Hearings

Our subcommittee today will hear testimony on H. R. 1955, a bill introduced by Congressman Matthews of Florida, and on H. R. 8427, a similar bill introduced by the gentleman from New York, Mr. Wainwright.

These bills provide for the establishment of a temporary National Advisory Committee for the Blind.

Without objection, both bills will be made a part of the record at this

oint.

(The bills referred to follow :)

[H. R. 1955, 85th Cong., 1st sess.]

BILL For the establishment of a temporary National Advisory Committee for the Blind Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States f the United States of America in Congress assembled,

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TEMPORARY NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE BLIND

SECTION 1. There is hereby established a National Advisory Committee for the lind (in this Act referred to as the "Committee”). The Committee shall invesgate and study the entire field of existing Federal, State, and local activities elated to the granting of services to the blind, including the history and developent of such activity. The Committee shall report to the President and to the ongress, within twenty-four months after passage of this Act, the results of ich investigation and study, together with recommendations (1) for accomplishg greater coordination of and more effective results from such activities, (2) or the attainment of maximum benefits for the blind, and (3) with respect to ich other matters as the Committee may deem appropriate.

MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE

SEC. 2. (a) The Committee shall be composed of nine members, who shall be nversant with work for the blind, to be appointed by the President as follows: (1) One individual from the executive branch of the Federal Government; (2) One individual from the Senate of the United States;

(3) One individual from the House of Representatives of the United States; (4) One individual from among officers and employees of the State governents;

(5) One individual from a national association of professional workers with

the blind;

(6) One individual from a national organization of the blind;

(7) One individual from a national research organization for the blind;

(8) One individual from the field of education of the blind; and

(9) One individual from the public at large.

(c) Any vacancy in the Committee shall not affect its powers, but shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made.

ORGANIZATION OF THE COMMITTEE

SEC. 3. The Committee shall elect a Chairman from among its members.

QUORUM

SEC. 4. Five members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.

COMPENSATION OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE

SEC. 5. (a) Each member of the Committee who is an officer or employee of the United States shall serve without compensation in addition to that received fr his services as an officer or employee of the United States, but he shall be reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred by him in the performance of the duties vested in him by the Committee.

(b) Each member of the Committee who is not an officer or employee of the United States shall recive $25 per diem when engaged in the performance duties vested in the Committee, plus reimbursement for travel, subsistence, a other necessary expenses incurred by him in the performance of his duties.

STAFF OF THE COMMITTEE

SEC. 6. The Committee shall have the power to appoint and fix the compensa tion of such personnel as it deems advisable, without regard to the civil-servic laws and the Classification Act of 1949, as amended.

POWERS OF THE COMMITTEE

SEC. 7. (a) The Committee, or any authorized member thereof, may, for th purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Act, hold such hearings and sit and act at such times and places, and take such testimony, as the Committee or suc member may deem advisable. Any member of the Committee may administe oaths or affirmations to witnesses appearing before the Committee or before a authorized member thereof.

(b) The Committee, or any authorized member thereof, is authorized t secure directly from any executive department, bureau, agency, board, commis sion, office, independent establishment, or instrumentality, information, sugge tions, estimates, and statistics for the purpose of this Act; and each such depart ment, bureau, agency, board, commission, office, establishment, or instrume tality is authorized and directed to furnish such information, suggestions, est mates, and statistics directly to the Committee, or any authorized member ther of, upon request made by the Chairman of the Committee or any authorize, member thereof.

(c) The Committee, or any authorized member thereof, shall have power i require by subpena or otherwise the attendance of witnesses and the producti of books, papers, and documents; to administer oaths; to take testimony; to ha printing and binding done; and to make such expenditures as it deems advisa within the amount appropriated under authority of this Act. Subpenas shall issued under the signature of the Chairman of the Committee or any ma designated by him, and shall be served by any person designated by the Chat man or such member. Sections 102, 103, and 104 of the Revised Statutes (U.S.) title 2, secs. 192-194) shall apply in the case of any failure of any witnes comply with any subpena or to testify when summoned under authority of the section.

EXPENSES OF THE COMMITTEE

SEC. 8. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated the sum of $100,00 carry out the provisions of this Act.

TERMINATION OF THE COMMITTEE

SEC. 9. The Committee shall cease to exist within thirty days after the Committee submits its report pursuant to section 1.

[H. R. 8427, 85th Cong., 1st sess.]

A BILL To establish a temporary Presidential commission to study and report on the problems relating to blindness and the needs of blind persons, and for other purposes

Be it enacted by the Senate and House Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

FINDINGS AND DECLARATION OF PURPOSE

SECTION 1. (a) The Congress recognizes that there are upward 320,000 blind persons in the United States; that the number of blind persons has increased luring the last decade; the the number is expected to increase as the life span of our people is extended; that many of our blind people do not have an opportunity to achieve full independence or to participate actively in the economic, social, cultural, and educational life of the Nation; and that, consequently, there is need for further study and evaluation of programs and activities relating to the blind to determine what contributions are being made, and, in the light of modern social, technological, and scientific developments, what contributions can be made, to the general advancement of blind persons, and thus to the general welfare and economy of the Nation.

(b) It is hereby declared to be the purpose of the Congress to assist in creating a national atmosphere for developing a positive role for, and for the acceptance of, blind persons in our modern society by providing for a thorough study and evaluation of the needs of the blind and problems relating to blindness and the extent and character of current national, State, and community programs and activities, public and voluntary, relating to the solution of these problems or to meeting these needs.

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PRESIDENTIAL STUDY COMMISSION
ON PROBLEMS OF THE BLIND

SEC. 2. There is hereby established a Presidential Study Commission on
Problems of the Blind (hereafter in this Act referred to as the "Commission").

COMPOSITION OF THE COMMISSION

SEC. 3. The Commission shall consist of twenty-one members appointed by he President from among persons who are widely recognized for their knowl-dge of, or experience or interest in, problems relating to blindness and the needs of blind persons, and with a view to securing a broad representation on he Commission of leaders in medicine, education, social work, psychology, ehabilitation, and related professions, representatives of public and voluntary rganizations or agencies providing services to blind persons (including those which are not concerned exclusively with the blind), and representatives of ndustry, labor, and the general public. The President shall designate one of he members to serve as Chairman. Not less than three of the members shall e persons who are themselves blind.

FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMISSION

SEC. 4. (a) The Commission shall make a broad and comprehensive study, nalysis, and assessment of existing knowledge, programs, and activities relating > blindness and the needs of blind persons, including matters such as medical dvances in the prevention of blindness, restoration of sight, and utilization of esidual sight; availability and adequacy of educational materials and opporinities for blind persons of all ages; employment opportunities for blind perons; current contributions to the economic, social, educational, recreational, ultural, and vocational advancement of the blind made by public and voluntary gencies, including those which are not concerned exclusively with the blind; cidence and problems of blindness in the aging population; and current lay ttitudes toward blindness.

(b) The Commission shall submit an interim report of the results of its studies to the President not later than January 31, 1959. Not later than Jaruary 31, 1960, the Commission shall submit to the President, for transmission to the Congress, its final report on the results of its studies, together with its recommendations for appropriate action by public and private agencies at local, State, regional, and Federal levels.

COMPENSATION

SEC. 5. Members of the Commission who are not otherwise in the employ of the United States, while attending meetings of the Commission or otherwise serving on business of the Commission, shall be entitled to receive compensation at a rate to be fixed by the President but not exceeding $50 per diem, and whir away from their homes or regular places of business they may be allowed trave expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by law t U. S. C. 73b-2) for persons in the Government service employed intermittently.

STAFF

SEC. 6. (a) The Chairman may, without regard to the civil service or classfication laws, appoint and fix the compensation of an executive director at a salary not in excess of $14,000 per annum.

(b) The Chairman may, without regard to the civil service or classificati laws, appoint and fix the compensation of such other personnel as it finds necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.

INFORMATION FROM OTHER AGENCIES.

SEC. 7. The Commission is authorized to secure from any Federal department or agency such information as it finds necessary to carry out its functions.

APPROPRIATION AUTHORIZATION

SEC. 8. There are hereby authorized to be appropriated for the fiscal yes: ending June 30, 1958, and the two succeeding fiscal years such sums, not to exceed an aggregate of $200,000, as the Congress may determine.

TERMINATION

SEC. 9. The Commission shall cease to exist thirty days after submission to the President of its final report.

Mr. ELLIOTT. We are pleased and privileged to have with us tods! the author of H. R. 1955, Hon. Billy Matthews of Florida.

Congressman Matthews, I might say, has been most diligent i seeking hearings on his bill, and because of his efforts and because of the efforts of Congressman Lindley Beckworth of Texas, who likewe has a special and continuing interest in this legislation, we have made what for the subcommittee has been a special and extra effort to hear these bills at this time.

We had planned to get started on them a little later, but realizing the interest which has existed on the part of these gentlemen ard others, we have rearranged our schedule so as to be able to get started today.

We are grateful to the gentleman from Florida, and to the gent man from Texas, for their interest in this matter, and will be hapj to hear Mr. Matthews at this time.

I see we have a statement here from the gentleman from Florid Mr. Matthews, and you may proceed, Mr. Matthews, in any mann you see fit.

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