Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 62 Part 1.djvu/419

 62 STAT.] 80TH CONG., 2D SESS. - CHS. 462, 463-JUNE 14, 1948 SEC. 2. There is hereby established a commission to be known as the United States Washington and Lee University Bicentennial Com- mission (hereinafter referred to as the Commission) to be composed of fifteen commissioners, as follows: The President of the United States and four persons to be appointed by him, the President of the Senate and four Members of the Senate to be appointed by said President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Repre- sentatives and four Members of the House to be appointed by said Speaker. SEC. 3. The Commission, on behalf of the United States, shall cooperate with representatives of Washington and Lee University and the Commonwealth of Virginia in appropriate observance of this anniversary and extend appropriate courtesies to the delegates of foreign universities and other foreign learned bodies or individuals attending the celebration as guests of Washington and Lee University. SEC. 4. The members of the Commission shall serve without com- pensation and shall select a chairman from among their number, but the President of the United States shall be designated as the honorary chairman of the Commission. SEC. 5. Any vacancies occurring in the membership of the Com- mission shall be filled in the same manner in which original appoint- ments to such Commission are made. Approved June 14, 1948. [CHAPTER 463] AN ACT To provide a method of paying certain unsettled claims for damages sustained as a result of the explosions at Port Chicago, California, on July 17, 1944, in the amounts found to be due by the Secretary of the Navy. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That for the purpose of effecting the settlement of those claims against the United States resulting from the explosions which occurred at the naval ammunition depot at Port Chicago, California, on July 17, 1944, which have not been settled by the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of the Treas- ury be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to pay, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, in full settlement of all such claims, the respective sums found to be due in the report of the Secretary of the Navy to Congress dated September 13, 1945, and entitled "Summary of Reports of the Secretary of the Navy to Con- gress of the United States pursuant to Public Law 423, Seventy-eighth Congress, second session, of claims resulting from the explosion which occurred at the naval ammunition depot at Port Chicago, California"; and claims not filed within the limitation established by said Public Law 423 but which are filed within six months after the date of the approval of this Act are authorized to be investigated and reported to the Congress with recommendations by the Secretary of the Navy in accordance with the provisions of said Public Law 423: Provided, That no part of the amount appropriated in this Act in excess of 10 per centum thereof shall be paid or delivered to or received by any agent or attorney on account of services rendered in connection with this claim, and the same shall be unlawful, any contract to the contrary notwithstanding. Any person violating the provisions of this Act shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be fined in any sum not exceeding $5,000. Approved June 14, 1948. 389 Establishment of Commission. June 14, 1948 [H. R. 669] [Public Law 637] Port Chicago, Calif. Settlement of claimr. 58 Stat. 731.

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