An Act to amend section 303 (b) of the Interstate Commerce Act to modernize certain restrictions upon the application and scope of the exemption provided therein
PL 91-590 (H.R.8298), enacted 12/28/1970

84 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 91-590-DEC. 28, 1970 
1587 
Resident Commissioners, no longer serving after the issuance of the 
hardbound revised edition prepared pursuant to such clause and who 
received such edition, may receive one copy of each cumulative pocket-
part supplement thereto upon timely request. 
SEC. 4. Additional copies of each hardbound decennial revised edi-
tion and of the cumulative pocket-part supplements thereto shall be 
printed and distributed in accordance with the provisions of any con-
current resolution hereafter adopted with respect thereto. 
SEC. 5. There are authorized to be appropriated such sums, to remain 
available until expended, as may be necessary to carry out the provi-
sions of this joint resolution. 
Approved December 24, 1970, 
Appropriation. 
Public Law 91-590 
AN ACT 
December 28, 1970 
To amend section 303(b) of the Interstate Commerce Act to modernize certain 
[H. R. 8298] 
restrictions upon the application and scope of the exemption provided therein, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 303(b) ralTcV^ACu ^m^ad. 
of the Interstate Commerce Act, as amended (49 U.S.C. 903(b)), is ment. 
amended to read as follows: 
^'* ^'^*- '^^^^ 
"(b) Nothing in this part shall apply to the transportation by a buTk'commoditie's, 
water carrier of commodities in bulk when the cargo space of the exemption, 
vessel in which such commodities are transported is being used for 
the carrying of not more than three such commodities. This subsection 
shall apply only in the case of commodities in bulk which are (in 
accordance with the existing custom of the trade in the handling and 
transportation of such commodities as of June 1, 1939) loaded and 
carried without wrappers or containers and received and delivered by 
the carrier without transportation mark or count. The* exemption 
afforded under this subsection to the transportation by a water carrier 
of commodities in bulk shall not be lost by the concurrent transporta-
tion in the same vessel of other commodities. For the purposes of 
this subsection two or more vessels while navigated as a unit shall 
be considered to be a single vessel. This subsection shall not apply 
to transportation subject, at the time this part takes effect, to the 
provisions of the Intercoastal Shipping Act, 1933, as amended." 
SEC. 2. The amendment made by the first section of this Act shall 
expire at the end of the three-year period beginning on the date of its 
enactment. The Secretary of Transportation shall undertake a compre-
hensive study of the present system of economic regulation of dry bulk 
commodity transportation, including information on amounts actually 
charged for the movement of dry bulk commodities; of the effect of 
this Act upon the carriers to whom it applies and upon the shippers 
of dry bulk commodities; and what changes in the existing regulatory 
system, if anj, would be desirable to improve competitive conditions 
between carriers of different modes whether or not subject to the pro-
visions of the Interstate Commerce Act. The Interstate Commerce 
Commission and the Secretary of the Army are directed to cooperate 
fully with the Secretary of Transportation in carrying out the pur-
poses of this Act, and to submit such independent and separate com-
ments and views as those agencies deem appropriate. The Secretary 
shall transmit the results of such study to the Congress within two 
years after the date of enactment of this Act. 
47 Stat. 1425. 
46 u s e 848. 
Study, 
Report to 
Congress. 
47-348 O - 72 - 17 (Pt. 2) 
1588 
PUBLIC LAW 91-591-DEC. 28, 1970 
[84 STAT. 
Reports. 
Ante, p. 1587. 
SEO. 3. In carrying out its functions under section 2 of this Act, 
the Secretary of Transportation may require water carriers operating 
under the exemption contained in section 303(b) of the Interstate 
Commerce Act to file such reports containing such information as the 
Secretary may prescribe. 
Approved December 28, 1970. 
Public Law 91-591 
AN ACT 
December 28, 1970 
[H. R. 19402] 
To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to receive gifts for the benefit of tlie 
National Agricultural Library. 
National Agri-
cultural Library. 
Gifts. 
Be it- enacted by the /Senate mid House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That 
SEC. 2. The Secretary of Agriculture is hereby authorized to accept, 
receive, hold, and administer on behalf of the United States gifts, 
bequests, or devises of real and personal property made unconditionally 
for the benefit of the National Agricultural Library or for the carrying 
out of any of its functions. Conditional gifts may be accepted and used 
in accordance with their provisions provided that no gift may be 
accepted which is conditioned on any expenditure not to be met there-
from or from the income thereof unless such expenditure has been 
approved by Act of Congress. 
SEC. 3. Any gift of money accepted pursuant to the authority 
granted in section 2, or the net proceeds from the liquidation of any 
other property so accepted, or the proceeds of any insurance on any 
gift property not used for its restoration shall be deposited in the 
Treasury of the United States for credit to a separate account and shall 
be disbursed upon order of the Secretary of Agriculture. 
Approved December 28, 1970. 
Public Law 91-592 
December 28, 1970 
[S. J. Res,226] 
JOINT RESOLUTION 
To authorize the President to proclaim the period from May 9, 1971, Mother's 
Day, through June 20, 1071, Father's Day. as the "Xaticmal Multiple Sclerosis 
Society Annual Hope Chest Appeal Weeks". 
National Multi-
ple Sclerosis 
Society Annual 
Hope Chest Ap-
peal Weeks. 
Proclamation. 
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the United 
States of America in (-ongress assembled. That the President of the 
United States is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation— 
(1) designating the period from May 9, 1971, Mother's Day, 
through June 20, 1971, Father's Day, as "National Multiple 
Sclerosis Society Annual Hope Chest Appeal Weeks"; 
(2) inviting the Governors of the several States to issue procla-
mations for like purposes; and 
(3) urging the people of the United States and educational, 
philanthropic, scientific, medical, and health care professions and 
organizations to provide the assistance and resources necessary 
to discover the cause and cure of multiple sclerosis and to alleviate 
the suffering of persons stricken by this disease. 
Approved December 28, 1970.