(b) The decision as to whether a decoration has been awarded for outstanding or unusually meritorious performance will be made:

(1) For the Department of State, by the supervising Assistant Secretary of State or comparable official, except that, in the case of a decoration awarded to an Assistant Secretary or other officer of comparable or higher rank, the decision shall be made by the Office of Protocol;

(2) For IDCA, by the Assistant Director for Administration;

(3) For AID, by the Director of Personnel Management; and

(4) For USICA, by the Supervising Associate Director, the General Counsel, or the Director of the Office of Congressional and Public Liaison (for domestic employees), and by the Director of Area Offices (for overseas employees).

(c) To justify an affirmative decision, a statement from the foreign government, preferably in the form of a citation which shows the specific basis for the tender of the award, should be supplied. An employee who has received or been tendered a decoration should forward to the designated depository office of the employing agency a request for review of the case. This request should contain a statement of circumstances of the award and such documentation from the foreign government as has accompanied it. The depository office will obtain the decision of the cognizant office as to whether the award meets the statutory criteria and thus whether the decoration may be retained and worn. Pending receipt of that decision, the decoration should remain in the custody of the recipient.

§3.8 Approval of retention of gifts or

decorations with employing agency for official use.

(a) At the request of an overseas post or an office within the employing agency, a gift or decoration deemed to have been accepted on behalf of the United States may be retained for official use. Such retention should be approved:

(1) For the Department of State, by the Chief of Protocol;

(2) For IDCA, by AID's Director of Management Operations;

(3) For AID, by the Director of Management Operations; and

(4) For USICA, by the Associate Director for Management.

However, to qualify for such approval, the gift or decoration should be an item which can be used in the normal conduct of agency business, such as a rug or a tea service, or an art object meriting display, such as a painting or sculpture. Personal gift items, such as wristwatches, jewelry, or wearing apparel, should not be regarded as suitable for "official use". Only under unusual circumstances will retention of a decoration for official use be authorized. Every effort should be made to place each "official use" item in a location that will afford the largest number of employees, and, if feasible, members of the public, the maximum opportunity to receive the benefit of its display, provided the security of the location is adequate.

(b) Items approved for official use must be accounted for and safeguarded as Federal property at all times under standard Federal property management procedures. Within 30 days after the official use of a gift has been terminated, the gift or decoration shall be deposited with the designated depository office of the employing agency to be held pending completion of disposal arrangements by the General Services Administration.

$3.9 Disposal of gifts and decorations which become the property of the United States.

(a) Gifts and decorations which have been reported to an employing agency shall either be returned to the donor or kept in safe storage pending receipt of instructions from the General Services Administration for transfer, donation or other disposal under the provisions of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, 63 Stat. 377, as amended, and the Federal Property Management Regulations (41 CFR part 101-49). The employing agency shall examine each gift or decoration and the circumstances surrounding its donation and assess whether any adverse effect upon the foreign relations of the United States might result from a return of the gift (or decoration) to the donor, which shall be the preferred

means of disposal. If this is not deemed feasible, the employing agency is required by GSA regulations to report deposit of the gift or decoration within 30 calendar days, using Standard Form 120, Report of Excess Personal Property and, as necessary, Standard Form 120A, Continuation Sheet, and citing section 7342 of title 5, U.S. Code (1976), on the reporting document. Such reports shall be submitted to the General Services Administration, Washington National Capital Region (WDPO), Attention: Federal Property Resources Service, Seventh and D Streets, SW., Washington, DC 20407.

(b) No gift or decoration deposited with the General Services Administration for disposal may be sold without the approval of the Secretary of State, upon a determination that the sale will not adversely affect the foreign relations of the United States. When depositing gifts or decorations with the designated depository office of their employing agency, employees may indicate their interest in participating in any subsequent sale of the items by the Government. Before gifts and decorations may be considered for sale by the General Services Administration, however, they must first have been offered for transfer to Federal agencies and for donation to the States. Consequently, employees should understand that there is no assurance that an item will be offered for sale, or, if so offered, that it will be feasible for an employee to participate in the sale. Employees are reminded in this connection that the primary aim of the Act is to discourage employees' acceptance of gifts of more than minimal value.

§ 3.10 Enforcement.

(a) Each employing agency is responsible under the Act for reporting to the Attorney General cases in which there is reason to believe that one of its employees has violated the Act. The Attorney General in turn may file a civil action in any United States District Court against any Federal employee who has knowingly solicited or accepted a gift from a foreign government in violation of the Act, or who has failed to deposit or report such gift, as an Act required by the Act. In such case, the court may assess a maximum penality

of the retail value of a gift improperly solicited or received, plus $5,000.

(b) Supervisory officials at all levels within employing agencies shall be responsible for providing periodic reorientation of all employees under their supervision on the basic features of the Act and these regulations, and for ensuring that those employees observe the requirements for timely reporting and deposit of any gifts of more than minimal value they may have accepted.

(c) Employees are advised of the following actions which may result from failure to comply with the requirements of the Act and these regulations:

(1) Any supervisor who has substantial reason to believe that an employee under his or her supervision has violated the reporting or other compliance provisions of the Act shall report the facts and circumstances in writing to the senior official in charge of administration within the cognizant bureau or office or at the post abroad. If that official upon investigation decides that an employee who is the donee of a gift or is the recipient of travel or travel expenses has, through actions within the employee's control, failed to comply with the procedures established by the Act and these regulations, the case shall be referred to the Attorney General for appropriate action.

(2) In cases of confirmed evidence of a violation, whether or not such violation results in the taking of action by the Attorney General, the senior administrative official referred to in paragraph (c)(1) of this section as responsible for forwarding a violation report to the Attorney General shall institute appropriate disciplinary action against an employee who has failed to (i) Deposit tangible gifts within 60 days after acceptance, (ii) account properly for the acceptance of travel expenses or (iii) comply with the Act's requirements respecting disposal of gifts and decorations retained for official use.

(3) In cases where there is confirmed evidence of a violation, but no evidence that the violation was willful on the part of the employee, the senior administrative official referred to in paragraph (c)(1) of this section shall institute appropriate disciplinary action of a lesser degree than that called for in

paragraph (c)(2) of this section in order to deter future violations by the same or another employee.

83.11 Responsibility of chief of mission to inform host government of restrictions on employees' receipt of gifts and decorations.

A special provision of the Act requires the President to direct every chief of a United States diplomatic mission to inform the host government that it is a general policy of the United States Government to prohibit its employees from receiving gifts of more than minimal value or decorations that have not been tendered "in recognition of active field service in time of combat operations or awarded for other outstanding or unusually meritorious performance." Accordingly, all Chiefs of Mission shall in January of each year conduct a thorough and explicit program of orientation aimed at appropriate officials of the host government concerning the operation of the Act.

§3.12 Exemption of grants and other foreign government assistance in cultural exchange programs from coverage of foreign gifts and decorations legislation.

The Act specifically excludes from its application grants and other forms of assistance "to which section 108A of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 applies". See 22 U.S.C. 2558 (a) and (b) for the terms and conditions under which Congress consents to the acceptance by a Federal employee of grants and other forms of assistance provided by a foreign government to facilitate the participation of such employee in a cultural exchange.

PART 30-ACCEPTANCE OF EMPLOYMENT FROM FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS BY MEMBERS OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES

Sec.

3a.1 Definitions.

3a.2 Requirement for approval of foreign government employment.

3a.3 Authority to approve or disapprove proposed foreign government employment.

3a.4 Procedure for requesting approval. 3a.5 Basis for approval or disapproval.

3a.6 Notification of approval.

3a.7 Notification of disapproval and reconsideration.

3a.8 Change in status.

AUTHORITY: Sec. 509, 91 Stat. 859 (37 U.S.C. 801 Note); sec. 4, as amended, 63 Stat. 111 (22 U.S.C. 2658).

SOURCE: 43 FR 55393, Nov. 28, 1978, unless otherwise noted.

§3a.1 Definitions.

For purposes of this part

(a) Applicant means any person who requests approval under this part to accept any civil employment (and compensation therefor) from a foreign government and who is: (1) Any retired member of the uniformed services;

(2) Any member of a Reserve component of the Armed Forces; or

(3) Any member of the commissioned Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service.

The term "applicant" also includes persons described in paragraph (a)(1), (2), or (3) of this section, who have already accepted foreign government employment and are requesting approval under this part to continue such employment.

(b) Uniformed services means the Armed Forces, the commissioned Regular and Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service, and the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

(c) Armed Forces means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.

(d) Secretary concerned means: (1) The Secretary of the Army, with respect to retired members of the Army and members of the Army Reserve;

(2) The Secretary of the Navy, with respect to retired members of the Navy and the Marine Corps, members of the Navy and Marine Corps Reserves, and retired members of the Coast Guard and members of the Coast Guard Reserve when the Coast Guard is operating as a service in the Navy;

(3) The Secretary of the Air Force, with respect to retired members of the Air Force and members of the Air Force Reserve;

(4) The Secretary of Transportation, with respect to retired members of the Coast Guard and members of the Coast

Guard Reserve when the Coast Guard is not operating as a service in the Navy; (5) The Secretary of Commerce, with respect to retired members of the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and

(6) The Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, with respect to retired members of the commissioned Regular Corps of the Public Health Service and members of the commissioned Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service.

§ 3a.2 Requirement for approval of foreign government employment.

(a) The United States Constitution (Article I, section 9, clause 8) prohibits the acceptance of civil employment with a foreign government by an officer of the United States without the consent of Congress. Congress has consented to the acceptance of civil employment (and compensation therefor) by any person described in §3a.1(b) subject to the approval of the Secretary concerned and the Secretary of State (37 U.S.C. 801, Note). Civil employment with a foreign government may not be accepted without such approval by any person so described.

(b) The Secretary of State has no authority to approve employment with a foreign government by any officer of the United States other than a person described in §3a.1(a). The acceptance of employment with a foreign government by any other officer of the United States remains subject to the constitutional prohibition described in paragraph (a) of this section.

(c) Any person described in §3a.1(a) who accepts employment with a foreign government without the approval required by this section or otherwise obtaining the consent of Congress is subject to forfeiture of retired pay to the extent of his or her compensation from the foreign government, according to the Comptroller General of the United States (44 Comp. Gen. 139 (1964)). This forfeiture is in addition to any other penalty which may be imposed under law or regulation.1

1 Approval under this part does not constitute an exception to the provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act concerning

§ 3a.3 Authority to approve or disapprove proposed foreign government employment.

The Director, Bureau of PoliticoMilitary Affairs, is authorized to approve or disapprove any request by an applicant for approval under this part to accept civil employment (and compensation therefor) from a foreign government. The Director may delegate this authority within the Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs, Department of

State.

§ 3a.4 Procedure for requesting approval.

(a) An applicant must submit a request for approval of foreign government employment to the Secretary concerned, whose approval is also required by law for the applicant's acceptance of civil employment from a foreign government. The request must contain information concerning the applicant's status, the nature of the proposed employment in as much detail as possible, the identity of and relationship to the foreign government concerned, and other matters as may be required by the Secretary concerned.

(b) Requests approved by the Secretary concerned will be referred to the Director, Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs, for approval. Requests received by the Director, Bureau of PoliticoMilitary Affairs, directly from an applicant will be initially forwarded to the Secretary concerned, or his designee, for approval of disapproval.

§ 3a.6 Notification of approval.

The Director, Bureau of PoliticoMilitary Affairs, will notify the Secretary concerned when an applicant's proposed foreign government employment is approved. Notification of approval to the applicant will be made by the Secretary concerned or his designee.

§ 3a.7 Notification of disapproval and reconsideration.

(a) The Director, Bureau of PoliticoMilitary Affairs, will notify the applicant directly when an applicant's proposed foreign employment is disapproved, and will inform the Secretary concerned.

(b) Each notification of disapproval under this section must include a statement of the reasons for the disapproval, with as much specificity as security and foreign policy considerations permit, together with a notice of the applicant's right to seek reconsideration of the disapproval under paragraph (c) of this section.

(c) Within 60 days after receipt of the notice of disapproval, an applicant whose request has been disapproved may submit a request for reconsideration by the Director, Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs. A request for reconsideration should provide information relevant to the reasons set forth in the notice of disapproval.

(d) The disapproval of a request by the Director, Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs, will be final, unless a timely request for reconsideration is received. In the event of a request for reconsideration, the Director, Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs, will make a final decision after reviewing the record of the request. A final decision after reconsideration to approve the applicant's proposed employment with a foreign government will be communicated to the Secretary concerned as provided in §3a.6. A final decision after reconsideration to disapprove the applicant's proposed employment with a foreign government will be communicated directly to the applicant as provided in paragraph (a) of this section and the Secretary concerned will be informed. The Director's authority to make a final decision after reconsideration may not be redelegated.

In accordance with Article 10 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and Article 24 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, diplomatic missions must notify the Office of Protocol immediately upon the arrival, in the United States, of any foreign government officer or employee (including domestics and family members), who are serving at diplomatic missions, consular posts, or miscellaneous foreign government offices. If the employee is already in the United States in some other capacity, the notification should be made upon assumption of duties. This initial notification requirement also includes all U.S. citizens and permanent resident aliens who are employed by foreign missions. § 4.2 Procedure.

Notification and subsequent changes are made as follows:

(a) Diplomatic and career consular officers and their dependents: Form DSP-110, Notification of Appointment of Foreign Diplomatic Officer and Career Consular Officer;

(b) All other foreign government employees who are serving at diplomatic missions, consular posts, or miscellaneous foreign government offices and