PROVIDING FUNDS FOR COOPERATION WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD OF KLAMATH COUNTY, OREG., FOR THE CONSTRUCTION, EXTENSION, AND IMPROVEMENT OF PUBLIC-SCHOOL FACILITIES IN KLAMATH COUNTY, OREG., TO BE AVAILABLE TO ALL INDIAN AND NON-INDIAN CHILDREN WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION JUNE 20, 1949.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. MORRIS, from the Committee on Public Lands. submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 4510) The Committee on Public Lands, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 4510) to provide funds for cooperation with the school board of Klamath County, Oreg., for the construction, extension, and improvement of public-school facilities in Klamath County, Oreg., to be available to all Indian and non-Indian children without discrimination, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with amendments and recommend that the bill as amended do pass. The amendments are as follows: Page 2, lines 5 and 6, strike out the words "Commissioner of Indian Affairs" and insert in lieu thereof the words "Secretary of the Interior or his duly authorized representative". Page 2, line 7, strike out the words "Indian service" and insert in lieu thereof the words "Secretary of the Interior or his duly authorized representative". EXPLANATION OF THE BILL The purpose of this bill is to authorize an advance of $150,000 to assist Klamath County, Oreg., in constructing improvements to school buildings serving Indian children so that the schools will meet State school standards. This amount would be repaid to the Federal Government over a period of 30 years, at 3 percent interest, by withholding the annual Federal payments for the education of Indian children in Klamath County School. In 1927 the Indian Bureau schools on the Klamath Reservation were closed and the children transferred to the public schools. The public schools are supported by taxes on private property. Since the Klamath Indian Reservation, which comprises the major part of Klamath County, is exempt from taxation, only 33 percent of the county is available for taxation purposes. The tax levy for public schools in this county has been increased from 8 mills in 1934-44 to more than 40 mills for the coming fiscal year. A levy of at least 10 mills a year for 5 years will be required for the minimum building program necessary to meet State school standards. An average of 200 to 240 Indian children have attended the Klamath public schools each year since 1927. This has necessitated additional expenditures by the school district for facilities. No Federal aid has been given the district for capital outlays. Approximately one-fourth of the students enrolled in the Klamath County public schools are Indian children. The Federal Government now is more than $400,000 in arrears on tuition payments for these children during the past 21 years. For the school year 1946-47, the Federal Government paid the school district $9,600 for the 239 Indian children enrolled in the school. This amounted to only 29 cents per pupil per day, although the actual cost of education was $1.02 per pupil per day. The balance of 73 cents per pupil per day had to be raised by the school district through taxes on private property since the $25,000,000 Indian reservation is tax exempt. The Committee on Public Lands believes that, in view of the foregoing, the Federal Government is morally obligated to assist the county in its school-improvement program. The $150,000 appropriation requested is a loan, not a gift, and will be repaid with interest. The practice of recouping an appropriation of this type through reduction in the tuition payments is an established policy and one that has been given congressional approval on many occasions. The committee has adopted certain clarifying amendments suggested by the Department of the Interior. Pertinent comments from the favorable report of the Department are set forth below: If H. R. 4510 is amended as set out, I recommend that it be enacted. This bill would authorize an advance of $150,000 for assisting Klamath County, Oreg., in constructing improvements to school buildings serving Indian children to meet State school standards This amount is to be recouped by the United States over a period of 30 years, with interest at 3 percent on the unrecouped balance. Recoupment will be accomplished by withholding the annual Federal payments for the education of Indian children in Klamath County School by the amount of the annual charge plus interest, or by the acceptance of Indian pupils in the schools of the county without cost to the United States. The Klamath school district comprises the entire county of Klamath, including the Klamath Indian Reservation There are two public schools on the reservation-Chiloquin and Sprague River-and two public schools just off the reservation-Bonanza and Bly, which draw students from the reservation. The Indian enrollment represents 24.4 percent of the total enrollment at these four schools. Indians attend other county schools also. and the ratio of Indians to non-Indians for the county at large is 26.8 percent The Bureau of Indian Affairs has an annual contract with the State Department of Oregon providing for reimbursement for expenditures made on behalf of Indian children in the Oregon public shools. No provision is made in the contract or elsewhere for capital outlay. The State department has endorsed the request of County Superintendent Rowe of Klamath County for a contribution by the Federal Government to assist in making necessary improvements at these four locations to meet State school standards so that the schools will be eligible to participate in distributive funds. The total cost of the improvements needed is approximately $305,000, and the State is asking that the Federal Government advance $150,000 of the amount needed. At Bonanza and Bly. shop work will be introduced in an effort to retain the Indian students through high school. A gymnasium will be added at Chiloquin and a cafeteria at Sprague River. At all four locations improvements will be made to the heating, lighting, and sewer systems. Thirty-three percent of Klamath County is taxable, and this percentage must bear the cost for the full county. Neither the county school superintendent nor the State school administration desires to see the nontaxable part of the county excluded from the Klamath County School District. Nor do they wish to see legislation or other action which would cause financial difficulties or hard feelings toward the Indians Klamath district is undertaking a 5-year program of school improvement in excess of $1,570.000 for capital outlay alone, in all its schools including those educating Indians The officials of Klamath County believe that a failure to obtain some assistance toward the needed construction at these predominantly Indian schools would result in an unfavorable public reaction toward the continued enrollment of Indian children It is recommended that the bill be amended as follows: Page 2 lines 5 and 6. Delete the words "Commissioner of Indian Affairs" and insert in lieu thereof the words "Secretary of the Interior or his duly authorized representative" Line 7. Delete the words "Indian Service" and insert in lieu thereof the words "Secretary of the Interior or his duly authorized representative" The enactment of this bill as amended is unanimously recommended by the Committee on Public Lands. PROMOTING DEVELOPMENT IN COOPERATION WITH THE STATE OF COLORADO OF THE FISH, WILDLIFE, AND RECREATIONAL ASPECTS OF THE COLORADO-BIG THOMPSON PROJECT JUNE 20, 1949.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. PETERSON, from the Committee on Public Lands, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 5134] The Committee on Public Lands, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 5134) to promote development in cooperation with the State of Colorado of the fish, wildlife, and recreational aspects of the Colorado-Big Thompson Federal reclamation project, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. EXPLANATION OF THE BILL The primary purpose of this bill is to provide for the orderly development of the fish, wildlife, game, and recreational aspects of the Colorado-Big Thompson reclamation project by the Secretary of the Interior in cooperation with the interested agencies of the State of Colorado. Two of those agencies are the Colorado State water conservation board and the Colorado Fish and Game Commission, both of whom support and urge the prompt enactment of the legislation. When the project is completed, it will include Green Mountain, Granby, Shadow Mountain, and Horse Tooth Reservoirs in addition to Carter and Estes Park Lakes. Shadow Mountain Reservoir is located adjacent to the western entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. It is in the center of a highly developed summer resort and summer-use recreational area. Although the reservoir was not in full operation during the summer of 1948, crowds of vacationists visited the area and temporary arrangements had to be made to prevent drownings or other accidents and to protect Government |