Granting the consent and approval of Congress to the Southeastern Interstate Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the consent and Southeastern approval of Congress is hereby given to the Southeastern Interstate Interstate Forest Forest Fire Protection Compact, as hereinafter set out. Such com- Fire Protection pact reads as follows: Compact. Consent and approval of Con SOUTHEASTERN INTERSTATE FOREST FIRE PROTECTION COMPACT gress. ARTICLE I. The purpose of this compact is to promote effective prevention and control of forest fires in the Southeastern region of the United States by the development of integrated forest fire plans, by the maintenance of adequate forest fire fighting services by the member states, by providing for mutual aid in fighting forest fires among the compacting states of the region and with states which are party to other Regional Forest Fire Protection compacts or agreements, and for more adequate forest protection. ARTICLE II. This compact shall become operative immediately as to those states ratifying it whenever any two or more of the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, which are contiguous have ratified it and Congress has given consent thereto. Any state not mentioned in this article which is contiguous with any member state may become a party to this compact, subject to approval by the legislature of each of the member states. ARTICLE III. In each state, the state forester or officer holding the equivalent position who is responsible for forest fire control shall act as compact administrator for that state and shall consult with like officials of the other member states and shall implement cooperation between such states in forest fire prevention and control. The compact administrators of the member states shall coordinate the services of the member states and provide administrative integration in carrying out the purposes of this compact. There shall be established an advisory committee of legislators, forestry commission representatives, and forestry or forest products industries representatives which shall meet from time to time with the compact administrators. Each member state shall name one member of the Senate and one member of the House of Representatives who shall be designated by that state's commission on interstate cooperation, or if said commission cannot constitutionally designate the said members, they shall be designated in accordance with laws of that state; and the Governor of each member state shall appoint two representatives, one of whom shall be associated with forestry or forest products industries to comprise the membership of the advisory committee. Action shall be taken by a majority of the compacting states, and each state shall be entitled to one vote. 68 Stat. 553. 68 Stat. 564. The compact adminstrators shall formulate and, in accordance with need, from time to time, revise a regional forest fire plan for the member states. It shall be the duty of each member state to formulate and put in effect a forest fire plan for that state and take such measures as may be necessary to integrate such forest fire plan with the regional forest fire plan formulated by the compact administrators. ARTICLE IV. Whenever the state forest fire control agency of a member state requests aid from the state forest fire control agency of any other member state in combating, controlling or preventing forest fires, it shall be the duty of the state forest fire control agency of that state to render all possible aid to the requesting agency which is consonant with the maintenance of protection at home. ARTICLE V. Whenever the forces of any member state are rendering outside aid pursuant to the request of another member state under this compact, the employees of such state shall, under the direction of the officers of the state to which they are rendering aid, have the same powers (except the power of arrest), duties, rights, privileges and immunities as comparable employees of the state to which they are rendering aid. No member state or its officers or employees rendering outside aid pursuant to this compact shall be liable on account of any act or omission on the part of such forces while so engaged, or on account of the maintenance, or use of any equipment or supplies in connection therewith; Provided, that nothing herein shall be construed as relieving any person from liability for his own negligent act or omission, or as imposing liability for such negligent act or omission upon any state. All liability, except as otherwise provided hereinafter, that may arise either under the laws of the requesting state or under the laws of the aiding state or under the laws of a third state on account of or in connection with a request for aid, shall be assumed and borne 68 Stat. 564. by the requesting state. 68 Stat. 565. Any member state rendering outside aid pursuant to this compact shall be reimbursed by the member state receiving such aid for any loss or damage to, or expense incurred in the operation of any equipment answering a request for aid, and for the cost of all materials, transportation, wages, salaries, and subsistence of employees and maintenance of equipment incurred in connection with such request : Provided, that nothing herein contained shall prevent any assisting member state from assuming such loss, damage, expense or other cost or from loaning such equipment or from donating such service to the receiving member state without charge or cost. Each member state shall provide for the payment of compensation and death benefits to injured employees and the representatives of deceased employees in case employees sustain injuries or are killed while rendering outside aid pursuant to this compact, in the same manner and on the same terms as if the injury or death were sustained within such state. For the purposes of this compact the term employee shall include any volunteer or auxiliary legally included within the forest fire fighting forces of the aiding state under the laws thereof. The compact administrators shall formulate procedures for claims and reimbursement under the provisions of this article, in accordance with the laws of the member states. ARTICLE VI. Ratification of this compact shall not be construed to affect any existing statute so as to authorize or permit curtailment or diminution of the forest fire fighting forces, equipment, services or facilities of any member state. Nothing in this compact shall be construed to limit or restrict the powers of any state ratifying the same to provide for the prevention, control and extinguishment of forest fires, or to prohibit the enactment or enforcement of state laws, rules or regulations intended to aid in such prevention, control and extinguishment in such state. Nothing in this compact shall be construed to affect any existing or future cooperative relationship or arrangement between any federal agency and a member state or states. ARTICLE VII. The compact administrators may request the United States Forest Service to act as a research and coordinating agency of the Southeastern Interstate Forest Fire Protection Compact in cooperation with the appropriate agencies in each state, and the United States Forest Service may accept responsibility for preparing and presenting to the compact administrators its recommendations with respect to the regional fire plan. Representatives of any federal agency engaged in forest fire prevention and control may attend meetings of the compact administrators. ARTICLE VIII. The provisions of Articles IV and V of this compact which relate to mutual aid in combating, controlling or preventing forest fires shall be operative as between any state party to this compact and any other state which is party to a regional forest fire protection compact in another region: Provided, that the legislature of such other state shall have given its assent to such mutual aid provisions of this compact. ARTICLE IX. This compact shall continue in force and remain binding on each state ratifying it until the legislature or the Governor of such state, as the laws of such state shall provide, takes action to withdraw therefrom. Such action shall not be effective until six months after notice thereof has been sent by the chief executive of the state desiring to withdraw to the chief executives of all states then parties to the compact. SEC. 2. Without further submission of the compact, the consent of Congress is given to any State to become a party to it in accordance with its terms. SEC. 3. The right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act is expressly reserved. Approved July 27, 1954. 68 Stat. 565. 68 Stat. 566. Congressional approval. To make the provisions of the Act of August 28, 1937, relating to the conservation of water resources in the arid and semiarid areas of the United States, applicable to the entire United States, and to increase and revise the limitation on aid available under the provisions of the said Act, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Act entitled Water facility "An Act to promote conservation in the arid and semiarid areas of loans. the United States by aiding in the development of facilities for water storage and utilization, and for other purposes", approved August 28, 1937 (50 Stat. 869), is amended 16 USC 590r (1) By deleting the phrase "in the arid and semiarid areas of the 590x. United States" from the first sentence in the first section; (2) By deleting the phrase "in the arid and semiarid areas of the United States" in the last sentence of the first section and inserting 16 USC 590r. in lieu thereof the following: "in the United States, including the 68 Stat. 734. Territories of Alaska and Hawaii, and Puerto Rico and the Virgin 68 Stat. 735. Islands". (3) By deleting the phrase "in the said areas" wherever it appears in section 2. 16 USC 590s. (4) By inserting at the end of said Act the following new sections: "SEC. 8. No aid shall be extended under the provisions of this Act Limitations. which will result in any individual, partnership, trust, estate, corporation engaged in farming, or unincorporated association becoming indebted to the United States in a principal amount outstanding at any time in excess of $25,000, or which will result in any other corporation or agency becoming indebted in a principal amount outstanding at any time in excess of $250,000, or which after January 1, 1954, shall provide for construction work, other than technical assistance, being done by the Secretary. "SEC. 9. The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized, upon such Farm land terms and conditions as he shall prescribe, to make loans for the improvement. purposes of financing the improvement of farm land by soil or water conserving or drainage facilities, structures or practices, improvement of soil fertility, establishment of improved permanent pasture, sustained yield afforestation or reforestation, or other erosion preventatives, and such other related measures as may be determined from time to time by the Secretary. "SEC. 10. (a) In order to establish a program of insuring loans Loans by other made by lenders other than the United States which comply with the than U. S. requirements of this Act and are in furtherance of its objectives, the Insurance proSecretary of Agriculture "(1) is authorized to insure and make commitments to insure such loans on such terms and conditions as he may prescribe; "(2) is authorized to include in insurance contracts agreements to service loans insured thereunder and to purchase such loans which are not in default on such terms and conditions as he may prescribe; "(3) shall utilize the insurance fund (hereinafter called the gram. Fund) created by section 11 of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant 60 Stat. 1072. Act, as amended, and the provisions of sections 13 (b) and (c) 7 USC 1005a, of the said Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act to discharge obli- 1005c. gations under insurance contracts made pursuant to this Act; "(4) shall require the borrower to pay such insurance charges as he deems proper, taking into account the amount of the loan and prior liens: Provided, however, That the charge shall be payable in advance at intervals of one year or less and shall be 68 Stat. 735. 68 Stat. 736. 7 USC 1005a, 10050. Limitation. 38 Stat. 273. Repeal. 16 USC 590z-5. at a rate equal to at least 1 per centum per annum of the principal outstanding on the loan insured on the due date of the charge; "(5) may utilize the Fund to pay taxes, insurance, prior liens, and other expenses to protect the security for loans which have been insured hereunder, and to acquire such security property at foreclosure sale or otherwise; "(6) shall liquidate acquired security property in such manner and on such terms as he deems will best preserve the Fund; and "(7) shall have authority to make such rules and regulations. and such delegations of authority as he deems appropriate in order to carry out the provisions of this Act. "(b) Notes and the security therefor acquired by the Secretary under insurance contracts shall become a part of the Fund. The notes may be held in the Fund and collected according to their terms or may be sold and reinsured. All proceeds from such collections, including the liquidation of security, and sales shall become a part of the Fund. "(c) One-half of all insurance charges shall become a part of the Fund and one-half shall be deposited in the Treasury of the United States and shall be available for administrative expenses in connection with the insurance program authorized by this Act. "(d) Any contract of insurance executed by the Secretary under this Act shall be an obligation of the United States and incontestable except for fraud or misrepresentation of which the holder of the contract has actual knowledge. The provisions of sections 11 and 13 (b) and (c) of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act, as amended, shall be applicable and available for the purpose of providing funds for the discharge of obligations arising under the insurance program authorized by this Act. "(e) The aggregate amount of the principal obligations on loans insured under this Act, shall not exceed $25,000,000 in any one fiscal year. "(f) The first paragraph of section 24, chapter 6, of the Federal Reserve Act, as amended (12 U. S. C., 1952 edition, 371) is hereby amended by inserting after the phrase 'Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act' the following:, or the Act of August 28, 1937, as amended'." SEC. 2. Section 7 of the Act entitled "An Act authorizing construction of water conservation and utilization projects in the Great Plains and arid and semiarid areas of the United States", approved August 11, 1939, as amended (53 Stat. 1418; 54 Stat. 1119, 1124; 63 Stat. 171), is repealed. Approved August 17, 1954. |