Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 63 Part 1.djvu/903

 63 STAT.] 81ST CONG. , 1ST SESS.-CH. 691-OCT. 14, 1949 who is without fault and where adjustment or recovery would defeat the purpose of this Act or would be against equity and good conscience. "(c) No certifying or disbursing officer shall be held liable for any amount certified or paid by him to any person where the adjustment or recovery of such amount is waived under subsection (b), or where adjustment under subsection (a) is not completed prior to the death of all persons against whose benefits deductions are authorized." SHORT TITLE SEC. 207. The Federal Employees' Compensation Act, as amended, is further amended by adding thereto at the end thereof a new section as follows: "SEC. 43. This Act may be cited as the 'Federal Employees' Com- pensation Act'." FEES SEC. 208. Section 23 of such Act, as amended, is further amended to read as follows: "SEC. 23. (a) Fees or examinations made on the part of the United States under sections 21 and 22 by physicians who are not officers or employees of the United States and not under contract to the United States to render medical services to its employees shall be fixed by the Administrator. Such fees, and any sum payable to the employee under section 21, which authorized or approved by the Administrator, shall be paid from the Employees' Compensation Fund. "(b) A claimant may be represented before the Administrator in any proceeding under this Act by any person duly authorized by such claimant. No claim for legal services or for any other services rendered in respect of a case, claim, or award for compensation under this Act, to or on account of any person, shall be valid unless approved by the Administrator. Any person who receives any fee or other considera- tion, or any gratuity on account of services so rendered, unless such fee, consideration, or gratuity, is so approved, or who solicits employ- ment for himself or another in respect of any case, claim, or award for compensation under (or to be brought under) this Act shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall, for each offense, be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by imprison- ment not to exceed one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment. "(c) If any person in proceedings before the Administrator or his duly authorized representative disobeys or resists any lawful order or process, or misbehaves during a hearing or so near the place thereof as to obstruct the same, the Administrator or his duly authorized repre- sentative shall certify the facts to the district court having jurisdiction in the place in which he is sitting (or to the district court of the United States for the District of Columbia if he is sitting in such district) which shall thereupon in a summary manner hear the evidence as to the acts complained of, and, if the evidence so warrants, punish such person in the same manner and to the same extent as for a contempt committed before the court, or commit such person upon the same conditions as if the doing of the forbidden act had occurred with refer- ence to the process of or in the presence of the court." ACCIDENT PREVENTION AND ANNUAL REPORTS SEC. 209. Section 33 of the Federal Employees' Compensation Act, as amended, is further amended by designating the first two para- graphs thereof, respectively, subsections "(a)" and "(b)" and by adding a new subsection designated as " (c)", as follows: "(c) In order to reduce the number of accidents and injuries among Government officers and employees, encourage safe practices, elimi- nate work hazards and health risks, and reduce compensable injuries, 81939°-50-PT. 1 -55 865 Nonliability. 39 Stat. 742. 5 U.S. C. §§751-793. Ante, p. 854 et seq. 39 Stat. 747. 5 U.S. C. 773. 39 Stat. 747. 5U.S.C.§§771, 772. Representative of claimant. I)sobedience, etc., of lawful order. 39 Stat. 749. 5U.S.C.S784.

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