An Act providing for creation of the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation to construct part of the St. Lawrence seaway in United States territory in the interest of national security; authorizing the Corporation to consummate certain arrangements w
PL 83-358 (S.2150), enacted 05/13/1954

92 
PUBLIC LAW 358-MAY 13, 1954 
[68 ST A T , 
foreign currency: Provided^ That no judgment herein appropriated 
for shall be paid until it shall have become final and conclusive against 
the United States by failure of the parties to appeal or otherwise: 
Provided further^ That, unless otherwise specifically required by law 
or by the judgment, payment of interest wherever appropriated for 
herein shall not continue for more than thirty days after the date 
of approval of this Act. 
CHAPTER X I I 
«• 
GENERAL PROVISIONS 
strikes 
throw 
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Govern-
Affidavit. 
Penalty. 
SEC. 1201. No part of any appropriation contained in this Act, or 
of the funds available for expenditure by any corporation included in 
this Act, shall be used to pay the salary or wages of any person who 
engages in a strike against the Government of the United States or 
who is a member of an organization of Government employees that 
asserts the right to strike against the Government of the United 
States, or who advocates, or is a member of an organization that advo-
cates the overthrow of the Government of the ITnited States by force 
or violence: Provided^ That for the purposes hereof an affidavit shall 
be considered prima facie evidence that the person making the affidavit 
has not contrary to the provisions of this section engaged in a strike 
against the Government of the United States, is not a member of an 
organization of Government employees that asserts the right to strike 
against the Government of the United States, or that such person does 
not advocate, and is not a member of an organization that advocates, 
the overthrow of the Government of the United States by force or 
violence: Provided further^ That any person who engages in a strike 
against the Government of the United States or who is a member of an 
organization of Government employees that asserts the right to strike 
against the Government of the United States, or who advocates, or 
who is a member of an organization that advocates, the overthroAv 
of the Government of the United States by force or violence and 
accepts employment the salary or wages for which are paid from any 
appropriation or fund contained in this Act shall be guilty of a felony 
and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned 
for not more than one year, or both: Provided further^ That the above 
penalty clause shall be in addition to, and not in substitution for, any 
other provisions of existing law. 
Approved May 11, 1954. 
May 13, 1954 
[S.2150] 
Public Law 358 
CHAPTER 201 
AN ACT 
Providing for creation of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation 
to construct part of the Saint Lawrence Seaway in United States territory in 
the interest of national security; authorizing the Corporation to consummate 
certain arrangements with the Saint Lawrence Seaway Authority of Canada 
relative to construction and operation of the seaway; empowering the Corpo-
ration to finance the United States share of the seaway cost on a self-liqui-
dating basis; to establish cooperation with Canada in the control and opera-
tion of the Saint Lawrence Seaway; to authorize negotiations with Canada 
of an agreement on tolls; and for other purposes. 
St. L awr e n c e 
Seaway 
Develop-
ment Corporation. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, 
68 S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 358-MAY 13, 1954 
93 
CREATION OF CORPORATION 
SECTION 1. There is hereby created, subject to the direction and 
supervision of the President, or the head of such agency as he may 
designate, a body corporate to be known as the Saint Lawrence Sea-
way Development Corporation (hereinafter referred to as the "Cor-
poration") . 
MANAGEMENT OF CORPORATION 
SEC. 2. (a) The management of the Corporation shall be vested in 
an Administrator who shall be appointed by the President, by and 
with the advice and consent of the Senate, and who shall receive com-
pensation at the rate of $17,500 per annum. 
(b) To assist the Administrator in the execution of the functions 
vested in the Corporation there shall be a Deputy Administrator who 
shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and con-
sent of the Senate, and who shall receive compensation at the rate of 
$16,000 per annum. The Deputy Administrator shall perform such 
duties as the Administrator may from time to time designate, and shall 
be acting Administrator and perform the functions of the Admin-
istrator during the absence or disability of the Administrator or in the 
event of a vacancy in the Office of the Administrator. 
(c) There is hereby established the Advisory Board of the Saint 
Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, which shall be com-
posed of five members appointed by the President, by and with the 
advice and consent of the Senate, not more than three of whom shall 
belong to the same political party. The Advisory Board shall meet 
at the call of the Administrator, who shall require it to meet not less 
often than once each ninety days; shall review the general policies of 
the Corporation, including its policies in connection with design and 
construction of facilities and the establishment of rules of measure-
ment for vessels and cargo and rates of charges or tolls; and shall 
advise the Administrator with respect thereto. 
Members of the 
Advisory Board shall receive for their services as members com-
pensation of not to exceed $50 per diem when actually engaged in the 
performance of their duties, together with their necessary traveling 
expenses while going to and coming from meetings. 
FUNCTIONS OF CORPORATION 
SEC. 3. (a) The Corporation is authorized and directed to construct, 
in United States territory, deep-water navigation works substantially 
in accordance with the "Controlled single stage project, 238-242" (with 
a controlling depth of twenty-seven feet in channels and canals and 
locks at least eight hundred feet long, eighty feet wide, and thirty feet 
over the sills), designated as "works solely for navigation" in the joint 
report dated January 3, 1941, of the Canadian Temporary Great 
Lakes-Saint Lawrence Basin Committee and the United States Saint 
Lawrence Advisory Committee, in the International Kapids section of 
the Saint Lawrence River together with necessary dredging in the 
Thousand Islands section; and to operate and maintain such works in 
coordination with the Saint Lawrence Seaway Authority of Canada, 
created by chapter 24 of the acts of the fifth session of the Twenty-
first Parliament of Canada 15-16, George VI (assented to December 
21, 1951) : Provided, That the Corporation shall not proceed with the 
aforesaid construction unless and until— 
(1) the Saint Lawrence Seaway Authority of Canada provides 
assurances satisfactory to the Corporation that it will complete 
the Canadian portions of the navigation works authorized by 
94 
PUBLIC LAW 358-MAY 13, 1954 
[68 S T A T . 
section 10, chapter 24 of the acts of the fifth session of the Twenty-
first Parliament of Canada 15-16, George VI, 1951, as nearly as 
possible concurrently with the completion of the works authorized 
by this section; 
(2) the Corporation has received assurances satisfactory to it 
that the State of New York, or an entity duly designated by it, 
or other licensee of the Federal Power Commission, in conjunction 
with an appropriate agency in Canada, as nearly as possible 
concurrently with the navigation works herein authorized, will 
construct and complete the dams and power works approved by 
the International Joint Commission in its order of October 29, 
1952 (docket 68) or any amendment or modification thereof, 
(b) The Corporation shall make necessary arrangements to assure 
the coordination of its activities with those of the Saint Lawrence 
Seaway Authority of Canada and the entity designated by the State 
of New York, or other licensee of the Federal Power Commission, 
authorized to construct and operate the dams and power works author-
ized by the International Joint Commission in its order of October 
29, 1952 (docket 68) or any amendment or modification thereof. 
CORPORATE POWERS 
SEC. 4. (a) For the purpose of carrying out its functions under this 
joint resolution the Corporation— 
(1) shall have succession in its corporate name; 
(2) may adopt and use a corporate seal, which shall be judi-
cially noticed; 
(3) may sue and be sued in its corporate name; 
(4) may adopt, amend, and repeal bylaws, rules, and regula-
tions governing the manner in which its business may be conducted 
and the powers vested in it may be exercised; 
(5) may make and carry out such contracts or agreements as 
are necessary or advisable in the conduct of its business; 
(6) shall be held to be an inhabitant and resident of the north-
ern judicial district of New York within the meaning of the laws 
of the United States relating to venue of civil suits; 
(T) may appoint and fix the compensation, in accordance with 
5uscTioyinote. 
^^^ provisious of the Classification Act of 1949, of such officers, 
attorneys, and employees as may be necessary for the conduct of 
its business, define their authority and duties, delegate to them 
such of the powers vested in the Corporation as the Administrator 
may determine, require bonds of such of them as the Adminis-
trator may designate, and fix the penalties and pay the premiums 
on such bonds; 
(8) may acquire, by purchase, lease, condemnation, or donation 
such real and personal property and any interest therein, and 
may sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of such real and personal 
property, as the Administrator deems necessary for the conduct of 
its business; and 
(9) shall determine the character of and the necessity for its 
obligations and expenditures, and the manner in which they shall 
be incurred, allowed and paid, subject to provisions of law specifi-
cally applicable to Government corporations. 
'j',;*-h/-^ ••: 
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FINANCING 
SEC. 5. In order to finance its activities, the Corporation is author-
ized and empowered to issue to the Secretary of the Treasury, from 
time to time and to have outstanding at any one time in an amount 
€8 S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 3 5 8 - M A Y 13, 1954 
95 
not exceeding $105,000,000, its revenue bonds which shall be payable 
from corporate revenues: Provided^ That not to exceed 10 per centum 
of the revenue bonds herein authorized shall be issued during the 
first year after the effective date of this Act and not to exceed 40 per 
centum during any year thereafter. 
Such obligations shall have 
maturities agreed upon by the Corporation and the Secretary of the 
Treasury, not in excess of fifty years. Such obligations may be redeem-
able at the option of the Corporation before maturity in such manner 
as may be stipulated in such obligations, but the obligations thus 
redeemed shall not be refinanced by the Corporation. 
Each such 
obligation shall bear interest at a rate determined by the Secretary of 
the Treasury, taking into consideration the current average rate on 
current marketable obligations of the United States of comparable 
maturities as of the last day of the month preceding the issuance of 
the obligation of the Corporation. 
The Secretary of the Treasury 
is authorized and directed to purchase any obligations of the Corpo-
ration to be issued hereunder and for such purpose the Secretary of 
the Treasury is authorized to use as a public debt transaction the pro-
ceeds from the sale of any securities issued under the Second Liberty 
Bond Act, as amended, and the purposes for which securities may be 
issued under the Second Liberty Bond Act, as amended, are extended 
to include any purchases of the Corporation's obligations hereunder. 
GOVERNMENT CORPORATION CONTROL ACT 
SEC. 6. Section 101 of the Government Corporation Control Act is 
|^ ^'^ 59% 
hereby amended by inserting after the words "Federal Housing 
Administration-' the words "Saint Lawrence Seaway Development 
Corporation". 
PAYMENTS IN LIEU OF TAXES 
SEC. 7. The Corporation is authorized to make payments to State 
and local governments in lieu of propertj'^ taxes upon property which 
was subject to State and local taxation before acquisition by the Cor-
poration. Such payments may be in the amounts, at the times, and 
upon the terms the Corporation deems appropriate, but the Corpora-
tion shall be guided by the policy of making payments not in excess of 
the taxes which would have been payable for such property in the 
condition in which it was acquired, except in cases where special bur-
dens are placed upon the State or local government by the activities 
of the Corporation or its agents. The Corporation, its property, fran-
chises, and income are hereby expressly exempted from taxation in 
any manner or form by any State, county, municipality, or any sub-
division thereof, but such exemption shall not extend to contractors for 
the Corporation. 
SERVICES AND FACILITIES OF OTHER AGENCIES 
SEC. 8. (a) The Corporation may, with the consent of the agency 
concerned, accept and utilize, on a reimbursable basis, the officers, 
employees, services, facilities, and information of any agency of the 
Federal Government, except that any such agency having custody of 
any data relating to any of the matters within the jurisdiction of the 
Corporation shall, upon request of the Administrator, make such data 
available to the Corporation without reimbursement. 
(b) The Corporation shall contribute to the civil-service retirement 
and disability fund, on the basis of annual billings as determined by 
the Civil Service Commission, for the Government's share of the cost 
of the civil-service retirement system applicable to the Corporation's 
96 
PUBLIC LAW 358-MAY 13, 1954 
[68 S T A T . 
employees and their beneficiaries. 
The Corporation shall also con-
tribute to the employee's compensation fund, on the basis of annual 
billings as determined by the Secretary of Labor, for the benefit pay-
ments made from such fund on account of the Corporation's employees. 
The annual billings shall also include a statement of the fair portion 
of the cost of the administration of the respective funds, which shall 
be paid by the Corporation into the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts. 
MISAPPROPRIATION OP FUNDS 
SEC. 9. (a) All general penal statutes relating to the larceny, em-
bezzlement, or conversion, of public moneys or property of the United 
States shall apply to the moneys and property of the Corporation. 
(b) Any person who, with intent to defraud the Corporation, or 
to deceive any director, officer, or employee of the Corporation or any 
offi.cer or employee of the United States, (1) makes any false entry 
in any book of the Corporation, or (2) makes any false report or state-
ment for the Corporation, shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined not 
more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. 
(c) Any person who shall receive any compensation, rebate, or 
reward, or shall enter into any conspiracy, collusion, or agreement, 
express or implied, with intent to defraud the Corporation or wrong-
fully and unlawfully to defeat its purposes, shall, on conviction 
thereof, be fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned not more than five 
years, or both. 
REPORTS TO CONGRESS 
SEC. 10. The Corporation shall submit to the President for trans-
mission to the Congress at the beginning of each regular session an 
annual report of its operations under this Act. 
SEPARABILITY OF PROVISIONS 
SEC. 11. If any provision of this Act or the application of such pro-
vision to any person or circumstances shall be held invalid, the remain-
der of the Act and the application of such provision to persons or 
circumstances other than those to which it is held invalid shall not 
be affected thereby. 
RATES 
OF 
CHARGES 
OR 
TOLLS 
SEC. 12. (a) The Corporation is further authorized and directed to 
negotiate with the Saint Lawrence Seaway Authority of Canada, or 
such other agency as may be designated by the Government of Canada, 
an agreement as to the rules for the measurement of vessels and cargoes 
and the rates of charges or tolls to be levied for the use of the Saint 
Lawrence Seaway, and for an equitable division of the revenues of 
the seaway between the Corporation and the Saint Lawrence Seaway 
Authority of Canada. Such rules for the measurement of vessels and 
cargoes and rates of charges or tolls shall, to the extent practicable, 
be established or changed only after giving due notice and holding 
a public hearing. In the event that such negotiations shall not result 
in agreement, the Corporation is authorized and directed to establish 
unilaterally such rules of measurement and rates of charges or tolls 
for the use of the works under its administration: Provided^ however, 
That the Corporation shall give three months' notice, by publication 
in the Federal Register, of any proposals to establish or change uni-
laterally the basic rules of measurement and of any proposals to 
establish or change unilaterally the rates of charges or tolls, during 
68 STAT.] 
PUBLIC LAW 359-MAY 13, 1954 
97 
which period a public hearing shall be conducted. 
Any such establish-
ment of or changes in basic rules of measurement or rates of charges 
or tolls shall be subject to and shall take effect thirty days following 
the date of approval thereof by the President, and shall be final and 
conclusive, subject to review as hereinafter provided. 
Any person 
aggrieved by an order of the Corporation establishing or changing 
such rules or rates may, Avithin such thirty-day period, apply to the 
Corporation for a rehearing of the matter upon the basis of which 
the order was entered. The Corporation shall have power to grant or 
deny the application for rehearing and upon such rehearing or with-
out further hearing to abrogate or modify its order. The action of 
the Corporation in denying an application for rehearing or in abro-
gating or modifying its order shall be final and conclusive thirty days 
after its approval by the President unless within such thirty-day period 
a petition for review is filed by a person aggrieved by such action in the 
United States Court of Appeals for the circuit in which the works 
to which the order applies are located or in the United States Court 
of Appeals for the District of Columbia. The court in which such 
petition is filed shall have the same jurisdiction and powers as in the 
case of petitions to review orders of the Federal Power Commission 
filed under section 313 (b) of the Federal Power Act (16 U. S. C. 8251). 
49 stat. seo. 
The judgment of the court shall be final subject to review by the 
Supreme Court upon certiorari or certification as provided in sections 
1254 (1) and 1254 (3) of title 2-8 of the United States Code. The 
62 stat. 928, 
filing of an application for rehearing shall not, unless specifically 
ordered by the Corporation, operate as a stay of the Corporation's 
order. The filing of a petition for review shall not, unless specifically 
ordered by the court, operate as a stay of the Corporation's order. 
(b) In the course of its negotiations, or in the establishment, uni-
laterally, of the rates of charges or tolls as provided in subsection (a), 
the Corporation shall be guided by the following principles: 
(1) That the rates shall be fair and equitable and shall give due 
consideration to encouragement of increased utilization of the naviga-
tion facilities, and to the special character of bulk agricultural, min-
eral, and other raw materials. 
(2) That rates shall vary according to the character of cargo with 
the view that each classification of cargo shall so far as practicable 
derive relative benefits from the use of these facilities. 
(3) That the rates on vessels in ballast without passengers or cargo 
may be less than the rates for vessels with passengers or cargo. 
(4) That the rates prescribed shall be calculated to cover, as nearly 
as practicable, all costs of operating and maintaining the works under 
the administration of the Corporation, including depreciation, pay-
ment of interest on the obligations of the Corporation, and payments 
in lieu of taxes. 
(5) That the rates shall provide, in addition, for the Corporation 
revenues sufficient to amortize the principal of the debts and obliga-
tions of the Corporation over a period not to exceed fifty years. 
Approved May 13, 1954. 
Public Law 359 
CHAPTER 202 
AN ACT 
jjay 13, 1954 
To extend the period for the filing of certain claims under the War Claims Act 
[H. R. 6896] 
of 1948 by World War II prisoners of war. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That section 3 of the 
39777 o—55—pt. 1-