[CHAPTER 198-2D SESSION]

[H. R. 4254]

AN ACT

To extend for one year the provisions of an Act to promote the defense of the United States, approved March 11, 1941, as amended.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That subsection (c) of section 3 of an Act to promote the defense of the United States, approved March 11, 1941, as amended, is amended by striking out "June 30, 1944" wherever it appears therein and inserting in lieu thereof "June 30, 1945"; by striking out "July 1, 1947" and inserting in lieu thereof “July 1, 1948”; and by striking out "July 1, 1944" and inserting in lieu thereof "July 1, 1945"; and subsection (b) of section 6 of such Act is amended by striking out "June 30, 1947" and inserting in lieu thereof "June 30, 1948".

SEC. 2. Subsection (b) of section 3 is amended by striking out the period after the word "satisfactory" and inserting the following: : Provided, however, That nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to authorize the President to assume or incur any obligations on the part of the United States with respect to post-war economic policy, post-war military policy or any post-war policy involving international relations except in accordance with established constitutional procedure."

Approved May 17, 1944.

[CHAPTER 199-2D SESSION]

[H. R. 3261]

AN ACT

To amend the Act of April 29, 1943, to authorize the return to private ownership of Great Lakes vessels and vessels of one thousand gross tons or less, 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 "An Act to authorize the return to private ownership of certain vessels formerly used or suitable for use in the fisheries or industries related thereto", approved April 29, 1943 (Public Law 44, Seventy-eighth Congress; 57 Stat. 69), is amended to read as follows: "That any vessel formerly used or suitable for use in the fisheries or industries related thereto, any vessel of one thousand gross tons (determined in accordance with the provisions of section 77 of title 46 of the United States Code) or less, and any vessel employed on the Great Lakes during the year preceding its acquisition by the United States, the title to which has been or may hereafter be acquired by the United States through purchase or requisition except any vessel seventeen years of age or older traded in under the provisions of section 510, Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended, or any other provision of law may be returned to private ownership in accordance with the provisions of this Act.

"SEC. 2. Every such vessel shall, upon determination by the department or agency having possession thereof that the vessel is no longer needed or can be spared by such department or agency without detriment to its service, be made available to the Administrator of the War Shipping Administration (hereinafter referred to as the Administrator), who shall notify the owner from whom such vessel was purchased or requisitioned that the vessel may be returned to such owner upon repayment to the United States of the compensation paid therefor less such allowances as the Administrator may deem reasonable (1) to cover the cost of such reconditioning as the Administrator after consultation with the owner deems necessary to restore the vessel to condition and utility at least as good as when acquired by the United States (ordinary wear and tear excepted), and (2) to compensate such owner for the use of the vessel by the United States, and upon compliance with such other terms and conditions as the Administrator may prescribe. The determination of such allowances by the Administrator shall be final notwithstanding any other provision of

law.

"SEC. 3. If any such owner to whom compensation has been paid or a tender of compensation has been made shall fail, within a reasonable time after notice (which time shall be specified in the notice but may be extended by the Administrator) to make arrangements satisfactory to the Administrator for such return of the vessel or shall expressly waive the right thereto, the Administrator may advertise the vessel

for sale upon competitive sealed bids subject to such terms and conditions as the Administrator may prescribe, including in the case of any vessel used in the commercial fisheries or industries related thereto immediately prior to the acquisition of such vessel by the United States, a requirement that the vessel will not be used for a period of two years from date of sale, other than in the commercial fisheries or industries related thereto: Provided, however, That the Administrator may reject any bid which does not equal the purchase price or compensation paid or payable by the United States for such vessel less a reasonable allowance to cover the cost of reconditioning as hereinabove defined.

"SEC. 4. The Administrator may withhold from the funds received for the return or sale of any such vessel the expenses incurred by him in such return or sale, and shall pay over the balance of such receipts to the department or agency by which such vessel was made available." Approved May 18, 1944.

[CHAPTER 202-2D SESSION]

[H. R. 3176]

AN ACT

To regulate the furnishing of artificial limbs or other appliances to retired officers and enlisted men of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard and to certain civilian employees of the military and naval forces of the Regular Establishment.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 4 of Public Law Numbered 198, Seventy-sixth Congress, approved July 19, 1939, as amended by Public Law Numbered 365, Seventy-seventh Congress, approved December 22, 1941, is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 4. In the administration of laws pertaining to veterans, retired officers, and enlisted men of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, who served honorably during a war period as recognized by the Veterans' Administration, shall be, and are entitled to hospitalization and domiciliary care in the same manner and to the same extent as veterans of any war are now or may hereafter be furnished hospitalization or domiciliary care by the Veterans' Administration and subject to those provisions of paragraph VI (A) of Veterans Regulation Numbered 6 (c), which provide for reduction of monetary benefits to veterans having neither wife, child, nor dependent parent while being furnished hospital treatment, institutional, or domiciliary care.

"Any retired officer or enlisted man of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard, who lost a limb or the use thereof through injury or disease incurred or contracted in line of duty in the military or naval service at any time, may be provided with an artificial limb or other appliance found by the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs to be reasonably necessary in medical judgment for such injury or disease, including necessary transportation to effect the fitting thereof, upon receipt of claim under such regulations as the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs may prescribe. No commutation in lieu of such artificial limb or other appliance shall be payable on and after the date of this enactment."

SEO. 2. The United States Employees' Compensation Commission, under such regulations as the Commission may prescribe, is hereby authorized to furnish any civilian employee of the military or naval service, Regular Establishment, who lost a limb or the use thereof through injury or disease incurred or contracted in line of duty as such prior to September 7, 1916, with an artificial limb or other appliance, or commutation in lieu thereof, at least once in every three years, upon the application of the person entitled thereto, or someone on his behalf, including necessary transportation to effect the fitting thereof and the compensation fund, established pursuant to section 35 of the Act approved September 7, 1916 (U. S. C., title 5, sec. 785), shall be available for expenditures under this section: Pro

vided, That the commutation payable to any civilian employee in lieu of such artificial limb or other appliance shall be in the amount last paid to such employee under laws repealed by section 3 of this Act.

SEC. 3. The Act entitled "An Act to amend an Act entitled 'An Act supplementary to an Act to provide for furnishing artificial limbs to disabled soldiers', approved June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and seventy", approved June 8, 1872 (17 Stat. 338); the Act entitled “An Act to regulate the issue of artificial limbs to disabled soldiers, seamen, and others", approved August 15, 1876 (19 Stat. 203, 204; U. S. C., 1940 edition, title 38, sections 241, 242, 245); part of paragraph following semicolon making provision for direct payment of commutation under subject "Artificial limbs" under heading "Miscellaneous objects" in the Act entitled "An Act making appropriations for sundry civil expenses of the Government for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and ninety-two, and for other purposes", approved March 3, 1891 (26 Stat. 979; U. S. C., 1940 edition, title 38, sec. 244); section 4787 of the Revised Statutes, as amended (U. S. C., 1940 edition, title 38, sections 241-242); section 4788 of the Revised Statutes, as amended (U. S. C., 1940 edition, title 38, sec. 243); section 4789 of the Revised Statutes; section 4790 of the Revised Statutes, as amended (U. S. C., 1940 edition, title 38, sec. 243); section 4791 of the Revised Statutes, as amended (U. S. C., 1940 edition, title 38, sec. 246); the proviso under the subject "Artificial limbs" under the heading "Medical Department" in the Act entitled "An Act making appropriations for sundry civil expenses of the Government for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1921, and for other purposes", approved June 5, 1920 (41 Stat. 901; U. S. C., 1940 edition, title 38, sec. 242); section 1176 of the Revised Statutes (U. S. C., 1940 edition, title 38, sec. 247); section 1177 of the Revised Statutes (U. S. C., 1940 edition, title 38, sec. 248); section 1178 of the Revised Statues, as amended (U. S. C., 1940 edition, title 38, sec. 249; title 31, sec. 583 (9)); the Act entitled "An Act to amend the Act entitled 'An Act to provide for furnishing trusses to disabled soldiers', approved May twenty-eighth, eighteen hundred and seventy-two", approved March 3, 1879 (20 Stat. 353; U. S. C., 1940 edition, title 38, sections 247 and 250), are hereby repealed; and any other Acts, or parts of Acts, in conflict or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict or inconsistency.