PROVIDING AUTHORIZATION FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR THE EXTENSION AND IMPROVEMENT OF POSTOFFICE FACILITIES AT LOS ANGELES, CALIF. JUNE 6, 1949.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. BUCKLEY of New York, from the Committee on Public Works, submitted the following REPORT To accompany H. R. 1154) The Committee on Public Works, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 1154) to provide authorization for additional funds for the extension and improvement of post-office facilities at Los Angeles, Calif., and for other purposes, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. The amendment is as follows: Page 1, line 4, strike out "$900,000", and insert in lieu thereof "$800,000", The construction of an additional story, and the extension and remodeling of the existing Terminal Annex Station, Los Angeles, Calif., was originally authorized by H. R. 5750, Eightieth Congress, which, with amendments. became Public Law 832, Eightieth Congress, approved June 29, 1948. H. R. 5750, as reported May 11, 1948, with amendments, by the Committee on Public Works, provided for the acquisition of a site in Los Angeles, Calif., for a Federal building at a cost not to exceed $854,000, and for the construction of an additional story, and extension. and remodeling of the existing Terminal Annex Station in Los Angeles, Calif., at a cost not to exceed $1,850,000, making a total cost of $2.704,000. The hearings on H. R. 5750 are available. H. R. 5750 came up for consideration in the House on June 8, 1948, at which time it was further amended. (Congressional Record, p. 7572, June 8, 1948.) The effect of this House amendment was to remove the $854,000 authorized for the purchase of land for a Federal building in Los Angeles, Calif., and to limit the bill to an authorization of $1,000,000 for the construction of an additional story, and the extension and remodeling of the existing Terminal Annex Station. This bill was passed by the Senate on June 18, 1948, without further amendment, and was approved June 29, 1948, and became Public Law 832. Eightieth Congress. H. R. 1154, as considered by the Committee on Public Works, authorized the appropriation of $900,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, for completion and equipment of the additional story and extension and remodeling of the existing Terminal Annex Station, Los Angeles, Calif., in addition to the amount previously authorized under Public Law 832. Eightieth Congress, approved June 29, 1948. The reports of the Federal Works Administrator and the Postmaster General on H. R. 1154, follow: Hon. WILL M. WHITTINGTON, Chairman, Committee on Public Works, FEDERAL WORKS AGENCY, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. WHITTINGTON: This is with reference to your letter of March 3, 1949, enclosing a copy of H. R. 1154, entitled "To provide authorization for additional funds for the extension and improvement of post-office facilities at Los Angeles, Calif., and for other purposes" and requesting my views thereon. This proposed legislation would authorize an appropriation in the sum of $900,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, for the completion and equipment of the additional story and the extension and remodeling of the existing Terminal Annex Station, Los Angeles, Calif., in addition to the amount previously authorized by the act of June 29, 1948, Public Law 832 of the Eightieth Congress. The aforesaid act of June 29, 1948, authorized the appropriation of $1,000,000 for the extension and improvement of the post office facilities at Los Angeles. This amount is insufficient for this agency to enlarge the terminal annex by the addition of a fourth floor which is urgently needed to care for the increase in postal business and to provide the additional platform and driveway facilities for air mail deliveries. Such air mail deliveries would result in greater efficiency and substantial savings to the Government, but such service cannot be put into effect unless the platform and driveway space is made available. The additional $900,000 as proposed will be sufficient to complete the construction of the fourth floor and the extension and remodeling work necessary for the additional platform and driveway space. As these additional facilities are urgently needed to meet post office requirements it is recommended that H. R. 1154 receive the favorable consideration of the Congress. I am advised by the Bureau of the Budget that the enactment of this legislation is in accord with the program of the President. Sincerely yours. Hon. WILLIAM M. WHITTINGTON, J. W. FOLLIN (Acting for Philip B. Fleming, Major General, U. S. Army, Administrator). OFFICE OF THE POSTMASTER GENERAL, Chairman, Committee on Public Works, House of Representatives. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Further reference is made to your request for a report on H. R. 1154, a bill to provide authorization for additional funds for the extension and improvement of post-office facilities at Los Angeles, Calif., and for other purposes. This legislation contemplates the enlargement of the Terminal Annex Building at Los Angeles by the addition of a fourth floor and further extension and remodeling to provide additional platform and driveway facilities The act of June 29, 1948 (Public Law 832 of the 80th Cong.), authorized the appropriation of $1,000,000 for the extension and improvement of post-office facilities at Los Angeles This amount will be insufficient, according to the Federal Works Agency, to enlarge the terminal annex by the addition of a fourth floor. which is urgently needed to care for the tremendous increase in postai business and to provide the additional platform and driveway facilities required to permit the discontinuance of mail handling by the Pacific Electric Railway Co. in the Los Angeles area and the substitution of highway post offices and star routes. Such substitution will result in greater efficiency and substantial economy, with estimated annual savings in excess of $100,000. This change in service cannot be put into effect unless the additional platform and drivewav space is made available Further emphasizing the urgency of this construction is the fact that the Pacific Electric Railway Co. has filed a petition to discontinue all rail service on all lines with the exception of those to Long Beach and San Pedro, Calif. If this petition is favorably considered, the Department will have no choice but to arrange for mail transportation by highway post offices and star routes, making the provision of the dditional platform and driveway space even more imperative than under existin, circumstances. It is understood that the additional authorization of $900,000 proposed by H. R. 1154 will, in the opinion of the Federal Works Agency, be sufficient to consummate the construction of the fourth floor and the extension and remodeling work incident to the provision of additional platform and driveway space. This construction is urgently needed to meet post office requirements, and favorable consideration of H. R. 1154 is recommended. The Bureau of the Budget has advised that there would be no objection to the submission of this report to the committee. Sincerely yours. J. M. DONALDSON, At the hearing on H. R. 1154 on June 2, 1949, Mr. W. E. Reynolds, Commissioner of the Public Buildings Administration of the Federal Works Agency, testified that the amount he had previously figured was necessary for the fourth floor of the Terminal Annex Station Building, and the extension of a loading platform paralleling the railroad tracks, was $1,850,000 but upon review of the situation and because of a slight reduction in the cost of construction today, he suggested that the $900,000 be reduced to $800,000. The committee concurred in the suggested reduction. The $800.000 authorized by H. R. 1154, Eighty-first Congress, and $1,000,000 authorized by Public Law 832, Eightieth Congress, keeps the total authorizations within the amount originally estimated by the Public Buildings Administration for this work. The Committee on Public Works unanimously voted to approve this legislation and recommends that the House do pass H. R. 1154, as amended. |