An Act to amend the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, so as to require that certain vessels carrying passengers for hire be fitted with radiotelephone installations
PL 84-985 (H.R.7536), enacted 08/06/1956

70 S T A T . 1 
PUBLIC LAW 985-AUG. 6, 1956 
1D47 
section 4 of this Act, but the Secretary may waive such requirements 
of subsections (a) and (b) of that section as he finds to be duplicative 
of, or rendered unnecessary or impossible by, action already taken by 
the United States. Upon approval of any such proj)osal by the Sec-
retary he may negotiate and execute a contract which conforms, as 
nearly as may be, to the provisions of section 5 of this Act. 
SEC. 7. Upon request of an organization which has made or intends 
to make a proposal under this Act, the head of any Federal department 
or agency may make available to the organization any existing engi-
neering, economic, or hydrologic information and printed material 
that it may have and that will be useful in connection with the plan-
ning, design, construction, or operation and maintenance of the project 
concerned. 
The reasonable cost of any plans, specifications, and other 
unpublished material furnished by the Secretary pursuant to this 
section and the cost of making and administering anj loan under this 
Act shall, to the extent that they w^ould not be nonreimbursable in the 
case of a project constructed under the Federal reclamation laws, be 
treated as a loan and covered in the provisions of the contract entered 
into under section 5 of this Act unless they are otherwise paid for by 
the organization. 
SEC. 8. The planning and construction of projects undertaken pur-
suant to this Act shall be subject to all procedural requirements and 
other provisions of the Act of A u ^ s t 14,1946 (60 Stat. 1080). 
SEC. 9. The Secretary is authorized to perform any and all acts and 
to make such rules and regulations as may be necessary or proper in 
carrying out the provisions of this Act. 
SEC. 10. There are hereby authorized to be appropriated, such sums 
as may be necessary, but not to exceed $100,000,000 to carry out the 
provisions of this Act: Provided^ That the Secretary shall advise the 
Congress promptly on the receipt of each proposal referred to in sec-
tion 3, and no contract shall become effective until appropriated funds 
are available to initiate the specific proposal covered by each contract. 
All such appropriations shall remain available until expended and 
shall, insofar as they are used to finance loans made under this Act, 
be reimbursable in the manner hereinabove provided. 
SEC. 11. This Act shall be a supplement to the Federal reclamation 
laws and may be cited as the Small Eeclamation Projects Act of 1956. 
SEC. 12. If any provision of this Act or the application of such pro-
vision to any person, organization, or circumstance shall be held in-
valid, the remainder of the Act and the application of such provision to 
persons, organizations, or circumstances other than those as to which 
it is held invalid shall .not be affected thereby. 
Approved August 6, 1956. 
Information firom 
Federal agendas. 
16 u s e 6 61-666c. 
Appropriation, 
Short title. 
Separability. 
Public Law 985 
CHAPTER 973 
AN ACT 
To amend the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, so as to require that 
certain vessels carrying passengers for hire be fitted with radiotelephone 
installations. 
August 6, 1956 
[H. R. 7536] 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That title I I I of the 
Communications Act of 1934, as amended, is hereby amended by add-
ing at the end thereof the following new part: 
48 Stat. 1064. 
47 u s e 609. 
1048 
PUBLIC LAW 985-AUG. 6, 1956 
[70 S T A T . 
50 Stat. 192. 
47 u s e 351. 
Exemptions. 
Authority. 
Inspections. 
Forfeittu-es. 
48 Stat. 1100. 
47 u s e 501. 
50 Stat. 197. 
68 Stat. 729. 
47 u s e 504. 
"PART III—EADIO INSTALLATIONS ON VESSELS CARRYING PASSENGERS 
FOR H I R E 
"SEC, 381. Except as provided in section 382, it shall be unlawful 
for any vessel of the United States, transporting more than six pas-
sengers for hire, to be navigated in the open sea or any tidewater 
within the jurisdiction of the United States adj<icent or contiguous 
to the open sea, unless such vessel is equipped witli an efficient radio-
telephone installation in operating condition. 
"SEO. 382. The provisions of this part shall not apply to— 
"(1) vessels which are equipped with a radio installation in 
accordance with the provisions of part I I of title I I I of this Act, 
or in accordance with the radio requirements of the Safety Con-
vention; and 
"(2) vessels of the United States belonging to and operated by 
the Government, except a vessel of the United States Maritime 
Administration, the Inland and Coastwise Waterways Service, 
or the Panama Railroad Company, and 
"(3) vessels navigating on the Great Lakes. 
"SEO. 383. The Commission shall exempt from the provisions of 
this part any vessel, or class of vessels, in the case of which the route 
or conditions of the voyage, or other conditions or circumstances, are 
such as to render a radio installation unreasonable, unnecessary, or 
ineffective, for the purposes of this Act. 
"SEC. 384. The Commission shall have authority with respect to any 
vessel subject to this part— 
"(1) to specify operating and technical conditions and char-
acteristics including frequencies, emissions, power, communica-
tion capability and range, of installations required by reason of 
this part; 
"(2) to approve the details as to the location and manner of 
installation of the equipment required by this part or of equip-
ment necessitated by reason of the purposes and requirements of 
this part; 
"(3) to approve installations, apparatus and spare parts neces-
sary to comply with the purposes and requirements of this part; 
"(4) to prescribe such additional equipment as may be deter-
mined to be necessary to supplement tliat specified herein for the 
proper functioning of the radio installation installed in accord-
ance with this part or for the proper conduct of radio communi-
cation in time of emergency or distress. 
"SEC. 385. The Commission shall make such inspections as may be 
necessary to insure compliance with the requirements of this part. 
"SEC. 386. The following forfeitures shall apply to this part in addi-
tion to penalties and forfeitures provided by title V of this Act: 
"(a) Anjr vessel of the United States that is navigated in violation 
of the provisions of this part or of the rules an^ regulations of the 
Commission made in pursuance thereof shall forfeit to the United 
States the sum of $500 recoverable by way of suit or libel. Each day 
during which such navigation occurs shall constitute a separate offense. 
"(b) Every willful failure on the part of the master of a vessel of 
the United States to enforce or to comply with the provisions of this 
part or the rules and regulations of the Commission made in pursuance 
thereof shall cause him to forfeit to the United States the sum of 
$100." 
SEC. 2. Section 504 (b) of the Communications Act of 1934, as 
amended, is amended by deleting "part I I of title I I I and section 507", 
and inserting in lieu thereof "parts I I and I I I of title I I I and section 
507". 
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S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 986-AUG. 6, 1956 
1049 
SEC. 3. Section 3 (y) (2) is amended by deleting "part I I of title 
I I I " and inserting in lieu thereof "parts I I and I I I of title III". 
SEC. 4. The amendments made herein shall take eifect March 1,1957. 
Approved August 6, 1956. 
50 Stat. 189. 
47 u s e 1S3. 
Effectlvity. 
Public Law 986 
CHAPTER 974 
JOINT RESOLUTION 
To provide for the maintenance of public order and the protection of life and 
property in connection with the Presidential inaugural ceremonies. 
Resolved hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled, That (a) this Act may be 
cited as the "Presidential Inaugural Ceremonies Act". 
(b) For the purposes of this Act— 
(1) The term "inaugural period" means the period which includes 
the day on which the ceremony of inaugurating the President is held, 
the five calendar days immediately preceding such day, and the four 
calendar days immediately subsequent to such day; 
(2) The term "Inaugural Committee" means the committee in 
charge of the Presidential inaugural ceremony and functions and ac-
tivities connected therewith, to be appointed by the President-elect; 
(3) The term "Commissioners" means the Commissioners of the 
District of Columbia or their designated agent or agents; 
(4) The term "Secretary of Defense" means the Secretary of De-
fense or his designated agent or agents; and 
(5) The term "Secretary of the Interior" means the Secretary of 
the Interior or his designated agent or agents. 
SEC. 2. For each inaugural period the Commissioners are authorized 
and directed to make all reasonable regulations necessary to secure the 
preservation of public order and protection of life, health, and prop-
erty ; to make special regulations respecting the standing, movement, 
and operation of vehicles of whatever character or kind during said 
period; and to grant, under such conditions as they may impose, spe-
cial licenses to peddlers and vendors for the privilege of selling goods, 
wares, and merchandise in such places in the District of Columbia, and 
to charge such fees for such privilege, as they may deem proper. 
SEC. 3. There are hereby authorized to be appropriated such sums as 
may be necessary, payable in like manner as other appropriations for 
the expenses of the District of Columbia, to enable the Commissioners 
to provide additional municipal services in said District during the 
inaugural period, including employment of personal services witnout 
regard to the civil-service and classification laws; travel expenses of 
enforcement personnel from other jurisdictions; hire of means of trans-
portation ; meals for policemen and firemen, cost of removing and re-
locating streetcar loading platforms, construction, rent, maintenance, 
and expenses incident to the operation of temporary public comfort 
stations, first-aid stations, and information booths; and other inci-
dental expenses in the discretion of the Commissioners. 
SEC. 4. The Secretary of the Interior, with the approval of such offi-
cer as may exercise jurisdiction over any of the Federal reservations 
or grounds in the District of Columbia, is authorized to grant to the 
Inaugural Committee permits for the use of such reservations or 
grounds during the inaugural period, including a reasonable time prior 
and subsequent thereto; and the Commissioners are authorized to grant 
like permits for the use of public space under their jurisdiction. Each 
such permit shall be subject to such restrictions, terms, and conditions 
as may be imposed by the grantor of such permit. 
With respect to 
August 6, 19S6 
[H. J. Re». 667] 
Presidential In-
a u g u r a l 
C e r e -
monlea Act. 
Definitions. 
Regulations. 
^>propriationis. 
Permits for 
of grounds.