PUBLIC LAWS-CH. 259-JUNE 28, 1941 Proviso. Helium plants and investigations. Post, p . 553. Amarillo, Tex. Helium production and investigations. Transfers of funds. Post, pp . 378, 553; ante, p. 168 . Maintenance, etc., of plants. Post, p. 827. 64 Stat. 602 . Personal services. Printing and bind- ing. their work; the construction, maintenance, and repair of necessary camp buildings and mining structures and appurtenances thereto; and including not to exceed $25,000 for personal services in the District of Columbia, $425,000: Provided, That section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 U. S. C. 5) shall not be construed to apply to any purchase or service rendered when the amount involved does not exceed the sum of $500; Helium plants and investigations: To enable the Secretary of the Interior to increase and improve the production capacity of the helium plant located at Amarillo, Texas, by the construction and equipment of buildings or additions to existing buildings, the drill- ing of wells and construction of pipe lines, and other appurtenant facilities, and to conduct investigations with respect to available resources of helium-bearing gas, and for all necessary expenses incident to the foregoing, including the employment by contract or otherwise, at such rates of compensation as the Secretary of the Interior may determine, of engineers, architects, or firms or corpora- tions thereof that are necessary to design and construct the buildings, structures and equipment; supplies and equipment; travel expenses; purchases in the District of Columbia and elsewhere of furniture and equipment, stationery and supplies, typewriting, adding and comput- ing machines, accessories and repairs; and including the operation, maintenance, and repair of passenger-carrying automobiles for offi- cial use in field work, and not to exceed $4,000 for personal services in the District of Columbia, to be available immediately, $350,000; Helium production and investigations: The sums made available for the fiscal year 1942 in the Acts making appropriations for the War and Navy Departments for the acquisition of helium from the Bureau of Mines shall be transferred to the Bureau of Mines on July 1, 1941, for operation and maintenance of the plants for the production of helium for military and naval purposes, including laboratory gloves, goggles, rubber boots, and aprons; purchase, not to exceed $4,500, and exchange as part payment for, maintenance, operation, and repair of motor-propelled passenger-carrying vehicles for official use in field work, and all other necessary expenses, and including $20,500 for personal services in the District of Columbia, in additlon to which sums the Bureau of Mines may use for helium- plant operations in the fiscal year 1942 the unobligated balance of funds transferred to it for such operations in the fiscal year 1941; Manganese Beneficiation Pilot Plants and Research: For continu- ing the conduct of investigations and development of methods of beneficiating and smelting domestic manganese ores commenced with funds made available from the appropriation under the title "Expediting Production" contained in the First Supplemental National Defense Appropriation Act, 1941, including ore dressing, hydrometallurgy, pyrometallurgy, and for the production of metallic manganese by electrolytic or other methods, including all necessary preliminary and supplemental laboratory research; maintenance and operation of pilot plants; procurement of necessary materials and ores for metallurgical tests; purchase or lease of land; construction and equipment of buildings to house pilot plants; and for all neces- sary expenses incident to the foregoing, including employment by contract or otherwise, at such rates of compensation as the Secre- tary of the Interior may determine, of engineers, architects, or firms or corporations thereof that are necessary to design and con- struct the buildings and pilot plants; supplies and equipment; travel expenses; personal services in the District of Columbia (not to exceed $25,000); printing and binding (not to exceed $4,500); pur- chase in the District of Columbia and elsewhere of furniture and equipment, stationery and supplies, typewriting, adding and com- 344 [55 STAT.
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