DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF THE FLORIDA CANAL


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 Senator CAaSr. That was last year?
 Senator HATCH. That was last year.
 Senator CAmrY. In what bill? Is that in the flood-control bill?
 Senator HATCH. That was passed by the House at the last session.
 Now, this bill, including the Conchas Dam project, was reported favorably by
 the Commerce Committee at the last session. Therefore this project does have
 a favorable report from a standing committee of the Senate and as to it the
 point of order would not apply, in my opinion, Mr. Chairman.
 Now, I realize that that bill was sent back to the committee for other reasons.
 The chairman referred to Senator Tydings' speech. But, nevertheless, the favor-
 able report from that committee has been made to the Senate by a standing
 committee of the Senate and therefore it is not subject to the point of order that
 other projects might be subject to.
 I think that is the main point I want to stress before the committee which
 differs from the Florida and other projects, although I take the position
 primarily that the authorization by Congress is sufficient, just exactly as-
 Senator CArEY. You mean by the President?
 Senator HATCH. I say by Congress, because I construe when the President
 acts that the Congress is acting and therefore I say it is authorization by Con-
 gress and that the point of order would not be good on that ground.
 Then this does have the additional point that we have an approval by the
 standing committee of the Senate as to this particular project.
 Senator MoADmo. Does anybody contend that the Congress cannot delegate to
 thet President of the United States the selection of projects? Congress cer-
 tainly can authorize him to select projects.
 Senator FIZTOHEB. They admit that these projects have been authorized, but
 they claim that the President ought to finish them under that fund, and ought
 not to come to Congress to get additional appropriations.
 Senator MoADoo. I understand that he has enough money left.
 Senator HATCH. I think that they are wrong there. I understand, Mr. Chair-
man, that it is not admitted that this is an authorized project within that rule.
 Senator FLErmHE. Not authorized by Congress.
 Senator HATCH. Yes.
 Senator FLEzCHE. But authorized by Congress.
 Senator COPELAND. Of course, if that is true, we can finish the New York
 State Barge Canal because there has been some money spent on it and we can
go ahead now, because we have spent $5,000,000 and complete the project. It
is already authorized, but I am afraid there will be those who will say that
that is not good law.
 General Pzm.seam. As to that particular canal, Senator, it has now been
specifically authorized by Congress itself.
 Senator COPELAND. Then, I would be benefited by it.
 General MAmKHAM. And they have gotten $5,000,000.
 Senator CoPAIND. I would be benefited by it, so I should not discuss the
matter.
 General, are there any other matters, or is there any reason why we should
keep the engineers here any longer now? We may want to call you again.
 Senator CHAVEZ. Will you allow me to ask two or three questions, before
General Markham leaves?
 Senator COPzAND. Certainly.
 Senator CHAVE. I feel that what .Senator Fletcher and Senator McAdoo,
and Senator Hatch have said about delegating power to initiate projects is cor-
rect. I think Congress can do that, and I believe the President has sufficient
power; but you made a suggestion a little while ago, Mr. Chairman, to the
effect that we should ask some questions of the engineers with reference to work
on the project, giving employment to people on the different projects.
 Senator COPULAND. Which was left out of the record at my suggestion, but
I will be glad to hear you.
 Subsequently, in executive session of the subcommittee, Senator
Fletcher s amendment was defeated by a vote of 4 to 3. Later, before
the whole Committee on Appropriations, it was defeated by a vote
of 12 to 11. Afterward Senator Fletcher omitted from the amend-
ment the Passamaquoddy tidal project item, stating that this was
done at the request of the Senator from Maine. He then introduced
it on the floor of the Senate on March 16, 1936. (See Doc. No. 117.)