A bill to provide for the transfer of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the United States to the United States Department of Justice as a separate agency in that Department; to provide for the authority and responsibility of the Department of Justice to supply to the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission certain administrative support services without altering the adjudicatory independence of the Commission; to change the terms of office and method of appointment of the members of the Commission; and for other purposes.
PL 96-209 (H.R.4337), enacted 03/14/1980

94 STAT. 96 
PUBLIC LAW 96-209—MAR. 14, 1980 
Public Law 96-209 
96th Congress 
Mar. 14, 1980 
[H.R. 4337] 
U.S. Foreign 
Claims 
Settlement 
Commission, 
transfer to 
Justice 
Department. 
22 u s e 1622a. 
22 u s e 1622 
note. 
22 u s e 1622b. 
50 u s e app. 2001 
note. 
22 u s e 1621 
note. 
Chairman and 
members. 
22 u s e 1622c. 
Terms of office. 
An Act 
To provide for the transfer of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the 
United States to the United States Department of Justice as a separate agency in 
that Department; to provide for the authority and responsibility of the Depart-
ment of Justice to supply to the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission certain 
administrative support services without altering the adjudicatory independence of 
the Commission; to change the terms of office and method of appointment of the 
members of the Commission; and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled. That the purposes of 
this Act are as follows: 
TITLE I 
SEC. 101. The Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the United 
States, established under Reorganization Plan Numbered 1 of 1954, is 
hereby transferred to the Department of Justice as a separate agency 
within that Department. 
SEC. 102. All functions, powers, and duties of the Foreign Claims 
Settlement Commission established by Reorganization Plan Num-
bered 1 of 1954 are hereby transferred with the Commission, together 
with personnel, assets, liabilities, unexpended balances of appropri-
ations, authorizations, allocations, and other funds held, used, 
available, or to be made available in connection with the statutory 
functions of the Commission. The Commission shall continue to 
perform its functions as provided by the War Claims Act of 1948, as 
amended, the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949, as 
amended, and Reorganization Plan Numbered 1 of 1954, 
SEC. 103. (a) The Commission shall be composed of a Chairman and 
two members. The Chairman shall be appointed by the President, by 
and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to serve on a full-time 
basis for a term of three years, and compensated at the rate provided 
for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of title 5, 
United States Code. 
(b) The other members of the Commission shall be appointed by the 
President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and 
serve on a part-time basis, and be compensated on a per diem basis at 
a rate of compensation equivalent to the daily rate for level V of the 
Executive Schedule under section 5316 of title 5, United States Code, 
for each day that such member is employed in the actual performance 
of official business of the Commission as may be directed by the 
Chairman. Each member shall be reimbursed for travel expenses, 
including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by section 
5703 of title 5 for persons in Government service employed 
intermittently. 
(c) The terms of Office of the Chairman and members of the 
Commission shall be for three years, except the Chairman and 
members first appointed after the enactment of this subsection shall 
be appointed to terms ending respectively September 30, 1982, 
PUBLIC LAW 96-209—MAR. 14, 1980 
94 STAT. 97 
September 30, 1981, and September 30, 1980. The incumbent of any 
such office may continue to serve until a successor takes office. 
(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a), (b), and (c) of 
this section, members of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission 
who are serving on the effective date of this Act, shall continue to 
serve in their same capacities until the expiration of the terms to 
which they were appointed. 
SEC. 104. The Commission is authorized, in accordance with civil 
service laws and in accordance with title 5 of the United States Code, 
to appoint and fix the compensation of such officers and employees as 
may be necessary to carry out the functions of the Commission. The 
Commission is authorized to employ experts and consultants in 
accordance with section 3109 of title 5 of the United States Code, 
without compensation or at rates of compensation not in excess of the 
maximum daily rate prescribed for GS-18 under section 5332 of title 5 
of the United States Code. Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, the Commission is further authorized to employ nationals of 
other countries who may possess special knowledge, languages, or 
other expertise necessary to assist the Commission. The Commission 
is authorized to pay expenses of packing, shipping, and storing 
personal effects of personnel of the Commission assigned abroad, and 
to pay allowances and benefits similar to those provided by title IX of 
the Foreign Service Act of 1946, as amended. The Commission is 
authorized, with the consent of the head of any other department or 
agency of the Federal Government, to utilize the facilities and 
services of such department or agency in carrying out the functions of 
the Commission. Officers and employees of any department and 
agency of the Federal Government may, with the consent of the head 
of such department or agency, be assigned to assist the Commission in 
carrying out its functions. The Commission shall reimburse such 
department and agency for the pay of such officers or employees. 
SEC. 105. All functions, powers, and duties not directly related to 
adjudicating claims are hereby vested in the Chairman, including the 
functions set forth in section 3 of Reorganization Plan Numbered 1 of 
1954 and the authority to issue rules and regulations. 
SEC. 106. The Attorney General shall provide necessary adminis-
trative support and services to the Commission. The Chairman shall 
prepare the budget requests, authorization documents, and legisla-
tive proposals for the Commission within the procedures established 
by the Department of Justice, and the Attorney General shall submit 
these items to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
as proposed by the Chairman. 
SEC. 107. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to diminish the 
independence of the Commission in making its determinations on 
claims in programs that it is authorized to administer pursuant to the 
powers and responsibilities conferred upon the Commission by the 
War Claims Act of 1948, as amended, the International Claims 
Settlement Act of 1949, as amended, and Reorganization Plan Num-
bered 1 of 1954. The decisions of the Commission with respect to 
claims shall be final and conclusive on all questions of law and fact, 
and shall not be subject to review by the Attorney General or any 
other official of the United States or by any court by mandamus or 
otherwise. 
SEC. 108. Subsection 2(d) of the War Claims Act of 1948, as amended 
by section 104 of the Act of October 22,1962 (76 Stat. 1107), is hereby 
repealed. 
SEC. 109. Section 5316 of title 5 of the United States Code is 
amended— 
22 u s e 1622d. 
Experts and 
consultants. 
5 u s e 5332 note. 
22 u s e 1131. 
22 u s e 1622e. 
22 u s e 1622 
note. 
22 u s e 1622f. 
Budget requests, 
submittal to 
Director of 0MB. 
Restriction. 
22 u s e 1622g. 
50 u s e app. 
2001 note. 
22 u s e 1621 
note. 
22 u s e 1622 
note. 
Repeal. 
50 u s e app. 
2001. 
94 STAT. 98 
PUBLIC LAW 96-209—MAR. 14, 1980 
Abolition. 
31 u s e 363 note. 
Transfer of 
functions. 
Abolition. 
Abolition. 
42 u s e 7546 
note. 
22 u s e 1622a 
note. 
(1) by striking out paragraph (31) and inserting in lieu thereof: 
"(31) Chairman, Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the 
United States, Department of 
Justice."; and 
(2) by striking out paragraph (90) of said section. 
TITLE n—ANNUAL ASSAY COMMISSION 
The Annual Assay Commission, and the positions of Assay Com-
missioners established by section 3547 of the Revised Statutes of the 
United States (31 U.S.C. 363), as amended, are hereby abolished. The 
functions of that Commission and of the Assay Commissioners are 
hereby transferred to the Secretary of 
the Treasury. 
TITLE in—UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS MEMORIAL 
COMMISSION 
The United States Marine Corps Memorial Commission, estab-
lished by Act of August 4, 1947 (61 Stat. 724), is hereby abolished. 
TITLE IV—THE LOW-EMISSION VEHICLE CERTIFICATION 
BOARD 
The Low-Emission Vehicle Certification Board established by Act 
of December 31, 1970 (84 Stat. 1700; 42 U.S.C. 1857f-6e), is hereby 
TITLE V—DETERMINATION ORDER 
The Director of the Office of Management and Budget is authorized 
and directed to make such determinations as may be necessary with 
regard to the transfer of functions, powers, and duties pursuant to 
this Act, and to make such additional incidental dispositions of 
personnel, assets, liabilities, property, records, and unexpended bal-
ances of appropriations, authorizations, allocations, and other funds 
held, used, arising from, available to or to be made available in 
connnection with the functions transferred by this Act, as the 
PUBLIC LAW 96-209—MAR. 14, 1980 
94 STAT. 99 
Director may deem necessary to accomplish the purposes of this Act. 
The Director is fiirther authorized and directed to provide for 
terminating the a£&drs of each agency* board, or commission abol-
ished by this Act 
TITLE VI 
This Act shall take effect on the date of 
enactment. 
l^F^J^^y^, ^^<^ 
22 u s e 1622a 
Approved March 14, 1980. 
note. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 
HOUSE REPORT No. 96-407 (Comm. on Government Operations). 
SENATE REPORT No. 96-509 accompanying S. 1419 (Comm. on Government 
Affairs). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 125 (1979): Sept. 17, considered and passed House. 
Dec. 20, S. 1419 considered and passed Senate. 
Vol. 126 (1980): Feb. 26, Senate vitiated passage of S. 1419; H.R. 4337, amended, 
passed in lieu. 
Feb. 28, House concurred in Senate amendment. 
WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS: 
Vol. 16, No. 11 (1980): Mar. 14, Presidential statement.