President. S. 66 returns to the Senate floor today after a similar measure was unwisely vetoed by the President last year. It contains vitally needed funds for programs in community mental health. migrant health. family planning. home health care. and it establishes a center for the prevention and control of rape. Many of these programs have had their funds frozen for several years. as Congress and the administration have haggled about procedures and costs. Now it is my hope that the President will reverse himself and decide to sign this measure into law. I am particularly pleased that the committee has once again decided to fund migrant health as a separate program. Some 355.000 patients were served under this program during fiscal year 1974. but the need for it far outruns the available resources. Statistics on migrant health remain profoundly disturbing: The infant mortality rate among migrants is 25 percent higher than the national average. migrants tend to suffer more acutely from diseases such as influenza and pneumonia. and migrants suffer from tuberculosis and other infectious diseases at 2 times the national average. The program should be continued as it has been reported in this bill. I would also like to commend the committee for continuing the community mental health centers program. despite repeated administration attempts to phase it out.
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