1941 US Lend Lease Act
March 11, 1941
Be it enacted That this Act may be cited as "An Act
to Promote the Defense of the United States."
Section 3.
(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law,
the President may, from time to time, when he deems it
in the interest of national defense, authorize the
Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Navy, or the head
of any other department or agency of the Government.
(1) To manufacture in arsenals, factories, and
shipyards under their jurisdiction, or otherwise
procure, to the extent to which funds are made available
therefor (sic), or contracts are authorized from time to
time by the Congress, or both, any defense article for
the government of any country whose defense the
President deems vital to the defense of the United
States.
(2) To sell, transfer title to, exchange, lease, lend,
or otherwise dispose of, to any such government any
defense article, but no defense article not manufactured
or procured under paragraph (1) shall in any way be
disposed of under this paragraph, except after
consultation with the Chief of Staff of the Army or the
Chief of Naval Operations of the Navy, or both. The
value of defense articles disposed of in any way under
authority of this paragraph, and procured from funds
heretofore appropriated, shall not exceed
$1,300,000,000. The value of such defense articles shall
be determined by the head of the department or agency
concerned or such other department, agency or officer as
shall be designated in the manner provided in the rules
and regulations issued hereunder. Defense articles
procured from funds hereafter appropriated to any
department or agency of the Government, other than from
funds authorized to be appropriated under this Act,
shall not be disposed of in any way under authority of
this paragraph except to the extent hereafter authorized
by the Congress in the Acts appropriating such funds or
otherwise.
(3) To test, inspect, prove, repair, outfit,
recondition, or otherwise to place in good working
order, to the extent to which funds are made available
therefor, or contracts are authorized from time to time
by the Congress, or both, any defense article for any
such government, or to procure any or all such services
by private contract.
(4) To communicate to any such government any defense
information, pertaining to any defense article furnished
to such government under paragraph (2) of this
subsection.
(5) To release for export any defense article disposed
of in any way under this subsection to any such
government.
(b) The terms and conditions upon which any such
foreign government receive any aid authorized under
subsection (a) shall be those which the President deems
satisfactory, and the benefit tot the United States may
be payment or repayment in kind or property, or any
other direct or indirect benefit which the President
deems satisfactory.
(c) After June 30, 1943, or after the passage of a
concurrent resolution by the two Houses before June 30,
1943, which declares that the powers conferred by or
pursuant to subsection (a) are no longer necessary to
promote the defense of the United States, neither the
President nor the head of any department or agency shall
exercise any of the powers conferred by or pursuant to
subsection (a); except that until July 1, 1946, any of
such powers may be exercised to the extent necessary to
carry out a contract or agreement with such a foreign
government made before July 1, 1943, or before the
passage of such concurrent resolution, whichever is the
earlier.
(d) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to
authorize or to permit the authorization of convoying
vessels by naval vessels of the United States.
(e) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to
authorize or to permit the authorization of the entry of
any American vessel into a combat area in violation of
section 3 of the Neutrality Act of 1939.
Section 8
The Secretaries of War and of the Navy are hereby
authorized to purchase or otherwise acquire arms,
ammunition, and implements of war produced within the
jurisdiction of any country to which section 3 is
applicable, whenever the President deems such purchase
or acquisition to be necessary in the interests of the
defense of the United States.
Section 9
The President may, from time to time, promulgate such
rules and regulations as may be necessary and proper to
carry out any of the provisions of this Act; and he may
exercise any power or authority conferred on him by this
Act through such department, agency, or officer as he
shall direct.
Source: U.S. Statutes at Large, Vol. LV, p. 31
