An Act to amend further the Federal Property and Administrative Services, Act of 1949, as amended, to authorize the disposal of surplus property for civil defense purposes, and for other purpses
PL 84-655 (H.R.7227), enacted 07/03/1956

70 
S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 655--JULY 3, 1956 
493 
Public Law 655 
CHAPTER 513 
AN ACT 
To amend the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1^9, as 
amended, to authorize the disposal of surplus property for civil defense pur-
poses, and for other purposes. 
July 3, 1956 
[H. R. 7227] 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That subsection 203 
(j) of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, 
as amended (40 U. S. C. 484 (j)) is amended to read as follows: 
"(J) (1) tinder such regulations as he may prescribe, the Admin-
istrator is authorized in his discretion to donate without cost (except 
for costs of care and handling) for use in any State for purposes of 
education, public health, or civil defense, or for research for any such 
purpose, any equipment, materials, books, or other supplies (includ-
ing those capitalized in a working capital or similar fund) under the 
control of any executive agency which shall have been determined to 
be surplus property and which shall have been determined under para-
graph (2), (3), or (4) of this subsection to be usable and necessary 
for any such purpose. 
In determining whether property is to be 
donated under this subsection, no distinction shall be made between 
property capitalized in a working-capital fund established under sec-
tion 405 of the National Security Act of 1947, as amended, or any 
similar fund, and any other property. 
No such property shall be 
transferred for use within any State except to the State agency desig-
nated under State law for the purpose of distributing, in conformity 
with the provisions of this subsection, all property allocated under this 
subsection for use within such State. 
"(2) In the case of surplus property under the control of the De-
partment of Defense, the Secretary of Defense shall determine whether 
such property is usable and necessary for educational activities which 
are of special interest to the armed services, such as maritime acade-
mies or military, naval. Air Force, or Coast Guard preparatory 
schools. If such Secretary shall determine that such property is us-
able and necessary for such purposes, he shall allocate it for transfer 
by the Administrator to the appropriate State agency for distribution 
to such educational activities. If he shall determine that such prop-
erty is not usable and necessary for such purposes, it may be disposed 
of in accordance with paragraph (3) or paragraph (4) of this 
subsection. 
"(3) Determination w^hether such surplus property (except sur-
plus property allocated in conformity with paragraph (2) of this 
subsection) is usable and necessary for purposes of education or public 
health, or for research for any such purpose, in any State shall be 
made by the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, who shall 
allocate such property on the basis of needs and utilization for trans-
fer by the Administrator to such State agency for distribution to (A) 
tax-supported medical institutions, hospitals, clinics, health centers, 
school systems, schools, colleges, and universities, and (B) other non-
profit medical institutions, hospitals, clinics, health centers, schools, 
colleges, and universities which are exempt from taxation under sec-
tion 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954. No such 
property shall be transferred to any State agency until the Secretary 
of Health, Education, and Welfare has received, from such State 
agency, a certification that such property is usable and needed for 
educational or public health purposes in the State, and until the Sec-
retary has determined that such State agency has conformed to mini-
mum standards of operation prescribed by the Secretary for the 
disposal of surplus property. 
Suiplus propetity* 
Disposal. 
63 Stat. 386. 
D o n a t i o n s to 
Stetes. 
63 Stat. 587. 
S use 172d. 
Armed servicsn. 
Educational ac> 
tivities. 
Bduc ation and 
public health. 
68A Stat. 163. 
26 u s e SOI (c) 
(3). 
494 
PUBLIC LAW 655-JULY 3, 1956 
[70 S T A T . 
Civil defensea 
64 Stat. 1248. 
50 u s e 
2 2 8 1, 
2253, 2257. 
Personal prop-
erty. 
"State". 
40 u s e 484. 
69 Stat. 83. 430. 
40 u s e 484. 
C o o p e r a t i v e 
agreements. 
"(4) Determination whether such surplus property (except surplus 
property allocated in conformity with paragraj)h (2) of this subsec-
tion) is usable and necessary for civil defense purposes, including 
research, in any State shall be made by the Federal Civil Defense 
Administrator, who shall allocate such property on the basis of need 
and utilization for transfer by the Administrator of General Services 
to such State agency for distribution to civil defense organizations 
of such State, or political subdivisions and instrumentalities thereof, 
which are established pursuant to State law. 
No such property shall 
be transferred until the Federal Civil Defense Administrator has re-
ceived from such State agency a certification that such property is 
usable and needed for civil defense purposes in the State, and until 
the Federal Civil Defense Administrator has determined that such 
State agency has conformed to minimum standards of operation pre-
scribed by the Federal Civil Defense Administrator for the disposal 
of surplus property. 
The provisions of sections 201 (b), 401 (c), 
401 (e), and 405 of the Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950, as amended, 
shall apply to the performance by the Federal Civil Defense Admin-
istrator of his responsibilities under this section. 
"(5) The Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare and the 
Federal Civil Defense Administrator may impose reasonable terms, 
conditions, reservations, and restrictions upon the use of any single 
item of personal property donated under paragraph (3) or paragraph 
(4), respectively, of this subsection which has an acquisition cost of 
$2,500 or more. 
"(6) The term 'State', as used in this subsectioiij includes the Dis-
trict of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the Terri-
tories and possessions of the United States." 
SEC. 2. (a) Clause (C) of paragraph (2) of subsection 203 (k) of 
such Act is amended by striking out the word "or" at the end thereof. 
(b) Clause (D) of paragraph (2) of such subsection is amended 
by striking out the comma at the end thereof and inserting in lieu 
thereof a semicolon and the word "or". 
(c) Paragraph (2) of such subsection is amended by inserting, im-
mediately after clause (D) thereof, as amended by this section, the 
following new clause: 
"(E) the Federal Civil Defense Administrator, in the case of 
property transferred pursuant to this Act to civil defense organi-
zations of the States or political subdivisions or instrumentalities 
thereof which are established by or pursuant to State law,". 
^ c . 3. Subsection 203 (n) of such Act is amended to read as 
follows: 
"(n) For the purpose of carrying into effect the provisions of sub-
sections (i) and (k), the Secretary of Health, Education, and Wel-
fare, the Federal Civil Defense Administrator, and the head of any 
Federal agency designated by either such officer, are authorized to 
enter into cooperative agreements with State surplus property dis-
tribution agencies designated in conformity with paragraph (1) of 
subsection (j). Such cooperative agreements may provide for utiliza-
tion by such Federal agency, without payment or reimbursement, of 
the property, facilities, personnel, and services of the State agency in 
carrying out any such program, and for making available to such 
State agency, without payment or reimbursement, property, facilities, 
personnel, or services of such Federal agency in connection with such 
utilization." 
SEC. 4. Subsection (h) of section 507 of the Federal Property and 
Administrative Services Act of 1949, as amended, as added by clause 
(3) of the joint resolution entitled "Joint resolution to provide for the 
acceptance and maintenance of Presidential libraries, and for other 
70 
S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 657-JULY 3, 1956 
495 
purposes", approved August 12, 1955 (69 Stat. 697), is redesignated 
as subsection (i) of such section. 
SEC. 5. (a) Except as provided by subsection (b), the amendments 
made by this Act shall become effective on the first day of the first 
month beginning after the date of enactment of this Act. 
(b) In the case of any State which on the date of enactment of this 
Act has not designated a single State agency for the purpose of dis-
tributing surplus property pursuant to subsection 203 (j) of the 
Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, as 
amended, transfers of such property may be made by the Administra-
tor of General Services under such subsection, as amended by this Act, 
to the State agency heretofore designated in such State to distribute 
property in conformity with such suosection for purposes of education 
and public health to the extent that such agency is authorized under 
State law to receive and distribute any class of property transferred 
pursuant to such subsection, or in the absence of any such agency or 
m the absence of authority of such agency to receive and distribute 
any such class of property, to any State agency or official authorized 
under State law to receive and distribute such property, until ninety 
calendar days have passed after the close of the first regular session 
of the legislature of such State beginning after the date of enactment 
of this Act. 
Approved July 3, 1956. 
44 u s e 397. 
Effective da1:e< 
£xception< 
Public Law 656 
CHAPTER 514 
AN ACT 
To authorize the payment of coinpeiisation for certain losses and damages 
caused by United States Armed Forces during World War II. 
July 3, 1956 
[H. R. 10 766] 
Be it enacted by the Senate and Houne of Representati'ves of the 
United States of America in Congress assemhled. That the Secretai-y 
of the Treasury is authorized to pay the sum of $964,199.35 to the Vat-
ican City in full and final settlement and discharge of all claims of the 
Vatican City for losses and damages caused by United States Armed 
Forces in the Papal Domain Castel Gandolfo during the course of 
hostilities conducted by such forces against German armed forces in 
Italy in 1944. 
SEC. 2. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated the sum of 
$964,199.35 to carry out the purposes of this Act. 
Approved July 3, 1956. 
Vatican City. 
Pa y m e n t 
claims. 
o f 
Appropriation. 
Public Law 657 
CHAPTER 515 
AN ACT 
To authorize the conveyance of a certain tract of land in North Carolina to the 
city of Charlotte, North Carolina. 
July 3, 1956 
[H. R. 8634] 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and Hou^e of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That the Admin-
istrator of General Services is authorized and directed to convey to 
the Charlotte Park and Recreation Commission, an instrumentality of 
the City of Charlotte, North Carolina, 18.06 acres of land, more or 
less, being that part of a 32.5 acre tract of land acquired by the 
Veterans' Administration on June 16, 1947, as a hospital site which 
has not been transferred to other Federal use, exact boundaries of 
said property to be determined by the Administrator. 
Charlotte, N. C. 
Conveyance.