61 STAT.] 80TH CONG. , 1 ST SESS.-CHS. 338 , 339-JULY 26, 1947 [CHAPTER 338] AN ACT Authorizing the Comptroller General of the United States to allow credits to and relieve certain disbursing and certifying officers of the War and Navy Depart- ments in the settlement of certain accounts. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,That the Comptroller General of the United States be, and he hereby is, authorized, through such officer as he may designate, and within two years from the passage of this Act, (a) to relieve disbursing and certifying officers, including special disbursing agents of the War and Navy Departments, from accountability or responsibility for losses, occurring between Septem- ber 8, 1939, to July 1, 1946, of funds, or of accounts, papers, records, vouchers, or data pertaining to said funds, for which said officers or agents were accountable or responsible; and (b) to allow credits, in the settlement of accounts of said officers or agents, for payments made in good faith on public account during said period, notwithstanding failure to comply with the requirements of existing law or regulations pursuant thereto: Provided,That in cases of losses or payments involv- ing more than $2,500 the Comptroller General shall exercise the author- ity herein only upon the written recommendation of the Secretary of War or the Secretary of the Navy, which recommendation shall be con- curred in by the Attorney General if the amount exceeds $10,000 and which recqmmendation shall also set forth the facts relative to such loss or payment and shall state that such transaction, expenditure, loss, or payment appears to be free from fraud or collusion and incurred or made in good faith: Provided further, That the Comptroller General in all cases shall certify that such transaction, expenditure, loss, or payment appears to be free from fraud and collusion and incurred or made in good faith. Approved July 26, 1947. [CHAPTER 339] AN ACT To extend provisions of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act and the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act to the Virgin Islands. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following sections of title IV of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act, as amended, except insofar as they affect title III of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act, as amended, are hereby amended as follows: (a) Subsection (b) of section 41 is amended to read: "The Secre- tary may administer his power and duties under this Act through such area finance, State, and local offices in the United States and in the Territories of Alaska and Hawaii and in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands as he determines to be necessary: Provided,That exist- ing regional offices shall be liquidated on or before June 30, 1947. The Secretary may authorize one office to serve the area composed of two or more States (Territories or Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands) if he determines that the volume of business in the area is not suffi- cient'to justify separate State offices." (b) Section 54 is amended to read: "The provisions of this Act shall extend to the Territories of Alaska and Hawaii and to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. In the case of Alaska and Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, the term 'county' as used in this Act shall be deemed synonymous with 'Territory', or any subdivision thereof as may be designated by the Secretary, and payments under section 33 493 July 26, 1947 [S. 323] [Public Law 2481 War and Navy De- partments. Relief of certain dis- bursing officers, etc. Credit in accounts. Losses or payments in excess of $2,00. Certification b Comptroller General July 26, 1947 IS. 5121 (Public Law 2491 50 Stat. 627, 525. 7U..C. . 1014- 1029, 1010 -1012 . 50 Stat. 529. 7U.8. ..1 01 5 (b). Liquidation of re- gional offices. 50 Stat. 532. 7U.S. C. 1028.
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