Amend the title so as to read: To extend the restrictive period against alienation of any interest of restricted heirs of members of the Five Civilized Tribes, and for other purposes. On February 4, 1931, the House recommitted H. R. 15603 to the Committee on Indian Affairs at the request of the members of the Oklahoma delegation, in order that they might be given opportunity to make statements before the committee regarding the bill. The measure came up for hearing before the full committee on February 11, 1931. After a full discussion of the amendment offered to the bill by Mr. Hastings of Oklahoma between members of the Oklahoma delegation, representatives of the Office of Indian Affairs, and members of your committee, the bill was ordered reported with the amendments above set forth. The purpose of the proposed amendment is two-fold: First, to assure that funds and securities now held by the Secretary of the Interior belonging to restricted members of the Five Civilized Tribes of one-half or more Indian blood remain restricted and subject to continued supervision after April 26, 1931, and secondly, that restricted lands inherited or otherwise acquired by heirs of one-half or more Indian blood born since March 4, 1906, shall remain restricted until April 26, 1956, unless the restrictions are removed in the meantime in a manner prescribed by existing law. The necessity for this legislation arises primarily from the fact that the extension act of May 10, 1928, did not sufficiently protect Indian heirs of one-half or more Indian blood who have no allotments in their own right and have no restricted lands, except those acquired by inheritance or otherwise from restricted members of the tribe; also, that the existing restrictions against accumulated funds in the hands of the Secretary of the Interior belonging to restricted Indians of the Five Civilized Tribes of one-half or more Indian blood, would not expire on April 26, 1931, there being considerable uncertainty and doubt as to this under existing law. The substitute amendment also assures additional protection to these Indians by requiring that conveyances of any interest in land of any full-blood Indian heir shall not be valid unless approved in open court after notice in accordance with the rules of procedure in probate matters, with the right of appeal from the county court to the district court of the district of which the county forms a part. The bill as it was introduced was drafted by the Department of the Interior. The amendment changing the body of the measure was worked out between members of the committee, the Oklahoma delegation, and representatives of the Office of Indian Affairs. Because of the situation which it proposes to meet, it is urged that action be taken upon the bill at the earliest possible date. CONSTRUCTION OF CERTAIN PUBLIC BUILDINGS FEBRUARY 11, 1931.-Ordered to be printed Mr. ELLIOTT, from the committee of conference, submitted the following CONFERENCE REPORT [To accompany H. R. 16297] The committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the amendments of the Senate to the bill (H. R. 16297) entitled "An act to amend the act entitled 'An act to provide for the construction of certain public buildings, and for other purposes,' approved May 25, 1926 (44 Stat. 630), and acts amendatory thereof, having met, after full and free conference, have agreed to recommend and do recommend to their respective Houses as follows: That the Senate recede from its amendment numbered 6. That the House recede from its disagreement to the amendments of the Senate numbered 1, 2, and 4, and agree to the same. That the House recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the Senate numbered 3, and concur therein with an amendment, as follows: In lieu of the matter proposed by said amendment, insert: SEC. 2. That the provisions contained in the act of May 25, 1926, as amended by the act of February 24, 1928, limiting the amount that may be expended annually in any one of the States, Territories, or possessions of the United States to $10,000,000 be and the same are hereby further amended so as to increase the amount that may be expended in any one of the States, Territories, or possessions of the United States to an amount not to exceed $20,000,000 annually from the date of the passage of this act until December 31, 1933, after which time the amount which shall be expended in any one of the States, Territories, or possessions of the United States shall not exceed the sum of $15,000,000 annually. That the House recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the Senate numbered 5, and concur therein with an amendment, as follows: In lieu of the matter proposed by said amendment, insert on page 3, line 6, after the word "cost": Provided, That this provision shall not apply to any contract entered into prior to the approval of this act, nor to any contract entered into after December 31, 1933. RICHARD N. ELLIOTT, FRITZ G. LANHAM, Managers on the part of the House. CLAUDE A. Swanson, W. H. MCMASTER, A. R. GOULD, HENRY F. ASHURST, Managers on the part of the Senate. The managers on the part of the House at the conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the amendments of the Senate to the bill (H. R. 16297) entitled "An act to amend the act entitled 'An act to provide for the construction of certain public buildings, and for other purposes' approved May 25, 1926 (44 Stat. 630), and acts amendatory thereof," submit the following written statement explaining the effect of the action agreed on by the conference committee and submitted in the accompanying conference report: Amendments Nos. 1 and 2 are merely clarifying amendments to which the House managers agreed. Amendment No. 3, instead of repealing the clause in the public buildings act approved May 26, 1926, as amended, providing not more than $10,000,000 annually could be expended in any of the States, Territories, or possessions of the United States, was amended to provide that not more than $15,000,000 could be expended in any such territory during any one year. The House managers disagreed to this and agreed to the same with an amendment making the limit that could be expended annually in any of the States, Territories, etc., $20,000,000. The fourth amendment provides that when the lowest responsible bid pursuant to advertising exceeds the estimated limit of cost fixed by Congress, that the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized, in his discretion, to enter into contracts for the construction of such buildings in an amount not exceeding 5 per cent in excess of such estimated limit of cost, while the House bill authorized him to enter into such contracts in an amount not exceeding 10 per cent in excess of such estimated limit of cost. Amendment No. 6 was disagreed to because the matter contained in said amendment was taken care of otherwise. RICHARD N. ELLIOTT, FRITZ G. LANHAM, Managers on the part of the House. 3 O HR-71-3-VOL 2-7 |