70 Stat. 29. 10 Stat. 30. Construction.

Park and reo re

ties.

ization shall provide for the repayment of the portion of the construction cost of the project assigned to any contract unit or, if the contract unit be divided into two or more blocks, to any such block over a period of not more than fifty-five years, exclusive of any permissible development period, or as near thereto as is consistent with the adoption and operation of a variable payment formula which, being based on full repayment within the period stated under average conditions, permits variance in the required annual payments in the light of economic factors pertinent to the ability of the organization to pay: Provided, That nothing in this section is intended to preclude the temporary furnishing of irrigation water under contracts appropriate for that purpose from Foss and Fort Cobb Reservoirs with or without the construction of specific irrigation works.

SEC. 3. Construction of the Washita project herein authorized may be undertaken in such units or stages as in the opinion of the Secretary best serves the project requirements and the relative needs for water of the several prospective users. Repayment contracts negotiated in connection with each unit or stage of construction shall be subject to the terms and conditions of section 2 of this Act.

SEC. The Secretary may, upon conclusion of a suitable agreement ational facili- with any qualified agency of the State of Oklahoma or a political subdivision thereof for assumption of the administration, operation, and maintenance thereof at the earliest practicable date, construct or permit the construction of public park and recreational facilities on lands owned by the United States adjacent to the reservoirs of the Washita project, when such use is determined by the Secretary not to be contrary to the public interest, all under such rules and regulations as the Secretary may prescribe. No recreational use of any area to which this section applies shall be permitted which is inconsistent with the laws of the State of Oklahoma for the protection of fish and game. The costs of constructing, operating, and maintaining the facilities authorized by this section shall not be charged to or become a part of the costs of the Washita River Basin project.

Expenditures.

66 Stat. 451. Appropriation.

SEC. 5. Expenditures for Foss and Fort Cobb Reservoirs may be made without regard to the soil survey and land classification requirements of the Interior Department Appropriation Act, 1954 (43 U. S. C. 390a).

SEC. 6. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated for construction of the works authorized to be constructed by section 1 of this Act the sum of $40,600,000 plus such additional amount, if any, as may be required by reason of changes in the costs of construction of the types involved in the Washita River Basin project as shown by engineering indices. There are also authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be required for the operation and maintenance of said works.

Approved February 25, 1956.

To designate the General Grant tree (known as the Nation's Christmas Tree) in Kings Canyon National Park, California, as a national shrine.

Whereas the General Grant tree, growing in the Kings Canyon
National Park, California, was dedicated by the Federal Govern-
ment on April 28, 1926, at the request of the citizens of Sanger,
California, as the Nation's Christmas Tree; and

70 Stat. 57.

Whereas Sanger, California, was, on October 1, 1949, recognized by 70 Stat. 58. the Post Office Department as the Nation's Christmas Tree City; and

Whereas because of such dedication, and because of the work done and the interest shown by the citizens of Sanger, California, the Nation's Christmas Tree has become known nationally and internationally; and

Whereas it is appropriate and desirable at this time to provide further recognition of the Nation's Christmas Tree as a living symbol of our American heritage: Therefore be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United

States of America in Congress assembled, That the General Grant Nation's Christtree, which is located in the Kings Canyon National Park, in Fresno mas Tree. County, California, and which was dedicated by the Federal Government in 1926 as the Nation's Christmas Tree, is hereby declared to be a national shrine in memory of the men and women of the Armed Forces who have served and fought and died to keep this Nation free and to preserve the spiritual, human, and civil rights which are the essence of our American heritage. The Secretary of the Interior, through the National Park Service, shall make appropriate provision for the perpetual care and maintenance of such shrine.

SEC. 2. Nothing in this Act shall be deemed to change the name of the General Grant tree.

Approved March 29, 1956.

(442)

To amend the Act approved April 24, 1950, entitled “An Act to facilitate and simplify the work of the Forest Service, 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 of April Agriculture. 24, 1950 (64 Stat. 82), is amended by adding thereto a new section to Cooperative read as follows:

Forest Service research.

"SEC. 20. For the purpose of fostering and stimulating participation 16 USC 490-581, with the Forest Service in forest, range, and watershed management passim. research through investigations, experiments, tests, or such other means as he may deen advisable, and in order to aid in obtaining the fullest cooperation from States and other public and private agencies, organizations, institutions, and individuals, in effectuating such research the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized in accordance with such regulations as he may issue and when in his judgment such cooperative work will be stimulated or facilitated to make funds available to the coopera

31 USC 529.

tors without regard to the provisions of section 3648, Revised Statutes, 60 Stat. 809. prohibiting advances of public moneys." Approved April 6, 1956.

To amend section 8 (b) of the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act with respect to water conservation practices.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the second sentence of section 8 (b) of the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allot

ment Act, as amended (16 U. S. C., sec. 590h (b)), is amended by 52 Stat. 31. striking out of said sentence "In arid or semiarid sections," and inserting in lieu thereof "Clauses".

Approved April 6, 1956.

(443)

Authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to construct, equip, maintain, and operate a new fish hatchery in the vicinity of Miles City, Montana.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary Niles City, Mont. of the Interior is authorized to establish, construct, equip, operate, Fish hatchery. and maintain a new fish hatchery in the vicinty of Miles City, Montana.

SEC. 2. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated the sum of Appropriation. $465,000 to carry out this Act. Jeto add

To provide for the establishment of a trout hatchery on the Davidson River in the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina,

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary Pisgah National of the Interior, after consulting with the Secretary of Agriculture, Forest, N. c. shall establish, construct, equip, operate, and maintain a trout hatchery at an appropriate location on the Davidson River in the Pisgah Na

tional Forest, North Carolina.

Trout hatohery.

SEC. 2. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated the sum of Appropriation, $375,000 to carry out this Act.

Approved June 18, 1956.

(444)

Walruses.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 1 of Alaska. the Act of August 18, 1941 (ch. 368, 55 Stat. 632; 48 U. S. C. 248), is amended by changing the colon at the end of the first proviso to a comma and by inserting thereafter: "and said skins or hides may be exported from the Territory subject to such limitations on numbers and size of skins or hides exported as the Secretary of the Interior may prescribe for the purpose of protecting and conserving the walrus herds:".

70 Stat. 372.

SEC. 2. Section 1 of said Act of August 18, 1941, is further amended 70 Stat. 373. by changing the period at the end thereof to a colon and by inserting thereafter: "Provided further, That the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to prescribe by regulations the extent to which, the times when, and the means by which, walruses may be taken for purposes other than food and clothing and the extent to which such walruses or the parts thereof may be possessed, sold, bartered, purchased, or exported. Any regulations so prescribed shall prohibit the hunting of walruses with the use of airplanes and helicopters and shall prohibit the taking of any walrus by a nonnative other than one bull walrus per year which may be taken only when the nonnative is accompanied by a native guide. The meat of any walrus taken by a nonnative shall be given to natives, and the Secretary of the Interior is directed to prohibit the taking of walruses by nonnatives whenever he determines that such taking may endanger the food supply of the natives. No nonnative shall take any walrus under any regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior without first having procured a walrus hunting license which shall be issued in the manner prescribed by subdivision I, section 10, of the Alaska game law of January 13, 1925, as amended (43 Stat. 744; 48 U. S. C. 199). The fee for such license shall be $25 for nonnative residents of the Territory of Alaska and $50 for nonresidents. For the purposes of this Act, residence shall be governed by the conditions prescribed in section 3 of said Alaska game law. After deducting the amount that may be retained as compensation by persons authorized to sell such licenses, the amount of such retained compensation to be determined in accordance with subdivision K of section 10 of said Alaska game law, the proceeds from the sale of walrus hunting licenses shall be accounted for and disposed of in the manner prescribed by the said subdivision K.” Approved June 29, 1956.

(445)