§723. Claim for replacement

In the event of loss or destruction of, or damage to, valuables of which shipment shall have been made pursuant to the regulations prescribed under section 721 of this title a claim in writing for replacement shall be made upon the Secretary of the Treasury who, if he shall be satisfied that such loss, destruction, or damage has occurred and that shipment was made substantially in accordance with such regulations, shall cause replacement to be made out of the fund through such officers as he may designate. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the decision of the Secretary of the Treasury that such loss, destruction, or damage has occurred or that such shipment was made substantially in accordance with such regulations shall be final and conclusive and shall not be subject to review by any other officer of the United States: Provided, however, That where the Secretary of the Treasury determines that such replacement can be effected, in whole or in part, without actual or ultimate injury to the United States, by a credit in the accounts of the executive department, independent establishment, agency, officer, employee, or other accountable person making the claim, he shall not resort to the fund, except to the extent that such replacement cannot be so effected by such credit, but shall certify such determination to the Comptroller General and, upon receipt of such certification, the Comptroller General is authorized and directed to make such credit in the settlement of accounts in the General Accounting Office: Provided further, That the fund shall be available for the replacement of any loss or destruction of, or damage to, valuables shipped by or on behalf of the Bureau of the Public Debt of the Treasury Department prior to the effective date of this amendment, the replacement of which was chargeable against the securities trust fund established under authority of section 3129 of title 31; and the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized and directed to transfer on the books of the Treasury Department the amount standing to the credit of the securities trust fund and credit the same to the fund. And provided further, That the fund shall not be available with respect to any loss, destruction, or damage affecting valuables, insofar as such loss, destruction, or damage relates to property of the United States Postal Service chargeable to its officers or employees; nor shall it be available with respect to any loss, destruction, or damage affecting valuables of which shipment shall have been made at the risk of persons other than the United States, its executive departments, independent establishments, agencies, wholly owned corporations, officers, and employees. All recoveries and repayments on account of loss, destruction, or damage to valuables of which replacement shall have been made out of the fund shall be credited to it and shall be available for the purposes thereof.

(July 8, 1937, ch. 444, §3, 50 Stat. 479 ; Aug. 10, 1939, ch. 665, §1, 53 Stat. 1358 ; 1940 Reorg. Plan No. III, §1, eff. June 30, 1940, 5 F.R. 2107, 54 Stat. 1231; Pub. L. 91–375, §6(m)(4), Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 782 .)

References in Text

The effective date of this amendment, referred to in text, probably means the date of enactment of act Aug. 10, 1939, which was approved Aug. 10, 1939.

Codification

"Section 3129 of title 31" substituted in text for "the indefinite appropriation 'Expenses of loans, Act of September 24, 1917, as amended and extended' (U.S.C., 1934 edition, title 31, secs. 760, 761)" on authority of Pub. L. 97–258, §4(b), Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1067 , the first section of which enacted Title 31, Money and Finance.

Section was formerly classified to section 134b of Title 5 prior to the general revision and enactment of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, by Pub. L. 89–554, §1, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 378 .

Amendments

1970-Pub. L. 91–375 substituted "insofar as such loss, destruction, or damage relates to property of the United States Postal Service chargeable to its officers or employees" for "insofar as such loss destruction, or damage may be adjusted by the Postmaster General under the provisions of the Act of March 17, 1882, as amended" in third proviso.

1939-Act Aug. 10, 1939, amended generally proviso dealing with securities trust fund established under authority of sections 760 and 761 of title 31.

Effective Date of 1970 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 91–375 effective within 1 year after Aug. 12, 1970, on date established therefor by the Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service and published by it in the Federal Register, see section 15(a) of Pub. L. 91–375, set out as an Effective Date note preceding section 101 of Title 39, Postal Service.

Transfer of Functions

Section 1(a) of Reorg. Plan No. III of 1940 established Bureau of Public Debt in Fiscal Service of Treasury Department, and consolidated into such agency the Public Debt Service. See section 306 of Title 31, Money and Finance.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in section 722 of this title; title 31 section 3126.