[No. 173] TO PROVIDE TITLES FOR HEADS OF STAFF DEPARTMENTS OF THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES (H. R. 4029). MR. MAAS Hon. SAM RAYBURN, NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, January 15, 1944. Speaker of the House of Representatives. MY DEAR MR. SPEAKER: There is transmitted herewith a draft of a proposed bill to provide titles for heads of staff departments of the United States Marine Corps, and for other purposes. The purpose of the proposed legislation is to clarify the titles of heads of the Paymaster's Department and the Quartermaster's Department of the United States Marine Corps. The titles "The Paymaster" and "The Quartermaster" are ambiguous and confusing titles and carry no definite designation commonly associated with the heads of staff departments in the Marine Corps. The titles "The Paymaster" and "The Quartermaster" are anachronisms carried over from earlier days. When first established by law "The Paymaster" and "The Quartermaster" were the only officers of the Marine Corps performing these designated staff duties. Later, other officers were needed for this class of duty and, as they were appointed or detailed, they became assistant paymasters and assistant quartermasters. The titles "The Paymaster General of the Marine Corps" and "The Quartermaster General of the Marine Corps," would more accurately describe the officers serving as heads of the Paymaster's and Quartermaster's Departments, respectively. The enactment of the proposed legislation would result in no additional cost to the Government. The Navy Department recommends enactment of the proposed legislation. The Navy Department has been advised by the Bureau of the Budget that there would be no objection to the submission of the proposed legislation to the Congress. Sincerely yours, FORRESTAL, Acting. [No. 174] TO AMEND THE ACT APPROVED MARCH 2, 1895, AS AMENDED (H. R. 4030). MR. VINSON OF GEORGIA Hon. SAM RAYBURN, NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, January 14, 1944. Speaker of the House of Representatives. MY DEAR MR. SPEAKER: There is transmitted herewith a draft of a proposed bill to amend the act approved March 2, 1895, as amended. The purpose of the proposed bill is to amend the act approved March 2, 1895 (6 U. S. C. 3), as amended, so that it will provide that the payment and acceptance of the annual premiums on corporate surety bonds shall be a compliance with the requirement for renewal of such bonds of bonded officers and enlisted men of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. At present the law so provides as to postal officers and employees and the bill would extend the provision to cover bonded officers and enlisted men of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. Under the act of March 2, 1895, every official charged with the approval of official bonds is required to cause all bonds under his cognizance to be renewed every 4 years or oftener if deemed necessary. Treasury Department Circular No. 197 issued December 1, 1898 (5 Comp. Dec. 988) requires that, upon the execution of a new bond, the bonded officer or man must close out his accounts under the old bond and deposit any unexpended balances before any advances are made under the new bond. Literal compliance with these instructions in a number of cases is impossible and, with the approval of the Comptroller General, they have been modified to permit an officer to deposit funds needed for immediate use with some other proper disbursing officer, if it is not practicable to deposit any unexpended balances. When even this procedure is not feasible, officers outside the United States have retained their unexpended balances but have had such balances verified by two disinterested persons and have supported their accounts current under the old bonds with certificates signed by such persons. To follow any of the above procedures is impossible in many cases, particularly in time of war and the proposed bill, by eliminating the requirement for formal renewal of bonds every 4 years, would correct such situations. The amendment to the act of March 2, 1895, by the act of March 8, 1928 (45 Stat. 247), was enacted, apparently at the behest of the Post Office Department following the receipt by that Department of an opinion of the Comptroller General (7 Comp. Gen. 43) to the effect that annual payment of premiums on corporate surety bonds could not be construed as compliance with the provisions of the act of March 2, 1895, requiring renewal of such bonds every 4 years. In urging a relaxation of the requirement for renewal of bonds, the Postmaster General in a letter to the Comptroller General dated June 16, 1927, invited attention to the large amount of effort and expense incident thereto and the fact that little or nothing was accomplished in protecting the Government's financial interests by having a new document executed every 4 years. These arguments would apply with equal or greater force to the situation now prevailing in the Navy. The proposed legislation, if enacted into law, would involve no additional expense to the Government. The Navy Department recommends enactment of the proposed legislation. The Navy Department has been advised by the Bureau of the Budget that there would be no objection to the submission of the proposed legislation to the Congress. Sincerely yours, FRANK KNOX. [No. 175] AUTHORIZING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE UNITED STATES NAVY FOR ADDITIONAL SHIP REPAIR FACILITIES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES (H. R. 4061). MR. VINSON OF GEORGIA NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, January 22, 1944. Hon. SAM RAYBURN, Speaker of the House of Representatives. MY DEAR MR. SPEAKER: There is transmitted herewith a draft of a proposed bill authorizing appropriations for the United States Navy for additional ship repair facilities, and for other purposes. The purpose of the proposed legislation is to authorize the appropriation of $130,000,000 for the construction of ship repair facilities to meet the rising requirements of ship repair, chiefly on the west coast of the continental United States. By agreement with other interested Government agencies, the Navy provides the necessary facilities for all ship repairs for both merchant and naval vessels for the Army, the Maritime Commission, and for our allies as may be required within the United States and at our outlying bases. This single responsibility for providing facilities permits and is essential to coherent planning and promotes maximum utilization of facilities at all times. As in the past, the Navy Department, in seeking authorizations for ship-repair facilities, adheres to the policy of requesting only those facilities required by immediate needs, deferring predicted requirements until the expansion of the naval and merchant fleets and the prosecution of the war make their needs certain and immediate. The present peak rate of accomplishment of shipbuilding programs for all types of vessels but particularly merchant vessels is expanding the repair requirements beyond the capacity of the available or authorized facilities. A study, recently completed, of the drydock and support repair facilities requirement in the east and west coast areas, on the basis of the total vessels subject to repair as of January 1, 1945, and their anticipated deployment, indicates that the repair facilities in the Atlantic and Gulf areas will be sufficient to maintain and repair the vessels expected to be operating in those areas, except for minor rounding out of existing facilities or for contingencies resulting from strategic changes. The study disclosed that in the Pacific area substantial deficiencies in repair facilities will be encountered, unless steps are taken now to provide additional facilities. The program for which authorization is sought contemplates the following projects at the estimated cost shown: Estimated cost (a) Four floating drydocks suitable for large commercial vessels. The drydocks will be approximately 15,000 tons capacity $16, 000, 000 (b) Conversion of 3 existing west coast shipbuilding basins for use as drydocks. These basins can be made available for conversion by transferring ship construction to existing yards less critically situated..... 4, 000, 000 |