PUBLIC LAWS-CHS. 376, 377-DEC. 22, 23 , 1943 [57 STAT. [CHAPTER 376] AN ACT December 22, 1943 [S. 1576] To provide for the extension of certain oil and gas leases. [Public Law 212] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Extension of certain United States of America in Congress assembled, That the first section 30d g.S.C. , Suupp. of the Act of July 29, 1942 (56 Stat. 726), entitled "An Act to grant a II, §226b. preference right to certain oil and gas leases", is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof the following new sentence: "The term of any five-year lease expiring prior to December 31, 1944, maintained in accordance with the applicable statutory requirements and regulations and for which no preference right to a new lease is granted by this section, is hereby extended to December 31, 1944." Approved December 22, 1943. [CHAPTER 377] AN ACT December 23, 1943 [H. R. 1203] To limit private suits for penalties and damages arising out of frauds [Public Law 213] against the United States. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Private suits arising United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 3491 Out of frauds against U.s. of the Revised Statutes (U. S . C ., title 31, sec. 232) be, and it hereby is, amended to read as follows: Jurisdiction of dis- "SEC. 3491 (A). The several district courts of the United States, the District Court of the United States for the District of Columbia, the several district courts of the Territories of the United States, within whose jurisdictional limits the person doing or committing such act shall be found, shall wheresoever such act may have been done or committed, have full power and jurisdiction to hear, try, and deter- mine such suit. institution of suit. "(B) Except as hereinafter provided, such suit may be brought and carried on by any person, as well for himself as for the United States, the same shall be at the sole cost and charge of such person, and shall Withdrawal. be in the name of the United States, but shall not be withdrawn or discontinued without the consent, in writing, of the judge of the court and the district attorney, first filed in the case, setting forth their reasons for such consent. Notice to U. . "(C) Whenever any such suit shall be brought by any person under clause (B) notice of the pendency of such suit shall be given to the United States by serving upon the United States attorney for the district in which such suit shall have been brought a copy of the bill of complaint and by sending, by registered mai , to the Attorney General of the United States at Washington, District of Columbia, a copy of such bill together with a disclosure in writing of substantially all evidence and information in his possession material to the effective Appearance. prosecution of such suit. The United States shall have sixty days, after service as above provided, within which to enter appearance in such suit. If the United States shall fail, or decline in writing to the court, during said period of sixty days to enter any such suit, such person may carry on such suit. If the United States within said period shall enter appearance in such suit the same shall be carried on solely by the United States. In carrying on such suit the United States shall not be bound by any action taken by the person who brought it, and may proceed in all respects as if it were institut- Failure of V S. to ing the suit: Provided, That if the United States shall fail to carry carry on suit with due diligence. on such suit with due diligence within a period of six months from the date of its appearance therein, or within such additional time as the court after notice may allow, such suit may be carried on by 608
�
