Wartime suspension of limitations

18 U.S.C. § 3287

• Title: 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure
• Chapter: 213 — LIMITATIONS

Text

When the United States is at war or Congress has enacted a specific authorization for the use of the Armed Forces, as described in section 5(b) of the War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1544(b)), 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 directly connected with or related to the authorized use of the Armed Forces, or with any disposition of termination inventory by any war contractor or Government agency, shall be suspended until 5 years after the termination of hostilities as proclaimed by a Presidential proclamation, with notice to Congress, or by a concurrent resolution of Congress.
Definitions of terms in section 103 1 of title 41 shall apply to similar terms used in this section. For purposes of applying such definitions in this section, the term "war" includes a specific authorization for the use of the Armed Forces, as described in section 5(b) of the War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1544(b)).

History

(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 828; Pub. L. 110–329, div. C, title VIII, §8117, Sept. 30, 2008, 122 Stat. 3647; Pub. L. 110–417, [div. A], title VIII, §855, Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4545; Pub. L. 111–84, div. A, title X, §1073(c)(7), Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2475.)

Editorial Notes

Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §590a (Aug. 24, 1942, ch. 555, §1, 56 Stat. 747; July 1, 1944, ch. 358, §19(b), 58 Stat. 667; Oct. 3, 1944, ch. 479, §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.

Editorial Notes

References in Text
Section 103 of title 41, referred to in text, probably means section 3 of act July 1, 1944, ch. 358, 58 Stat. 650, which was classified to section 103 of former Title 41, Public Contracts, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 111–350, §7(b), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3855. For disposition of sections of former Title 41, see Disposition Table preceding section 101 of Title 41.

Amendments
2009—Pub. L. 111–84 repealed Pub. L. 110–417, §855. See 2008 Amendment note below.
2008—Pub. L. 110–417, §855, which amended this section identically to amendment by Pub. L. 110–329, was repealed by Pub. L. 111–84. See 2008 Amendment note below.
Pub. L. 110–329, in first par., inserted "or Congress has enacted a specific authorization for the use of the Armed Forces, as described in section 5(b) of the War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1544(b))," after "is at war" and "or directly connected with or related to the authorized use of the Armed Forces" after "prosecution of the war" and substituted "5 years" for "three years" and "proclaimed by a Presidential proclamation, with notice to Congress," for "proclaimed by the President", and, in second par., inserted last sentence.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2009 Amendment
Pub. L. 111–84, div. A, title X, §1073(c), Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2474, provided in part that the amendment made by section 1073(c)(7) of Pub. L. 111–84 is effective as of Oct. 14, 2008, and as if included in Pub. L. 110–417 as enacted.