28 U.S.C. § 2671 — Definitions

Page 638 TITLE 28—JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE § 2671 ‘‘(B) the date that is 180 days after the date on which the claim is denied under section 2675 of title 28, United States Code. ‘‘(3) INAPPLICABILITY OF OTHER LIMITATIONS.—Any applicable statute of repose or statute of limitations, other than under paragraph (2), shall not apply to a claim under this section.’’ § 2671. Definitions As used in this chapter and sections 1346(b) and 2401(b) of this title, the term ‘‘Federal agen- cy’’ includes the executive departments, the ju- dicial and legislative branches, the military de- partments, independent establishments of the United States, and corporations primarily act- ing as instrumentalities or agencies of the United States, but does not include any con- tractor with the United States. ‘‘Employee of the government’’ includes (1) of- ficers or employees of any federal agency, mem- bers of the military or naval forces of the United States, members of the National Guard while engaged in training or duty under section 115, 316, 502, 503, 504, or 505 of title 32, and persons acting on behalf of a federal agency in an offi- cial capacity, temporarily or permanently in the service of the United States, whether with or without compensation, and (2) any officer or em- ployee of a Federal public defender organization, except when such officer or employee performs professional services in the course of providing representation under section 3006A of title 18. ‘‘Acting within the scope of his office or em- ployment’’, in the case of a member of the mili- tary or naval forces of the United States or a member of the National Guard as defined in sec- tion 101(3) of title 32, means acting in line of duty. (June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 982; May 24, 1949, ch. 139, § 124, 63 Stat. 106; Pub. L. 89–506, § 8, July 18, 1966, 80 Stat. 307; Pub. L. 97–124, § 1, Dec. 29, 1981, 95 Stat. 1666; Pub. L. 100–694, § 3, Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4564; Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A], title VI, § 665(b)], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654, 1654A–169; Pub. L. 106–518, title IV, § 401, Nov. 13, 2000, 114 Stat. 2421.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES 1948 ACT Based on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 941 (Aug. 2, 1946, ch. 753, § 402, 60 Stat. 842). Changes were made in phraseology. 1949 ACT This section corrects a typographical error in section 2671 of title 28, U.S.C. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2000—Pub. L. 106–518, in par. defining ‘‘Employee of the government’’, inserted ‘‘(1)’’ after ‘‘includes’’ and added cl. (2). Pub. L. 106–398 inserted ‘‘115,’’ after ‘‘members of the National Guard while engaged in training or duty under section’’ in par. defining ‘‘Employee of the gov- ernment’’. 1988—Pub. L. 100–694 inserted ‘‘the judicial and legis- lative branches,’’ after ‘‘departments,’’ in first par. 1981—Pub. L. 97–124 inserted ‘‘members of the Na- tional Guard while engaged in training or duty under section 316, 502, 503, 504, or 505 of title 32,’’ in definition of ‘‘Employee of the government’’ and ‘‘or a member of the National Guard as defined in section 101(3) of title 32’’ in definition of ‘‘Acting within the scope of his of- fice or employment’’. 1966—Pub. L. 89–506 expanded definition of ‘‘Federal agency’’ to include military departments. 1949—Act May 24, 1949, corrected spelling of ‘‘office’’. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2000 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A], title VI, § 665(c)(2)], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654, 1654A–169, provided that: ‘‘The amendment made by subsection (b) [amending this sec- tion] shall apply with respect to acts and omissions oc- curring before, on, or after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 30, 2000].’’ EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1988 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 100–694 effective Nov. 18, 1988, and applicable to all claims, civil actions, and pro- ceedings pending on, or filed on or after, Nov. 18, 1988, see section 8 of Pub. L. 100–694, set out as a note under section 2679 of this title. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1981 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 97–124 applicable only with re- spect to claims arising on or after Dec. 29, 1981, see sec- tion 4 of Pub. L. 97–124, set out as a note under section 1089 of Title 10, Armed Forces. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1966 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 89–506 applicable to claims ac- cruing six months or more after July 18, 1966, see sec- tion 10 of Pub. L. 89–506, set out as a note under section 2672 of this title. SHORT TITLE This chapter is popularly known as the Federal Tort Claims Act. The Federal Tort Claims Act was pre- viously the official short title of title IV of act Aug. 2, 1946, ch. 753, 60 Stat. 842, which was classified prin- cipally to chapter 20 (§§ 921, 922, 931–934, 941–946) of former Title 28, Judicial Code and Judiciary. Title IV of act Aug. 2, 1946, was substantially repealed and reen- acted as sections 1346(b) and 2671 et seq. of this title by act June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 992, the first section of which enacted this title. For complete classification of title IV to the Code, see Tables. For distribution of former sections of Title 28 into this title, see Table at the beginning of this title. SEVERABILITY Pub. L. 100–694, § 7, Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4565, pro- vided that: ‘‘If any provision of this Act [see Short Title of 1988 Amendment note under section 1 of this title] or the amendments made by this Act or the appli- cation of the provision to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of this Act and such amendments and the application of the provision to any other person or circumstance shall not be affected by that invalidation.’’ LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER ACTING WITHIN SCOPE OF OFFICE OR EMPLOYMENT Pub. L. 105–277, div. A, § 101(h) [title VI, § 627], Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–480, 2681–519, as amended by Pub. L. 106–58, title VI, § 623, Sept. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 471, pro- vided that: ‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— ‘‘(1) the term ‘crime of violence’ has the meaning given that term in section 16 of title 18, United States Code; and ‘‘(2) the term ‘law enforcement officer’ means any employee described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of section 8401(17) of title 5, United States Code; and any special agent in the Diplomatic Security Service of the Department of State. ‘‘(b) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Effective on the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 21, 1998] and thereafter, Page 639 TITLE 28—JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE § 2672 and notwithstanding any other provision of law, for purposes of chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code, or any other provision of law relating to tort liability, a law enforcement officer shall be construed to be act- ing within the scope of his or her office or employment, if the officer takes reasonable action, including the use of force, to— ‘‘(1) protect an individual in the presence of the of- ficer from a crime of violence; ‘‘(2) provide immediate assistance to an individual who has suffered or who is threatened with bodily harm; or ‘‘(3) prevent the escape of any individual who the officer reasonably believes to have committed in the presence of the officer a crime of violence.’’ CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS AND PURPOSES Pub. L. 100–694, § 2, Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4563, pro- vided that: ‘‘(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds and declares the following: ‘‘(1) For more than 40 years the Federal Tort Claims Act [see Short Title note above] has been the legal mechanism for compensating persons injured by negligent or wrongful acts of Federal employees com- mitted within the scope of their employment. ‘‘(2) The United States, through the Federal Tort Claims Act, is responsible to injured persons for the common law torts of its employees in the same man- ner in which the common law historically has recog- nized the responsibility of an employer for torts com- mitted by its employees within the scope of their em- ployment. ‘‘(3) Because Federal employees for many years have been protected from personal common law tort liability by a broad based immunity, the Federal Tort Claims Act has served as the sole means for compen- sating persons injured by the tortious conduct of Fed- eral employees. ‘‘(4) Recent judicial decisions, and particularly the decision of the United States Supreme Court in Westfall v. Erwin, have seriously eroded the common law tort immunity previously available to Federal employees. ‘‘(5) This erosion of immunity of Federal employees from common law tort liability has created an imme- diate crisis involving the prospect of personal liabil- ity and the threat of protracted personal tort litiga- tion for the entire Federal workforce. ‘‘(6) The prospect of such liability will seriously un- dermine the morale and well being of Federal em- ployees, impede the ability of agencies to carry out their missions, and diminish the vitality of the Fed- eral Tort Claims Act as the proper remedy for Fed- eral employee torts. ‘‘(7) In its opinion in Westfall v. Erwin, the Su- preme Court indicated that the Congress is in the best position to determine the extent to which Fed- eral employees should be personally liable for com- mon law torts, and that legislative consideration of this matter would be useful. ‘‘(b) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this Act [see Short Title of 1988 Amendment note under section 1 of this title] to protect Federal employees from personal li- ability for common law torts committed within the scope of their employment, while providing persons in- jured by the common law torts of Federal employees with an appropriate remedy against the United States.’’ § 2672. Administrative adjustment of claims The head of each Federal agency or his des- ignee, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Attorney General, may consider, ascer- tain, adjust, determine, compromise, and settle any claim for money damages against the United States for injury or loss of property or personal injury or death caused by the negligent or wrongful act or omission of any employee of the agency while acting within the scope of his office or employment, under circumstances where the United States, if a private person, would be liable to the claimant in accordance with the law of the place where the act or omis- sion occurred: Provided, That any award, com- promise, or settlement in excess of $25,000 shall be effected only with the prior written approval of the Attorney General or his designee. Not- withstanding the proviso contained in the pre- ceding sentence, any award, compromise, or set- tlement may be effected without the prior writ- ten approval of the Attorney General or his or her designee, to the extent that the Attorney General delegates to the head of the agency the authority to make such award, compromise, or settlement. Such delegations may not exceed the authority delegated by the Attorney General to the United States attorneys to settle claims for money damages against the United States. Each Federal agency may use arbitration, or other alternative means of dispute resolution under the provisions of subchapter IV of chapter 5 of title 5, to settle any tort claim against the United States, to the extent of the agency’s au- thority to award, compromise, or settle such claim without the prior written approval of the Attorney General or his or her designee. Subject to the provisions of this title relating to civil actions on tort claims against the United States, any such award, compromise, set- tlement, or determination shall be final and conclusive on all officers of the Government, ex- cept when procured by means of fraud. Any award, compromise, or settlement in an amount of $2,500 or less made pursuant to this section shall be paid by the head of the Federal agency concerned out of appropriations avail- able to that agency. Payment of any award, compromise, or settlement in an amount in ex- cess of $2,500 made pursuant to this section or made by the Attorney General in any amount pursuant to section 2677 of this title shall be paid in a manner similar to judgments and com- promises in like causes and appropriations or funds available for the payment of such judg- ments and compromises are hereby made avail- able for the payment of awards, compromises, or settlements under this chapter. The acceptance by the claimant of any such award, compromise, or settlement shall be final and conclusive on the claimant, and shall con- stitute a complete release of any claim against the United States and against the employee of the government whose act or omission gave rise to the claim, by reason of the same subject mat- ter. (June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 983; Apr. 25, 1949, ch. 92, § 2(b), 63 Stat. 62; May 24, 1949, ch. 139, § 125, 63 Stat. 106; Sept. 23, 1950, ch. 1010, § 9, 64 Stat. 987; Pub. L. 86–238, § 1(1), Sept. 8, 1959, 73 Stat. 471; Pub. L. 89–506, §§ 1, 9(a), July 18, 1966, 80 Stat. 306, 308; Pub. L. 101–552, § 8(a), Nov. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 2746.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES 1948 ACT Based on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 921 (Aug. 2, 1946, ch. 753, § 403, 60 Stat. 843).