To establish an Alaska International Rail and Highway Commission. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That (a) there is Alaska Interhereby established an Alaska International Rail and Highway Com- national Rail mission (hereinafter referred to as the "Commission") which shall and Highway be composed of twelve members, to be appointed by the President, as Commission. follows: (1) five of the members of the Commission shall be Members of the Congress of the United States, not more than three of whom shall be members of the same political party; (2) four of the members shall be selected from the executive branch of the Government, of whom, if practicable, one shall be from the Department of the Army, to be designated by the Secretary of the Army, one from the Department of the Interior, one from the Department of State, and one from the Department of Commerce; and (3) three of the members shall be selected from the general public, one of whom shall be a resident of Alaska and one of whom shall be a resident of the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. (b) The Commission shall select a chairman and a vice chairman from among its members. (c) A quorum of the Commission shall consist of seven members. Any vacancy in the Commission shall not affect its powers and shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made. (d) The appointment of an officer of the Army on the active list as a member of the Commission is authorized as an exception to section 1222, Revised Statutes (10 U. S. C. 576), and does not vacate his appointment as a commissioned officer of the Army. SEC. 2. It shall be the duty of the Commission— (a) to make a thorough and complete study of the economic and military advantages of additional highway and rail transportation facilities connecting continental United States with central Alaska; (b) to make a thorough and complete study of the most feasible and direct routes of rail and highway transportation between the United States and Alaska, in relation to the economic benefits to be derived therefrom by the United States, Canada, and Alaska; and (c) to make a thorough and complete study of the most feasible feeder rail and highway routes connecting coastal ports and cities with the rail and highway facilities between the United States and Alaska, determined most feasible and beneficial by the Commission. In making such studies, the Commission shall give particular attention to the feasibility of rail and highway facilities between the Pacific Northwest region and Alaska. In determining the most feasible and beneficial routes for rail and highway facilities, the Commission shall take into consideration the proximity to such routes of suitable sites for airfields. Establishment. Duties. SEC. 3. The Commission is authorized to cooperate with the officials Cooperation of the Dominion of Canada and of the Province of British Columbia with Canada. and with any commission or similar body appointed for such purpose by the Dominion of Canada or the Province of British Columbia. The Secretary of State shall, at the request of the Commission, 55-598 0-71—33 arrange for nestags vrh sich officials and with such commissions or amar bodes of the Dominion of Canada or of the Province of Beta Cundia. Sec. 4 The Commission may, in carrying out its duties under the Act, mut such hearings, take sich testimony, sit and act at such paces and times, and her such expenditures as the Commission deems hersary Any member of the Commission may administer mans or affirmations to witnesses appearing before the Commission. The Commsson may, without regard to the civil-service laws and 63 Stat. 154, the Camicxton Act of 1943, employ and fix the compensation of such Experta, CONELT Ints, and other employees, as it deems necessary to assist in carrying out its dates ander this Act. 63 Stat. 908. Delegation of powers. Reimbursement for expenses. Reports to Termination. Appropriation. (b). The Commission is authorized to utilize the facilities, information, and personnel of the departments, agencies, and establishments of the exerative branch of the Government which it deems necessary to carry out its duties under this Act; and each such department, agency, and instrumentality is authorized to furnish such facilities, information, and personnel to the Commission upon request made by the chairman or vice chairman. The Commission shall reimburse each such department, agency, and instrumentality for the services of any personnel utilized. The furnishing of information by any such department, agency, or instrumentality shall be subject to such restrictions as the head of the department, agency, or instrumentality deems necessary for the security of the United States. (e) In performing its duties under this Act the Commission shall utilize all information available by reason of any surveys and plans made under authority of the Act entitled "An Act providing for a location survey for a railroad connecting the existing railroad system serving the United States and Canada and terminating at Prince George, British Columbia, Canada, with the railroad system serving Alaska and terminating at Fairbanks, Alaska”, approved October 26, 1949. SEC. 5. The Commission may delegate to any member of the Commission or to any committee composed of members of the Commission any of the duties and powers conferred upon it by this Act, other than the duty of submitting reports and recommendations to the Congress pursuant to section 7. SEC. 6. Members of the Commission shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred by them in the performance of their duties. SEC. 7. The Commission shall report the results of its studies and submit its recommendations to the Congress from time to time, and shall make a final report and submit its final recommendations to the Congress not later than two years after the date of enactment of this Act. The final report shall include estimates of the cost of construction of rail and highway facilities along the routes determined most feasible and beneficial by the Commission, together with estimates of the economic benefits to the United States, Canada, and Alaska. The Commission shall cease to exist, and all authority conferred by this Act shall terminate, thirty days after the date of submission of the final report. SEC. 8. There are hereby authorized to be appropriated such sums, not in excess of $75,000, as may be necessary to enable the Commission to perform its duties under this Act. Until such time as funds may be appropriated pursuant to this authorization, the President is authorized to make available to the Commission, from any emergency fund available to him, such sums as may be necessary. Approved August 1, 1956. Chapter 890 - 2d Session AN ACT To require certain safety devices on household refrigerators shipped in interstate commerce. frigerators. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That it shall be Household reunlawful for any person to introduce or deliver for introduction into Interstate interstate commerce any household refrigerator manufactured on or shipment. after the date this section takes effect unless it is equipped with a device, enabling the door thereof to be opened from the inside, which conforms with standards prescribed pursuant to section 3. SEC. 2. Any person who violates the first section of this Act shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject to imprisonment for not more than one year, or a fine of not more than $1,000, or both. SEC. 3. The Secretary of Commerce shall prescribe and publish in Publication the Federal Register commercial standards for devices which, when in FR of safety used in or on household refrigerators, will enable the doors thereof standards. to be opened easily from the inside; and the standards first established under this section shall be so prescribed and published not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act. SEC. 4. As used in this Act, the term "interstate commerce" includes commerce between one State, Territory, possession, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and another State, Territory, possession, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. SEC. 5. This Act shall take effect on the date of its enactment, Effective date. except that the first section of this Act shall take effect one year and 90 days after the date of publication of commercial standards first established under section 3 of this Act. In the event of a change in 70 Stat. 953. said commercial standards first established, a like period shall be 70 Stat. 954. allowed for compliance with said change in commercial standards. Approved August 2, 1956. Chapter 928 - 2d Session S. 898 AN ACT All 70 Stat. 983. To amend the Interstate Commerce Act, with respect to the authority of the Interstate Commerce Commission to regulate the use by motor carriers (under leases, contracts, or other arrangements) of motor vehicles not owned by them, in the furnishing of transportation of property. owned by others. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 204 Motor carriers. of the Interstate Commerce Act, as amended (49 U. S. C., sec. 304), Use of vehicles is amended by adding at the end thereof the following subsection: 49 Stat. 546. "(e) Subject to the provisions of subsection (f) hereof, the Commission is authorized to prescribe, with respect to the use by motor carriers (under leases, contracts, or other arrangements) of motor vehicles not owned by them, in the furnishing of transportation of property "(1) regulations requiring that any such lease, contract, or Leases, oonother arrangement shall be in writing and be signed by the parties tracts, etc. thereto, shall specify the period during which it is to be in effect, and shall specify the compensation to be paid by the motor carrier, and requiring that during the entire period of any such lease, contract, or other arrangement a copy thereof shall be carried in each motor vehicle covered thereby; and “(2) such other regulations as may be reasonably necessary in Direction and order to assure that while motor vehicles are being so used the control. motor carriers will have full direction and control of such vehicles and will be fully responsible for the operation thereof in accordance with applicable law and regulations, as if they were the owners of such vehicles, including the requirements prescribed by or under the provisions of this part with respect to safety of operation and equipment and inspection thereof, which requirements may include but shall not be limited to promulgation of regulations requiring liability and cargo insurance covering all such equipment. "(f) Nothing in this part shall be construed to authorize the Com- Exceptions. mission to regulate the duration of any such lease, contract, or other arrangement for the use of any motor vehicle, with driver, or the amount of compensation to be paid for such use "(1) where the motor vehicle so to be used is that of a farmer ciations, as specified in section 203 (b) (4a) or (5), or is that 49 USC 303. "(2) where the motor vehicle so to be used is one which has Approved August 3, 1956. To amend section 218 (a) of the Interstate Commerce Act, as amended, to require contract carriers by motor vehicle to file with the Interstate Commerce Commission their actual rates or charges for transportation services. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 218 Interstate Com(a) of the Interstate Commerce Act, as amended (49 U. S. C. 318 merge Aot, amend(a)), is further amended as follows: (1) By striking from the second sentence thereof the words "the minimum rates or charges of such carrier actually maintained and charged" and substituting therefor the words "the actual rates or charges of such carrier", and by striking out the period at the end of such sentence and inserting in lieu thereof a colon and the following: "Provided, That any contract carrier serving but one shipper having rendered continuous service to such shipper for not less than one year may file reasonable minimum rates and charges unless the Commission in any individual case, after hearing, finds it in the public interest to require the filing of actual rates and charges."; (2) By striking from the third sentence the words "minimum charges" and substituting in lieu thereof the words "actual rates or charges"; (3) By striking out the fourth sentence up to the semicolon and inserting in lieu thereof the following: "Nothing herein provided shall be so construed as to require such carriers to maintain the same rates, rules and regulations for the same services for all shippers served. No reduction shall be made in any such charge either directly or by means of any change in any rule, regulation, or practice affecting such charge or the value of the service thereunder, nor shall any new charge be established, except after thirty days' notice of the proposed change or new charge filed in the aforesaid form and manner". (4) By changing the sixth sentence up to the proviso to read as follows: "No such carrier shall demand, charge, or collect compensation for such transportation different from the charges filed in accordance with this paragraph, as affected by any rule, regulation, or practice so filed, or less than the minimum rate or charge as may be prescribed by the Commission from time to time, and it shall be unlawful for any such carrier, by the furnishing of special services, facilities, or privileges, or by any other device whatsoever, to charge, accept, or receive compensation different from the actual rates and charges so filed, or less than the minimum charges so prescribed :" Approved August 13, 1957. ment. 54 Stat. 919, 925. |