An Act to amend the Alaska Omnibus Act to provide assistance to the State of Alaska for the reconstruction of areas damaged by the earthquake of March 1964 and subsequent seismic waves, and for other purposes.
PL 88-451 (S.2881), enacted 08/19/1964

78 STAT.] 
PUBLIC LAW 88-451-AUG. 19, 1964 
505 
aid and attendance allowance received under section 314 or 334 of this 
title, or who, but for the receipt of retired pay, would be in receipt 
of such pension or such an allowance, and— 
"(1) has received care for not less than one year under para-
graph (2) of subsection (f) of this section; and 
" (2) is suffering from (A) cardiovascular-renal disease, includ-
ing hypertension, (B) endocrinopathies, (C) diabetes mellitus, 
(D) cancer, (E) a neuropsychiatric disorder,or (F) tuberculosis; 
then the Administrator may furnish the veteran such further care as 
is reasonably necessary for such disease or disorder." 
Approved August 19, 1964. 
72 Stat. 1120, 
1123. 
Public Law 88-451 
AN ACT 
To amend the Alaska Omnibus Act to provide assistance to tiie State of Alaska 
for the reconstruction of areas damaged by the earthquake of March 1964 and 
subsequent seismic waves, and for other purposes. 
August 19, 1964 
[S. 2881] 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the-
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That this Act may be 
cited as the "1964 Amendments to the Alaska Omnibus Act". 
SEC. 2. The Congress hereby recognizes that the State of Alaska has 
experienced extensive property loss and damage as a result of the earth-
quake of March 27, 1964, and subsequent seismic waves, and declares 
the need for special measures designed to aid and accelerate the State's 
efforts in providing for the reconstruction of the areas in the State 
devastated by this natural disaster. 
SEC. 3. Section 21 of the Alaska Omnibus Act (73 Stat. 145) is 
amended by adding a new subsection (f) to read as follows: 
"(f) Notwithstanding the limitation contained in subsection (f) 
of section 120 of title 23, United States Code, the Secretary of Com-
merce is authorized to make expenditures from the emergency fund 
under section 125 of such title for the repair or reconstruction of high-
ways on the Federal-aid highway systems of Alaska which have been 
damaged or destroyed by the 1964 earthquake and subsequent seismic 
waves, in accordance with the Federal share payable under subsection 
(a) of section 120 of such title. The increase in expenditures resulting 
from the difference between the Federal share authorized by this sub-
section and that authorized by subsection (f) of section 120 of such 
title shall be reimbursed to the emergency fund by an appropriation 
from the general fund of the Treasury: Provided^ That such increase 
in expenditures shall not exceed $15,000,000 in the aggregate." 
SEC. 4. The Alaska Omnibus Act (73 Stat. 141) is amended by add-
ing the following new sections at the end of section 50 thereof: 
1964 Amend-
ments to the 
Alaska Omnibus 
Act. 
Earthquake 
damage. 
48 use 
5 note. 
73 Stat. 
73 Stat. 
prec. 
613. 
612. 
72 Stat. 898. 
U NEW FEDERAL LOAN ADJUSTMENTS 
"SEC. 51. (a) The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to com-
promise or release such portion of a borrower's indebtedness under 
programs administered by the Farmers Home Administration in 
Alaska as he finds necessary because of loss resulting from the 1964 
earthquake and subsequent seismic waves, and he may refinance out-
standing indebtedness of applicants in Alaska for loans under section 
502 of the Housing Act of 1949 for the repair, reconstruction, or 
replacement of dwellings or farm buildings lost, destroyed, or dam-
aged by such causes and securing such outstanding indebtedness. 
Such loans may also provide for the purchase of building sites, when 
the original sites cannot be utilized. 
Indebtedness, 
release. 
63 Stat. 433. 
42 u s e 1472. 
506 
PUBLIC LAW 88-451-AUG. 19, 1964 
[78 STAT. 
"(b) The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to compromise or 
relea,se such portion of a borrower's indebtedness under programs 
administered by the Rural Electrification Administration in Ala^a 
as he finds necessary because of loss, destruction, or damage of prop-
erty resulting from the 1964 earthquake and subsequent seismic waves. 
' SEC. 52. The Housing and Home Finance Administrator is author-
ized to compromise or release such portion of any note or other obli-
gation held by him with respect to property in Alaska pursuant to 
7o^sta!.^\'u4f 
<
^
i
<
^
l
® ^ of the Housing Amendments of 1955 or included within the 
75 Stat. 175. 
rovolving fund for liquidating programs established by the Inde-
^^42 use 1491- 
pendent Offices Appropriation Act of 1955, as he finds necessary 
es'stat. 272. 
because of loss, destruction, or damage to facilities securing such 
obligations by the 1964 earthquake and subsequent seismic waves. 
u 
URBAN RENEWAL 
izSion*^' ^"*''°'" 
"SEC. 53. The Housing and Home Finance Administrator is author-
ized to enter into contracts for grants not exceeding $25,000,000 for 
urban renewal projects in Alaska, including open land projects, under 
42 us^c 1^62^' 
section 111 of the Housing Act of 1949, which he determines will aid 
the communities in which they are located in reconstruction and rede-
velopment made necessary by the 1964 earthquake and subsequent 
seismic waves. Such authorization shall be in addition to and separate 
75"tat^*i6V^' 
from any grant authorization contained in section 103(b) of said Act. 
42 use 1453. 
"The Administrator may increase the capital grant for a pro^'ect 
assisted under this section to not more than 90 per centum of net project 
cost where he determines that a major portion of the project area has 
either been rendered unusable as a result of the 1964 earthquake and 
subsequent seismic waves or is needed in order adequately to provide, 
in accordance with the urban renewal plan for the project, new loca-
tions for 
persons, businesses, and facilities 
displaced by 
the 
earthquake. 
"EXTENSION OF TERM OF HOME DISASTER LOANS 
"SEC. 54. Loans made pursuant to paragraph (1) of section 7(b) 
of the Small Business Act (72 Stat. 387), as amended (15 U.S.C. 
636(b)), for the purpose of replacing, reconstructing, or repairing 
dwellings in Alaska damaged or destroyed by the 1964 earthquake and 
subsequent seismic waves, may have a maturity of up to thirty years: 
Provided, That the provisions of section 7(c) of said Act shall not be 
applicable to such loans. 
"MODIFICATION OF CIVIL W^ORKS PROJECTS 
"SEC. 55. The Chief of Engineers, under the direction of the Sec-
retary of the Army, is hereby authorized to make such modifications 
to previously authorized civil works projects in Alaska adversely 
affected by the 1964 earthquake and subsequent seismic waves as he 
finds necessary to meet changed conditions and to provide for current 
and reasonably prospective requirements of the communities they 
serve, at an estimated cost of $10,000,000. 
" P U R C H A S E O F ALASKA STATE BONDS 
"SEC. 56. The Housing and Home Finance Administrator is author-
ized to purchase, in accordance with the provisions of sections 202(b), 
69 Stat. 643. 
203, and 204 of title I I of the Housing Amendments of 1955, the secu-
1494.^^^ ^^^^' 
rities and obligations of, or make loans to, the State of Alaska to 
finance any part of the programs needed to carry out the reconstruc-
78 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 88-451-AUG. 19, 1964 
507 
tion activities in Alaska related to the 1964 earthquake and subsequent 
seismic waves or to complete capital improvements begun prior to the 
earthquake: Provided^ That the aggregate amount of such purchase 
or loan shall not exceed $25,000,000. 
"RETIREMENT OR ADJUSTMENT OF OUTSTANDING MORTGAGE OBLIGATION 
"SEC. 57. For the purpose of enabling the State of Alaska to retire 
or adjust outstanding home mortgage obligations or other real prop-
erty liens secured by one to four family homes which were severely 
damaged or destroyed in the March 1964 earthquake and subsequent 
seismic waves, the JPresident is authorized to make additional grants 
to the State of Alaska in an amount not to exceed a total of $5,500,000 
to match, on a fifty-fifty basis, any funds provided by the State to pay 
the costs of retiring or adjusting such mortgage obligations. In order 
""to be approved, a State application for a grant for carrying out the 
purpose of this section must: (1) be in accordance with a plan sub-
mitted by the State, to be approved by the President, for the imple-
mentation of the purpose of this section; (2) designate the State agency 
for retiring or adjusting said mortgage obligations; (3) provide that 
the mortgagor shall be required to absorb the damage loss to the entire 
extent of his equity interest in the property and also agree to pay at 
least $1,000 of the outstanding mortgage balance; (4) provide that no 
payments for retiring or adjusting mortgage obligations on a single 
property shall exceed $30,000; (5) provide regulations to assure 
equitable treatment among home owners and to prevent unjustified 
payments or gains to the State, mortgagees or mortgagors; and (6) 
provide that the State agency will make such reports, in such form jj^*^°'"* *° P»"«si-
and containing such information as the President may from time to 
time require, and give the President, upon demand, access to the rec-
ords on which such reports are based." 
APPROPRIATION AUTHORIZATION 
SEC, 5. There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act, which shall be avail-
able for obligation until June 30,1967, 
There is also authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary for the expenses of such 
advisory commissions or committees as the President may establish 
in connection with the reconstruction and development planning of 
the State of Alaska. 
The total amount authorized to be appropriated 
pursuant to this section shall not exceed $55,650,000, 
TERMINATION DATE 
SEC. 6. The authority contained in this Act shall expire on June 30, 
1967, except that such expiration shall not affect the payment of 
expenditures for any obligation or commitment entered into under this 
Act prior to June 30, 1967. 
REPORTING 
SEC. 7. The President shall report semiannually during the term of c,!!r^esV° 
this Act to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House °"^'^^*^' 
on the actions taken under this Act by the various Federal agencies. 
The first such report shall be submitted not later than February 1, 
1965, and shall cover the period ending December 31,1964. 
Approved August 19, 1964.