§ 3287. — Wartime suspension of limitations.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 18USC3287]
TITLE 18--CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
PART II--CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
CHAPTER 213--LIMITATIONS
Sec. 3287. Wartime suspension of limitations
When the United States is at war the running of any statute of
limitations applicable to any offense (1) involving fraud or attempted
fraud against the United States or any agency thereof in any manner,
whether by conspiracy or not, or (2) committed in connection with the
acquisition, care, handling, custody, control or disposition of any real
or personal property of the United States, or (3) committed in
connection with the negotiation, procurement, award, performance,
payment for, interim financing, cancelation, or other termination or
settlement, of any contract, subcontract, or purchase order which is
connected with or related to the prosecution of the war, or with any
disposition of termination inventory by any war contractor or Government
agency, shall be suspended until three years after the termination of
hostilities as proclaimed by the President or by a concurrent resolution
of Congress.
Definitions of terms in section 103 of title 41 shall apply to
similar terms used in this section.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 828.)
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Sec. 590a (Aug. 24, 1942, ch.
555, Sec. 1, 56 Stat. 747; July 1, 1944, ch. 358, Sec. 19(b), 58 Stat.
667; Oct. 3, 1944, ch. 479, Sec. 28, 58 Stat. 781).
The phrase ``when the United States is at war'' was inserted at the
beginning of this section to make it permanent instead of temporary
legislation, and to obviate the necessity of reenacting such legislation
in the future. This permitted the elimination of references to dates and
to the provision limiting the application of the section to transactions
not yet fully barred. When the provisions of the War Contract
Settlements Act of 1944, upon which this section is based, are
considered in connection with said section 590a which it amends, it is
obvious that no purpose can be served now by the provisions omitted.
Phrase (2), reading ``or committed in connection with the
acquisition, care, handling, custody, control or disposition of any real
or personal property of the United States'' was derived from section 28
of the Surplus Property Act of 1944 which amended said section 590a of
title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed. This act is temporary by its terms and
relates only to offenses committed in the disposition of surplus
property thereunder.
The revised section extends its provisions to all offenses involving
the disposition of any property, real or personal, of the United States.
This extension is more apparent than real since phrase (2), added as the
result of said Act, was merely a more specific statement of offenses
embraced in phrase (1) of this section.
The revised section is written in general terms as permanent
legislation applicable whenever the United States is at war. (See, also,
reviser's note under section 284 of this title.)
The last paragraph was added to obviate any possibility of doubt as
to meaning of terms defined in section 103 of title 41, U.S.C., 1940
ed., Public Contracts.
Changes were made in phraseology.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in title 26 section 6533.
