I 



. 



378 .UJRICULTl^RAL APPROPRIATION BFLL, 1924. 



that some time, but we are only goinor to pay $30,000,000 of it this 

 year. It is not quite as simple as that, because you have some hang- 

 overs, but that is what it amounts to in the aggregate, is it not ? 



Mr. MacDonali). Yes. sir; 1 believe that it would be possible to 

 provide for the use of the fund in that way. The total $65,000,000 

 to be apporti(med, and $80,000,000 appropriated to apply to all of 

 that apportionment as the obligations come in. 



Mr. Andkrson. Yes. that is the proposition. 



Mr. MacDonali). I suppose there is no possibility of getting any 

 assurance that Congress would act promptly when we had expended 

 the $30,000,000. 



Mr. Anderson. I assume, and I think it is a perfectly sound 

 assumption, that Congress, having authorized the Secretary of 

 Ao-riculture to incur certain obligations which mature in the future, 

 and Ccmgress having appropriated in its best judf^cment and in your 

 best judgment the amount which would be reciuired for this fiscal 

 year uncfer that authorization, if the developments were such that 

 a larger amount was roriuired. it would recognize that clearly as a 

 defici'encv under our rules. If your department were to spend 

 more than $30,000,000 during the next fiscal year upon that authori- 

 zation already made, it seems to me perfectly clear that that would 

 be a doficicncv. 



Mr. MacDonali). Assuming that that plan could be carried out. 

 I think it would be preferable to piling up the appropriation. 



Mr. Anderson. There is no use in appropriating $65,000,000 (U* 

 ."5;5().000.000 for the next fiscal vear if vour actual obligations will 

 call for only $30,000,000 or $35,000,000. " 



Mr. MacDonald. I agree with you and with the Director of the ! 



Budget on that. 



Mr. Anderson. 1 suggest that you put some of those tables iti 

 the record, so we will have complete data before us. 



Mr. MacDonald. I will do so. 



PROVISION FOR OBLIGATION OF BALANCE OF AL TIIORIZATION. 



Mr. Buchanan. You have a provision here in this bill which pro- ' 

 vidcs for the obligating of the balance of the $65,000,000 that we are 

 authorized to appropriate. Now, that $65,000,000 has been allotted i* 



in a certain proportion to the different States. What reason have ^ 



you to believe that all of those States will be ready to enter into obli- 

 gations such as wouhl continue the power of (\)ngress to appropriate 

 under the original authorization^ Some of them may not be ready 

 within the fiscal year, and, that being the case, we would lose the 

 |)ow('r to appropriate under that original authorization the $(55. - 

 000,000 that is. if some vStates were not ready to enter into obliga- 

 tory contracts within the fiscal year. 



Mr. MacDonald. It is my understanding of the language of this 

 ad that it chnngcs that status in that we are authorized to enter 

 into contractual obligations. 



Mr. Bi'cnANAN. The proviso reads: 



I'roritM further. Thai thti Sccrptary of Agrii-iilf iirc ^hall &<•{ n\nm projoctH submit ti'd 

 to him iiiKHT hif* a|i|Mnii<»iimciit of this authorization, aiui his approval of any such 

 project hhuli 1)1' (icciiic(i a conlra<tiial ol)li>,'alioii ol tlic l-Vdcral (iovcrmiu'iit lor the 

 puymcnt of iln proixtrtioiiul coutributitm thcri-to. 



