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### §300. Dispositions of property; damage payments; acceptance of gifts or services

#### (a) Authority of Secretary of State

The Secretary of State is authorized—

(1) to sell, exchange, lease, or license any property or property interest acquired under this chapter, or under other authority, for use of diplomatic and consular establishments in foreign countries or in the United States pursuant to section 4304(b)(5) of this title,

(2) to receive payment in whatever form, or in kind, he determines to be in the interest of the United States for damage to or destruction of property acquired for use of diplomatic and consular establishments abroad, and the contents of such buildings, and

(3) to accept on behalf of the United States gifts of property or services of any kind made by will or otherwise for the purposes of this chapter.

#### (b) Disposition of proceeds; report to Congress

Proceeds derived from dispositions, payments, or gifts under subsection (a) of this section shall, notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, be applied toward acquisition, construction, or other purposes authorized by this chapter or held in the Foreign Service Buildings Fund, as in the judgment of the Secretary may best serve the Government's interest: *Provided*, That the Secretary shall report all such transactions annually to the Congress with the budget estimates of the Department of State.

#### (c) Proceeds from sale of furniture, furnishings, and equipment

Notwithstanding subsection (b) of this section, proceeds from the disposition of furniture, furnishings, and equipment from diplomatic and consular establishments in foreign countries shall be deposited into the Foreign Service Building Fund to be available for obligation or expenditure as directed by the Secretary.

(May 7, 1926, ch. 250, §9, as added Apr. 19, 1945, ch. 78, 59 Stat. 53; amended Pub. L. 88–94, §2(e), Aug. 12, 1963, 77 Stat. 122; Pub. L. 89–636, §3, Oct. 10, 1966, 80 Stat. 882; Pub. L. 99–399, title IV, §401(h)(2), Aug. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 863; Pub. L. 101–246, title I, §116(c), Feb. 16, 1990, 104 Stat. 25.)

#### Amendments

1990—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 101–246 inserted before comma at end “or in the United States pursuant to section 4304(b)(5) of this title”.

1986—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 99–399 added subsec. (c).

1966—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 89–636 substituted provisions designated as subsec. (a) and authorizing the Secretary to sell, exchange, lease, or license any property or property interest acquired under this chapter, to receive payment in whatever form, or in kind, for damage to or destruction of buildings or their contents, and to accept gifts of property or services for former provisions which authorized the Secretary, when he found it to be in the Government's interest, to sell buildings and grounds acquired for use of diplomatic and consular establishments in foreign countries.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 89–636 substituted provisions designated as subsec. (b) and providing for application of proceeds derived from dispositions, payments, or gifts under subsec. (a) toward acquisition, construction, or other purposes authorized by this chapter, as in the judgment of the Secretary may best serve the Government's interest, for former provision for application of proceeds of sales toward purchase and construction, furnishing, and preservation of other properties.

1963—Pub. L. 88–94 struck out “with the concurrence of the Foreign Service Buildings Commission,” after “Government,” and “, as in the judgment of the Commission may best serve the Government's interest” after “Foreign Service building fund”.

#### Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in section 4304 of this title.