[House Report 106-321]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]





106th Congress                                            Rept. 106-321
  1st Session           HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES              Part 2   

======================================================================



 
                 NAZI BENEFITS TERMINATION ACT OF 1999

                                _______
                                

                October 6, 1999.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______


    Mr. Burton of Indiana, from the Committee on Government Reform, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 1788]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

  The Committee on Government Reform, to whom was referred the 
bill (H.R. 1788) to deny Federal public benefits to individuals 
who participated in Nazi persecution, having considered the 
same, report favorably thereon with an amendment and recommend 
that the bill as amended do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
   I. Background and Need for the Legislation.......................   3
  II. Legislative Hearings and Committee Actions....................   4
 III. Committee Hearings and Written Testimony......................   6
  IV. Explanation of the Bill.......................................   6
   V. Committee on the Judiciary Findings...........................   8
  VI. Budget Analysis and Projections...............................   8
 VII. Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office..............   8
VIII. Statement of Constitutional Authority.........................   9
  IX. Committee Recommendation......................................   9
   X. Congressional Accountability Act; P.L. 104-1..................   9
  XI. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act; P.L. 104-4, Section 423.........   9
 XII. Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) Section 5(b)...   9
XIII. Changes in Existing Law.......................................   9


  The amendment is as follows:
  Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert in lieu 
thereof the following:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

  This Act may be cited as the ``Nazi Benefits Termination Act of 
1999''.

SEC. 2. DENIAL OF FEDERAL PUBLIC BENEFITS TO NAZI PERSECUTORS.

  (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an 
individual who is determined under this Act to have been a participant 
in Nazi persecution is not eligible for any Federal public benefit.
  (b) Definitions.--In this Act:
          (1) Federal public benefit.--The term ``Federal public 
        benefit'' shall have the meaning given such term by section 
        401(c)(1) (without regard to section 401(c)(2)) of the Personal 
        Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, 
        but shall not include any benefit described in section 
        401(b)(1) of such Act (and, for purposes of applying such 
        section 401(b)(1), the term ``alien'' shall be considered to 
        mean ``individual'').
          (2) Participant in nazi persecution.--The term ``participant 
        in Nazi persecution'' means an individual who--
                  (A) if an alien, is shown by a preponderance of the 
                evidence to fall within the class of persons who (if 
                present within the United States) would be deportable 
                under section 237(a)(4)(D) of the Immigration and 
                Nationality Act or inadmissible under section 
                212(a)(3)(E)(i) of such Act; or
                  (B) if a citizen, is shown by a preponderance of the 
                evidence--
                          (i) to have procured citizenship illegally or 
                        by concealment of a material fact or willful 
                        misrepresentation within the meaning of section 
                        340(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act; 
                        and
                          (ii) to have participated in Nazi persecution 
                        within the meaning of section 212(a)(3)(E) of 
                        the Immigration and Nationality Act.

SEC. 3. DETERMINATIONS.

  (a) Hearing by Immigration Judge.--If the Attorney General has reason 
to believe that an individual who has applied for or is receiving a 
Federal public benefit may have been a participant in Nazi persecution 
(within the meaning of section 2 of this Act), the Attorney General may 
provide an opportunity for a hearing on the record with respect to the 
matter. The Attorney General may delegate the conduct of the hearing to 
an immigration judge appointed by the Attorney General under section 
101(b)(4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
  (b) Procedure.--
          (1) Right of respondents to appear.--
                  (A) Citizens, permanent resident aliens, and persons 
                present in the united states.--At a hearing under this 
                section, each respondent may appear in person if the 
                respondent is a United States citizen, a permanent 
                resident alien, or present within the United States.
                  (B) Others.--A respondent who is not a citizen, a 
                permanent resident alien, or present within the United 
                States may appear by video conference. A respondent who 
                was present in the United States when the proceeding 
                was initiated and who is no longer present in the 
                United States at the time of hearing may appear by 
                video conference.
                  (C) Rule of interpretation.--This Act shall not be 
                construed to permit the return to the United States of 
                an individual who is inadmissible under section 
                212(a)(3)(E) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
                  (D) Application of rules to other proceedings.--The 
                rules described in this paragraph concerning the right 
                of a respondent to appear shall apply to any other 
                hearing, review, conference, or proceeding of any sort 
                in which a determination of an immigration judge or 
                ineligibility of benefits pursuant to this Act is an 
                issue.
          (2) Other rights of respondents.--At a hearing under this 
        section, each respondent may be represented by counsel (but at 
        no expense to the Federal Government), present evidence, cross-
        examine witnesses, and obtain the issuance of subpoenas for the 
        attendance of witnesses and presentation of evidence.
          (3) Rules of evidence.--Unless otherwise provided in this 
        Act, rules regarding the presentation of evidence in the 
        hearing shall apply in the same manner in which such rules 
        would apply in a removal proceeding before a United States 
        immigration judge under section 240 of the Immigration and 
        Nationality Act.
          (4) Stay of proceedings.--Hearings brought under this section 
        may be stayed pending resolution of other proceedings or 
        pending appeal only upon the joint request of the parties.
  (c) Hearings, Findings and Conclusions, and Order.--
          (1) Findings and conclusions.--Within 60 days after the end 
        of a hearing conducted under this section, the immigration 
        judge shall make findings of fact and conclusions of law with 
        respect to whether the respondent has been a participant in 
        Nazi persecution (within the meaning of section 2 of this Act).
          (2) Order.--
                  (A) Finding that respondent has been a participant in 
                nazi persecution.--If the immigration judge finds, by a 
                preponderance of the evidence, that the respondent has 
                been a participant in Nazi persecution (within the 
                meaning of section 2 of this Act), the immigration 
                judge shall promptly issue an order declaring the 
                respondent to be ineligible for any Federal public 
                benefit, and prohibiting any person from providing such 
                a benefit, directly or indirectly, to the respondent, 
                and shall transmit a copy of the order to any 
                governmental entity or person known to be so providing 
                such a benefit and to any governmental entity or person 
                known to have received an application for benefits that 
                has not been finally adjudicated.
                  (B) Finding that respondent has not been a 
                participant in nazi persecution.--If the immigration 
                judge finds that there is insufficient evidence for a 
                finding under subparagraph (A) that a respondent has 
                been a participant in Nazi persecution (within the 
                meaning of section 2 of this Act), the immigration 
                judge shall issue an order dismissing the proceeding.
                  (C) Effective date; limitation of liability.--
                          (i) Effective date.--An order issued pursuant 
                        to subparagraph (A) shall be effective on the 
                        date of issuance.
                          (ii) Limitation of liability.--
                        Notwithstanding clause (i), a person or entity 
                        shall not be found to have provided a benefit 
                        to an individual in violation of this Act until 
                        the person or entity has received actual notice 
                        of the issuance of an order under subparagraph 
                        (A) with respect to the individual and has had 
                        a reasonable opportunity to comply with the 
                        order.
  (d) Review by Attorney General; Service of Final Order.--
          (1) Review by attorney general.--The Attorney General may, in 
        her discretion, review any finding or conclusion made, or order 
        issued, under subsection (c), and shall initiate any review not 
        later than 30 days after the finding or conclusion is so made, 
        or order is so issued.
          (2) Service of final order.--The Attorney General shall cause 
        the findings of fact and conclusions of law made with respect 
        to any final order issued under this section, together with a 
        copy of the order, to be served on the respondent involved.
          (3) Effective date of final order.--If the Attorney General 
        does not initiate the review provided for in paragraph (1), any 
        order, finding, or conclusion under subsection (c) shall become 
        final upon the expiration of 30 days after the finding, 
        conclusion, or order is so issued. If the Attorney General does 
        initiate the review provided for in paragraph (1), any order, 
        finding, or conclusion shall become final either upon the 
        issuance of a decision by the Attorney General or upon 
        expiration of 90 days after the order, finding, or conclusion 
        under subsection (c) is issued, whichever is earlier.
  (e) Judicial Review.--Any party aggrieved by a final order issued 
under this section may obtain a review of the order by the United 
States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, by filing a petition 
for such review not later than 30 days after the order becomes final, 
or completion of any review by the Attorney General, whichever is 
later.
  (f) Issue and Claim Preclusion.--In any administrative or judicial 
proceeding under this Act, the ordinary rules of issue preclusion and 
claim preclusion shall apply.

SEC. 4. JURISDICTION OF UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FEDERAL 
                    CIRCUIT OVER APPEALS UNDER THIS ACT.

  Section 1295(a) of title 28, United States Code, is amended--
          (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (13);
          (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (14) and 
        inserting ``; and'';
          (3) by adding at the end the following:
          ``(15) of an appeal from a final order issued under the Nazi 
        Benefits Termination Act of 1999.''.

                 I. Background and Need for Legislation

    H.R. 1788, the ``Nazi Benefits Termination Act of 1999'' 
would render individuals who are determined to have been 
participants in Nazi persecution ineligible for Federal public 
benefits. Under current law, Federal benefits received by an 
individual determined to have assisted the Nazi government of 
Germany in persecution during the Second World War (hereinafter 
referred to as ``Nazi persecutors'') could be terminated upon 
the issuance of a final order of deportation. Often that 
process takes years. However, if Nazi persecutors leave the 
United States voluntarily, prior to the initiation of a 
deportation proceeding, they can continue collecting Federal 
public benefits in certain countries. This loophole in the law 
prevents the Federal Government from terminating the benefits 
of those Nazi persecutors who live abroad.
    According to the records of the Office of Special 
Investigations at the Department of Justice (OSI) there are 
currently seven individuals who have been accused by the 
Department of Justice as having participated in Nazi 
persecutions, who live abroad and receive Social Security 
benefits. Together, these seven individuals have collected 
approximately $700,000 in Social Security benefits since their 
departure from the United States. Records also supplied by OSI 
disclose that over the past three decades, a total of 45 
individuals accused of being Nazi persecutors have collected 
Social Security benefits. The Office of Special Investigations 
in the Department of Justice is currently pursuing hundreds of 
additional individuals believed to be Nazi persecutors who are 
still living in the United States.
    H.R. 1788 would authorize the termination of Federal public 
benefits to a Nazi persecutor apart from the deportation or 
denaturalization process. The bill would establish a procedure 
to determine whether a Federal benefit recipient is also a Nazi 
persecutor. If an individual is found in a benefits revocation 
proceeding to have been a Nazi persecutor, an immigration judge 
(or the Attorney General) would be required to issue an order 
prohibiting that individual from either applying for or 
receiving Federal public benefits.

             II. Legislative Hearings and Committee Actions

    H.R. 1788 was introduced by Representative Bob Franks on 
May 13, 1999, and was referred to the Committee on the 
Judiciary, and to the Committee on Government Reform. On July 
21, 1999, the Subcommittee on Government Management, 
Information, and Technology, of the Committee on Government 
Reform, met in open session and ordered H.R. 1788 favorably 
reported by voice vote. On September 30, 1999, the Committee on 
Government Reform considered the bill and ordered it favorably 
reported by voice vote, as amended. The bill had already been 
approved by the Committee on the Judiciary and reported on 
September 14, 1999.
    The amendment, in the nature of a substitute, offered by 
Government Management Subcommittee Chairman Stephen Horn made a 
number of technical and clarifying changes to the bill.
    The amendment clarifies the definition of ``Federal public 
benefit'' in section 2 of the bill. In H.R. 1788, the 
definition of ``Federal public benefit'' is similar to its 
definition in section 401(c)(1) of the Personal Responsibility 
and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (the 
``Act'').\1\ That Act defines ``Federal public benefit'' as any 
grant, contract, loan, professional or commercial license, 
retirement, welfare, health, disability, public housing, 
postsecondary education, food assistance, unemployment, or any 
other similar benefit provided by an agency of the United 
States. However, the Act exempts certain contracts, licenses, 
or other benefits for an alien or nonimmigrant working or 
otherwise legally present in the United States. H.R. 1788 
includes these categories in its definition of ``Federal public 
benefit.''
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\ 8 U.S.C. 161, Public Law 104-193.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The definition of ``participant in Nazi persecution'' is 
amended, in section 2(b)(2)(A) of H.R. 1788, to include those 
who are eligible for deportation in addition to those who would 
be inadmissible into the United States by virtue of their 
participation in Nazi persecutions.
    Section 3(b) of the bill is amended to clarify that a 
participant in Nazi persecution who leaves the United States 
while any benefits termination proceeding is pending will not 
be permitted to return. As introduced, the bill provides that a 
person who is present in the United States when the proceeding 
is initiated may appear in person, but a person who is not 
present when the proceeding is initiated may only appear by 
video conference. This amendment is designed to prevent accused 
Nazi persecutors from using a benefits termination hearing as a 
reason to re-enter the United States. The Department of Justice 
currently uses videoconference technology for hearings in 
circumstances where a judge is unavailable or where a party to 
the proceedings is at a remote or distant location.
    Section 3(b)(2) is amended to clarify that an accused Nazi 
persecutor is not entitled to counsel at the expense of the 
Federal Government for proceedings initiated under this bill. 
Hearings to determine eligibility for Federal public benefits 
are civil in nature and, therefore, do not trigger a 
defendant's right to counsel at the expense of the Federal 
Government under the United States Constitution.
    Section 3(b)(4) is added to the bill to clarify that 
benefits revocation proceedings can be suspended, pending the 
resolution of an appeal or other proceedings (including 
deportation or denaturalization proceedings), only upon the 
joint request of the parties to the benefits revocation 
proceeding.
    Section 3(c)(2)(A) is amended to require that once an 
immigration judge has determined that an individual 
participated in Nazi persecutions, the immigration judge must 
transmit a copy of the order to any Government entity or person 
known to have received an application for benefits from that 
individual. This amendment clarifies that an immigration judge 
has the authority to transmit an order blocking Nazi 
persecutors from applying for Federal benefits as well as 
receiving them.
    Section 3(d) of the bill authorizes the Attorney General to 
review, at the Attorney General's discretion, a decision made 
by an immigration judge and to complete the review not later 
than 30 days after the finding or conclusion is made. This 
amendment provides an additional 60 days to complete the 
review. The Attorney General would still be required to 
initiate the review not later than 30 days after the order is 
issued by an immigration judge. Any order shall become final 
either upon the issuance of a decision by the Attorney General 
or upon the expiration of 90 days after the order, finding, or 
conclusion, whichever is earlier. If the Attorney General does 
not initiate a review, any order issued by an immigration judge 
shall become final upon the expiration of 30 days after the 
finding, conclusion or order is issued.

             III. Committee Hearings and Written Testimony

    No hearings on H.R. 1788 were held by the Committee on 
Government Reform.

                      IV. Explanation of the Bill


                         Section 1. Short Title

    Section 1 provides that H.R. 1788 may be cited as the 
``Nazi Benefits Termination Act of 1999.''

    Section 2. Denial of Federal Public Benefits to Nazi Persecutors

    Section 2(a) provides that an individual, determined to 
have been a participant in Nazi persecution, is not eligible 
for any Federal public benefit.
    Section 2(b) defines ``Federal Public Benefit'' and 
``Participant in Nazi Persecution'' for purposes of this 
legislation.
    ``Federal Public Benefit'' is defined by reference to 
section 401(c)(1), without regard to section 401(c)(2), of the 
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act 
of 1996 (P.L. 104-193), which limits the eligibility of some 
aliens for certain Federal public benefits.
    ``Participant in Nazi Persecution'' is defined by reference 
to sections 212(a)(3)(E) and 237(a)(4)(D) of the Immigration 
and Nationality Act of 1952, which renders certain participants 
in Nazi persecution or genocide inadmissible and deportable.

                       Section 3. Determinations

    Section 3 sets up the procedure for determining whether an 
individual, eligible to receive Federal benefits, was a 
participant in Nazi persecutions.
    Section 3(a). Hearing by Immigration Judge. This section 
provides that if the Attorney General has reason to believe 
that an individual who has applied for or is receiving a 
Federal public benefit may have been a participant in Nazi 
persecution, the Attorney General may provide for a hearing on 
the matter. The Attorney General can delegate the conduct of 
the hearing to an immigration judge appointed under the 
Immigration and Nationality Act.
    Section 3(b). Procedure. This section describes the 
procedure to be followed at hearings under this section. 
Section 3(b)(1)(A) grants the respondent the right to appear in 
person if they are a United States citizen, permanent resident 
alien, or present in the United States. Section 3(b)(1)(B) 
provides that respondents who are not citizens, permanent 
resident aliens or present in the United States may appear by 
videoconference. Respondents who were present in the United 
States when the proceeding was initiated but are no longer 
present at the time of the hearing may also appear by 
videoconference. Section 3(b)(1)(C) provides that the Act shall 
not be construed to permit the return to the United States of 
an individual who is inadmissible as a Nazi persecutor under 
the Immigration and Nationality Act. Section 3(b)(2) provides 
that at a hearing the respondent has the right to counsel (but 
at no expense to the Federal government), and the right to 
present evidence, cross-examine witnesses, and obtain the 
compulsory attendance of witnesses and presentation of 
evidence. Section 3(b)(3) provides that the rules of evidence 
at a hearing shall be the same rules applicable to removal 
proceedings before immigration judges. Section 3(b)(4) provides 
that hearings may be stayed pending the resolution of other 
proceedings or pending appeal only upon the joint request of 
the parties.
    Section 3(c). Hearings, Findings and Conclusions, and 
Order. Section 3(c)(1) provides that within 60 days following 
the end of a hearing, the judge shall make findings of fact and 
conclusions of law with respect to whether the respondent has 
been a participant in Nazi persecution. Section 3(c)(2)(A) 
provides that if the judge finds, by a preponderance of the 
evidence, that an individual has been a participant in Nazi 
persecution, the judge shall promptly issue an order declaring 
the respondent to be ineligible for any Federal benefit and 
shall prohibit any person from providing such benefit. The 
section also requires the order to be issued to any 
governmental entity or person known to have received an 
application for benefits by the respondent. Section 3(c)(2)(B) 
requires a judge to dismiss the proceedings if the judge 
determines that there is insufficient evidence for finding that 
a respondent has been a participant in Nazi persecution. 
Section 3(c)(2)(C) provides that an order cutting off Federal 
public benefits to a Nazi persecutor shall be effective on the 
date of issuance, but no person or entity shall be found to 
have provided benefits in violation of the Act unless they have 
received actual notice of the order and had a reasonable 
opportunity to comply.
    Section 3(d). Review by the Attorney General; Service of 
Final Order. Section 3(d)(1) provides that the Attorney General 
may review any finding, conclusion, or order made by an 
immigration judge under the Act, and shall initiate a review no 
later than 30 days after the finding or order is issued. 
Section 3(d)(2) provides that when a final order is issued, the 
Attorney General shall cause the underlying findings of fact 
and conclusions of law, and a copy of the final order, to be 
served on the respondent involved. If the Attorney General does 
not initiate a review, any order, finding or conclusion shall 
become final upon the expiration of 30 days after the finding, 
conclusion or order is issued. If the Attorney General does 
initiate a review, any order, finding or conclusion shall 
become final either upon the issuance of a decision by the 
Attorney General or upon the expiration of 90 days after the 
order, finding or conclusion is issued, whichever is earlier.
    Section 3(e). Judicial Review. This section provides that a 
party aggrieved by a final order under this section may appeal 
the decision to the United States Court of Appeals.
    Section 3(f). Issue and Claim Preclusion. This section 
provides that the ordinary rules of issue and claim preclusion 
apply to any administrative or judicial proceedings under this 
Act.

 Section 4. Jurisdiction of the United States Court of Appeals for the 
              Federal Circuit over Appeals under this Act

    Section 4 makes a conforming change in the law to ensure 
that the United States Court of Appeals of the Federal Circuit 
has jurisdiction over appeals brought under Section 3(e).

                    V. Committee Oversight Findings

    Pursuant to rule XIII, clause 3(c)(1) of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the results and findings of those 
oversight activities are incorporated in the recommendations 
found in the bill and in this report.

                  VI. Budget Analysis and Projections

    Clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives is inapplicable because the bill does not 
provide new budget authority, new spending authority, new 
credit authority, or an increase or decrease in revenues or tax 
expenditures.

         VII. Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                   Washington, DC, October 6, 1999.
Hon. Dan Burton,
Chairman, Committee on Government Reform,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1788, the Nazi 
Benefits Termination Act of 1999.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Kathy 
Ruffing.
            Sincerely,
                                          Barry B. Anderson
                                    (For Dan L. Crippen, Director).
    Enclosure.

H.R. 1788--Nazi Benefits Termination Act of 1999

    H.R. 1788 would stiffen restrictions on payments of federal 
benefits to people who participated in Nazi persecution. Under 
current law, former Nazis are pursued by the Office of Special 
Investigations (OSI) in the Department of Justice and may 
ultimately be stripped of their legal immigrant or naturalized 
citizen status and made to leave the United States. At that 
time, they also lose eligibility for federal benefits. A 
handful of people, though, have short-circuited the OSI's 
investigation by leaving the United States in the midst of 
proceedings. Such people can then continue to collect Social 
Security (the only significant federal benefit that is sent to 
people living abroad). H.R. 1788 would permit the Attorney 
General to continue proceedings in such cases and allow 
respondents living overseas to participate by video conference. 
The bill would also clarify current law by directing that, 
because these are civil rather than criminal proceedings, the 
standard of proof required is a preponderance of the evidence; 
some of the circuit courts have demanded a higher standard.
    CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 1788 would have no 
significant effect on the federal budget. Based on information 
from the Department of Justice. CBO expects the number of 
people effected, and hence the savings in Social Security, 
would be negligible. Effects on other benefit programs would be 
even tinier. Pay-as-you-go procedures would apply to this bill, 
but CBO estimates that the effects would not be significant.
    H.R. 1788 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and 
would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Kathy Ruffing. 
This estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy 
Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.

              VIII. Statement of Constitutional Authority

    Clauses 1, 14 and 18 of Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. 
Constitution grants Congress the power to enact this law.

                      IX. Committee Recommendation

    On Thursday, September 30, 1999, a quorum being present, 
the Committee on Government Reform ordered the bill, as 
amended, favorably reported to the House for consideration by 
voice vote.

         X. Congressional Accountability Act; Public Law 104-1

    The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to 
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public 
services or accommodations within the meaning of section 
102(B)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act (P.L. 104-1).

    XI. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act; Public Law 104-4, Section 423

    The Committee finds that the legislation does not impose 
any Federal mandates within the meaning of section 423 of the 
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (P.L. 104-4).

    XII. Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) Section 5(b)

    The Committee finds that the legislation does not establish 
or authorize establishment of an advisory committee within the 
definition of 5 U.S.C. App., Section 5(b).

      XIII. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported

    In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new 
matter is printed in italic, existing law in which no change is 
proposed is shown in roman):

              SECTION 1295 OF TITLE 28, UNITED STATES CODE

Sec. 1295. Jurisdiction of the United States Court of Appeals for the 
                    Federal Circuit

  (a) The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal 
Circuit shall have exclusive jurisdiction--
          (1) * * *

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

          (13) of an appeal under section 506(c) of the Natural 
        Gas Policy Act of 1978; [and]
          (14) of an appeal under section 523 of the Energy 
        Policy and Conservation Act[.]; and
          (15) of an appeal from a final order issued under the 
        Nazi Benefits Termination Act of 1999.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


                                

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