providing certain basic authorities

providing certain basic authorities Sec. 202. Title VIII of the United States Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948 (22 U.S.C. 1471) is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new sections: “basic authority “Sec. 804. In carrying out the provisions of this Act, the Secretary, or any Government agency authorized to administer such provisions, may— “(1) employ, without regard to the civil service and classification laws, aliens abroad for service in the United States relating to the translation or narration of colloquial speech in foreign languages when suitable qualified United States citizens are not available (such aliens to be investigated for such employment in accordance with procedures established by the Secretary or such agency and the Attorney General), and such persons may be admitted to the United States, if otherwise qualified, as non-immigrants under section 101(a)(15) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)) for such time and under such conditions and procedures as may be established by the Secretary and the Attorney General; “(2) pay travel expenses of aliens employed abroad for service in the United States and their dependents to and from the United States; “(3) incur expenses for entertainment within the United States within such amounts as may be provided in appropriations Acts; “(4) obtain insurance on official motor vehicles operated by the Secretary or such agency in foreign countries, and pay the expenses incident thereto; “(5) notwithstanding the provisions of section 2680(h) of title 28. United States Code, pay tort claims in the manner authorized in the first paragraph of section 2672 of such title, when such claims arise in foreign countries in connection with operations conducted abroad under this Act; “(6) employ aliens by contract for services abroad; “(7) provide ice and drinking water abroad; “(8) pay excise taxes on negotiable instruments abroad; “(9) pay the actual expenses of preparing and transporting to their former homes the remains or persons, not United States Government, employees, who may die away from their homes while participating in activities conducted under this Act; “(10) rent or lease, for periods not exceeding five years, offices, buildings, grounds, and living quarters abroad for employees carrying out this Act, and make payments therefor in advance; “(11) maintain, improve, and repair properties used for information activities in foreign countries; “(12) furnish fuel and utilities for Government-owned or leased property abroad; and 86 Stat. 494 “(13) pay travel expenses of employees attending official international conferences, without regard to sections 5701–5708 of title 5, United States Code, and regulations issued thereunder, but at rates not in excess of comparable allowances approved for such conferences by the Secretary. “travel expenses “Sec. 805. Appropriated funds made available for any fiscal year to the Secretary or any Government agency, to carry out the provisions of this Act, for expenses in connection with travel of personnel outside the continental United States, including travel of dependents and transportation of personal effects, household goods, or automobiles of such personnel, shall be available for all such expenses in connection with travel or transportation which begins in that fiscal year pursuant to travel orders issued in that year, notwithstanding the fact that such travel or transportation may not be completed until the following fiscal year.”