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Saturday, March 21, 2020

"5 REPUBLICANS VOTED NO, 7 DEMOCRATS VOTED YES"

JFK FRUSTRATED BY  CONGRESSIONAL RELUCTANCE TO SUPPORT DOMESTIC PROGRAMS

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On March 21, 1963, President John F. Kennedy held his 52nd news conference at the State Department Auditorium here in the Nation's Capital.

The last question asked of the President in this conference was...

"Mr. President, how do you explain the undue reluctance...in the large segment of Congress to support your domestic programs such as support for medical schools, the youth service corps, and many...other programs?"

President Kennedy answered...

"Well, the fact of the matter is the hospital plan came out of the committee and it came to the Rules Committee, one of the members who supported the plan was sick, and so it came up for a vote. 

The five Republicans...voted no.  Judge Smith and Colmer, of Virginia & Mississippi voted no.  The seven Democrats voted yes.  Mr. Madden was sick, so the bill is tied.  I hope he gets well.  I hope he has an opportunity to vote on it again and then maybe we will have some hospitals."

 SOURCE

"Kennedy and the Press:  The News Conferences,"  Edited and annotated by Harold W. Chase and Allen H. Lerman, Thomas Y. Crowell Company, New York, 1965.


JFK News Conference
State Department Auditorium
JFK Library Photo