It is the policy of the United States that it will pay claims or judgments for bodily injury, death, or damage to or loss of real or personal property proven to have resulted from a nuclear incident involving the nuclear reactor of a United States warship: Provided, That the injury, death, damage, or loss was not caused by the act of an armed force engaged in combat or as a result of civil insurrection. The President may authorize, under such terms and conditions as he may direct, the payment of such claims or judgments from any contingency funds available to the Government or may certify such claims or judgments to the Congress for appropriation of the necessary funds.
(Pub. L. 93–513, Dec. 6, 1974, 88 Stat. 1611.)
Editorial Notes
Codification
Section was not enacted as part of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 which comprises this chapter.
Executive Documents
Ex. Ord. No. 11918. Compensation for Damages Involving Nuclear Reactors of United States Warships
Ex. Ord. No. 11918, eff. June 1, 1976, 41 F.R. 22329, provided:
By virtue of the authority vested in me by the joint resolution approved December 6, 1974 (Public Law 93–513, 88 Stat. 1610, 42 U.S.C. 2211), and by section 301 of title 3 of the United States Code, and as President of the United States of America, in order that prompt, adequate and effective compensation will be provided in the unlikely event of injury or damage resulting from a nuclear incident involving the nuclear reactor of a United States warship, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. (a) With respect to the administrative settlement of claims or judgments for bodily injury, death, or damage to or loss of real or personal property proven to have resulted from a nuclear incident involving the nuclear reactor of a United States warship, the Secretary of Defense is designated and empowered to authorize, in accord with Public Law 93–513 [this section], the payment, under such terms and conditions as he may direct, of such claims and judgments from contingency funds available to the Department of Defense.
(b) The Secretary of Defense shall, when he considers such action appropriate, certify claims or judgments described in subsection (a) and transmit to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget his recommendation with respect to appropriation by the Congress of such additional sums as may be necessary.
Sec. 2. The provisions of section 1 shall not be deemed to replace, alter, or diminish, the statutory and other functions vested in the Attorney General, or the head of any other agency, with respect to litigation against the United States and judgments and compromise settlements arising therefrom.
Sec. 3. The functions herein delegated shall be exercised in consultation with the Secretary of State in the case of any incident giving rise to a claim of a foreign country or national thereof, and international negotiations relating to Public Law 93–513 [this section], shall be performed by or under the authority of the Secretary of State.
Gerald R. Ford.