[CHAPTER 476-1ST SESSION] [H. R. 242] AN ACT To provide for the conferring of the degree of bachelor of science upon graduates of the United States Merchant Marine Academy. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Act of May 25, 1933, as amended, relating to the conferring of degrees upon graduates of the Naval Academy, Military Academy, Coast Guard Academy, and Merchant Marine Academy, be amended to read as follows: "The Superintendents of the United States Naval Academy, the United States Military Academy, the United States Merchant Marine Academy, and the United States Coast Guard Academy may, under such rules and regulations as the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of the Army, the United States Maritime Commission, and the Secretary of the Treasury, respectively may prescribe, confer the degree of bachelor of science upon all graduates of their respective academies, from and after the date of the accrediting of said academies. On and after the date of the accrediting of the said academies the superintendents of the respective academies may, under such rules and regulations as the respective Secretaries, or the Maritime Commission, may make, confer the degree of bachelor of science upon such other living graduates of the respective academies as shall have met the requirements of the respective academies for such degree." Approved August 18, 1949. [CHAPTER 493-1ST SESSION] [H. R. 2634] AN ACT To provide transportation on Canadian vessels between Skagway, Alaska, and other points in Alaska, between Haines, Alaska, and other points in Alaska, and between Hyder, Alaska, and other points in Alaska or the continental United States, either directly or via a foreign port, or for any part of the transportation. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, until June 30, 1950, notwithstanding the provisions of law of the United States restricting to vessels of the United States the transportation of passengers and merchandise directly or indirectly from any port in the United States to another port of the United States, passengers may be transported on Canadian vessels between Skagway, Alaska, and other points in Alaska, between Haines, Alaska, and other points in Alaska, and between Hyder, Alaska, and other points in Alaska or the continental United States, either directly or via a foreign port, or for any part of the transportation: Provided, That such Canadian vessels may transport merchandise between Hyder, Alaska, and other ports and points herein enumerated. Approved August 22, 1949 [PUBLIC LAW 297-81ST CONGRESS] [H. R. 5929] AN ACT To amend the Army and Air Force Vitalization and Retirement Equalization Act of 1948. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That subsection (b) of section 302 of the Army and Air Force Vitalization and Retirement Equalization Act of 1948 is hereby amended by striking out the words "the enactment of this Act" and inserting in lieu thereof "July 1, 1949". SEC. 2. That subsection (c) of section 302 of the Army and Air Force Vitalization and Retirement Equalization Act of 1948 is hereby amended by striking out the words "the enactment of this Act" and inserting in lieu thereof "July 1, 1949". SEC. 3. That the second proviso of section 303 of the Army and Air Force Vitalization and Retirement Equalization Act of 1948 is hereby amended by striking out the words "the date of enactment of this Act" and inserting in lieu thereof "July 1, 1949". Approved September 7, 1949. [CHAPTER 780-1ST SESSION] [H. J. Res. 373] JOINT RESOLUTION Relating to the sale of certain shipyard facilities at Orange, Texas. Whereas the General Services Administration now holds for disposition certain shipyard facilities at Orange, Texas, declared surplus by the Navy Department; which facilities were constructed during the war on land belonging to the Consolidated Steel Corporation at a total cost of $8,235,000; which facilities were operated during the war by Consolidated Steel Corporation in the construction of naval vessels; which facilities were closed down at the end of the war and have since remained idle; and Whereas Consolidated Western Steel Corporation, successor to the Consolidated Steel Corporation, is now the owner of the lands upon which said facilities are located and has the right, under the contract with the Government under which said facilities were constructed, to require their removal upon sixty days' notice; and Whereas it is vital to the national defense that the facilities be maintained and to the extent practicable operated and kept in good condition; and Whereas Consolidated Western Steel Corporation in a written offer dated May 18, 1949, submitted to War Assets Administration its offer to purchase the Government-owned facilities for a cash price of $1,001,000; and Whereas the Munitions Board in connection with said proposed sale has imposed a "national security clause" on the facility, under the terms of which the facility will be maintained for the purposes of national defense by the proposed purchaser for a period of five years without cost to the Government; and Whereas if the proposed sale is not consummated the facility will have to be scrapped at a possible loss to the Government in excess of $500,000 and in addition will destroy the facility so vitally needed for national defense; and Whereas the proposed sale will result in the employment in excess of one thousand workers in the operation thereof by the proposed purchaser; and Whereas the War Assets Administration has strongly recommended a consummation of such sale to the Consolidated Western Steel Corporation; and Whereas under the provision of section 207 of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, the Attorney General is required to give an opinion as to whether or not, so far as he can determine, the disposition of property would tend to create a situation in violation of the antitrust laws; and Whereas said provision may have the effect of preventing the consummation of said proposed sale; and Whereas it is in the public interest and in the interest of the national security and the national economy that said sale be consummated; and Whereas every effort has already been made to dispose of the facilities in place without success, and it will therefore be necessary to certify such facilities as undisposable in place pursuant to Public Law Numbered 883, Eightieth Congress, unless the proposed sale is consummated: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Administrator of General Services is hereby authorized and directed to consummate, on behalf of the United States, the sale of said facilities to the Consolidated Western Steel Corporation in accordance with its offer of May 18, 1949, and in accordance with the national security clause imposed with respect to said facilities by the Munitions Board. Approved October 28, 1949. [PUBLIC LAW 584-81ST CONGRESS] [CHAPTER 409-2D SESSION] [S. 3771] AN ACT To provide transportation on Canadian vessels between Skagway, Alaska, and other points in Alaska, between Haines, Alaska, and other points in Alaska, and between Hyder, Alaska, and other points in Alaska or the continental United States, either directly or via a foreign port, or for any part of the transportation. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, until June 30, 1951, notwithstanding the provisions of law of the United States restricting to vessels of the United States the transportation of passengers and merchandise directly or indirectly from any port in the United States to another port of the United States, passengers may be transported on Canadian vessels between Skagway, Alaska, and other points in Alaska, between Haines, Alaska, and other points in Alaska, and between Hyder, Alaska, and other points in Alaska or the continental United States, either directly or via a foreign port, or for any part of the transportation: Provided, That such Canadian vessels may transport merchandise between Hyder, Alaska, and other ports and points herein enumerated. [CHAPTER 427-2D SESSION] [S. 3571] AN ACT To continue the authority of the Secretary of Commerce under the Merchant Ship Sales Act of 1946, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 14 of the Merchant Ship Sales Act of 1946, as amended, is amended to read as follows: "SEC. 14. No contract of sale shall be made under this Act after January 15, 1951, and no contract or charter shall be made under this Act after June 30, 1950, except as provided for charter under subsections (e) and (f) of section 5 hereof, as amended." SEC. 2. The fourth sentence of section 11 (a) of such Act, as amended, is amended to read as follows: "A vessel placed in such reserve shall in no case be used for any purpose whatsoever except that any such vessel may be used for account of any agency or department of the United States during any period in which vessels may be requisitioned under section 902 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended, and that any such vessel may be used under a bareboat charter entered into pursuant to authority vested in the Secretary of Commerce on July 1, 1950, or granted to the Secretary of Commerce after such date." SEC. 3. Section 5 of such Act, as amended, is amended by adding at the end thereof subsections to read as follows: 66 (e) (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 11 and 14 of this Act, as amended, war-built dry-cargo vessels owned by the United States on or after June 30, 1950, may be chartered pursuant to this Act for bareboat use in any service which, in the opinion of the Federal Maritime Board, is required in the public interest and is not adequately served, and for which privately owned American flag vessels are not available for charter by private operators on reasonable conditions and at reasonable rates for use in such service. No charters shall be made by the Secretary of Commerce under authority of this subsection until the Federal Maritime Board shall have given due notice to all interested parties and shall have afforded such parties an opportunity for a public hearing on such charters and shall have certified its findings to the Secretary of Commerce. The Secretary of Commerce is authorized to include in such charters such restrictions and conditions as the Federal Maritime Board determines to be necessary or appropriate to protect the public interest in respect of such charters and to protect privately owned vessels against competition from vessels chartered under this section: Provided, however, That all such charters shall contain a provision that they will be reviewed annually by the Federal Maritime Board, with recommendations to the Secretary of Commerce, for the purpose of determining whether conditions exist justifying continuance of the charters under the provisions of this subsection. |