22 U.S.C. § 296 : US Code - Section 296: Duties of Secretary of State with respect to commission and properties

Search 22 U.S.C. § 296 : US Code - Section 296: Duties of Secretary of State with respect to commission and properties

For the purposes of this chapter the Secretary of State is
authorized to supervise, preserve, maintain, operate, and, when
deemed necessary, to insure the Foreign Service properties in
foreign countries and the other properties acquired in accordance
with the provisions of this chapter; to rent and insure objects of
art; to collect information and formulate plans; and, without
regard to civil service and classification laws, to obtain
architectural and other expert technical services as may be
necessary and pay therefor the scale of professional fees as
established by local authority, law or custom, and to make
expenditures without regard to section 295a of this title requiring
purchase of articles manufactured in the United States.