to the amount of salary earned. It will provide a substantial amount of insurance for all members of the Armed Forces. And it will permit servicemen returning to civilian life to continue the insurance at prevailing commercial rates, without regard to their physical condition.

VETERANS OF PAST WARS

The legislation I have proposed above primarily reflects the public concern for the welfare of veterans of the Vietnam conflict. But this Administration has not forgotten the veterans, dependents, and survivors of earlier wars.

Today, there are about 94 million Americans who fall into this category—almost one out of every two persons in the Nation.

The last several years have witnessed dramatic improvements in the range and quality of services and benefits available to our veterans and their families.

I have asked for and Congress has approved veterans' appropriation increases of $300 million each year for the past three years. Except for the two years immediately after World War II, my veterans budget for fiscal 1968 of $6.7 billion is the highest in history.

Those programs for veterans and their families which have been expanded include: -a 10% increase in pensions

-a 30% increase in subsistence allowance for veterans receiving vocational rehabilitation training.

We are also providing the best medical care a grateful and compassionate nation can offer.

Last year more than 740,000 sick and disabled veterans were patients at VA hospitals. Four new hospitals have been opened in the

past two years. Five more are scheduled to be completed within the next eight months. With the modernization of six additional hospitals, over 15,000 new beds will be added for disabled veterans during the coming year.

Special medical research is also being pursued in pioneering areas such as organ transplant, chronic lung disease and dramatically new methods of fitting artificial limbs. This year I have asked for over $46 million to support this vital work.

Nor have we forgotten the veteran who because of disability and age may be in needy circumstances.

We are helping to meet their needs through wide-ranging improvements in the Social Security, Senior Citizens, Education, Health, and Children's Programs. I have already submitted a number of those recommendations to the 90th Congress. I will submit others shortly.

Although many of these new proposals will have an important relationship to programs for veterans and their survivors it is important that we do more.

To help meet today's cost of living, we should raise the standard of living for disabled veterans, and the widows and other dependents of deceased veterans receiving pensions.

I propose, effective July 1, 1967, a 5.4 per cent increase in the pensions of 1.4 million veterans, widows and dependents.

Last week I proposed to Congress a 20 percent overall increase in social security payments-representing the greatest increase in benefits since the Act was passed in 1935. Although these increases will benefit millions of older Americans, we must make certain they do not adversely affect the pensions paid to those veterans and dependents who

are eligible for both benefits.

Accordingly, I propose that the Congress enact the necessary safeguards to assure that no veteran will have his pension reduced as a result of increases in Federal retirement benefits, such as social security.

A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF COMPENSATION, PENSION AND OTHER VETERANS BENEFITS

The proposals I have outlined will, I believe, strengthen our veteran's programs. But we must assure the continuing soundness of these programs.

I am directing the Administrator of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with leading veterans groups, to conduct a comprehensive study of the pension, compensation and benefits system for veterans, their families and their survivors. I have asked him to recommend to me by January 1968 proposals to assure that our tax dollars are being utilized most wisely and that our Government is meeting fully its responsibilities to all those to whom we owe so much.

II.

CIVILIANS SERVING IN VIETNAM

Among those engaged in the effort to preserve freedom in Southeast Asia are civilian employees of agencies such as the Department of Defense, Department of State, Agency for International Development and United States Information Agency.

There are no front lines in Vietnam. These employees are frequently exposed to hazardous conditions. They have suffered terrorist attacks in hamlets, villages, and even in the larger cities. Despite their status as civilians, many have been killed, seriously wounded, or reported missing.

The laws now governing Federal civilian employment in overseas areas have not kept pace with the times. Civilians who risk their lives in the service of their country are entitled to special benefits.

I recommend that the Congress enact legislation to:

-Increase the salary differential for service at hazardous duty posts. -Allow medical benefits to continue beyond the date of his separation for an employee who has been injured or become ill while serving in a hostile

area.

-Extend similar medical benefits to the employee's family after his separation or death.

-Allow special travel expenses for em

ployees after long service in hazardous areas, so they can be reunited with their families.

-Authorize up to one year's absence

without charge to leave as a result of injury or illness due to hostile action.

I have outlined a program shaped to meet the needs of America's servicemen and

veterans.

No act of Government, and no legislative proposal can ever repay the Nation's debt to these brave men.

They are away from their families and loved ones, serving the cause of liberty. They serve us all silently and well. And this grateful nation is in their hands. Whether in a patrol along the wall in Berlin, or walking the 38th parallel, or in the air on a SAC alert, or in a nuclear submarine beneath the sea or on a sweep through a rice paddy in South Vietnam, their mission is freedom and their cause is just.

The measures I propose in some small way

serve notice to these Americans—in and out of uniform-that we will never let them down. The Congress, the Executive Branch and the American people have accepted that obligation of honor to those who have fought and continue to fight in the defense of freedom.

The Congress, I believe, will want to consider and promptly enact this legislation. LYNDON B. JOHNSON

The White House January 31, 1967

NOTE: For statements or remarks upon signing related legislation, see Items 374, 568.

I have proposed:

First, to remove the inequities in the treatment of our Vietnam veterans.

Second, to enlarge the opportunities for educationally disadvantaged veterans-in order to allow them to complete high school without using up their credits under the GI bill.

Third, to raise minimum educational allowances under the GI bill from $100 a month to $130 a month.

Fourth, to increase the maximum amount of Servicemen's Group Life Insurance from $10,000 to $30,000 maximum.

Fifth, to increase by 5.4 percent the pensions that are now received by 1.4 million disabled veterans, widows, and dependents.

Sixth, to make certain that those who receive veteran's pensions will benefit from increases in Federal retirement benefits, such as I have proposed in the social security message, earlier this year.

We know that no act of Government can ever repay our debt to the men and the women who have served their Nation in an hour of need.

But with these benefits that I have recommended, we can assure them that we do not intend to ever let them down in their hour of need.

NOTE: The President recorded the statement for radio and television broadcast.

January 31, 1967

Dear Mr. Baker:

The letter from the Washington Clearing House Association is a welcome indication that responsible groups in the community share my concern about the crime situation in the District of Columbia.

As I said in my message to Congress on January 25, transmitting the budget for the District, it is apparent that the efforts we

that

have taken up to now to deal with this problem are not adequate. That is not to say they are not considerable and have not been useful. The increase in police salaries has materially reduced the resignations of experienced officers and helped with the recruitment of new ones. Grants to the Police Department under the Law Enforcement Assistance Act have provided the police with

are eligible for both benefits.

Accordingly, I propose that the Congress enact the necessary safeguards to assure that no veteran will have his pension reduced as a result of increases in Federal retirement benefits, such as social security.

A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF COMPENSATION, PENSION AND OTHER VETERANS BENEFITS

The proposals I have outlined will, I believe, strengthen our veteran's programs. But we must assure the continuing soundness of these programs.

I am directing the Administrator of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with leading veterans groups, to conduct a comprehensive study of the pension, compensation and benefits system for veterans, their families and their survivors. I have asked him to recommend to me by January 1968 proposals to assure that our tax dollars are being utilized most wisely and that our Government is meeting fully its responsibilities to all those to whom we owe so much.

II.

CIVILIANS SERVING IN VIETNAM

Among those engaged in the effort to preserve freedom in Southeast Asia are civilian employees of agencies such as the Department of Defense, Department of State, Agency for International Development and United States Information Agency.

There are no front lines in Vietnam. These employees are frequently exposed to hazardous conditions. They have suffered terrorist attacks in hamlets, villages, and even in the larger cities. Despite their status as civilians, many have been killed, seriously wounded, or reported missing.

The laws now governing Federal civilian employment in overseas areas have not kept pace with the times. Civilians who risk their lives in the service of their country are entitled to special benefits.

I recommend that the Congress enact legislation to:

-Increase the salary differential for service at hazardous duty posts. -Allow medical benefits to continue beyond the date of his separation for an employee who has been injured or become ill while serving in a hostile

area.

-Extend similar medical benefits to the employee's family after his separation or death.

-Allow special travel expenses for em

ployees after long service in hazardous areas, so they can be reunited with their families.

-Authorize up to one year's absence

without charge to leave as a result of injury or illness due to hostile action.

I have outlined a program shaped to meet the needs of America's servicemen and

veterans.

No act of Government, and no legislative proposal can ever repay the Nation's debt to these brave men.

They are away from their families and loved ones, serving the cause of liberty. They serve us all silently and well. And this grateful nation is in their hands. Whether in a patrol along the wall in Berlin, or walking the 38th parallel, or in the air on a SAC alert, or in a nuclear submarine beneath the sea or on a sweep through a rice paddy in South Vietnam, their mission is freedom and their cause is just.

The measures I propose in some small way

serve notice to these Americans—in and out of uniform-that we will never let them down. The Congress, the Executive Branch and the American people have accepted that obligation of honor to those who have fought and continue to fight in the defense of freedom.

The Congress, I believe, will want to consider and promptly enact this legislation. LYNDON B. JOHNSON

The White House January 31, 1967

NOTE: For statements or remarks upon signing related legislation, see Items 374, 568.

I have proposed:

First, to remove the inequities in the treatment of our Vietnam veterans.

Second, to enlarge the opportunities for educationally disadvantaged veterans-in order to allow them to complete high school without using up their credits under the GI bill.

Third, to raise minimum educational allowances under the GI bill from $100 a month to $130 a month.

Fourth, to increase the maximum amount of Servicemen's Group Life Insurance from $10,000 to $30,000 maximum.

Fifth, to increase by 5.4 percent the pensions that are now received by 1.4 million disabled veterans, widows, and dependents.

Sixth, to make certain that those who receive veteran's pensions will benefit from increases in Federal retirement benefits, such as I have proposed in the social security message, earlier this year.

We know that no act of Government can ever repay our debt to the men and the women who have served their Nation in an hour of need.

But with these benefits that I have recommended, we can assure them that we do not intend to ever let them down in their hour of need.

NOTE: The President recorded the statement for radio and television broadcast.

Dear Mr. Baker:

The letter from the Washington Clearing House Association is a welcome indication that responsible groups in the community share my concern about the crime situation in the District of Columbia.

As I said in my message to Congress on January 25, transmitting the budget for the District, it is apparent that the efforts we

have taken up to now to deal with this problem are not adequate. That is not to say that they are not considerable and have not been useful. The increase in police salaries has materially reduced the resignations of experienced officers and helped with the recruitment of new ones. Grants to the Police Department under the Law Enforcement Assistance Act have provided the police with