same time to present and prove up his purchase and claim as was allowed preemptors under existing laws, and if found in accordance with the law the land embraced therein shall be certified over to the State by the Secretary of the Interior or such officer as he may designate. (R. S. §§ 2485-2487; 1946 Reorg. Plan No. 3, § 403, eff. July 16, 1946, 11 F. R. 7876, 60 Stat. 1100.)

DERIVATION

R. S. § 2485 from acts July 23, 1866, ch. 219, § 1, 14 Stat. 218; Mar. 3, 1875, ch. 139, § 7, 18 Stat. 475.

R. S. §§ 2486, 2487 from act July 23, 1866, ch. 219, § 23, 14 Stat. 219.

TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS

All functions of all other officers of the Department of the Interior and all functions of all agencies and employees of that Department were, with two exceptions, transferred to the Secretary of the Interior, with power vested in him to authorize their performance or the performance of any of his functions by any of those officers, agencies, and employees, by 1950 Reorg. Plan No. 3, §§ 1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F. R. 3174, 64 Stat. 1262, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

In second par., "register of the land office," was changed to "officer, as the Secretary of the Interior may designate, of the land office,"; "registers of the several land offices," was changed to "officers, as the Secretary may designate, of the several land offices."; first reference to "Commissioner of the General Land Office" was changed to "Secretary of the Interior, or such officer as he may designate,"; "Bureau of Land Management" was substituted for "General Land Office"; and second reference to "Commissioner of the General Land Office" was changed to "Secretary or such officer", on authority of 1946 Reorg. Plan No. 3. In third par., "register" was changed to "officer as the Secretary of the Interior may designate", and "Commissioner of the General Land Office" was changed to "Secretary of the Interior or such officer as he may designate", on authority of that plan. See note under former section 1 of this title.

§ 866. Exchange of cut-over land in Montana.

Tracts of timbered lands prior to February 14, 1923, granted to the State of Montana for educational purposes, from which the timber has been cut or removed pursuant to State laws, may, under such rules and regulations as the legislature of said State shall prescribe, be exchanged for other lands of like character and approximately of equal value, in private ownership, which exchanged land shall be subject to the same requirements and limitations to the end that the State may acquire holdings in reasonably compact form and reforesting be undertaken in an economic manner, anything in the enabling act of said State to the contrary notwithstanding. (Feb. 14, 1923, ch. 74, 42 Stat. 1245.)

REFERENCES IN TEXT

The enabling act of Montana, referred to in the text, means act Feb. 22, 1889, ch. 180, 25 Stat. 676.

§ 867. Agricultural college scrip.

CODIFICATION

Section, R. S. § 2377; act June 20, 1874, ch. 330, 18 Stat. 111, relating to extension of obsolete section 829 of this title to reissue of agricultural land scrip, canceled, or destroyed without the fault of the owner thereof is obsolete. See section 700 of this title and notes under former sections 785, 791 and 800 of this title.

§ 868. Representation of Indian claimants in suits to determine right to school lands.

In any suit instituted in the Supreme Court of the United States to determine the right of a State to

what are commonly known as school lands within any Indian Reservation or any Indian cession where an Indian tribe claims any right to or interest in the lands in controversy, or in the disposition thereof by the United States, the right of such State may be fully tested and determined without making the Indian tribe, or any portion thereof, a party to the suit if the Secretary of the Interior is made a party thereto; and the duty of representing and defending the right or interest of the Indian tribe, or any portion thereof, in the matter shall devolve upon the Attorney General upon the request of such Secretary. (Mar. 2, 1901, ch. 808, 31 Stat. 950.)

§ 869. Disposal of lands for public or recreational purposes.

(a) Application; conditions; classification; restoration if not applied for.

The Secretary of the Interior upon application filed by a duly qualified applicant under section 869-1 of this title may, in the manner prescribed by sections 869 to 869-4 of this title, dispose of any public lands to a State, Territory, county, municipality, or other State, Territorial, or Federal instrumentality or political subdivision for any public purposes, or to a nonprofit corporation or nonprofit association for any recreational or any public purpose consistent with its articles of incorporation or other creating authority. Before the land may be disposed of under sections 869 to 869-4 of this title it must be shown to the satisfaction of the Secretary that the land is to be used for an established or definitely proposed project. The Secretary may classify public lands in Alaska for disposition under sections 869 to 869-4 of this title. Lands so classified may not be appropriated under any other public land law unless the Secretary revises such classification or authorizes the disposition of an interest in the lands under other applicable law. If, within eighteen months following such classification, no application has been filed for the purpose for which the lands have been so classified, then the Secretary shall restore such lands to appropriation under the applicable public land laws.

(b) Acreage limitations.

Conveyances made in any one calendar year shall be limited as follows:

(i) For recreational purposes:

(A) To any State or the State park agency or any other agency having jurisdiction over the State park system of said State designated by the Governor of that State as its sole representative for acceptance of lands under this provision, for not more than three sites, six thousand four hundred acres in all, except that during each of the calendar years 1960, 1961, and 1962, conveyances may be made for not more than six sites, comprising a total of not more than twelve thousand eight hundred acres and, in addition thereto, such acreage as may be needed for small roadside parks and rest sites of not more than ten acres each: Provided, however, That should any State fail in any one calendar year to secure the maximum herein specified, other than small roadside parks and rest sites, additional conveyances may be made

thereafter to that State pursuant to any application on file with the Secretary of the Interior on the last day of said year, to the extent that the conveyances would not have exceeded the limitations of said year.

(B) To any political subdivision of a State, six hundred and forty acres.

(C) To any nonprofit corporation or nonprofit association, six hundred and forty acres. (ii) For public purposes other than recreation:

(A) To any State or agency or instrumentality thereof, for any one program, six hundred and forty acres.

(B) To any political subdivision of a State, six hundred and forty acres.

(C) To any nonprofit corporation or nonprofit association, six hundred and forty acres. (c) Lands withdrawn in aid of functions of a department, agency, State, etc.; lands excepted from disposal.

Where the lands have been withdrawn in aid of a function of a Federal department or agency other than the Department of the Interior, or of a State, Territory, county, municipality, water district, or other local governmental subdivision or agency, the Secretary of the Interior may make disposals under sections 869 to 869-4 of this title only with the consent of such Federal department or agency, or of such State, Territory, or local governmental unit. Nothing in sections 869 to 869-4 of this title shall be construed to apply to lands in any national forest, national park, or national monument, or national wildlife refuge, or to any Indian lands or lands set aside or held for the use or benefit of Indians, including lands over which jurisdiction has been transferred to the Department of the Interior by Executive order for the use of Indians, or, except insofar as sections 869 to 869-4 of this title apply to leases of land to States and counties and to State and Federal instrumentalities and political subdivisions and to municipal corporations, to the revested Oregon and California Railroad grant lands and the reconveyed Coos Bay Wagon Road grant lands in the State of Oregon. Nor shall any disposition be made under sections 869 to 869-4 of this title for any use authorized under any other law, except for a use authorized under sections 682a to 682e of this title. (June 14, 1926, ch. 578, § 1, 44 Stat. 741; June 4, 1954, ch. 263, 68 Stat. 173; June 23, 1959, Pub. L. 86-66, § 2, 73 Stat. 110; Sept. 21, 1959, Pub. L. 86-292, § 1, 73 Stat. 571; Sept. 13, 1960, Pub. L. 86-755, 74 Stat. 899.)

AMENDMENTS

1960-Subsec. (b) (i) (A). Pub. L. 86-755 inserted after "State" the words "or the State park agency or any other agency having jurisdiction over the State park system of said State designated by the Governor of that State as its sole representative for acceptance of lands under this provision," and added the proviso.

1959-Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 86-292 substituted acreage limitations making special allowances to States for recreational areas for provision which limited conveyance to 640 acres to any one grantee in any one calendar year. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 86-66 substituted provisions making sections 869 to 869-4 of this title inapplicable, except insofar as those sections apply to leases of land to States and counties and to State and Federal instrumentalities and political subdivisions and to municipal corporations, to revested Oregon and California Railroad grant lands and reconveyed Coos Bay Wagon Road grant

lands in the State of Oregon, for provisions which made those sections inapplicable to the revested Oregon and California Railroad grant lands and reconveyed Coos Bay Wagon Road grant lands.

1954-Act June 4, 1954, divided the provisions of act June 14, 1926, on which this section is based, into separate sections (now set out as this section and sections 869-1 to 869-4 of this title), and changed the provisions generally to broaden the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to dispose of public lands for public purposes (1) by including provisions for disposal thereof to Territories (including Alaska), other political subdivisions. and nonprofit corporations and associations rather than to States, counties, and municipalities only, (2) by permitting the disposal thereof for "public" purposes, rather than merely for "recreational" purposes as theretofore, (3) by eliminating the term "nonmineral" in describing the lands which may be so disposed of, (4) by adding the limitation provisions set out in subsecs. (b) and (c) of this section. (5) by amending and transferring to section 2 of that act (section 869-1 of this title) the provisions governing the methods of, and conditions with respect to the, disposing of the lands for those purposes (see Prior Law note under section 869-1 of this title), including the provision for the reservation of mineral deposits, (6) by amending and transferring to section 3 of that act (section 869-2 of this title) the provisions with respect to reversion of the lands to the United States in certain cases (see Prior Law note under section 869-2 of this title), (7) by enacting, as section 4 of that act, the provisions set out as section 869-3 of this title, and (8) by inserting the provision in this section that disposals should be made "upon application by a duly qualified applicant" under section 869-1 of this title.

EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1960 AMENDMENT

Pub. L. 86-755 provided in part that the amendment of subsec. (b) (i) (A) shall be effective Sept. 21, 1959. SECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS

This section is referred to in sections 869-2, 869-3, 869-4, 1102b of this title.

§ 869-1. Same; sale or lease; reservation of mineral deposits; termination of lease for nonuse.

The Secretary of the Interior may after due consideration as to the power value of the land, whether or not withdrawn therefor, (a) sell such land to the State, Territory, county, or other State, Territorial, or Federal instrumentality or political subdivision in which the lands are situated, or to a nearby municipal corporation in the same State or Territory, for the purpose for which the land has been classified, and conveyances of such land for historicmonument purposes under this section shall be made without monetary consideration, while conveyances for any other purpose under this section shall be made at a price to be fixed by the Secretary of the Interior through appraisal or otherwise, after taking into consideration the purpose for which the lands are to be used; (b) lease such land to the State, Territory, county, or other State, Territorial, or Federal instrumentality or political subdivision in which the lands are situated, or to a nearby municipal corporation in the same State or Territory, for the purpose for which the land has been classified, at a reasonable annual rental, for a period up to twenty-five years, and, at the discretion of the Secretary, with a privilege of renewal for a like period, (c) sell such land to a nonprofit corporation or nonprofit association, for the purpose for which the land has been classified, at a price to be fixed by the Secretary of the Interior through appraisal, after taking into consideration the purpose for which the lands are to be used, or (d) lease such land to a nonprofit corporation or nonprofit association at a

reasonable annual rental, for a period up to twenty years, and, at the discretion of the Secretary, with a privilege of renewal for a like period. Each patent or lease so issued shall contain a reservation to the United States of all mineral deposits in the lands conveyed or leased and of the right to mine and remove the same, under applicable laws and regulations to be established by the Secretary. Each lease shall contain a provision for its termination upon a finding by the Secretary that the land has not been used by the lessee for the purpose specified in the lease for such period, not over five years, as may be specified in the lease, or that such land or any part thereof is being devoted to another use. (June 14, 1926, ch. 578, § 2, as added June 4, 1954, ch. 263, 68 Stat. 174, and amended June 20, 1966, Pub. L. 89-457, § 1, 80 Stat. 210.)

AMENDMENTS

1966-Pub. L. 89-457 authorized an increase in the period of a lease under clause (b) from twenty to twentyfive years.

PERIOD OF LEASES

Section 2 of Pub. L. 89-457 provided that: "Upon application by a lessee holding a lease under the Recreation and Public Purposes Act [sections 869 to 869-4 of this title] the Secretary of the Interior may enter into a new lease for a term not to exceed twenty-five years from the date of the new lease."

PRIOR LAW

Prior provisions on this subject were formerly contained in section 869 of this title (see 1954 Amendment note thereunder). Those prior provisions did not require, as in this section, the Secretary of the Interior to take into account the possible power value of the lands, whether withdrawn therefor, or not, before authorizing any disposal of them under section 869 of this title; did not provide, as in this section, for the sale or lease of those lands to Federal instrumentalities, to Territories and to political subdivisions other than States, counties, and municipalities, and to nonprofit corporations and associations; and did not provide, as in this section, that conveyances of that land for historic-monument purposes should be made without monetary consideration. See section 869 of this title.

SECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS

This section is referred to in sections 869, 869-2, 869-3, 869-4, 1102b of this title.

§ 869-2. Same; transfer by grantee; conditions; reversion for non-compliance.

Title to lands conveyed by the Government under sections 869 to 869-4 of this title may not be transferred by the grantee or its successor except, with the consent of the Secretary of the Interior, to a transferee which would be a qualified grantee under section 869-1(a) or 869-1(c) of this title and subject to the acreage limitation contained in section 869 (b) of this title. A grantee or its successor may not change the use specified in the conveyance to another or additional use except, with the consent of the Secretary, to a use for which such grantee or its successor could obtain a conveyance under sections 869 to 869-4 of this title. If at any time after the lands are conveyed by the Government, the grantee or its successor attempts to transfer title to or control over these lands to another or the lands are devoted to a use other than that for which the lands were conveyed, without the consent of the Secretary, title to the lands shall revert to the United States. (June 14, 1926, ch. 578, § 3, as added June 4,

1954, ch. 263, 68 Stat. 175, and amended Sept. 21, 1959, Pub. L. 86–292, § 2, 73 Stat. 571.)

AMENDMENTS

1959-Pub. L. 86-292 eliminated sentence which provided that this section should cease to be in effect as to any lands patented under sections 869 to 869-4 of this title twenty-five years after the issuance of patent for such lands.

PRIOR LAW

Prior provisions on the subject of reverter were formerly contained in section 869 of this title (see 1954 Amendment note thereunder). Those prior provisions permanently restricted the lands conveyed to a single use, and did not provide, as in this section, for transfer by the original grantee or its successor.

SECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS This section is referred to in sections 869, 869-3, 869-4, 1102b of this title.

§ 869-3. Same; applicability of section 869-2 to prior patents; termination of restrictions.

The Secretary may authorize transfers of title or changes in use in accordance with the provisions of section 869-2 of this title with respect to any patent heretofore issued under any Act upon application by a patentee qualified to obtain a conveyance under section 869-1 (a) or 869-1 (c) of this title. If the Secretary, pursuant to such an application, authorizes such transfer or use, all reverter provisions and other limitations on transfer or use, under sections 869 to 869-4 of this title or any other Act affecting the lands involved, shall cease to be in effect twentyfive years after the Secretary authorizes the transfer or use for a changed or additional purpose under the provisions of this section. (June 14, 1926, ch. 578, § 4, as added June 4, 1954, ch. 263, 68 Stat. 175.) SECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS This section is referred to in sections 869, 869-2, 869-4, 1102b of this title.

§ 869-4. Same; disposition of moneys received from or on account of revested Oregon and California Railroad grant lands or reconveyed Coos Bay Wagon Road grant lands.

All moneys received from or on account of any revested Oregon and California Railroad grant lands or reconveyed Coos Bay Wagon Road grant lands under sections 869 to 869-4 of this title shall be deposited respectively in the Oregon and California land-grant fund and the Coos Bay Wagon Road grant fund, and shall be applied in the manner prescribed respectively by section 1181f of this title, and by the Act of May 24, 1939 (53 Stat. 753). (June 14, 1926, ch. 578, § 6, as added June 23, 1959, Pub. L. 8666, § 3, 73 Stat. 111.)

REFERENCES IN TEXT

The Act of May 24, 1939, referred to in the text, is act May 24, 1939, ch. 144, 53 Stat. 753, which is not classified to this Code.

SECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS This section is referred to in sections 869, 869-2, 869-3 of this title.

§ 869a. Repealed. Pub. L. 86-66, § 1, June 23, 1959, 73 Stat. 110.

Section, act Apr. 13, 1928, ch. 370, §§ 1, 2, 45 Stat. 429, extended provisions of section 869 of this title to former Oregon and California Railroad grant lands revested in the United States and to former Coos Bay Wagon Road grant lands reconveyed to the United States.

§ 870. Grants of land in aid of common or public schools; extension to those mineral in character; effect of leases.

Subject to the provisions of subsections (a)—(c) of this section, the several grants to the States of numbered sections in place for the support or in aid of common or public schools be, and they are, extended to embrace numbered school sections mineral in character, unless land has been granted to and/or selected by and certified or approved, to any such State or States as indemnity or in lieu of any land so granted by numbered sections.

(a) The grant of numbered mineral sections under this section shall be of the same effect as prior grants for the numbered nonmineral sections, and titles to such numbered mineral sections shall vest in the States at the time and in the manner and be subject to all the rights of adverse parties recognized by existing law in the grants of numbered nonmineral sections.

(b) The additional grant made by this section is upon the express condition that all sales, grants, deeds, or patents for any of the lands so granted shall hereafter be subject to and contain a reservation to the State of all the coal and other minerals in the lands so sold, granted, deeded, or patented, together with the right to prospect for, mine, and remove the same. The coal and other mineral deposits in such lands not heretofore disposed of by the State shall be subject to lease by the State as the State legislature may direct, the proceeds and rentals and royalties therefrom to be utilized for the support or in aid of the common or public schools: Provided, That any lands or minerals hereafter disposed of contrary to the provisions of this section shall be forfeited to the United States by appropriate proceedings instituted by the Attorney General for that purpose in the United States district court for the district in which the property or some part thereof is located.

(c) Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, any lands included within the limits of existing reservations of or by the United States, or specifically reserved for water-power purposes, or included in any pending suit or proceeding in the courts of the United States, or subject to or included in any valid application, claim, or right initiated or held under any of the existing laws of the United States, unless or until such reservation, application, claim, or right is extinguished, relinquished, or canceled, and all lands in the Territory of Alaska, are excluded from the provisions of this section.

(d) (1) Notwithstanding subsection (c) of this section, the fact that there is outstanding on any numbered school section, whether or not mineral in character, at the time of its survey a mineral lease or leases entered into by the United States, or an application therefor, shall not prevent the grant of such numbered school section to the State concerned as provided by this section and section 871 of this title.

(2) Any such numbered school section which has been surveyed prior to July 11, 1956, and which has not been granted to the State concerned solely by reason of the fact that there was outstanding on it at the time of the survey a mineral lease or leases entered into by the United States, or an application

therefor, is hereby granted by the United States to such State under this section as if it had not been so leased; and the State shall succeed the position of the United States as lessor under such lease or leases.

(3) Any such numbered school section which is surveyed on or after July 11, 1956, and on which there is outstanding at the time of such survey a mineral lease or leases entered into by the United States, shall (unless excluded from the provisions of this section by subsection (c) of this section for a reason other than the existence of an outstanding lease) be granted to the State concerned immediately upon completion of such survey; and the State shall succeed to the position of the United States as lessor under such lease or leases.

(4) The Secretary of the Interior shall, upon application by a State, issue patents to the State for the lands granted by this section and section 871 of this title, in accordance with section 871a of this title. Such patent shall, if the lease is then outstanding, include a statement that the State succeeded to the position of the United States as lessor at the time the title vested in the State.

(5) Where at the time rents, royalties, and bonuses accrue the lands or deposits covered by a single lease are owned in part by the State and in part by the United States, the rents, royalties, and bonuses shall be allocated between them in proportion to the acreage in said lease owned by each.

(6) As used in this subsection, "lease" includes "permit" and "lessor" includes "grantor". (Jan. 27, 1927, ch. 57, § 1, 44 Stat. 1026; May 22, 1932, ch. 151, § 1, 47 Stat. 140; Apr. 22, 1954, ch. 169, §§ 1, 2, 68 Stat. 57; July 11, 1956, ch. 572, 70 Stat. 529.)

AMENDMENTS

1956 Subsec. (d). Act July 11, 1956, provided that numbered school sections under mineral leases may be granted to a State, whether or not the sections are mineral in character, and added subpar. (6).

1954 Subsec. (c). Act Apr. 22, 1954, § 2, substituted "Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, any" for "any".

Subsec. (d). Act Apr. 22, 1954, § 1, added subsec. (d).

ADMISSION OF ALASKA AS STATE

Admission of Alaska into the Union was accomplished Jan. 3, 1959, upon issuance of Proc. No. 3269, Jan. 3, 1959, 24 F.R. 81, 73 Stat. c16, as required by sections 1 and 8 (c) of Pub. L. 85-508, July 7, 1958, 72 Stat. 339, set out as notes preceding section 21 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions.

SECTION REFERRED ΤΟ IN OTHER SECTIONS This section is referred to in sections 871, 871a of this title.

§ 871. Same; certain grants and laws unaffected.

Nothing contained in section 870 of this title is intended or shall be held or construed to increase, diminish, or affect the rights of States under grants other than for the support of common or public schools by numbered school sections in place, and said section shall not apply to indemnity or lieu selections or exchanges or the right after January 25, 1927, to select indemnity for numbered school sections in place lost to the State under the provisions of said section or any Acts, and all existing laws governing such grants and indemnity or lieu selections and exchanges are continued in full force and effect. (Jan. 25, 1927, ch. 57, § 2, 44 Stat. 1027.)

SECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS This section is referred to in sections 870, 871a of this title.

§ 871a. Same; issuance of patents.

The Secretary of the Interior shall upon the application by a State cause patents to be issued to the numbered school sections in place, granted for the support of common schools by the Act approved February 22, 1889, by sections 870 and 871 of this title, and by any other Act of Congress, that have been surveyed, or may hereafter be surveyed, and to which title has vested or may hereafter vest in the grantee States, and which have not been reconveyed to the United States or exchanged with the United States for other lands. Such patents shall show the date when title vested in the State and the extent to which the lands are subject to prior conditions, limitations, easements, or rights, if any. In all inquiries as to the character of the land for which patent is sought the fact shall be determined as of the date when the State's title attached. (June 21, 1934, ch. 689, 48 Stat. 1185.)

REFERENCES IN TEXT

Act Feb. 22, 1889, referred to in the text, is act Feb. 22, 1889, ch. 180, 25 Stat. 676-684, the Enabling Act for North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Washington.

SECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS This section is referred to in section 870 of this title.

§ 872. Conveyances to United States in connection with applications for amendment of patented entries or for exchange of land, etc.; withdrawal or rejection of applications; reconveyances.

Where a conveyance of land has been made or may hereafter be made to the United States in connection with an application for amendment of a patented entry or entries, or an exchange of lands, or for any other purpose, and the application in connection with which the conveyance was made is thereafter withdrawn or rejected, the Secretary of the Interior or such officer as he may designate is authorized and directed, if the deed of conveyance has been recorded, to execute a quitclaim deed of the conveyed land to the party or parties entitled thereto. (Apr. 28, 1930, ch. 219, § 6, 46 Stat. 257; 1946 Reorg. Plan No. 3, § 403, eff. July 16, 1946, 11 F. R. 7876, 60 Stat. 1100.)

TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS

Functions of the Secretary of the Interior under this section, with respect to execution of quitclaim deeds for lands conveyed to the United States in connection with exchange transactions involving lands under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Agriculture, transferred to the Secretary of Agriculture, see Pub. L. 86-509, June 11, 1960, 74 Stat. 205, set out as a note under section 2201 of Title 7, Agriculture.

All functions of all other officers of the Department of the Interior and all functions of all agencies and employees of that Department were, with two exceptions, transferred to the Secretary of the Interior, with power vested in him to authorize their performance or the performance of any of his functions by any of those officers, agencies, and employees, by 1950 Reorg. Plan No. 3, §§ 1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F. R. 3174, 64 Stat. 1262, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

"Secretary of the Interior or such officer as he may designate" was substituted for "Commissioner of the General Land Office" on authority of 1946 Reorg. Plan No. 3. See note under former section 1 of this title.

§ 873. Lands granted for erecting public buildings; purpose of grant.

In any case in which public lands of the United States have been granted to a State, before May 16, 1958, for the purpose of erecting public buildings at the capital of such State for legislative, executive, and judicial purposes, the purpose of such grant shall be deemed to include construction, reconstruction, repair, renovation, and other permanent improvements of such public buildings, the acquisition of necessary land for such buildings, furnishings and equipment for such buildings, and the payment of principal and interest on bonds issued for any such purpose. (Pub. L. 85-411, May 16, 1958, 72 Stat. 117.)