[CHAPTER 149-2D SESSION]

[H. J. Res. 234]

JOINT RESOLUTION

To amend the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938, as amended, for the purpose of further regulating interstate and foreign commerce in tobacco, and for other purposes.

Whereas the increased demand for cigarettes and other tobacco products has resulted in record usages during recent years of burley tobacco; and Whereas, due to a shortage of labor and equipment and the need for the production of essential food and fiber crops, the production of burley tobacco has not kept pace with this increased usage; and Whereas small growers of burley tobacco could, if their acreage allotments were increased, produce additional burley tobacco without adversely affecting their production of essential food and fiber crops: Therefore be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That notwithstanding the provisions of section 313 (a) of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938, as amended, the burley tobacco acreage allotment which would otherwise be established for any farm having a burley acreage allotment in 1943 shall not be less than one acre or 25 per centum of the cropland, whichever is the smaller, and the acreage required for apportionment under this joint resolution shall be in addition to the National and State acreage allotments.

Resolved, That Public Law 118, Seventy-eighth Congress, approved July 7, 1943, is amended by striking out the words "marketing year 1944-45" and inserting in lieu thereof "marketing years 1944–45, 1945-46, and 1946-47".

Approved March 31, 1944.

[CHAPTER 144-2D SESSION]

[H. R. 4410]

AN ACT

To extend for an additional ninety days the period during which certain grains and other products to be used for livestock and poultry feed may be imported from foreign countries free of duty.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 1 of the joint resolution entitled "Joint resolution to permit the importation from foreign countries free of duty, during a period of ninety days, of certain grains and other products to be used for livestock and poultry feed, and suspending for two months the increase in the tax rates under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act", approved December 22, 1943 (Public Law 211, Seventy-eighth Congress), is amended to read as follows:

"That (a) notwithstanding the provisions of the Tariff Act of 1930, the following, when imported into the United States from foreign countries, and when entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption, at any time after December 22, 1943, and before June 20, 1944, shall be exempt from duty:

"(1) Wheat, oats, barley, rye, flax, cottonseed, corn, or hay, or products in chief value of one or more of the foregoing or derivatives thereof, any of the foregoing if to be used as, or as a constituent part of, feed for livestock and poultry.

"(2) Flaxseed, if the entry or withdrawal is after the date this paragraph takes effect.

"(3) Oats to be used for purposes of human consumption, if the entry or withdrawal is after the date this paragraph takes effect.

"(b) This joint resolution shall not be construed to authorize the importation of wheat for milling purposes.

"(c) As used in this joint resolution the term 'United States' means the several States, the District of Columbia, the Territories, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands."

Approved March 29, 1944.

[CHAPTER 201-2D SESSION]

[H. J. Res. 280]

JOINT RESOLUTION

To provide assistance to farmers whose property was destroyed or damaged, in whole or in part, by floods and windstorms in 1944, in order to enable them to continue farming operations to produce food for the war effort.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United State of America in Congress assembled, That the balance of the appropriation of $15,000,000 made in the Second Deficiency Appropriation Act, 1943, for 1943 flood restoration loans, is hereby also made available until June 30, 1945, to enable the Secretary of Agriculture, in such manner and upon such terms and conditions as he may prescribe, to make loans and grants to farmers whose property is destroyed or damaged by floods and windstorms (not to exceed $1,000,000 in the case of windstorms) in 1944 and to service loans made under such appropriation in connection with the 1943 floods: Provided, That not to exceed $3,000,000 of such amount shall be used for grants. Approved May 20, 1944.

[CHAPTER 364-2D SESSION]

[H. R. 702]

AN ACT

To permit the prepayment of the purchase price of certain housing sold to individuals by the Resettlement Administration or the Farm Security Administration, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in the case of any contract or agreement for the sale of any real estate to any individual under any program administered by the Resettlement Administration or the Farm Security Administration

(1) by the Department of Agriculture or any agency of the Department of Agriculture; or

(2) by any homestead association or corporation established by the Department of Agriculture or any agency of the Department of Agriculture; or

(3) by the National Housing Agency or any agency of the National Housing Agency, in case such contract or agreement was, prior to February 24, 1942, made by the Department of Agriculture, or any agency of the Department of Agriculture, or any homestead association or corporation established by the Department of Agriculture or any agency of the Department of Agriculture; or

(4) by the National Housing Agency or any agency of the National Housing Agency, or any homestead association established by the National Housing Agency or any agency of the National Housing Agency, in case such contract or agreement would, except for Executive Order Numbered 9070 of February 24, 1942, as amended and supplemented, have been made by the Department of Agriculture or an agency of the Department of Agriculture or a homestead association or corporation established by the Department of Agriculture or an agency of the Department of Agriculture;

if such contract or agreement, having been in force for five years, provides for the payment of the purchase price in installments over a period of years, no provision of such contract or agreement shall be deemed to prevent the prepayment of any portion of the purchase price, and upon the payment of such purchase price together with interest (on the amount thereof previously unpaid) to the date of such payment, there shall be delivered to the purchaser forthwith a quitclaim deed conveying all right, title and interest of the United States in and to such real estate without any reservations, exceptions, conditions or restrictions whatsoever.

Approved July 1, 1944.

[CHAPTER 412-2D SESSION]

[H. R. 4278]

AN ACT

To provide for the control and eradication of certain animal and plant pests and diseases, to facilitate cooperation with the States in fire control, to provide for the more efficient protection and management of the national forests, to facilitate the carrying out of agricultural conservation and related agricultural programs, to facilitate the operation of the Farm Credit Administration and the Rural Electrification Administration, to aid in the orderly marketing of agricultural commodities, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That,

TITLE I

SEC. 101. (a) The Act of May 29, 1884 (23 Stat. 31), as amended, is further amended by adding a new section thereto, to be designated section 11:

"SEC. 11. The Secretary of Agriculture, either independently or in cooperation with States or political subdivisions thereof, farmers' associations, and similar organizations, and individuals, is authorized to control and eradicate tuberculosis and paratuberculosis of animals, avian tuberculosis, Bang's disease of cattle, southern cattle ticks, hog cholera and related swine diseases, scabies in sheep and cattle, dourine in horses, and contagious or infectious diseases of animals (such as foot-and-mouth disease, rinderpest, and contagious pleuropneumonia) which in the opinion of the Secretary constitute an emergency and threaten the livestock industry of the country, including the purchase and destruction of diseased or exposed animals (including poultry), or the destruction of such animals and the payment of indemnities therefor, in accordance with such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe. As used in this section, the term 'State' includes the District of Columbia and the Territories and possessions of the United States."

(b) The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to cooperate with State authorities in the administration of regulations for the improvement of poultry, poultry products, and hatcheries.

(c) The Secretary of Agriculture upon application of any exporter, importer, packer, or owner of, or the agent thereof, or dealer in, livestock, hides, skins, meat, or other animal products may, in his discretion, cause to be made inspections and examinations at places other than the headquarters of inspectors for the convenience of said applicants, who may be charged for the expenses of travel and subsistence incurred for such inspections and examinations, the funds derived from such charges to be deposited in the Treasury of the United States to the credit of the appropriation from which the expenses are paid.