2018 US Code
Title 10 - Armed Forces
Subtitle A - General Military Law
Part IV - Service, Supply, and Procurement
Chapter 163 - Military Claims
Sec. 2731 - Definition

In this chapter, "settle" means consider, ascertain, adjust, determine, and dispose of a claim, whether by full or partial allowance or by disallowance.

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 152.)

The revised section is inserted for clarity and is based on usage in the source laws for this revised chapter.

Pub. L. 115–245, div. A, title VIII, §8026, Sept. 28, 2018, 132 Stat. 3005, provided that: "For the purposes of this Act [div. A of Pub. L. 115–245, see Tables for classification], the term 'congressional defense committees' means the Armed Services Committee of the House of Representatives, the Armed Services Committee of the Senate, the Subcommittee on Defense of the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, and the Subcommittee on Defense of the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives."

Similar provisions were contained in the following prior appropriation acts:

Pub. L. 115–141, div. C, title VIII, §8026, Mar. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 469.

Pub. L. 115–31, div. C, title VIII, §8027, May 5, 2017, 131 Stat. 252.

Pub. L. 114–113, div. C, title VIII, §8026, Dec. 18, 2015, 129 Stat. 2356.

Pub. L. 113–235, div. C, title VIII, §8026, Dec. 16, 2014, 128 Stat. 2258.

Pub. L. 113–76, div. C, title VIII, §8025, Jan. 17, 2014, 128 Stat. 109.

Pub. L. 115–245, div. A, title VIII, §8106, Sept. 28, 2018, 132 Stat. 3025, provided that:

"(a) Of the funds appropriated in this Act [div. A of Pub. L. 115–245, see Tables for classification] for the Department of Defense, amounts should be made available, under such regulations as the Secretary of Defense may prescribe, to local military commanders appointed by the Secretary, or by an officer or employee designated by the Secretary, to provide at their discretion ex gratia payments in amounts consistent with subsection (d) of this section for damage, personal injury, or death that is incident to combat operations of the Armed Forces in a foreign country.

"(b) An ex gratia payment under this section may be provided only if—

"(c) Any payments provided under a program under subsection (a) shall not be considered an admission or acknowledgement of any legal obligation to compensate for any damage, personal injury, or death.

"(d) If the Secretary of Defense determines a program under subsection (a) to be appropriate in a particular setting, the amounts of payments, if any, to be provided to civilians determined to have suffered harm incident to combat operations of the Armed Forces under the program should be determined pursuant to regulations prescribed by the Secretary and based on an assessment, which should include such factors as cultural appropriateness and prevailing economic conditions.

"(e) Local military commanders shall receive legal advice before making ex gratia payments under this subsection. The legal advisor, under regulations of the Department of Defense, shall advise on whether an ex gratia payment is proper under this section and applicable Department of Defense regulations.

"(f) A written record of any ex gratia payment offered or denied shall be kept by the local commander and on a timely basis submitted to the appropriate office in the Department of Defense as determined by the Secretary of Defense.

"(g) The Secretary of Defense shall report to the congressional defense committees [Committees on Armed Services and Subcommittees on Defense of the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives] on an annual basis the efficacy of the ex gratia payment program including the number of types of cases considered, amounts offered, the response from ex gratia payment recipients, and any recommended modifications to the program."

Similar provisions were contained in the following prior appropriation acts:

Pub. L. 115–141, div. C, title VIII, §8107, Mar. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 488.

Pub. L. 115–31, div. C, title VIII, §8107, May 5, 2017, 131 Stat. 272.

Pub. L. 114–113, div. C, title VIII, §8111, Dec. 18, 2015, 129 Stat. 2377.

Pub. L. 113–235, div. C, title VIII, §8121, Dec. 16, 2014, 128 Stat. 2281.

Pub. L. 113–76, div. C, title VIII, §8127, Jan. 17, 2014, 128 Stat. 134.

Pub. L. 105–85, div. A, title X, §1013(b), Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 1874, provided that: "The Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report describing the Department of Defense policy regarding the payment of a claim by a member of the Armed Forces who is not assigned to quarters of the United States for losses and damage to personal property of the member incurred at the member's residence as a result of a natural disaster. The report shall include a description of the number of such claims received over the past 10 years, the number of claims paid, and the number of claims rejected. If the Secretary determines the Department of Defense should modify its policy in order to accept additional claims by members who are not assigned to quarters of the United States for losses and damage to personal property, the Secretary shall also include in the report any legislative changes that the Secretary considers necessary to enable the Secretary to implement the policy change."

Authority vested by this chapter in "military departments", "the Secretary concerned", or "the Secretary of Defense" to be exercised, with respect to commissioned officers of Public Health Service, by Secretary of Health and Human Services or his designee, see section 213a of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.

Authority vested by sections 2731, 2732, and 2735 of this title in "military departments", "the Secretary concerned", or "the Secretary of Defense" to be exercised, with respect to commissioned officer corps of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, by Secretary of Commerce or his designee, see section 3071 of Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters.