Joint resolution authorizing the President of the United States to designate the period beginning September 17 and ending September 23 of each year as Constitution Week
PL 84-915 (S.J.Res.105), enacted 08/02/1956

932 
PUBLIC LAW 915-AUG. 2, 1956 
[70 ST A T . 
48 Stat. 1080 
47 u s e 221. 
Telephone c o m-
panles. 
Consolidation. 
66 Stat. 722. 
47 u s e 410. 
Joint boards. 
66 Stat. 721. 
47 u s e 409. 
60 Stat. 244. 
5 u s e 1010. 
SEC. 3. Section 221 (a) of the Communications Act of 1934, as 
amended, is amended to read as follows: 
"SEC. 221. (a) Upon application of one or more telephone com-
panies for authority to consolidate their properties or a part thereof 
into a single company, or for authority for one or more such com-
panies to acquire the whole or any part of the property of another 
telephone company or other telephone companies or the control there-
of by the purchase of securities or by lease or in any other like manner, 
when such consolidated company would be subject to this Act, the 
Commission shall give reasonable notice in writing to the governor of 
each of the States in which the physical property affected, or any 
part thereof, is situated, and to the State commission having jurisdic-
tion over telephone companies, and to such other persons as it may 
deem advisable, and shall afford such parties a reasonable opportunity 
to submit comments on the proposal. 
A public hearing shall be held 
in all cases where a request therefor is made by a telephone company, 
an association of telephone companies, a State commission, or local 
governmental authority. 
If the Commission finds that the proposed 
consolidation, acquisition, or control will be of advantage to the per-
sons to whom service is to be rendered and in the public interest, it 
shall certify to that effect; and thereupon any Act or Acts of Congress 
making the proposed transaction unlawful shall not apply. 
Nothing 
in this subsection shall be construed as in anywise limiting or restrict-
ing the powers of the several States to control and regulate telephone 
companies." 
SEC. 4. Section 410 (a) of the Communications Act of 1934, as 
amended, is amended by inserting before the words "the Commission" 
in the second sentence of the section the words "an examiner provided 
for in section 11 of the Administrative Procedure Act, designated by" 
so that such section 410 (a) will read as follows: 
"SEC. 410. (a) Except as provided in section 409, the Commission 
may refer any matter arising in the administration of this Act to a 
joint board to be composed of a member, or of an equal number of 
members, as determined by the Commission, from each of the States in 
which the wire or radio communication affected by or involved in the 
proceeding takes place or is proposed. For purposes of acting upon 
such matter any such board shall have all the jurisdiction and powers 
conferred by law upon an examiner provided for in section 11 of the 
Administrative Procedure Act, designated by the Commission, and 
shall be subject to the same duties and obligations. The action of a 
joint board shall have such force and effect and its proceedings shall 
be conducted in such manner as the Commission shall by regulations 
prescribe. The joint board member or members for each State shall 
be nominated by the State commission of the State or by the Governor 
if there is no State commission, and appointed by the Federal Com-
munications Commission. The Commission shall have discretion to 
reject any nominee. Joint board members shall receive such allow-
ances for expenses as the Commission shall provide." 
Approved August 2, .1956. 
August 2, 1956 
[S. J. Res. 105] 
Public Law 915 
CHAPTER 875 
JOINT RESOLUTION 
Authorizing the President of the United States to designate the period beginning 
September 17 and ending September 23 of each year as Constitution Week. 
Resolved hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the United 
wJik."**^*"*^**" Stcit^s of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the 
Designation. 
United States is authorized and requested to designate the period 
70 STAT.] 
PUBLIC I4AW 917-AUG. 2, 1956 
beginning September 17 and ending September 23 of each year as 
Constitution Week, and to issue annually a proclamation inviting the 
people of the United States to observe such week in schools, churches, 
and other suitable places with appropriate ceremonies and activities. 
Approved August 2, 1956. 
Public Law 916 
CHAPTER 876 
AN ACT 
To amend the Act of April 23, 1930, relating to a uniform retirement date for 
authorized retirements of Federal personnel. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That the first section 
of the Act entitled "An Act to provide for a uniform retirement date 
for authorized retirements of Federal personnel", approved April 23, 
1930 (46 Stat. 253), is amended by inserting "(a)'' after "That" and 
by adding at the end thereof the following: 
"(b) (1) Notwithstanding subsection (a), the Secretaries of the 
uniformed services are authorized to specify an effective date for the 
retirement for permanent physical disability or placement on a tem-
porary disability retired list of members of their respective uniformed 
services which is earlier than the date for retirement provided for in 
subsection (a). 
"(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1)— 
"(A) the term 'uniformed services' shall have the same meaning 
as when used in the Career Compensation Act of 1949; and 
"(B) the term 'Secretaries' includes the Secretary of the Army, 
the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of the Air Force, the 
Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Commerce, and the 
Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare." 
Approved lAugust 2, 1956. 
August 2, 1956 
[S. 912] 
Retirement of 
Federal personnel. 
5 use 47«. 
"Unifofm serv-
Icee". 
63 Stat. 804. 
37 use 231. 
"Secretaries". 
Public Law 917 
CHAPTER 877 
^^ 
^^'^ 
August 2. 1956 
To extend the time limit within which awards of certain military and naval 
[S. 1637] 
decorations may be made. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assemoled, That, notwithstand-
ing any other provision of law, a decoration or device in lieu of decora-
tion which, prior to the date of enactment of this Act, has been 
authorized by Congress to be awarded to any person for an act or 
service performed while on active dut^ in the military or naval forces 
of the United States, or while serving with such forces, may be 
awarded at any time not later than one year after the date of enact-
ment of this Act for any such act or service performed between 
June 27,1950, and July 27,1953, inclusive, if written recommendation 
for the decoration or device in lieu of decoration has been submitted 
to the appropriate office in a military department at the seat of Gov-
ernment before the date of enactment of this Act. 
Approved August 2, 1956. 
Armed Forces. 
Decorations.