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<br />I -18 UPDATING THE HOOVER DAM DOCUMENTS
<br />and consented to by Congress after said date: Provided, That in the latter case such compact shall be subject
<br />to all contracts, if any, made by the Secretary of the Interior under section 5 hereof prior to the date of such
<br />approval and consent by Congress.
<br />SEC. 9. All lands of the United States found by the Secretary of the Interior to be practicable of irrigation
<br />and reclamation by the irrigation works authorized herein shall be withdrawn from public entry. Thereafter, at
<br />the direction of the Secretary of the Interior, such lands shall be opened for entry, in tracts varying in size but
<br />not exceeding one hundred and sixty acres, as may be determined by the Secretary of the Interior, in ac-
<br />cordance with the provisions of the reclamation law, and any such entryman shall pay an equitable share in
<br />accordance with the benefits received, as determined by the said Secretary, of the construction cost of said
<br />canal and appurtenant structures; said payments to be made in such installments and at such times as may be
<br />specified bythe Secretary of the Interior, in accordance with the provisions of the said reclamation law, and
<br />shall constitute revenue from said project and be covered into the fund herein provided for: Provided, That
<br />all persons who served in the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard during World War II,
<br />the War with Germany, the War with Spain, or in the suppression of the insurrection in the Philippines, and
<br />who have been honorably separated or discharged therefrom or placed in the Regular _ Army or Naval
<br />Reserve, shall have the exclusive preference right for a period of three months to enter said lands, subject,
<br />however, to the provisions of subsection (c) of section 4 of the Act of December 5, 1924 (43 Stat. 672, 702;
<br />43 U.S.C., sec. 433); and also, so far as practicable, preference shall be given to said persons in all construc-
<br />tion work authorized by this chapter: Provided further, That the above exclusive preference rights shall apply
<br />to veteran settlers on lands watered from the Gila canal in Arizona the same as to veteran settlers on lands
<br />watered from the All - American canal in California: Provided further, That in the event such entry shall be
<br />relinquished at any time prior to actual residence upon the land by the entryman for not less than one year,
<br />lands so relinquished shall not be subject to entry for a period of sixty days after the filing and notation of the
<br />relinquishment in the local land office, and after the expiration of said sixty -day period such lands shall be
<br />open to entry, subjectto..1he preference in the section provided.'
<br />SEC. 10. That nothing in this Act shall be construed as modifying in any manner the existing contract,
<br />dated October 23, 1918, between the United States and the Imperial Irrigation District, providing for a con -
<br />nection with Laguna Dam; but the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to enter into contract or contracts
<br />With the said district or other districts, persons, or agencies for the construction, in accordance with this Act,
<br />of said canal and appurtenant structures, and also for the operation and maintenance thereof, with the con -
<br />sent of the other users.
<br />SEC. 11. That the Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized to make such studies, surveys, investiga
<br />lions, and do such engineering as may be necessary to determine the lands in the State of Arizona that should
<br />be embraced within the boundaries of a reclamation project, heretofore commonly known and hereafter to be
<br />known as the Parker -Gila Valley reclamation project, and to recommend the most practicable and feasible
<br />method of irrigating lands within said project, or units thereof, and the cost of the same; and the appropria-
<br />tion of such sums of money as may be necessary for the aforesaid purposes from time to time is hereby
<br />authorized: The Secretary shall report to Congress as soon as practicable, and not later than December 10,
<br />1931, ,his findings, conclusions, and recommendations regarding such project.
<br />SEC. 12. "Political subdivision" or `political subdivisions" as used in this Act shall be understood to include
<br />any State,. irrigation or other district, municipality, or other governmental organizati on.
<br />"Reclamation law" as used in this Act shall be understood to mean that certain Act of the Congress of the
<br />United States approved June .17, 1902, entitled "An Act appropriating the receipts from the sale and disposal
<br />of public land in certain States and Territories to the construction of irrigation works for the reclamation of and
<br />lands," and the Acts amendatory thereof and supplemental thereto.
<br />'As amended by act of March 6, 1946 (60 Stat. 36).
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