AUTHORIZING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A JOINT LONGRANGE PROVING GROUND FOR GUIDED MISSILES MAY 3, 1949.-Ordered to be printed Mr. BROOKS, from the committee of conference, submitted the following CONFERENCE REPORT [To accompany H. R. 1741| The committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the amendments of the Senate to the bill (H. R. 1741) to authorize the establishment of a joint long-range proving ground for guided missiles, and for other purposes, having met, after full and free conference, have agreed to recommend and do recommend to their respective Houses as follows: That the House recede from its disagreement to the amendments of the Senate numbered 1 and 2, and agree to the same. Amendment numbered 3: That the House recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the Senate numbered 3. and agree to the same with an amendment as follows: On page 2 of the Senate engrossed amendments, line 10, after the word "missiles", insert authorized by this Act,; and the Senate agree to the same. OVERTON BROOKS, Managers on the Part of the House. MILLARD E. TYDINGS, HARRY FLOOd Byrd, VIRGIL M. CHAPMAN, CHAN GURNEY, LEVERETT SALTONSTALL, Managers on the Part of the Senate. STATEMENT OF THE MANAGERS ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE The managers on the part of the House at the conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the amendments of the Senate to the bill (H. R. 1741) to authorize the establishment of a joint longrange proving ground for guided missiles, and for other purposes, submit the following statement in explanation of the effect of the action agreed upon by the conferees and recommended in the accompanying conference report: Amendment No. 1: Section 2 of the House bill authorized the Secretary of the Air Force, in discharging the authority to establish the joint long-range proving ground for guided missiles, to make surveys and to acquire lands and rights or other interests pertaining thereto. It provided that, in any case in which lands of the United States in connection with which grazing permits or licenses have been issued are used for the purpose of establishing the proving ground, the payments to which the holders of such permits are entitled under the act of July 9, 1942 (56 Stat. 654, 43 U. S. C. Supp. 315q), could be made without regard to the provisions of section 3648 of the Revised Statutes which prohibits advance payments. The effect of the Senate amendment to section 2 was to extend the exemption from the provisions of section 3648 of the Revised Statutes so that in any case involving the making of surveys or the acquisition of lands and rights or other interests pertaining thereto advance payments could be made. The conference agreement adopts the Senate amendment. Amendment No. 2: The Senate amendment requires that in any case in which the Secretary of the Air Force desires to acquire any lands or rights or other interests pertaining thereto for the purpose of establishing the joint long-range proving ground he shall come into agreement with the Armed Services Committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives before acquiring such lands, rights, or other interests. The Senate amendment is applicable with respect not only to the acquisition of lands or rights or other interests pertaining thereto located within the United States but also to the acquisition of any lands or rights or other interests pertaining thereto through any type of agreement or treaty with any foreign nation. The conference agreement adopts the Senate amendment. Amendment No. 3: The Senate amendment substitutes a single section, section 4, for sections 4 and 5 of the House bill. Section 4 of the House bill authorized the Secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Air Force to contribute to the support of the joint long-range proving ground for guided missiles to the extent that any one of them might deem necessary or advisable. That section also specifically authorized the other services to furnish their respective contributions of support in the form of allocation of funds available to them for such purposes as well as by other means. The Senate amendment authorizes the Secretary of Defense to determine, as he may deem appropriate, the extent to which contributions of support shall be made by one service to another in connection with the establishment and operation of the 2 proving ground. Moreover, the amendment eliminates the authority contained in section 4 of the House bill to contribute monetary support and specifically limits the authority for support to the loan, assignment, or transfer of personnel, supplies, equipment, and services with or without reimbursement. In this manner the types of support which are permissible are limited to assistance in kind and no service may furnish monetary support. The purpose of this limitation is to prevent the enlargement of appropriations which may be made for these purposes over and above the sums specifically intended by the Congress through the interservice transfer of additional sums of money. Section 5 of the House bill authorized the Secretary of Defense in his discretion to transfer all or any part of the authority granted by this act from the Secretary of the Air Force to the Secretary of the Army or the Secretary of the Navy, and to subsequently retransfer such authority or any part thereof to the Secretary of the Air Force or to the Secretary of either of the other two services. This section further authorized the Secretary of Defense, in connection with any such transfer or retransfer, to transfer all or any part of the funds available for the establishment or support of the joint long-range proving ground. The effect of the Senate amendment, insofar as section 5 of the House bill is concerned, is merely to clarify the language of the House bill by setting forth more clearly the intent of the Congress to permit transfers and retransfers between any and all of the services at any time in the future. The conference agreement adopts the substance of the Senate amendment. OVERTON BROOKS, Managers on the Part of the House. O |