Equipment The estimate also provides for all movable equipment needed for the facility, such as microscopes, photographic equipment, including apparatus for ultraviolet light photography, analytical and qualitative high-speed centrifuge, general laboratory centrifuges, electron microscope, spinfreeze drying apparatus, equipment for electrophoretic studies, irradiation equipment, speetographs, pH meters, absorptometers, supersonic wave equipment, chemical apparatus, animal cages, feed mixers and bins, etc. ACTIVITIES OF SITE COMMITTEE Senator ELLENDER. Do you have the letter I sent you, Senator Russell? I think I sent you a letter from Secretary Peterson on that matter. Senator RUSSELL. Yes, as to the steps that have been taken with regard to the appointment of this advisory committee, which I understand has been visiting various areas in the last several days in order to submit its recommendations to the Secretary, and through that channel to the Congress. Dr. SHAW. Yes, sir. Senator ELLENDER. As I understand, the only objections the committee had was to put it at Beltsville. That has been eliminated. Dr. SHAW. In these exhibits that we have, we do have a copy of a letter which Assistant Secretary of Agriculture sent to Senator Ellender, and the reply that you sent. (The two letters mentioned, together with the Department's press release dated June 6, 1956, follow :) Mr. E. L. PETERSON, UNITED STATES SENATE, Assistant Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. June 7, 1956. DEAR MR. PETERSON: In conformance with our discussion relative to the animal disease laboratory which was eliminated from the 1957 budget, I discussed your letter dated May 29 with respect to a proper location, with the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry at our regular meeting yesterday, June 6. The committee agreed in principle with the idea that the Department would seek recommendations from a committee to be appointed by the Department from among other groups. The departmental release dated June 6 appears to be in line with the thinking of the committee as to the proper procedure for selecting a site for the laboratory, and it is my belief that you will have hearty cooperation of the members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry in the Department's efforts to select the best possible site. With kind regards and best wishes, I am, ALLEN J. ELLENDER, Chairman. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, Hon. ALLEN J. ELLENDER, Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR ELLENDER: I appreciate the opportunity I had of discussing our new animal disease laboratory facilities with you. As you know, the Department proposed a 1957 budget amendment (H. Doc. 383), of $18,915,000 for additional animal disease laboratory facilities at Beltsville, Md. Hearings on this item have been held before the House and Senate Subcommittees on Agricultural Appropriations. The House Committee on Appropriations in reporting H. R. 11177, the Department of Agriculture appropriation bill for 1957, recommended an appropriation of $10 million for this purpose and expressed considerable concern as to the location of such facilities at Beltsville. The Senate Committee on Appropriations in their report on the bill deleted this item entirely. We interpret the discussions on the floor of the Senate as favoring the establishment of adequate laboratory facilities for the conduct of animal disease research. It is our understanding, however, that the location of such a laboratory at Beltsville is not favored. This was confirmed in my discussion of the subject with you subsequent to the Senate action suggesting the matter be discussed with the standing Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, and the deletion of the item by the conference committee. Considering cost, proximity to our experimental work, and related research in the area, our original proposal recommended construction of the laboratory at Beltsville. During the hearings we indicated, however, that other feasible sites could be utilized. In view of the action and expression of the congressional committees, we are in agreement that the laboratory should be located outside the Washington-Beltsville area, and agree to do so. Our suggested approach to the determination of a location outside the Washington area will involve the following steps. First we would believe it desirable that such a facility be located at least closely adjacent to one of the land-grant colleges or universities having either a strong school of veterinary medicine or a strong animal disease research program. There are a number of outstanding land-grant colleges having strong veterinary medical schools and which are presently engaged in extensive research and teaching on livestock problems in the central part of the United States. Selection of one of these locations would (1) facilitate the exchange of research information between the schools and the laboratory; (2) assist in the training of new research personnel; (3) provide for better coordination and cooperation of research on livestock problems; (4) provide the use of reference material from additional library facilities; and (5) be situated in the center of the livestock industry. Second, there are a variety of groups who will have interests closely identified with the facility proposed-procedures, regulatory authorities, etc. In arriving at a final decision on the specific location of the laboratory, the Department will seek recommendations from a committee representing the beef, dairy, swine, and poultry industries, the veterinary medical profession, land-grant colleges, State departments of agriculture and livestock sanitary commissions having livestock regulatory responsibilities, and other segments of the livestock industry. We would, of course, make every effort to obtain the maximum benefits from expenditures. We believe there is need to establish new animal disease laboratory facilities at the earliest possible date. The research and all diagnostic work related to animal disease eradication and meat inspection activities conducted in the District of Columbia has been stopped for reasons expressed in the course of the committee hearings. Also, work at Auburn, Ala., and Denver, Colo., on animal diseases communicable to man has been discontinued. As an emergency measure, some of the research and diagnostic work formerly conducted at the above locations has been transferred to Beltsville. It has been possible to make temporary arrangements with colleges and universities to do limited diagnostic and testing work. Despite these temporary arrangements, research and diagnostic work on dangerous animal diseases communicable to man, such as anthrax, tuberculosis, and the examination of unknown material sent in for diagnosis, are at a standstill. The existing animal-disease research facilities do not provide adequate safeguards to persons working on these diseases, nor do they provide for efficient conduct of the work under modern standards. Neither are such temporary facilities sufficient to permit attack on the variety of problems which now exist, let alone any new ones which might occur. In summary, modern laboratory facilities are needed. While our original proposal suggested Beltsville as a site for these facilities, in view of the wishes of Congress we agree that the laboratory can and will be located outside the Washington-Reltsville area. Before selecting a final site, we believe it to be desirable to have the recommendations of a committee representing the livestock industry, colleges, the veterinary medical profession, and State agencies having livestock regulatory responsibilities, and possibly others. We would respectfully request that the previous proposal as herein modified for $18,915,000 to establish the new facilities be reconsidered by the Congress at the earliest possible time. While we anticipate increased costs for the facility proposed resulting from a location outside Beltsville, such as those associated with sewage disposal, power and heating, and certain servicing units, there will also be decreased costs through the elimination of requirements for blastresistant construction. We will make every effort to make maximum economies in setting up this new facility. The consideration you have given this matter is sincerely appreciated. Also I wish to express my personal thanks for the opportunity to have discussed it with you. Sincerely yours, E. L. PETERSON, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON JUNE 6, 1956. SITE TO BE CHOSEN FOR NEW ANIMAL DISEASE LABORATORY Secretary of Agriculture Ezra Taft Benson today took initial steps toward selection of a site for construction of new facilities for work on animal diseases. The action is in accord with suggestions from leaders in both Houses of the Congress. Originally, it was proposed by the Department that such facilities be located at the Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, Md., and $18,915,000 was included in appropriation requests for construction purposes. Congress, in considering this request, generally favored the new facilities, but at a location other than Beltsville. The suggestion was made that the United States Department of Agriculture— in cooperation with the livestock industry and allied interests-select a site located close to centers of livestock production, near or in conjunction with one of the State land-grant colleges having a strong veterinary medical program, and away from concentrated metropolitan centers. The Secretary, following these suggestions, today invited submission of site proposals and set up procedures to consider them. Notices of interest and preliminary proposals are to be in the hands of the Administrator of the Agricultural Research Service, Washington 25, D. C., by Thursday, June 21. This deadline does not, however, preclude consideration of other proposals or presentations directly to the site committee. All proposals and oral presentations will be considered by the site committee at a meeting in St. Louis, Mo., beginning on June 27 at the Statler Hotel, at 9 a. m. The site committee will consist of leaders in the livestock industry representing beef cattle, swine, dairying, sheep, and poultry, and representatives of the landgrant colleges, the veterinary medical profession, State departments of agriculture, livestock sanitary officials, and other livestock interests. The site committee is to have full freedom of action in making its recommendations but will be guided by certain factors related to the functions and operating economy of the laboratory, as follows: 1. Scientific center: Near a land-grant college or university having a veterinary school or a strong animal disease research department, which would provide the advantages of library facilities and opportunity for cooperation and association with other scientific work. 2. Human population: Near a community that could readily absorb 100-200 new families and having adequate personnel to fill 100-200 nonscientific positions : not close to an industrial, metropolitan strategic area. 3. Accessibility: Near major railroad and airline connections on a site adjacent to permanent hard-surfaced roads. 4. Land-From 200 to 400 acres is needed. 5. Construction costs: High-cost areas will be avoided. 6. Utilities: (a) Water: 250,000 to 300,000 gallons of potable water per day required. (b) Sewage: Provision for disposition of 150,000 to 200,000 gallons of sterile and treated effluent per day required. (c) Electricity: 4,000 to 4,500 kilowatts per hour connected load required. 7. Availability per year of 1,000 each locally produced cattle, swine, sheep. After hearing all proposals presented at St. Louis, the site committee will choose from 3 to 5 locations for further on-the-ground consideration. The members will then visit each of these proposed locations and will review the advantages of each of them. They will present their recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture. The new animal disease facility as planned will include laboratories for research simultaneously on 25 different animal diseases so arranged that there will be no possibility of exposure of animals in one section to any of the diseases on which work may be under way in another section. Complete protection for laboratory workers against diseases that may be communicable to humans will be included. Safety measures also will be adopted preventing the escape of disease organisms from the laboratory that might infect livestock herds and flocks or humans. In addition to the research, the facility will have space and equipment for testing and diagnostic work required in the livestock disease control and regulatory activities of the Department. The livestock industry and agricultural leaders consider the need for the new laboratory to be urgent as a result of the necessary abandonment of 50year-old inadequate facilities in Washington on July 1, 1955. This action, on the recommendation of an inspection committee of three widely known research experts on communicable diseases, resulted in the closing down of research on tuberculosis, anthrax, and other diseases of animals that also can affect humans. Similar work at Auburn, Ala., and Denver, Colo., also has had to be discontinued because of antiquated and inadequate facilities. LOUISIANA OFFER Senator ELLENDER. I hope you do not overlook the attractive offer that Louisiana has made. Senator DIRKSEN. The field committee has finished its work, has it not? Dr. SHAW. Yes. Senator DIRKSEN. Have they made a specific recommendation? Dr. SHAW. Yes. Senator ELLENDER. You mean the recommendation? Dr. SHAW. The committee is expecting to make their recommendation to the Secretary today. I have a good bit of that in the statement here, Mr. Chairman. Senator RUSSELL. All right. Before you proceed, you might wish to refer to this. LETTER FROM SENATOR HUMPHREY I have a letter here to the chairman of the committee from Senator Humphrey, in which he complains very strongly about the fact that the committee failed to visit the magnificient facilities offered by the University of Minnesota. With your consent, Senator Hayden, may that go in the record? Chairman HAYDEN. Yes. DEAR SENATOR: I understand that Dr. Byron T. Shaw, the Director of the Agricultural Research Service of the Department of Agriculture, will appear before the committee on July 6 to report on the recent investigations of the Special Site Committee appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture to recommend to the Secretary possible sites for the establishment of an animal disease research laboratory. The report of the committee on the agricultural appropriations bill specifically stated that appropriations should not be considered before the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Forestry had authorized the project and selected a site. This admonition was repeated on the floor by Senator Russell, chairman of the Subcommittee on Agriculture; for the information of the committee, I am attaching pages 7784-7786 of the Congressional Record covering Senator Russell's floor discussion of the proposed laboratory. Certainly there should be careful study of this important project by the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry before appropriations are again considered. The intention of the Secretary of Agriculture, however, appears to be to come back again to the Appropriations Committee after a most cursory examination of the possible sites for the laboratory on the part of a special committee appointed solely by the Department, with, insofar as I know, no consultation with the Congress. I wish to point out-to indicate the cursory and hasty nature of the study made by the Site Committee-that the Committee failed even to visit the magnificent facilities offered by the University of Minnesota, even though the Committee was able, in its rapid transit of the country, to stop off at Ames, Iowa, and Madison, Wis., only a few minutes' plane trip from Minneapolis-St. Paul. Yet the University of Minnesota and the Twin Cities fully meet all the necessary requirements for such a laboratory, and sent a delegation to St. Louis with a full presentation on the advantages of the University of Minnesota. I ask, Mr. Chairman, that once again the Committee on Appropriations instruct the Secretary of Agriculture to bring the matter of a site for the proposed animal disease research laboratory before the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry. I strongly believe that this procedure is not only proper, but necessary, and that no project of such importance to the Nation's agricultural economy and well-being should be constructed without careful study and congressional authorization. Kindest personal regards. HUBERT H. HUMPHREY. Mr. BARRETT. The committee, then, believes that the location of the laboratory is the determining factor at present, does it? Mr. RUSSELL. I shall read from the committee report, in which there was unanimous agreement: "The committee supports the establishment of adequate facilities for research on animal diseases, but does not approve the budget request for building the laboratory, and further concentrating this work, at Beltsville, Md. The committee believes that before it recommends an appropriation for the establishment of a national animal disease research facility, the standing Committee on Agriculture and Forestry should approve the project, including its location. In connection with the long-range research program the committee requests the Department to make a study of its needs for research facilities and report to the committee." We are heartily in favor of the laboratory; all we ask is that the Department and the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry come to an agreement as to where the laboratory shall be located. Mr. BARRETT. Will the effect of the action by the committee be to hold the matter in abeyance for 1 year? Mr. RUSSELL. Not necessarily. It was generally understood in the committee that if the Department saw fit to consult with the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Forestry before the conference was held on the bill, the Senate conferees might even recede in this bill. But if a decision has not been reached by that time, there will still be several supplemental and deficiency appropriation measures to be considered before the adjournment of Congress, and that will give the Department of Agricuture adequate time to consult with the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Forestry and for Congress to make an appropriation this year. If the Department is diligent, there should be no cause for delay in the construction of the laboratory. Mr. BARRETT. I thank the Senator. |