An Act to amend section 607(b) of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended
PL 87-271 (H.R.6974), enacted 09/21/1961

570 
PUBLIC LAW 87-271-SEPT. 21, 1961 
[75 ST A T , 
Regulat o r y a u-
thority. 
74 Stat. 651. 
39 u s e 3559. 
39 u s e 3544. 
"eurtailment o f 
work,'* 
Exclusions. 
of the operation of this section, or until the expiration of a period 
of two years immediately following the effective date of such reduc-
tion in salary standing or immediately following the first day of such 
first pay period, as applicable, to receive the rate of basic salary to 
which he was entitled immediately prior to such reduction in salary 
standing (including each increase provided by law in such rate of 
basic salary) so long as he continues in the postal field service without 
any break in service of one workday or more and is not demoted or 
reassigned for personal cause, at his own request, or in a reduction in 
force due to lack of funds or curtailment of work. 
"(c) The rate of basic salary to which such employee is entitled 
under subsection (b) of this section with respect to each reduction in 
salary standing to which this section applies shall be the lesser of the 
following: 
"(A) the amount of the existing rate of basic salary of the 
employee immediately prior to the reduction in salary standing 
(including each increase provided by law in such rate); or 
"(B) the amount of the rate of the salary level or salary range 
(including each increase provided by law in such rate) to which 
the employee is reduced, increased by 25 per centum. 
"(d) The Postmaster General is authorized to issue regulations to 
carry out the purposes of this section. 
"(e)(1) For the purposes of section 3559(a), the existing basic 
salary shall be the basic salary which the employee would have re-
ceived except for the provisions of this section. 
"(2) For the purposes of section 3544(h), the basic compensation 
earned shall be the basic compensation which the employee would 
have received except for the provisions of this section. 
"(f) For the purposes of this section, the term 'curtailment of 
work' does not include— 
" (1) reductions in class or gross receipts category of any post 
office, or 
"(2) reductions in route mileage for rural carriers." 
3 9 u s e 
n o t e 
prec. 3501. 
CONFORMING 
AMENDMENT 
SEC. 202. That part of the table of contents of chapter 45 of title 
39 of the United States Code under the heading "SALARY STEPS AND 
PROMOTIONS" is amended by inserting 
"3560. Salary protection." 
immediately below 
"3559. Promotions.". 
Approved September 21, 1961. 
Public Law 87-271 
A N 
A C T 
September 21, 1961 
[H. R. 6974] 
rp(j amend section 607(b) of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended. 
Merchant Marine 
Act, 1936, amend-
ment. 
Reserve 
f u n d s 
for research. 
66 Stat. 764. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States 
of America 
in Congress assembled^ That the last 
sentence of section 607(b) of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 
U.S.C. 1177(b)) is amended by inserting before the period at the end 
thereof a comma and the following: "and may also pay from such 
fund, with such consent and upon terms and conditions which the 
Secretary of Commerce shall by regulation prescribe to give priority 
to the foregoing purposes of the fund (and with respect to any 
transfer of funds from the special reserve fund, to give priority to 
75 
S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 87-273-SEPT. 22, 1961 
571 
the purposes of that fund) and to carry out the purposes of this Act, 
(A) amounts contributed toward research, development, and design 
expenses incident to new and advanced ship design machinery and 
equipment", and 
"(B) Amounts (1) for the purchase of cargo containers, delivered 
after June 30, 1959, of a type approved by the Administrator for use 
in connection with any of the contractor's subsidized vessels, (2) for 
the payment of the principal of any indebtedness incurred for such 
containers, or (3) to reimburse the contractor's general funds for 
expenditures for such purchases or payments. Such cargo containers 
to the extent paid for out of the capital reserve fund shall be treated 
as vessels for the purpose of deposits and withdrawals from the capital 
reserve fund under this section 607, and the regulations and closing 
agreements relating thereto, except that the depreciation on such 
cargo containers shall be based upon the life expectancy used for such 
containers in the determination of 'net earnings' under paragraph (d) 
(1) of this section 607." 
Approved September 21, 1961. 
49 Stat. 2005; 72 
Stat. 592. 
Public Law 87-272 
J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N 
September 22, 1961 
To provide for the observance of the centennial of the enactment of the 
[S.J. Res.98] 
Homestead Act. 
Resolved hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled, That the President is re-
quested (1) to issue a proclamation designating the calendar year 
1962 as the centennial of the enactment of the Homestead Act, and 
calling upon the Governors of the States, mayors of cities, and other 
public officials, as well as other persons, organizations, and groups, 
particularly in the States most directly affected by the Homestead 
Act, to observe such centennial by appropriate celeorations and cere-
monies; and (2) to provide, in such manner as he deems appropriate, 
for participation by Federal agencies and officials in such observance. 
Approved September 22, 1961. 
Homestej 
Centennial, 
12 Stat. ; 
43 use,. 
lid A c t 
, 1962. 
592 
i:h. 7. 
Public Law 87-273 
AN ACT 
^ ^ ^ 
September 22, 1961 
To amend the Act entitled "Ail Act relative to employment for certain adult 
[^- 200] 
Indians on or near Indian reservations", approved AugiLSt 3, 1956. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 2 of 
the Act entitled "An Act relative to employment for certain adult 
Indians on or near Indian reservations", approved August 3,1956 (70 
Stat. 986), is amended by striking out "$3,500,000" and inserting in 
lieu thereof "$7,500,000" and by striking out "$500,000" and inserting 
in lieu thereof "$1,000,000". 
Approved September 22, 1961. 
Indians. 
Vocational train-
ing. 
Appropriation. 
25 u s e 309a.