Hon. SAM RAYBURN, Speaker of the House of Representatives. THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, DEAR MR. SPEAKER: Attached is a letter addressed to you by the Acting Secretary of the Navy recommending the enactment of a proposed draft of legislation, also attached, bearing the title "To amend the act to authorize the construction of experimental submarines, and for other purposes, approved May 16, 1947." This legislation has been approved for inclusion in the National Military Establishment legislative program for the Eighty-first Congress, first session, and responsibility for handling it on behalf of the establishment has been placed in the Department of the Navy. Sincerely yours, Attachment. LOUIS JOHNSON. THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY, The Honorable SAM RAYBURN, DEAR MR. SPEAKER: There is transmitted herewith a proposed draft of a bill to amend the act to authorize the construction of experimental submarines, and for other purposes, approved May 16, 1947. The purpose of the bill is to remove the limit of $30,000,000 on the cost of the two experimental submarines authorized by the act of May 16, 1947 (61 Stat. 96). At the time this cost limit was established only the rudimentary characteristics of the submarines in question were available. Primarily due to increases in the cost of labor and material, present estimates, based on a more definite conception of the ultimate design of these vessels, exceed the above limit by approximately 50 percent. Without the removal of the limit, therefore, it will be impossible to complete the submarines with the required characteristics. The estimated cost of this legislation is $10,500,000. The Navy Department has been designated by the Office of the Secretary of Defense to sponsor this proposal on behalf of the National Military Establishment and accordingly recommends its enactment. This report has been coordinated within the National Military Establishment in accordance with procedures prescribed by the Secretary of Defense. The Navy Department has been advised by the Bureau of the Budget that the proposed bill is in accord with the program of the President. Sincerely yours, W. JOHN KENNEY, Acting Secretary of the Navy. In compliance with paragraph 2a of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by the bill are shown as follows (existing law in which no change is made is in roman, new language is in italics, and that part which is omitted by black brackets): ACT OF MAY 16, 1947, TITLE 34 U. S. C. 489, Cн. 69, 61 STAT. 96 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, notwithstanding the provisions of the Act of February 18, 1946 (Public Law 301, Seventy-ninth Congress, chapter 30, second session), or any other provision of law enacted prior to the date of approval of this Act, the Secretary of the Navy is authorized and directed to undertake the construction of approximately four thousand displacement tons of submarine vessels for experimental purposes in order to guide the future design and construction of such vessels: Provided, That the cost of the vessels, the construction of which is authorized by this Act, shall not exceed [$30,000,000 $41,000,000. PROVIDING FOR APPOINTMENT OF FEMALE DOCTORS AND SPECIALISTS IN THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY MAY 18, 1949.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. DURHAM, from the Committee on Armed Services, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 4384] The Committee on Armed Services, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 4384) to provide for the appointment of female doctors and specialists in the Medical Department of the Army, and for other purposes, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. The amendment is as follows: Strike out all after the enacting clause and substitute for the deleted portion, the following: That all laws or parts of laws, which now or hereafter authorize appointment of commissioned officers in each of the several Corps of the Medical Department of the Regular Army, shall be construed to include authority to appoint female personnel thereunder and, except as otherwise specifically provided therein, all laws and parts of laws now or hereafter applicable to commissioned officers and former commissioned officers of the Regular Army and to their dependents and beneficiaries, shall, in like cases, be applicable to commissioned female officers so appointed and to their dependents and beneficiaries: Provided, That the husbands of female officers of the Regular Army shall not be considered dependents unless they are in fact dependent on their wives for their chief support, and the children of such officers shall not be considered dependents unless their father is dead or they are in fact dependent on their mother for their chief support: Provided further, That the Secretary of the Army, under the circumstances and in accordance with regulations prescribed by the President, may terminate the commission of any officer appointed pursuant hereto. PURPOSE OF THE BILL The purpose of the proposed legislation is to provide for the maximum utilization of this Nation's resources in these professional fields, so as to assure essential adequate medical and dental care to members of the Department of the Army and Department of the Air Force. The shortage of physicians, dentists, and veterinarians within the Department of the Army needs no further elaboration. There is also an acute shortage of specialists in sciences allied to medicine. There has been a keen interest in volunteer programs, designed to procure personnel in these fields, manifested by female specialists who are not commissionable under current statutes. In view of their interest and the critical shortage of personnel in their specialties, it is felt that they should be provided with an opportunity to contribute to this Nation's defense in a status commensurate with their professional qualifications. During the recent war, female personnel in the armed forces established an outstanding record in all the fields in which they participated. This was not untrue of those who served as professional officers in the Army Medical Department. This record has been recognized by the establishment of Regular and Reserve components for female personnel in all the armed forces. The Department of the Navy is currently authorized to commission these specialists, and it is strongly urged that the Department of the Army be permitted to do likewise. The fiscal effect of the proposed legislation depends on the number and grades of those appointed in the Reserve Corps who may be ordered to active duty. The number and grades of those so appointed and those so ordered to active duty will be within the authorized strength of the armed forces. They will be paid the same pay and allowances as are authorized for male officers of like grade and length of service and those eligible under the provisions of the Army-NavyPublic Health Service Medical Officer Procurement Act of 1947 (Public Law 365, 80th Cong.) will receive the additional compensation provided therein. The Bureau of the Budget has been consulted and there is no objection to this legislation. There exists in the services today an acute shortage of physicians and the Committee on Armed Services feels that everything possible should be done to alleviate this shortage and unanimously recommends the enactment of the proposed legislation. The Department of National Defense recommends the legislation as is indicated in the following letters from the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Army addressed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Hon. SAM RAYBURN, Speaker of the House of Representatives. THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, MY DEAR MR. SPEAKER: Attached is a letter addressed to you by the Secretary of the Army recommending the enactment of a proposed draft of legislation, also attached, bearing the title, "To provide for the appointment of female doctors and specialists in the Medical Department of the Army, and for other purposes." This legislation has been approved for inclusion in the National Military Establishment legislative program for the Eighty-first Congress, first session, and responsibility for handling it on behalf of the Establishment has been placed in the Department of the Army. With kindest personal regards, I am, Sincerely yours, LOUIS JOHNSON. Hon. SAM RAYBURN, DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY, Washington, D. C., April 14, 1949. DEAR MR. SPEAKER: There is inclosed herewith draft of a bill to provide for the appointment of female doctors and specialists in the Medical Department of the Army, and for other purposes, which the Department of the Army recommends be enacted into law. The Secretary of Defense has assigned responsibility for the preparation and submission of this measure, on behalf of the National Military Establishment, to this Department The purpose of this proposed legislation is to provide for the maximum utilization of this Nation's resources in these professional fields, so as to assure essential adequate medical and dental care to members of the Department of the Army and Department of the Air Force. The shortage of physicians, dentists, and veterinarians within the Department of the Army needs no further elaboration. There is also an acute shortage of specialists in sciences allied to medicine. There has been a keen interest in volunteer programs, designed to procure personnel in these fields manifested by female specialists who are not commissionable under current statutes. In view of their interest and the critical shortage of personnel in their specialties, it is felt that they should be provided with an opportunity to contribute to this Nation's defense in a status commensurate with their professional qualifications. During the recent war, female personnel in the armed forces established an outstanding record in all the fields in which they participated. This was not untrue of those who served as professional officers in the Army Medical Department. This record has been recognized by the establishment of Regular and Reserve components for female personnel in all the armed forces. The Department of the Navy is currently authorized to commission these specialists, and it is strongly urged that the Department of the Army be permitted to do likewise. The fiscal effect of the proposed legislation depends on the number and grades of those appointed in the Regular Army and the number and grades of those appointed in the Reserve Corps who may be ordered to active duty The number and grades of those so appointed and those so ordered to active duty will be within the authorized strength of the armed forces. They will be paid the same pay and allowances as are authorized for male officers of like grade and length of service and those eligible under the provisions of the Army-Navy-Public Health Service Medical Officer Procurement Act of 1947 (Public Law 365. 80th Cong.) will receive the additional compensation provided therein. This proposed legislation and report thereon has been coordinated among the departments and boards in the National Military Establishment in accordance with procedures prescribed by the Secretary of Defense. The Bureau of the Budget has been consulted and advises that there is no objection to the submission of this proposed legislation for the consideration of the Congress. Sincerely yours, KENNETH C. ROYALL, Secretary of the Army. O |