Senator CORDON. I do not know what the facts are with respect to various projects here because I have been able to attend only yesterday and today. RELEASE OF FUNDS Senator MCCLELLAN. I am going to lay the foundation here. I am going to develop the record on this project so this committee can take action when we get ready to act on the bill proper. In the meantime if the House acts to release this money that is already appropriated to let the Corps of Engineers go ahead, that will be all right. We can then act, too. However, if no action has been taken by the House by the time this bill reaches the stage of action by this committee, then I am going to undertake to have this committee act on it to release those funds at least and also to include an appropriation here for this fiscal year that will enable the Corps of Engineers to do this job like it should be done. Senator ELLENDER. Mr. Chairman, as I pointed out a few days ago, it was my understanding that since no money had been provided in the budget for it, although the Corps of Engineers had recommended $3 million within-ceiling General CHORPENING. $3 million overceiling. Senator ELLENDER. How much within ceiling? Senator ELLENDER. You had how much to spend, $2.5 million? General CHORPENING. There has been appropriated $3.5 million for construction on this project, $2.5 million in fiscal 1953, and $1 million in fiscal 1954, but we were instructed to suspend construction about 1 year ago, so of the total of $3.5 million that has been made available, approximately $2.5 million is still unexpended and available for construction, but at such time as we are given instructions to proceed. Senator MCCLELLAN. Are you not wrong about $2.5 million? It is $3 million that was appropriated. That was appropriated in 1952. General CHORPENING. Including planning funds, Senator McClellan, we have had a total of $5,151,000 appropriated. Senator MCCLELLAN. That $3 million included planning money? TOTAL CONSTRUCTION FUNDS General CHORPENING. Some, yes, sir. The total appropriated and applied to construction has been $3.5. Senator MCCLELLAN. There was $3 million appropriated for that. project in 1952. General CHORPENING. I think it was $2.5 million, sir, that we got in fiscal 1953 for construction and then a million was put in last year. Senator MCCLELLAN. We had $3 million before that. About the time the project was stopped it was operating on a $3 million appropriation. General CHORPENING. Including planning it was almost that, sir. Senator MCCLELLAN. I am sure I am correct about it. Recheck it and get it accurate as to how much money you have had in the different appropriations at the time they were appropriated and the amount of money you have on hand unexpended that is now available to resume work the minute the two Appropriations Committees give you the green light. General CHORPENING. We will check that, sir. Senator MCCLELLAN. I think you covered that in your testimony here yesterday. You covered that particular project, did you? Colonel WHIPPLE. No, sir. We have not covered that particular project before this committee. Senator MCCLELLAN. You have not covered it yet? Senator ELLENDER. I did ask some questions. General CHORPENING. Senator Ellender did ask some questions about it yesterday. Senator MCCLELLAN. I was unable to be here yesterday because of a meeting of the Commission on the Reorganization of the Executive Branch of the Government. I do want to be present when Table Rock is discussed and if you should reach it when I am not present I wish you would defer it until I can be present because it is quite important to my State and although the dam itself is not within the State boundaries-it is over in Missouri-the project is of vital importance and it is one of those projects that will do just what you have been testifying here, that it will increase the benefits of other projects already constructed within the integrated program. Therefore, I do want that developed thoroughly and fully emphasized when we get to that project and I should like to be present. If you should reach it, Mr. Chairman, when I am not here, I hope you will defer it until I can be present. Senator CORDON. I will say, Senator, if the present acting chairman is chairman and does not overlook it, the Senator's request will be granted, but I know that if by oversight the testimony does come in we will be more than happy to refer to it when the Senator is present. Senator ELLENDER. Since no money is provided for it is it going to come up? RESURVEY OF POWER POTENTIALS Senator MCCLELLAN. I may say that money has been provided, nearly $2.5 million is already appropriated and now available, which was held up here in view of a provision that was written into the conference report last year about a resurvey of power potentials in that area and power needs. That survey has been completed, a favorable report filed, and that money could now be released by the action of the two appropriation committees. I am not going to ask this committee to act now. I am going to give the House committee a chance to pass on it first, but if it is not acted on by the time this bill reaches the stage of final action by this committee, then I am going to ask that some action be taken and I want to develop the record for that purpose. I do not only intend to ask for this money to be released, the $2.5 million, but I am going to ask for further consideration with respect to the amount of money the Corps of Engineers has requested and says it needs to carry on that project in a feasible and economic manner to get construction under way. About $3 million more, as I recall, is what the Corps of Engineers has testified would be a suitable amount to carry on this project as the Congress intended that it should be constructed. Senator CORDON. I do not know what the facts are with respect to various projects here because I have been able to attend only yesterday and today. RELEASE OF FUNDS Senator MCCLELLAN. I am going to lay the foundation here. I am going to develop the record on this project so this committee can take action when we get ready to act on the bill proper. In the meantime if the House acts to release this money that is already appropriated to let the Corps of Engineers go ahead, that will be all right. We can then act, too. However, if no action has been taken by the House by the time this bill reaches the stage of action by this committee, then I am going to undertake to have this committee act on it to release those funds at least and also to include an appropriation here for this fiscal year that will enable the Corps of Engineers to do this job like it should be done. Senator ELLENDER. Mr. Chairman, as I pointed out a few days ago, it was my understanding that since no money had been provided in the budget for it, although the Corps of Engineers had recommended $3 million within-ceiling General CHORPENING. $3 million overceiling. Senator ELLENDER. How much within ceiling? General CHORPENING. None within ceiling. Senator ELLENDER. You had how much to spend, $2.5 million? General CHORPENING. There has been appropriated $3.5 million for construction on this project, $2.5 million in fiscal 1953, and $1 milhon in fiscal 1954, but we were instructed to suspend construction about 1 year ago, so of the total of $3.5 million that has been made available, approximately $2.5 million is still unexpended and available for constriction, but at such time as we are given instructions to proceed. Senator MCCLELLAN. Are you not wrong about $2.5 million? It is $3 million that was appropriated. That was appropriated in 1952. General CHORPENING. Including planning funds. Senator McClellan, we have had a total of $5,151,000 appropriated. Senator MCCLELLAN. That $3 million included planning money? TOTAL CONSTRUCTION FUNDS General CHORPENING. Some, yes, sir. The total appropriated and appled to construction has been $3.5. Senator MCCLELLAN. There was $3 million appropriated for that project in 1952. General CHORPENING. I think it was $2.5 million, sir, that we got in fiscal 1953 for construction and then a million was put in last year. Senator MCCLELLAN. We had $3 million before that. About the time the project was stopped it was operating on a $3 million appropration. General CHORPENING. Including planning it was almost that, sir. Senator MCCLELLAN. I am sure I am correct about it. Recheck it and get it accurate as to how much money you have had in the different appropriations at the time they were appropriated and the amount of money you have on hand unexpended that is now available to res me work the minute the two Appropriations Committees give you the given light. General CHORPENING. We will check that, sir. (The following information was supplied:) (Appropriations for planning prior to receipt of construction funds in fiscal year 1953 totaled $1,166,000. The total 1953 appropriation was $2,985,000 and for fiscal year 1954 was $1 million. Total appropriations to date are therefore $5,151,000. Of this amount approximately $2.6 million have been expended leaving approximately $2.5 million available for further construction when permitted by the Appropriations Committees.) Senator CORDON. Let us go a little further so the committee's presiding officer will just know how to get this thing properly in the record, Senator. My understanding is that no funds are requested for the current year. General CHORPENING. That is correct. Senator CORDON. Ordinarily there would be no justification presented by the engineers. General CHORPENING. That is correct. DECEMBER 1953 EXAMINATION AND REPORT Senator CORDON. I understand also the corps was directed to make an examination and submit a report with respect to the matters adverted to in last year's report on the civil functions appropriation. I understand that that examination has been made and the report has been made to the two committees; is that correct? General CHORPENING. Yes, that report was made in December 1953. Senator CORDON. I believe yesterday in your discussion in answer to a question from Senator Ellender, a letter was placed in the record giving a summarization of the report? General CHORPENING. That is correct. Senator MCCLELLAN. That is the letter of transmittal. General СHORPENING. Yes. Senator CORDON. Are you familiar with the contents of the letter and the report? Senator MCCLELLAN. I am. Senator CORDON. And your view is that the report itself is essential to a full understanding of the situation. Senator MCCLELLAN. I think the letter is sufficient so far as this record is concerned. Of course, the report remains on file here and is available for reference, but for this record I think the letter giving a summary of it, the letter of transmittal, is sufficient for the printed record. Senator CORDON. Then the only matter now needed is to clear up the status of the project with respect to appropriations which have been made? Senator MCCLELLAN. That is right. Senator CORDON. Then we are in a position to take a look at the present status of the project insofar as there is appropriated money and you have in mind that you desire also to consider the matter of an additional construction appropriation; is that correct? Senator MCCLELLAN. Mr. Chairman, I may say it is not a question of getting money, but there is no use to start a project and give the Corps of Engineers, the construction agency, less money than is necessary to do the job economically. That is all I am interested in. Senator CORDON. You brought up the very matter that I was going to advert to, namely, will the corps come before the committee then prepared to discuss the matter of what funds could be most beneficially used in addition to moneys now appropriated if additional funds could be beneficially spent in connection therewith in the coming year? General CHORPENING. I am prepared to discuss that right now, sir. Senator CORDON. At this time I wonder if we can recess today. Senator MCCLELLAN. Yes. Mr. Chairman, all I was trying to make certain of is that I be present. I was fearful some day you might get it up here when I could not be present and I do want to be present when it is developed. Senator CORDON. We will see that you are present. Senator ELLENDER. That completes the seven projects. Senator CORDON. Yes; we have completed seven projects. Senator ELLENDER. We will continue on that question of money for advance planning. General CHORPENING. For flood control and navigation; the first thing Monday morning. Senator ELLENDER. You will have the various projects named and the amount earmarked for each one? General CHORPENING. Yes, sir. Senator CORDON. We will recess until Monday at 10:30 a. m. (Thereupon, at 12 noon, Tuesday, February 9, 1954, the committee recessed until 10:30 a. m., Monday, February 15, 1954.) |