PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

The law stops U.S. government money and certain aid from going to any foreign government that, on or after January 1, 1956, took over or took control of property belonging to a U.S. person, canceled a contract with a U.S. person, or used taxes or other rules to effectively seize U.S. property — unless the foreign government fixes the problem. Fixing the problem means one of these things happens within the allowed time: the property is returned, the owner is paid full value in convertible foreign currency or an agreed equivalent, the country offers a prompt and fair local process to pay compensation, or the case is sent to binding international arbitration (for example, under the Convention for the Settlement of Investment Disputes). The allowed time is the latest of: 3 years after a claim is filed; if the country was ruled by an authoritarian government when the taking happened, 3 years after a democratically elected government is in place; or 90 days after April 30, 1994. The President must tell U.S. directors at international banks to vote against loans for countries that break this rule, unless the loan is for basic human needs. The President can waive the rule each year for national interest. The Secretary of State must report within 90 days after April 30, 1994 and each fiscal year on countries with outstanding claims, how many claims, how long they have been pending, what steps were taken, and projects the U.S. directors voted against. A "United States person" means a U.S. citizen or an entity at least 50 percent owned by U.S. citizens. Claims against Nicaragua from January 1, 1956 through January 9, 2002 do not count unless they were submitted in writing to the State Department within 120 days after a date the Secretary of State sets and publishes.

Title 22, §2370a

Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Prohibition

None of the funds made available to carry out this Act, the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 [22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.], or the Arms Export Control Act [22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.] may be provided to a government or any agency or instrumentality thereof, if the government of such country (other than a country described if subsection (d))—

(1)has on or after January 1, 1956—

(A)nationalized or expropriated the property of any United States person,

(B)repudiated or nullified any contract with any United States person, or

(C)taken any other action (such as the imposition of discriminatory taxes or other exactions) which has the effect of seizing ownership or control of the property of any United States person, and

(2)has not, within the period specified in subsection (c), either—

(A)returned the property,

(B)provided adequate and effective compensation for such property in convertible foreign exchange or other mutually acceptable compensation equivalent to the full value thereof, as required by international law,

(C)offered a domestic procedure providing prompt, adequate and effective compensation in accordance with international law, or

(D)submitted the dispute to arbitration under the rules of the Convention for the Settlement of Investment Disputes or other mutually agreeable binding international arbitration procedure.

(b)Other actions

The President shall instruct the United States Executive Directors of each multilateral development bank and international financial institution to vote against any loan or other utilization of the funds of such bank or institution for the benefit of any country to which assistance is prohibited under subsection (a), unless such assistance is directed specifically to programs which serve the basic human needs of the citizens of that country.

(c)Period for settlement of claims

The period of time described in subsection (a)(2) is the latest of the following—

(1)3 years after the date on which a claim was filed,

(2)in the case of a country that has a totalitarian or authoritarian government at the time of the action described in subsection (a)(1), 3 years after the date of installation of a democratically elected government, or

(3)90 days after April 30, 1994.

(d)Excepted countries and territories

This section shall not apply to any country established by international mandate through the United Nations or to any territory recognized by the United States Government to be in dispute.

(e)Resumption of assistance

A prohibition or termination of assistance under subsection (a) and an instruction to vote against loans under subsection (b) shall cease to be effective when the President certifies in writing to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate that such government has taken one of the steps described in subsection (a)(2).

(f)Reporting requirement

Not later than 90 days after April 30, 1994, and at the beginning of each fiscal year thereafter, the Secretary of State shall transmit to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, a report containing the following:

(1)A list of every country in which the United States Government is aware that a United States person has an outstanding expropriation claim.

(2)The total number of such outstanding expropriation claims made by United States persons against each such country.

(3)The period of time in which each such claim has been outstanding.

(4)The status of each case and efforts made by the United States Government and the government of the country in which such claim has been made, to take one or more of the steps described in subsection (a)(2).

(5)Each project a United States Executive Director voted against as a result of the action described in subsection (b).

(g)Waiver

The President may waive the prohibitions in subsections (a) and (b) for a country, on an annual basis, if the President determines and so notifies Congress that it is in the national interest to do so.

(h)“United States person” defined

For the purpose of this section, the term “United States person” means a United States citizen or corporation, partnership, or association at least 50 percent beneficially owned by United States citizens.

(i)Certain claims for expropriation by the Government of Nicaragua

(1)Any action of the types set forth in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of subsection (a)(1) that was taken by the Government of Nicaragua during the period beginning on January 1, 1956, and ending on January 9, 2002, shall not be considered in implementing the prohibition under subsection (a) unless the action has been presented in accordance with the procedure set forth in paragraph (2).

(2)An action shall be deemed presented for purposes of paragraph (1) if it is—

(A)in writing; and

(B)received by the United States Department of State on or before 120 days after the date specified in paragraph (3) at—

(i)the headquarters of the United States Department of State in Washington, D.C.; or

(ii)the Embassy of the United States of America to Nicaragua.

(3)The date to which paragraph (2) refers is a date after December 8, 2004, that is specified by the Secretary of State, in the Secretary’s discretion, in a notice published in the Federal Register.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is Pub. L. 103–236, Apr. 30, 1994, 108 Stat. 382, known as the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

of 1994 Amendment note set out under section 2651 of this title and Tables. The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, referred to in subsec. (a), is Pub. L. 87–195, Sept. 4, 1961, 75 Stat. 424, which is classified principally to this chapter (§ 2151 et seq.). For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 2151 of this title and Tables. The Arms Export Control Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is Pub. L. 90–629, Oct. 22, 1968, 82 Stat. 1320, which is classified principally to chapter 39 (§ 2751 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 2751 of this title and Tables. Codification Section was enacted as part of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995, and not as part of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 which comprises this chapter.

Amendments

2004—Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 108–447 added subsec. (i).

Executive Documents

Delegation of Responsibilities Under Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995 Memorandum of President of the United States, July 26, 1994, 59 F.R. 40205, provided: Memorandum for the Secretary of State By the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, including section 301 of title 3 of the United States Code, I hereby delegate to the Secretary of State the functions vested in the President by the following provisions of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995 (Public Law 103–236) (the “Act”): section 102(g) [22 U.S.C. 287e note], 161(c) [22 U.S.C. 2651a note], 401(b) [108 Stat. 446], 407(a) [22 U.S.C. 287b note], 409 [22 U.S.C. 287e note], 431(b) [108 Stat. 459], 514(b) [22 U.S.C. 1928 note], 523 [108 Stat. 473], 527(e) and (g) [22 U.S.C. 2370a(e), (g)], 528 [108 Stat. 477], 532(a) [108 Stat. 480], 574 [22 U.S.C. 2656 note], 583(b)(1) and (b)(6) [108 Stat. 489, 490], 733 [22 U.S.C. 2779a] and 735(d) [22 U.S.C. 2797b–1]. The functions under section 407(a) of the Act [22 U.S.C. 287b note] shall be exercised in coordination with the Secretary of Defense. The functions under section 527(e) and (g) of the Act [22 U.S.C. 2370a(e), (g)] shall be exercised in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the heads of other departments and agencies, as appropriate. Any reference in this memorandum to any act, order, determination, or delegation of authority shall be deemed to be a reference to such act, order, determination, or delegation of authority as amended from time to time. The functions delegated by this memorandum may be redelegated within the Department of State. You are authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register. William J. Clinton. Memorandum of President of the United States, Jan. 4, 1995, 60 F.R. 3335, provided: Memorandum for the Secretary of the Treasury By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 301 of title 3, United States Code, I hereby delegate to the Secretary of the Treasury the functions under section 527(b) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995 (Public Law 103–236) [22 U.S.C. 2370a(b)]. Any reference in this memorandum to any Act, order, determination, or delegation of authority shall be deemed to be a reference to such Act, order, determination, or delegation of authority as amended. The functions delegated by this memorandum may be redelegated within the Department of the Treasury. You are authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register. William J. Clinton.

§2370a Expropriation of United States Property

Summary

Title 22, §2370a

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

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Amendments

Executive Documents

Citations & Metadata