Transfer Act, Pub. L. 83-568

674

PUBLIC LAW 568-AUG. 5, 1954

[68

STAT.

after June 30, 1946, and prior to July 1, 1953, over the unemployment
administrative expenditures made after June 30, 1946, and prior to
July 1, 1953".
(2) The third sentence of such section 904 (h) is hereby repealed.
Approved August 5, 1954.
Public Law 568
August 5, 1954

[H. R. 303]

Indian hospitals.
Transfer to Pub­
lic Health Service.

Restriction.

HEW transfer to
s tate or p r i vat e
institutions.

Condition.

Re striction.

Failure to meet
requirements.

HEW

regula­

tions.

Personnel, etc.

CHAPTER

658

AN ACT

To transfer the maintenance and operation of hospital and health facilities for

Indians to the Public Health SelTice, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Oongress assembled, That all functions,
responsibilities, authorities, and duties of the Department of the
Interior, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Secretary of the Interior,
and the Commissioner of Indian Affairs relating to the maintenance
and operation of hospital and health facilities for Indians, and the
conservation of the health of Indians, are hereby transferred to, and
shall be administered by, the Surgeon General of the United States
Public Health Service, under the supervision and direction of the
Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare: Provided, That hos­
pitals now in operation for a specific tribe or tribes of Indians shan
not be closed prior to July 1, 1956, without the consent of the govern­
ing body of the tribe or its organized council.
SEC. 2. Whenever the health needs of the Indians can be better met
thereby, the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare is author­
ized in his discretion to enter into contracts with any State, Territory,
or political subdivision thereof, or any private nonprofit corporation,
agency or institution providing for the transfer by the United States
Public Health Service of Indian hospitals or health facilities, includ­
ing initial operating equipment and supplies.
It shall be a condition of such transfer that all facilities transferred
shall be available to meet the health needs of the Indians and that
such health needs shall be given priority over those of the non-Indian
population. No hospital or health facility that has been constructed
or maintained for a specific tribe of Indians, or for a specific group
of tribes, shall be transferred by the Secretary of Health, Education,
and Welfare to a non-Indian entity or organization under this Act
unless such action has been approved by the governing body of the
tribe, or by the governing bodies of a majority of the tribes, for which
such .hospital or health facility has been constructed or maintained:
Provided, That if, following such transfer by the United States
Public Health Service, the Secretary of Health, Education, and Wel­
fare finds the hospital or health facility transferred under this section
is not thereafter serving the need of the Indians, the Secretary of
Health, Education, and Welfare shall notify those charged with man­
agement thereof, setting forth needed improvements, and in the event
such improvements are not made within a time to be specified, shall
immediately assume management and operation of such hospital or
health facility.
SEC. 3. The Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare is also
Huthorized to make such other regulations as he deems desirable to
carry out the provisions of this Act.
SEC. 4. The personnel, property, records, and unexpended balances
of appropriations, allocations, and other funds (available or to be
made available), which the Director of the Bureau of the Budget
shall determine to relate primarily to the functions transferred to the

68 STAT.]

675

PUBLIC LAW 569-AUG. 9, 1954

Public Health Service of the Department of Health, Education, and
Welfare hereunder, are transferred for use in the administration of
the functions so transferred. Any of the personnel transferred pur­
suant to this Act which the transferee agency shall find to be in excess
of the personnel necessary for the administration of the functions
transferred to such agency shall be retransferred under existing law
to other positions in the Government or separated from the service.
SEC. 5. The Act of April 3, 1952 (66 Stat. 35), and all other laws or
parts of laws in conflict herewith, are hereby repealed.
SEC. 6. This Act shall take effect July 1, 1955.
Approved August 5, 1954.

Public Law 569

CHAPTER

25 usc 444-449.
Repeals.
Effective date.

659

AN ACT

To extend emergency foreign merchant vessel acquisition and operating author­

ity of Public Law 101, Sevent~··seventh Congress, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and Hmuse of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, That during any
period in which vessels may be requisitioned under section 902 of
the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended, the President is author­
ized and empowered through the Secretary of Commerce to purchase,
or to requisition, or for any part of such period to charter or requisi­
tion the use of, or to take over the title to or possession of, for such
use or disposition as he shall direct, any merchant vessel not owned
by citizens of the United States which is lying idle in waters within
the jurisdiction of the United States, including the Canal Zone, and
which the President finds to be necessary to the national defense. Just
compensation shall be determined and made to the owner or owners
of any such vessel in accordance with the applicable provisions of
sec-tion 902 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended. Such
compensation hereunder, or advances on account thereof, shall be
deposited 'with the Treasurer of the United States in a separate
deposit fund. Payments for such compensation and also for payment
of any valid claim upon such vessel in accord with the provisions of
the sec-ond paragraph of subsection (d) of such section 902, as
amended, shall be made from such fund upon the certificate of the
Secretary of Commerce.
SEC. 2. During any period in which vessels may be requisitioned
under section 902 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended, the
President is authorized through the Secretary of Commerce to
acquire by voluntary agreement of purchase or charter the ownership
or use of any merchant vessel not owned by citizens of the United
States.
SEC. 3. (a) Any vessel not documented under the laws of the United
States, acquired by or made available to the Secretary of Commerce
under this Act, or othenvise, may, notwithstanding any other pro­
vision of law, in the discretion of the Secretary of the Treasury be
documented as a vessel of the United States under such rules and
regulations or orders,. and with such limitations, as the Secretary of
the Treasury may prescribe or issue as necessary or appropriate to
carry out the purposes and provisions of this Act, and in accordance
with the provisions of subsection (c) hereof, engage in the coastwise
trade when so documented. Any document issued to a vessel under
the provisions of this subsection shall be surrendered at any time that
such surrender may be ordered by the Secretary of the Treasury. No

Au~ust

9,1954
LS.2371]

Foreign ve ssels.
Emergency a c­
quisition.

49 Stat. 2015.
46 USC 1242.

46 USC 1242.

Surrender
document.

0

f