§2401f — Title 19 Customs Duties | U.S. Code

Summary

People who get payments under this program that they were not entitled to must pay the money back if the Secretary or a court says so. The Secretary can forgive the repayment if the person was not at fault and making them repay would be unfair under rules the Secretary makes. If the overpayment is not forgiven or already repaid, the Secretary will take it back by deducting it from future payments. Except when a court decides the overpayment, no money can be taken until the Secretary makes a decision, gives notice, offers a fair hearing, and the decision is final. Any money recovered goes back to the U.S. Treasury. If the Secretary or a court finds someone knowingly lied or hid an important fact and got payments they should not have, that person cannot get more payments under the program. Also, anyone who knowingly lies or hides a material fact to get or increase payments can be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to 1 year, or both.

Title 19, §2401f

Customs Duties — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)If the Secretary, or a court of competent jurisdiction, determines that any person has received any payment under this part to which the person was not entitled, such person shall be liable to repay such amount to the Secretary, except that the Secretary may waive such repayment if the Secretary determines, in accordance with guidelines prescribed by the Secretary, that—

(A)the payment was made without fault on the part of such person; and

(B)requiring such repayment would be contrary to equity and good conscience.

(2)Unless an overpayment is otherwise recovered, or waived under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall recover the overpayment by deductions from any sums payable to such person under this part.

(b)A person shall, in addition to any other penalty provided by law, be ineligible for any further payments under this part—

(1)if the Secretary, or a court of competent jurisdiction, determines that the person—

(A)knowingly has made, or caused another to make, a false statement or representation of a material fact; or

(B)knowingly has failed, or caused another to fail, to disclose a material fact; and

(2)as a result of such false statement or representation, or of such nondisclosure, such person has received any payment under this part to which the person was not entitled.

(c)Except for overpayments determined by a court of competent jurisdiction, no repayment may be required, and no deduction may be made, under this section until a determination under subsection (a)(1) by the Secretary has been made, notice of the determination and an opportunity for a fair hearing thereon has been given to the person concerned, and the determination has become final.

(d)Any amount recovered under this section shall be returned to the Treasury of the United States.

(e)Whoever makes a false statement of a material fact knowing it to be false, or knowingly fails to disclose a material fact, for the purpose of obtaining or increasing for himself or for any other person any payment authorized to be furnished under this part shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned for not more than 1 year, or both.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Termination of AssistanceFor termination of assistance under this part after June 30, 2022, see Termination Date note below.

Editorial Notes

Codification Section reflects the

July 1, 2021, reversion to provisions in effect on Jan. 1, 2014. See Effective and Termination Dates of 2015 Revival note below. section 233 of Pub. L. 112–40, which provided for the Jan. 1, 2014, revival of this section as in effect on Feb. 13, 2011, was repealed by Pub. L. 114–27, title IV, § 402(a),

June 29, 2015, 129 Stat. 374, and the provisions of this section, as in effect on Dec. 31, 2013, were temporarily revived, effective

June 29, 2015, until

July 1, 2021, by Pub. L. 114–27, §§ 402(b), (c), 406. See 2011 and 2015 Amendment notes, Effective and Termination Dates of 2011 Revival notes, and Effective and Termination Dates of 2015 Revival notes below. section 1893 of Pub. L. 111–5, which provided for Feb. 13, 2011, termination of amendment by Pub. L. 111–5, was repealed by Pub. L. 112–40, title II, § 201(a), Oct. 21, 2011, 125 Stat. 403, and the provisions of this section, as amended by Pub. L. 111–5 and as in effect on Feb. 12, 2011, were temporarily revived, effective Oct. 21, 2011, until Jan. 1, 2014, by Pub. L. 112–40, §§ 201(b), (c), 233. See 2009 and 2011 Amendment notes, Effective and Termination Dates of 2009 Amendment notes, and Effective and Termination Dates of 2011 Revival notes below.

Amendments

2015—Pub. L. 114–27, §§ 402(b), (c), 406, temporarily revived the provisions of this section, as in effect on Dec. 31, 2013. See Codification note above and 2011 Amendment and Effective and Termination Dates of 2015 Revival notes below. 2011—Pub. L. 112–40, §§ 201(b), (c), 233, temporarily revived the provisions of this section, as in effect on Feb. 12, 2011. See Codification note above and 2009 Amendment and Effective and Termination Dates of 2011 Revival notes below. 2009—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 111–5, §§ 1885, 1893, temporarily inserted “or has expended funds received under this part for a purpose that was not approved by the Secretary,” after “entitled,” in introductory provisions. See Codification note above and Effective and Termination Dates of 2009 Amendment note below.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective and Termination Dates of 2015 RevivalFor revival and applicability, beginning on

June 29, 2015, of the provisions of this section as in effect on Dec. 31, 2013, see section 402(b), (c) of Pub. L. 114–27, set out as a note preceding section 2271 of this title. For reversion, beginning on

July 1, 2021, to the provisions of this section as in effect on Jan. 1, 2014, with certain exceptions and subject to section 406(b) of Pub. L. 114–27, see section 406 of Pub. L. 114–27, set out as a note preceding section 2271 of this title. Effective and Termination Dates of 2011 RevivalFor revival and applicability, beginning on Oct. 21, 2011, of the provisions of this section as in effect on Feb. 12, 2011, see section 201(b), (c) of Pub. L. 112–40, set out as a note preceding section 2271 of this title. section 233 of Pub. L. 112–40, formerly set out as a note preceding section 2271 of this title, which provided for the reversion, beginning on Jan. 1, 2014, of the provisions of this section to those in effect on Feb. 13, 2011, subject to certain exceptions, was repealed by Pub. L. 114–27, title IV, § 402(a),

June 29, 2015, 129 Stat. 374, effective

June 29, 2015. See Codification note above. Effective and Termination Dates of 2009 AmendmentExcept as otherwise provided and subject to certain applicability provisions, amendment by Pub. L. 111–5 effective upon the expiration of the 90-day period beginning on Feb. 17, 2009, see section 1891 of Pub. L. 111–5, set out as a note under section 2271 of this title. section 1893 of Pub. L. 111–5, formerly set out as a Termination Date of 2009 Amendment note preceding section 2271 of this title, which provided that, except as otherwise provided, amendment by Pub. L. 111–5 not applicable on or after Feb. 13, 2011, and that this section be applied and administered beginning Feb. 13, 2011, as if amendment by Pub. L. 111–5 had never been enacted, was repealed by Pub. L. 112–40, title II, § 201(a), Oct. 21, 2011, 125 Stat. 403, effective Oct. 21, 2011. See Codification note above. Termination DateExcept as otherwise provided, technical assistance and financial assistance may not be provided under this part after

June 30, 2022, see section 285 of Pub. L. 93–618, as modified by section 406(a)(7) of Pub. L. 114–27, set out as notes preceding section 2271 of this title.

§2401f Fraud and recovery of overpayments