USC Subchapter IV

in effect

22 U.S.C. § 1

This Act may be cited as the ‘Czechoslovakian Claims Settlement Act of 1981’.

(a) The Congress hereby approves the Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic on the Settlement of Certain Outstanding Claims and Financial Issues, initialed at Prague, Czechoslovakia on November 6, 1981. “(b) The President may, without further approval by the Congress, execute such technical revisions of the Agreement approved by subsection (a) of this section as in his judgment may from time to time be required to facilitate the implementation of that Agreement. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to authorize any revision of that Agreement to reduce any amount to be paid by the Government of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic to the United States Government under the Agreement, or to defer the payment of any such amount.

22 U.S.C. § 3

For the purposes of this Act— “(1) ‘Agreement’ means the Agreement on the Settlement of Certain Outstanding Claims and Financial Issues approved by section 2(a) of this Act; “(2) ‘national of the United States’ has the meaning given such term by section 401(1) of the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949 [22 U.S.C. 1642(1)]; “(3) ‘Commission’ means the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the United States; “(4) ‘Fund’ means the Czechoslovakian Claims Fund established by section 402(b) of the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949 [22 U.S.C. 1642a(b)]; “(5) ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary of the Treasury; and “(6) ‘property’ means any property, right, or interest.

22 U.S.C. § 4

(a) The Secretary shall cover into the Fund the amount paid by the Government of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic in settlement and discharge of claims of nationals of the United States pursuant to article 1(1) of the Agreement, and shall deduct from that amount $50,000 for reimbursement to the United States Government for expenses incurred by the Department of the Treasury and the Commission in the administration of this Act and title IV of the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949 [this subchapter]. The amount so deducted shall be covered into the Treasury to the credit of miscellaneous receipts. The deduction required by this subsection shall be made in lieu of the deduction provided in section 402(e) of the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949 [22 U.S.C. 1642a(e)]; however, it is the sense of the Congress that the United States Government is entitled to a larger percentage of the total award (generally presumed to be 5 percent) and that the ex gratia payment hereinafter provided to certain claimants, who were otherwise excluded from sharing in this claims settlement under generally-accepted principles of international law and United States practice, is justified only by the extraordinary circumstances of this case and does not establish any precedent for future claims negotiations or payments. “(b) The Secretary shall establish three accounts in the Fund into which the amount covered into the Fund pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, less the deduction required by that subsection, shall be covered as follows:“(1) An account into which $74,550,000 shall be covered, to be available for payment in accordance with section 8 of this Act on account of awards certified pursuant to section 410 of the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949 [22 U.S.C. 1642i]. “(2) An account into which $1,500,000 shall be covered, to be available for payment in accordance with section 8 of this Act on account of awards determined pursuant to section 5 of this Act. “(3) An account into which the remainder of amounts in the Fund shall be covered, to be available for payment in accordance with section 8 of this Act on account of awards determined pursuant to section 6 of this Act.

22 U.S.C. § 5

(a) The Commission shall receive and determine, in accordance with applicable substantive law, including international law, the validity and amount of claims by nationals of the United States against the Government of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic for losses resulting from the nationalization or other taking of property owned at the time by nationals of the United States, which nationalization or other taking occurred between August 8, 1958, and the date on which the Agreement enters into force. In making the determination with respect to the validity and amount of any such claim and the value of the property taken, the Commission is authorized to accept the fair or proved value of such property as of the time when the property taken was last operated, used, managed, or controlled by the national or nationals of the United States asserting the claim, regardless of whether such time is prior to the actual date of nationalization or other taking by the Government of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic. “(b) The Commission shall certify to the Secretary the amount of any award determined pursuant to subsection (a).

22 U.S.C. § 6

(a)(1) The Congress finds that—“(A) in the case of certain persons holding claims against the Czechoslovakian Government who became nationals of the United States by February 26, 1948, the date on which the current Communist Government of Czechoslovakia assumed power; and “(B) while the Commission had the authority to deny those claims described in subparagraph (A) on the basis that the properties involved had been taken by the Benes Government while the claimants were not yet nationals of the United States, the effect of that denial is to withhold compensation to persons who have been United States citizens for many years and whose expropriated property has benefited the Communist Government of Czechoslovakia no less than properties expropriated more directly and clearly by the Communist Government. “(2)(A) It is therefore the purpose of this section, in accordance with the intent of the Congress in enacting title IV of the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949 [this subchapter] and in the interests of equity, to make ex gratia payments to the claimants described in paragraph (1) of this subsection. “(B) The Congress reaffirms the principle and practice of the United States to seek compensation from foreign governments on behalf only of persons who were nationals of the United States at the time they sustained losses by the nationalization or other taking of their property by those foreign governments. In making payments under this section, the Congress does not establish any precedent for future claims payments. “(b) The Commission shall reopen and redetermine the validity and amount of any claim against the Government of Czechoslovakia which was filed with the Commission in accordance with the provisions of title IV of the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949 [this subchapter], which was based on property found by the Commission to have been nationalized or taken by the Government of Czechoslovakia on or after January 1, 1945, and before February 26, 1948, and which was denied by the Commission because such property was not owned by a person who was a national of the United States on the date of such nationalization or taking. The provisions of section 405 of the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949 [22 U.S.C. 1642d] requiring that the property upon which a claim is based must have been owned by a national of the United States on the date of nationalization or other taking by the Government of Czechoslovakia shall be deemed to be met if such property was owned on such date by a person who became a national of the United States on or before February 26, 1948. The Commission shall certify to the Secretary the amount of any award determined pursuant to this subsection.

22 U.S.C. § 7

(a) The provisions of sections 401, 403, 405, 406, 407, 408, 409, 414, 415, and 416 of the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949 [22 U.S.C. 1642, 1642b, 1642d, 1642e, 1642f, 1642g, 1642h, 1642m, 1642n, and 1642o, respectively], to the extent that such provisions are not inconsistent with this Act, together with such regulations as the Commission may prescribe, shall apply with respect to any claim determined pursuant to section 5(a) of this Act or redetermined pursuant to section 6(b) of this Act. “(b) Not later than sixty days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 29, 1981], the Commission shall establish and publish in the Federal Register a period of time within which claims described in section 5 of the Act must be filed with the Commission, and the date for the completion of the Commission’s affairs in connection with the determination of those such claims and claims described in section 6 of this Act. Such filing period shall be not more than one year after the date of such publication in the Federal Register, and such completion date shall be not more than two years after the final date for the filing of claims under section 5. No person holding a claim to which section 6 of this Act applies shall be required to refile that claim before the Commission makes the redetermination required by that section.

22 U.S.C. § 8

(a) As soon as practicable after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 29, 1981], the Secretary shall make payments from amounts in the account established pursuant to section 4(b)(1) of this Act on the unpaid balance of each award certified by the Commission pursuant to section 410 of the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949 [22 U.S.C. 1642i]. “(b) As soon as practicable after the Commission has completed the certification of awards pursuant to section 5(b) of this Act, the Secretary shall make payments on account of each such award from the amounts in the account established pursuant to section 4(b)(2) of this Act. “(c) As soon as practicable after the Commission has completed the certification of awards pursuant to section 6(b) of this Act, the Secretary shall make payments on account of each such award from the amounts in the account established pursuant to section 4(b)(3) of this Act. “(d) In the event that—“(1) the amounts in the account established pursuant to section 4(b)(2) of this Act exceed the aggregate total of all awards certified by the Commission pursuant to section 5(b) of this Act, or “(2) the amounts in the account established pursuant to section 4(b)(3) of this Act exceed the aggregate total of all awards certified by the Commission pursuant to section 6(b) of this Act, the Secretary shall cover such excess amounts into the account established pursuant to section 4(b)(1) of this Act. The Secretary shall make payments pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, from such excess amounts, on the unpaid balance of awards certified by the Commission pursuant to section 410 of the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949 [22 U.S.C. 1642i]. “(e) Payments under this section shall be made on the unpaid balance of each award which bear to such unpaid balance the same proportion as the total amount in the account in the Fund from which the payments are made bears to the aggregate unpaid balance of all awards payable from that account. Payments under this section, and applications for such payments, shall be made in accordance with such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe. “(f) In the event that—“(1) the Secretary is unable, within three years after the date of the establishment of the account prescribed by section 4(b)(1) of this Act, to locate any person entitled to receive payment under this section on account of an award certified by the Commission pursuant to section 410 of the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949 [22 U.S.C. 1642i] or to locate any lawful heirs, successors, or legal representatives of that person, or if no valid application for payment is made by or on behalf of that person within six months after the Secretary has located that person or that person’s heirs, successors, or legal representatives; or “(2) within six months after the Commission has completed the certification of awards pursuant to sections 5(b) and 6(b) of this Act, no valid application for payment is made by or on behalf of any person entitled to receive payment under this section on account of an award certified by the Commission pursuant to either such section, the Secretary shall give notice by publication in the Federal Register and in such other publications as the Secretary may determine that, unless valid application for payment is made within sixty days after the date of such publication, that person’s award under title IV of the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949 [this subchapter] or this Act, as the case may be, and that person’s right to receive payment on account of such award, shall lapse. Upon the expiration of such sixty-day period that person’s award and right to receive payment shall lapse, and the amounts payable to that person shall be paid pro rata by the Secretary on account of all other awards under title IV of the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949 [this subchapter] or this Act, as the case may be.

22 U.S.C. § 9

The Secretary shall invest and hold in separate accounts the amounts held respectively in the accounts established by section 4 of this Act. Such investment shall be in public debt securities with maturities suitable for the needs of the separate accounts and bearing interest at rates determined by the Secretary, taking into consideration the average market yield on outstanding marketable obligations of the United States of comparable maturities. The interest earned on the amounts in each account established by section 4 of this Act shall be used to make payments, in accordance with section 8(e) of this Act, on awards payable from that account.

22 U.S.C. § 10

(a) If, within sixty days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 29, 1981]—“(1) the Government of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic does not make the payments to the United States Government described in article 6(2) of the Agreement, or “(2) the Czechoslovak Government does not receive the gold provided in article 6(1) of the Agreement, the provisions of this Act shall cease to be effective, and the provisions of the Agreement may not be implemented unless the Congress approves the Agreement after the end of that sixty-day period. “(b) The sixty-day period for implementation of the Agreement required by subsection (a) shall be extended by an additional period of thirty calendar days if, before the expiration of that sixty-day period, the Secretary of State certifies in writing that such extension is consistent with the purposes of this Act and reports that certification to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and to the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, together with a detailed statement of the reasons for the extension. If at the end of that additional thirty-day period the events set forth in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a) have not occurred, the provisions of this Act shall cease to be effective and the provisions of the Agreement may not be implemented unless the Congress approves the Agreement after the end of that thirty-day period or unless the Congress, before the expiration of that thirty-day period, authorizes by joint resolution a further extension of time for implementation of the Agreement. Such joint resolution shall be considered in the Senate in accordance with the provisions of section 601(b) of the International Security Assistance and Arms Export Control Act of 1976 [Pub. L. 94–329, title VI, § 601(b), June 30, 1976, 90 Stat. 765], and in the House of Representatives a motion to proceed to the consideration of such joint resolution after it has been reported by the appropriate committee shall be treated as highly privileged.

22 U.S.C. § 11

The Secretary of State shall conduct a detailed review of the exchange of letters between the United States and Czechoslovakia providing for reciprocal social security payments to residents of the two countries. Such review should include an examination of the extent to which Czechoslovakia is complying with the spirit and provisions of the letters, a comparison of the benefits being realized by residents of Czechoslovakia and of the United States under the letters, and an evaluation of the basis of differences in such benefits. The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Department of Health and Human Services, shall report to the Congress, not later than six months after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 29, 1981], the results of such review, together with any recommendations for legislation or changes in the agreement made by the letters that may be necessary to achieve greater comparability and equity of benefits for the residents of the two countries. Such report should include specific assessments of the feasibility, likely effects, and advisability of terminating United States social security payments to residents of Czechoslovakia in response to inequities and incomparabilities of benefits payments under the exchange of letters.”

22 U.S.C. § 1642 Definitions

As used in this subchapter— (1) “National of the United States” means (A) a natural person who is a citizen of the United States, or who owes permanent allegiance to the United States, and (B) a corporation or other legal entity which is organized under the laws of the United States, any State or Territory thereof, or the District of Columbia, if natural persons who are nationals of the United States own, directly or indirectly, more than 50 per centum of the outstanding capital stock or other beneficial interest in such legal entity. It does not include aliens. (2) “Commission” means the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the United States, established, pursuant to Reorganization Plan Number 1 of 1954 (68 Stat. 1279). (3) “Property” means any property, right, or interest.

22 U.S.C. § 1642a Financial provisions

(a) Deposit of proceeds of certain propertyThe Secretary of the Treasury is directed to hold, in an account in the Treasury of the United States, the net proceeds of the sale of certain Czechoslovakian steel mill equipment heretofore blocked and sold in the United States by order of the Secretary of the Treasury under authority of Executive Order Numbered 9193, dated July 6, 1942 (7 F.R. 5205, July 9, 1942). (b) Creation of Czechoslovakian Claims FundThere is created in the Treasury of the United States a fund to be designated the Czechoslovakian Claims Fund, for the payment of unsatisfied claims of nationals of the United States against Czechoslovakia as authorized in this subchapter. (c) Voluntary settlement and payment of claims of nationals of the United StatesIf, within one year following August 8, 1958, the Government of Czechoslovakia voluntarily settles with and pays to the Government of the United States a sum in payment of claims of United States nationals against Czechoslovakia, all moneys held pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be disposed of in accordance with the terms of the settlement agreement with Czechoslovakia and applicable provisions of this subchapter and the sum paid by Czechoslovakia shall be covered into the Czechoslovakian Claims Fund. (d) Deposit of net proceeds into FundUpon the expiration of one year after August 8, 1958 if no settlement with Czechoslovakia of the type specified in subsection (c) of this section has occurred, all moneys held pursuant to subsection (a) of this section except amounts held in reserve pursuant to section 1642b of this title, shall be covered into the Czechoslovakian Claims Fund. (e) Deductions for expensesThe Secretary of the Treasury shall deduct from the Czechoslovakian Claims Fund 5 per centum thereof as reimbursement to the Government of the United States for the expenses incurred by the Commission and by the Treasury Department in the administration of this subchapter. The amount so deducted shall be covered into the Treasury to the credit of miscellaneous receipts. (f) Disposition of balance of FundAfter the deduction for administrative expenses pursuant to subsection (e) of this section, and after payment of awards certified pursuant to section 1642i of this title, the balance remaining in the Fund, if any, shall be paid to Czechoslovakia in accordance with instructions to be provided by the Secretary of State.

22 U.S.C. § 1642b Claims against United States; jurisdiction; limitation; preference; reserve fund

No judicial relief or remedy shall be available to any person asserting a claim against the United States or any officer or agent thereof with respect to any action taken under this subchapter, or any other claim for or on account of the property or proceeds described in section 1642a of this title, or for any other action taken with respect thereto except to the extent that the action complained of constitutes a taking of private property without just compensation, and to such extent the sole judicial relief and remedy available shall be an action brought against the United States in the United States Court of Federal Claims which action must be brought within one year of August 8, 1958, or it shall be forever barred; and any action so brought shall receive a preference over all actions which themselves are not given preference by statute. No other court shall have original jurisdiction to consider any such claim by mandamus or otherwise. If any action is brought pursuant to this section the Secretary of the Treasury shall set aside an appropriate reserve in the account containing the moneys held pursuant to subsection (a) of section 1642a of this title. Such reserve shall be retained pending a final determination of all issues raised in the action and recovery in any such action shall be limited to and paid out of the moneys so reserved. After a final determination of all issues raised in the action and payment of any judgment against the United States entered pursuant thereto, any balance no longer required to be held in reserve shall be disposed of in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of section 1642a of this title. Nothing in this section shall be construed to create (1) any liability against the United States for any action taken pursuant to section 1642c of this title, (2) any liability against the United States in favor of the Government of Czechoslovakia, any agency or instrumentality thereof or any person who is an assignee or successor in interest thereto, or (3) any other liability against the United States.

22 U.S.C. § 1642c Determination of validity and amount of claims

The Commission shall determine in accordance with applicable substantive law, including international law, the validity and amount of claims by nationals of the United States against the Government of Czechoslovakia for losses resulting from the nationalization or other taking on and after January 1, 1945, of property including any rights or interests therein owned at the time by nationals of the United States, subject, however, to the terms and conditions of an applicable claims agreement, if any, concluded between the Governments of Czechoslovakia and the United States within one year following August 8, 1958. In making the determination with respect to the validity and amount of claims and value of properties, rights, or interests taken, the Commission is authorized to accept the fair or proved value of the said property, right, or interest as of a time when the property or business enterprise taken, was last operated, used, managed or controlled by the national or nationals of the United States asserting the claim irrespective of whether such date is prior to the actual date of nationalization or taking by the Government of Czechoslovakia.

22 U.S.C. § 1642d Nationality requirements

A claim under section 1642c of this title shall not be allowed unless the property upon which the claim is based was owned by a national of the United States on the date of nationalization or other taking thereof and unless the claim has been held by a national of the United States continuously thereafter until the date of filing with the Commission.

22 U.S.C. § 1642e Claims based on ownership interest in corporations or other legal entities

(a) Nationals of United StatesA claim under section 1642c of this title, based upon an ownership interest in any corporation, association, or other entity which is a national of the United States shall be denied. (b) Direct ownershipA claim under section 1642c of this title, based upon a direct ownership interest in a corporation, association, or other entity for loss by reason of the nationalization or other taking of such corporation, association, or other entity, or the property thereof, shall be allowed, subject to other provisions of this subchapter, if such corporation, association, or other entity on the date of the nationalization or other taking was not a national of the United States, without regard to the per centum of ownership vested in the claimant in any such claim. (c) Indirect ownershipA claim under section 1642c of this title, based upon an indirect ownership interest in a corporation, association, or other entity for loss by reason of the nationalization or other taking of such corporation, association, or other entity, or the property thereof, shall be allowed, subject to other provisions of this subchapter, only if at least 25 per centum of the entire ownership interest thereof at the time of such nationalization or other taking was vested in nationals of the United States. (d) Computation of awardAny award on a claim under subsection (b) or (c) of this section shall be calculated on the basis of the total loss suffered by such corporation, association, or other entity, and shall bear the same proportion to such loss as the ownership interest of the claimant bears to the entire ownership interest thereof.

22 U.S.C. § 1642f Prevention of double benefits

In determining the amount of any award by the Commission there shall be deducted all amounts the claimant has received from any source on account of the same loss or losses with respect to which such award is made.

22 U.S.C. § 1642g Consolidated awards

With respect to any claim under section 1642c of this title which, at the time of the award, is vested in persons other than the person by whom the loss was sustained, the Commission may issue a consolidated award in favor of all claimants then entitled thereto, which award shall indicate the respective interests of such claimants therein, and all such claimants shall participate, in proportion to their indicated interests, in the payments authorized by this subchapter in all respects as if the award had been in favor of a single person.

22 U.S.C. § 1642h Prohibition against payment of award to certain persons

No award shall be made on any claim under section 1642c of this title to or for the benefit of (1) any person who has been convicted of a violation of any provision of chapter 115 of title 18, or of any other crime involving disloyalty to the United States, or (2) any claimant whose claim under this subchapter is within the scope of subchapter III of this chapter.

22 U.S.C. § 1642i Certification of awards

The Commission shall certify to the Secretary of the Treasury, in terms of United States currency, each award made pursuant to this subchapter.

22 U.S.C. § 1642j Time for filing of claims; notice

Within sixty days after August 8, 1958, or of legislation making appropriations to the Commission for payment of administrative expenses incurred in carrying out its functions under this subchapter, whichever date is later, the Commission shall give public notice by publication in the Federal Register of the time when, and the limit of time within which claims may be filed, which limit shall not be more than twelve months after such publication.

22 U.S.C. § 1642k Time limitation on completion of affairs of Commission

The Commission shall complete its affairs in connection with the settlement of claims pursuant to this subchapter not later than three years following the final date for the filing of claims as provided in section 1642j of this title or following the enactment of legislation making appropriations to the Commission for payment of administrative expenses incurred in carrying out its functions under this subchapter, whichever date is later.

22 U.S.C. § 1642l Payment of awards

(a) Manner of paymentThe Secretary of the Treasury is authorized and directed, out of the sums covered into the Czechoslovakian Claims Fund, to make payments on account of awards certified by the Commission pursuant to this subchapter as follows and in the following order of priority:(1) Payment in the amount of $1,000 or in the amount of the award, whichever is less. (2) Thereafter, payments from time to time on account of the unpaid balance of each remaining award made pursuant to this subchapter which shall bear to such unpaid balance the same proportion as the total amount in the fund available for distribution at the time such payments are made bears to the aggregate unpaid balance of all such awards. (b) RegulationsSuch payments, and applications for such payments, shall be made in accordance with such regulations as the Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe. (c) “Award” definedFor the purpose of making any such payments, an “award” shall be deemed to mean the aggregate of all awards certified in favor of the same claimant. (d) Payment of interest of deceased persons or persons under legal disabilityIf any person to whom any payment is to be made pursuant to this subchapter is deceased or is under a legal disability, payment shall be made to his legal representative, except that if any payment to be made is not over $1,000 and there is no qualified executor or administrator, payment may be made to the person or persons found by the Comptroller General to be entitled thereto, without the necessity of compliance with the requirements of law with respect to the administration of estates. (e) Partial paymentsSubject to the provisions of any claims agreement hereafter concluded between the Governments of Czechoslovakia and the United States, payment of any award pursuant to this subchapter shall not, unless such payment is for the full amount of the claim, as determined by the Commission to be valid, with respect to which the award is made, extinguish such claim, or be construed to have divested any claimant, or the United States on his behalf, of any rights against any foreign government for the unpaid balance of his claim.

22 U.S.C. § 1642m Fees of attorneys; limitation; penalty

No remuneration on account of services rendered on behalf of any claimant in connection with any claim filed with the Commission under this subchapter shall exceed 10 per centum of the total amount paid pursuant to any award certified under the provisions of this subchapter on account of such claim. Any agreement to the contrary shall be unlawful and void. Whoever, in the United States or elsewhere, demands or receives, on account of services so rendered, any remuneration in excess of the maximum permitted by this section, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned not more than twelve months, or both.

22 U.S.C. § 1642n Transfer of records

The Secretary of State is authorized and directed to transfer or otherwise make available to the Commission such records and documents relating to claims authorized by this subchapter as may be required by the Commission in carrying out its functions under this subchapter.

22 U.S.C. § 1642o Applicability of administrative provisions of subchapter I

To the extent they are not inconsistent with the provisions of this subchapter, the following provisions of subchapter I shall be applicable to this subchapter: Subsections (b), (c), (d), (e), (h), and (j) of section 1623 of this title; subsections (c), (d), (e), and (f) of section 1626 of this title.

22 U.S.C. § 1642p Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to enable the Commission and the Treasury Department to pay their administrative expenses incurred in carrying out their functions under this subchapter.