USC Subchapter II

in effect

50 U.S.C. § 4131 Definitions

As used in this subchapter the term or terms— (a) “Albania”, “Austria”, “Czechoslovakia”, “the Free Territory of Danzig”, “Estonia”, “Germany”, “Greece”, “Latvia”, “Lithuania”, “Poland”, and “Yugoslavia”, when used in their respective geographical senses, mean the territorial limits of each such country or free territory, as the case may be, in continental Europe as such limits existed on December 1, 1937. (b) “Commission” means the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the United States established pursuant to Reorganization Plan Numbered 1 of 1954 (68 Stat. 1279). (c) “National of the United States” means (1) a natural person who is a citizen of the United States, (2) a natural person who, though not a citizen of the United States, owes permanent allegiance to the United States, and (3) a corporation, partnership, unincorporated body, or other entity, organized under the laws of the United States, or of any State, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, or any possession of the United States and in which more than 50 per centum of the outstanding capital stock or other proprietary or similar interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by persons referred to in clauses (1) and (2) of this subsection. It does not include aliens. (d) “Property” means real property and such items of tangible personalty as can be identified and evaluated.

50 U.S.C. § 4132 Claims authorized

The Commission is directed to receive and to determine according to the provisions of this subchapter the validity and amount of claims of nationals of the United States for— (a) loss or destruction of, or physical damage to, property located in Albania, Austria, Czechoslovakia, the Free Territory of Danzig, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, or Yugoslavia, or in territory which was part of Hungary or Rumania on December 1, 1937, but which was not included in such countries on September 15, 1947, which loss, destruction, or physical damage occurred during the period beginning September 1, 1939, and ending May 8, 1945, or which occurred in the period beginning July 1, 1937, and ending September 2, 1945, to property in territory occupied or attacked by the Imperial Japanese military forces (including territory to which Japan has renounced all right, title, and claim under article 2 of the Treaty of Peace Between the Allied Powers and Japan) except the island of Guam: Provided, That claims for loss, destruction, or damage occurring in the Commonwealth of the Philippines shall not be allowed except on behalf of nationals of the United States who have received no payment, and certify under oath or affirmation that they have received no payment, on account of the same loss, destruction, or damage under the Philippine Rehabilitation Act of 1946,11 See References in Text note below. whether or not claim was filed thereunder: Provided further, That such loss, destruction, or damage must have occurred, as a direct consequence of (1) military operations of war or (2) special measures directed against property in such countries or territories during the respective periods specified, because of the enemy or alleged enemy character of the owner, which property was owned, directly or indirectly, by a national of the United States at the time of such loss, damage or destruction; (b) damage to, or loss or destruction of, ships or ship cargoes directly or indirectly owned by a national of the United States at the time such damage, loss, or destruction occurred, which was a direct consequence of military action by Germany or Japan during the period beginning September 1, 1939, and ending September 2, 1945; no award shall be made under this subsection in favor of any insurer or reinsurer as assignee or otherwise as successor in interest to the right of the insured; (c) net losses under war-risk insurance or reinsurance policies or contracts, incurred in the settlement of claims for insured losses of ships directly or indirectly owned by a national of the United States at the time of the loss, damage, or destruction of such ships and at the time of the settlement of such claims, which insured losses were a direct consequence of military action by Germany or Japan during the period beginning September 1, 1939, and ending September 2, 1945; such net losses shall be determined by deducting from the aggregate of all payments made in the settlement of such insured losses the aggregate of the net amounts received by any such insurance companies on all policies of contracts of war-risk insurance or reinsurance on ships under which the insured was a national of the United States, after deducting expenses; and (d) loss or damage on account of—(1) the death of any person who, being then a civilian national of the United States and a passenger on any vessel engaged in commerce on the high seas, died or was killed as a result of military action by Germany or Japan which occurred during the period beginning September 1, 1939, and ending December 11, 1941; awards under this paragraph shall be made only to or for the benefit of the following persons in the order of priority named:(A) widow or husband if there is no child or children of the deceased; (B) widow or husband and child or children of the deceased, one-half to the widow or husband and the other half to the child or children of the deceased in equal shares; (C) child or children of the deceased (in equal shares) if there is no widow or husband; and (D) parents of the deceased (in equal shares) if there is no widow, husband, or child; (2) injury or permanent disability sustained by any person, who being then a civilian national of the United States and a passenger on any vessel engaged in commerce on the high seas, was injured or permanently disabled as a result of military action by Germany or Japan which occurred during the period beginning September 1, 1939, and ending December 11, 1941; awards under this paragraph shall be payable solely to the person so injured or disabled; (3) the loss or destruction, as a result of such action, of property on such vessel, as determined by the Commission to be reasonable, useful, necessary, or proper under the circumstances, which property was owned by any civilian national of the United States who was then a passenger on such vessel; and in the case of the death of any person suffering such loss, awards under this paragraph shall be made only to or for the benefit of the persons designated in paragraph (1) of this subsection and in the order of priority named therein.

50 U.S.C. § 4133 Transfers and assignments

The transfer or assignment for value of any property forming the subject matter of a claim under subsection (a) or (b) of section 4132 of this title subsequent to its damage, loss, or destruction shall not operate to extinguish any claim of the transferor otherwise compensable under either of such subsections. If a claim which could otherwise be allowed under subsection (a) or (b) of section 4132 of this title has been assigned for value prior to October 22, 1962, the assignee shall be the party entitled to claim thereunder.

50 U.S.C. § 4134 Nationality of claimants

No claim shall be allowed under subsection (a), (b), or (c) of section 4132 of this title unless the property upon which it is based was owned by a national or nationals of the United States on the date of loss, damage, or destruction and unless the claim was owned by a national or nationals of the United States continuously thereafter until the date of filing with the Commission pursuant to this subchapter. Where any person who lost United States citizenship solely by reason of marriage to a citizen or subject of a foreign country reacquired such citizenship before October 22, 1962, then if such individual, but for such marriage would have been a national of the United States at all times on and after the date of such loss, damage, or destruction until the filing of the claim, such individual shall be treated for all purposes of this subchapter as having been a national of the United States at all such times.

50 U.S.C. § 4135 Claims of stockholders

(a) Ownership interest in entity which is a national of the United StatesA claim under section 4132 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) Ownership interest in entity which was not a national of the United States on date of lossA claim under section 4132 of this title, based upon a direct ownership interest in a corporation, association, or other entity which suffered a loss within the meaning of said section, shall be allowed, subject to other provisions of this subchapter, if such corporation, association, or other entity on the date of the loss 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 ownership interest; minimum requirementA claim under section 4132 of this title, based upon an indirect ownership interest in a corporation, association, or other entity which suffered a loss within the meaning of said section, 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 loss was vested in nationals of the United States. (d) Calculation 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.

50 U.S.C. § 4136 Deductions in making awards

(a) In determining the amount of any award there shall be deducted all amounts the claimant has received on account of the same loss or losses with respect to which an award is made under this subchapter. (b) Each claim in excess of $10,000 filed under this subchapter by a corporation shall include a statement under oath disclosing the aggregate amount of Federal tax benefits derived by such corporation in any prior taxable year or years resulting from any deduction or deductions claimed for the loss or losses with respect to which such claim is filed. In determining the amount of any award where the allowable loss exceeds $10,000 there shall be deducted an amount equal to the aggregate amount of Federal tax benefits so derived by the claimant. For the purposes of this subsection, such Federal tax benefits shall be the aggregate of the amounts by which the claimant’s taxes for such year or years under chapters 1, 2A, 2B, 2D, and 2E of the Internal Revenue Code of 1939, or subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 [26 U.S.C. 1 et seq.] were decreased with respect to such loss or losses. Any payments made on an award reduced by reason of this subsection shall be exempt from Federal income taxes.

50 U.S.C. § 4137 Consolidated awards

With respect to any claim 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 claimant 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.

50 U.S.C. § 4138 Certain awards prohibited

No award shall be made under this subchapter to or for the benefit of (1) any person who has been convicted of a violation of any provision of chapter 115, 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 title III of the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949, as amended (69 Stat. 570) [22 U.S.C. 1641 et seq.], except any claimant whose award under section 303(1) of title III of the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949, as amended [22 U.S.C. 1641b(1)], is recertified pursuant to subsection (b) of section 4139 of this title.

50 U.S.C. § 4139 Certification of awards

(a) The Commission shall certify to the Secretary of the Treasury, in terms of United States currency, for payment out of the War Claims Fund each award made pursuant to section 4132 of this title. (b) The Commission shall recertify to the Secretary of the Treasury, in terms of United States currency, for payment out of the War Claims Fund, awards heretofore made with respect to claims against the Government of Hungary under section 1641b(1) of title 22. Nothing contained in this subsection shall be construed as authorizing the filing of new claims against Hungary.

50 U.S.C. § 4140 Claim filing period

Within sixty days after the enactment of this subchapter 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 eighteen months after such publication.

50 U.S.C. § 4141 Claims settlement period

The Commission shall complete its affairs in connection with the settlement of claims pursuant to this subchapter not later than four years following the enactment of legislation making appropriations to the Commission for payment of administrative expenses incurred in carrying out its functions under this subchapter.

50 U.S.C. § 4142 Notification to claimants

Each award or denial of a claim by the Commission, whether rendered before or after a hearing, shall include a specific statement of the facts and of the reasoning of the Commission in support of its conclusion.

50 U.S.C. § 4143 Payment of awards; priorities; limitations

(a) Order of priority of paymentsThe Secretary of the Treasury shall pay out of the War Claims Fund on account of awards certified by the Commission pursuant to this subchapter as follows and in the following order of priority:(1) Payment in full of awards made pursuant to section 4132(d)(1) and (2) of this title, and thereafter of any award made pursuant to section 4132(a) of this title to any claimant (A) certified to the Commission by the Small Business Administration as having been, on the date of loss, damage, or destruction, a small business concern within the meaning now set forth in the Small Business Act, as amended [15 U.S.C. 631 et seq.], or (B) determined by the Commission to have been, on the date of loss, damage, or destruction, a nonprofit organization operated exclusively for the promotion of social welfare, religious, charitable, or educational purposes. (2) Thereafter, payments from time to time on account of the other awards made pursuant to section 4132 of this title in an amount which shall be the same for each award or in the amount of the award, whichever is less. The total payment made pursuant to this paragraph on account of any award shall not exceed $10,000. (3) Thereafter, payments from time to time on account of the other awards made to individuals and corporations pursuant to section 4132 of this title and not compensated in full under paragraph (1) or (2) of this subsection in an amount which shall be the same for each award or in the amount of the award, whichever is less. The total payment pursuant to this paragraph on account of any award shall not exceed $35,000. (4) Thereafter, payments from time to time on account of the unpaid balance of each remaining award made pursuant to section 4132 of this title or recertified pursuant to subsection (b) of section 4139 of this title which shall bear to such unpaid balance the same proportion as the total amount in the War Claims Fund and available for distribution at the time such payments are made bears to the aggregate unpaid balances of all such awards. No payment made pursuant to this paragraph on account of any award shall exceed the unpaid balance of such award. Payments heretofore made under section 1641i of title 22, on awards made against the Government of Hungary under section 1641b(1) of title 22, and recertified under subsection (b) of section 4139 of this title, shall be considered as payments under this paragraph and no payment shall be made on any recertified award until the percentage of distribution on awards made under section 4132 of this title exceeds the corresponding percentage of distribution on such recertified award: Provided, That no payment made on awards recertified under subsection (b) of section 4139 of this title shall exceed 40 per centum of the amount of the award recertified. (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) Aggregation of awardsFor the purpose of making any such payments, other than under subsection (a)(1), an “award” shall be deemed to mean the aggregate of all awards certified for payment in favor of the same claimant. (d) Death or disability of claimantIf 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 Secretary of the Treasury to be entitled thereto, without the necessity of compliance with the requirements of law with respect to the administration of estates. (e) Partial payment; extinguishment of rightsPayment on account of any award pursuant to this subchapter shall not, unless such payment is for the full amount of the award, extinguish any rights against any foreign government for the unpaid balance of the award. (f) Losses occurring in Commonwealth of the PhilippinesPayments made under this section on account of any award for loss, damage, or destruction occurring in the Commonwealth of the Philippines shall not exceed the amount paid on account of awards in the same amount under the Philippine Rehabilitation Act of 1946.11 See References in Text note below.

50 U.S.C. § 4144 Fees of attorneys and agents

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 (or such lesser per centum as may be fixed by the Commission with respect to any class of claims) 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.

50 U.S.C. § 4145 Application of other laws

To the extent they are not inconsistent with the provisions of this subchapter, the following provisions of subchapter I and title I of the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949, as amended [22 U.S.C. 1621 et seq.], shall apply to this subchapter: The first sentence of subsection (b) of section 4101 of this title, all of subsection (c) of section 4101 of this title and section 4109 of this title, and subsections (c), (d), (e), and (f) of section 7 of the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949, as amended [22 U.S.C. 1626].

50 U.S.C. § 4146 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.

50 U.S.C. § 4147 Administrative expenses

There are authorized to be appropriated out of any moneys in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated such sums as may be necessary (but not to exceed the total covered into the Treasury to the credit of miscellaneous receipts under section 4336(d) 11 See References in Text note below. of this title) to enable the Commission and the Treasury Department to pay their administrative expenses in carrying out their respective functions under this subchapter.