25 U.S.C. § 4237: Remedies for noncompliance

Summary

The Secretary can stop, cut, or limit federal payments to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands if, after giving notice and a chance for a hearing, the Department has not followed the rules under this law. The Secretary may end all payments, reduce payments by the money that was spent wrongly, or limit payments to programs that were not affected. Those steps stay in place until the Department fixes the problem and is following the rules. If the problem is not a willful pattern and is caused by limited skill or staff, the Secretary may instead give technical help to improve the Department’s ability to comply. The Secretary can also send the matter to the U.S. Attorney General to ask a federal court to recover misspent funds or to order the Department to act. If the Director wants to challenge the Secretary’s action, the Director must file in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit or the D.C. Circuit within 60 days of the notice and send copies to the Secretary and the Attorney General. The court will review the Secretary’s record, may order extra evidence, and can confirm, change, or cancel the Secretary’s action. The court’s decision is final unless the Supreme Court agrees to review it.

Title 25, §4237

Indians, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Actions by Secretary affecting grant amounts

(1)In general

Except as provided in subsection (b), if the Secretary finds after reasonable notice and opportunity for a hearing that the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands has failed to comply substantially with any provision of this subchapter, the Secretary shall—

(A)terminate payments under this subchapter to the Department;

(B)reduce payments under this subchapter to the Department by an amount equal to the amount of such payments that were not expended in accordance with this subchapter; or

(C)limit the availability of payments under this subchapter to programs, projects, or activities not affected by such failure to comply.

(2)Actions

If the Secretary takes an action under subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of paragraph (1), the Secretary shall continue that action until the Secretary determines that the failure by the Department to comply with the provision has been remedied by the Department and the Department is in compliance with that provision.

(b)Noncompliance because of a technical incapacity

The Secretary may provide technical assistance for the Department, either directly or indirectly, that is designed to increase the capability and capacity of the Director of the Department to administer assistance provided under this subchapter in compliance with the requirements under this subchapter if the Secretary makes a finding under subsection (a), but determines that the failure of the Department to comply substantially with the provisions of this subchapter—

(1)is not a pattern or practice of activities constituting willful noncompliance; and

(2)is a result of the limited capability or capacity of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

(c)Referral for civil action

(1)Authority

In lieu of, or in addition to, any action that the Secretary may take under subsection (a), if the Secretary has reason to believe that the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands has failed to comply substantially with any provision of this subchapter, the Secretary may refer the matter to the Attorney General of the United States with a recommendation that an appropriate civil action be instituted.

(2)Civil action

Upon receiving a referral under paragraph (1), the Attorney General may bring a civil action in any United States district court of appropriate jurisdiction for such relief as may be appropriate, including an action—

(A)to recover the amount of the assistance furnished under this subchapter that was not expended in accordance with this subchapter; or

(B)for mandatory or injunctive relief.

(d)Review

(1)In general

If the Director receives notice under subsection (a) of the termination, reduction, or limitation of payments under this chapter, the Director— (A)

(B)upon the filing of any petition under subparagraph (A), shall forthwith transmit copies of the petition to the Secretary and the Attorney General of the United States, who shall represent the Secretary in the litigation.

(2)Procedure

(A)In general

The Secretary shall file in the court a record of the proceeding on which the Secretary based the action, as provided in section 2112 of title 28.

(B)Objections

No objection to the action of the Secretary shall be considered by the court unless the Department has registered the objection before the Secretary.

(3)Disposition

(A)Court proceedings

(i)Jurisdiction of court

The court shall have jurisdiction to affirm or modify the action of the Secretary or to set the action aside in whole or in part.

(ii)Findings of fact

If supported by substantial evidence on the record considered as a whole, the findings of fact by the Secretary shall be conclusive.

(iii)Addition

The court may order evidence, in addition to the evidence submitted for review under this subsection, to be taken by the Secretary, and to be made part of the record.

(B)Secretary

(i)In general

The Secretary, by reason of the additional evidence referred to in subparagraph (A) and filed with the court—

(I)may—

(aa)modify the findings of fact of the Secretary; or

(bb)make new findings; and

(II)shall file—

(aa)such modified or new findings; and

(bb)the recommendation of the Secretary, if any, for the modification or setting aside of the original action of the Secretary.

(ii)Findings

The findings referred to in clause (i)(II)(bb) shall, with respect to a question of fact, be considered to be conclusive if those findings are—

(I)supported by substantial evidence on the record; and

(II)considered as a whole.

(4)Finality

(A)In general

Except as provided in subparagraph (B), upon the filing of the record under this subsection with the court—

(i)the jurisdiction of the court shall be exclusive; and

(ii)the judgment of the court shall be final.

(B)Review by Supreme Court

A judgment under subparagraph (A) shall be subject to review by the Supreme Court of the United States upon writ of certiorari or certification, as provided in section 1254 of title 28.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (d)(1), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 104–330, Oct. 26, 1996, 110 Stat. 4016, known as the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 4101 of this title and Tables. Codification Pub. L. 106–568, § 203, and Pub. L. 106–569, § 513, enacted identical section 818 of Pub. L. 104–330. This section is based on the text of section 818 of Pub. L. 104–330, as added by Pub. L. 106–569, § 513.

§4237 Remedies for Noncompliance