It follows the procedure that we followed in years gone by of providing facilities to be jointly used or separately used wherever they are available by the Reserve components of the several services.

This bill, however, differs from past bills in that this bill now takes up these matters on a line item basis, just like the major bill that we just considered. In other words, from now on out the services propose to come to Congress with line items as to the facilities to be constructed.

Now those that have been considered by the committee in the past, those that have been authorized, will still be authorized in the future. This simply is a door you go through when you adopt this bill. And in the future the committee will pass by line items, item by item on the new facilities to be built for all of the armed services.

Now, I might say this, that as a consequence of what we propose here today, H. R. 12369 will be title VI of the present bill, the military public works bill and for the first time it is an authorization of construction facilities to a line item basis.

As amended by the Department, the bill would have provided authorization for $30,140,000.

The Navy Reserve, including the Marine Reserve, would have received an authorization of $11,892,000.

The Air Force Reserve, $6,272,000.

And the Air National Guard, $11,976,000.

No provision-and I want every member of the committee to remember this no provision was made in the suggested bill for the Army National Guard or for the Army Reserve.

Now the committee studied that for a long time, as to why the Army Guard and the Army Reserve was left out of consideratiton in the bill. We finally came to the conclusion that the Army Reserve and the Army Guard should be placed in the bill.

As a result of it, the committee instruc dtme eoask the Department and the National Guard to come up with an item-by-item recommendation of $5 million for the Army Reserve and $6 million for the Army Natitonal Guard. It was really $5 mililon for each, but the Army National Guard has an additional item of nonarmory construction which is authorized by the Congress, and they came up with suggestions of priority projects for $1 million in nonarmory construction.

So the total amount with the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard as amended by your committee was $11 million in additional construction to take care of them.

Now, I will say this on behalf of the Department. The reason they gave for not including construction for the Army Reserve and the Army Guard was that in prior years we had appropriated money and the departments have held the money back and not permitted the Army Reserve and the Army Guard to spend this money.

Therefore, they took the position there is some money available and it hasn't been spent. Of course it hasn't been spent because it wasn't available and they couldn't spend it.

As a result of it, we brought special witnesses in, and we have them here this morning if the committee wishes to hear them. They will show what the program of the Army Reserve and the Army Guard

is at this time.

I can say that the Navy program is pretty close to completion. In 2 more years the Navy construction reserve program will have been completed if the present program is followed through.

The Air Force program is in excellent shape, probably 85 percent completed. In 2, 3, or 4 years they will be through.

The Air National Guard is in good shape.

The two programs that are not in good shape are the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard.

Now our witnesses showed that. They are prepared to show it this morning.

The CHAIRMAN. Now

Mr. BROOKS. Showing that the Army National Guard needs some 800 installations still.

Now the governors of the several States have been before the subcommittee. They have indicated that the governors themselves have available some $35 million on a matching basis. The matching is 3 to 1, that is 25 percent by the State and 75 percent by the United States.

That money is available here and can be utilized if the Federal Government does its part.

Now headed by the Governor from Illinois, they were unanimous in asking that we step up our program for National Guard construction.

So the committee took that action, Mr. Chairman.

The CHAIRMAN. Two questions. Thank you, Mr. Brooks. Now there are two questions. Was this a unanimous report of your subcommittee?

Mr. BROOKS. Unanimous report and a full quorum, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. The next question is: What is the total amount set out in 12369, to be known as title VI? What is the total amount? Mr. BROOKS. The total amount in the Department bill was $30,140,000. We added by amendment $11 million. Then we struck out $6,000 for Alvin Calender because of the reappraisal of some land down there. We could save $6,000. What else did we do, Mr. Ducander?

The CHAIRMAN. That is $41 million.

Mr. DUCANDER. The total, Mr. Chairman, is $39,958,000.

The CHAIRMAN. $39 million.

Mr. DUCANDER. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. All right. Any questions by any members of the committee in regard to this title VI?

Mr. GUBSER. Yes, Mr. Chairman.

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Gubser.

Mr. GUBSER. I have a federally owned armory in the city of San Jose, which is part of a civic-center development. The local communities are now making plans to put in streets and sidewalks, curbs, and gutters, which would include those around the federally owned property.

At this time, Mr. Chairman, I do not know whether or not the Federal Government has title to the property to the middle of the right-of-way. If they do not, certainly an amendment to this bill is out of order. If they do and I find that they do, I would like to request permission to poll the committee privately and if the com

mittee is in sympathy with the addition of an item of $42,000 to take care of the Federal share of this cost, then present it on the floor, but in no way will I present an amendment unless the committee agrees to it. Is that all right?

The CHAIRMAN. All right. If you are satisfied that the facts would justify it, why then you bring it up on the floor of the House. Mr. GUBSER. Yes.

The CHAIRMAN. Without objection, that amendment is known as title No. VI to the bill.

Now, members of the committee, I think it is proper now to call the roll on the bill as amended, and then I will introduce the bill and have a brand-new, clean bill, and next Tuesday, after we get a number, we will have to have another rollcall on the bill.

All in favor of reporting 12360 with the amendments when your name is called vote "aye" and all opposed vote "no." Call the roll. (Rollcall.)

The CHAIRMAN. A quorum being present, the bill is unanimouslyhow many?

Mr. SMART. On this vote, Mr. Chairman, there are 32 "ayes" and no "nays."

The CHAIRMAN. A quorum being present and 32 voting in the affirmative and no votes in the negative, it is approved. I will introduce the bill. We will have to have a number and a rollcall Tuesday morning.

Now, members of the committee, on Tuesday I will ask that we take up a bill with reference to loaning some ships. It is a very important bill. It has already passed the Senate. We will have a rollcall on this bill and then we will get ready for the debate.

I want to ask Mrs. St. George to be ready to handle this bill over on your side.

Mrs. ST. GEORGE. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

(Mr. Smart aside.)

The CHAIRMAN. Now the committee will take a recess until Tuesday morning.

Thank all the members of the committee.

(Whereupon, at 11: 17 a. m., the committee adjourned, to reconvene at 10 a. m. Tuesday, June 24, 1958.)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES, Washington, D. C., Tuesday, June 24, 1958.

The committee met at 10 a. m., Hon. Carl Vinson, chairman of the committee, presiding.

The CHAIRMAN. Let the committee come to order.

Members of the committee, the hearing this morning is on the public-works bill, H. R. 13015. However, before the committee takes it up, we have one or two projects I think we can clear up and get behind us.

Now, one is with reference to Army acquisition project 302, with reference to some property in Roanoke, Va.

Mr. KELLEHER. Mr. Chairman, Army project 302 contemplates the leasing of 15,335 square feet of space in Roanoke, at an annual rental

of $40,400. It is for the recruiting and induction station in that area. They have been occupying other space that they now have to vacate and intend to go into this space. The cost is $2.64 a square foot, which is the going market rental, being determined by bid process by GSA. The CHAIRMAN. Any questions from any members of the committee in regard to this acquisition?

If not, I will request the counsel to prepare a letter for my signature, advising the Department we interpose no objection.

Now, members of the committee, the other day when we had our last hearing on the public works bill we reached an item in it with reference to 337 houses at Fayetteville, N. C., at Fort Bragg.

Mr. KITCHIN. 367.

The CHAIRMAN. At that time I said that I was going to introduce a new bill, because there were so many amendments in the bill. We decided that we would not for the time being put in that item, as it was being objected to by Mr. Lennon and the chamber of commerce. Here is what the record says:

Just give us time to look into it. We are going to try to work out something on this. Without objection, for the time being, we are striking out Fort Bragg and we will take it up later.

I will appoint a subcommittee to look into the matter and to get all the information and to have a hearing on it and see what we should do. And if we need these houses, they will be built. If we don't need them, they will not be built.

Now, I have made an investigation since that meeting of last week and I talked to the Army and Mr. Bryant's office. Mr. Bryant is here this morning. I think it is nothing but right and proper that we should reexamine this item.

Mr. Bryant, will you please come around?

Secretary BRYANT. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

The CHAIRMAN. Now, Mr. Bryant, you have heard briefly what happened the other day.

What disturbed the committee was a statement that you stated to the delegation and the chamber of commerce, that

Had he all the information that he received on May 12 he probably would have a different view. It might be well and justified for the committee to make some inquiry in regard to this matter.

That disturbed us. We would like to clear that up.

Secretary BRYANT. Yes, sir.

The reason I have a prepared statement today is to obviate any possibility that what I may have said or certain statements that I may have made might have been taken out of context.

I will cover that, with your permission, Mr. Chairman, by reading that.

The CHAIRMAN. Go right ahead and make your statement.

Secretary BRYANT. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, as you know I am Floyd S. Bryant, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Properties and Installations. I do appreciate the opportunity to appear before this committee to recommend again that you authorize construction of 367 Capehart family-housing units at Fort Bragg, N. C.

On the basis of information obtained from the Department of the Army and our own survey of housing in the area and from the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, I am convinced that the project is com

pletely justified. It has been proven to my satisfaction that there is not enough adequate family housing in the area to meet military requirements and, therefore, additional military housing is needed.

Our programing criteria, which are used in reviewing all family housing projects, provide that in urban areas adequate military family housing may not exceed 55 percent of long-range gross basic requirements for officers and NCO's and that all adequate housing, both military and private, may not exceed 90 percent of requirements for these men. These safety factors have been strictly complied with in the Fort Bragg case, for considering Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base together, the requested 367-unit project would produce military housing amounting to only 52.4 percent of gross requirements, and total housing assets, including adequate private housing, amounting to 84.4 percent. These figures give no consideration whatsoever to the needs of more than 4,200 lower grade enlisted men who are married.

On May 12 of this year, the president of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, Mr. J. Bernard Stein, and the president of the Fayetteville Board of Realtors, Mr. Homer Barrett, visited my office to request that I withdraw my approval of this 367 units for Fort Bragg. In support of this request, they offered information on vacancies in private housing as of January 1958. I advised them that our examination of this information, based on our survey with them of conditions in the area in January revealed that the project was fully justified. They then advised that conditions had worsened considerably since January and that this was the basis for their request that I disapprove the project. In the course of this discussion, I remarked that had these new conditions in fact existed, and been brought to my attention, at the time of my approval of the project in February, my action might have been different.

This remark, Mr. Chairman, was contingent on an assumed correctness of facts which have never been established. From that time until now, no factual evidence of increased vacancies has been presented to me, nor, as far as I can ascertain, has it been given to anyone with authority to disapprove or defer the project in question. Our survey in January revealed that only 87 of the 541 private units listed as vacant and adequate could actually be so described. Even if we consider certain 1 bedroom suites and a number of excess cost units to be adequate due to preference on the part of the individual occupants, then about 200 of the 541 units might be considered acceptable. If we now assume that worsened conditions mean that adequate vacancies have doubled, note that no evidence is available to support such an assumption, and if we add 400 units to the community support already acknowledged, our programing would still be within established limits and I would still approve the project.

Accordingly, Mr. Chairman, in view of the foregoing, I strongly urge that 367 housing units for Fort Bragg be included in the fiscal year 1959 military construction authorization bill.

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary.

Now, Mr. Secretary, I understand you received a letter from the former president of the chamber of commerce with reference to these 367 units now in dispute. Have you a copy of that letter?

Secretary BRYANT. No, sir.