Pub. L. 83-534, tit. V, sec. 501

Sec. 501. (a) The Secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Air Force are respectively authorized to proceed with the establishment or development of military and naval installations and facilities as authorized by titles I, II, III, and IV of this Act without regard to the provisions of sections 1136, 3648, and 3734, as respectively amended, of the Revised Statutes, and prior to approval of title to underlying land, as provided by section 355, as amended, of the Revised Statutes. The authority to establish or develop military installations and facilities shall include, in respect of those installations and facilities as to which the acquisition of land is specified in titles I, II, and III of this Act, authority to acquire lands and rights and interests thereto or therein, including the temporary use thereof, by donation, purchase, exchange of Government-owned lands, or otherwise. (b) No real estate not in Federal ownership shall be acquired by a military department except as such acquisition is or shall be expressly authorized by law: Provided, however, That the Secretaries of the military departments may. prior to such authorization, procure options on real estate which in their judgment is suitable and likely to be required in connection with prospective public works projects of the military departments and to pay, out of any funds available to such departments for real estate activities, amounts not in excess of 3 per centum per annum of the appraised fair market value of the real estate involved as consideration for such options: Provided further, That for each semiannual period beginning July 1, 1954, during which a military department procures any option under the authority of this section, the Secretary of such military department shall render to the Armed Services Committees of the Senate and House of Representatives a report as to the options procured during such period.