119-hr2736

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2736 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 2736

To secure the rights of public employees to organize, act concertedly, 
 and bargain collectively, which safeguard the public interest and 
 promote the free and unobstructed flow of commerce, and for other 
 purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 April 8, 2025

Mr. Norcross (for himself, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Deluzio, Ms. Adams, Ms. 
Ansari, Mr. Bacon, Ms. Barragan, Mr. Beyer, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Boyle of 
 Pennsylvania, Ms. Brown, Ms. Brownley, Ms. Budzinski, Ms. Bynum, Mr. 
 Carson, Mr. Carter of Louisiana, Mr. Casar, Mr. Case, Mr. Casten, Ms. 
Castor of Florida, Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick, Ms. Chu, Ms. Clarke of New 
 York, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Conaway, Mr. Courtney, Mr. Davis of Illinois, 
 Ms. Dean of Pennsylvania, Ms. DeGette, Ms. DeLauro, Ms. DelBene, Ms. 
 Dexter, Mrs. Dingell, Ms. Elfreth, Mr. Evans of Pennsylvania, Mrs. 
 Fletcher, Mr. Foster, Mrs. Foushee, Ms. Lois Frankel of Florida, Mr. 
 Frost, Mr. Garamendi, Mr. Garbarino, Mr. Garcia of California, Mr. 
Garcia of Illinois, Ms. Gillen, Ms. Perez, Mr. Goldman of New York, Mr. 
 Gomez, Ms. Goodlander, Mr. Gottheimer, Mrs. Hayes, Mr. Horsford, Ms. 
Houlahan, Mr. Hoyer, Mr. Ivey, Ms. Jacobs, Ms. Jayapal, Mr. Johnson of 
 Georgia, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, Mr. Kennedy of New York, Mr. Khanna, 
Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Mr. Latimer, Mr. Lawler, 
 Mr. Lynch, Mr. Magaziner, Mr. Mannion, Mrs. McBath, Ms. McBride, Mrs. 
 McClain Delaney, Ms. McCollum, Mr. McGarvey, Mrs. McIver, Mr. Meeks, 
 Mr. Menendez, Ms. Meng, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Mr. Morelle, Ms. 
 Morrison, Mr. Moskowitz, Mr. Moulton, Mr. Mrvan, Mr. Mullin, Mr. 
 Nadler, Ms. Norton, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, Mr. Olszewski, Ms. Omar, Mr. 
 Panetta, Mr. Peters, Ms. Pettersen, Mr. Pocan, Mr. Quigley, Ms. Ross, 
Ms. Sanchez, Ms. Scanlon, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Schneider, Ms. Scholten, 
 Mr. Sherman, Ms. Sherrill, Mr. Smith of Washington, Mr. Sorensen, Ms. 
 Stansbury, Mr. Stanton, Mr. Subramanyam, Mr. Suozzi, Mr. Takano, Mr. 
 Thompson of Mississippi, Ms. Titus, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. Tokuda, Mr. Tonko, 
 Mr. Torres of New York, Mrs. Torres of California, Ms. Underwood, Mr. 
 Vargas, Mr. Veasey, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Ms. Waters, Mrs. Watson 
 Coleman, and Ms. Williams of Georgia) introduced the following bill; 
 which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To secure the rights of public employees to organize, act concertedly, 
 and bargain collectively, which safeguard the public interest and 
 promote the free and unobstructed flow of commerce, and for other 
 purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Public Service Freedom to Negotiate 
Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    (a) In General.--In this Act:

    (1) Appropriate unit.--The term ``appropriate unit'' means 
 a group of public employees or a group of supervisory employees 
 appropriate for collective bargaining that share a community of 
 interest, as demonstrated by factors including whether such 
 group--
        (A) has a bargaining history or history of prior 
 organization; and
        (B) reflects the desires of the employees who are 
 seeking or proposing representation by a labor 
 organization regarding the employees to be included in 
 such bargaining unit.

    (2) Authority.--The term ``Authority'' means the Federal 
 Labor Relations Authority.

    (3) Collective bargaining.--The term ``collective 
 bargaining'', used with respect to public employees, 
 supervisory employees, and public employers, means the 
 performance of the mutual obligation of the representative of a 
 public employer and the exclusive representative of an 
 appropriate unit of public and supervisory employees of the 
 employer to meet at reasonable times and to consult and bargain 
 in a good-faith effort to reach agreement with respect to 
 wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment 
 affecting such employees and to execute a written document 
 incorporating any collective bargaining agreement reached, but 
 the obligation referred to in this paragraph does not compel 
 either party to agree to a proposal or to make a concession (as 
 described in 

section 8
            (d) of the National Labor Relations Act 
 (29 U.S.C. 158
            (d) )).

    (4) Confidential employee.--The term ``confidential 
 employee'' means an employee of a public employer who acts in a 
 confidential capacity with respect to an individual who 
 formulates or effectuates management policies in the field of 
 labor-management relations.

    (5) Covered person.--The term ``covered person'' means an 
 individual or a labor organization.

    (6) Emergency services employee.--The term ``emergency 
 services employee'' means--
        (A) a public employee providing out-of-hospital 
 emergency medical care, including an emergency medical 
 technician, paramedic, or first responder; or
        (B) a public employee providing other services in 
 response to emergencies that have the potential to 
 cause death or serious bodily injury, including an 
 employee in fire protection activities (as defined in 
 

section 3

    (y) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 
 (29 U.S.C. 203

    (y) )).

    (7) Labor organization.--The term ``labor organization'' 
 means any organization of any kind that is not under the 
 control directly or indirectly by a public employer in which 
 such employees participate and which exists for the purpose, in 
 whole or in part, of dealing with public employers concerning 
 grievances, labor disputes, wages, rates of pay, hours of 
 employment, or conditions of work.

    (8) Law.--The term ``law'', used with respect to a State or 
 a political subdivision thereof, includes the application of 
 the laws of such State or such political subdivision, including 
 any regulations or ordinances issued by such State or such 
 political subdivision.

    (9) Law enforcement officer.--The term ``law enforcement 
 officer'' has the meaning given such term in 

section 1204 of 
 the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 
 U.S.C. 10284).

    (10) Management employee.--The term ``management employee'' 
 means an individual employed by a public employer in a position 
 the duties and responsibilities of which require the individual 
 to formulate or determine the policies of the public employer.

    (11) Public employee.--The term ``public employee''--
        (A) means an individual, employed by a public 
 employer, who in any workweek is engaged in commerce or 
 is employed in an enterprise engaged in commerce;
        (B) includes an individual who is temporarily 
 transferred to a supervisory or management position; 
 and
            (C) does not include--
            (i) a supervisory employee;
            (ii) a management employee;
            (iii) a confidential employee; or
            (iv) an elected official.

    (12) Public employer.--The term ``public employer'' means 
 an entity that--
        (A) employs not less than 1 individual;
        (B) is engaged in commerce; and
            (C) is either--
            (i) a State or the political subdivision of 
 a State; or
            (ii) any authority, agency, school 
 district, board or other entity controlled and 
 operated by an entity described in clause
            (i) .

    (13) Substantially provides.--The term ``substantially 
 provides'', used with respect to the rights and procedures 
 described in 

section 3

    (b) , means providing rights and 
 procedures that are equivalent to or greater than each of the 
 rights and procedures described in such section.

    (14) Supervisory employee.--The term ``supervisory 
 employee'' means an individual, employed by a public employer, 
 who in any workweek is engaged in commerce or is employed in an 
 enterprise engaged in commerce and who--
        (A) has the authority in the interest of the 
 employer, if the exercise of such authority is not 
 merely routine or clerical in nature but requires the 
 consistent exercise of independent judgment, to--
            (i) hire, promote, reward, transfer, 
 furlough, lay off, recall, suspend, discipline, 
 or remove public employees;
            (ii) adjust the grievances of public 
 employees; or
            (iii) effectively recommend any action 
 described in clause
            (i) or
            (ii) ; and
        (B) devotes a majority of time at work to 
 exercising the authority under subparagraph
        (A) .

    (b) Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 Terms.--The terms 
``commerce'', ``employ'', ``enterprise engaged in commerce'', and 
``State'' have the meanings given such terms in 

section 3 of the Fair 
Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 203).
            (c) State Law.--If any term defined in this section has a 
substantially equivalent meaning to a term (or a substantially 
equivalent term) under applicable State law on the date of the 
enactment of this Act, such term (or substantially equivalent term) and 
meaning under such applicable State law shall apply with respect to the 
term defined under this Act with respect to such State.

SEC. 3. FEDERAL MINIMUM STANDARDS.

    (a) Determination.--

    (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
 enactment of this Act (except as provided in paragraph

    (4)
            (C) ), 
 the Authority shall make a determination for each State as to 
 whether the laws of such State substantially provide for each 
 of the rights and procedures under subsection

    (b) and not later 
 than 30 days after the enactment of this Act, the Authority 
 shall establish procedures for the implementation of this 
 section.

    (2) Consideration of additional opinions.--In making the 
 determination under paragraph

    (1) , the Authority shall consider 
 the opinions of affected public employees, supervisory 
 employees, labor organizations, and public employers. In the 
 case where the Authority is notified by an affected public 
 employer and labor organization that both parties agree that 
 the law applicable to such employer and labor organization 
 substantially provides for the rights and procedures described 
 in subsection

    (b) , the Authority shall give such agreement 
 weight to the maximum extent practicable in making the 
 Authority's determination under paragraph

    (1) .

    (3) Limited criteria.--In making the determination 
 described in paragraph

    (1) , the Authority may only consider the 
 criteria described in subsection

    (b) .

    (4) Subsequent determinations.--
        (A) In general.--A determination made pursuant to 
 paragraph

    (1) shall remain in effect unless and until 
 the Authority issues a subsequent determination, in 
 accordance with the procedures set forth in 
 subparagraph
        (B) .
        (B) Request.--A public employee, supervisory 
 employee, public employer, or a labor organization may 
 submit to the Authority a written request for a 
 subsequent determination with respect to whether a 
 material change of State law has occurred.
            (C) Issuance.--If satisfied that a material change 
 in State law has occurred, the Authority shall issue a 
 subsequent determination described under paragraph

    (1) not later than 30 days after receipt of such request.

    (5) Judicial review.--Any covered person or public employer 
 aggrieved by a determination of the Authority under this 
 paragraph

    (1) may, during the 60-day period beginning on the 
 date on which the determination was made, petition any United 
 States Court of Appeals in the circuit in which the covered 
 person or public employer resides or transacts business or in 
 the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, for 
 judicial review. In any judicial review of a determination made 
 by the Authority described in paragraph

    (1) , the procedures 
 contained in subsections
            (c) and
            (d) of 

section 7123 of title 
 5, United States Code, shall be followed.

    (6) Rule of construction.--In making the determination 
 described in paragraph

    (1) , the Authority shall, as relevant, 
 consider any requirement imposed by a consent decree entered 
 into by the Department of Justice before, on, or after the date 
 of enactment of this Act as substantially providing for the 
 rights and procedures under subsection

    (b) .

    (b) Federal Minimum Standard.--The collective bargaining rights and 
procedures under this subsection are as follows:

    (1) A right of public employees and supervisory employees--
        (A) to self-organization;
        (B) to form, join, or assist a labor organization 
 or to refrain from any such activity;
            (C) to bargain collectively through representatives 
 of their own choosing; and
            (D) to engage in other concerted activities for the 
 purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid 
 (including the filing of joint, class, or collective 
 legal claims) or protection.

    (2) A requirement for public employers to--
        (A) recognize the labor organization of its public 
 employees and supervisory employees (freely chosen in 
 an election by a majority of such employees voting in 
 the appropriate unit or chosen by voluntary recognition 
 if that method is permitted under State law) without 
 requiring an election to recertify or decertify a labor 
 organization that is already recognized as the 
 representative of such employees unless not less than 
 30 percent of such employees in the bargaining unit 
 freely sign a petition to decertify such labor 
 organization--
            (i) not earlier than the date that is 1 
 year after the date of the election (or after a 
 voluntary recognition if permitted under State 
 law) of the representative;
            (ii) not earlier than 1 year after the 
 expiration of a valid collective bargaining 
 agreement;
            (iii) not during the term of a valid 
 collective bargaining agreement (except as 
 permissible under clause
            (iv) ); or
            (iv) during the 30-day period beginning on 
 the date that is 90 days before the end of a 
 valid existing contract;
        (B) collectively bargain with such recognized labor 
 organization; and
            (C) commit any agreements with such recognized 
 labor organization to writing in a contract or 
 memorandum of understanding.

    (3) An interest impasse resolution mechanism, such as fact-
 finding, mediation, arbitration, or comparable procedures that 
 culminate in binding resolution.

    (4) Payroll deduction of labor organization fees for any 
 duly chosen representative of a public employee or supervisory 
 employee pursuant to the terms of an agreement between the 
 labor organization and such public or supervisory employee, 
 which shall remain in effect until revoked by such employee in 
 accordance with its terms.

    (5) The prohibition of practices that interfere with, 
 restrain, or coerce public or supervisory employees in the 
 exercise of rights guaranteed in paragraph

    (1) or regulations 
 issued thereunder.

    (6) The enforcement of all relevant rights and procedures 
 provided by State law and enumerated in this subsection.

    (7) The enforcement of all rights and procedures provided 
 by any written contract or memorandum of understanding between 
 a labor organization and a public employer, through--
        (A) a State agency, if the State so chooses;
        (B) at the election of an aggrieved party, the 
 State courts, if so permitted under State law; or
            (C) a grievance resolution procedure culminating in 
 binding arbitration negotiated in such contract or 
 memorandum.
            (c) Compliance With Rights and Procedures.--If the Authority 
determines under subsection

    (a)

    (1) that the laws of a State 
substantially provide each of the rights and procedures described in 
subsection

    (b) , then subsection
            (d) shall not apply and this Act shall 
not preempt the laws of such State.
            (d) Failure To Substantially Provide.--

    (1) In general.--If the Authority determines under 
 subsection

    (a)

    (1) that the laws of a State do not substantially 
 provide for each of the rights and procedures described in 
 subsection

    (b) , then such State shall be subject to the rules 
 and activities of the Authority under 

section 4 beginning on 
 the later of--
        (A) the date that is 2 years after the date of 
 enactment of this Act;
        (B) the date that is the last day of the first 
 regular session of the legislature of the State that 
 begins after the date of the enactment of this Act; or
            (C) in the case of a State receiving a subsequent 
 determination described under subsection

    (a)

    (4) , the 
 date that is the last day of the first regular session 
 of the legislature of the State that begins after the 
 date the Authority made the determination.

    (2) Partial failure.--If the Authority determines under 
 subsection

    (a)

    (1) that a State does not substantially provide 
 for each of the rights and procedures described in subsection

    (b) because the State fails to substantially provide for all of 
 such rights and procedures with respect to any public or 
 supervisory employees, the Authority shall identify--
        (A) the categories of public or supervisory 
 employees of such State that shall be subject to the 
 rules and activities of the Authority under 

section 4, 
 pursuant to 

section 7

    (b)

    (4) , beginning on the 
 applicable date under paragraph

    (1) ;
        (B) the categories of public employees and 
 supervisory employees of such State that shall not be 
 subject to the rules and activities of the Authority 
 under 

section 4;
            (C) the categories of rights and procedures 
 described in subsection

    (b) for which the State does 
 not substantially provide for certain public employees 
 and supervisory employees; and
            (D) the categories of rights and procedures 
 described in such subsection for which the State 
 substantially provides for all employees.

SEC. 4. MINIMUM STANDARDS ADMINISTERED BY THE FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS 
 AUTHORITY.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Authority shall issue rules and take such actions that 
the Authority determines appropriate to establish and administer 
collective bargaining rights and procedures that substantially provide 
for the minimum standards described in 

section 3

    (b) for States 
described in 

section 3
            (d) .

    (b) Role of the Federal Labor Relations Authority.--

    (1) In general.--In carrying out subsection

    (a) , the 
 Authority shall--
        (A) provide for the rights and procedures described 
 in paragraphs

    (1) through

    (5) of 

section 3

    (b) ;
        (B) supervise or conduct elections to determine 
 whether a labor organization has been chosen as an 
 exclusive representative by a majority of the public 
 employees and supervisory employees voting in such 
 election in an appropriate unit;
            (C) determine the appropriateness of units for 
 labor organization representation;
            (D) conduct hearings and resolve complaints 
 concerning violations of this Act or any rule or order 
 issued by the Authority pursuant to this Act;
        (E) resolve exceptions to the awards of arbitrators 
 that violate or exceed the scope of public policy of 
 this Act; and
        (F) take such other actions as are necessary and 
 appropriate to effectively administer this Act, 
 including issuing subpoenas requiring the attendance 
 and testimony of witnesses and the production of 
 documentary or other evidence from any place in the 
 United States, administering oaths, taking or ordering 
 the taking of depositions, ordering responses to 
 written interrogatories, and receiving and examining 
 witnesses.

    (2) Rule of construction.--In providing for the rights and 
 procedures under paragraph

    (1)
        (A) , nothing in this Act shall be 
 construed as superseding, or creating or imposing any 
 requirement in conflict with, any consent decree entered into 
 by the Department of Justice before, on, or after the date of 
 enactment of this Act.
            (c) Enforcement.--

    (1) In general.--The Authority may issue an order directing 
 compliance by any covered person or public employer found to be 
 in violation of this section, and may petition any United 
 States Court of Appeals with jurisdiction over the parties, or 
 the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia 
 Circuit, to enforce any such final orders issued pursuant to 
 this section or pursuant to rules issued under this section, 
 and for appropriate temporary relief or a restraining order. 
 Any covered person or public employer aggrieved by an order 
 issued by the Authority under this section may, during the 60-
 day period beginning on the date on which the order was issued 
 petition, any United States Court of Appeals in the circuit 
 which the covered person or public employer resides or 
 transacts business, or in the Court of Appeals for the District 
 of Columbia Circuit, for judicial review. Any petition or 
 appeal under this section shall be conducted in accordance with 
 subsections
            (c) and
            (d) of 

section 7123 of title 5, United 
 States Code.

    (2) Private right of action.--
        (A) Filing a civil action.--Unless the Authority 
 has filed an order of enforcement as provided in 
 paragraph

    (1) , any party may, after the 180-day period 
 following the filing of a charge with the Authority 
 pursuant to the rules of the Authority under this 
 section, file a civil action against any named State 
 administrator in an appropriate district court of the 
 United States to enjoin such administrator to enforce 
 compliance--
            (i) with this Act or the rules issued by 
 the Authority under this section; or
            (ii) to enforce compliance with any order 
 issued by the Authority.
        (B) Timing.--Any civil action brought under 
 subparagraph
        (A) shall be brought not later than the 
 earlier of--
            (i) the date that is 180 days after the 
 expiration of the 180-day period in 
 subparagraph
        (A) ; or
            (ii) the date that is 180 days after the 
 date that the Authority dismisses a charge 
 described in subparagraph
        (A) .
            (C) Notice.--The party shall serve notice of the 
 Federal lawsuit to the Authority.
            (D) Jurisdiction and attorneys' fees.--A district 
 court shall have jurisdiction over the civil action 
 filed under subparagraph
        (A) without regard to the 
 amount in controversy or the citizenship of the parties 
 and may award reasonable attorneys' fees.

SEC. 5. LOCKOUTS AND EMPLOYEE STRIKES PROHIBITED WHEN EMERGENCY OR 
 PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES IMPERILED.

    (a) In General.--Subject to subsection

    (b) , any employer, emergency 
services employee, or law enforcement officer, subject to the rules and 
activities of the Authority under 

section 4, may not engage in a 
lockout, strike, or any other organized job action of which a 
reasonably probable result is a measurable disruption of the delivery 
of emergency or public safety services. No labor organization may cause 
or attempt to cause a violation of this subsection.

    (b) No Preemption.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to 
preempt any law of any State or political subdivision of any State with 
respect to strikes by emergency services employees or law enforcement 
officers.

SEC. 6. EXISTING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING UNITS AND AGREEMENTS.

 The enactment of this Act shall not invalidate any certification, 
recognition, result of an election, collective bargaining agreement, or 
memorandum of understanding that--

    (1) has been issued, approved, or ratified by any public 
 employee relations board or commission, or by any State or 
 political subdivision or an agent or management official of 
 such State or political subdivision; and

    (2) is in effect on the day before the date of enactment of 
 this Act.

SEC. 7. EXCEPTIONS.

    (a) In General.--The Authority shall not make a determination under 

section 3

    (a)

    (1) that the laws of a State do not substantially provide 
for the rights and procedures under 

section 3

    (b) on the basis that 
relevant State laws--

    (1) permit a public or supervisory employee to appear on 
 the employee's own behalf with respect to the relationship of 
 the public employee with the public employer involved;

    (2) do not cover public or supervisory employees of the 
 State militia or national guard;

    (3) do not apply to a political subdivision of a State if--
        (A) such political subdivision has a population of 
 fewer than 5,000 people or employs fewer than 25 public 
 employees; and
        (B) the State in which such political subdivision 
 is located notifies the Authority that such subdivision 
 is exempt from such laws before the date on which the 
 Authority makes the determination; or

    (4) do not require bargaining with respect to pension or 
 retirement income benefits.

    (b) Compliance.--

    (1) Actions of states.--Nothing in this Act shall be 
 construed to require a State to rescind or preempt the laws of 
 any political subdivision of the State if such laws 
 substantially provide for the rights and procedures described 
 in 

section 3

    (b) .

    (2) Actions of the district of columbia.--Nothing in this 
 Act or in the rules issued under this Act shall be construed--
        (A) to require the District of Columbia to 
 rescind--
            (i) section 501 of the District of Columbia 
 Government Comprehensive Merit Personnel Act of 
 1978 (1-605.01, D.C. Official Code), 
 establishing the Public Employee Relations 
 Board of the District of Columbia; or
            (ii) section 502 of such Act (1-605.02, 
 D.C. Official Code), establishing the power of 
 the Board;
        (B) to preempt the laws described in subparagraph
        (A) ; or
            (C) to limit or alter the powers of the government 
 of the District of Columbia pursuant to the District of 
 Columbia Home Rule Act (Public Law 93-198; 87 Stat. 
 774).

    (3) Actions of the authority.--Nothing in this Act shall be 
 construed to preempt--
        (A) the laws of any State or political subdivision 
 of a State that substantially provide for the rights 
 and procedures described in 

section 3

    (b) ;
        (B) the laws of any State or political subdivision 
 of a State that substantially provide for the rights 
 and procedures described in 

section 3

    (b) , solely 
 because such laws provide that a contract or memorandum 
 of understanding between a public employer and a labor 
 organization must be presented to a legislative body as 
 part of the process for approving such contract or 
 memorandum of understanding; or
            (C) the laws of any State or political subdivision 
 of a State that permit or require a public employer to 
 recognize a labor organization on the basis of signed 
 authorizations executed by employees designating the 
 labor organization as their representative.

    (4) Limited enforcement power.--In the case of a law 
 described in 

section 3
            (d) (2) , the Authority shall only exercise 
 the authority under 

section 4 with respect to the categories of 
 public or supervisory employees for whom State law does not 
 substantially provide the rights and procedures described in 
 

section 3

    (b) .

SEC. 8. SEVERABILITY.

 If any provision of this Act or the application thereof to any 
person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of this Act, or 
the application of that provision to persons or circumstances other 
than those as to which it is held invalid, is not affected thereby.

SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

 There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this Act.
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