Washington Letter
(From a Special Correspondent)April 18, 1949.
Republican National Health Bill Introduced
Senators Taft (Ohio), Smith (New Jersey) and Donnell (Missouri), Republicans, on April 14 introduced S. 1581, a national health bill that will be pitted against the proposed compulsory health insurance program of the Truman administration. Introduction of the Republican measure followed by one day Senator Taft's warning that the party must support health, education and housing legislation or go out of existence. Following are the major provisions of S. 1581:It establishes a National Health Agency, uniting under one head—who would be a doctor of medicine appointed by the President—the U. S. Public Health Service, the Food and Drug Administration, St. Elizabeth's Hospital and health functions now performed by the Social Security Administration. This provision was taken, with few changes, from S. 545, which the same sponsors introduced in 1947.
Federal funds totaling $5,000,000,