The Nome nugget., 1941-03-19
Indian Service Legislation

Indian Service Legislation
 On February 24 Delegate Di- mond introduced several bills for the improvement of the service given by the Office of Indian Al l fairs in Alaska and to effect cer- tain economies in that service. The following is list of the bills , so introduced:
 H. R. 3539, which provides that hereafter miscellaneous revenues deriv-d from schools, hospitals. and other facilities maintained and operated by the Indian Ser vice for the benefit of the h. dians and natives of A aska shall be coVercd into the Treasury un- der the provisions of previous act of Congress which makes such sums available for eXpendi ture. at the discretion of the Sec retary of tn Interior for the benefit of the Indian tribes agen cies, and schools on whose behalf they are collected.
 In a number of places in Al aska the Indian hospitals are the only hospitals available for both non-native and native resi- dents. It is highly convenient, and sometimes absolutely neces- sary, that these hospitals should furnish facilities to the white pop ulation. Under existing law any money so received goes into the Treasury of the United States and is not available fer eXpendl- ture in maintsnance and upkeep of the hospital unless and un- ti1. at some future date, Congress shall make ani1ther aPpropria- tion. As a matter of practice such sums are never directly reappro- priat-d as all appropriations are made out of the general fund of the Territory. Under present practice, the aid that can be giV- en to the white people of the re gions in which the Indian hos pitals are located is strictly linn ited. The enactment of this mea- sure will enable such hospitals to give an enlarged and improved service to all people of the re- gions in which they are situated without in any way detracting from the service given to the na tiVsS.
 H. R. 3542 is a bill to authorize the purchase from appropriations made for the Indian Service of supplies and materials for resale to the natives, native cooperative associations, and Indian S1rvice employees stationed in Alaska, and providing that the proceeds of such sales shall be credited to the appropriation or approprla- tions current at the date of dep oSit thzreof in the Treasury and shall be available for the same purposes.
 H. R. 3540 is a bill providing that the Secretary of the Interior, under such rules and regulations as he may prescribe, may trans port Government and nOn-GOV- ernment freight and passengers on Indian Service ships operating between the continental United States and Alaska, and in Alaska waters, and that all revenues de rived from the transportation of such freight and passengers shall be deposited in the Treasury to the credit of the appropriation av- ailable at the time of deposit for the operation of such ships. The measure will enable the Indian Service to better accommodate all persons residing in the areas serv ed without depicting the fund which is appropriated for the aid of the natives.
 A fourth bill, H. R. 3541, mak es provision for the purchase of articles or the procurement of service by the Department of the Interior, or any of its bureaus or offices operating in Alaska, with out advertisement when the amount involved is $500 or less.
 Board of Directors of the north |