnel. These are the keystones of any health program. Yet we are not presently training enough even to keep pace with our growing population. The enclosed proposal will enable us to narrow substantially our current deficit in this area.
     The other bill which I am transmitting will help expand and improve community facilities and services for the health care of the aged and other persons. It will make possible a substantial addition to the number of nursing home facilities to care for longterm patients and it will help relieve the shortages of home health care programs.
     The enclosed letters from the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare describe the two proposals in more detail. I commend this legislation to you.
      Sincerely,

JOHN F. KENNEDY


NOTE: This is the text of identical letters addressed to the Honorable Lyndon B. Johnson, President of the Senate, and to the Honorable Sam Rayburn, Speaker of the House of Representatives.
    Secretary Ribicoff's letters, dated February 24, 1961, and the draft bills were released with the President's letter.