Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-23
Lease-Purchase
Bill Approved
ByConferees
Committees Would
Pass on Projects
But Not Contracts
By WiIIiom.A. MiIIen

y NNUbsoUW 80 sNUssS"
Senate and House conferees
on the long-delayed lease pur-
chase bill agreed yesterday on .
compromise and today looked
forward to early enactment Of
their recommendations.
A list of projects, to be sub
mitted by the General Services
Administration and the Post Of
fee Department for Senate and
House Public Works Committees
approval, is a vital part of the
new legislation. To overcome
the stumbling block of the in.
vasion by Congress of the pow
ers of the Executive Branch.
the conferees agreed committee
approval must come before the
money is appropriated.
A drastically changed meas
ure. under which the Federal
Government would purchase
public buildings by paying for
them as they would pay rent,
came out of the conference. The
bill would be limited to three
years and permit the GSA to
spend SIS million and the Post
Office Department So million in
the first year of its operation.
After that the appropriations
committees would decide the
amount of rent money that could
be spent toward new buildings.
Vote Not Set.
Senate and House action on
the conference report is not ex-
pected before tomorrow, and
probably will be later in the
week, if not early next week.
Officials explained the con-
ferees' proposed procedure would
follow that set up in the rivers
and harbors and flood control
legislation.
The conferees adopted much
of the Senate version, which
would require detailed informa-
ton to be submitted to the COM
mittees. including a brief de-
Scription of the building its
location, maximum cost, GER
tif1cate of the need for the space
signed by the head of the agency
to occupy it. proposed financial
arrangements with contractor
and a statement in writing by
the Director of the Bureau Of
the Budget that the project is
necessary and conforms to the
Presidents policy
Senator Case. Republican, Of
South Dakota said the conferees'
language might be described as
IAN authorization process in
stead of a review by the COM
mittees."
Expect List in July.
Both Senator Case and Chair
man Dondero of the House Pub
lie Works Committees said they
expect a new list of projects to
be submitted for approval before
the end of July. This is when
Congress hopes to adjourn.
They also explained that while
the confereeS wrote in a three
year limitation, they anticipate
that Congress will extend the
legislation, before that deadline.
In the interim, Congress will see
how the program works out In
practice.
They pointed out lists of prof.
ectS must be approved by the
two committees within three
years. But they said it might
actually take 10 years to COM
plete these projects, after a con-
tract has been entered into.
Senator Case said 1t will take
time to draw plans and get the
program into operation. Ac-
cordingly, he declared. there will
not be as much money needed
at the outset.
No Contract Review.
In the original Senate Ian
guage, projects could not have
gone ahead without prior COM
mittee approval. But under the
new language, the committee will
not actually pass on the con-
tracts themselves. Only the
eligible list will be submitted for
approval, together with the
necessary details.
The HouSe-paSsed version
contained no money limitation.
But the Senate wroe in a lin
iLation for the first year Of
"a million for GSA and 81 mil
lion for the Post Office Depart
ment. The conference raised
these sums to stimulate a wide.
spread public buildings program.
Equal annual payments would
be made to amortize principal
and interest on each project.
The committees would express
their approval of projects by res
olution. Contracts could be
entered into for 10 to 70 years
by the Administrator of General
Services. but the Postmaster
General could enter into leases
up to 80 years. undel the pro-
posed legislation.
Previously. GSA said the lease
purchase legislation over the
years could add up TO a So bill
Ion public buildings program.
The lawmakers have said it il
an important factor in getting
rid of WaShington's unsightly
Temporary hllildincS