Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 54 Part 1.djvu/53

 54 STAT.] 76TH CONG. , 3D SESS.-CHS. 18, 19-FEB. 1, 1940 [CHAPTER 18] AN ACT To amend section 355 of the Revised Statutes, as amended, to make permissive the acquisition of legislative jurisdiction over land or interests in land acquired by the United States. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 355 of the Revised Statutes of the United States (U. S. C., title 33, sec. 733; title 34, sec. 520; title 40, sec. 255; and title 50, sec. 175) be, and the same is hereby, amended to read as follows: "SEC. 355. No public money shall be expended upon any site or land purchased by the United States for the purposes of erecting thereon any armory, arsenal, fort, fortification, navy yard, custom- house, lighthouse, or other public building of any kind whatever, until the written opinion of the Attorney General shall be had in favor of the validity of the title. The district attorneys of the United States, upon the application of the Attorney General, shall furnish any assistance or information in their power in relation to the titles of the public property lying within their respective districts. And the secretaries of the departments, upon the application of the Attorney General, shall procure any additional evidence of title which he may deem necessary, and which may not be in the possession of the officers of the Government, and the expense of procuring it shall be paid out of the appropriations made for the contingencies of the departments, respectively: Provided, however, That in all cases of the acquisition of land or any interest therein by the United States for the purposes herein specified or for other purposes, wherein the written opinion of the Attorney General in favor of the validity of the title of such land is or may be required or authorized by law, the Attorney General may, in his discretion, base such opinion upon a certificate of title of a title company. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the obtaining of exclusive jurisdiction in the United States over lands or interests therein which have been or shall here- after be acquired by it shall not be required; but the head or other authorized officer of any department or independent establishment or agency of the Government may, in such cases and at such times as he may deem desirable accept or secure from the State in which any lands or interests therein under his immediate jurisdiction, custody, or control are situated, consent to or cession of such juris- diction, exclusive or partial, not theretofore obtained, over any such lands or interests as he may deem desirable and indicate acceptance of such jurisdiction on behalf of the United States by filing a notice of such acceptance with the Governor of such State or in such other manner as may be prescribed by the laws of the State where such lands are situated. Unless and until the United States has accepted jurisdiction over lands hereafter to be acquired as aforesaid, it shall be conclusively presumed that no such jurisdiction has been accepted. Approved, February 1, 1940. [CHAPTER 19] AN ACT To amend the Emergency Farm Mortgage Act of 1933, as amended. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the tenth sentence of section 32 of the Emergency Farm Mortgage Act of 1933, as amended (U. S. C., title 12, sec. 1016), is further amended by striking out "February 1, 1940" in the two places in which it appears and inserting in lieu thereof "June 1, 1942". Approved, February 1, 1940. 19 February 1, 1940 [H. R. 7293] [Public, No. 409] Lands, etc., pur- chased by United States for public buildings. Validity of title to; requirements. Post, p. 1083. Proviso. Certificate of title company. Exclusive jurisdic- tion not required. Acceptance of juris- diction from State. February 1, 1940 [H. R. 7342] [Public, No. 410] Emergency Farm Mortgage Act, amend- ment. 49 Stat. 314 . 12U. .C., Supp. V, § 101 (g). Time extension for making loans.

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