J. MILLARD TAWES, Governor                      781

Whereas, It is estimated that the total initial cost of constructing
and equipping said hospital will be Eight Million, Seven Hundred
Thousand Dollars ($8,700,000.) and, as a result of the location
thereof in the District of Columbia, said Foundation has obtained a
Federal appropriation in the amount of Three Million Dollars
($3,000,000.) under the Act of Congress of August 7, 1946 (60 Stat.
896), popularly known as the District of Columbia Hospital Center
Act, and an additional appropriation of Three Hundred Seventy-five
Thousand Dollars ($375,000.), pursuant to the authorization of said
Act, has been requested by said General Services Administration;
and

Whereas, In addition, a Federal grant of One Million Dollars
($1,000,000.) has been allocated to the construction of said hospital
under the Act of Congress, popularly known as the Hill-Burton Act,
and to complete said financing, said Foundation has obtained pledges
of contributions from residents both of the District of Columbia and
Prince George's County in an amount in excess of One Million Dollars
($1,000,000.) and proposes to obtain additional pledges and contribu-
tions, and to provide the balance needed for the construction of said
hospital, the equipping of the same and the provision of adequate
working capital, through a grant by Prince George's County and a
private loan from a reliable broker specially qualified in the field; and

Whereas, Approximately one-third of the amount pledged by pri-
vate citizens for construction of said hospital has been pledged by
residents of Prince George's County, such pledges constituting fifty-
eight per cent of the number of individual pledges received, and it is
estimated that approximately sixty per cent of the facilities will be
utilized by residents of Prince George's County; and

Whereas, In view of the lack of adequate hospital facilities for
the residents of the southeastern portion of Prince George's County,
the demonstrated need therefor, the substantial Federal grants for
the construction of said Greater Southeast Community Hospital
which would not be available under existing law were said hospital
located outside the District of Columbia, and the demonstrated inter-
est of the residents of Prince George's County in the construction of
said hospital, the General Assembly finds that the health, welfare
and safety of the residents of a populous and growing portion of the
State of Maryland would be served and protected by the construction
of said hospital and that it is appropriate and in the public interest
that the County Commissioners for Prince George's County, the resi-
dents of which will benefit from said hospital, be authorized and
empowered to appropriate and contribute public funds toward the
the construction of said hospital; now, therefore

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That the County Commissioners for Prince George's County be and
it is hereby authorized and empowered to appropriate a sum not
exceeding Six Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($650,000.) for and
on account of the construction of The Greater Southeast Community
Hospital on the site in the District of Columbia above described,
and to expend, disburse and contribute said appropriation to The
Greater Southeast Community Hospital Foundation, Inc., for such
purpose.