An Act to authorize appropriations for the Indian Claims Commission for fiscal year 1978; to facilitate the transfer of cases from the Indian Claims Commission to the U.S. Court of Claims; and for other purposes.
PL 95-69 (H.R.4585), enacted 07/20/1977

PUBLIC LAW 95-69—JULY 20, 1977 
91 STAT. 273 
Public Law 95-69 
95th Congress 
An Act 
To authorize appropriations for the Indian Claims Commission for fiscal year 
1978; to facilitate the transfer of cases from the Indian Claims Commission to 
the United States Court of Claims; and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That there is author-
ized to be appropriated to carry out the provisions of the Indian 
Claims Commission Act (25 U.S.C. 70), during fiscal year 1978, not 
to exceed $2,250,000. 
SEC. 2, The Act entitled "An Act to create an Indian Claims Com-
mission, to provide for the powers, duties, and functions thereof, and 
for other purposes,'" approved August 13, 1946 (60 Stat. 1049), as 
amended, is further amended by adding thereto the following new 
section: 
July 20, 1977 
[H.R. 4585] 
Indian Claims 
Commission. 
Appropriation 
authorization. 
25 u s e 70. 
CASES TRANSEERRED TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF CLAIMS 
"SEC. 29. (a) The powers of the Commission set forth in the first 25 USC 70v-3. 
paragraph of section 15 of this Act, relative to fees and expenses for 25 USC 70n. 
any attorney or attorneys for any tribe, band, or other identifiable 
group of Indians, shall be exercised by the United States Court of 
Claims with respect to any case transferred pursuant to this Act, as 
amended. 
"(b) The powers of the Commission set forth in section 14 of this 
Act, relating to information from governmental departments and offi- 25 USC 70m. 
cial records as evidence, may be exercised by the United States Court 
of Claims with respect to any case transferred pursuant to this Act, 
as amended. 
"(c) Final judgments rendered by the United States Court of 
Claims on cases transferred to it pursuant to this Act, as amended, 
shall be paid in the same manner as other judgments of the court in 
accordance with the provisions of sections 2517 and 2518 of title 28, 
United States Code. 
"(d) Cases transferred to the United States Court of Claims pur-
suant to this Act, as amended, shall be thereafter subject to review 
by the Supreme Court in accordance with the provisions of section 
1255 of title 28, United States Code: Provided, That any decision of 
the Commission rendered in a case prior to its transfer, which could 
have been appealed pursuant to the provisions of section 20 of this 
Act, as amended, shall be appealable to the Court of Claims subject 25 USC 70s. 
to such provisions: Provided further, That such provisions shall not 
otherwise be applicable to transferred cases. 
"(e) The provisions of the Act of November 4, 1963 (77 Stat. 
301), as amended, shall continue and shall be in effect with respect to 25 USC 70n-l. 
all cases transferred to the United States Court of Claims pursuant to 
this Act, as amended.". 
91 STAT. 274 
PUBLIC LAW 95-69—JULY 20, 1977 
U.S. Court of 
SEC. 3. Subsection (a) of section 792 of title 28, United States Code 
Claims 
jg amended to read as follows: 
r^Smenr*' 
'^^^ The Court of Claims may appoint sixteen commissioners who 
appoin men . 
shall be Subject to removal by the court and shall devote all their time 
to the duties of the office. The Court shall designate one of the com-
missioners to serve at the will of the court as chief commissioner.". 
Approved July 20, 1977. 
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,207 3811 
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LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 95-234, pt. I (Comm. on Interior and Insular Affairs) and 
95-234, pt. II (Comm. on the Judiciary). 
SENATE REPORT No. 95-303 (Comm. on Indian Affairs). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 123 (1977): 
June 6, considered and passed House. 
June 30, considered and passed Senate.