The hospital survey and construction act.

T H E SIGNING of the Hospital Survey and Construction Act by the President on August 1 3 launched the Nat ion on the most comprehensive hosp i t a l and public heal th construction program ever undertaken. Congress has authorized the appropriation during the next 5 years of $375 mi l l i on i n Federal funds for the building of hospitals and health centers. Since the act provides tha t the Federal share is to constitute one-third of the cost, and non-Federal funds the other two-thirds , the total expenditure for this Nation-wide hospital program would approximate $1,125 mi l l ion . The Hospital Survey and Construct i on Act is more or less unique i n social legislation. Rarely has a legislative act had the unanimous support of so many interested groups, both professional and consumer. A t the hearings on the b i l l , spokesmen for medical, hospital, labor, fa rm, and civic groups backed the proposal.