§277d–3 Authorization for appropriations; activities for which available; contracts for excess amounts

Summary

Money may be provided from the Treasury to the State Department for use by the Commission as needed to carry out the Treaty of February 3, 1944 and other U.S.–Mexico treaties and to run the United States Section. The funds can pay for many things needed to do the work, including building and running stream gaging stations and their equipment, staff and office rent, legal and appraisal services (paid up to the maximum daily rate for grade GS–15 under section 3109 of title 5), travel and meeting attendance, hiring animals and vehicles, buying or taking property, drilling and testing sites, field phone service in private homes when authorized, guard firearms and ammunition, official entertainment and other usual expenses allowed by law. The United States Commissioner may hire consultants and may employ retired U.S. Armed Forces personnel as consultants without making them return to active duty and without following chapter 51 or subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5 or the usual civil-service rules. If work must continue in a physical and orderly sequence, the United States Commissioner may, despite sections 1341, 1342, and 1349–1351 and subchapter II of chapter 15 of title 31 and sections 6301(a) and (b) and 6303 of title 41 or any other law, enter contracts that go beyond the money already appropriated, but those contracts depend on future Congress funding. The Commissioner must also prepare, within 30 days after the end of each fiscal year, a public report listing all official entertainment and representation expenses for that year.