PUBLIC LAWS-CH. 218-JUNE 16, 1949 [CHAPTER 218] June 16, 1949 [S. 714] [Public Law 105] Public Buildings Act of 1949. Acquisition oflands. Report to Congress. Participation in benefits by congres- sional districts. Appropriation au- thorized. Post, p. 976. [63 STAT. AN ACT To provide for comprehensive planning, for site acquisition in and outside of the District of Columbia, and for the design of Federal building projects outside of the District of Columbia; to authorize the transfer of jurisdiction over certain lands between certain departments and agencies of the United States; and to provide certain additional authority needed in connection with the construction, management, and operation of Federal public buildings; and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may be cited as the "Public Buildings Act of 1949". TITLE I-COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING OF FEDERAL PUBLIC BUILDINGS OUTSIDE OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SEC. 101. The Federal Works Administrator is authorized to acquire, by purchase, condemnation, donation, exchange, or otherwise, lands or interests in lands as sites or additions to sites for Federal public building projects previously authorized and for such new proj- ects as may be selected in the manner designated in this section, to make investigations and studies and to prepare plans, sketches, work- ing drawings, and specifications for such projects. Whenever the Fed- eral Works Administrator shall determine such action to be necessary, such investigations, studies, preparation of plans, sketches, working drawings, and specifications, may be undertaken prior to the approval of title to the sites by the Attorney General. When buildings to be used in whole or in part for post-office purposes are involved, the Federal Works Administrator shall act jointly with the Postmaster General in the selection of towns or cities in which buildings are to be constructed, and in the choice of sites therein for such projects. The Federal Works Administrator and the Postmaster General shall sub- mit to the Congress a comprehensive report of all eligible projects and their limits of cost when in excess of $200,000, without regard to the time in which they may be undertaken, which report shall be printed as a public document. When the estimated cost of a project does not exceed $200,000 the limit of cost shall be determined by the Commissioner of Public Buildings. Selection of projects for the purposes of this title shall be made by the Federal Works Adminis- trator and the Postmaster General from such report and they may also select such other projects not included in such report which in their judgment are economically sound and advantageous to the public service: Provided, That in making such selections they shall distribute the selected projects equitably throughout the country with due regard to the comparative urgency of projects in various sections of the country. SEC. 102. It is the intent of the Congress that the equitable distri- bution of selected projects required by section 101 of this title shall provide for the participation by each congressional district in the benefits that will accrue from the future construction of one or more of such selected projects. It is the further intent of the Congress that those congressional districts in which are located projects previously authorized and selected for construction (including those for which sites have been acquired), but which have been deferred, shall be entitled to such project or projects, or the equivalent thereof, in addi- tion to the projects authorized and selected under this title. SEC. 103. For carrying out the purposes of this title, including administrative, supervisory, traveling, and other expenses in connec- tion therewith, there is hereby authorized to be appropriated the sum of $40,000,000 to remain available until expended. 176
�
