Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 69.djvu/474

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Payment to heirs, etc.

Liens and tax e s.

Appropriation.

PUBLIC LAW 203-AUG. 1, 1955

Indians. School c o s t s.

STAT,

(c) The Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized and directed to distribute among the persons entitled thereto the funds appropriated by chapter X II of the Third Supplemental Appropriation Act, 1952 (66 Stat. 101, 121), in payment of the judgment entered by the Indian Claims Commission in favor of the Loyal Creek Band or Group of Creek Indians et al., Docket No. 1. Such funds shall be paid to those persons whose names appear on the payroll prepared pursuant to the Act of March 3, 1903 (32 Stat. 982, 994), by J. Blair Schoenfelt, United States Indian Agent, or to their heirs or legatees, on a pro rata basis in proportion to the amounts appearing opposite their names on such payroll. SEC. 3. (a) If a person entitled to a payment authori;:ed by this Act is deceased, such payment shall be made to his heirs or legatees determined in accordance with the laws, relating to the distribution of personal property, of the Creek Nation if the decedent died before January 1, 1898, or of the State of Arkansas in eifect at the time of death if the decedent died before November 16, 1907, or of the State of Oklahoma in effect at the time of death if the decedent died on or after November 16, 1907. For the purposes of this section the decedent shall be regarded as an owner in possession of the payment at the time of his death. (b) Before a payment authorized by this Act is made to an heir or legatee of a deceased person, proof of death and heirship or bequest satisfactory to the Secretary of the Interior shall be submitted to him, and his findings with respect thereto shall be final and conclusive. Where satisfactory proof of death and heirship or bequest is already available to the Secretary, no additional submission shall be required. SEC. 4. Funds payable under this Act to minors or to persons under legal disability shall be paid to such representatives and under such conditions as the Secretary of the Interior may direct. The distribution of funds under this Act shall not be subject to any lien, except for debts owed to the United States or to Indian organizations indebted to the United States, and shall not be taxable. SEC. 5. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated the sum of $200,000 to remain available until expended, for necessary expenses incident to the distribution of funds authorized by this Act. SEC. 6. The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to issue rules and regulations necessary for the purposes of this Act. Approved August 1, 1955. Public Law 203

August 1, 1955 [H. R. 3123]

[69

CHAPTER 445

AN ACT To modify the Acts of August 12, 1935 (49 Stat. 571, 584), May 15, 1936 (49 Stat. 1274), July 1, 1946 (60 Stat. 357), August 8, 1946 (60 Stat. 923), and June 30, 1947 (61 Stat. 211), with respect to the recoupment of certain public school construction costs, and to amend the Act of August 17, 1950 (64 Stat. 459), relating to the expenditure of funds for cooperating with the public school board of Walker, Minnesota.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, Effective on July 1, 1955, the recoupment requirements of the Acts of August 12, 1935 (49 Stat. 571, 584), May 15, 1936 (49 Stat. 1274), July 1, 1946 (60 Stat. 357), August 8, 1946 (60 Stat. 923), and June 30, 1947 (61 Stat. 211), shall become inapplicable to the unrecouped balances of funds expended pursuant to such Acts.

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