An Act to amend the Transportation Act of 1940, as amended, to facilitate the payment of transportation charges
PL 92-550 (S.3240), enacted 10/25/1972

86 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 92-550-OCT. 25, 1972 
1163 
Boundary and Water Commi^ion, United States and Mexico, such 
sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of the treaty and 
title I of this Act. 
TITLE II—PEESIDIO FLOOD CONTEOL PEOJECT 
SEC. 201. The Secretary of State, acting through the Commissioner, fi^'^J^^t^o"!" 
is hereby authorized to conclude with the appropriate official or officials agreement!^° 
of the Government of Mexico an agreement for a coordinated plan by authorization. 
the United States and Mexico for international flood control works 
for protection of lands along the international section of the Eio 
Grande in the United States and in Mexico in the Presidio-Ojinaga 
Valley. 
SEC. 202. If an agreement is concluded pursuant to section 201 of 
title I I of this Act, the Commissioner is authorized to construct, oper-
ate, and maintain flood control works located in the United States 
having substantially the characteristics described in "Eeport on the 
Flood Control Project Eio Grande, Presidio Valley, Texas^', prepared 
hj the United States section. International Boundary and Water Com-
mission, United States and Mexico; and there are hereby authorized 
Appropriation. 
to be appropriated to the Dej)artment of State for the use of the United 
States section of the Commission such sums as may be necessary to 
carry out the provisions of title I I of this Act. No part of any appro-
priation under this section shall be expended for flood control works 
-
"
^ 
on any land, site, or easement unless such land, site, or easement has 
been acquired under the treaty for other purposes or by donation and, 
in the case of a donation, the title thereto has been approved in accord-
ance with existing rules and regulations of the Attorney General of 
the United States. 
Approved October 25, 1972. 
Public Law 92-550 
AN A C T 
October 25, 1972 
To amend the Transportation Act of 1940, as amended, to facilitate the payment 
'
• ' 
^ •' 
of transportation charges. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 322 of Pa^ment^AcVof" 
the Transportation Act of 1940, as amended (49 U.S.C. 66), is hereby 1972. 
further amended as follows: 
72^stat?*86^K^' 
(a) By inserting after the section designation the letter " ( a ) " ; by 
changing the first sentence to read: "Subject to such standards as shall 
be promulgated jointly by the Secretary of the Treasury and the 
Comptroller General of the United States, payment for transportation 
of persons or property for or on behalf of the United States by any 
carrier or forwarder shall be made upon presentation of bills therefor, 
prior to audit or settlement by the General Accounting Office, but the 
right is reserved to the United States Government to deduct the amount 
of any overcharge by any carrier or forwarder from any amount subse-
quently found to be due such carrier or forwarder."; deleting the 
portion of the second sentence preceding the colon and substituting 
therefor the following: "The term 'overcharges' shall be deemed to 
"Overcharges." 
mean charges for transportation services in excess of those applicable 
thereto under tariffs lawfully on file with the Interstate Commerce 
Commission, the Civil Aeronautics Board, the Federal Maritime Com-
1164 
PUBLIC LAW 92-551-OCT. 25, 1972 
[86 STAT. 
24 Stat. 387; 
71 Stat. 564. 
49 u s e 22. 
Advance 
payment. 
"Head of a 
Government 
agency." 
Short title. 
mission, and any State transportation regulatory agency, and charges 
in excess of those applicable thereto under rates, fares, and charges 
established pursuant to section 22 of the Interstate Commerce Act, as 
amended, or other equivalent contract, arrangement, or exemption 
from regulation". 
(b) By adding the following new subsections to the section: 
"(b) Pursuant to regulations prescribed by the head of a Govern-
ment agency or his designee and in conformity with such standards 
as shall be promulgated jointly by the Secretary of the Treasury and 
the Comptroller General of the United States, bills for passenger 
or freight transportation services to be furnished the United States 
by any carrier or forwarder may be paid in advance of completion of 
the services, without regard to section 3648 of the Eevised Statutes, 
as amended (31 U.S.C. 529) : Provided, That such carrier or forwarder 
has issued the usual ticket, receipt, bill of lading, or equivalent docu-
ment covering the service involved, subject to later recovery by deduc-
tion or otherwise of any payments made for any services not received 
as ordered by the United States. 
"(c) The term 'head of a Government agency' means any individual 
or group of individuals having final decisionmaking responsibility for 
any department, commission, board, service. Government corporation, 
instrumentality, or other establishment or body in the United States 
Government." 
SEC. 2. This Act may be cited as the "Transportation Payment Act 
of 1972". 
Approved October 25, 1972. 
October 25, 1972 
[S. J. Res. 221] 
Public Law 92-551 
JOINT RESOLUTION 
To designate Benjamin Franklin Memorial Hall at the Franklin Institute, 
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial. 
Benjamin 
Franklin Na-
tional Memorial, 
Designation. 
Effective date. 
Whereas the American people feel a deep debt of gratitude to Ben-
jamin Franklin for his outstanding services to this Nation as a 
statesman and for his achievements as a scientist and inventor; 
Whereas the Franklin Institute, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has 
played a leading role in promoting the development of science and 
technology in the United States; 
Whereas the said Franklin Institute named the Benjamin Franklin 
Memorial Hall in honor of Benjamin Franklin over thirty years 
^so; 
. 
. 
. 
^ 
Whereas the year 1974 is the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of 
the founding of the said Franklin Institute; 
Whereas the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a most appropriate 
location for a national memorial to Benjamin Franklin since Phila-
delphia was his home for many years; 
Whereas Benjamin Franklin Memorial Hall is a fitting memorial to 
this great Ajnerican: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved hy the Seriate and House of Represerdatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assenibled, That Benjamin Franklin 
Memorial Hall located in the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania, is hereby designated as Benjamin Franklin National 
Memorial. 
SEC. 2. The designation made by the first section of this resolution 
shall become effective upon conclusion of a cooperative agreement satis-
factory to the governing body of the Franklin Institute and the Sec-
retary of the Interior. 
Approved October 25, 1972.