[CHAPTER 757-1ST SESSION] [H. R. 5934] To amend the Second Supplemental National Defense Appropriation Act, 1943, approved October 26, 1942 (56 Stat. 990, 999), and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That that portion of the Second Supplemental National Defense Appropriation Act, 1943, approved October 26, 1942, appropriating moneys to the Public Buildings Administration, Federal Works Agency, for salaries and expenses, public buildings and grounds in the District of Columbia and adjacent area, and for other purposes, be amended by changing the colon to a comma after the word "buildings" (as set forth in line 22 of paragraph 5, page 999, of volume 56, part 1, U. S. Stat. L.), and adding the following: "such restrictions shall not apply, however, to ventilating and temperature and humidity control equipment for special laboratory, scientific, and research purposes, the cost of the purchase and installation of which may be borne from the appropriations of the particular Federal agency utilizing such equipment, but such installations shall be subject to approval by the General Services Administration and subsequent to its installation the equipment shall be maintained and operated by the General Services Administration and shall remain under the custody and control of such Administration without exchange of funds:". Approved October 26, 1949. [PUBLIC LAW 647-81ST CONGRESS] [H. R. 7219] To authorize acquisition by the Administrator of General Services of certain land and the improvements thereon in the District of Columbia. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Administrator of General Services is hereby authorized to acquire by purchase, condemnation, donation, or otherwise, for the construction, enlargement, remodeling, or extension of public buildings the lands, together with the improvements thereon, described as lots numbered 48, 813, 814, 815, and 819 in square 167 of the District of Columbia. SEC. 2. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of section 1 of this Act. Approved August 3, 1950. CONTENTS Page Public No. 186, 69th Cong. Approved, May 7, 1926. Public No. 156 (Extract) 76th Cong. Approved, June 29, 1939. Public No. 508 (Extract) 76th Cong. Approved, May 14, 1940- (159) [H. R. 10200] An Act For the acquisition of buildings and grounds in foreign countries for the use of the Government of the United States of America. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of State is empowered, subject to the direction of the commission hereinafter established, to acquire by purchase or construction in the manner hereinafter provided, within the limits of appropriations made pursuant to this Act, in foreign capitals and in other foreign cities, sites and buildings, and to alter, repair, and furnish such buildings, for the use of the diplomatic and consular establishments of the United States, or for the purpose of consolidating, to the extent deemed advisable by the commission, within one or more buildings, the embassies, legations, consulates, and other agencies of the United States Government there maintained, which buildings shall be appropriately designated by the commission, and the space in which shall be allotted by the Secretary of State under the direction of the commission among the several agencies of the United States Government. SEC. 2. (a) There is hereby established a joint commission, to be known as the Foreign Service Buildings Commission, and to be composed of the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Commerce, the chairman and the ranking minority member of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, and the chairman and the ranking minority member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives. A member of the commission may continue to serve as a member thereof until his successor has qualified. (b) It shall be the duty of the commission to consider, formulate, and approve plans and proposals for the acquisition and utilization of the sites and buildings authorized by section 1, and of sites and buildings heretofore acquired or authorized for the use of the diplomatic and consular establishments in foreign countries, including the initial furnishings of such buildings and the initial alteration and repair of purchased buildings and grounds. The commission established by the Act entitled "An Act making appropriations for the Diplomatic and Consular Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1922," approved March 2, 1921, is hereby abolished. (c) The commission shall prescribe rules and regulations for carrying into effect the provisions of this Act, and shall make an annual report to the Congress. SEC. 3. Buildings and grounds acquired under this Act or heretofore acquired or authorized for the use of the diplomatic and consular establishments in foreign countries may, subject to the direction of the commission, be used, in the case of buildings and grounds for the diplomatic establishment, as Government offices or residences or as such offices and residences; or, in the case of other buildings and grounds, as such offices or such offices and residences. The contracts for all work of construction, alteration, and repair under this Act are authorized to be negotiated, the terms of the contracts to be prescribed, and the work to be performed, where necessary, in the judgment of the commission, without regard to such statutory provisions as relate to the negotiation, making, and performance of contracts and performance of work in the United States. SEC. 4. For the purpose of carrying into effect the provisions of this Act there is hereby authorized to be appropriated an amount not exceeding $10,000,000, and the appropriations made pursuant to this authorization shall constitute a fund to be known as the Foreign Service Building Fund, to remain available until expended. Under this authorization not more than $2,000,000 shall be appropriated for any one year, but within the total authorization provided in this Act the Secretary of State, subject to the direction of the commission, may enter into contracts for the acquisition of the buildings and grounds authorized by this Act. In the case of the buildings and grounds authorized by this Act, after the initial alterations, repairs, and furnishing have been completed, subsequent expenditures for such purposes shall not be made out of the appropriations authorized by this Act. SEC. 5. The Secretary of State is empowered, subject to the direction of the commission, to collect information and to formulate plans for the use of the commission and to supervise and preserve the diplomatic and consular properties of the United States in foreign countries and the properties acquired under this Act. In the collection of such information and in the formulation of such plans he may, subject to the direction of the commission, obtain such special architectural or other expert technical services as may be necessary and pay therefor, not exceeding in any case 5 per centum of the cost of construction or remodeling of the properties in respect to which said special services are rendered, from such appropriations as Congress may make under this Act, without regard to civil service laws or regulations and the provisions. of the Classification Act of 1923. SEC. 6. The authority granted to acquire sites and buildings by purchase shall, in cases where it is impossible to acquire title, be construed as authority to acquire the property by lease for a term sufficiently long, in the judgment of the commission, to be practically equivalent to the acquisition of title. SEC. 7. The Act entitled "An Act providing for the purchase or erection, within certain limits of cost, of embassy, legation, and consular buildings abroad," approved February 17, 1911, is repealed, but such repeal shall not invalidate appropriations already made under the authority of such Act. SEC. 8. This Act may be cited as the "Foreign Service Buildings Act, 1926." Approved, May 7, 1926. |