Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 71.djvu/127

 71 S T A T. ]

PUBLIC LAW 8 5 - 5 6 - J U N E 17, 1957

sutt'ered or disease contracted, hi active military, naval, or air service, whether on active duty or on authorized leave, unless such injury or disease was the result of his own willful misconduct: Provided, That venereal disease shall not be presumed to be due to willful misconduct if the person in service complies with the regulations of the appropriate service department requiring him to report and receive treatment for such disease: Provided further, That the requirement for line of duty will not be met if it appears that at the time the injury was suit'ered or disease contracted the person on whose account benefits are claimed (1) was avoiding duty by deserting the service, or by absenting himself without leave materially interfering with the performance of military duties; or (2) was confined under sentence of court-martial or civil court: Provided, however, That disease, injury, or death incurred without willful misconduct on the part of the service l)erson shall be deemed to have been incurred in line of duty if the sentence of the court-martial did not involve an unremitted dislionorable discharge or if the offense for which convicted by civil court did not involve a felony as defined under the laws of the jurisdiction where the service person was convicted by such civil court. DISCHAR(JE OR RELEASE INCLUDES RETIREMENT

SEC. 106. For the purposes of all laws administered by the Veterans' Administration, retirement of an individual from the military, naval, or air service shall be considered to be a discharge or release from such service. TITLE II—VETERANS' ADMINISTRATION; OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES PART A—VETERANS' ADMINISTRATION VETERANS' ADMINISTRATION AN INDJ:PENDENT AGENCY

SEC. 201. The Veterans' Administration is an independent establishment in the executive branch of the Government, especially created for or concerned in the administration of laws relating to the relief and other benefits provided by law for veterans, their dependents, and their beneficiaries. SEAL OF THE V E T E R A N S ' ADMINISTRATION

SEC. 202. The seal of the Veterans' Administration shall be judicially noticed. Copies of any public documents, records," or papers belonging to or in the files of the Veterans' Administration, when authenticated by the seal and certified by the Administrator or by any employee of the Veterans' Administration to whom proper authority shall have been delegated in writing by the Administrator, shall be evidence equal with the originals thereof. PART B—ADMINISTRATOR OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS APPOINTMENT AND GENERAL AUTHORITY OF ADMINISTRATOR

SEC. 210. (a) The Administrator of Veterans' Affairs is the head of the Veterans' Administration. He is appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. H e shall receive a salary of $21,000 a year, payable monthly. (b) The Administrator, under the direction of the President, is responsible for the proper execution and administration of all laws

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