- § 1642. Definitions
- § 1642a. Financial provisions
- § 1642b. Claims against United States; jurisdiction; limitation; preference; reserve fund
- § 1642c. Determination of validity and amount of claims
- § 1642d. Nationality requirements
- § 1642e. Claims based on ownership interest in corporations or other legal entities
- § 1642f. Prevention of double benefits
- § 1642g. Consolidated awards
- § 1642h. Prohibition against payment of award to certain persons
- § 1642i. Certification of awards
- § 1642j. Time for filing of claims; notice
- § 1642k. Time limitation on completion of affairs of Commission
- § 1642l. Payment of awards
- § 1642m. Fees of attorneys; limitation; penalty
- § 1642n. Transfer of records
- § 1642o. Applicability of administrative provisions of subchapter I
- § 1642p. Authorization of appropriations
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Commission shall certify to the Secretary of the Treasury, in terms of United States currency, each award made pursuant to this subchapter.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.