§ 544. — Creation of individual credits; authorized purchases.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 25USC544]
TITLE 25--INDIANS
CHAPTER 14--MISCELLANEOUS
SUBCHAPTER X--KLAMATH TRIBE: DISPOSITION OF CERTAIN TRIBAL FUNDS
Sec. 544. Creation of individual credits; authorized purchases
The Secretary of the Interior be, and he is authorized and directed,
from the capital reserve fund deposited in the Treasury of the United
States to the credit of the Klamath and Modoc Tribes and Yahooskin Band
of Snake Indians (hereinafter referred to as the ``Klamath Tribes''),
said fund being established pursuant to the Act of August 28, 1937 (ch.
874, 50 Stat. 872) [25 U.S.C. 530 et seq.], as augmented by the proceeds
of the judgment fund of the Klamath Indians as provided in the Act of
August 7, 1939 (ch. 552, 53 Stat. 1252) [25 U.S.C. 541 et seq.], to
credit the sum of $500 upon the books of the Office of Indian Affairs,
to each person determined by the Secretary of the Interior to be
entitled to enrollment upon the annuity roll of said tribes of the
Klamath Reservation, Oregon, living upon March 29, 1948. The share of
each adult member of the credit so established shall be available for
expenditure, under such rules and regulations as the Secretary of the
Interior may prescribe, for the following purposes:
Purchase of land or interests in land; improvement of lands acquired
or already held by the Indian; erection and improvement of suitable
homes including household equipment and furnishings; repayment of any
loans received from the United States or from the Klamath tribal funds;
purchase of building material, feed, seed, and grain; purchase or
rehabilitation and repair of farming equipment, tools, trucks, tractors,
machinery, and implements; and purchase of any other equipment or
supplies necessary to enable the Indians to fit themselves for or to
engage in farming, livestock, industry, or such other pursuits or
vocations, including education and adult education, as will enable them
to become self-supporting; and health, including dental work: Provided,
however, That the funds of the aged, infirm, decrepit, and incapacitated
members may be used for their proper maintenance and support: Provided
further, That during minority the share of each minor Indian shall be
available for expenditure only for his education and for health
purposes, including dental work, except that in an emergency expenditure
of a minor Indian's share may be made for any of the purposes specified
in this section and section 545 of this title. As herein used, the term
``minor'' shall include all members of the tribe who have not attained
the age of twenty-one years, except that minors eighteen years of age or
over and who are married or have families of their own to support, shall
be regarded as adults. On the death of any enrolled member, adult or
minor, the sum on deposit to his credit shall be distributed as personal
property, and shall be available for expenditure by the distributees
only for the purposes herein authorized: And provided further, That each
member of the Klamath Tribes honorably discharged from service to the
United States in its armed forces shall, upon application to the
Commissioner of Indian Affairs, be paid $200 in cash, free from the
aforesaid restrictions and in addition to the $500 to be credited to
such member as provided in this section.
(Mar. 29, 1948, ch. 160, Sec. 2, 62 Stat. 92.)
References in Text
Act of August 28, 1937, referred to in text, is act Aug. 28, 1937,
ch. 874, 50 Stat. 872, as amended, which is classified generally to
subchapter IX (Sec. 530 et seq.) of this chapter.
Act of August 7, 1939, referred to in text, is act Aug. 7, 1939, ch.
552, 53 Stat. 1252, as amended, which is classified generally to this
subchapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see
Tables.
Codification
This section was not enacted as part of act Aug. 7, 1939, ch. 552,
53 Stat. 1252, which comprises this subchapter.
Short Title
Section 1 of act Mar. 29, 1948, provided: ``That this Act [enacting
this section and section 545 of this title] shall be known as the
`Klamath Welfare Act'.''
Transfer of Functions
For transfer of functions of other officers, employees, and agencies
of Department of the Interior, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of
the Interior, with power to delegate, see Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1950,
Secs. 1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3174, 64 Stat. 1262, set out in
the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in section 545 of this title.
