An Act to amend section 87 of the National Defense Act of June 3, 1916, as amended (32 U. S. C. 47), to relieve the States from accountability and pecuniary liability for property lost, damaged, or destroyed except in cases where it shall appear that the loss, damage, or destruction of the property was due to carelessness or negligence or could have been avoided by the exercise of reasonable care
PL 83-676 (H.R.6223), enacted 08/27/1954

880 
PUBLIC LAW 675-AUG. 27, 1954 
[68 ST AT. 
California law. 
fowl purposes in the Grasslands area of the San Joaquin Valley. If 
and when available, such water shall be delivered from the Central 
Valley project at a charge not to exceed the prevailing charge for 
class 2 water. 
SEC. 7. The use of all water furnished by the Secretary of the 
Interior under section 2 and section 6 of this Act shall be subject to 
and not inconsistent with the laws of the State of California relating 
to priorities of deliveries and use of water. Nothing contained in 
this Act shall be construed as an allocation of water. 
Approved August 27, 1954. 
August 27, 1954 
[H. R. 4690] 
Public Law 675 
CHAPTER 1013 
AN ACT 
To provide for the erection of appropriate marlters in national cemeteries to 
honor the memory of members of the Armed Forces missing in action. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congriess assembled. That the Secretary 
of the Interior and the Secretary of the Army shall set aside, when 
available, suitable plots in the national cemeteries under their juris-
diction to honor the memory of members of the Armed Forces missing 
in action, and shall, under regulations to be jointly prescribed by 
them, permit the erection of appropriate markers thereon in honor 
of any such member or group of members. 
Approved August 27, 1954. 
Public Law 676 
CHAPTER 1014 
August 27, 1954 
[H. R. 6223] 
AN ACT 
To amend section 87 of the National Defense Act of June 3, 1916, as amended 
(32 U. S. C. 47), to relieve the States from accountability and pecuniary liability 
for property lost, damaged, or destroyed except in cases where it shall appear 
that the loss, damage, or destruction of the property was due to carelessness 
or negligence or could have been avoided by the exercise of reasonable care. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
3
^
9 statf 2^4.*"** United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 87 of 
the National Defense Act of June 3, 1916, as amended (32 U. S. C. 
47), is amended to read as follows: 
"DISPOSITION A N D REPLACEMENT OF DAMAGED PROPERTY, AND SO FORTH 
"SEC. 87. All military property issued to the National Guard and Air 
National Guard as herein provided shall remain the property of the 
United States. Whenever any such property issued to the National 
Guard or Air National Guard in any State, Territory, the Common-
wealth of Puerto Rico, or the District of Columbia shall have been 
lost, damaged, or destroyed, or become unserviceable or unsuitable by 
use in service or from any other cause, it shall be examined by a dis-
interested surveying officer of the United States Army, United States 
Air Force, or the National Guard or Air National Guard detailed by 
the appropriate Secretary, and the report of such surveying officer 
shall be forwarded to the appropriate Secretary or to such officer as 
he shall designate to receive such reports. 
The appropriate Secretary 
or his designated representative is hereby authorized to relieve the 
State, Territory, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the District 
of Columbia from further accountability and pecuniary liability for