I 



A(5ni<;iLTrRAT. AprmirniATiox biix, UM. 459 



Mr. KiTciiKN. YoH, sir; uiilrsM tlwv mu not fiimiMh tlM'>« 

 Mr. Ma(»kk. Thon. how rl<» yoii j»''' v«nir «4Upf)lir«* t 



pptitivf bidding '. 



Mr. KrmiKN. If there is timre ilmii >.•<• inxtMved m tiu' piirrhaMe*.. 



Mr. Mackk. Does the hiw provide that i 



Mr. KiTriiKN. Yos. 



Mr. MA(iKK. Thi.s \v(»iiM he in «hrert eoulhet witlj tile law tiM it now 

 stands if you wanted to purchase anything in exeess of ?.'»() f 



Mr. KiTciiKN. No; this does not sav that. This merely \fivif* uh 

 authority to piurhuso either throu^^li the (ienoral Supply C-om- 

 mitteo 



Mr. Maoee (interposing). Well, what 1 am talking alxtut is thni if 

 3i)U did not >vish to pureha.s(> through the (leneral .Supply Com- 

 mittee, you could go into the open market and make your purrhaMes 

 in excess of §50, without coinpetilive hids < 



Mr. Kitchen. Well, we rould not unless 



Mr. M.voEE. (interposing). Well, if Congress should atlopt thi.s 

 language, you could. 



Mr. Kin HK\. It is my understanding that the basic law of the 

 Agricultural l)e])artnu'nt 



Mr. Jump (interposing). Both the law and the regulations of the 

 department re(|uire that we obtain competitive bids for any purchases 

 in e.xcess of $')() in the Department of Agriculture in \Vasbington, 

 e.xcept in cases of emergency or cases where competition can not bo 

 obtained. 



Mr. Magee. And if Congress shoultl adopt this language, you 

 would not hayo to do that? 



Mr. Jl'.mp. The language proposed would not affect tliat at all, 

 because the regulations promulgated by the Secretary* of Agriculture 

 and wliich are in the hands of every j)urchasing officer provide that 

 any purchase in excess of $'A) must be by competitne bidding, 

 except as I stated a moment ago. The only thing that this language 

 does is to avoid the necessity of purchasing under the General Supply 

 Committee contracts so far as Center Market is concerned. 



Mr. M.vGEE. I do not sec where this has anything to do with the 

 regulations of the Secretary. It says: 



Providtd, That the Secretary of Agriculture may purchase iioc<^ssary supplinfi and 

 equipm Mit for use at Center Market, without regard to awards made by General 

 Supply Committpo. 



Mr. Jump. They would not be relieyed by this language from the 

 restrictions imposed by the Secretary, because they would continue 

 to be enforced and are not affectetl by the proposed change. 



Mr. Magee. You do not think that the regulations of the Sc(;retary 

 of Agriculture affect the law as enacted by Congress ? 



Mr. Ju.MP. Not if the two are related. l)ut in this instance you do 

 not have that. This merely relievos the (Vnter Market fn»m the 

 obligation it now has to purchasing all of its supplies po<<il>l.> il. tough 

 the (ieneral Supply Committee's contracts. 



Mr. Ma(;ee. .Vrc you a lawyer ? 



^Ir. Ji MP. Xo, sir. 



Mr. Ma(;ee. Well, 1 am, and I think that I can tell what the 

 English language means when it is clear. This language reads: 



Provided, That the Secretary of .Vgriculture may purchase necessary Huppiies and 

 equipnu'iit for use at Center Market without regard to awania made by the (ieneral 

 Supply Conuiiittce. 



