An Act to make cancer and all malignant neoplastic diseases reportable to the Director of Public Health of the District of Columbia
PL 82-83 (S.260), enacted 07/27/1951

124 
July 23,1951 
[H. R. 3804] 
64 Stat. 944. 
26 U. S. C. § 251. 
Public Law 82 
PUBLIC LAW 82—JULY 23, 1951 
AN ACT 
[65 STAT. 
CHAPTER 238 
To limit tile retroactive application of tlie income tax to employees of the United 
States worljing in the possessions or in the Canal Zone. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That section 220 of 
the Revenue Act of 1950 is amended by striking out "effective with 
respect to taxable years beginning after December 31,1949" and insert-
ing in lieu thereof "effective with respect to taxable years beginning 
after December 31, 1950". 
Approved July 23, 1951. 
Public Law 83 
CHAPTER 241 
July 27, 1951 
[S. 260] 
AN ACT 
of 
D. C 
To make cancer and all malignant neoplastic diseases reportable to the Director 
of Public Health, of the District of Columbia. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
Sorr°o D^Sor United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Commis-
Pubiic Health, sioners of the District of Columbia are authorized to promulgate 
regulations requiring that cancer, sarcoma, lymphoma (including 
Hodgkin's disease), leukemia, and all other malignant growths be 
reported to the Director of Public Health of the District of Columbia, 
SEC. 2. The reports of cases made pursuant to the provisions of 
regulations promulgated under this Act shall be confidential and not 
open to public inspection. 
The information in such reports shall not 
be divulged or made public so as to disclose the identity of any person 
to whom they may relate, except upon order of court, and unless 
already published shall be divulged or made public only on the written 
authorization of the Director of Public Health. 
SEC. 3. Nothing in this Act, or regulations promulgated thereunder, 
shall be construed to compel any person suffering from any of the 
diseases listed in section 1 to submit to medical examination or treat-
ment. 
SEC. 4. The said Commissioners are authorized to prescribe a rea-
sonable penalty or fine, not to exceed $100, for the violation of any 
regulation promulgated under the authority of this Act, and all prose-
cutions for violations of such regulations shall be in the criminal 
branch of the municipal court for the District of Columbia in the. 
name of the District of Columbia upon information filed by the Cor-
poration Counsel of the District of Columbia or any of his assistants. 
Approved July 27, 1951. 
Penalty. 
July 30,1951 
[S. 259] 
Public Law 84 
CHAPTER 246 
AN ACT 
To fix the responsibilities of the Disbursing OflScer and of the Auditor of the 
District of Columbia, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
offlcer'an'dluditoi"^ i/m^e<i! States of America in Congress assembled, That, not withstand-
Responsibilities. 
65 STAT.] 
PUBLIC LAW 84—JULY 30, 1951 
125 
ing any other provision of law, order, or regulation, the Disbursing 
Officer of the District of Columbia shall (1) disburse moneys only 
upon, and in strict accordance with, vouchers duly certified by the 
Auditor of the District of Columbia or by one or more employees in 
the office of such Auditor duly authorized in writing by such Auditor 
to certify such vouchers; (2) make such examination of vouchers as 
may be necessary to ascertain whether they are in proper form and 
duly certified; and (3) be held accountable accordingly. 
SEC, 2. The Auditor of the District of Columbia or any employee 
in his office duly authorized in writing by such Auditor who certifies 
a voucher shall (1) be held responsible for the existence and correct-
ness of the facts recorded in the certificate or otherwise stated in the 
voucher or its supporting papers, including the correctness of compu-
tations on such voucher, and for the legality of the proposed payment 
under the appropriation or fund involved; (2) be required to give 
bond to the United States and to the District of Columbia, with good 
and sufficient surety, approved by the Secretary of the Treasury, in 
such amount as may be determined by the Commissioners of the Dis-
trict of Columbia; and (3) be held responsible for and required to 
make good to the United States or to the District of Columbia the 
amount of any illegal, improper, or incorrect payment resulting from 
any false, erroneous, or misleading certification made by him as well 
as for any pa3^ment prohibited by law or which did not represent a 
legal obligation under the appropriation or fund involved: Provided^ by^c"mp°roiier*Gen^ 
That the Comptroller General may, in his discretion, relieve such erai. 
certifying officer or employee of liability for any payment otherwise 
proper whenever he finds (1) that the certification was based on official 
records and that such certifying officer or employee did not know, and 
by reasonable diligence and inquiry could not have ascertained, the 
actual facts, or (2) that the obligation was incurred in good faith, 
that the payment was not contrary to any statutory provision specifi-
cally prohibiting payments of the character involved, and that the 
United States or the District of Columbia has received value for such 
payment: Provided further^ That the bond required by this section 
to be given by the Auditor of the District of Columbia shall be condi-
tioned for the faithful discharge of all of the duties of his office and 
shall be in lieu of any other bond now required by law. 
SEC. 3. Notwithstanding the provisions of this or any other Act to 
Nonliability f
o
r 
the contrary, neither the Disbursing Officer of the District of Colum- transportation. ^ 
bia nor the Auditor of the District of Columbia or any employee in his 
office authorized by him to certify vouchers, pursuant to the provi-
sions of this Act, shall be held liable for overpayments made for trans-
portation furnished on Government bills of lading or transportation 
requests when said overpayments are due to the use of improper trans-
portation rates, classifications, or the failure to deduct the proper 
amount under land-grant laws or equalization and other agreements. 
SEC. 4. The liability of any person who certifies any voucher pur- nabiut*"^"^™®"' °^ 
suant to the provisions of this Act shall be enforced in the same manner 
^' ^ 
and to the same extent as now provided by law with respect to enforce-
ment of the liability of disbursing and other accountable officers; and 
they shall have the right to apply for and obtain a decision by the 
Comptroller General on any question of law involved in a payment on 
any vouchers presented to them for verification. 
SEC. 5. This Act shall become effective on the first day of the third 
ECective date. 
month following the date of its enactment. 
Approved July 30, 1951.