55 Stat .] 77th CONG., 1st SESS.—CHS. 621, 622—DEC. 23, 1941 857 expended under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior without regard to the provisions of law regulating the expenditure of Govern- ment funds or the employment of persons in the Government service, such as section 3709 of the Revised Statutes and the civil service and classification laws: Provided, That any funds received from the sale of materials and supplies acquired hereunder shall be deposited to the credit of this appropriation and shall be available for expenditure for the purposes hereof. TREASURY DEPARTMENT PROCUREMENT DIVISION General supply fund: To increase the general supply fund estab- lished by the Act approved February 27,1929, as amended (41 U. S. C. 7c), $2,000,000. WAR DEPARTMENT CIVIL FUNCTIONS Relief of the Philippine Islands: The moneys authorized to be appro- priated in accordance with section 503 of the Sugar Act of 1937 (50 Stat. 915), as amended, but not exceeding the amount of taxes referred to in such section 503 collected prior to the date of enactment of this Act, are hereby appropriated, and in addition thereto the sum of $10,000,000 is appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to enable the Secretary of War to meet expenses for each and every purpose necessary to provide for public relief and civilian defense in the Philippine Islands, fiscal year 1942, to remain available until expended: Provided, That this appropriation shall be available for payment to the Government of the Common- wealth of the Philippines, either in advance of or in reimbursement for all or any part of the estimated or actual cost, as authorized by the Commanding General, United States Army in the Far East, of public relief and civilian defense in the Philippine Islands: Provided further, That this appropriation may be expended without regard to the provisions of law regulating the expenditure or accounting for funds of the United States: And provided further, That of the amount herein appropriated the sum of $10,000,000 shall be restored to the emergency fund for the President, created by the Independent Offices Appropriation Act, 1942, in reimbursement of a like amount advanced therefrom for the purposes herein authorized, and any expenditures heretofore or hereafter made from that fund for such purposes are hereby authorized and validated. Approved, December 23, 1941. 41 U. S. C. § 5. Proviso. 45 Stat. 1342. Philippine Islands. Public relief and civilian defense. 7 U. S. C. § 1173. Post, p. 872. Provisos. Availability of ap- propriation. Expenditure. Reimbursement of emergency fund. Ante, p. 93. [CHAPTER 622] JOINT RESOLUTION Transferring the administration of the homestead projects established in the Virgin Islands from the government of the Virgin Islands to the Department of Agriculture. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the homestead projects established in the Virgin Islands by virtue of the provisions of the Second Deficiency Act, fiscal year 1931 (46 Stat. 1552,1570), by virtue of the provisions of the Act of April 22,1932, entitled “An Act making appropriations for the Department of the Interior for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1933, and for other purposes” (47 Stat. 91, 129), by December 23,1941 [S. J. Res. 105] [Public Law 372] Virgin Islands. Administration of homestead projects. 858 40 U. S. C. §§ 401- 410. Agency abolished. Transfer of property, records, etc. Continuance of con- tracts, etc. Proviso. Funds. PUBLIC LAWS—CHS. 622, 625—DEC. 23, 26, 1941 [55 Stat . virtue of the provisions of title II of the National Industrial Recovery Act (48 Stat. 195, 200), and by virtue of all other provisions of law relating to such projects are hereby transferred from the jurisdiction and control of the government of the Virgin Islands, Department of the Interior, to the jurisdiction and control of the Department of Agri- culture. The Virgin Islands Homestead Authority is hereby abolished and its functions transferred to the Department of Agriculture. Sec . 2. All real and personal property owned or held by the United States in the Virgin Islands and employed exclusively in the prosecu- tion of homestead projects, and all equipment, assets, and records per- taining to homestead projects in the Virgin Islands, including the equipment, assets, and records of the Virgin Islands Homestead Authority, are hereby transferred to the Department of Agriculture. Sec . 3. All valid contracts, sales, transfers, leases, and other trans- actions heretofore entered into or affected by the government of the Virgin Islands, the Virgin Islands Homestead Authority, the Depart- ment of the Interior, or any officer or agency of any of the foregoing, in connection with homestead projects in the Virgin Islands are hereby continued in full force and effect: Provided, That the Secretary of Agriculture, or his designee, may compromise claims and obligations arising under, and adjust and modify the terms of such contracts, as circumstances may require. Se C. 4. The Department of Agriculture is hereby authorized to use for the administration, development, management, and liquidation of the homestead projects in the Virgin Islands transferred to its juris- diction and control all funds heretofore or hereafter appropriated, allocated, or otherwise made available to the Department of Agricul- ture for rural rehabilitation projects and functions of like character to those transferred hereunder. Approved, December 23, 1941. December 26,1941 [H. R. 6208] [Public Law 373] District of Colum- bia.Authority of Com- missioners to order black-outs. Synchronization with Maryland and Virginia. Assistance of Secre- tary of War. No liability for dam- ages. [CHAPTER 625] AN ACT To authorize black-outs in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Commis- sioners of the District of Columbia are authorized and directed, whenever a state of war exists between the United States and any foreign country or nation, to order black-outs in the District of Columbia at such times and for such periods of time as they may deem desirable, subject to the approval of the Secretary of War, to regulate and prohibit the movement of vehicular traffic on the high- ways during such periods and to make such regulations as they may deem necessary to insure the success of the black-outs and to protect life and property during said periods. Sec . 2. The Commissioners are authorized to negotiate with the proper authorities of the States of Maryland and Virginia with a view to effecting a synchronization of black-outs in the District of Columbia and such parts of those States as may be necessary to carry out the intent and purpose of this Act. Sec . 3. The Secretary of War is authorized to assist and cooperate with the Commissioners of the District of Columbia in the execution of black-outs in the District of Columbia and the metropolitan area. Sec . 4. The municipality of the District of Columbia shall not be liable for any damages sustained to person or property during, or as the result of, an authorized black-out.