Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 100 Part 5.djvu/288

 100 STAT. 3762

PUBLIC LAW 99-660—NOV. 14, 1986 under the Program and the amount of any such compensation, "(B) require the submission of such information as may be reasonable and necessary to determine if the petitioner is entitled to compensation, "(C) require the testimony of any person and the production of any document as may be reasonable and necessary to determine if the petitioner is entitled to compensation, "(D) conduct such hearings as may be appropriate, and "(E) prepare and submit to the court proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law. Information submitted to a special master in a proceeding on a petition may not be disclosed to a person who is not a party to the proceeding without the express, written consent of the person who submitted the information. There may be no discovery in a proceeding on a petition other than the discovery required under this paragraph. "(d) ACTION BY THE Ck>uRT,—

Records.

"(1) Upon objection by the petitioner or respondent to the proposed findings of fact or conclusions of law prepared by the special master or upon the court's own motion, the court shall undertake a review of the record of the proceedings and may thereafter make a de novo determination of any matter and issue its judgment accordingly, including findings of fact and conclusions of law, or remand for further proceedings. "(2) If no objection is filed under paragraph (1) or if the court does not choose to review the proceeding, the court shall adopt the proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law of the special master as its own and render judgment thereon. "(3) The court shall render its judgment on any petition filed under the Program as expeditiously as practicable but not later than 365 days after the date on which the petition was filed. "(e) ADMINISTRATION OF AWARD.—The Program shall administer the payments of such compensation. The Program shall audit the payments of compensation under a judgment. A petitioner awarded compensation shall notify the Program of any changes which significantly affect the compensation to be paid. "(0 REVISION OF AWARD.—

"(1) If the court issues a judgment awarding to a petitioner compensation described in section 2115(a)(l)(A) for unreimbursable expenses and the compensation is insufficient to meet such expenses, such petitioner may petition the court to (A) review such award, and (B) increase the award to make it sufficient to meet such expenses or amend the periodic payment schedule established under section 2115, or both. "(2) If an audit conducted under subsection (e) discloses the improper use of compensation awarded under a judgment or the termination of a need for an item of compensation, the Program shall petition the court which awarded the compensation to make an appropriate revision in the compensation. "(g) APPEALS.—The findings of fact and conclusions of law of a district court of the United States on a petition shall be final determinations of the matters involved, except that the Secretary or any petitioner aggrieved by the findings or conclusions of the court may obtain review of the judgment of the court in the United States court of appeals for the circuit in which the court is located upon petition filed with such court of appeals.

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