ized to be appropriated by subsection (a) of this section, shall constitute the whole of the Micronesian Claims Fund.

Sec. 103. (a) There is hereby established a Micronesian Claims Commission, hereinafter referred to as the "Commission", such Commission to be under the control and direction of the Chairman of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission. The Commission shall be composed of five members, who shall be appointed, in consultation with the Secretary, by the Chairman of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission, one of whom he shall designate as Chairman. Two members shall be selected from a list of Micronesian citizens nominated by the Congress of Micronesia. Any vacancy that may occur in the membership of the Commission shall be filled in the same manner as in the case of the original appointment. The members of the Commission shall serve at the pleasure of the Chairman of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission. No Commissioner shall hold other public office or engage in any other employment during the period of his service on the Commission, except as an employee of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission.

(b) The members of the Commission shall receive compensation and allowances as determined by the Chairman of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission by application of the rules and regulations which apply to officers and employees of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, but in no event shall traveling and other expenses incurred in connection with their duties as members, or a per diem allowance in lieu thereof, exceed that prescribed in accordance with the provisions of subchapter 1 of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code. The term of office of the members of the Commission shall expire at the time fixed in subsection (e) of this section for winding up the affairs of the Commission.

(c) The Commission may, subject to the approval of the Chairman of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission, appoint and fix the compensation and allowances of such officers, attorneys, and employees of the Commission as may be reasonably necessary for its proper functioning, which employees shall be in addition to those who may be assigned by the Chairman of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission to assist the Commission in carrying out its functions. The compensation and allowances of employees appointed pursuant to this section shall be within the rules and regulations which apply to officers and employees of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, but in no event to exceed the amount of allowances prescribed in subchapter 1 of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code. In addition, the Commission, with the approval of the Chairman of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission, may make such expenditures as may be reasonably necessary to carry out its proper functioning. Officers and employees of any other department or agency of the Government of the United States or the government of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands may, with the consent of the head of such department or agency, with or without reimbursement, be assigned to assist the Commission in carrying out its functions. The Commission may, with the consent of the head of any other department or agency of the government of the United States or the government of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, utilize, with or without reimbursement, the fa

cilities and services of such department or agency in carrying out the functions of the Commission.

(d) The Commission shall, subject to the approval of the Chair- ! man of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission, prescribe such rules and regulations as are necessary for carrying out its functions. As expeditiously as possible and, in any event, within three months of its appointment, the Commission shall give public notice in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands of the time when, and the limit of time within which, claims may be filed, which notice shall be given in such manner as the Commission shall prescribe: Provided, That the final date for the filing of claims shall not be more than one year after the appointment of the full membership of the Commission. The Commission shall give extensive publicity in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands to the provisions of this Act and shall make every effort to advise promptly all persons who may be entitled to file claims under the provisions of this Act administered by the Commission of their rights under such provi sions, and to assist them in the preparation and filing of their claims. A majority of the membership of the Commission shall be necessary to transact business: Provided, however, That an affirmative vote of at least three members shall be required for the promulgation of rules and regulations, and for the final adjudication of any claim.

(e) The Commission shall wind up its affairs 3 as expeditiously as possible and in any event not later than three years after the expiration of the time for filing claims under this Act.

Sec. 104. (a) The Commission shall have authority to receive, examine, adjudicate, and render final decisions, in accordance with the laws of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands and international law, with respect to (1) claims of the Micronesian inhabitants of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands who suffered loss of life, physical injury, and property damage directly resulting from the hostilities between the Governments of Japan and the United States between December 7, 1941, and the dates of the securing of the various islands of Micronesia by United States Armed Forces, and (2) those claims arising as postwar claims between the dates of the securing of the various islands of Micronesia by United States Armed Forces and July 1, 1951. The Commission shall notify all claimants of the approval or denial of their claims, and, if approved, shall notify such claimants of the amount for which such claims are approved. Any claimant whose claim is denied, or is approved for less than the full amount of such claim shall be entitled, under such regulations as the Commission may prescribe, to a hearing before the Commission or its representatives, with respect to such claim. Upon such hearing, the Commission may affirm, modify, or revise its former action with respect to such claim, including a denial or reduction in the amount theretofore allowed with respect to such claim. As claims are adjudicated, the Commissioner shall certify them to the Secretary for payment in such manner as he may direct. The claims covered by title I of this Act

3 The Commission terminated on Aug. 3, 1976.

4 This sentence was amended by sec. 2 of Public Law 93-131. This sentence formerly read: "When all claims have been adjudicated, the Commission shall certify them to the Secretary for payment.".

shall be paid from the Micronesian Claims Fund except that, as to claims based on death, up to $1,000 shall be paid immediately upon adjudication, and the claims covered by title II of this Act shall be paid by the Secretary from the funds appropriated for such purpose.

(b) No later than six months after its organization, and annually thereafter, the Commission shall make a report, through the Chairman of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission, to the Congress of the United States concerning its operations under this Act. The Commission shall, upon winding up its work, certify to the Chairman of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission, the Secretary, and to the Congress of the United States the following:

(1) A list of all claims allowed, in whole or in part, together with the amount of each claim and, the amount awarded thereon.

(2) A list of all claims disallowed.

(3) A copy of the decision rendered in each case.

(c) In the event that funds remain in the Micronesian Claims Fund after all allowable and adjudicated claims are paid, such remaining funds shall be transferred from the Micronesian Claims Fund to the Treasury of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands for appropriation by the Congress of Micronesia for the welfare of the people of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. In the event the allowable and adjudicated claims covered by title I of the act exceed a total of $10,000,000, the Secretary shall make pro rata payments.

(d) No payment shall be made on an award of the Commission unless the claimant shall first execute a full release to the United States and Japan in respect to any alleged liability of the United States or Japan, or both, arising before the date of the securing of the various islands of Micronesia by the United States Armed Forces.

Sec. 105. There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for the operation and administrative expenses of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission, to the extent needed to cover activity connected with this Act, and of the Commission in order to carry out the purposes of this Act.

Sec. 106. The agreement for the payment of the Micronesian claims covered by title I of this Act having been reached by negotiators of the Governments of the United States and Japan, and since personnel to be appointed by the Secretary or the Commission will be available to assist the people of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands insofar as may be necessary in filing all claims covered by either title I or title II of this Act, no remuneration on account of services rendered on behalf of any claimant, or any association of claimants, in connection with any claim or claims covered by either title I or title II shall exceed, in total, 1 per centum of the amount paid on such claim or claims, pursuant to the provisions of this Act. Fees already paid for such services shall be deducted from the amount authorized by this Act. 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 convic

tion thereof, shall be fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned not more then twelve months, or both.

TITLE II

Sec. 201. For the purpose of promoting and maintaining friendly relations by the final settlement of meritorious postwar claims, the Micronesian Claims Commission is, pursuant to authority granted in section 104(a) title I, authorized to consider, ascertain, adjust, determine, and make payments, where accepted by the claimant in full satisfaction and in final settlement, of all claims by Micronesian inhabitants against the United States or the government of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands on account of personal injury or death or damage to or loss or destruction of private property, both real and personal, of Micronesian inhabitants of the former Japanese mandated islands, now the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands administered by the United States under a trusteeship agreement with the United Nations, including claims for a taking or for use or retention of such property where no payments or inadequate payments have been made for such taking, use, or retention when such damage, loss, or destruction was caused by the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard, or individual members thereof, including military personnel and United States Government civilian employees, and including employees of the Trust Territory government acting within the scope of their employment: Provided, That only those claims shall be considered by the Commission which are presented in writing as provided for in section 103(d) of title I of this Act and the accident or incident out of which the claim arose occurred prior to July 1, 1951, within the islands which now comprise the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands and within an area under the control of the United States at the time of the accident or incident: Provided further, That any such settlements made by such Commission and any such payments made by the Secretary under the authority of title I or title II shall be final and conclusive for all purposes, notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary and not subject to review.

Sec. 202. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated the amount of $20,000,000, in addition to the normal budgetary expenditures for the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands and in addition to the appropriation authorized by section 2 of the Act of June 30, 1954, as amended, to be expended by the Secretary for the purposes of making payments to the extent authorized by this title of this Act.

Sec. 203. Any funds appropriated for the purposes of this title which remain after the settlement of claims under the provisions of this title shall be covered into the Treasury of the United States.

(1) Trust Territory Economic Development Loan Fund

Public Law 92-257 [S. 806], 86 Stat. 87, approved March 21, 1972; as amended by Public Law 97–357 [H.R. 5139], 96 Stat. 1705, approved October 19, 1982

AN ACT Relating to the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

Section 1.1 For the purpose of promoting economic development in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, there is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior, for payment to the government of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands as a grant in accordance with the provisions of this title, an amount which when added to the development fund established pursuant to section 3 of the Act of August 22, 1964 (78 Stat. 601), as augmented by subsequent Federal grants, will create a total fund of $5,000,000, which shall thereafter be known as the Trust Territory Economic Development Loan Fund.

Sec. 2.2 The grant authorized by section 1 shall be made only after the government of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands has submitted to the Secretary of the Interior a plan for the use of the grant, and the plan has been approved by the Secretary. The plan shall provide among other things for a revolving fund to make loans or to guarantee loans to private enterprise. The term of any loan made pursuant to the plan shall not exceed twenty-five years. Sec. 3.3 No loan or loan guarantee shall be made under this title to any applicant who does not satisfy the territorial administering agency that financing is otherwise unavailable on reasonable terms and conditions. No loan or loan guarantee shall exceed (1) the amount which can reasonably be expected to be repaid, (2) the minimum amount necessary to accomplish the purposes of this title, or 25 per centum of the funds appropriated pursuant to section 1. No loan guarantee shall guarantee more than 90 per centum of the outstanding amount of any loan, and the reserves maintained to guarantee the loan shall not be less than the 25 per centum of the guarantee.

Sec. 4.4 The plan provided for in section 2 shall set forth such fiscal control and accounting procedures as may be necessary to assure proper disbursement, repayment, and accounting for such funds.

Sec. 5.5 The chief executives of the governments of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, and the North

1 48 U.S.C. 1688.

2 48 U.S.C. 1689.

3 48 U.S.C. 1690.

4 48 U.S.C. 1691

5 48 U.S.C. 1692. Sec. 203(a) of Public Law 97-357 (96 Stat. 1707) amended and restated sec. 5. It previously read as follows:

Continued