An Act to amend the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954, and for other purposes
PL 86-341 (H.R.8609), enacted 09/21/1959

PUBLIC LAW 86-341-SEPT. 21, 1959 
[73 ST A T . 
"Term". 
Effective date. 
"(c) For the purposes of this section, the word 'term' means the 
period beginning at noon on January 3 of an odd-numbered calendar 
year and ending at noon on January 3 of the next succeeding odd-
numbered calendar year." 
SEC. 3. The amendments made by the first two sections of this Act 
shall take effect as of noon, January 3, 1959. 
Approved September 21, 1959. 
Public Law 86-341 
September 2 I, 1959 
AN A C T 
[H. R. 8609]— j j , extend the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ 
68 Stat. 454. 
7 use 1691 note. 
7 U S C 
1724. 
1 709, 
7 use 1703. 
Limitation. 
7 use 1723. 
7 use 1704. 
Use of f o r e i g n 
cwrencies. 
TITLE I—AMENDMENTS TO T H E AGRICULTURAL TRADE 
DEVELOPMENT AND ASSISTANCE ACT OF 1954 
SECTION 1. Sections 109 and 204 of the Agricultural Trade Devel-
opment and Assistance Act of 1954, as amended, are amended by 
striking out "1959"- and substituting in lieu thereof "1961". 
SEC. 2. Section 103(b) of such Act is amended, effective January 1, 
1960, to read as follows: 
"(b) Agreements shall not be entered into under this title in any 
calendar year during the period beginning January 1, 1960, and end-
ing December 31, 1961, which will call for appropriations to reim-
burse the Commodity Credit Corporation, pursuant to subsection (a) 
of this section, in amounts in excess of $1,500,000,000, plus any amount 
by which agreements entered into in the preceding calendar year 
have called or will call for appropriations to reimburse the Commod-
ity Credit Corporation in amounts less than authorized for such 
preceding year by this Act as in effect during such preceding year." 
SEC. 3. Section 203 of such Act is amended, effective January 1, 
1960, by striking out the first sentence and inserting in lieu thereof: 
"Not more than $300,000,000 (including the Corporation's invest-
ment in such commodities) plus any amount by which transfers made 
in the preceding calendar year have called or will call for appro-
priations to reimburse the Commodity'Credit Corporation in amounts 
less than could have been expended during such preceding year under 
this title as in effect during such preceding year shall be expended in 
any calendar year during the period January 1, 1960, and ending 
December 31,1961, for all such transfers and for other costs authorized 
by this title." 
SEC. 4. Subsection (a) of section 104 of such Act is amended by 
inserting a period in lieu of the semicolon at the end thereof, and 
adding the following: 
"From sale proceeds and loan repayments under this title not less 
than the equivalent of 5 per centum of the total sales made under this 
title after the date of this amendment shall be made available in 
advance for use as provided by this subsection over such period of years 
as the Secretary of Agriculture determines will most effectively carry 
out the purpose of this subsection: Provided^ That no such funds shall 
be allocated under this subsection after June 30, 1960, except as may 
be specified, from time to time, in appropriation acts. 
Particular 
regard shall be given to provide in sale and loan agreements for the 
60 Stat. 597. 
50 use 98b. 
73 S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 86-341-SEPT. 21, 1959 
607 
convertibility of such amount of the proceeds thereof as may be needed 
to carry out the purpose of this subsection in those countries which 
are or offer reasonable potential of becoming dollar markets for United 
States agricultural commodities. 
Notwithstanding any other pro-
vision of law, if sufficient foreign currencies for carrying out the pur-
pose of this subsection in such countries are not otherwise available, 
agreements may be entered into with such countries for the sale of 
surplus agricultural commodities in such amounts as the Secretary 
of Agriculture determines to be adequate and for the use of the 
proceeds to carry out the purpose of this subsection;" 
SEC. O. Subsection (b) of section 104 of such Act is amended to 
^ "^^ ^^°'*-
read as follows: 
j 
^ 
"(b) To purchase or contract to purchase, in such amounts as ^^J riailT^^^'' mate-
be specified from time to time in appropriation acts, strategic or other 
materials for a supplemental United States stockpile of such mate-
rials as the President may determine from time to time. Such strate-
gic or other materials acquired under this subsection shall be placed 
in the above named supplemental stockpile and shall be released there-
from only under the provisions of section 3 of the Strategic and 
Critical Materials Stock Piling Act;" 
SEO. 6. Section 104(k) of such Act is amended by striking out the 
colon and inserting in lieu thereof a comma and the following: "and 
to promote and support programs of medical and scientific research, 
cultural 
and 
educational 
development, 
health, 
nutrition, 
and 
sanitation:". 
SEC. 7. Section 104(o) of such Act is amended by striking out so 
7\j|*c*'i7o'4°' 
much thereof as follows the semicolon. 
SEC. 8. Section 104 of such Act is further amended by inserting 
after paragraph (o) the following new paragraphs : 
"(p) For supporting workshops in American studies or American 
educational techniques, and supporting chairs in American studies; 
'^(q) For assistance to meet emergency or extraordinary relief 
requirements other than requirements for surplus food commodities: 
Provided, That not more than a total amount equivalent to $5,000,000 
may be made available for this purpose during any fiscal year ; 
"(r) For financing the preparation, distribution, and exhibiting of 
audio-visual informational and educational materials, including Gov-
ernment materials, abroad: Provided, 
That not more than a total 
amount equivalent to $2,600,000 may be made available for this pur-
pose during any fiscal year, but nothing in this subsection shall limit 
or affect the use of foreign currencies to finance the preparation, dis-
tribution, or exhibition of such materials in connection with trade fairs 
and other market development activities under subsection (a);". 
SEC. 9. Section 104 of such Act is further amended by inserting 
before the period at the end thereof a colon and the following: ^^Pro-
vided, however, That no foreign currencies shall be available for the 
purpose of subsection (p), except in such amounts as may be specified 
from time to time in appropriation Acts, and no foreign currencies 
shall be allocated under any provision of this Act after June 30,1960, 
for the purposes specified in subsections (k), (p), and (r), except in 
such amounts as may be specified from time to time in appropriation 
Acts." 
SEC. 10. Section 305 of such Act is amended to read as follows: 
^ "sc i694. 
"SEC. 305. All Commodity Credit Corporation stocks donated abroad 
under title I I of this Act and section 416 of the Agricultural Act of 
1949, as amended, shall be clearly identified by appropriate marking 7^Jsc*i43i.* 
on each package or container and insofar as practical m the language 
of the locality where such stocks are distributed as being furnished 
by the people of the United States of America and where available 
funds accruing under title I shall be used for this purpose." 
PUBLIC LAW 86-341-SEPT. 21, 1959 
[73 ST A T , 
68 Stat. 458. 
7 U S C 14 2 7, 
1431, 1692-1694. 
Food stamp sys-
tem. 
49 Stat. 774. 
7 u s e 612c. 
Cost limitation. 
Issuance of food 
stamps. 
49 Stat. 620. 
42 u s e 1305. 
SEC. 11. Title I I I of such Act is amended by adding at the end 
thereof the following new section: 
"SEC. 306. (a) In order to promote the general welfare, raise the 
levels of health and of nourishment for persons whose incomes pre-
vent them from enjoying adequate diets, and dispose in a beneficial 
manner of food commodities acquired by the Commodity Credit Cor-
poration or the Department of Agriculture in carrying out price sup-
port operations or diverted from the normal channels of trade and 
commerce under section 32 of the Act of August 24,1935, as amended, 
the Secretary of Agriculture (iii this section referred to as the 'Secre-
tary') is hereby authorized to promulgate and put into operation a 
program to distribute to needy persons in the United States, includ-
ing needy Indians, through a food stamp system such surplus food 
commodities. Such program shall provide for the distribution of such 
surplus food commodities only during the period beginning Febru-
ary 1, 1960, and ending January 81, 1962. The cost of such program, 
including the cost to the Federal Government of acquiring, storing, 
and handling such surplus food commodities, shall not exceed $250,-
000,000 in any 12-month period beginning February 1 and ending 
January 31. 
"(b) In carrying out such program, the Secretary shall— 
"(1) distribute surplus food made available by the Secretary 
for distribution under this program only when requested to do so 
by a State or political subdivision thereof; 
"(2) issue, or cause to be issued, pursuant to subsection (c), 
food stamps redeemable by eligible needy persons for such types 
and quantities of surplus food as the Secretary shall determine; 
"(3) distribute surplus food in commercially packaged form, 
preferably through normal channels of trade; 
"(4) establish standards under which, pursuant to subsection 
(c), the welfare authorities of any State or political subdivision 
thereof may participate in the food stamp plan for the distribu-
tion of surplus foods to the needy; 
"(5) consult the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, 
and the Secretary of Labor, in establishing standards for eligi-
bility for surplus foods and in the conduct of the program gen-
erally to assure achievement of the goals outlined in subsection 
(a) of this section; and 
"(6) make such other rules and regulations as he may deem 
necessary to carry out the purpose of this section. 
"(c) The Secretary shall issue, to each welfare department or 
equivalent agency of a State or political subdivision requesting the 
distribution of surplus food under subsection (b)(1), food stamps 
for each kind of surplus food to be distributed, in amounts based on 
the total amount of surplus food to be distributed and on the total 
number of needy persons in the various States and political subdivi-
sions eligible to receive such food. 
The food stamps shall be issued 
by each such welfare department or equivalent agency to needy per-
sons receiving welfare assistance, or in need of welfare assistance but 
ineligible because of State or local law, and shall be redeemable by 
such needy persons at local distribution points to be determined by 
the Secretary under subsection (b) (3). 
"(d) Receipt by any person of benefits under this section shall not 
be deemed to be income or resources under the provisions of the 
Social Security Act or any other Federal legislation pertaining to 
the security of the aged, blind, disabled, dependent children, unem-
73 
S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 86-341-SEPT. 21, 1959 
609 
ployed, or other similar groups. 
Any State or local subdivision 
thereof which decreases the cash or other assistance extended to any 
person or group as a consequence of the assistance made available 
under this section shall be ineligible for further participation under 
this section. 
"(e) Surplus foods to be distributed under this section shall be 
limited to surplus foods acquired under the Agricultural Act of 1949 
or diverted from the normal channels of trade under Section 32 of 
Public Law 320, T4th Congress. 
"(f) For the purposes of this section, a needy person is anyone 
receiving welfare assistance (financial or otherwise) from the welfare 
department or equivalent agency of any State or political subdivision 
thereof, or who is, in the opinion of such agency or agencies, in need 
of welfare assistance but is ineligible to receive it because of State or 
local law. 
"(g) The Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the Secre-
tary of Health, Education, and Welfare and the Secretary of Labor, 
shall make a study of, and shall report to Congress within six months 
after the date of enactment of this section, on the feasibility of, the 
costs of, and the problems involved in, extending the scope of the 
food stamp plan established by this section to include persons receiv-
ing unemployment compensation, receiving old-age and survivors 
insurance (social security) pensions, and other low-income groups not 
eligible to receive food stamps under this section. 
"(h) There are hereby authorized to be appropriated, out of any 
money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, such sums as may 
be necessary to carry out the purposes of this section." 
SEC. 12. Title III of such Act is further amended by adding at the 
end thereof a new section as follows: 
"SEC. 307. Whenever the Secretary of Agriculture determines under 
section 106 of this Act that any food commodity is a surplus agri-
cultural commodity, insofar as practicable he shall make such com-
modity available for distribution to needy families and persons in 
the United States in such quantities as he determines are reasonably 
necessary before such commodity is made available for sale for foreign 
currencies under title I of this Act." 
SEC. 13. Title I I I of such Act is further amended by adding at the 
end thereof a new section as follows: 
"SEC. 308. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Com-
modity Credit Corporation is hereby authorized— 
"(1) to dispose of its stocks of animal fats and edible oils or 
products thereof by donation, upon such terms and conditions 
as the Secretary of Agriculture deems appropriate, to nonprofit 
voluntary agencies registered with the Department of State, 
appropriate agencies of the Federal Government or international 
organizations, for use in the assistance of needy persons outside 
the United States; 
"(2) to purchase for donation as provided above such quan-
tities of animal fats and edible oils and the products thereof as 
the Secretary determines will tend to maintain the support level 
for cottonseed and soybeans without requiring the acquisition of 
such commodities under the price support program. 
Commodity Credit Corporation may incur such additional costs with 
respect to commodities to be donated hereunder as it is authorized 
to incur with respect to food commodities disposed of under section 
416 of the Agricultural Act of 1949, and may pay ocean freight 
charges from United States ports to designated ports of entry abroad." 
63 Stat. 105 1. 
7 use 142 I note. 
7 use 612c. 
Needy person. 
Report to 
eon-
gress. 
Appropriation. 
68 Stat. 458. 
7 u s e 
1427, 
1431, 1692-1694. 
Animal fats and 
edible oils. 
63 Stat. 1058. 
7 use 1431. 
eio 
PUBLIC LAW 86-341-SEPT. 21, 1959 
[73 ST A T . 
7 u s e 
1 7 0 2 , 
1703, 1706-1708. 
SEC. 14. Such Act is further amended by adding thereto the follow-
ing new title: 
"TITLE IV—LONG-TERM SUPPLY CONTRACTS 
"SEC. 401. The purpose of this title is to utilize surplus agricultural 
commodities and the products thereof produced in the United States 
to assist the economic development of friendly nations by providing 
long-term credit for purchases of surplus agricultural commodities 
for domestic consumption during periods of economic development so 
that the resources and manpower of such nations may be utilized more 
effectively for industrial and other domestic economic development 
without jeopardizing meanwhile adequate supplies of agricultural 
commodities for domestic use. 
"SEC. 402. In furtherance of this purpose, the President is author-
ized to enter into agreements with friendly nations under which the 
United States shall undertake to provide for delivery annually of 
certain quantities of such surplus agricultural commodities for periods 
of not to exceed ten years, pursuant to the terms and conditions set 
out in this title, providing such commodities are in surplus at the" time 
delivery is to be made. 
"SEC. 403. Payment for such commodities shall be in dollars with 
interest at such rate as the Secretary may determine but not more than 
the cost of the funds to the United States Treasury as determined by 
the Secretary of the Treasury, taking into consideration the current 
average market yields on outstanding marketable obligations of the 
United States having maturity comparable to the maturities of loans 
made by the President under this section. Payment may be made in 
approximately equal annual amounts over periods of not to exceed 
twenty years from the date of the last delivery of commodities in each 
calendar year under the agreement and interest shall be computed 
from the date of such last delivery. 
"SEC. 404. In carrying out the provisions of this title, the Secretary 
of Agriculture shall endeavor to maximize the sale of United States 
agricultural commodities taking such reasonable precautions as he 
determines necessary to avoid replacing any sales which the Secretary 
finds and determines would otherwise be made for cash dollars. 
"SEC. 405. In entering into such agreements, the Secretary shall 
endeavor to reach agreement with other exporting nations of such 
commodities for their participation in the supply and assistance pro-
gram herein authorized on a proportionate and equitable basis. 
"SEC. 406. In carrying out this title, the provisions of sections 102, 
103(a), 106, 107, and 108 of this Act shall be applicable to the extent 
not inconsistent with this title." 
7 u s e 1431. 
60 Stat. 230. 
42 u s e 
175 
note. 
52 Stat. 1040. 
21 u s e 301. 
TITLE II—MISCELLANEOUS 
SEC. 201. (a) In order to insure the nutritional value of cornmeal, 
grits, and white flour when such foods are made available for distribu-
tion under section 416(3) of the Agricultural Act of 1949 or for dis-
tribution to schools under the National School Lunch Act or any 
other Act, such foods shall be enriched so as to meet the standards 
for enriched cornmeal, enriched corn grits, or enriched flour, as the 
case may be, prescribed in regulations promulgated under the Federal 
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; and in order to protect the nutritional 
value and sanitary quality of such enriched foods during transporta-
tion and storage such foods shall be packaged in sanitary containers. 
For convenience and ease in handling, the weight of any sanitary 
container when filled shall not exceed fifty pounds. 
73 S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 86-342-SEPT. 21, 1959 
611 
(b) The term "sanitary container" means any container of such 
material and construction as (1) will not permit the infiltration of 
foreign matter into the contents of such container under ordinary 
conditions of shipping and handling, and (2) will not, for a period 
of at least one year, disintegrate so as to contaminate the contents of 
the container, necessitating the washing of the contents prior to use. 
SEC. 202. In lieu of the limitation on annual payment rates for 
1960 conservation reserve contracts prescribed in clause (2) of the 
sixth proviso under the head "Conservation Keserve" in Public Law 
86-80, no such annual payment rate shall be established in excess of 20 
per centum of the value of the land placed under contract, such value 
to be determined without regard to physical improvements thereon or 
geographical location thereof; but in no event shall such annual pay-
ment rate be established in excess of the maximum rate which the 
county committee determines would have been established for such 
land under the 1959 Conservation Reserve Program, except that the 
county committee in making such determination shall not be required 
to obtain the landowner's or operator's estimate as to value or his cer-
tificate as to production history and productivity. 
SEC. 203. Section 347(b) of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 
1938, as amended, is amended by striking out the period at the end 
thereof and inserting a colon and the following: '''Provided^ however^ 
That the national marketing quota for the 1960 crop of such cotton 
shall be not less than 90 per centum of the 1959 marketing quota for 
such cotton." 
SEC. 204. Section 206(a) of the Agricultural Act of 1956 is amended 
by inserting before the period at the end thereof a comma and the 
following: "or to meet requirements of Government agencies". 
Approved September 21, 1959. 
Definition. 
Ante, p. 174. 
66 Stat. 759. 
7 u s e 1347. 
70 Stat. 200. 
7 u s e 1856. 
Public Law 86-342 
A N A C T 
c 
. 
,, 
o . 
. o c n 
September 2 I, 1959 
To amend the Federal-Aid Highway Acts of 1956 and 19.18 to make certain 
[H. R. 8678] 
adjustments in the Federal-aid highway program, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Reprenentatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ 
TITLE I—FEDERAL-AID HIGHWAY 
PROGRAM 
SECTION 101. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the "Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1959"'. 
SEC. 102. REVISION OF AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR 
INTERSTATE SYSTEM. 
Subsection (b) of section 108 of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 
1956, as amended, is amended by striking out "the additional sum of 
$2,500,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1961," and inserting 
in lieu thereof the following: "the additional sum of $2,000,000,000 
for the fiscal year ending June 30,1961,". 
SEC. 103. EXTENSION OF APPROVAL OF ESTIMATE OF COST OF COM-
PLETING INTERSTATE SYSTEM. 
Section 8 of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1958, as amended, 
is hereby further amended by striking out "the fiscal years ending 
June 30, 1960, and June 30, 1961." and inserting in lieu thereof "the 
fiscal years ending June 30,1960, 1961, and 1962." 
F e d e r a l - Aid 
H i g h w a y Act of 
1959. 
72 Stat. 94. 
23 u s e 10 I note. 
72 Stat. 1725. 
23 u s e 104 note.