PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SEVENTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS

FIRST SESSION

ON

H. R. 3486

A BILL TO AUTHORIZE AN APPROPRIATION OF
AN ADDITIONAL $150,000,000 FOR

DEFENSE HOUSING

FEBRUARY 21, 1941

Printed for the use of the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds

PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS-NO. 1

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1941

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS,

Washington, D. C.

The committee met at 10 a. m., Hon. Fritz G. Lanham (chairman) presiding.

The CHAIRMAN. Gentlemen, we will come to order.

We are meeting this morning, gentlemen, to give further consideration to the matter of defense housing. A copy of the bill will be incorporated into the record at this point. (The bill is as follows:)

[H. R. 3486, 77th Cong., 1st sess.]

A BILL To authorize an appropriation of an additional $150,000,000 for defense housing Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 3 of the Act entitled "An Act to expedite the provision of housing in connection with national defense, and for other purposes", approved October 14, 1940, is amended by striking out "$150,000,000" and inserting in lieu thereof "$300,000,000".

The CHAIRMAN. For the benefit of the members of the committee, and especially those who are new members of the committee, I should like to make a little preliminary statement.

We passed out of this committee last year a bill which was enacted into law with reference to defense housing, primarily for industrial workers, who labor at these camps and plants that are being set up in the program of national defense.

It was realized at the time that the appropriation was made in pursuance of this bill, that it was likely providing an inadequate sum for the housing that would have to be done. Since that time our defense program has progressed and expanded considerably. It has also brought another question before us, and one which has given a great deal of concern in many parts of the United States.

In the building of these dwelling units under the law we have passed for these camp and project workers, and in the further appropriations contemplated, a great many people have been placed rather suddenly in towns and small cities and even in some larger cities where there is no adequate provision for taking care of the children of these families from the standpoint of their education. The school facilities are not adequate in these various communities for the groups that are being sent to these places.