General Authority.—

Sec. 131. General Authority.— (a) The President is hereby authorized to furnish, to nations and organizations eligible to receive military assistance under chapter 1 of this title, or to nations which have joined with the United States in a regional collective defense arrangement, commodities, services, and financial and other assistance designed to sustain and increase military effort. In furnishing such assistance, the President may provide for the procurement and transfer from any source of any commodity or service (including processing, storing, transporting, marine insurance, and repairing) or any technical information and assistance. (b) There is hereby authorized to be appropriated to the President for the fiscal year 1955 to carry out the provisions of this section, not to exceed— (1) $46,000,000 for Europe (excluding Greece and Turkey); (2) $73,000,000 for the Near East (including Greece and Turkey), Africa, and South Asia; and (3) $80,098,195 for the Far East and the Pacific. In addition, unexpended balances of appropriations heretofore made pursuant to section 541 of the Mutual Security Act of 1951, as amended, are hereby authorized to be continued available for the purpose of this subsection through June 30, 1955, and to be consolidated with the appropriation authorized for the same area by this subsection: Provided, That portions of such unexpended balances which have been allocated to assistance for Greece and Turkey shall be consolidated with the appropriation authorized by paragraph (2) of this subsection.