Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 104 Part 3.djvu/379

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PUBLIC LAW 101-510—NOV. 5, 1990 104 STAT. 1731 (A) amounts collected as monthly fees paid by residents of the Naval Home and amounts referred to in subsections (a)(4) and (a)(5) derived from enlisted members, warrant officers, and limited duty officers of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard shall be credited to the account relating to that establishment; and (B) amounts collected as monthly fees paid by residents of the United States Soldiers' and Airmen's Home and amounts referred to in subsections (a)(4) and (a)(5) derived from members and warrant officers of the Army and Air Force shall be credited to the account relating to that establishment. SEC. 1520. DISPOSITION OF EFFECTS OF DECEASED PERSONS; UN- 24 USC 420. CLAIMED PROPERTY (a) EFFECTS OF DECEASED PERSONS.— The Directors of the establishments of the Retirement Home shall safeguard and dispose of the effects of a deceased person delivered to the Retirement Home under section 4712(f) or 9712(f) of title 10, United States Code, and the estate and effects of a deceased resident of the Armed Forces Retirement Home as follows: (1) A will or other paper involving property rights shall be promptly delivered to the proper court of record. (2) If the heirs or legal representative of the deceased cannot sooner be ascertained, the Directors shall retain the remaining effects until three years after the death of the deceased, and then, if a right to the effects is established to the satisfaction of the Directors, shall deliver the effects to the living person highest on the following list who can be found: (A) The surviving spouse or legal representative. (B) A child of the deceased. (C) A parent of the deceased. (D) A brother or sister of the deceased. (E) The next-of-kin of the deceased. (F) A beneficiary named in the will of the deceased. (b) SALE OF EFFECTS.— (1) After three years from the date of death of the deceased, the Directors may sell the effects to which a right has not been established under subsection (a) (except decorations, medals, and citations) by public or private sale, as the Directors consider most advantageous. (2) After five years from the date of death of the deceased, the Directors shall dispose of effects that were not sold under paragraph (1) (including decorations, medals, and citations) and to which a right has not been established under subsection (a). The sale shall be made in the manner that the Directors consider most appropriate in the public interest. Disposal may include— (A) retaining the effects for the use of the Retirement Home; (B) delivering the effects to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, to a State or other military home, to a museum, or to any other appropriate institution; or (C) destroying the effects if the Retirement Home Board determines that they are valueless. (c) TRANSFER OF PROCEEDS TO THE FUND.— The net proceeds received by the Directors from the sale of effects under subsection (b) shall be deposited in the Fund. (d) SUBSEQUENT CLAIM.—(1) A claim for the net proceeds of the sale under subsection (b) of the effects of a deceased may be filed with the Comptroller General of the United States at any time