Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 57 Part 2.djvu/544

 INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS OTHER THAN TREATIES [57 STAT. October 14, 19, 1943 [E. A. S. 353] Agreement between the United States of America and the Dominican Republic respecting workmen's compensation in connection with cer- tain projects under construction or operation in the Dominican Re- public. Effected by exchange of notes signed at Ciudad Trujillo October 14 and 19, 1943. The American Charge d'Affaires ad interim to the Dominican Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs No. 141 EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Ciudad Trujillo, D.R ., October 14, 1943 EXCELLENCY: I have the honor to refer to conversations which have taken place between officers of the Dominican Department of State for Foreign Affairs and of the Embassy with respect to compensation benefits which may be claimed by American citizens employed on projects under construction or operation by cost plus contractors with the Government of the United States in the Dominican Republic. The Congress of the United States by Public Law 208, 77th Con- s5Stat. 622; 56 Stat. gress, as amended by Public Law 784, 77th Congress, has pro- 1035. 1f,§ 651- . 654. upp vided a mandatory and uniform system of compensation benefits as 33 S. at S. 4 2901- embodied in the Longshoremen's and Harbor Workers' Act, and 950. administered by the United States Employees' Compensation Com- mission for American nationals employed by contractors in foreign countries on or in connection with United States Government projects. The purpose of this legislation was two-fold (1) to insure that all American workmen engaged outside the United States on these Governlment projects would be treated equally and (2) since these American workmen have rights under the compensation acts of the country in which they are working in the absence of some arrangement with that country, there is every possibility of an American workman collecting double benefits. Such double benefits would be ultimately paid for by the United States Government since the contracts above referred to are on a cost-plus-a -fixed-fee basis under which the Govern- ment reimburses for such expenditures. Furthermore, in view of the fact that these workmen performing work in foreign countries are there temporarily it is necessary to provide them and their families (in the event of their death) with a system of benefits administered in the United States as well as in foreign countries, as is the situation under the Longshoremen's and Harbor Workers' Act. This is particularly true since in the event of a workman's disability or death, as the case may be, compensation pay- ments to himself or dependents will continue for a long period of years. If some such arrangement had not been made by Congress (in the passage of Public Laws 208 and 784 hereinabove referred to) it would 1180

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