Public Law 81–685

That in order (a)

Non-Federal public works.

Advance planning.

to encourage States and other non-Federal public agencies to maintain a continuing and adequate reserve of fully planned public works (exclusive of housing) readily available for use so as to permit the immediate commencement of construction of such public works when the economic situation may make such action desirable, (b) to enable the United States, through reference to such reserve of fully planned public works as reflected by records maintained and reports issued by the Administrator of General Services to adapt, insofar as practical and desirable, the planning and construction of needed Federal public works to the particular public works objectives of individual States and other non-Federal public agencies, and (c) thereby to attain maximum economy and efficiency in the planning and construction of local, State, and Federal public works, the Administrator

Loans, advances, etc.

of General Services is hereby authorized, during the period of two years immediately following the date upon which this Act becomes effective, to make loans or advances, from funds appropriated for that purpose, to the States, their agencies, and political subdivisions (hereinafter referred to as “public agencies”) to aid in financing the cost of architectural, engineering, and economic investigations and studies, surveys, designs, plans, working drawings, specifications, procedures, and other action preliminary to the construction of public works (exclusive of housing): Provided, That the making of loans or advances hereunder shall not in any way commit the Congress to appropriate funds to undertake the construction of any public works so planned.

Sec. 2.

Funds appropriated for the making of loans or advances

Allocation of funds.

hereunder shall be allocated by the Administrator of General Services among the several States in the following proportion: Seventy-five per centum in the proportion which the population of each State bears to the total population of all the States, as shown by the latest available United States census, and 25 per centum in accordance with the needs of the States as determined by the said Administrator: Provided, That the allotments to any State shall aggregate not less than one-half of 1 per centum of the total funds available for allotment hereunder.

Sec. 3.

No loan or advance shall be made hereunder with respect to any individual project unless it conforms to an over-all State, local, or regional plan approved by a competent State, local, or regional authority.

Sec. 4.

Loans or advances under this Act to any public agency shall be repaid without interest by such agency if and when the construction of the public works is undertaken or started. If the construction of the public works is not undertaken or started within three years after the full amount of the loan or advance therefor has been made and the Administrator of General Services shall determine (which determination shall be conclusive), after due notice and hearing, that the public agency has not acted in good faith either in obtaining the loan or advance or in failing to undertake or start the construction of such public works, the Administrator shall demand prompt payment of such loan or advance. In the event the loan or advance shall not have been repaid within said three-year period, such public agency shall not be eligible to apply for loans or advances on any other public works. All sums so repaid shall be covered into the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.

Sec. 5.

The Administrator of General Services is authorized to prescribe rules and regulations to carry out the purposes of this Act.

Sec. 6.

The Administrator of General Services shall submit quarterly to the Congress a report of his administration of the Act, including all expenditures and repayments made thereunder. Such reports shall, when submitted, be printed as public documents.

Sec. 7.

There are hereby authorized to be appropriated such amounts, not to exceed a total of $100,000,000, as may be necessary to effectuate the purposes of this Act. Amounts so appropriated shall remain available until expended.

Sec. 8.

As used in this Act, the term “State” shall include the District of Columbia, Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.