Dwight D. Eisenhower photo

Statement by the President Upon Signing Bill Providing a Site for Sibley Memorial Hospital and Nurses Home.

September 04, 1957

I HAVE TODAY signed H. R. 8918, the essential purpose of which is to permit the immediate construction of the Sibley Memorial Hospital and Nurses Home by making available Government-owned lands at Loughboro Road and Little Falls Road in the District of Columbia.

I have taken this action because the proposed use of the site was analyzed at length by Committees of Congress and the establishment of additional hospital facilities is vital to the community. In coming to its determination Congress supported the findings of its Committees to the effect that the particular lands involved, which were originally acquired in connection with the establishment of the Washington Aqueduct in 1857, can be used for a hospital without jeopardizing the future water supply of the District of Columbia. It is possible, however, as the Committees were told during consideration of this measure, that the diversion of the property from its designated use in connection with Dalecarlia Reservoir may require the acquisition of substitute lands for this purpose in the future.

I note that the Act provides for an area not exceeding twelve acres to be made available, as determined by the Administrator of General Services to provide an adequate site for the Sibley Memorial Hospital and Nurses Home. In order to minimize the effects that this legislation may have on the future development of water supply facilities, it is requested that the selection of the specific site take into consideration the known and foreseeable requirements for water supply facilities and that the final layout be approved by the Secretary of the Army. In this manner the Trustees of Sibley Memorial Hospital can provide a mutually satisfactory arrangement of structures that will leave a useable land area for the water supply facilities.

Note: As enacted, H. R. 8918 is Public Law 85-285 (71 Stat. 610).

Dwight D. Eisenhower, Statement by the President Upon Signing Bill Providing a Site for Sibley Memorial Hospital and Nurses Home. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/233528

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