Evening star., 1959-06-18
Building Bill Gives
Reins to Congress
Legislation
Completed by
Committee
BY JAMES G. DEANE
Star stan Writer

Dy 5AMES u, DEANE
Star stan Writer
A major new public buildings
law providing tight congress
sional controls on future Fed
eral office building construc-
ton here and across the Ma
ton has been recommended to
Congress by the House Public
Works Committee.
The legislation unanimously
reported today by the commit
tee would require the General
Services Administration to get
specific approval from the
House and Senate Works Com
mittees on all new building
projects costing more than
100000 and all remodeling
costing more than 100000.
The General Services admin
istrator would also be required
to make annual progress re-
ports to the two committees on
a Federal building program au-
thorized under the bill.
Long Under Study
The legislation, under con-
sideration for several months
in the committee, is intended
to replace existing laws govern
ing Government building con-
struction. principally the 1926
Public Buildings Act, under
which all existing appropria-
ton authorizations have been
exhausted.
The bill. sponsored by Rep
resentative Jones, Democrat of
Alabama. does not alter exist
ing law regarding projects in
the District Of Columbia. 1t
restates a requirement, how
ever, that District building prof.
|ects conform as nearly as
possible to the original National
Capital plan of Peter Charles
L'Enfant.
The bill does not authorize
any specific dollar figure for
the nationwide construction
program which would be car
ried out under its terms. The
committee said a building pro-
gram is urgently needed, how
ever. and criticized existing
legislation which in addition to
the 1925 law includes measures
dating back to 1902 as a
patchwork"
The proposed new law. the
unit said, would facilitate the
construction, at the least pos
sible cost. of public buildings
in communities throughout the
Nation where an urgent need
has been apparent for some
years"
Can Rescind Approval
Under present law Congress
reviews building projects only
through annual appropriations
actions except under a So
called leaSe-purchase program
which has now been ended.
Besides requiring advance APP
proval of new major projects by
the two works committees, the
Jones bill specifies that the
units can rescind approval If no
appropriation is made for any
project within a year after ini-
tial approval. The bill also pro-
vides a ceiling of 80 on the
number of pending projects
costing more than 100000
apiece which can be kept in
approval status by the General
Services Administration in the
absence Of appropriations.
Another provision requires
the General Services adminis-
traitor to carry on a continuing
survey of Government building
needs. The bill further calls on
other Federal agencies to work
closely with GSA in the con-
struction program.
Buildings Covered
Mentioned specifically is the
Post Office Department. The
public buildings covered by the
bill include post Offices. Federal
Office buildings. custom houses,
courthouses, record centers.
warehouses, and various other
facilities.
Excluded from the terms Of
the proposed law, however, are
construction projects on public
land such as national forests,
in foreign countries, connected
with river, harbor, floor con-
troll, reclamation, power and
certain other Federal projects
and on military and Veterans
Administration properties.
The General Services Admin
istration opposed the move to
require express advance ap-
proval by the two works COM
mittees of new building prof.
ects. as we'll as some of the
other rules proposed under
the Jones bill.
The bill makes no provision
for reviving the lease-purchase
approach under which the
Government starting in 1854
leased some privately built
buildings on an arrangement
providing for eventual Govern
ment ownership. The Lease
Purchase Act expired in 1857
and Congress this year ex-
pressly banned execution of any
further purchase contracts un-
der that plan.
~AAnERA