[CHAPTER 145-1ST SESSION]

[H. J. Res. 319]

JOINT RESOLUTION

Making an appropriation for the control of outbreaks of insect pests.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That for carrying out the purposes of and for expenditures authorized under the public resolution entitled "Joint resolution making funds available for the control of incipient or emergency outbreaks of insect pests or plant diseases, including grasshoppers, Mormon crickets, and chinch bugs", approved April 6, 1937, there is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $1,000,000, to remain available until June 30, 1938: Provided, That, in the discretion of the Secretary of Agriculture, no part of this appropriation shall be expended for control of grasshoppers, Mormon crickets, or chinch bugs in any State until such State has provided the organization or materials and supplies necessary for cooperation: Provided further, That this appropriation shall be expended under the personal supervision and direction of the Secretary of Agriculture, who shall make a detailed report to the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives of the several items of expenditures made hereunder: Provided further, That transportation of control materials purchased under this appropriation shall be under conditions and means determined by the Secretary of Agriculture as most advantageous to the Federal Government: Provided further, That procurements under this appropriation may be made by open market purchases notwithstanding the provisions of section 3709 of the Revised Statutes of the United States (U. S. C., title 41, sec. 5).

Approved, April 27, 1937.

[CHAPTER 870-18T SESSION]

[S. 2863]

AN ACT

To promote conservation in the arid and semiarid areas of the United States by aiding in the development of facilities for water storage and utilization, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That it is hereby recognized that the wastage and inadequate utilization of water resources on farm, grazing, and forest lands in the arid and semiarid areas of the United States resulting from inadequate facilities for water storage and utilization contribute to the destruction of natural resources, injuries to public health and public lands, droughts, periodic floods, crop failures, decline in standards of living, and excessive dependence upon public relief, and thereby menace the national welfare. It is therefore hereby declared to be the policy of Congress to assist in providing facilities for water storage and utilization in the arid and semiarid areas of the United States.

SEC. 2. In order to effectuate this policy and promote proper land use in the said areas, the Secretary of Agriculture is hereby authorized, from time to time

(1) To formulate and keep current a program of projects for the construction and maintenance in the said areas of ponds, reservoirs, wells, check-dams, pumping installations, and other facilities for water storage or utilization, together with appurtenances to such facilities. The facilities to be included within such program shall be located where they will promote the proper utilization of lands and no such facilities shall be located where they will encourage the cultivation of lands which are submarginal and which should be devoted to other uses in the public interest;

(2) To construct and to sell or lease, with or without a money consideration, under such terms and conditions as will advance the purposes of this Act, the facilities mentioned in section 2 (1) and included within the program there provided for, including the lands upon which such facilities are located if they have been acquired or reserved for the purposes of this Act;

(3) To cooperate or enter into agreements with, or to furnish financial or other aid to, any agency, governmental or otherwise, or any person, subject to such conditions as he may deem necessary for the purposes of this Act; and

(4) To obtain options upon and to acquire lands, or rights or interests therein, or rights to the use of water, by purchase, lease, gift, exchange, condemnation, or otherwise, only when necessary for the purposes of this Act.

SEC. 3. The facilities included in the program provided for in section 2 (1) may be located

[CHAPTER 385-1ST SESSION]

[S. 2439]

AN ACT

To extend the time for purchase and distribution of surplus agricultural commodities for relief purposes and to continue the Federal Surplus Commodities Corporation.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in carrying out the provisions of clause (2) of section 32 of the Act approved August 24, 1935 (49 Stat. 774), as amended, the Secretary of Agriculture may transfer to the Federal Surplus Commodities Corporation, which Corporation is hereby continued, until June 30, 1939, as an agency of the United States under the direction of the Secretary of Agriculture, such funds, appropriated by said section 32, as may be necessary for the purpose of effectuating said clause (2) of section 32: Provided, That such transferred funds, together with other funds of the Corporation, may be used for purchasing, exchanging, processing, distributing, disposing, transporting, storing, and handling of agricultural commodities and products thereof and inspection costs, commissions, and other incidental costs and expenses, without regard to the provisions of existing law governing the expenditure of public funds and for administrative expenses, including rent, printing and binding, and the employment of persons and means, in the District of Columbia and elsewhere, such employment of persons to be in accordance with the provisions of law applicable to the employment of persons by the Agricultural Adjustment Administration.

In carrying out clause (2) of section 32, the funds appropriated by said section may be used for the purchase, without regard to the provisions of existing law governing the expenditure of public funds, of agricultural commodities and products thereof, and such commodities, as well as agricultural commodities and products thereof purchased under the preceding paragraph hereof, may be donated for relief purposes.

Approved, June 28, 1937.

[CHAPTER 517-1ST SESSION]

[H. R. 7562]

AN ACT

To create the Farmers' Home Corporation, to promote more secure occupancy of farms and farm homes, to correct the economic instability resulting from some present forms of farm tenancy, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may be cited as "The Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Áct”.

TITLE I-FARM TENANT PROVISIONS

POWER OF SECRETARY

SECTION 1. (a) The Secretary of Agriculture (hereinafter referred to as the "Secretary") is authorized to make loans in the United States and in the Territories of Alaska and Hawaii and in Puerto Rico to persons eligible to receive the benefits of this title to enable such persons to acquire farms.

(b) Only farm tenants, farm laborers, sharecroppers, and other individuals who obtain, or who recently obtained, the major portion of their income from farming operations shall be eligible to receive the benefits of this title. In making available the benefits of this title, the Secretary shall give preference to persons who are married, or who have dependent families, or, wherever practicable, to persons who are able to make an initial down payment, or who are owners of livestock and farm implements necessary successfully to carry on farming operations. No person shall be eligible who is not a citizen of the United States.

(c) No loan shall be made for the acquisition of any farm unless it is of such size as the Secretary determines to be sufficient to constitute an efficient farm-management unit and to enable a diligent farm family to carry on successful farming of a type which the Secretary deems can be successfully carried on in the locality in which the farm is situated.

COUNTY COMMITTEES AND LOANS

SEC. 2. (a) The County Committee established under section 42 shall

(1) Examine applications (filed with the county agent in the county, or with such other person as the Secretary may designate) of persons desiring to finance the acquisition of farms in the county by means of a loan from .the Secretary under this title.

(2) Examine and appraise farms in the county with respect to which an application for a loan is made.

55-000 O-71-16

(b) If the committee finds that an applicant is eligible to receive the benefits of this title, that by reason of his character, ability, and experience he is likely successfully to carry out undertakings required of him under a loan which may be made under this title, and that the farm with respect to which the application is made is of such character that there is a reasonable likelihood that the making of a loan with respect thereto will carry out the purposes of this title, it shall so certify to the Secretary. The committee shall also certify to the Secretary the amount which the committee finds is the reasonable value of the farm.

(c) No certification under this section shall be made with respect to any farm in which any member of the committee or any person related to such member within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity has any property interest, direct or indirect, or in which they or either of them have had such interest within one year prior to the date of certification.

(d) No loan shall be made to any person or with respect to any farm unless certification as required under this section has been made with respect to such person and such farm by the committee.

TERMS OF LOANS

SEC. 3. (a) Loans made under this title shall be in such amount (not in excess of the amount certified by the County Committee to be the value of the farm) as may be necessary to enable the borrower to acquire the farm and for necessary repairs and improvements thereon, and shall be secured by a first mortgage or deed of trust on the farm.

(b) The instruments under which the loan is made and security given there for shall

(1) Provide for the repayment of the loan within an agreed period of not more than forty years from the making of the loan. (2) Provide for the payment of interest on the unpaid balance of the loan at the rate of 3 per centum per annum.

(3) Provide for the repayment of the unpaid balance of the loan, together with interest thereon, in installments in accordance with amortization schedules prescribed by the Secretary.

(4) Be in such form and contain such covenants as the Secretary shall prescribe to secure the payment of the unpaid balance of the loan, together with interest thereon, to protect the security, and to assure that the farm will be maintained in repair, and waste and exhaustion of the farm prevented, and that such proper farming practices as the Secretary shall prescribe will be carried out.

(5) Provide that the borrower shall pay taxes and assessments on the farm to the proper taxing authorities, and insure and pay for insurance on farm buildings.

(6) Provide that upon the borrower's assigning, selling, or otherwise transferring the farm, or any interest therein, without the consent of the Seeretary, or upon default in the performance of, or upon any failure to comply with, any covenant or condition contained in such instruments, or upon involuntary transfer or sale, the Secretary may declare the amount unpaid