Speech #610087118

Including the salaries of the commissioners and their clerks and other employees. $300.000. � The point of order was made that there was no authority in law for the appropriation. The present occupant of the chair had sent for the act of February 20. 1907. Section 39 of this act. entitled "An act to regulate the immigration of aliens into the United States." contained this provision: Said commission shall report to the Congress the conclusions reached by it and make such recommendations as. in its judgment. may seem proper. Such sums of money as may be necessary for the said inquiry. examinations. and investigation are hereby appropriated and authorized to be paid out of the " immigrant fund " on the certificate of the chairman of said commission. including all expenses of the commissioners and a reasonable compensation. to be fixed by the President of the United States. for those members of the commission who are not Members of Congress. The gentleman from Iowa . in explaining the position of the committee. and in speaking to the point of order. saId: Mr. Chairman. the law of February 20. 1907. authorized the payment of these expenses. as stated. out of the permanent appropriation of head tax. The Department of Commerce and Labor estimates the expenses of this commission for the next fiscal year at $300.000. and the permanent appropriation of the head tax being repealed by the previous language of this bill. the committee deemed it its duty to bring in an item covering the $300.000 estimated for. The gentleman from Indiana. Mr. James E. Watson. being in the chair. made this decision: The Chair thinks it is subject to the point of order. In reading the act creating the commission. which the present occupant of the chair held in order on the immigration bill. the Chair finds the following: " Such sums of money as may be necessary for the said inquiry. examination. and investigation are hereby appropriated and authorized to be paid out of the immigrant fund." The mere fact that the immigration fund has disappeared does not authorize an appropriation. and it Is clearly a changeof existing law. The Chair therefore sustains the point of order. Therefore the Chair sustains the point of order made by the gentleman from Arkansas.