A BILL TO ESTABLISH A DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, TO ACT, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES FEBRUARY 24 TO MARCH 10, 1939, Printed for use the of the Special Committee to Investigate SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE UNEMPLOYMENT AND RELIEF JAMES F. BYRNES, South Carolina, Chairman BENNETT CHAMP CLARK, Missouri LYNN J. FRAZIER, North Dakota HENRY CABOT LODGE, JR., Massachusetts SENATE RESOLUTION 77 Resolved, That the Special Committee to Investigate Unemployment and Relief created by S. Res. 36, Seventy-fifth Congress, shall hereafter consist of eleven instead of seven members, and the four additional members shall be appointed by the President of the Senate. In addition to the authority heretofore conferred upon such committee, the committee shall have power to consider and report to the Senate any bills or resolutions which may be referred to such committee. II DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS-AMENDING SOCIAL SECURITY ACT FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1939 UNITED STATES SENATE, SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE UNEMPLOYMENT AND RELIEF, Washington, D. C. The committee met, pursuant to call, at 10:30 a. m., in room 357, Senate Office Building, Senator James F. Byrnes presiding. The committee had under consideration S. 1265, which is as follows: [S. 1265, 76th Cong., 1st sess.] A BILL To establish a Department of Public Works, to amend certain sections of the Social Security Act, and for other purposes Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, TITLE I-DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS SECTION 1. (a) There shall be at the seat of government an executive department to be known as the Department of Public Works, and a Secretary of Public Works, who shall be the head thereof and shall be appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and shall have tenure of office and a salary like those of the other executive departments. Section 158 of the Revised Statutes, as amended (U. S. C., 1934 edition, title 5, sec. 1), is amended to include such Department and the provisions of title IV of the Revised Statutes, including all acts amendatory and supplementary thereto, shall be applicable to such Department. (b) There shall be in the Department of Public Works two Assistant Secretaries of Public Works, who shall be appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and a Solicitor, who shall be appointed by the Secretary of Public Works, all of whom shall exercise such functions as may be prescribed by the Secretary of Public Works or required by law. The compensation of the Solicitor and the Assistant Secretaries shall be fixed in accordance with the Classification Act of 1923, as amended. (c) The Secretary of Public Works shall advise the President with respect to the design, construction, and maintenance of public works, shall design, construct, and maintain public works which are not incidental to the normal work of other Departments or agencies, shall act as the agent of other Departments or agencies upon their request, in designing, constructing, and maintaining such public works as are incidental to the normal work of such agencies, shall administer Federal grants to States and political subdivisions thereof for the construction of public works, shall assemble and disseminate information with respect to public works and standards of public works throughout the United States, and shall administer the laws relating to any agency or function transferred to, or brought within the jurisdiction and control of, the Department of Public Works pursuant to law. (d) The Secretary of Public Works shall cause a seal of office to be made for the Department of Public Works, of such device as the President shall approve, and judicial notice shall be taken of such seal. 1 |