By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that:

SECTION 1. Act Numbered Six hundred and ninety-seven, entitled "An Act to furnish transportation to the United States to officers and employees of the Insular Government when it is impracticable to secure the same on United States Army transports," is hereby amended to read as follows:

1. By making section one read as follows:
   
   "SECTION 1. In every case wherein it is impracticable to secure for an officer or employee of the Insular Government transportation from Manila to San Francisco on a United States Army transport and such officer or employee is entitled by law or under his contract after two or more years of satisfactory service to return transportation, exclusive of subsistence, from Manila to San Francisco, the Executive Secretary is hereby authorized to make official request upon any transportation company with which the Insular Government may have a contract that such transportation lie issued upon the payment to the company of the sum which such officer or employee would have been required to pay for subsistence if he had made the journey upon a United States Army transport, allowing thirty days for the trip, as set forth in the said request. The account of the transportation company for the difference between the amount paid by the person to whom transportation is issued and the Government rate shall be paid by settlement warrant upon certification of the amount by the Auditor, and said payment is hereby made a proper charge against the appropriation designated 'Insular salary and expense fund.' "
   
   
2. By making section four read as follows:
   
   "SEC.  4. The Executive Secretary shall certify the name of the officer or employee to whom such transportation was furnished, and the Bureau or Office to which he belonged, and shall also cite the law or authority under which the said transportation was furnished, with a true copy of the contract providing for such return transportation, if any."
   
   
3. By making section five read as follows:
   
   "SEC. 5. No transportation shall be furnished at the cost of the Insular Government when an officer or employee is going to or coming from the United States on leave of absence, except in cases specially provided by law or resolution of the Commission: Provided, however, That any officer or employee of the Philippine Government, Insular, provincial, or municipal, going to or coming from the United States on leave of absence or for any other lawful reason, may secure the benefit of the contract of the Insular Government made with the commercial lines for transportation between Manila and any town or city in the United States, either for himself or for any member of his immediate family, including his fiancee, ¦ by applying, in case he is going from Manila to the United States, to the Executive Secretary for a statement to the transportation company showing that he or the member of his immediate family or fiancee desiring transportation is entitled to the Government rate and by depositing with the said transportation company the amount shown in said statement to be clue for the transportation desired, and in case an officer or employee or any member of his immediate family, including his fiancee, is coming from the United Stales to Manila, by applying to the Chief of the Bureau of Insular Affairs in Washington for a statement to the transportation company showing that he or the member of his immediate family or fiancee desiring transportation is entitled to the Government rate and by depositing with the said company the amount shown in the statement issued by the Chief of the Bureau of Insular Affairs to be due for the transportation desired: And provided further, That any office or employee of the Philippine Government, Insular, provincial, or municipal, may secure the benefit of the contract of the Insular Government made with the commercial lines for transportation between Manila and any town or city of the United States for any member of his immediate family, including his fiancee, desiring to come to Manila from the United States by applying to the Executive Secretary for a statement to the representatives of the transportation company in Manila showing that the member of his immediate family or fiancee desiring transportation is entitled to the Government rate and by depositing with the representatives of such transportation company in Manila the amount shown in such statement to be due for the transportation desired. Upon receiving such deposit the representatives of the transportation company in Manila shall inform the representatives of the company in the United States that the funds have been so deposited and request that the transportation desired be provided, and should the applicant so desire such information shall be conveyed by cable at his expense."

SEC. 2. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred.

SEC. 3. This Act shall take effect on its passage.

Enacted, December 16, 1905.