where nobody lives. That is what they think in Washington. People live there and make a living, send kids to school just like they do any place else. So what we are arguing for, speaking for myself anyway, is to make efficient use of every acre. If the cost is a little more gasoline and you get a little more experience in reaching it, it might be good for you. But don't take more land out of our State than you need.

You've got enough of it now. You say so yourself, if you can arrange to use it.

Admiral CoмBS. With the time element that we don't like

Senator MALONE. I will guarantee they will build that field there and it won't take them long. If they don't I'll go out there and my own outfit can build it quicker than your estimating.

Senator STENNIS. Admiral, this is repetition but I think it ought to be very clear in the record now. You testified in response to Senator Malone's question that you can use this second green areaAdmiral COMBS. Sahwave Range.

Senator STENNIS. Yes, your present Black Rock, your Saline Valley plus Tonopah.

Admiral COMBS. Plus Tonopah.

Senator STENNIS. And not expand Black Rock, and that would meet your requirements, is that correct?

Admiral COMBS. It will eventually, but it will not meet it in the time element. I have borne on that all along and I have repeated it time and again, the time element. I have said we will not be able to do our full requirements until we have this refueling station.

Senator MALONE. Mr. Chairman, they had this for 2 years, it was available to them. If they will give a contractor out in Nevada 2 or 3 months he will put them on that field.

Admiral COMBS. I first have to have the money from the Congress. Mr. COOPER. Mr. Chairman, I'd like to request that your committee ask the Bureau of Land Management to give you a written report as to the additional acreage that they can make available in Tonopah. Senator STENNIS. Yes, we will develop that. I want to get it absolutely clear on that.

Anything else? Otherwise this hearing will be closed with two exceptions. We want the further facts from the Bureau of Land Management, and then we want something from the Atomic Energy Commission which will be classified as everyone knows.

Any other point?

Senator BIBLE. Mr. Chairman, may I have an answer to my question, going north and south to Black Rock as compared to going down to Tonopah after you have had additional acreage after you have reevaluated with the BLM.

Admiral COMBS. I thought I had answered that, sir.

Senator BIBLE. I want to see that one 345, the number of gallons you use, how many runs you make; I can understand that very easily. Senator MALONE. Mr. Chairman, just one thing, I don't want to take time for it but might I rearrange my statement and put in some resolutions and material?

Senator STENNIS. I will be very glad for you to do that. We want to thank everyone. We want to especially thank you gentlemen that came here from so far away from home and we appreciate very

much your interest and concern. This committee only votes to authorize land under what we think is military necessity.

I want you to understand that as citizens, and we will give this our utmost consideration.

We especially thank you gentlemen from the Navy, too, and the other witnesses.

The subcommittee has a few matters it may want to take up on other items in the bill not connected with this one.

Senator MALONE. Mr. Chairman, I want to congratulate you on the fairness which you have conducted this hearing and the time you have given your people here.

Senator STENNIS. We are very glad to have you all here. This is an important matter.

Senator BIBLE. It certainly is, and I echo Senator Malone's sentiment. It has been handled very judiciously and, may I say, very patiently.

Senator STENNIS. I can say this to you gentlemen. This jet airplane is just changing the whole problem everywhere, airfields, airbases, airports, flying lanes, bombing ranges, and everything else.

It is just something though that we can't hold back. Whatever is necessary militarily, we have to have it.

Thank you all again and this is closed on the conditions I have stated.

(Whereupon at 4:05 p. m., the subcommittee went into executive session.)

MILITARY PUBLIC WORKS CONSTRUCTION

THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 1956

UNITED STATES SENATE, SUBCOMMITTEE ON
REAL ESTATE AND MILITARY CONSTRUCTION
OF THE COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES,
Washington, D. C.

The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 3:05 p. m., in room 212, Senate Office Building.

Present: Senator Case.

Also present: K. E. BeLieu, of the committee staff.

Mr. BELIEU. Mr. Sheridan, will you start in on the general provisions?

STATEMENT OF EDWARD J. SHERIDAN, OFFICE, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (PROPERTIES AND INSTALLATIONS), ACCOMPANIED BY JOHN ARRINGTON, OFFICE, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (PROPERTIES AND INSTALLATIONS); JAMES NASH, OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE; MAJ. GEN. LEE B. WASHBOURNE, ASSISTANT CHIEF OF STAFF, INSTALLATIONS, HEADQUARTERS, USAF; AND JOHN R. GIBBENS, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF REAL PROPERTY, HEADQUARTERS, USAF

TITLE IV

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Mr. SHERIDAN. The first general provision, section 401, is a standard general authority. It is contained in all authorization bills. It is similar to those in previous years.

Mr. BELIEU. Just a minute.

(Discussion off the record.)

Mr. BELIEU. Section 401 of general provisions is as follows:

Sec. 401. The Secretary of each military department may proceed to establish or develop installations and facilities under this act without regard to sections 1136, 3648, and 3748 of the Revised Statutes, as amended. The authority to place permanent or temporary improvements on land includes authority for surveys, administration, overhead, planning, and supervision incident to construction. That authority may be exercised before title to the land is approved under section 355 of the Revised Statutes, as amended, and even though the land is held temporarily.

The authority to provide family housing includes authority to acquire such land as the Secretary concerned determines, with the approval of the Secretary of Defense, to be necessary in connection with that housing. The authority to

acquire real estate or land includes authority to make surveys and to acquire land, and interests in land (including temporary use), by gift, purchase, exchange of Government-owned land, or otherwise.

Mr. SHERIDAN. Section 402 includes

Mr. BELIEU. One question on 401.
This is the standard provision?

Mr. SHERIDAN. That is right, it is customary general authority.
Mr. BELIEU. No change from preceding years?

Mr. SHERIDAN. No. This follows the pattern of previous years and it is completely standard. There is no variation from it.

Section 402 is as follows:

There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for the purposes of this act, but appropriations for public works projects authorized by titles I, II, and III shall not exceed

(1) For title I: Inside the United States, $87,124,000; outside the United States, $29,763,000; section 102, $188,783,000; or a total of $305,607,000;

(2) For title II: Inside the United States, $36,106,000; outside the United States, $61,620,000; section 202, $50,997,000, or a total of $418,728,000; and

(3) For title III: Inside the United States, $661,751,000; outside the United States, $312,834,000; section 302, $163,000,000; or a total of $1,137,585,000.

Section 402 includes the totals for each title of the bill, titles I, II, and III, and those figures that are included in the present section 402 will have to be revised at the time the bill is marked up.

Section 403 is as follows:

Any of the amounts named in title I, II, or III of this act may, in the discretion of the Secretary concerned, be increased by 5 percent for projects inside the United States and by 10 percent for projects outside the United States. However, the total cost of all projects in each such title may not be more than the total amount authorized to be appropriated for projects in that title.

Mr. SHERIDAN. Section 403 is another repeat provision that has been used in previous years allowing for a 5 percent increase for projects in the United States and a 10 percent flexibilty for construction costs outside the United States.

That is the same as the period last year.

Mr. BELIEU. All right.

Section 404 is as follows:

Whenever

(1) the President determines that compliance with section 4 (c) of the Armed Services Procurement Act of 1947 (41 U. S. C. 153 (c)) for contracts made under this act for the establishment or development of military installations and facilities in foreign countries would interfere with the carrying out of this act; and

(2) the Secretary of Defense and the Comptroller General have agreed upon alternative methods for adequately auditing those contracts;

the President may exempt those contracts from the requirements of that section. Mr. SHERIDAN. Section 404 is another repeat general provision that covers the relief from certain requirements of auditing in connection with overseas contracts.

Mr. Nash, will you discuss that?

Mr. NASH. Section 4 (c) of the Armed Services Procurement Act provides that all negotiated contracts shall contain a provision that the Comptroller General will have the right to inspect the books and records of the prime contractor and his subcontractors thereunder.

The purpose of this provision is to enable the military department to waive that requirement under the criteria set forth in this section,