THE PRESIDENT said:
"In order further to aid employment I have instructed the various departments to undertake the speeding up of the Federal construction program by the amount of slightly less than $200 million, being the contingent appropriation in the 1932 Emergency Relief and Construction Act. The Secretary of the Treasury has notified me that the necessary funds can be now made available. By the addition of the amounts which can be applied from this fund, the total Federal construction work during this present fiscal year of all kinds will exceed $750 million. This speeding up from this additional fund will be largely in the river and harbor, flood control, and public building projects which were authorized from 2 to 5 years ago.
"The expenditure on all classes of construction since the depression began and up to next July will total about $2,300 million. This sum is more than double the normal pace and the enlarged work has, of course, been undertaken solely in aid to employment. The actual projects which will be speeded up under this additional sum will be announced by the various departments."
Note: On the same day, the White House issued a text of the Secretary of the Treasury's letter, dated September 7, 1932, which follows:Dear Mr. President:
As you are aware, the Emergency Relief and Construction Act of 1932 provides for the further speeding up of certain Federal construction projects, practically all of which were authorized some time ago as part of the general Federal building and construction program, provided the sums appropriated shall not be expended "iœ the Secretary oœ the Treasury certifies to the President that the amount necessary for such expenditure is not available and can not be obtained upon reasonable terms."
Knowing your desire to provide all the employment possible in the country, I am pleased to be able to inform you, the necessary information having yesterday been furnished by the Director of the Budget covering the work to be performed during the fiscal year 1933, that I am clear that it will not be necessary for me to certify that the funds necessary for such expenditure cannot be obtained upon reasonable terms.
Faithfully yours,
OGDEN L. MILLS
Secretary of the Treasury
[The president, The White House]
Herbert Hoover, Statement on the Public Works Program. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/207467