8 OCEANOGRAPHY 



911 and the following), at base rates not to exceed the maximum scheduled rate 

 for GS-12, and (b) grant extra compensation to employees of other Government 

 agencies for taking and transmitting meteorological observations." 



Passed the Senate August 19 (legislative day, August 18), 1959. 



Attest : 



Felton M. Johnston, Secretary. 



[S. Rept. Xo. 719, S6th Cong., 1st se.ss.] 



Providing Flexibility in the Performance of Certain Co.\st .\Nn Geodetic 

 Survey and AVeather Bureau Functions 



The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred 

 the bill (S. 2483) to provide flexibility in the performance of certain functions 

 of the Coast and Geodetic Surve.v and of the Weather Bureau, having considered 

 the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the 

 bill do pass. 



purpose of the bill 



This bill would simplify administrative activities of the Coast and Geodetic 

 Survey and the Weather Bureau, and provide flexibility in the legal provisions 

 under which they carry out their respective functions. 



Section 1 of the bill would authorize the Secretary of Commerce to fix certain 

 rates of pay for extra compensation for members of crews of vessels when 

 assigned to certain duties, instead of requiring, as at present, that the rates in 

 question be incorporated in the annual appropriations. It also would correct 

 certain obsolete language. 



Section 2 would authorize that the rates in question be prescribed at base 

 rates not to exceed the maximum scheduled rates for GS-12. and would reenact 

 on a continuing basis the exemption from the classification laws, which was 

 nullified by the Classification Act of 1949, and has been, since that time, reenacted 

 in the annual appropriation act. 



The legislation was requested by the Secretary of Commerce. There was no 

 objection to enactment from any source. 



The General Counsel of Commerce 



Washincjtoii, D.C., August 3, 19o9. 

 Hon. Warren G. Magnuson. 



Chairman, Committee on Interstate and Foreif/n Commerce, 

 U.S. Senate, Wa^hingt^mi, B.C. 



Dear Mr. Chairman : Acting Secretary Mueller is today transmitting to the 

 President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House draft legislation to pro- 

 vide flexibility in the performance of certain functions of the Coast and Geodetic 

 Survey and of the Weather Bureau. 



For your information and convenient reference there is enclosed a copy of the 

 draft legislation together with a statement of purpose and need therefor. 

 Sincerely yours, 



F. Bourne Upham III, 

 Deputy General Counsel. 



"A BILL To provide flexibility in the performance of certain functions of the Coast and 

 Geodetic Survey and of the Weather Bureau 



"Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States 

 of America- in Congress assemhled. That section 2 of the Act of July 22, 1947 (61 

 Stat. 400, 33 U.S.O. 873) is amended to read as follows: 



" 'The Secretary of Commerce is hereby authorized to pay extra compensation 

 to members of crews of vessels when assigned duties as instrument observer or 

 recorder, and to employees of other Federal agencies while observing tides or 

 currents, or tending seismographs or magnetographs, at such rates as may be 

 specified from time to time by him.' 



"Sec. 2. Section 3 of th^e Act of June 2. 1948 (62 Stat. 286, as amended, 15 

 U.S.C. 327) is hereby revised to read as follows : 



"'The Secretary of Commerce is hereby authorized to (a) appoint employees 

 for the conduct of meteorological investigations in the Arctic region without re- 

 gard to the civil service laws and fix their compensati(m without regard to 

 the Classification Act of 1949, as amended (5 U.S.C. 1071 et seq.) and titles 



