Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 68 Part 1.djvu/488

 456 Letters of commitmenta

54 Stat. 1029. 31 USC 203; 41

use 15.

Appropriation. e C C payments.

Limitation.

U s e of foreign currencies. 66 Stat. 662. 31 USC 724.

60 Stat. 596. 50 USC 98 note.

50 USC 98b.

PUBLIC LAW 480-JULY 10, 1954

[68

ST A T.

(b) I n order to facilitate and maximize the use of private channels of trade in carrying out agreements entered into pursuant to this Act, the President may, under such regulations and subject to such safeguards as he deems appropriate, provide for the issuance of letters of commitment against funds or guaranties of funds supplied by the Commodity Credit Corporation and for this purpose accounts may be established on the books of any department, agency, or establishment of the Government, or on terms and conditions approved by the Secretary of the Treasury in banking institutions in the United States. Such letters of commitment, when issued, shall constitute obligations of the United States and moneys due or to become due thereunder shall be assignable under the Assignment of Claims Act of 1940. Expenditures of funds which have been made available through accounts so established shall be accounted for on standard documentation required for expenditures of Government funds. SEC. 103. (a) For the purpose of making payment to the Commodity Credit Corporation to the extent the Commodity Credit Corporation is not reimbursed under section 105 for commodities disposed of and costs incurred under titles I and II of this Act, there are hereby authorized to be appropriated such sums as are equal to (1) the Corporation's investment in commodities made available for export under this title and title II of this Act, including processing, packaging, transportation, and handling costs, and (2) all costs incurred by the Corporation in making funds available to finance the exportation of surplus agricultural commodities pursuant to this title. Any funds or other assets available to the Commodity Credit Corporation may be used in advance of such appropriation or payments, for carrying out the purposes of this Act. (b) Transactions shall not be carried out under this title which will call for appropriations to reimburse the Commodity Credit Corporation, pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, in amounts in excess of $700,000,000. SEC. 104. Notwithstanding section 1415 of the Supplemental Appropriation Act, 1953, or any other provision of law, the President may use or enter into agreements with friendly nations or organizations of nations to use the foreign currencies which accrue under this title for one or more of the following purposes: (a) To help develop new markets for United States agricultural commodities on a mutually benefiting basis; (b) To purchase or contract to purchase strategic and critical materials, within the applicable terms of the Strategic and Critical Materials Stockpile Act, for a supplemental United States stockpile of such materials as the President may determine from time to time under contracts, including advance payment contracts, for supply extending over periods up to ten years. All strategic and critical materials acquired under authority of this title shall be placed in the above named supplemental stockpile and may be additional to the amounts acquired under authority of the Strategic and Critical Materials Stockpile Act. Materials so acquired shall be released from the supplemental stockpile only under the provisions of section 3 of the Strategic and Critical Materials Stockpile Act; (c) To procure military equipment, materials, facilities, and services for the common defense; (d) For financing the purchase of goods or services for other friendly countries; (e) For promoting balanced economic development and trade among nations;

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