Announcement of the Appointment of Interdepartmental Committee for Coordination of Federal Health Activities

In view of the passage and signing of the Social Security Bill there is increasing necessity for better coordination of the health activities of the Federal Government. I am, therefore, creating at this time an Interdepartmental Committee to give attention to this subject. As members of this Committee I have appointed the following Government officials: Josephine Roche, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, Chairman; Oscar Chapman, Assistant Secretary of the Interior; M. L. Wilson, Assistant Secretary of Agriculture, and A. J. Altmeyer, Second Assistant Secretary of Labor.

I am directing this Committee to include within the scope of National Youth Administration Directors its work not only health activities, but closely related welfare activities as well. As its immediate task, I am instructing this Committee to assume responsibility for the appointment of special committees to be composed of physicians and other technically trained persons within the Government service to study and make recommendations concerning specific aspects of the Government's health activities.

I am confident that this procedure will facilitate the consummation of a series of appropriate cooperative agreements between the various departments of the Government. I am also hopeful that in this way we can eventually bring about a complete coordination of the Government's activities in the health field.