Memorandum of Disapproval of Bill Reimbursing the District of Columbia for Expenses of U.S. Park Police.

[Released August 5, 1947. Dated August 4, 1947]

I AM withholding my approval from H. R. 2471, an act "To provide for periodical reimbursement of the general fund of the District of Columbia for certain expenditures made for the compensation, uniforms, equipment, and other expenses of the United States Park Police force."

The purpose of the enrolled enactment is to require, beginning with the current fiscal year, the Director of the National Park Service, from sums appropriated from the general fund of the Treasury, for such purpose, to deposit in the general fund of the District of Columbia, within 30 days after the end of each quarter, an amount equal to the total amount expended during such quarter from sums appropriated from the general fund of the District of Columbia for the compensation, uniforms, equipment, and other expenses of the United States Park Police force.

In other words, the enrolled enactment contemplates two appropriations: one out of the general fund of the District of Columbia for the purpose of compensating, uniforming, and equipping the United States Park Police, and another out of the general fund of the Treasury for quarterly reimbursement to the general fund of the District, of the amount expended for this purpose from the District appropriation.

The Department of the Interior, in reporting to me upon this measure, expressed the view that the procedure set forth in the bill represents an unnecessary duplication of appropriations for expenditure for the purposes indicated, and thereby increases accounting and other costs.

Moreover, the provisions of the bill, in calling for quarterly reimbursement to the general fund of the District of Columbia from appropriations out of the general fund of the Treasury, would be ineffectual for the first one or two quarters of the fiscal year 1948, since no such appropriations have been made, and cannot be made until such time as the Congress shall have again assembled.

It seems to me that this is a matter to which the Congress might well and profitably give further consideration, including in its study the question of whether, in view of the Federal contribution to the District of Columbia, which has been increased for the present year from 8 to 12 million dollars, all or any part of the expenses of operating and maintaining the parks in the city of Washington should be paid from the general fund of the Treasury instead of, as at present, from the general fund of the District.

Under the circumstances, I feel constrained to withhold my approval of the bill.

HARRY S. TRUMAN