Evening star., 1955-07-12
BY HAROLD B. ROGERS

1ne house Appropriatlo0S
Committee today denied funds
for construction of the proposed
building for the Central Intel:
ligance Agency and recon-
mended to the House for action
only So million to prepare de-
tailed plans and specifications.
Sending the So million to the
House in a supplemental appro-
priation bill for action Thursday,
the committee announced it de-
MED the requested amount of
$59.5 million for construction.
"It is felt, said the committee
report. that the inadequate
planning with respect to both
the site and the structure as
evidenced in the hearings on this
item gives the committee no al
tentative but to defer action
until a more firm program can
be presented"
The committee cleared the
way for construction of other
Federal buildings. two in Wash
ington and three others in this
area. They are: :"
/. A $21.3 million six-story air.
conditioned Federal Office build
ing in the Southwest redevelop-
ment area.
2. A $50 million museum Of
history and technology for the
Smithsonian Institution in the
Mall on Constitution avenue be-
tween Twelfth and Fourteenth
streets.
8. A new $15.7 million. head
quarters for the Weather Bu-
reau outside the District.
4. A $19.9 million headquar-
ters for the United States Geo.
logical Survey In the Washing
ton area.
S. An $11 million Coast and
Geodetic Survey Building outside
the District.
Funds for Land Denied
Denied by the Appropriations
Committee was a request by Cen
eral Services Administration for
$400, 900 to acquire a small piece
of land between Twenty-second
and Twenty-third streets NV.
and facing c street NV.
Explaining reasons for killing
this fund. the committee said:
Plans of the National Associa-
ton of Life Underwriters to con-
struct a memorial type national
headquarters building in this
area for the next year are well
advanced. The purchase of the
land by the Government would
forestall such construction.
'"The committee believes the
land will be put to better use
in the hands Of private owner
ship than if it is to be used as a
parking lot by the State Depart
ment: It cannot see how Federal
plans for the area will be dam
aged by such a building and
points out that it will produce
tax revenue for the District of
Columbia which would not be
received II the land is owned
by the Government"
Acts on Six Projects
The appropriations Commit
tee, in acting on the projects
for six Federal buildings, ap-
proved either planning money or
authorized their purchase by the
Government under the so-called
lease-purchase law, which au-
torizes private construction and
payment by the Government
over a period Of years like rent.
The CIA building was dis
cussed during executive hearings
by House Appropriations sub
committee at length on June %.
according to a transcript of the
testimony now made public.
Urging funds for construction
were officials of CHA, headed by
its director, Allen w. Dulles. Mr..
Dulles pointed out among other
reasons for urgency in construc-
tion that new bridge approaches,
If carried through. were going to
result in tearing down the tenn
porary buildings now occupied
by CIA "and we would. have no
place to 60" The agency now
Is scattered through more than
80 buildings, requiring much
transportation and delay.
The committee heard discus
sion Of various sites, including
the one at Langley, Va; a $50
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