system is highly desirable, if not essential. If the patent is sustained, the effect will be to add from $3,000 to $5,000 to the cost of each airport installing this high-intensity lighting system. The CAA informs the committee that it is advising high-intensity runway-light manufacturers to make some satisfactory settlement or arrangement with Mr. Bartow; otherwise CAA will refuse to recommend the installation of high-intensity lights. Your committee is satisfied, from his testimony on this point, that the Administrator of Civil Aeronautics will properly safeguard the interest of the Government while standing ready to require royalty payments to be made under the Bartow patent if and when this patent is sustained.

ABSENCE OF OPPOSITION

The bill is noncontroversial in character. Absolutely no opposition has been recorded from any source.

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

In compliance with paragraph 2a of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by the bill, as introduced, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in italics, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman):

FEDERAL AIRPORT ACT

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UNITED STATES SHARE OF PROJECT COSTS

GENERAL PROVISION

SEC. 10 (a) Except as provided in subsections (b), (c), [and (d)] (d), and (e) of this section, the United States share payable on account of any approved project under this Act shall be

(1) in the case of a project for the development of a class 3 or smaller airport, 50 per centum of the allowable project costs of the project;

(2) in the case of a project for the development of a class 4 or larger airport, such portion of the allowable project costs of the project (not to exceed 50 per centum) as the Administrator may deem appropriate for carrying out the provisions of this Act.

PROJECTS IN PUBLIC LAND STATES

(b) In the case of any State containing unappropriated and unreserved public lands and nontaxable Indian lands (individual and tribal) exceeding 5 per centum of the total area of all lands therein, the United States share under subsection (a) (1), and the maximum United States share under subsection (a) (2), shall be increased by whichever is the smaller of the following percentages thereof: (1) 25 per centum, or (2) a percentage equal to one-half the percentage that the area of all such lands in such State is of its total area.

PROJECTS IN ALASKA AND THE VIRGIN ISLANDS

(e) The United States share payable on account of any approved project in the Territory of Alaska or the Virgin Islands shall be such portion of the allowable project costs of the project (not less than 50 per centum in the case of a class 3 or smaller airport, and not to exceed 75 per centum in the case of an airport of any class) as the Administrator may deem appropriate for carrying out the provisions of this Act.

H. Repts., 81-1, vol. 5-20

ACQUISITIONS OF LAND AND INTERESTS IN AIR SPACE

(d) To the extent that the project costs of an approved project represent the cost of acquiring land or interests therein or easements through or other interests in air space, the United States share (1) in the case of a project for the development of a class 3 or smaller airport, shall be 25 per centum of the allowable costs of such acquisition, and (2) in the case of a project for the development of a class 4 or larger airport, shall be not to exceed 25 per centum of the allowable costs of such acquisition.

(e) To the extent that the project costs of an approved project represent the cost of installation of high-intensity lighting on runways designated instrument-landing runways by the Administrator, the United States share shall be not to exceed 75 per centum of the allowable costs of such installation.

AMENDING THE FEDERAL AIRPORT ACT SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT MINIMUM RATES OF WAGES NEED BE SPECIFIED ONLY IN CONTRACTS IN EXCESS OF $2,000

JULY 8, 1949.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. ROGERS of Florida, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany S. 1279]

The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (S. 1279), to amend the Federal Airport Act so as to provide that minimum rates of wages need be specified only in contracts in excess of $2,000, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. The bill reads as follows:

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That subsection (b) of section 15 of the Federal Airport Act is amended to read as follows:

"MINIMUM RATES OF WAGES

"(b) All contracts, in excess of $2,000 for work on projects approved under this Act which involve labor shall contain provisions establishing minimum rates of wages, to be predetermined by the Secretary of Labor, which contractors shall pay to skilled and unskilled labor, and such minimum rates shall be stated in the invitation for bids and shall be included in proposals or bids for the work.”

PURPOSE

The object of the bill is to exempt contracts for less than $2,000 from the existing requirement (Federal Airport Act, sec. 15 (b)), that all contracts for work on airport projects approved under the act involving labor must contain provisions establishing minimum rates of wages, to be predetermined by the Secretary of Labor.

COST

The proposed change would decrease the amount of administrative work involved and hence would decrease the overhead chargeable to the administration of the Federal Airport Act. It would also decrease the burden of work on the Secretary of Labor, and hence decrease the administrative expenses of that Federal agency also.

JUSTIFICATION

The experience of CAA to date has amply demonstrated the desirability of this administrative simplification. Not only would it save money, but it would also accelerate the construction of airports under the program by decreasing the amount of paper work otherwise required under the act. It is pointed out that the Davis-Bacon Act (49 Stat. 1101), which requires the predetermination of wage rates by the Secretary of Labor for contracts of Federal agencies, limits this requirement to contracts in excess of $2,000. No reason is known why a more stringent requirement with respect to construction contracts should be applied to towns and cities, or to contractors employed by them, than is imposed upon Federal agencies.

ABSENCE OF OPPOSITION

S. 1279 is noncontroversial in nature. There has been no opposition or adverse comment upon it from any source, including organized labor.

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

In compliance with paragraph 2a of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by the bill, as introduced, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in italics, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman):

FEDERAL AIRPORT ACT

PERFORMANCE OF CONSTRUCTION WORK

REGULATIONS OF THE ADMINISTRATOR

SEC. 15. (a) The construction work on any approved project shall be subject to inspection and approval by the Administrator and in accordance with regulations prescribed by him. Such regulations shall require such cost and progress reporting by the sponsor or sponsors of such project as the Administrator shall deem necessary. No such regulation shall have the effect of altering any contract in connection with any project entered into without actual notice of the regulation.

MINIMUM RATES OF WAGES

(b) All contracts, in excess of $2,000 for work on projects approved under this Act which [involves] involve labor shall contain provisions establishing minimum rates of wages, to be predetermined by the Secretary of Labor, which contractors shall pay to skilled and unskilled labor, and such minimum rates shall be stated in the invitation for bids and shall be included in proposals or bids for the work.

OTHER PROVISIONS AS TO LABOR

(c) All contracts for work on projects approved under this Act which involves labor shall contain such provisions as are necessary to insure (1) that no convict labor shall be employed; and (2) that in the enployment of labor (except in executive, administrative, and supervisory positions), preference shall be given, where they are qualified, to individuals who have served as persons in the military service of the United States (as defined in section 101 (1) of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940), and who have been honorably discharged from such service: Provided, That such preference shall apply only where such labor is available and qualified to perform the work to which the employment relates.

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