CONSTRUCTION OF A BRIDGE ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE AT OR NEAR RIO GRANDE CITY, TEX.

JULY 12, 1949.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed

Mr. BURLESON, from the Committee on Foreign Affairs, submitted the following

REPORT

To accompany H. R. 40221

The Committee on Foreign Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 4022) to extend the time for commencing the construction of a toll bridge across the Rio Grande at or near Rio Grande City, Tex., to July 31, 1950, having considered the same, report favorably and unanimously thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass.

Public Law 576, Seventy-ninth Congress, approved July 31, 1946, authorized construction of the subject bridge, with a stipulation that work should commence within a year after enactment. Public Laws 331, and 875, Eightieth Congress, each granted an additional year, bringing the stipulated time to July 31, 1949. The instant bill extends the time by an additional year so as to permit the completion of necessary arrangements between the prospective builders and the Government of Mexico.

The committee has been informed by the Department of State and the Department of the Army that there is no objection to the bill.

AMENDING ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE ADJUSTMENT OF IRRIGATION CHARGES ON THE FLATHEAD INDIAN IRRIGATION PROJECT, MONTANA

JULY 12, 1949.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. MORRIS, from the Committee on Public Lands, submitted the

following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 4986)

The Committee on Public Lands, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 4986) to amend an act entitled "An act to provide for the adjustment of irrigation charges on the Flathead Indian irrigation project, Montana, and for other purposes," approved May 25, 1948, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with amendments and recommend that the bill, as amended, do pass.

The amendments are as follows:

Page 2, line 6, following the figure "$2,195.16," insert the words "together with interest thereon,".

EXPLANATION OF THE BILL

The intent of this bill is to clarify section 4 of Public Law 554, Eightieth Congress, which related to the cancellation of certain unpaid interest charges concerning the Flathead Indian irrigation project in Montana assessed prior to May 10, 1926.

Section 4 of Public Law 554, Eightieth Congress, was intended to cancel unpaid charges for operation and maintenance of the Flathead Indian irrigation project which were assessed prior to May 10, 1926, together with certain unpaid charges due from consumers for electric energy sold through the project's power system between July 1, 1931, and June 30, 1942. It was the intent of the Congress that this section of the law should also cover the cancellation of interest on said charges. However, the Solicitor of the Department of the Interior has ruled that the legislation did not include interest.

These unpaid charges are uncollectible and, together with the interest thereon, should be written off as bad debts, as is the procedure in all business operations. At hearings held on the bill, representatives of the Department of the Interior orally recommended its enactment. The committee has amended the bill so that there will be no question as to the cancellation of all interest charges. The bill merely permits the cancellation of a sum not exceeding $2,195.16, together with interest thereon.

Enactment of H. R. 4986, as amended, is unanimously recommended by the Committee on Public Lands.

(H. R. 4986, 81st Cong., 1st sess.)

A BILL To amend an Act entitled "An Act to provide for the adjustment of irrigation charges on the Flathead Indian irrigation project, Montana, and for other purposes," approved May 25, 1948

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the first sentence of section 4 of the Act entitled "An Act to provide for the adjustment of irrigation charges on the Flathead Indian irrigation project, Montana, and for other purposes,' approved May 25, 1948, is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 4. Unpaid charges for operation and maintenance of the irrigation system which were assessed prior to May 10, 1926, against any lands within the project, amounting to a sum not exceeding $40,549.89, together with all unpaid interest and penalties on such charges, and unpaid charges due from consumers for electric energy sold through the power system between July 1, 1931, and June 30, 1942, amounting to a sum not exceeding $2,195.16, are hereby canceled."

RAMSEYER RULE

Pursuant to the provisions of clause 2a, rule XIII, of the Rules of the House of Representatives, proposed changes in existing law are indicated below with the matter proposed to be omitted in black brackets and the new matter proposed to be inserted in italics:

ACT OF MAY 25, 1948 (62 Stat. 269)

SEC. 4. Unpaid charges for operation and maintenance of the irrigation system which were assessed prior to May 10, 1926, against any lands within the project, amounting to a sum not exceeding $40,549.89, together with all unpaid interest and penalties on such charges, and unpaid charges due from consumers for electric energy sold through the power system between July 1, 1931, and June 30, 1942, amounting to a sum not exceeding $2,195.16, together with interest thereon, are hereby canceled.

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