Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-04-10
Senate Defers
Action
On LeaseBi|I
Insists on Right
To Approve Action
On Major Projects
By Wilton A. MilIen

By WiIliom A. MiIIen
The Senate put over until
Monday final action on the
lease-purchase bill. with a
promise that the legislation will
be frightened up considerably.
BY vote of 8 to so. the Sen
ate late yesterday rejected an
amendment by Senator Dirksen.
Republican, Of Illinois, to sub
Stitute mere notice to Congress
about projects. instead Of re-
quiring Senate and House Pub
lie Works Committees approval
as the bill now is drawn.
Senator Dirksen cited a writ
ten opinion by Assistant At
torney General ]. Lee Rankin
that the measure is of doubtful
legality. Senator DrkSen favored
the House-passed version. re-
quiring only notice to the Senate
and House on major projects.
Calls Plan "Veto."
Senator Dirksen argued un-
successfully that the Constitu-
ton forbids legislative interfer-
ence in the affairs of the execu-
tive branch. He branded the
requirement of committee ap-
prevail IAN absolute veto" and
said committee stats, rather
than the elected representatives,
will do the real work of check
ing. particularly when Congress
is absent.
Senator Case Republican, of
South Dakota defended the leg
islation. He insisted it is con-
Stitutional and its provisions are
similar to requirements that real
estate transactions of the armed
forces be submitted to congress
sional committees for approval.
Action on Amendment.
Up for action when the SEN
ate reconvenes is an amend
ment joined in by Senator Ku-
chel, Republican. of California,
in charge of the bill; Senator
Case, Senator Byrd, Democrat,
of Virginia and Senator Will
liams, Republican, of Delaware.
This would tighten congressional
authority over projects.
Under this amendment prof.
ect would need the approval of
the director of the Bureau of
the Budget, and considerably
more information would have to
be supplied. 1t also would re-
quire reports on projects above
$4,000 annually, instead of
$4,000. as, the bill now provides.
Both the Postmaster General
and the administrator of Gen.
eral Services would have to GER
tify that the amortization pay
mentS were not excessive. It
would also require a description
of each project, its location, the
maximum cost estimate, number
OF years the payments would
run and the maximum rate of
interest involved.
To Certify Need.
A certificate that the space
was needed would have to be
signed by the head of the agency
to use the facility. The execu-
tive also would have to certify
that suitable Government-owned
rental space was not available
at an economical figure. State
ments Of rents and other hous-
ing costs paid by the Govern
ment for existing facilities COM
pared with those in the new
building would have to be
supplied.
Also bids for the proposed
project could not be advertised
until the committee had Is days
to act on the proposal.
Senator Mcclellan, Democrat,
of Arkansas served notice he
would offer an amendment to
omit all reference to any figure
beyond which the Postmaster
General would have to get COM
mittee approval. This would
have the effect Of requiring the
Post Office Department to SUBJ
NIT all lease-purchase projects
for agreement with the two
committees.
Senator Humphrey. Democrat,
of Minnesota also has an amend
ment that would require the
Federal Government to continue
to pay regular taxes on projects.
until Congress arrived at a
formula for payments in lieu of
taxes to municipalities.