General SHULER. May I give it to the committee orally or do you wish me Mr. RIVERS. Give it. I want it now, Mr. Chairman. I happen to represent that little State down there, at times. General SHULER. May I say something off the record? Mr. KELLEHER. Off the record, Sam. (Further statement off the record.) The Department of the Army submitted to the Department of Defense on May 24, 1957, an apportionment request for $350,000 to provide funds for the design of a 500 on a 1,000-bed chassis hospital for Fort Jackson. On the 6th of June 1957, Department of Defense submitted this project to the Bureau of the Budget, in conformance with Bureau of the Budget Circular A-27. This circular requires review by the Executive Office of the President of all Federal hospitals and convalescent facilities in order to prevent overlapping and duplication of federally provided hospitals and facilities. On June 21, 1957, the Bureau of the Budget returned the Army apportionment request for the $350,000 for the design of the hospital at Fort Jackson on the basis of the following statement, and I quote: Initiation of permanent construction at existing installations now consisting entirely of temporary construction should be deferred where there are unresolved questions as to the long-term requirement for retaining such installations. And this is a quote from the Bureau of the Budget turndown, sir. The funds for this design were deferred by the Bureau of the Budget without prejudice, pending the resolution of the question as to the long-term requirement of Fort Jackson. On the 8th of July 1957, which I think, sir, is quite promptly, after the date of June 21, 1957, of the turndown, a memorandum from the Under Secretary of the Army to the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) requested that the apportionment of $350,000 for the design of the Fort Jackson Hospital be reconsidered and approved. By memorandum of December 23, 1957, the Bureau of the Budget informed the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) that although the Army declared Fort Jackson a permanent station on March 21, 1956, it is believed subsequent developments make it advisable to reevaluate this decision and that the future need for this station should be redetermined before any additional construction is planned. On the basis of the above, the Bureau of the Budget withheld concurrence on the action to proceed with the development of the design of the Fort Jackson Hospital. So the status, sir, is that we have a cost of $10,434,000 as the authorization and money that would be required for this hospital. Public Law 161 of the fiscal year 1956 authorization act authorized $5 million, and that amount of money was appropriated by Public Law 219 of the fiscal year 1956 appropriations act, and last year, sir, Public Law 241 fiscal year 1958 authorization act raised the $5 million authorization to $7,500,000. The hospital will take about a year to design. The Army made a strong effort to get the money to design it-that is all I can give the Congressman on it at this time. Mr. RIVERS. Mr. Chairman, I want to say this: That is one of the most reprehensible acts the Bureau of the Budget has ever perpetrated on a branch of the services. The committee approved it. The Army requested it on two occasions. They nullified on some facetious grounds. They are setting themselves up above the professionals of the Army. They requested it. It is a tragic thing that here we are powerless, while two or three people down there veto something that the Army testifies they need. At Fort Jackson, S. C., the only boot camp for three States, and the largest State in the whole Southeast is Georgia, and it includes Georgia. Georgia is the largest State east of the Mississippi-58,868 square miles. And South Carolina has 32,000. And North Carolina has 43,000. And that entire area-here is a boot camp for that entire area and somebody is vetoing it. Regardless of what they say-it is hard to contain myself. I know, Mr. Chairman, that this thing is a political thing. The Army has asked for it. The committee has approved it. And here we are powerless. We ought to do something about it. The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, General. I want to compliment you on being a very outstanding witness one who always knows what is going to be inquired of him. [Laughter.] Mr. RIVERS. I didn't even know you were going to have anything on this. I haven't spoken to you for months. General SHULER. That is right. The CHAIRMAN. He anticipated it. That makes him a clever witness. Now, any more questions of a general nature? Mr. LANKFORD. Will the gentleman yield? Mr. RIVERS. Mr. Chairman, I am serious about that. The CHAIRMAN. There is nothing we can do about it. Haven't you found that out yet? Mr. RIVERS. Take it lying down, then? The CHAIRMAN. You can take it standing up. It doesn't make a bit of difference. The CHAIRMAN. Off the record, I would like to make an observation. (Further statement off the record.) The CHAIRMAN. Now, let's get down to business. Mr. Lankford? Mr. LANKFORD. General, while we are on the subject of hospitals, I wonder if you could tell me the status of the hospital at Fort Meade. Colonel CLELAND. Sir The CHAIRMAN. Is the Medical Department? Colonel CLELAND. Yes, sir. The hospital is now being advertised-the 12th of May it was advertised for bids, and I understand it is to be contracted, or the plans are to contract for its construction by July 1. Mr. LANKFORD. Thank you. The CHAIRMAN. Any further questions? I have a few questions I want to ask. Does anyone have any questions? (No response.) The CHAIRMAN. If not, I would like to ask this question: Last year we authorized $293,103,000. Can you advise the committee what amount was unfunded of that $293,103,000? General SHULER. Mr. Chairman, I can give you the approximate figure of 40-odd million dollars. I would have to add this up. It is around $45 million. And to be sure of what I am saying, these are projects authorized by this committee last year which we have not yet funded in this same fiscal year, fiscal year 1958, for construction. Is that what the chairman has asked me, sir? The CHAIRMAN. We must develop as we go through this bill how much is unfunded on each one of these items. We must get some more information as to how much is funded and how much is unfunded, on each one of these items. General SHULER. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Kelleher, have you that information? Mr. KELLEHER. Yes. Mr. Chairman, the Army did not fund items in the amount of $46,947,000 of the authorities granted in Public Law 241, which was last year. The CHAIRMAN. Can it be estimated in these line items, which the Army did not fund? Mr. KELLEHER. I made appropriate notes to indicate that when we came to the station. The CHAIRMAN. All right. Now, General, this year you are asking for $347,028,000. As I said, last year it was $293,103,000. What brought about the increase in dollars and cents over and above last year, when we stretched it out based on a 20-year program? General SHULER. Well, Mr. Chairman, the 20-year program that Secretary Short outlined is a program for permanent construction at permanent installations. The CHAIRMAN. That is right. General SHULER. Now, the total request in this bill includes that area of our requirements, and other areas which are not in the 20-year plan, such as the Nike program and programs like that. Now, to explain the increase in the bill, in the first place, as I told this committee last year, our request was for over $900 million, and we were cut down to slightly over $300 million by the Department of Defense and the Bureau of the Budget. What I am saying, sir, is I feel our request last year was whacked down pretty well. The CHAIRMAN. All right. General SHULER. This year we have a requirement in the bill for Nike-Zeus, for instance. We have other requirements due to the increased tempo in the missile field which accounts for this difference, sir. The CHAIRMAN. And as Mr. Short said, some 58 percent of the $200 million is for General SHULER. Missiles. The CHAIRMAN. Missiles. Now, members of the committee, I suggest we take the book and turn to the first page. Aberdeen Proving Ground. Now, Mr. Kelleher, will you read the bill, or shall I read the bill? We are going by line items now. Suppose you read it. You keep your seat, Mr. Kelleher. Sit right down there. Mr. KELLEHER. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Read the bill there. If you have any questions that you think should be put in the record, to ask, why, have no hesitancy in asking permission to do so. Mr. KELLEHER. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Now, members of the committee, before we start Off the record. (Further statement off the record.) The CHAIRMAN. Now, at page 8 in this book-let's start at page 8. Now, Mr. Kelleher, go ahead and read the bill. Mr. KELLEHER. All right, sir. [Reading.] SEC. 101. The Secretary of the Army may establish or develop military installations and facilities by acquiring, constructing, converting, rehabilitating, or installing permanent or temporary public works, including site preparation, appurtenances, utilities, and equipment, for the following projects: Inside the United States; Technical Service Facilities (Ordanance Corps): Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland: Troop housing and utilities, $2,697,000. General SHULER. Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.: Ordnance installation located at Aberdeen; initially occupied in 1918; designated "permanent." Mission: Ballistic research, applied research in systems and areas related to ordnance development, enginering and proof testing of all classes of ordnance material, except guided missiles, larger caliber rockets and aerial target drones, and ordnance training activities. Maintains appropriate scientific, technical, and training staffs and facilities for the purpose of performing functions in these fields, and serves as headquarters for the Ordnance Training Command, the Ordnance School, and the Ordnance Board. Responsible for the execution of special missions relating to human engineering studies, explosive ordnance disposal activities, coating, and chemical research, production of ordnance technical intelligence and operation of the Aberdeen Ordnance Depot. Total cost (based on price when acquired), $43,057,987. Cost of improvements (permanent and other), $38,814,328. Present strength: Military, 6,500; civilian employees, 4,047. Line items requested for fiscal year 1959 authorization ($2,697,000 total): 3 enlisted men's barracks (326-man); battalion administration and supply building; battalion mess building; heating plant. Detailed justification follows: Three enlisted men barracks (326-man) ($1,925,000): Troops are presently housed in emergency World War II mobilization type barracks, all of which have been subjected to continuous and intensive usage for 16 years. These buildings have deteriorated to the point where maintenance is extremely costly, and it is impossible to maintain minimum standards. The requested barracks will be utilized to house a portion of the enlisted men now billeted in these mobilization type buildings, which occupy areas scheduled for permanent construction under the master plan. The deteriorated structures will be demolished during or subsequent to construction of permanent facilities. The balance of the enlisted men will be housed in World War II mobilization type barracks, some of which have been modernized. Battalion administration and supply building, ($268,000): This project is required to support barracks in this program, which are a part of the peacetime construction requirements. Battalion mess building ($356,000): This project is required to support barracks in this program, which are part of the permanent peace+ time construction requirement. Heating plant ($148,000): This item is required to supply heat and hot water for barracks, battalion mess and battalion administration and supply buildings in this program. Mr. KELLEHER. It appears on page 8 of the book, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. All right. Now, members of the committee, any questions on that? You can see on that the description, of what it is for: Three enlisted men's barracks, battalion messhall, and heating plant. And then it runs right on down and breaks it out. Now, Mr. Kelleher, how much of that was funded last year? Mr. KELLEHER. This installation has no unfunded authorization against it, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. All right. Now, put in the hearing all this page 8. Mr. KELLEHER. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. To show about it. Mr. KELLEHER. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Any questions on Aberdeen Proving Ground? If not Mr. BATES. Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Bates. Mr. BATES. Now, on the enlisted men's barracks, do I understand, General, that there are 5,271 spaces there? Is that the additional capacity, or what is that? How many men? General SHULER. Sir, the column I think the Congressman is looking at, column G, 5,271, is the additional spaces required. That is the whole future additional spaces required. Mr. BATES. How many do we get in here? General SHULER. We are asking, sir, in this bill for 978 spaces. Mr. KELLEHER. Look at the next column. Mr. BATES. All right. General SHULER. That is the next column, column I. Mr. BATES. 978. That is prior authorization outstanding. That is what the title is. 978. General SHULER. No, sir. It just so happens that the prior authorization outstanding is equal to the amount of this request which is under column I, also 978. Mr. BATES. Now, you have new authorization requested, the same figure. General SHULER. That is right, sir. Mr. BATES. All right. Now, the estimated cost of facilities is $10 million; is that it? General SHULER. The estimated cost of the total future requirements is $10,528,000. Mr. BATES. All right. Now, prior authorization, 2,079. General SHULER. That is the cost of the 978 prior authorization outstanding. Mr. BATES. All right. Now, you got 1925. That is for your 978? General SHULER. That is right. Mr. BATES. How do you get the difference? You have the same requirement, 978, and one costs $1,029,000 and the other one costs $1,275,000. |