
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 22USC3612a]

 
               TITLE 22--FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE
 
                        CHAPTER 51--PANAMA CANAL
 
              SUBCHAPTER I--ADMINISTRATION AND REGULATIONS
 
                     Part 1--Panama Canal Commission
 
Sec. 3612a. General powers of Commission


(a) Corporate seal

    The Commission may adopt, alter, and use a corporate seal, which 
shall be judicially noticed.

(b) Bylaws

    The Commission may by action of the Board of Directors adopt, amend, 
and repeal bylaws governing the conduct of its general business and the 
performance of the powers and duties granted to or imposed upon it by 
law.

(c) Suits by and against Commission

    The Commission may sue and be sued in its corporate name, except 
that--
        (1) the amenability of the Commission to suit is limited by 
    Article VIII of the Panama Canal Treaty of 1977, section 3761 of 
    this title, and otherwise by law;
        (2) an attachment, garnishment, or similar process may not be 
    issued against salaries or other moneys owed by the Commission to 
    its employees except as provided by section 5520a of title 5 and 
    sections 659, 661, and 662 \1\ of title 42, or as otherwise 
    specifically authorized by the laws of the United States; and
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    \1\ See References in Text note below.
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        (3) the Commission is exempt from the payment of interest on 
    claims and judgments.

(d) Contracts, leases, agreements, or other transactions

    The Commission may enter into contracts, leases, agreements, or 
other transactions.

(e) Obligations and expenditures

    The Commission--
        (1) may determine the character of, and necessity for, its 
    obligations and expenditures and the manner in which they shall be 
    incurred, allowed, and paid; and
        (2) may incur, allow, and pay its obligations and expenditures, 
    subject to pertinent provisions of law generally applicable to 
    Government corporations.

(f) Priority in payment of debts out of bankrupt estates

    The Commission shall have the priority of the Government of the 
United States in the payment of debts out of bankrupt estates.

(g) Appointment of notaries public

    (1) The Commission may appoint any United States citizen to have the 
general powers of a notary public to perform, on behalf of Commission 
employees and their dependents outside the United States, any notarial 
act that a notary public is required or authorized to perform within the 
United States. Unless an earlier expiration is provided by the terms of 
the appointment, any such appointment shall expire three months after 
the Canal Transfer Date.
    (2) Every notarial act performed by a person acting as a notary 
under paragraph (1) shall be as valid, and of like force and effect 
within the United States, as if executed by or before a duly authorized 
and competent notary public in the United States.
    (3) The signature of any person acting as a notary under paragraph 
(1), when it appears with the title of that person's office, is prima 
facie evidence that the signature is genuine, that the person holds the 
designated title, and that the person is authorized to perform a 
notarial act.

(h) Limitations on authority

    The authority of the Commission under this section and section 3612b 
of this title is subject to the Panama Canal Treaty of 1977 and related 
agreements, and to chapter 91 of title 31.

(Pub. L. 96-70, title I, Sec. 1102a, as added Pub. L. 104-106, div. C, 
title XXXV, Sec. 3524(a), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 639; amended Pub. L. 
105-85, div. C, title XXXV, Secs. 3546, 3550(d)(3), Nov. 18, 1997, 111 
Stat. 2073, 2074.)

                       References in Text

    Sections 661 and 662 of title 42, referred to in subsec. (c)(2), 
were repealed by Pub. L. 104-193, title III, Sec. 362(b)(1), Aug. 22, 
1994, 110 Stat. 2246.


                               Amendments

    1997--Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 105-85, Sec. 3546(2), added subsec. (g). 
Former subsec. (g) redesignated (h).
    Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 105-85, Sec. 3550(d)(3), made technical 
amendment to reference in original act which appears in text as 
reference to section 3612b of this title.
    Pub. L. 105-85, Sec. 3546(1), redesignated subsec. (g) as (h).
