STATEMENT OF HON. D. R. MATTHEWS, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF FLORIDA Mr. MATTHEWS. Mr. Chairman, for the record, my name is D. R. (Billy) Matthews, a Member of Congress from the Eighth District of Florida. I want to thank you, sir, for permitting us this privilege today because I know the many problems your great committee has. Mr. Chairman, if I might make this one little sentimental statement to begin with, I would appreciate it. Mr. ELLIOTT. You may proceed. Mr. MATTHEWS. I have talked with the chairman about this before, but in 1929 I was in an automobile accident, and I have felt since that time if it had not been for gracious Providence I would be totally blind today. Therefore, from that time on I have tried to make that particular experience rather than an embittering experience, an ennobling experience, and what private philanthropy I have been able to do through the years has been in a large measure directed toward trying to help the blind citizens of America. I was very happy to have the privilege of being appointed the first chairman of the Florida Council for the Blind, and after a tour of 4 years in the Army I came back and served in that capacity again for several years. I I was inspired as a member of that council by such men as Robert Barnett, who was totally blind, and who was our executive director. Mr. Barnett is now with the American Foundation for the Blind. I was inspired by the magnificent work that our Federal, State, and local agencies were doing to help the blind people of America. Í say that, Mr. Chairman, so that you will know I have more than just a passing interest in getting a bill passed on this great subject. Since I have been in Congress I have thought of something that I might do which would be of a little more help to the 330,000 blind people in this great country of ours. I have just two additional copies of my statement, and with the chairman's permission I might read it. It will not take long. If the gentlewoman from Oregon, Mrs. Green, could look on with the chairman, if she would like, I would try to read distinctly so you can get this information without reading it. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the opportunity to testify for my bill H. R. 1955, which is a bill for the establishment of a temporary National Advisory Committee for the Blind. This bill is identical to H. R. 6500 which was introduced by Congressman J. Caleb Boggs, Percy Priest, and Carl Elliott, the distinguished chairman of this subcommittee. In the other body similar legislation was introduced by Senators Lehman and Langer. Similar legislation this year has been introduced in the other body, and this legislation is sponsored by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. As the chairman has already told you, this legislation is sponsored by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. I might add that this is the same bill that Mr. Wainwright of this committee has introduced. Miss Mary Switzer, Director of the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, has been 95440-58-2 very cooperative, and very graciously paid me a visit to talk with me about this legislation. We are agreed on the necessity of legislation, and although our bills may differ in certain details, the broad principles are the same. Many individuals from all over the United States have written me during the past 3 years about this legislation expressing themselves in favor of it. The following organizations have endorsed the legislation: The North Carolina State Commission for the Blind; the Florida Council for the Blind; the Pennsylvania Association for the Blind; the State of Iowa Commission for the Blind. The following Congressmen have expressed interest: Hon. Lindley Beckworth, Hon. Edith Green, Hon. James Roosevelt, Hon. Leonor Sullivan, Hon. John Saylor, and Hon. John Rhodes. H. R. 1955 would establish a National Advisory Committee for the Blind to study the entire field of existing Federal, State, and local activities related to the granting of services to the blind, including the history and development of such activity. The committee would report to the President and to Congress within 24 months after the passage of this act with recommendations. The committee would cease to exist within 30 days after the committee submits its report. Other provisions of the bill specify the makeup of the 9-man committee, provide for the compensation thereof, outline their powers, and authorize the modest sum of $100,000 to carry out the provisions of the act. Mr. ELLIOTT. Let me interrupt you at that point, Congressman Matthews. With respect to the $100,000 have you had any consultation with the people about these costs which leads you to think that $100,000 is about the proper amount to carry on this study by this temporary commission? Mr. MATTHEWs. Mr. Chairman, I must in all frankness say I think that is a very modest amount, and that the figures would probably be nearer $200,000. As I recall the other bill which has been introduced at the recommendation of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, it calls for an appropriation of $200,000. Miss SWITZER. That is correct. Mr. ELLIOTT. I was just thinking in view of that it seems to me this matter of doing this study by this Commission which we have been talking about for several years has been fairly well delayed from the standpoint of time, and that if we set up the Commission, we ought to give it enough funds to do a good job and I just wondered if $100,000 would be enough. Mr. MATTHEWS. Mr. Chairman, I frankly believe it should be more in light of more information which has come to us, and I would cer tainly be amenable to any figure that this committee might feel would be more appropriate. Mr. ELLIOTT. My recollection is that when we had the special com mittee on the amendments to the Vocational Rehabilitation Act 2 years ago we found in the first place that insofar as the blind is concerned. there is no adequate census of the blind and nearly blind people in the United States, among other things. In other words, we do not have the basic information at least, and such information has not been developed and correlated and reported in such a way as to be thor oughly available and usable for all purposes. Therefore, I have the feeling that this Commission, if it is going to do a good job, ought to be given all the tools it needs to really survey this field, and come up with recommendations that we might have a chance to get enacted by the Congress. I just wanted to make that point in passing, and I hope the gentleman will excuse me for interrupting him. Mr. MATTHEWS. Mr. Chairman, I am thoroughly in agreement with the excellent point that the chairman has made. There is a tremendous need for this study. Federal, State, and local agencies have done excellent work for the blind. Countless individuals have contributed of their time and money in working for the blind. This study is not to be construed as criticism of these efforts, but rather as an attempt to provide for more coordination, perhaps less duplication in some fields, and an emphasis on services that need more attention for the improved opportunities for the 330,000 blind citizens of America. There are more than 400 agencies for the blind listed in the current Directory of Activities for the Blind. The overwhelming majority of these agencies are doing excellent and honorable work. There may be other agencies, however, who are exploiting the blind. This study would not be a witch hunt, but it should certainly take cognizance of any attempt on the part of individuals or groups to exploit the blind, and accurate information should be given to the public. Today there are probably pending in Congress as many as 50 different pieces of legislation which would in some way affect the blind. These measures have been referred to many different committees because each piece of legislation is designed to promote a specific service. There is at present no central Federal agency which is fully informed as to all Federal programs to aid the blind and which has available complete information on State and local activities for the blind. A National Advisory Committee for the Blind would establish such an information service and would promote a constant interchange of information on developments in programs that assist the blind. Under existing Federal law alone, the various programs for the blind are administered by the Bureau of Public Assistance and by various State agencies, the Bureau of Old Age and Survivors Insurance, the Veterans' Administration, the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation and various State and private agencies, the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Blindness of the Public Health Service, the Division for the Blind of the Library of Congress, the Office of Education, the Post Office Department, the Internal Revenue Bureau, the Committee on Purchases of Blind-Made Products, and the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped. Mr. ELLIOTT. If the gentleman will permit me, the only one I think of that he left out is the Printing House for the Blind, with which he is familiar, I am sure. Mr. MATTHEWS. Thank you, sir. If I may be permitted at this point in the record, I would like to insert information which was compiled for me by the Library of Congress, entitled "Federal Activities Which Assist the Blind." It is rather voluminous, Mr. Chairman, but I believe it would be worthwhile because in this one volume we find a detailed analysis of all of the various Federal agencies that work with and help the blind. Mr. ELLIOTT. Without objection, the statement which is referred to will be made a part of the record at this point. (The statement referred to follows:) FEDERAL ACTIVITIES WHICH ASSIST THE BLIND Frederick B. Arner, Urban Wittig, Education and Public Welfare Division, Legislative Reference Service, the Library of Congress I. STATE-FEDERAL AID TO THE BLIND PROGRAM (Citations are to the Social Security Act, as amended) Title X of the Social Security Act authorizes grants-in-aid to the States to assist them in making payments to the needy blind. The Social Security Amend ments of 1956 (Public Law 880, 84th Cong.) increased the Federal share of pay ments made to the blind to four-fifths of the first $30 (formerly $25) of the average monthly payment, plus one-half of the remainder up to $60 (formerly $55). Above this amount the State bears the full cost. In determining whether a blind person is in need, the State agency administering the program shall take into consideration any of his income or resources; however, unlike the other public assistance programs, the agency is required to disregard the first $50 per month of his earned income (secs. 1-6). There is no definition of the word "blind" in title X of the act. Thus, presumably, it remains for the States to determine what constitutes blindness, and State definitions of the term include varying degrees of limited sight. It should be noted, however, that the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare maintains that the Secretary has the power to disapprove a State plan incorporating a definition of blindness which does not comply with the Department's standards of reasonableness. The Bureau of Public Assistance recommends the following definition of blindness: "In terms of ophthalmic measurement, central visual acuity of 20-200 or less in the better eye with correcting glasses is generally considered as economic blindness. A field defect in which the peripheral field has contracted to such an extent that the widest diameter of visual field subtends at an angular distance of no greater than 20 degrees may be considered equally disabling.” 1 In December 1956, there were 107,484 recipients in the aid-to-the-blind program. The average payment for that month was $63.12. Total payments for the aid-tothe-blind program in that month amounted to $6,784,376 and the Federal share of these payments amounted to an estimated $3,210,000. For the fiscal year Congress appropriated $40,300,000 for payments to recipients under the aid-to-the-blind program. The 1957 appropriation also allocated $2,900,000 for the expenses of State and local administration of the program. 1 Handbook of Public Assistance Administration, pt. IV 3320, October 27, 1954, as printed in the Bradley Commission Staff Report No. 8, pt. A, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Print No. 281, 84th Cong., p. 167. The following is a State-by-State breakdown of the number of recipients, total payments, and average payment for December 1956: 1 Includes vendor payments for medical care and cases receiving only such payments. II. OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS, AND DISABILITY INSURANCE PROGRAM 1. Disability freeze Title II of the Social Security Act provides that when an individual for whom a period of disability has been established dies or retires his period of disability will be disregarded in determining his eligibility for social-security benefits and u determining his average monthly wage, which will fix the amount of benefits e will receive. He must be unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity s a result of the disability or be blind. Blindness is defined as central visual cuity of 5/200 or less in the better eye with the use of a correcting lens. An eye which the visual field is reduced to 5° or less concentric contraction shall be onsidered as having a central visual acuity of 5/200 or less (sec. 216 (i) (1)). The only statistics available on blindness under the disability freeze show at, during the period January-August 1956, 2,600 of the 110,000 persons who ere awarded the freeze met the statutory definition of blindness. Another 700 of these individuals with sight between 5/200 and 20/200 were given the eeze because of their inability to engage in any substantial gainful a Sivity. As of June 1, 1957, 228,000 persons have been awarded the freeze. If the perntage of blind remains the same as in the earlier period, it would mean that out 5,000 persons have met the statutory definition of blindness and about 500 persons with vision between 5/200 and 20/200 have qualified on the alternae basis. Cash disability payments The Social Security Amendments of 1956 provide payments starting in July of is year for permanently and totally disabled persons who meet certain eligiity requirements. The definition of disability is the same as that for the disility freeze except that blindness is neither specified nor defined and, there |