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178295355
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Press Release, Message from President Harry S. Truman to the United States Senate
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doc
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document
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1
Source metadata
id
178295355
contentType
document
title
Press Release, Message from President Harry S. Truman to the United States Senate
citationUrl
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White House Press Release Files (Truman Administration)
White House Press Releases
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178295355
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17
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1947-07-17
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7
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1947
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nara-archive
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1
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f4dfe07732309036
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280
#1232
HOLD FOR RELEASE
HOLD FOR RELEASE
HOLD FOR RELEASE
July 17, 1947
CONFIDENTIAL: To be held in STRICT CONFIDENCE and no portion,
synopsis or intimation to be given out or published until the
READING of the President's Message has begun in the Senate.
Extreme care must therefore be exercised to avoid premature
publication.
CHARLES G. ROSS
Secretary to the President
TO THE UNITED STATES SENATE:
I return, herewith, without my approval, S. 1231, a bill "Authoriz-
ing and directing the Commissioner of Public Buildings to determine the
fair market value of the Fidelity Building in Kansas City, Missouri, to
receive bids for the purchase thereof, and for other purposes".
The proposed legislation would authorize and direct the Commissioner
of Public Buildings in the Federal Works Agency to determine by appraisal
the fair market value of the Fidelity National Bank and Trust Building in
Kansas City, Missouri, and the land upon which it is situated. The bill
would further authorize the Commissioner of Public Buildings to solicit
and receive sealed bids for the sale of this property by the United
States and would require him to submit the appraised value, together
TRUMAD
with abstracts of all bids received for the purchase thereof, to the
NARA
Congress for further action.
The building in question has been purchased by the United States
under specific congressional authority for the use of various of fices
of the Government, and at a fair price. It is needed for this purpose
and the price paid represents considerably less than would be required
to construct a comparable building. Arrangements have been made to
honor the leases of the present tenants and temporary arrangements
for leased space have been made to accommodate the Government agencies
which are waiting until the entire building can be available for public
uso. The purchase and use of this building by the Government repre-
sents a prudent investmont. Moreover, it obviates the Government having
to entor the construction fiold to procure noeded space at a time when
construction personnel and materials are so vitally needed for other
purposes. The appraised value of the property can be readily reported
to the Congress without the necossity of an act. The securing of bids
for the sale of the property whon there is no authority or direction
to soll it would be a futile gesture. I am convinced that the build-
ing ought not now be sold by the Government.
For these reasons, I have not approved the bill.
HARRY S. TRUMAN
THE WHITE HOUSE,
July 16, 1947.