28 U.S.C. § 2509 — Congressional reference cases

Page 620 TITLE 28—JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE § 2508 § 2508. Counterclaim or set-off; registration of judgment Upon the trial of any suit in the United States Court of Federal Claims in which any setoff, counterclaim, claim for damages, or other de- mand is set up on the part of the United States against any plaintiff making claim against the United States in said court, the court shall hear and determine such claim or demand both for and against the United States and plaintiff. If upon the whole case it finds that the plain- tiff is indebted to the United States it shall render judgment to that effect, and such judg- ment shall be final and reviewable. The transcript of such judgment, filed in the clerk’s office of any district court, shall be en- tered upon the records and shall be enforceable as other judgments. (June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 977; July 28, 1953, ch. 253, § 10, 67 Stat. 227; Sept. 3, 1954, ch. 1263, § 47(a), 68 Stat. 1243; Pub. L. 97–164, title I, § 139(g), Apr. 2, 1982, 96 Stat. 42; Pub. L. 102–572, title IX, § 902(a)(1), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4516.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES Based on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 252 (Mar. 3, 1911, ch. 231, § 146, 36 Stat. 1137). Changes were made in phraseology. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1992—Pub. L. 102–572 substituted ‘‘United States Court of Federal Claims’’ for ‘‘United States Claims Court’’. 1982—Pub. L. 97–164 substituted ‘‘United States Claims Court’’ for ‘‘Court of Claims’’. 1954—Act Sept. 3, 1954, struck out ‘‘United States’’ from name of Court of Claims in first par. 1953—Act July 28, 1953, substituted ‘‘United States Court of Claims’’ for ‘‘Court of Claims’’ in first par., and substituted ‘‘shall be enforceable as other judg- ments’’ for ‘‘be a judgment of such district court and enforceable as such’’ in third par. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1992 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 102–572 effective Oct. 29, 1992, see section 911 of Pub. L. 102–572, set out as a note under section 171 of this title. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1982 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 97–164 effective Oct. 1, 1982, see section 402 of Pub. L. 97–164, set out as a note under section 171 of this title. § 2509. Congressional reference cases (a) Whenever a bill, except a bill for a pension, is referred by either House of Congress to the chief judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims pursuant to section 1492 of this title, the chief judge shall designate a judge as hearing of- ficer for the case and a panel of three judges of the court to serve as a reviewing body. One member of the review panel shall be designated as presiding officer of the panel. (b) Proceedings in a congressional reference case shall be under rules and regulations pre- scribed for the purpose by the chief judge who is hereby authorized and directed to require the application of the pertinent rules of practice of the Court of Federal Claims insofar as feasible. Each hearing officer and each review panel shall have authority to do and perform any acts which may be necessary or proper for the effi- cient performance of their duties, including the power of subpena and the power to administer oaths and affirmations. None of the rules, rul- ings, findings, or conclusions authorized by this section shall be subject to judicial review. (c) The hearing officer to whom a congres- sional reference case is assigned by the chief judge shall proceed in accordance with the appli- cable rules to determine the facts, including facts relating to delay or laches, facts bearing upon the question whether the bar of any stat- ute of limitation should be removed, or facts claimed to excuse the claimant for not having resorted to any established legal remedy. He shall append to his findings of fact conclusions sufficient to inform Congress whether the de- mand is a legal or equitable claim or a gratuity, and the amount, if any, legally or equitably due from the United States to the claimant. (d) The findings and conclusions of the hearing officer shall be submitted by him, together with the record in the case, to the review panel for review by it pursuant to such rules as may be provided for the purpose, which shall include provision for submitting the report of the hear- ing officer to the parties for consideration, ex- ception, and argument before the panel. The panel, by majority vote, shall adopt or modify the findings or the conclusions of the hearing of- ficer. (e) The panel shall submit its report to the chief judge for transmission to the appropriate House of Congress. (f) Any act or failure to act or other conduct by a party, a witness, or an attorney which would call for the imposition of sanctions under the rules of practice of the Court of Federal Claims shall be noted by the panel or the hear- ing officer at the time of occurrence thereof and upon failure of the delinquent or offending party, witness, or attorney to make prompt compliance with the order of the panel or the hearing officer a full statement of the cir- cumstances shall be incorporated in the report of the panel. (g) The Court of Federal Claims is hereby au- thorized and directed, under such regulations as it may prescribe, to provide the facilities and services of the office of the clerk of the court for the filing, processing, hearing, and dispatch of congressional reference cases and to include within its annual appropriations the costs there- of and other costs of administration, including (but without limitation to the items herein list- ed) the salaries and traveling expenses of the judges serving as hearing officers and panel members, mailing and service of process, nec- essary physical facilities, equipment, and sup- plies, and personnel (including secretaries and law clerks). (June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 977; Pub. L. 89–681, § 2, Oct. 15, 1966, 80 Stat. 958; Pub. L. 97–164, title I, § 139(h), Apr. 2, 1982, 96 Stat. 42; Pub. L. 102–572, title IX, § 902(a), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4516.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES Based on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 257 (Mar. 3, 1911, ch. 231, § 151, 36 Stat. 1138). Page 621 TITLE 28—JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE § 2510 Jurisdiction provisions of section 257 of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., appear in section 1492 of this title. A provision as to the court’s power to render judg- ment on a referred claim and its duty to report thereon to Congress, was omitted from this section as covered by sections 791(c) and 1492 of this title. Changes were made in phraseology. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1992—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102–572, § 902(a)(1), sub- stituted ‘‘United States Court of Federal Claims’’ for ‘‘United States Claims Court’’. Subsecs. (b), (f), (g). Pub. L. 102–572, § 902(a)(2), sub- stituted ‘‘Court of Federal Claims’’ for ‘‘Claims Court’’. 1982—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 97–164, § 139(h)(1), sub- stituted ‘‘chief judge’’ for ‘‘chief commissioner’’ wher- ever appearing, ‘‘United States Claims Court’’ for ‘‘Court of Claims’’, ‘‘judge as hearing officer’’ for ‘‘trial commissioner’’, ‘‘judges’’ for ‘‘commissioners’’, and ‘‘presiding officer’’ for ‘‘presiding commissioner’’. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 97–164, § 139(h)(2)(A)–(C), sub- stituted ‘‘chief judge’’ for ‘‘chief commissioner’’, ‘‘Claims Court’’ for ‘‘Court of Claims’’, and ‘‘hearing of- ficer’’ for ‘‘trial commissioner’’. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 97–164, § 139(h)(2)(A), (B), sub- stituted ‘‘hearing officer’’ for ‘‘trial commissioner’’ and ‘‘chief judge’’ for ‘‘chief commissioner’’. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 97–164, § 139(h)(2)(A), (D), sub- stituted ‘‘hearing officer’’ for ‘‘trial commissioner’’ wherever appearing and struck out ‘‘of commissioners’’ after ‘‘review panel’’. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 97–164, § 139(h)(2)(B), substituted ‘‘chief judge’’ for ‘‘chief commissioner’’. Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 97–164, § 139(h)(2)(A), (C), sub- stituted ‘‘Claims Court’’ for ‘‘Court of Claims’’, and ‘‘hearing officer’’ for ‘‘trial commissioner’’ wherever appearing. Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 97–164, § 139(h)(2)(C), (E), sub- stituted ‘‘Claims Court’’ for ‘‘Court of Claims’’ and ‘‘judges serving as hearing officers’’ for ‘‘commis- sioners serving as trial commissioners’’. 1966—Pub. L. 89–681 substituted provisions for ref- erence of bills to the chief commissioner of the Court of Claims pursuant to section 1492 of this title for pro- visions calling simply for reference to the Court of Claims, substituted provisions naming the trial com- missioner to whom a reference case is assigned by the chief commissioner for provisions simply naming the Court of Claims as the agency by which findings and conclusions are made, and inserted provisions for the designation of a trial commissioner and reviewing body consisting of three other commissioners, the promulga- tion of rules and regulations for Congressional ref- erence cases by the chief commissioner, the procedure to be followed, and the supplying of facilities and per- sonnel for the dispatch of Congressional reference cases. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1992 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 102–572 effective Oct. 29, 1992, see section 911 of Pub. L. 102–572, set out as a note under section 171 of this title. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1982 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 97–164 effective Oct. 1, 1982, see section 402 of Pub. L. 97–164, set out as a note under section 171 of this title. § 2510. Referral of cases by Comptroller General (a) The Comptroller General may transmit to the United States Court of Federal Claims for trial and adjudication any claim or matter of which the Court of Federal Claims might take jurisdiction on the voluntary action of the claimant, together with all vouchers, papers, documents, and proofs pertaining thereto. (b) The Court of Federal Claims shall proceed with the claims or matters so referred as in other cases pending in such Court and shall render judgment thereon. (June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 977; July 28, 1953, ch. 253, § 11, 67 Stat. 227; Sept. 3, 1954, ch. 1263, § 47(b), 68 Stat. 1243; Pub. L. 95–563, § 14(h)(1), (2)(A), Nov. 1, 1978, 92 Stat. 2390; Pub. L. 97–164, title I, § 139(i)(1), Apr. 2, 1982, 96 Stat. 43; Pub. L. 102–572, title IX, § 902(a), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4516.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES Based on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §§ 254 and 255 (Mar. 3, 1911, ch. 231, §§ 148, 149, 36 Stat. 1137, 1138; June 10, 1921, ch. 18, § 304, 42 Stat. 24). Section consolidates procedural provisions of sec- tions 254 and 255 of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., relating to departmental reference cases. Jurisdiction provisions of such section 254 appear in section 1493 of this title. Changes were made in phraseology. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1992—Pub. L. 102–572 substituted ‘‘United States Court of Federal Claims’’ for ‘‘United States Claims Court’’ and ‘‘Court of Federal Claims’’ for ‘‘Claims Court’’ wherever appearing. 1982—Pub. L. 97–164 substituted ‘‘Referral of cases by Comptroller General’’ for ‘‘Referral of cases by the Comptroller General or the head of an executive de- partment or agency’’ in section catchline. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 97–164 substituted ‘‘transmit to the United States Claims Court for trial and adjudica- tion any claim or matter of which the Claims Court might take jurisdiction’’ for ‘‘transmit to the Court of Claims for trial and adjudication any claim or matter of which the Court of Claims might take jurisdiction’’ in first sentence of subsec. (a). The second sentence of subsec. (a) was redesignated (b). Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 97–164 designated as subsec. (b) the former second sentence of subsec. (a) and sub- stituted ‘‘The Claims Court’’ for ‘‘The Court of Claims’’ and ‘‘Court’’ for ‘‘court’’. Former subsec. (b), which provided that the head of any executive department or agency could, with the prior approval of the Attorney General, refer to the Court of Claims for judicial review any final decision rendered by a board of contract ap- peals pursuant to the terms of any contract with the United States awarded by that department or agency which such head of such department or agency had con- cluded was not entitled to finality pursuant to the re- view standards specified in section 10(b) of the Con- tracts Disputes Act of 1978, with the head of each exec- utive department or agency to make any referral under this section within 120 days of the receipt of a copy of the final appeal decision, that the Court of Claims was to review the matter referred in accordance with the standards specified in section 10(b) of the Contracts Disputes Act of 1978, and that the court was to proceed with judicial review on the administrative record made before the board of contract appeals on matters so re- ferred as in other cases pending in such court, deter- mine the issue of finality of the appeal decision, and render judgment thereon, take additional evidence, or remand the matter pursuant to the authority specified in section 1491 of this title was struck out. 1978—Pub. L. 95–563, inserted ‘‘or the head of an exec- utive department or agency’’ in section catchline, des- ignated existing provisions as subsec. (a), and added subsec. (b). 1954—Act Sept. 3, 1954, substituted ‘‘Referral of cases by Comptroller General’’ for ‘‘Departmental reference cases’’ in section catchline.