Public Law 85–464

That the Act of March 4, 1913, as amended (16 U. S. C. 502), is hereby amended by substituting for the last proviso of subsection (c) the following: “And provided further, That except for fire fighting emergencies no reimbursement herein authorized shall be made in an amount in excess of $50 to persons who were employees of the Forest Service prior to the time the equipment was obtained or $2,500 in any other case, unless the equipment was made available under a written agreement, contract, or lease,” and by changing the designation of that subsection from (c) to (d) and inserting a new subsection (c) as follows:

“(c)“(c)

To contract with public and private agencies, corporations,

Pack stock.

firms, associations, or individuals to train, provide forage, care, and housing for, and to work pack stock owned and held in reserve by the Forest Service for fire emergency purposes and as all or part of the consideration therefor to permit such contractors to use the stock for their own purposes during the periods of nonuse by the Forest Service.”

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Sec. 2.

Funds available to the Forest Service may be used in

Property losses.

amounts not exceeding $100 in any single claim, for reimbursing employees of the Forest Service for loss of or damage to clothing and other personal effects resulting from fires, floods, or other casualties at or near the place in which such property is temporarily stored during services of the employees in connection with such casualties.

Sec. 3.

Funds available to the Forest Service may be used,

Transportation of automobiles.

in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Agriculture (hereinafter referred to in this Act as Secretary) for expenses of transporting automobiles of employees of that Service between points in Alaska in connection with transfers of official stations of such employees to meet the needs of the Service.

Sec. 4.

Section 202 of the Act of September 21, 1944 (16 U. S. C. 554b),

Notification and transportation of employees.

58 Stat. 736.

is hereby amended to read as follows: “Appropriations for the Forest Service shall be available for medical supplies and services and other assistance necessary for the immediate relief of artisans, laborers, and other employees engaged in any hazardous work under the Forest Service, and for expenses of notifying employees of the death or serious illness of close relatives and, in such cases where no public transportation is available, for transporting the employees to a point where public transportation is available.”

Sec. 5.

The Secretary is authorized, subject to such conditions as he

Property transfer.

may prescribe, to transfer, without reimbursement or at such prices and upon such terms as he may impose, to States and political subdivisions or agencies thereof fire lookout towers and other structures or improvements used by the Forest Service for fire prevention or suppression purposes, and the land used in connection therewith if such land is outside national forest boundaries, when they are no longer needed by the Forest Service for such purposes but are of value to the State or political subdivision or agency thereof in its fire protection system: Provided, That if any property so transferred is not put to use for the purpose for which it was transferred within two years from the date of transfer, or if, within fifteen years from the date of transfer, any such property should cease to be used for the purpose for which it was transferred for a period of two years, title thereto shall revert to and immediately revest in the United States.

Sec. 6.

Section 10 of the Act of April 24, 1950 ( 64 Stat. 82), is hereby

Telephone service.

16 USC 580f.

37 Stat. 414.

amended to read as follows: “Notwithstanding the provisions of section 7 of the Act of August 23, 1912, as amended (31 U. S. C. 679), appropriations for the protection and management of the national forests and other lands administered by the Forest Service shall be available to pay for telephone service installed in residences of employees and of persons cooperating with the Forest Service who reside within or near such lands when such installation is determined by the Secretary of Agriculture to be needed in protecting such lands: Provided, That in addition to the monthly local service charge the Government may pay only such tolls or other charges as are required strictly for the public business.”

Sec. 7.

Any moneys received by the United States with respect to

Use of funds.

lands under the administration of the Forest Service (1) as a result of the forfeiture of a bond or deposit by a permittee or timber purchaser for failure to complete performance of improvement, protection, or rehabilitation work required under the permit or timber sale contract or (2) as a result of a judgment, compromise, or settlement of any claim, involving present or potential damage to lands or improvements, shall be covered into the Treasury and are hereby appropriated and made available until expended to cover the cost to the United States of any improvement, protection, or rehabilitation work on lands under the administration of the Forest Service rendered necessary by the action which led to the forfeiture, judgment, compromise, or settlement : Provided, That any portion of the moneys so received in excess of the amount expended in performing the work necessitated by the action which led to their receipt shall be transferred to miscellaneous receipts.

Sec. 8.

The proviso in the Act of May 11, 1922, making appropriations for the Department of Agriculture for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1923, under the item “General expenses, Forest Service”, limiting the expenditure of funds for publication (42 Stat. 507, 521, 16 U. S. C. 556) is hereby amended by substituting for the phrase “And provided further,” the phrase “Provided further” and adding a further proviso so that the limiting provisions shall read “Provided further, That hereafter no part of any funds appropriated for the Forest Service shall be paid or used for the purpose of paying for, in whole or in part, the preparation or publication of any newspaper or magazine article but this shall not prevent the giving out to all persons, without discrimination, including newspapers and magazine writers and publishers, of any facts or official information of value to the public: And provided further, That this prohibition shall not apply to scientific or technical articles prepared tor or published in scientific publications.”

Sec. 9.

Section 5 of the Act of March 3, 1925 as amended (16 U. S. C. 555), is hereby further amended by changing the amount in the last proviso to $50,000.