An Act to increase the public benefits from the National Park System by facilitating the management of museum properties relating thereto, and for other purposes.
PL 84-127 (S.1747), enacted 07/01/1955

242 
PUBLIC LAW 126-JUNE 30, 1955 
[69 STAT. 
Public Law 126 
CHAPTER 258 
June 30, 1955 
' 
AN ACT 
[H. R. 5560] 
Relating to the free importation of personal and household effects brought into 
the United States under Government orders, and for other purposes. 
I m p o r t a tion of 
personal effects 
Be it endcted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assenibled^ That (a) the Act of 
etc. 
June 27, 1942, entitled "An Act to exempt from duty personal and 
household effects brought into the United States under Government 
56 Stat. 461. 
ordcrs", as amended (U. S. C, title 50 App., sees. 801 and 802), is 
hereby amended to read as follows: "That under regulations to be 
prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury, after consultation with 
such agencies as he shall consider to be substantially interested, the 
personal and household effects (with such limitation on the importa-
tion of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products as the Secretary may 
prescribe) of any person in the service of the United States who re-
turns to the United States upon the termination of assignment to 
extended duty (as defined in the above-authorized regulations) at a 
.1 
pQg^ Qj. station outside the customs territory of the United States, or 
of returning members of his family who have resided with him at 
such post or station, or of any person evacuated to the United States 
under Government orders or instructions, may be brought into cus-
toms territory of the United States without the payment of any duty 
or tax imposed upon, or by reason of, importation." 
(b) The amendment made by subsection (a) shall be effective with 
respect to articles entered for consumption or withdrawn from ware-
house for consumption on or after July 1, 1955, and before July 1, 
1968. 
ApSrcaSimy"of 
SEG. 2. (a) The following provisions of the Tariff Act of 1930, as 
customs laws. 
amended, are hereby amended by inserting "Johnston Island," imme-
diately after "Kingman Reef," each place it appears therein: 
(1) That part of section 1 which precedes schedule 1 (19 
U. S. C , sec. 1001). 
(2) That part of section 201 which precedes schedule 16 (19 
U. S. C , sec. 1201). 
(3) Section 401 (k) (19 U. S. C, sec. 1401 (k)). 
(4) Section 557 (a) (19 U. S. C, sec. 1557 (a)). 
h) 
Section 562 (19 U. S. C, sec. 1562). 
(b) Section 401 (a) of the Anti-Smuggling Act, as amended (19 
U. S. C , sec. 1709 (a)), is hereby amended by inserting "Johnston 
Island," immediately after "Kingman Eeef,". 
62 Stat. 715.716. 
(^.^ ggctions 542, 544, and 545 of title 18 of the United States Code 
are hereby amended by inserting "Johnston Island," immediately after 
"Kingman Reef," each place it appears therein. 
(d) The amendments made by this section shall take effect on the 
day following the day on which this Act is enacted. 
Approved June 30, 1955, 
Public Law 127 
^ - 
CHAPTER 259 
July 1. 1955 
AN ACT 
[S. 1747] 
^Q increase the public benefits from the National Park System by facilitating 
the management of museum properties relating thereto, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of JRepresentatives of the 
se%\ct°^^^ ^^^ United States of America in Congress assembled, That the purpose 
Museum manage- of tliis Act shall be to iucrease the public benefits from museums 
ment. 
*
• 
69 S T A T . } 
PUBLIC LAW 128-JULY 1, 1955 
243 
established within the individual areas administered by the Secretary 
of the Interior through the National Park Service as a means of 
informing the public concerning the areas and preserving valuable 
objects and relics relating thereto. The Secretary of the Interior, 
notwithstanding other provisions or limitations of law, may perform 
the following functions in such manner as he shall consider to be in 
the public interest: 
(a) Accept donations and bequests of money or other personal 
property, and hold, use, expend, and administer the same for purposes 
of this Act; 
(b) Purchase from such donations and bequests of money museum 
objects, museum collections, and other personal properties at prices 
he considers to be reasonable; 
(c) Make exchanges by accepting museum objects, museum collec-
tions, and other personal properties, and by granting in exchange 
therefor museum property under the administrative jurisdiction of 
the Secretary which is no longer needed or which may be held in 
duplicate among the museum properties administered by the Secre-
tary, such exchanges to be consummated on a basis which the Secre-
tary considers to be equitable and in the public interest; 
(d) Accept the loan of museum objects, museum collections, and 
other personal properties and pay transportation costs incidental 
thereto, such loans to be accepted upon terms and conditions which 
he shall consider necessary; and 
(e) I^an to responsible public or private organizations, institu-
tions, or agencies, without cost to the United States, such museum 
objects, museum collections, and other personal property as he shall 
consider advisable, such loans to be made upon terms and conditions 
which he shall consider necessary to protect the public interest in 
such properties. 
Approved July 1, 1955. 
Public Law 128 
CHAPTER 260 
AN ACT 
Creating a Federal commission to formulate plans for the construction in the 
District of Columbia of a civic auditorium, including an Inaugural Hall of 
Presidents and a music, fine arts, and mass communications center. 
July 1, 1955 
[H. R. 1825] 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That (a) there is co 
hereby established a commission to be known as the "District of 
Columbia Auditorium Commission'' (hereinafter referred to as the 
"Commission") for the purpose of formulating plans for the design, 
location, financing, and construction in the District of Columbia of a 
civic auditorium, including an Inaugural Hall of Presidents and a 
music, fine arts, and mass communications center. 
(b) The Commission shall be composed of twenty-one members 
appointed as follows: 
(1) Seven persons appointed by the President of the United States; 
(2) Seven persons appointed by the President of the Senate; and 
(3) Seven persons appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives. 
(c) The Commission shall— 
(1) 
consider a suitable site for the civic auditorium referred 
to in subsection (a) ; 
(2) procure such plans and designs and make such surveys and 
estimates of the cost thereof as it deems advisable; 
D. C. Auditorium: 
mmission. 
In augural Hall 
of Presidents.