to how this should be carried out. The immediate action would be the preparation of the tentative plan. Mr. LYNN. That is correct; that is a matter for the approval of the committee. We could not let the contract until after approval by the committee. The CHAIRMAN. Is that a sufficient answer to your question, Mr. McMillen? Mr. MCMILLEN. I was reading from the committee report. I am curious to know whether or not there should be some limitation on the actual work to be performed in drawing the plans and making all the necessary preparations. I am not prepared to say how that should be worded. The CHAIRMAN. Of course, the construction would not be carried out until the House and the Senate are out of session long enough to do the work. Mr. McMILLEN. It would be quite a long time before VJ-day occurs, or the time when this work could be given the right-of-way. Mr. HOLMES. As I recall, at the last hearing it was said it would take several months for the plans to be completed and the material gotten ready, and then when a contract was let it would be 8 months or longer before they would be ready to go ahead. Mr. MCGREGOR. We cannot do that until after the subcommittee make their report and the green light is given to go ahead with the work. The CHAIRMAN. This is the statement in the report of the House committee, which I think is about as accurate as could be made in the report. The report says: Under the time schedule outlined in this report, as presented by the Architect of the Capitol, the project would not, in all probability, reach the point where the Architect would be ready to start actual construction work in and about the House and Senate Chambers until next spring; and, of course, the actual time of performance of the work would further depend on when the Chambers would be made available by the House and Senate for such purpose. The time will necessarily depend upon the preparation of the plans and then the approval of the plans before any contract can be made. The proposition which is in the minds of the people considering this matter is this. We are about to get away, perhaps taking a recess for 1 or 2 months. If the authorization is given that time could be used in the preparation of the plans. Then when those plans are prepared, they would have to pass the scrutiny of all concerned, and the contracts cannot be awarded until the plans have passed that scrutiny and are approved. When the contracts are awarded the work could not be done, and the materials would not be available, until the House and Senate would be out of session long enough for the construction to proceed. Mr. MCGREGOR. This is simply an authorization; the Committee on Appropriations must finally appropriate the money before the work work can proceed. The CHAIRMAN. That is true. The thing that is important now is to provide for the preparation and the approval of the plans. Mr. ELLIOTT. Personally, I think we should expedite this work just as fast as possible, have the contracts ready, and by that time they can proceed in order. I personally think we should take action so that we can begin with the construction when the materials are avail No. 4 HEARINGS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SEVENTY-NINTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION ON H. R. 4276 A BILL TO PROVIDE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF OCTOBER 10, 16, 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25, 26, 31, AND NOVEMBER 1 Printed for the use of the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds 79040 UNITED STATES WASHINGTON: 1945 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA DEC 21 '45 CONSTRUCTION OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1945 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS, Washington, D. C. The committee met at 10:30 a. m., Hon. Fritz G. Lanham (chairman) presiding. The CHAIRMAN. We are met this morning to begin consideration of H. R. 4276, a bill to provide for the construction of public buildings, and for other purposes. Without objection, the bill will be inserted in the hearing at this point. (The bill referred to is as follows:) [H. R. 4276, 79th Cong., 1st sess.] A BILL To provide for the construction of public buildings, 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 "Public Buildings Act of 1945." TITLE I-PUBLIC BUILDINGS OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SEC. 1. (a) In order that the Public Buildings Administration may be prepared to start the construction outside the District of Columbia of projects previously selected and for which funds, or contract authorizations have been provided, and for such new projects as may be deemed necessary by the Federal Works Administrator (and the Postmaster General where his department is involved), the Federal Works Administrator is authorized to acquire, by purchase, condemnation, donation, exchange, or otherwise, lands or interest in lands as sites or additions to sites for said projects and, prior or subsequent to approval of title by the Attorney General, to cause to be prepared drawings and specifications for such projects, and to have performed all work incident to the accomplishment thereof, notwithstanding the fact that appropriations for construction work shall not have been made. Selection of new projects for the foregoing purposes shall be made by the Federal Works Administrator and the Postmaster General from the list contained in their revised report dated September 25, 1945, and printed as House Document Numbered -: Provided, That in making such selections they shall endeavor to distribute new and previously selected projects equitably throughout the United States, and may also select for prosecution projects not included in such report as in their judgment are economically sound and advantageous to the public service: Provided further, That the limits of cost specified in the said revised report shall govern in the cases of previously selected as well as new projects. (b) The Federal Works Administrator and the Postmaster General (where his department is involved) shall from time to time, but not less frequently than every two years, submit to Congress revised reports showing the location of all public-building projects throughout the United States and its possessions which they may deem necessary to be constructed, such reports to indicate the limits of cost for each such building or project, and in order to provide a continuing program of public construction within the limit of such legislative authority as |