No. 2, personnel for security, accounting, and organizational maintenance of equipment loaned. No. 3, administrative support personnel, such as supervisors, medical and dental technicians, military police, and bandsmen. Finally, No. 4, temporary duty and per diem costs of the foregoing support personnel as authorized by law. Mr. BROOKS. Those are all of them, are they? Mr. BROOKS. Any questions, Mrs. St. George? Mrs. ST. GEORGE. No, Mr. Chairman. I should say this was a most meritorious piece of legislation. I think anything we can do for the Girl Scouts, at this time is definitely to be commended. Mr. BROOKS. Mr. Van Zandt. Mr. VAN ZANDT. Isn't this a policy that has been followed for years now by the Federal Government, through the Department of Defense, making available to various organizations, not alone the Girl Scouts and the Boy Scouts, but other organizations, Government material to assist them in their conventions and encampments and so forth. Colonel TREZISE. My experience, sir, has been principally with the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. However, what you say very well could be true. Mr. VAN ZANDT. That is right. The veterans organizations cut on this, in the use of cots, blankets and so forth, for housing and sleeping drum corps and things like that. Colonel TREZISE. I believe that is right, sir. Also in disaster situations. Mr. BROOKS. Does this include the Brownies? Isn't there some organiaztion such as Brownies? Colonel TREZISE. I can't state for sure, sir. Mrs. ST. GEORGE. They are the very little ones, Mr. Chairman. Mr. VAN ZANDT. Cub Scouts and so forth. Mr. BROOKS. I knew they were younger, but I just wondered if this included them. Mr. Ducander, do you want to read the bill? Mr. VAN ZANDT. May I ask a question before he reads the bill? Mr. BROOKS. Mr. Van Zandt Mr. VAN ZANDT. What does the policy provide for in the way of reimbursing the Government in regards to expense and so forthtransportation and damage to equipment? Colonel TREZISE. Mr. Weber would like to answer that question. Mr. VAN ZANDT. I think it should be in the record and I think we should refresh our minds. Mr. WEBER. I am Mr. Weber, sir, from the Department of the Army, action officer on the bills before. We take a bond from the Girl Scouts and have a final settlement of the account. They pay for all rehabilitation costs or all losses. That is made out in a check payable, of course, to the Treasury of the United States deposited in appropriate appropriations. That is all accounted for. There is no loss to the Government in any damage to property or losses. Mr. BROOKS. That is covered by page 2, lines 12 through 15. Mr. VAN ZANDT. What has been the experience of the Department of the Army in the loaning of this equipment regarding damage and loss? Has it amounted to Mr. WEBER. Well Mr. VAN ZANDT. To any large item? Mr. WEBER. The National Jamboree of the Boy Scouts in Valley Forge this past year? Mr. VAN ZANDT. Yes. Mr. WEBER. We presented them a bill of some $80,000. However, included in that of damage to tentage due to tunately, just after we erected covered mostly by insurance. suffer. was approximately some $50,000 worth the hurricane that hit up there, unforthe tentage. But as an aside, that was So the Boy Scouts themselves did not The bill for supporting some 50,000 to 55,000 boys out in California and at Valley Forge has run in the neighborhood of between $20,000 and $25,000. Mr. VAN ZANDT. There has been no difficulty, though, protecting the interest of the Government? Mr. WEBER. No difficulty whatsoever. They are very, very cooperative organizations. We have no problems with them in settlement at all. Mr. VAN ZANDT. That is all, Mr. Chairman. Mr. BROOKS. Mr. Ducander, you wish to read the bill? You might as well dispose of it now. Mr. DUCANDER (reading): That the Secretary of Defense is hereby authorized, under such regulations as he may prescribe, to lend to the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, a corporation created under the Act of March 16, 1950, for the use and accommodation of the approximately ten thousand Girl Scouts and officials who are to attend the Girl Scout Senior Roundup Encampment to be held during the period beginning in June 1959 and ending in July 1959, at Colorado Springs, Colorado, such tents, cots, blankets, commissary equipment, flags, refrigerators, and other equipment and services as may be necessary or useful, to the extent that items are in stock and available and their issue will not jeopardize the national defense program. (b) Such equipment is authorized to be delivered at such time prior to the holding of such encampment, and to be returned at such time after the close of such encampment, as may be agreed upon by the Secretary of Defense and the Girl Scouts of the United States of America. No expense shall be incurred by the United States Government for the delivery, return, rehabilitation, or replacement of such equipment. (c) The Secretary of Defense, before delivering such property, shall take from the Girl Scouts of the United States of America a good and sufficient bond for the safe return of such property in good order and condition, and the whole without expense to the United States. SEC. 2. The Secretary of Defense is hereby authorized, under such regulations as he may provide, to permit, without expense to the United States Government, the Girl Scouts of the United States of America to use such portion of the undeveloped lands of the United States Air Force Academy adjacent to such encampment as may be necessary or useful, to the extent that their use will not interfere with the activities of such Academy, and will not jeopardize the national defense program. It passed the Senate. Mr. BROOKS. Are there any suggestions of amendments or anything, Colonel? Colonel TREZISE. No, sir. Mr. BROOKS. This bill as is, is satisfactory? Colonel TREZISE. Yes, sir. Mr. VAN ZANDT. Mr. Chairman, I move the adoption of the bill. Mr. BROOKS. You have heard the motion, dully seconded. All in favor say "aye." All opposed. The bill is passed. It will be reported to the full committee. What is the next one? H. R. 4381 Mr. DUCANDER. H. R. 4381, which is a bill to provide headstones for those who are lost at sea or whose remains have not been recovered. (H. R. 4381 is as follows:) [H. R. 4381, 85th cong. 1st sess.] A BILL To authorize the Secretary of the Army to furnish memorial markers commemorating certain deceased members of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the first section of the Act entitled "An Act to provide for the procurement and supply of Government headstones or markers for unmarked graves of members of the Armed Forces dying in the service or after honorable discharge therefrom, and other persons, and for other purposes", approved July 1, 1948 (24 U. S. C., sec. 279a) is amended by inserting "(a)" immediately after "That" and by adding at the end thereof the following: "(b) The Secretary of the Army, upon application by the next of kin, shall furnish an appropriate Government headstone or marker for erection in any private or public cemetery (other than a national cemetery or other cemetery operated by an agency of the Federal Government) to commemorate any deceased member of the Armed Forces of the United States (1) whose death has been found to have occurred while he was serving in such forces of the United States during the period beginning April 6, 1917, and ending November 11, 1918, both dates inclusive, or during the period beginning September 3, 1939, and ending January 31, 1955, both dates inclusive, and (2) whose remains have not been recovered or identified, or have been buried at sea." SEC. 2. Section 3 of such Act is amended by inserting immediately after "places of burial" the following: "when known". Mr. BROOKS. Is Mr. Davis here? Mr. DUCANDER. No, sir; he is in Georgia and could not be here. Mr. BROOKS. He is in Georgia? Does he know we are taking the bill up? Mr. DUCANDER. Yes, sir; we notified his office. Mr. BROOKS. Do you have any witnesses on H. R. 4381? Mr. DUCANDER. Yes, Col. James G. Hattox. Mr. BROOKS. Have a seat, Colonel, sir. Colonel HATTOX. Thank you, sir. Mr. VAN ZANDT. What does this bill do that the other one is not doing at the present time? Mr. PRICE. It furnishes the headstones in private cemeteries. Mr. BROOKS. Colonel, do you have a prepared statement? Mr. HATTOX. Yes, sir, Mr. Chairman; I do have. Mr. BROOKS. You are Col. James G. Hattox? Colonel HATTOX. That is correct, sir. Mr. BROOKS. United States Army? Colonel HATTOX. Yes, sir. Mr. BROOKS. You have a statement in reference to 4381? Mr. BROOKS. Would you proceed, Colonel? Colonel HATTOX. I am Col. James G. Hattox, Chief, Memorial Division, Office of the Quartermaster General, Department of the Army. The Department of the Army has been designated as the representative of the Department of Defense for this legislation. I represent the Department of the Army for that purpose. I have a brief prepared statement which I would like to present to the committee. The purpose of the bill is to authorize the Secretary of the Army, upon application therefor, to furnish an appropriate Government headstone or marker for erection in any private or public cemetery, other than a national cemetery or other cemetery operated by an agency of the Federal Government, to commemorate certain deceased members of the Armed Forces. The Department of the Army on behalf of the Department of Defense has considered the above-mentioned bill and interposes no objection to its enactment if the Congress deems it in the public interest. Following World War I and World War II, precedents were established for memorializing members of the Armed Forces of the United States who died while serving in such forces, and whose remains were not recovered or identified, or were buried at sea, by the inscription of the names and pertinent data of those so memorialized on the wall of a chapel or other appropriate memorial erected by the American Battle Monuments Commission or by the Department of the Army. Authority for memorialization of deceased participants in World War I is contained in the act of March 4, 1923 (42 Stat. 1509), as amended (36 U. S. C. 121 et seq). The act of July 1, 1948 (62 Stat. 1215; 24 U. S. C. 279a-c), authorizes similar memorialization for all persons who died while serving in the Armed Forces in an overseas theater of operations on or after September 3, 1939, and whose bodies have not been recovered or identified or have been buried at sea. Until the end of World War II, most nonrecoverable cases occurred in combat areas in time of war and the overseas cemeteries provided a suitable place for memorialization of these nonrecoverables. The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific offers a suitable place in which to memorialize the missing of the Korean conflict. Until the passage of the act of August 27, 1954 (68 Stat. 880; 24 U. S. C. 279d), as amended by the act of July 3, 1956 (Public Law 651, 84th Cong.; 70 Stat. 489), there was no legislative authority to memorialize those whose remains were not recoverable except those who died overseas during time of war. This statute authorized setting aside, when available, suitable plots in national cemeteries to honor the memory of members of the Armed Forces missing in action or who died or were killed while serving in such forces and whose remains have not been identified or have been buried at sea or have been determined to be nonrecoverable, and permits the erection, at private expense, of appropriate markers in these plots in the national cemeteries in honor of any such member or group of members. The statute does not authorize the expenditure of appropriated funds for the procurement and erection of the markers. Since the end of World War II, the remains of approximately 1,400 decedents who died on active duty outside combat areas have been nonre coverable. The report of the Department of Defense dated August 13, 1957, to your committee on this bill suggested certain changes so that if passed, it will be more in accord with existing legislation and permit more efficient administrative procedures. If your committee favorably considers the policy of having the Government furnish memorial markers for those who died in the service and whose remains have not been recovered, it is recommended that the proposed legislation attached to the report of the Department of Defense on this bill be substituted for H. R. 4381. Five other bills on the subject of furnishing memorial markers have been introduced during the 85th Congress. Three of these bills, H. R. 9336, H. R. 1230, and H. R. 1203, are under consideration by your committee. The remaining two bills, H. R. 1204, and H. R. 4414, were referred to the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. The Department of Defense has furnished its views to both committees on these bills. It is estimated that the enactment of this bill would result in an additional cost to the Government of approximately $1 million. The Bureau of the Budget has advised that it is opposed to enactment of the bill. The position of the Bureau of the Budget is based on the fact that adequate memorialization is now provided for members of the Armed Forces who die in combat zones and whose remains are not recovered. The Bureau sees no objection to legislation providing Government headstones for that group for which adequate memorialization is not now provided, namely, members of the Armed Forces who have died outside a combat zone since World War II and whose remains have not been recovered. I appreciated this opportunity of appearing before the committee and shall be happy to answer any questions you have on this bill. Mr. BROOKS. You are referring here, Colonel, to a departmental bill. Do you have that? Colonel HATTOx. Sir, do you mean the suggested change in wording? Mr. BROOKS. Well, you go further than that, do you not? I do not see that now in your statement. Mr. DUCANDER. I have it, sir. Mr. BROOKS. Would you read that, Mr. Ducander? Mr. DUCANDER. The changes as recommended by the Department would strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following: That the Act of July 1, 1958 the citation goes— is amended (1) by adding the following sentence after the first sentence of section 1 thereof: "The Secretary of the Army is authorized and directed to furnish, when requested, an appropriate memorial headstone or marker to commemorate any member of the Armed Forces of the United States dying in the service whose remains have not been recovered or identified, or were buried at sea for placement by the applicant in a national cementery or in any private or local cemetery"; (2) by amending section 2 thereof to read as follows: "The Secretary of the Army is authorized to prescribe such rules and regulations with respect to the submission of applications for all Government headstones and markers and other pertinent matters as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act." Mr. BROOKS. Now, what would that amendment do and how will it change H. R. 4381? Colonel HATTOX. It would provide for coverage for all members of the Armed Forces of the United States who died at any time in such forces and whose remains were not recovered. This particular bill provides for memorialization for those during the World War I period and from April 1939 through 1955. |