The CHAIRMAN. Merely as an illustration, would that include such an item as the mask to be worn in certain mechanical work or where heat, electricity, are a danger, or where there are sparks flying around in the shaping of steel and iron and other materials? Captain NUNN. Yes, sir; preventive masks for use in dust laden atmospheres, and asbestos clothing for use around heat and numerous similar industrial devices. The CHAIRMAN. I see. The next number. Captain NUNN. That is section No. 25, sir [reading]: SEC. 25. Without deposit to the credit of the Treasurer of the United States and withdrawal on money requisitions, receipts of public moneys from sales or other sources by officers of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard on disbursing duty and charged in their official accounts may be used by them as required for current expenditures, all necessary bookkeeping adjustments of appropriations, funds, and accounts to be made in the settlement of their disbursing accounts. This section would enact, with an amendment to make it applicable to the Coast Guard, the penultimate proviso in the appropriation "Maintenance, Bureau of Supplies and Accounts." In connection with this section, sir, I suggest a change in the language of the first line of the section. As it appears in the printed bill, the word "Treasury" appears. It should be changed to "Treasurer." I believe that is merely a typographical error. It should be "Treasurer." The CHAIRMAN. Very well; that may be done. Proceed to the next section, section 26. Captain NUNN (reading): SEC. 26. The Secretary of the Navy is authorized to expend out of naval appropriations available for construction or maintenance such amounts as may be required for minor construction (except living quarters), extensions to existing structures, and improvements at naval activities, but the cost of any project authorized under this section which is not otherwise authorized shall not exceed $20,000. Senator GERRY. Is that for each one? This section is based on authority granted in the appropriation, "Medical Department" for "repairs, minor extensions, and improvements of buildings and grounds thereof (not to exceed $20,000 upon any building project of a permanent character)" and the comparable authority in the appropriation "Ordnance and ordnance stores, Navy." There is a very definite need for authority for minor construction projects (as at naval hospitals) which are not extensions to or improvements of existing buildings and structures and hence not included in the present authority, and provision to this effect has accordingly been included. Furthermore, the need for this authority is not limited to medical and ordnance activities, and hence is desired for the Navy Department generally. This section is not intended to affect larger projects financed out of the appropriation "Public Works, Bureau of Yards and Docks," or out of the appropriation "General expenses, Coast Guard" (when the Coast Guard is operating as a part of the Navy). The new material included in this section, sir, is authority to expend not more than $20,000 for minor construction, excluding living quarters, such minor construction not being an extension or improvement to an existing structure. The CHAIRMAN. Is that amount, $20,000, in the present law? The CHAIRMAN. They can do that now in the case of medical institutions? Captain NUNN. Yes, sir, but they cannot, under existing law, make minor new construction, Senator. The CHAIRMAN. This would allow new construction? Captain NUNN. Yes, sir, and that is a departure from the existing law. It is very desirable. So, we have put it in here. It reenacts existing authority to make improvements and extensions on existing structures and, in addition, allows minor construction, not including living quarters and not in excess of $20,000 in each case. The CHAIRMAN. Section 27. Captain NUNN. Section 27. [Reading:] SEC. 27. The Secretary of the Navy is authorized to furnish materials for the manufacture or production by patients of products incident to the convalescence and rehabilitation of such patients in naval hospitals and other naval medical facilities, and ownership thereof shall be vested in the patients manufacturing or producing such products, except that the ownership of items manufactured or produced specifically for the use of a naval hospital or other naval medical facility shall be vested in the Government and such items shall be accounted for and disposed of accordingly. This section would enact into substantive law temporary authority provided in the last paragraph of the appropriation "Medical Department." It authorizes patients in naval hospitals to retain articles which they manufacture (such as leather goods, etc.) in the course of their convalescence. Such authority is essential to the Government's program of rehabilitation of war casualties. Senator GERRY. Off the record. (Discussion off the record.) Senator GERRY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for allowing me to digress. The CHAIRMAN. That was all right. Section 28. SEC. 28. The annual appropriations for the pay of the Marine Corps shall be available for the payment of post exchange indebtedness of deserters and personnel discharged or sentenced to terms of imprisonment while in debt to the United States, under such regulations as the Secretary of the Navy may prescribe. This section would enact into permanent law authority now contained in the appropriation "Pay, Marine Corps." That authority reads as follows: post-exchange debts of deserters, and of personnel discharged or sentenced to terms of imprisonment while in debt to the United States, under such rules as the Secretary may prescribe. The CHAIRMAN. Section 29. Captain NUNN (reading): SEC. 29. Proceeds from the sale by the Coast Guard of rations, supplies, uniforms and other clothing shall be credited to the current appropriations from which purchase of these articles are authorized. This section would enact into substantive law the present authority in the appropriation "Coast Guard, Pay and Allowances," for reimbursing that appropriation with the proceeds of sales of "uniforms, accouterments, and equipment for officers and cadets" and "of pro visions to Coast Guard personnel at isolated stations." The Coast Guard has requested that the provisions of the bill relating to itwhich were drafted while the Coast Guard was operating as a part of the Navy-be included in the bill even though the Coast Guard has been returned to the Treasury Department. The CHAIRMAN. All right. Section 29. Captain NUNN. That was section 29. [Reading:] SEC. 30. When personnel of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard are ordered to make any permanent change of station, motor vehicles owned by them may be transported to their new posts of duty on Government-owned vessels. This section incorporates into substantive language present authority contained in the appropriation "Coast Guard, pay and allowances," for transportation on Government-owned vessels of privately owned automobiles of Coast Guard personnel upon change of station. The provision is also made applicable to the Navy and Marine Corps. A similar provision applicable to these services appeared in the appropriation acts through 1943, but was omitted from the 1944-46 acts because, during the war, no space was available for such transportation. Senator GERRY. Would you not want to put an amendment in there in case of war, so that they would not have this right? Captain NUNN. Yes, sir; we just couldn't do it. Senator GERRY. I mean put something in the law, an exception to provide in case of war. Otherwise, I see no objection to this. Captain NUNN. This would just authorize appropriations for it, Senator. We would not have the space available in wartime, anyway. Senator GERRY. I see. The CHAIRMAN. Section 31. Captain NUNN (reading: SEC. 31. The first sentence of section 10 (a) of the Act of June 6, 1940 (54 Stat. 248; 14 U. S. C. 135), is hereby amended by inserting in the first line thereof the words "working parties in the field", after the words "enlisted men of the Coast Guard." This amendment to existing law is necessary in order to provide authority for furnishing rations or commutation thereof to Coast Guard working parties in the field. Such authority is now contained in the appropriation "Coast Guard, general expenses," by the language rations and provisions, or commutation thereof, for working parties in the field, officers and crews of light vessels and tenders, etc. The CHAIRMAN. Section 32. Captain NUNN (reading): SEC. 32. The Coast Guard may pay rewards for the apprehension and conviction, or for information helpful therein, of persons found interfering in violation of law with aids to navigation maintained by the Coast Guard. This section incorporates into substantive language the present authority contained in the appropriation "Coast Guard, General Expenses," for payment of rewards for the apprehension and conviction, or for information helpful therein, of persons found interfering in violation of law with aids to navigation maintained by the Coast Guard. The CHAIRMAN. All right. Section 33. Captain NUNN (reading): SEC. 33. Existing limitations on the number of enlisted personnel of the Coast Guard who may be detailed for duty in the District of Columbia or at Coast Guard headquarters shall not apply while the Coast Guard is operating as a part of the Navy. At the present time there is no statutory restriction on the number of enlisted personnel of the Navy and Marine Corps who may be assigned to duty in Washington. This section would place the Coast Guard, when operating as a part of the Navy, in a parallel position, a result which has been accomplished during the war by section 104 of the General Provisions of the Naval Appropriation Act. Section 104 reads as follows: Such number of enlisted personnel as may be approved by the Secretary may be detailed to duty in the Navy Department at the seat of government and Marine Corps and Coast Guard headquarters, excepting from such number, as far as practicable, enlisted personnel qualified for combat service. The existing law which restricts the Coast Guard in the employment of personnel in Washington reads as follows: Not more than ten enlisted men of the Coast Guard at one time may be detailed to duty in the District of Columbia. That is the limitation. This section would remove that limitation while the Coast Guard was operating as a part of the Navy. The CHAIRMAN. Very well. Section 34. Captain NUNN. Mr. Chairman, in connection with section 33, there is a misprint in the first line of the printed bill. The word "in" should be "on." I suggest that the committee amend that. The CHAIRMAN. So as to read, "existing limitations on the number," and so on? Captain NUNN. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. All right, proceed to section 34. SEC. 34. The Secretary of the Navy is authorized to provide, out of naval appropriations available for the purchase or manufacture of equipment or material, for the purchase of letters patent, applications for letters patent, and licenses under letters patent and applications for letters patent that pertain to the equipment or material for which the appropriations are made. This section would enact section 102 of the current Appropriation Act. The authority conferred therein to acquire patent rights is a necessary incident to the authority to procure patented articles. The CHAIRMAN. I notice, on line 16, in reading, you said "licenses." Captain NUNN. Yes, sir, I would like to suggest another committee amendment there. That word is "license" in the bill; it should be in the plural. The CHAIRMAN. "License" should be changed to "licenses"? Captain NUNN. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Very well, it will be done. Captain NUNN. That was section 34. The CHAIRMAN. Proceed to section 35 (a). Captain NUNN (reading): SEC. 35. (a) The Secretary of the Navy is authorized, in his discretion and under such rules and regulations as he may prescribe, to pay cash rewards to civilian personnel of the Naval Establishment or other persons in civil life when, due to a suggestion or series of suggestions by them, there results an improvement or economy in manufacturing process or plant or naval material, or in efficiency or economy in the operation or administration of the Navy Department or the Naval Establishment. Such sums as may be awarded to employees in accordance with this section shall be paid them out of naval appropriations in addition to their usual compensation. No employee or other person in civil life shall be paid a reward under this section until he has properly executed an agree ment to the effect that the use by the United States of the suggestion or series of suggestions made by him shall not form the basis of a further claim of any nature against the United States by him, his heirs, or assigns. The CHAIRMAN. Proceed to (b). Captain NUNN (reading): (b) Except as provided in subsection (a) hereof, civilian personnel of the Naval Establishment shall not be paid any premium or bonus or cash reward in addition to their regular salaries. (c) The last paragraph appearing on page 718 of volume 40 of the Statutes at Large (5 U. S. C. 416) which is a part of the Act of July 1, 1918 (40 Stat. 704), is hereby repealed. Subsection (a) would amend and reenact the statutory provision (5 U. S. C. 416) authorizing payments for beneficial suggestions resulting in improvement or economy in manufacturing process or plant or naval material so as to include authority for payment for beneficial suggestions resulting in efficiency or economy in the operation or administration of the Navy Department and the Naval Establishment. The latter authority is now contained in the last clause of section 114 of the general provisions of the current appropriation act. Subsection (b) would enact as substantive legislation the prohibition against payment of premiums, bonuses, or cash rewards contained in the second clause of section 105, other than those contained in subsection (a) of the act. Subsection (c) is a technical provision repealing the former law which would be reenacted by subsection (a) and which appears in an old appropriation act. The present authority on this subject in general law is contained in an old provision of an appropriation act which provides: That the Secretary of the Navy is hereby authorized in his discretion and under such rules and regulations as he may prescribe, to pay cash rewards to civilian employees of the Navy Department or the Naval Establishment or other persons in civil life when due to a suggestion or series of suggestions by them there results an improvement or economy in manufacturing process or plant or naval material. You will note that there is no authority to give bonuses to employees for suggestions which result in efficiency in the administration of the Navy Department or the Naval Establishment, as distinguished from plant. [Continuing:] Provided, That such sums as may be awarded to employees or other persons in civil life in accordance with this Act shall be paid them out of current naval appropriations in addition to their usual compensation: Provided further, That no employee or other person in civil life shall be paid a reward under this Act until he has properly executed an agreement to the effect that the use by the United States of the suggestion or series of suggestions made by him shall not form the basis of a further claim of any nature from the United States by him, his heirs, or assigns. The CHAIRMAN. Section 36. |