§ 7623. Admiralty claims by the United States

(a) The Secretary of the Navy may settle, or compromise, and receive payment of a claim by the United States for damage to property under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Navy or property for which the Department has assumed an obligation to respond for damage, if—

(1) the claim is—

(A) of a kind that is within the admiralty jurisdiction of a district court of the United States; or

(B) for damage caused by a vessel or floating object; and

(2) the net amount to be received by the United States is not more than $15,000,000.

(b)

(1) In exchange for payment of an amount found to be due the United States under this section, the Secretary may execute a release of the claim on behalf of the United States.

(2)

(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), amounts received under this section shall be covered into the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.

(B) Amounts received under this section for damage or loss to property operated and maintained with funds from a Department of Defense working capital fund or account shall be credited to that fund or account.

(c) In any case where the amount to be received by the United States is not more than $1,000,000, the Secretary may delegate his authority under this section to any person designated by him.

(d) Upon acceptance of payment by the Secretary, the settlement or compromise of a claim under this section is final and conclusive notwithstanding any other provision of law.

(e) This section does not apply to any claim while there is pending as to that claim a suit filed by or against the United States.

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 472; Pub. L. 89–67, July 7, 1965, 79 Stat. 212; Pub. L. 101–189, div. A, title XVI, § 1633, Nov. 29, 1989, 103 Stat. 1608; Pub. L. 107–107, div. A, title X, § 1014(b), Dec. 28, 2001, 115 Stat. 1212; Pub. L. 110–417, [div. A], title X, § 1032, Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4591.)

Historical And Revision

Historical and Revision Notes
Revised section	Source (U.S. Code)	Source (Statutes at Large)
7623	34 U.S.C. 600a.	Dec. 5, 1945, ch. 555, § 1, 59 Stat. 596.
	34 U.S.C. 600d.	Dec. 5, 1945, ch. 555, § 4; added Aug. 2, 1946, ch. 742, 60 Stat. 806.
	34 U.S.C. 600c.	Dec. 5, 1945, ch. 555, § 3, 59 Stat. 596.

In subsection (a) the words “consider, ascertain, adjust, determine” are omitted as covered by the word “settle”, as defined in section 7621(b) of this title. The words “of the United States” (following the word “property”), “by contract or otherwise”, and “thereto” are omitted as surplusage. The words “of a kind that is within the admiralty jurisdiction of” are substituted for the words “cognizable in admiralty in”. The words “receive payment of a claim * * * if the net amount to be received by the United States is not more than $1,000,000” are substituted for the words “receive in payment of any such claim the amount due the United States pursuant to determination, compromise, or settlement as herein authorized * * * Provided, further, That no settlement or compromise where there is involved a payment in the net amount of over $1,000,000 shall be authorized by this Act”.

In subsection (b) the words “and to deliver” are omitted as covered by the word “execute”. The words “Amounts received under this section” are substituted for the words “All such payments” for clarity and uniformity. The words “of the United States as miscellaneous receipts” are omitted as surplusage.

In subsection (c) the words “In any case where the amount to be received by the United States is not more than” are substituted for the words “Where the net amount received in settlement does not exceed” for clarity, since the delegation of authority necessarily precedes receipt of payment. The words “the Secretary may delegate his authority” are substituted for the words “the authority of the Secretary of the Navy * * * may be exercised” for clarity.

In subsection (d) the words “but not until then”, “for all purposes”, and “to the contrary” are omitted as surplusage.

Subsection (e) is worded to insure that the effect of a suit pending at any time is preserved and that the provision is not interpreted to apply only to suits that are pending on the date of enactment of this title.

The first proviso of 34 U.S.C. 600a, stating that this section is supplementary to, and not in lieu of, other laws authorizing the settlement of claims, is omitted as unnecessary, since the other applicable claims laws are restated in this title.

Amendments

Amendments

2008—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 110–417 designated existing provisions as par. (1), struck out last sentence which read “Amounts received under this section shall be covered into the Treasury.”, and added par. (2).

2001—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 107–107, § 1014(b)(1), substituted “$15,000,000” for “$1,000,000”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 107–107, § 1014(b)(2), substituted “$1,000,000” for “$100,000”.

1989—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–189 substituted “$100,000” for “$10,000”.

1965—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 89–67 substituted “$10,000” for “$1,000”.

Effective Date Of Amendment

Effective Date of 2001 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 107–107 applicable with respect to any claim accruing on or after Feb. 1, 2001, see section 1014(c) of Pub. L. 107–107, set out as a note under section 7622 of this title.