94 STAT. 544
PUBLIC LAW 96-277—JUNE 17, 1980 Public Law 96-277 96th Congress
An Act June 17, 1980 [H.R. 3979]
18 USC 437. Fines and imprisonment.
Rules permitting sale of property.
To repeal and amend certain laws regulating trade between Indians and certain Federal employees.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. That section 437 of title 18, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: "§437. Federal employees contracting or trading with Indians "(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), whoever, being an officer, employee, or agent of the Bureau of Indian Affairs or the Indian Health Service has (other than as a lawful representative of the United States) any interest, in such officer, employee, or agent's name, or in the name of another person where such officer, employee, or agent benefits or appears to benefit from such interest— "(1) in any contract made or under negotiation with any Indian, for the purchase or transportation or delivery of goods or supplies for any Indian, or "(2) in any purchase or sale of any service or real or personal property (or any interest therein) from or to any Indian, or colludes with any person attempting to obtain any such contract, purchase, or sale, shall be fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned not more than six months or both, and shall be removed from office, notwithstanding any other provision of law concerning termination from Federal employment. "(b)(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) and in accordance with paragraph (2) of this subsection, the President or his designee may prescribe rules and regulations under which any officer, employee, or agent of the Bureau of Indian Affairs or of the Indian Health Service may purchase from or sell to any Indian any service or any real or personal property or any interest therein. "(2) No rule or regulation prescribed pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection shall permit any officer, employee, or agent referred to in that paragraph— "(A) to make any purchase from or sale to an Indian of any real or personal property (or any interest therein) for the purpose of commercially selling, reselling, trading, or bartering such property; or "(B) to have any interest in any purchase or sale involving property or funds which are either held in trust by the United States for Indians or which are purchased, sold, utilized, or received in connection with a contract or grant to an Indian from the Bureau of Indian Affairs or the Indian Health Service, if such officer, employee, or agent is emploj^ed in the office or installation of suwi Bureau or Service which recommends, approves, executes, or administers such transaction, grant, or contract on behalf of the United States: Provided, That such officer, employee, or agent may have such an interest if such purchase or sale is approved by the Secretary of the Interior in the case of a
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