White House Statements Following Meetings With Republican Leaders of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

THE PRESIDENT met today in the Cabinet Room with the Republican leaders of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

General preliminary discussions were held on many of the domestic programs which will be submitted by the Administration to the Congress in the State of the Union and other special messages at the 1956 Session.

A general discussion of foreign policy, mutual aid and national defense programs will be held tomorrow when the President meets with the Legislative Leaders of both parties.

This morning the main subjects discussed were the Budget, school construction, highways, water resources and statehood for Alaska and Hawaii.

The Secretary of the Treasury and the Director of the Budget outlined the fiscal plans for the 1957 Budget as well as the projected receipts and expenditures for the 1956 Budget. The Secretary and the Director were hopeful that with increasing economies and no loss of existing revenues a balance in the 1956 Budget could be attained in June without cutting down in any way on defense and national security plans of the United States.

The Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare next discussed a series of proposals concerning his Department. These proposals included Social Security modifications, increased health coverage, additional Federal grants for medical research and plans for assuring the construction of additional schoolrooms, to clear up the backlog of a 200,000-room deficiency in the nation.

The Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Commerce then joined in a discussion of recommendations for a highway construction bill. It was agreed that there was an urgent need for the Congress to pass at the 1956 Session a workable highway program to build up the nation's roads.

The Under Secretary of the Interior outlined and then joined in a discussion of proposals for a nationwide water resources program.

At the conclusion of the morning session the leaders were guests at a luncheon given at the Mayflower Hotel by the Chairman of the Republican National Committee.

The meeting will reconvene this afternoon at two o'clock. Among the subjects on the agenda are: farm legislation, amendments to immigration legislation, civil rights, labor legislation, postal rates, housing and area redevelopment programs.

At the afternoon session the Secretary of Agriculture outlined a suggested program for assisting the farmers of the nation.

The leaders discussed in detail the suggestions and while no final decisions were reached today, the leaders expressed approval of the aims of the major recommendations of the program which will supplement programs already in effect. They also stated their belief that the final farm recommendations, when submitted by the President to the Congress, would win widespread support from farmers and farm organizations throughout the country. Both the Executive and Legislative leaders agreed that enactment of the legislative proposals in the farm program will be of top priority in the next session.

The Attorney General next presented a series of proposed amendments to the immigration laws.

Other subjects discussed at the afternoon session were:

1. Civil Rights--The Attorney General

2. Postal Rates--The Postmaster General

3. Labor Legislation--The Secretary of Labor

4. Slum Clearance and Housing--The Administrator of the Housing and Home Finance Agency

5. Personnel Legislation--The Chairman of the Civil Service Commission

At the conclusion of the meeting the President personally thanked the leaders for their cooperation and their constructive suggestions made during the day on subjects under discussion for the 1956 legislative program which the Administration will present to the Congress.