532 PUBLIC LAWS-CH. 421-JUNE 25, 1940 [54 STAT. [CHAPTER 421] June i AN ACT [H. R. 8202] Making appropriations for the Department of Agriculture for the fiscal year [Public, No. 658] ending June 30, 1941, and for other purposes. Be it enaeted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Department of Ag- United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following tion Act,s1941. sums are appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not other- wise appropriated, for the Department of Agriculture for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1941, namely: OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY SALARIES Salaries. For the Secretary of Agriculture, Under Secretary of Agriculture, Assistant Secretary and for other personal services in the District Proviso. of Columbia, and elsewhere, $597,620: Provided, That in expending Salary restriction appropriations or portions of appropriations contained in this Act for the payment of personal services in the District of Columbia in 42stat. . 88 . - accordance with the Classification Act of 1923, as amended, with 674; supp. v, J§ 673, the exception of the Assistant Secretary, the average of the salaries 673c. of the total number of persons under any grade in any bureau, office, or other appropriation unit shall not at any time exceed the average of the compensation rates specified for the grade by such Act as amended and in grades in which only one position is allocated the salary of such position shall not exceed the average of the compen- sation rates for the grade, except that in unusually meritorious cases of one position in a grade advances may be made to rates higher than the average of the compensation rates of the grade but not more often than once in any fiscal year and then only to the next higher Restriction not ap- rate: Provided further, That this restriction shall not apply (1) plicablein d d to grades 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the clerical-mechanical service, or (2) to require the reduction in salary of any person whose compensation was 42 Stat.1490. fixed as of July 1, 1924, in accordance with the rules of section 6 u.s.c. s.6 of such Act, (3) to require the reduction in salary of any person who is transferred from one position to another position in the same or different grade, in the same or different bureau, office, or other appropriation unit, (4) to prevent the payment of a salary under any grade at a rate higher than the maximum rate of the grade when such higher rate is permitted by the Classification Act of 1923, as amended, and is specifically authorized by other law, or (5) to reduce the compensation of any person in a grade in which only one position StenograFhic re- is allocated: Provided further, That the Secretary of Agriculture is porting ces. authorized to contract for stenographic reporting services, and the appropriations made in this Act shall be available for such purposes: Options to purchase Provided further, That the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to lands. expend from appropriations available for the purchase of lands not to exceed $1 for each option to purchase any particular tract or Allowances for liv- tracts of land: Provided further, That not to exceed $25,000 of the ing quarters abroad. appropriations available for salaries and expenses of officers and employees of the Department of Agriculture permanently stationed in foreign countries may be used for payment of allowances for 46 Stat. 818 . living quarters, including heat, fuel, and light, as authorized by the Eabroyees Act pp ed Juned At ed n 26, 1930 (5 U. S . C . 118a): Provided further, Payments for rent, That with the approval of the Secretary of Agriculture employees et, in advance of the Department of Agriculture stationed abroad may enter into leases for official quarters, for periods not exceeding one year, and
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