The Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized and directed to adjust or eliminate reimbursable charges of the Government of the United States existing as debts against individual Indians or tribes of Indians in such a way as shall be equitable and just in consideration of all the circumstances under which such charges were made: Provided, That the collection of all construction costs against any Indian-owned lands within any Government irrigation project is hereby deferred, and no assessments shall be made on behalf of such charges against such lands until the Indian title thereto shall have been extinguished, and any construction assessments heretofore levied against such lands in accordance with the provisions of section 386 of this title, and uncollected, are hereby canceled: Provided further, That the Secretary shall report such adjustments and eliminations to the Congress not later than sixty calendar days following the end of the fiscal year in which they are made: Provided further, That any proceedings hereunder shall not be effective until approved by Congress unless Congress shall have failed to act favorably or unfavorably thereon by concurrent resolution within ninety calendar days after the filing of said report, in which case they shall become effective at the termination of the said ninety calendar days: Provided further, That the Secretary shall adjust or eliminate charges, defer collection of construction costs, and make no assessment on behalf of such charges for beneficiaries that hold leases on Hawaiian home lands, to the same extent as is permitted for individual Indians or tribes of Indians under this section.
(July 1, 1932, ch. 369, 47 Stat. 564; Pub. L. 97–375, title II, § 208(a), Dec. 21, 1982, 96 Stat. 1824; Pub. L. 104–42, title II, § 207, Nov. 2, 1995, 109 Stat. 364.)
Editorial Notes
Amendments1995—Pub. L. 104–42 inserted before period at end “: Provided further, That the Secretary shall adjust or eliminate charges, defer collection of construction costs, and make no assessment on behalf of such charges for beneficiaries that hold leases on Hawaiian home lands, to the same extent as is permitted for individual Indians or tribes of Indians under this section”.
1982—Pub. L. 97–375, § 208(a)(1), substituted “That the Secretary shall report such adjustments and eliminations to the Congress not later than sixty calendar days following the end of the fiscal year in which they are made” for “That a report shall be made to Congress annually, on the first Monday in December, showing adjustments so made during the preceding fiscal year” in second proviso.
Pub. L. 97–375, § 208(a)(2), substituted “ninety calendar days” for “sixty legislative days” wherever appearing.