TITLE 25 - US CODE - CHAPTER 25 - OLD AGE ASSISTANCE CLAIMS SETTLEMENT

25 USC 2301 - Definitions

For purposes of this chapter, the term

(1) Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior;

(2) unauthorized disbursement means a disbursement made from the trust estate of a deceased Indian which was made by the Secretary to a State or a political subdivision of a State for the purpose of reimbursing the State or political subdivision for any old age assistance made to the deceased Indian before death in violation of Federal laws governing Indian trust property: Provided, That, except for purposes of section 2303 of this title, the term also includes the reimbursements for welfare payments identified in either the list published on April 17, 1985, at page 15290 of volume 50 of the Federal Register, as modified or amended on November 13, 1985, at page 46835 of volume 50 of the Federal Register, or the list published on March 31, 1983, at page 13698 of volume 48 of the Federal Register, as modified or amended on November 7, 1983, at page 51204 of volume 48 of the Federal Register; and

(3) trust estate means that portion of the estate that consists of real or personal property, title to which is held by the United States for the benefit of the Indian or which may not be alienated without the consent of the Secretary.

25 USC 2302 - Payment of claims

(a) Authority of Secretary
The Secretary is authorized and directed to determine the portion of any unauthorized disbursement to which any individual under this chapter is entitled, and to pay to such individual the amount which the Secretary determines such individual to be entitled. Any payment under this provision shall include interest at a rate of 5 per centum per annum, simple interest, from the date on which such disbursement was made from the trust estate of the deceased Indian.

(b) Minimum amount for payment
No payment shall be made to a person under subsection (a) of this section with respect to any unauthorized disbursement from the trust estate of a deceased Indian if

(1) the total amount of unauthorized disbursements from such trust estate was less than $50; or

(2) the payment (not including interest) would be less than $10.

25 USC 2303 - Notice

(a) Publication; list of trust estates; unauthorized disbursements; Federal Register
Within one hundred and eighty days after October 19, 1984, the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register a list of all trust estates from which unauthorized disbursements are known to have been made, including the amount of the unauthorized disbursement made from each such trust estate.

(b) Secretary to provide information to affected tribes, bands, or groups
Within thirty days after the publication of this list, the Secretary shall provide a copy of this chapter and a copy of the Federal Register containing this list, or such parts as may be pertinent, to each Indian tribe, band, or group the rights of whose members may be affected by this chapter.

(c) Submission of additional unauthorized disbursement claims
Any tribe, band or group of Indians, or any individual Indian shall have one hundred and eighty days after the date of the publication in the Federal Register of the list provided for in subsection (b) of this section to submit to the Secretary any additional unauthorized disbursement claims not contained on the list.

(d) Publication of additional unauthorized disbursement claims
Not more than thirty days after the expiration of the one hundred and eighty day period provided for in subsection (c) of this section, the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register a list containing the additional unauthorized disbursement claims submitted during such period.

25 USC 2304 - Identification of right to payment and expedited claim payment

(a) Search of records
The Secretary shall conduct a search of the records of the Department of the Interior to identify individuals who are entitled to any portion of the unauthorized disbursements which were made and to ascertain the amount of such unauthorized disbursements to which each of such individuals is entitled.

(b) Payment without filing of claim
In any case in which the Secretary ascertains the name and location of any individual who is entitled to any portion of an unauthorized disbursement and determines the amount of such unauthorized disbursement to which such individual is entitled, the Secretary shall pay such amount, including interest thereon as provided in section 2302 of this title, to such individual immediately without requiring such individual to file a formal claim for payment.

(c) Notification
The Secretary shall use the best available means of notifying each individual who is identified in the search conducted under subsection (a) of this section of the right of such individual to receive payment under this chapter. The means of notification available to the Secretary shall include

(1) notice provided directly to such individual;

(2) notification of the next of kin of such individual;

(3) notification of the chairman or chief executive officer of the tribe of which such individual is a member or of which the deceased Indian was a member; and

(4) publication of notice in newspapers of general circulation in the appropriate area.

25 USC 2305 - Discharge and barring of claims

(a) Payment and acceptance
The payment and acceptance of any claim, after its determination in accordance with this chapter, shall be a full discharge to the United States or any State or political subdivision thereof of all claims and demands touching any of the matters involved in the controversy.

(b) Claims filed prior to October 19, 1984
The provisions of this chapter shall not affect claims arising from any unauthorized disbursement which were filed in any court of competent jurisdiction prior to October 19, 1984.

25 USC 2306 - Authorization of appropriations

(a) There are authorized to be appropriated for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this chapter $2,500,000 for each of the fiscal years 1986 and 1987, and such sums as may be necessary for any subsequent fiscal year. The amounts appropriated under the authority of this subsection shall remain available without fiscal year limitation for purposes of carrying out the provisions of this chapter until all claims filed under this chapter have been resolved.

(b) Funds necessary to pay the expenses of administering this chapter shall be appropriated and expended under the authority of section 13 of this title.

25 USC 2307 - Treatment of funds

Funds distributed under the provisions of this chapter shall not be considered as income or resources nor otherwise utilized as the basis for denying or reducing the financial assistance or other benefits to which such household or member would otherwise be entitled under the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 301 et seq.] or, except for per capita shares in excess of $2,000, any Federal or federally assisted program.