AOIUCULTURAL Ai'l'Kul'RIATlON BIM, l«4. 'M'A 



nriatfd. The .$.'iO.O()( ),()()( J propusnl to !)«• iippiupriultMl wiali-r lUv 

 l)ill in>w uiidiT <»»ii.sult'r»iti<»n should cimblf tlif • ■• ■■" • • f vourhrrs 

 suhiniltt'd up to .lununrv 1, 1921, firovidcd tli. i for lUL'.'i 



is sul)so(|urntly uppropnntcd. 



Kclativc to tilt' (|U»'stioii of nut hon/iit loll for tlir apportiorunrnt <if 

 the St).'), 000. ()()() authorized to he a[)proprijit('d f'" i'-- ' -< al vrnr 1924, 

 if it may bo stated that on July 1 , 1922, of the -^ lOO. the total 



aj)portioiuuent to date (which includes $1S,7')0.000 for 1923 appor- 

 tioned })ut not vet appntpriated"), $91 ,('•00.079 remained unohlijjated. 



Durinj,' the Aseal year 1920 S109, 127.000 in Federal futuls wore 

 oblipited to thevStates. durinj; 1921 $84,115,000, un<l during the fisral 

 year 1922. $49,000,000. Had not progress l)een rei)res>,ed during 

 1921 hy the approachinj; <'xhaustion of apnortione<l finids the ohli- 

 jjation (hiring that year would undoul)tedly nave pjissed $100,000,000, 

 Again during the fiseal year 1922 it is estimated that Federal aid 

 road work was represse<l to the extent of apj)roximatelv $.">0.0OO.0(M) 

 because of lack of a congressional aj)propriation to r-orjtiinie the work 

 at tiie same rate as in 1920 and 1921. This is indicated (piite plaiidy 

 in the chart which I have here showing '' Progress of Fecleral aicl 

 road work." 



The best evidence we have indicates that the States would nor- 

 mally easily absorb approxiuiately $100,000,000 a year in Fe<leral 

 aid witli a yearly appropriation of this amount an<l at the rate at 

 whicli funds liave been obligated in the past the funds now appor- 

 tioned will all be obligated, averaging all the States, considerably 

 before the end of the present fiscal year. Any delay there may be 

 in authorizing the apportionment of the 1924 funds will act as a 

 repressive influence. On October 31 of this year the States of 

 Maryland. Wasliington, and Oregon had oldigated practically all 

 their apportioned funds and must await further apportionments 

 beft)re tney can proceed with their nornuU Federal aid road program. 

 The chart also shows conclusively that construction parallels obli- 

 gation at an average interval of approximately six months which 

 IS the time taken in the survey and preparation of plans and esti- 

 mates. 



As an explanation of the term obligated which I iiave used I will 

 state that the initiatory step for the improvement of a Federal aid 

 road project is by the otate in the submittal of a project statement 

 wherein is adequatel}' described the location, nature, and expected 

 cost of the improvement proposed. This statement is submitted 

 through the appropriate district office of the bureau and from the 

 district office alter proper field and office inspection and examina- 

 tion, it is forwarded to bureau headquarters in W»vshington. where 

 after further scrutiny it is transmitted to the .Secretary of Agricul- 

 fure for action. If favorable action is taken by the Secretary notice 

 of it is sent to the State highway department and upon such favorable 

 action it is considered that the Federal Government is obligated to 

 the extent of the amount of Federal aiil stated in the approved 

 project statement. The aggregate of these approved statements 

 in a State, as modified by any amendments there mav be made as 

 the work proceeds, constitute the aggregate of obligations against a 

 .State's apportionment and when tlie total of the obligations reach 

 the total of the apportionment the normal process of the State's 

 Federal aid road activities is of course interruntod until a new anpor- 



