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is authorized (a) to assign or reassign to any Federal agency or agencies space therein: Provided, That if the Federal agency to which space is assigned does not desire to occupy the space so assigned to it, the decision of the Commissioner of Public Buildings shall be subject to review by the President; or (b) pending a sale, to lease such real property on such terms and for such period not in excess of five years as he may deem in the public interest; or (c) to sell the same at public sale to the highest responsible bidder upon such terms and after such public advertisement as he may deem in the public interest: Provided, That if no bids which are satisfactory as to price and responsibility of bidder are received as a result of such public advertisement, the Commissioner of Public Buildings, with the approval of the Federal Works Administrator, is authorized to sell such property by negotiation, upon such terms as may be deemed to be to the best interest of the Government, but at a price not less that that bid by the highest responsible bidder." (Aug. 27, 1935, sec. 1, 49 Stat. 885; July 18, 1940, secs. 1, 3, 54 Stat. 764, 765; 40 U. S. C., sec. 304a.)

1861. Repairs or alterations authorized to be made by Commissioner of Public Buildings; payment for repairs where appropriation of Procurement Division is inadequate.-Whenever after investigation it is determined by the Commissioner of Public Buildings that any such real property should be used for the accommodation of any Federal agency or agencies, the Commissioner of Public Buildings is authorized to make any repairs thereto or alterations therof which he deems necessary or advisable and to maintain and operate the same. To the extent that the appropriations of the Public Buildings Administration not otherwise allocated are inadequate for such repairs, alterations, maintenance, or operation, the Commissioner of Public Buildings may require each Federal agency to which space has been assigned therein pursuant to the provisions of section 1 of this Act to pay promptly by check to the Public Buildings Administration out of its appropriation for rent, either in advance of or upon or during occupancy of such space, all or part of the estimated or actual cost of such repairs, alterations, maintenance, and operation: Provided, That the total amount so to be paid shall be determined and equitably apportioned by the Commissioner of Public Buildings among the Federal agencies to whom space has been so assigned: Provided further, That the amount so charged against any Federal agency shall be computed at a rate not in excess of that paid as rent by such agency immediately preceding such assignment for space in lieu of which space is so assigned to it, and if it is less the difference shall be deposited in the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts: And provided further, That in the event such space is not assigned in lieu of existing space, the amount so charged shall be computed at a rate not in excess of that which the Commissioner of Public Buildings determines, with the approval of the Federal Works Administrator, would have been paid as rent for corresponding space during the current fiscal year, and if it is less the difference shall be deposited in the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts. If a Federal agency subject to this proviso disagrees with the amount the Commissioner of Public Buildings so determines would have been paid as rent, the determination of the Commissioner of Public Buildings shall be subject to review by the

President. (Aug. 27, 1935, sec. 2, 49 Stat. 886; July 18, 1940, sec. 3, 54 Stat. 765; 40 U. S. C., sec. 304b.)

1862. Commissioner of Public Buildings authorized to procure space by lease for periods not in excess of 5 years.-The Commissioner of Public Buildings, with the approval of the Federal Works Administrator, is further authorized to procure space by lease, on such terms and for such period not in excess of five years as he may deem in the public interest, for the housing of any Federal agency or agencies outside of the District of Columbia, except the Post Office Department, and to assign and reassign space therein in the same manner as is authorized with respect to surplus real property by section 1 of this Act, and to require the Federal agencies to whom space is assigned therein to pay the total expenditures required under such lease during its entire term in the manner specified in section 2 of this Act. (Aug. 27, 1935, sec. 3, 49 Stat. 886, July 18, 1940, sec. 3, 54 Stat. 765; 40 U. S. C., sec. 304c.)

1863. Regulations.-The Commissioner of Public Buildings, with the approval of the Federal Works Administrator, is authorized to make such regulations as may be necesary to carry out the provisions of this Act. (Aug. 27, 1935, sec. 4, 49 Stat. 886; July 18, 1940, sec. 3, 54 Stat. 765; 40 U. S. C., sec. 304d.)

1864. Federal agency defined.-The term "Federal agency", as used in this Act, means any executive department, independent establishment, commission, board, bureau, division, or office in the executive branch, or other agency of the United States, including corporations wholly owned by the United States. (Aug. 27, 1935, sec. 5, 49 Stat. 886, July 18, 1940, sec. 3, 54 Stat. 765; 40 U. S. C., sec. 304e.)

1864-1. Same; appropriation authorized to cover costs of disposal; responsibility of Federal agencies prior to acquisition of property by Federal Works Administration. There are hereby authorized to be appropriated such amounts as may be necessary to cover the costs incident to the sale or lease of real property, or demolition of buildings thereon as hereinafter authorized, which have been or may hereafter be declared surplus to the needs of any Federal agency in accordance with the provisions of this Act, and the care, maintenance, and protection thereof, including, but not limited to pay of employees, travel of Government employees, brokers' fees not in excess of rates paid for similar services in the community where the property is situated, appraisals, photographs, surveys, evidence of title and perfecting of defective titles, advertising, and telephone and telegraph charges: Provided, however, That a Federal agency shall remain responsible for the proper care, maintenance, and protection of the aforesaid property, notwithstanding any declaration that the same is in excess of its needs until such time as custody is assumed by the Federal Works Agency or other disposition is made thereof. (Aug. 27, 1935, 49 Stat. 885, Sec. 6, as added July 18, 1940, Sec. 2, 54 Stat. 764.)

1864-2. Same; conditional demolition of buildings authorized. The Commissioner of Public Buildings, with the approval of the Federal Works Administrator, is authorized, upon their determination that such action will be to the best interest of the Government, to demolish any building declared surplus to the needs of the Gov

ernment in accordance with the provisions of this Act: Provided, That before proceeding with the demolition of any building, the Commissioner of Public Buildings shall inform the Secretary of the Interior in writing of his intention to demolish it, and shall not proceed with the demolition until he shall have received written notice from the Secretary of the Interior that said building is not an historic building of national significance within the meaning of the Act entitled "An Act to provide for the preservation of historic American sites, buildings, objects, and quantities of national significance, and for other purposes," approved August 21, 1935 (Public, Numbered 292, Seventy-fourth Congress; 49 Stat. 666): Provided, however, That if the Secretary of the Interior shall fail to notify the Commissioner of Public Buildings of his determination as to whether such building is an historic building of national significance within ninety days of the receipt of the notice of intention to demolish, the Commissioner of Public Buildings may proceed to demolish said building. (Aug. 27, 1935, 49 Stat. 885, Sec. 6, as added July 18, 1940, Sec. 2, 54 Stat. 764.)

EMERGENCY PUBLIC WORKS AND CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

1869-1. Civil penalties of Eight-Hour Law suspended by overtime pay provisions. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the wages of every laborer and mechanic employed by any contractor or subcontractor engaged in the performance of any contract of the character specified in the Act of June 19, 1912 (37 Stat. 138; U. S. C., title 40, secs. 324, 325), shall be computed on a basic day rate of eight hours per day and work in excess of eight hours per day shall be permitted upon compensation for all hours worked in excess of eight hours per day at not less than one and one-half times the basic rate of pay. (Sept. 9, 1940, Sec. 303, 54 Stat. 884.)

1870-1. Waiver of exclusive jurisdiction over property acquired for resettlement or rural rehabilitation projects.-That the acquisition by the United States of any real property heretofore or hereafter acquired for any resettlement project or any rural-rehabilitation project for resettlement purposes heretofore or hereafter constructed with funds allotted or transferred to the Resettlement Administration pursuant to the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935, or any other law, shall not be held to deprive any State or political subdivision thereof of its civil and criminal jurisdiction in and over such property, or to impair the civil rights under the local law of the tenants or inhabitants on such property; and insofar as any such jurisdiction has been taken away from any such State or subdivision, or any such rights have been impaired, jurisdiction over any such property is hereby ceded back to such State or subdivision. (June 29, 1936, sec. 1, 49 Stat. 2035; 40 U. S. C., sec. 431.)

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1870-2. Payment to State or political subdivision in lieu of taxes; amount. Upon the request of any State or political subdivision thereof, or any other focal public taxing unit, in which any such project, described in section 1, has been or will be constructed, the Resettlement Administration is authorized to enter into an agreement, and to consent to the renewal or alteration thereof, with such State or political subdivision thereof, or other local taxing unit, for the pay

ment by the United States of sums in lieu of taxes. Such sums shall be fixed in such agreement and shall be based upon the cost of the public or municipal services to be supplied for the benefit of such project or the persons residing on or occupying such premises, but taking into consideration the benefits to be derived by such State or subdivision or other taxing unit from such project. (June 29, 1936, sec. 2, 49 Stat. 2036; 40 U. Š. C., sec. 432.)

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1870-3. Payment in lieu of taxes from appropriations for and receipts from projects. The receipts derived from the operation of such projects, described in section 1, in addition to the moneys appropriated or allocated for such projects, shall be available for such payments in lieu of taxes and for any other expenditures for operation and maintenance (including insurance) of such projects. To provide for such payments and expenditures, the Resettlement Administration is authorized from time to time to retain out of such receipts such sums as it may estimate to be necessary for such purposes. (June 29, 1936, sec. 3, 49 Stat. 2036; 40 U. S. C., sec. 433.)

1870-4. Dedication and grants in connection with projects.-In connection with any such project, described in section 1, the Resettlement Administration, with the approval of the President, is authorized to dedicate land for streets, alleys, and parks, and for any other public use or purpose, and to grant easements. (June 29, 1936, sec. 4, 49 Stat. 2036; 40 U. S. C., sec. 434.)

PUBLIC CONTRACTS

1887a. No transfer of contracts.-No contract or order or any interest therein, shall be transferred by the party to whom such contract or order is given to any other party, and any such transfer shall cause the annulment of the contract or order transferred, so far as the United States are concerned. All rights of action, however, for any breach of such contract by the contracting parties, are reserved to the United States. The provisions of the preceding paragraph shall not apply in any case in which the moneys due or to become due from the United States or from any agency or department thereof, under a contract providing for payments aggregating $1,000 or more, are assigned to a bank, trust company, or other financing institution, including any Federal lending agency: Provided,

1. That in the case of any contract entered into prior to the date of approval of the Assignment of Claims Act of 1940, no claim shall be assigned without the consent of the head of the department or agency concerned;

2. That in the case of any contract entered into after the date of approval of the Assignment of Claims Act of 1940, no claim shall be assigned if it arises under a contract which forbids such assignment;

3. That unless otherwise expressly permitted by such contract any such assignment shall cover all amounts payable under such contract and not already paid, shall not be made to more than one party, and shall not be subject to further assignment, except that any such assignment may be made to one party as agent or trustee for two or more parties participating in such financing;

4. That in the event of any such assignment, the assignee thereof shall file written notice of the assignment together with a true copy of the instrument of assignment with

(a) the General Accounting Office,

(b) the contracting officer or the head of his department or agency, (c) the surety or sureties upon the bond or bonds, if any, in connection with such contract, and

(d) the disbursing officer, if any, designated in such contract to make payment.

Notwithstanding any law to the contrary governing the validity of assignments, any assignment pursuant to the Assignment of Claims Act of 1940 shall constitute a valid assignment for all purposes.

Any contract entered into by the War Department or the Navy Department may provide that payments to an assignee of any claim arising under such contract shall not be subject to reduction or setoff, and if it is so provided in such contract, such payments shall not be subject to reduction or set-off for any indebtedness of the assignor to the United States arising independently of such contract. (July 7, 1862, 12 Stat. 596; R. S., sec. 3737; 41 U. S. C. sec. 15, as amended, October 9, 1940, sec. 1, 54 Stat. 1029.)

1890a. Interest of Member of Congress.-That the provisions of section 3741 of the Revised Statutes (U. S. C., title 41, sec. 22) and sections 114 and 115 of the Criminal Code of the United States (U. S. C., title 18, secs. 204 and 205) shall not apply to any contracts or agreements heretofore or hereafter entered into under the Agricultural Adjustment Act, the Federal Farm Loan Act, as amended, the Emergency Farm Mortgage Act of 1933, as amended, the Federal Farm Mortgage Corporation Act, as amended, the Farm Credit Act of 1933, as amended, and the Home Owners' Loan Act of 1933, as amended, and shall not apply to contracts or agreements of a kind which the Secretary of Agriculture may enter into with farmers: Provided, That such exemption shall be made a matter of public record. (Jan. 25, 1934, 48 Ŝtat. 337; June 27, 1934, sec. 510, 48 Stat. 1264; Aug. 26, 1937, 50 Stat. 838; 18 U. S. C., sec. 206; 41 U. S. C., sec. 22.)

1895-1. Advertisements for proposals for purchases and contracts for supplies or services for departments of Government; exception to Sec. 3709, R. S.; control of insect pests and plant diseases.-Materials and equipment for the control of such insect pests and plant diseases may be procured with any sums appropriated to carry out the provisions of this joint resolution without regard to the provisions of section 3709 of the Revised Statutes, as amended, and the transportation thereof may be under such conditions and means as shall be determined by the Secretary of Agriculture to be most advantageous. (Apr. 6, 1937, sec. 3, as amended May 9, 1938, 52 Stat. 344; 41 U. S. C., sec. 60.)

1895-2. Same; exception to Sec. 3709, R. S., this volume; Farm Credit Administration.-For * * * the Farm Credit Administration in the District of Columbia and the field * * *; procurement of supplies and services without regard to section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 U. S. C., sec. 5) when the aggregate amount involved does not

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