COMMITTEE ON EXPENDITURES IN THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESSTANFORD SEVENTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION ON H. R. 5125 LIBRARIES P70-47 A BILL TO PROVIDE FOR THE DISPOSAL OF SURPLUS SURPLUS PROPERTY ACT OF 1944 MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 1944 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, IN THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS, EXECUTIVE SESSION Washington, D. C. The committee met at 10 a. m., Hon. Carter Manasco (chairman) presiding. The CHAIRMAN. The committee will please come to order. We have met this morning to consider H. R. 5125, a bill to provide for the disposal of surplus Government property and plants, and for other purposes. (The bill referred to is as follows:) [H. R. 5125, 78th Cong., 2d sess.] A BILL To provide for the disposal of surplus Government property and plants, and for other purposes Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, OBJECTIVES SECTION 1. The Congress hereby declares that the objectives of this Act are to facilitate and regulate the orderly disposal of surplus property so as (a) to assure the most effective use of such property for the purposes of war and national defense; (b) to facilitate the transition of enterprises from wartime to peacetime production and of individuals from wartime to peacetime employment; (c) to promote production, employment of labor, and utilization of the productive capacity, and the natural and agricultural resources of the country; (d) to avoid dislocations of the domestic economy and of international economic relations; (e) to discourage monopolistic practices, preserve and strengthen the competitive position of small business; (f) to foster the wide distribution of surplus commodities to consumers at fair prices; (g) to effect broad and equitable distribution of surplus property; and (h) to realize the highest obtainable return for the Government consistent with the maintenance and encouragement of a healthy competitive economy. SEC. 2. As used in this Act DEFINITIONS (a) The term "Government agency" means any executive department, board, bureau, independent commission, or other agency in the executive branch of the Federal Government, and any corporation wholly owned and controlled by the United States. (b) The term "owning agency" means a Government agency having control of property at or before the time when it is determined to be surplus to the needs and responsibilities of that agency. 1 |