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Liability of United States

(g) Nothing in this Act or in any other provision of law shall be deemed to impose any liability on the United States with respect to any obligations entered into, or stocks issued, or commitments made, by any company organized under this Act. Pub. L. 85-699, Title III, § 308, Aug. 21, 1958, 72 Stat. 694.

Section 688. Approval of State chartered investment companies. Any investment company chartered under the laws of any State expressly for the purpose of operating under this chapter may with the approval of the Administrator be permitted to operate under the provisions of this chapter. Such approval shall be given with due regard to the factors specified in section 681 (c) of this title with respect to organization of small business investment companies. Pub.L. 85-699, Title III, § 309, Aug. 21,1958, 72 Stat. 696. Section 691. Conversion into small business investment company-Authorization of shareholders; approval of Administration.

(a) Prior to July 1, 1961, any investment company or any State development company may, by the vote of the shareholders owning not less than 51 percent of the capital stock of such company, with the approval of the Administration, be converted into a small business investment company under this chapter; except that nothing contained herein shall be construed to supersede the laws of any State.

Execution of articles of association, organization certificate, and other instruments; shares of stock; board of directors

(b) In such case the articles of association and organization certificate may be executed by a majority of the directors of the corporation, and the certificate shall declare that the owners of 51 percent of the capital stock have authorized the directors to make such certificate and to change or convert the corporation into a small business investment company. A majority of the directors, after executing the articles of association and the organization certificate, shall have power to execute all other papers and to do whatever may be required to make its organization perfect and complete as a small business investment company. The shares of any such company may continue to be for the same amount each as they were before the conversion, and the directors, regardless of number, may continue to be directors of the corporation until the election of the board of directors is held in accordance with regulations of the Administration.

Issuance of certificate; status of company

(c) When the Administration has given to such company a certificate that the provisions of this chapter have been complied

with, such company shall have the same powers and privileges and shall be subject to the same duties, liabilities, and regulations, in all respects, as are prescribed by this chapter for companies originally organized as small business investment companies. Pub. L. 85-699, Title IV, § 401, Aug. 21, 1958, 72 Stat. 696.

Section 695. Authorization; advancement of funds in exchange for obligations; maximum amount of obligations purchased and outstanding.

(a) The Administration is authorized to make loans to State development companies to assist in carrying out the purposes of this chapter. Any funds advanced under this subsection shall be in exchange for obligations of the development company which bear interest at such rate, and contain such other terms, as the Administration may fix, and funds may be so advanced without regard to the use and investment by the development company of funds secured by it from other sources.

(b) The total amount of obligations purchased and outstanding at any one time by the Administration under this section from any one State development company shall not exceed the total amount borrowed by it from all other sources. Funds advanced to a State development company under this section shall be treated on an equal basis with those funds borrowed by such company after August 21, 1958, regardless of source, which have the highest priority, except when this requirement is waived by the Administrator. Pub.L. 85-699, Title V, § 501, Aug. 21, 1958, 72 Stat. 696. Section 696. Loans for plant construction, conversion or expansion; restrictions and limitations.

The Administration may, in addition to its authority under section 695 of this title, make loans for plant construction, conversion or expansion, including the acquisition of land, to State and local development companies, and such loans may be made or effected either directly or in cooperation with banks or other lending institutions through agreements to participate on an immediate or deferred basis: Provided, however, That the foregoing powers shall be subject to the following restrictions and limitations:

(1) All loans made shall be so secured as reasonably to assure repayment. In agreements to participate in loans on a deferred basis under this subsection, such participation by the Administration shall not be in excess of 90 per centum of the balance of the loan outstanding at the time of disbursement.

(2) The proceeds of any such loan shall be used solely by such borrower to assist an identifiable small-business concern and for a sound business purpose approved by the Administration.

(3) Loans made by the Administration under this section shall be limited to $250,000 for each such identifiable small-business

concern.

(4) Any development company assisted under this section must meet criteria established by the Administration, including the extent of participation to be required or amount of paid-in capital to be used in each instance as is determined to be reasonable by the Administration.

(5) No loans, including extensions or renewals thereof, shall be made by the Administration for a period or periods exceeding ten years plus such additional period as is estimated may be required to complete construction, conversion, or expansion, but The Administration may extend the maturity of or renew any loan made pursuant to this section beyond the period stated for additional periods, not to exceed ten years, if such extension or renewal will aid in the orderly liquidation of such loan. Any such loan shall bear interest at a rate fixed by the Administration.

(6) No loan shall be made under this section to any local development company after June 30, 1961. Pub.L. 85-699, Title V, § 502, Aug. 21, 1958, 72 Stat. 697.

PART VII, TITLE 18

CHAPTER 11.-BRIBERY AND GRAFT

Section 201. Offer to officer or other person.

Whoever promises, offers, or gives any money or thing of value, or makes or tenders any check, order, contract, undertaking, obligation, gratuity, or security for the payment of money or for the delivery or conveyance of anything of value to any officer or employee or person acting for or on behalf of the United States, or any department or agency thereof, in any official function, under or by authority of any such department or agency or to any officer or person acting for or on behalf of either House of Congress, or of any committee of either House, or both Houses thereof, with intent to influence his decision or action on any question, matter, cause, or proceeding which may at any time be pending, or which may by law be brought before him in his official capacity, or in his place of trust or profit, or with intent to influence him to commit or aid in committing, or to collude in, or allow, any fraud, or make opportunity for the commission of any fraud, on the United States, or to induce him to do or omit to do any act in violation of his lawful duty, shall be fined not more than three times the amount of such money or value of such thing or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.

This section shall not apply to violations of section 212 of this title.

Section 202.

Acceptance of solicitation by officer or other person. Whoever, being an officer or employee of, or person acting for or on behalf of the United States, in any official capacity, under or by virtue of the authority of any department or agency thereof, or an officer or person acting for or on behalf of either House of Congress, or of any committee of either House, or of both Houses thereof, asks, accepts, or receives any money, or any check, order, contract, promise, undertaking, obligation, gratuity, or security for the payment of money, or for the delivery or conveyance of anything of value, with intent to have his decision or action on any question, matter, cause, or proceeding which may at any time be pending, or which may by law be brought before him in his official capacity, or in his place of trust or profit, influenced thereby, shall be fined not more than three times the amount of such money or value of such thing or imprisoned not more than three years, or both; and shall forfeit his office or place and be disqualified from holding any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States. This section shall not apply to violations of section 213 of this title.

Section 216. Procurement of contract by officer or Member of Congress.

Whoever, being a member of or Delegate to Congress, or a Resident Commissioner, either before or after he has qualified, or being an officer, employee, or agent of the United States, directly or indirectly takes, receives, or agrees to receive, any money or thing of value, for giving, procuring or aiding to procure to or for any person, any contract from the United States or from any officer, department or agency thereof; or

Whoever, directly or indirectly, offers, gives, or agrees to give any money or thing of value for procuring or aiding to procure, any such contract—

Shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than two years, or both; and be disqualified from holding any office of honor, profit, or trust under the United States.

The President may declare void any such contract or agreement.

CHAPTER 15.-CLAIMS AND SERVICES IN MATTERS AFFECTING GOVERNMENT

Section 281. Compensation to Members of Congress, officers and others in matters affecting the Government.

Whoever, being a Member of or Delegate to Congress, or a Resident Commissioner, either before or after he has qualified, or the head of a department, or other officer or employee of the United States or any department or agency thereof, directly or indirectly receives or agrees to receive, any compensation for any services rendered or to be rendered, either by himself or another, in relation to any proceeding, contract, claim, controversy, charge, accusation, arrest, or other matter in which the United States is a party or directly or indirectly interested, before any department, agency, court martial, officer, or any civil, military, or naval commission, shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than two years, or both, and shall be incapable of holding any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.

Retired officers of the armed forces of the United States, while not on active duty, shall not by reason of their status as such be subject to the provisions of this section. Nothing herein shall be construed to allow any retired officer to represent any person in the sale of anything to the Government through the department in whose service he holds a retired status.

This section shall not apply to any person because of his membership in the National Guard of the District of Columbia nor to any person specially excepted by Act of Congress.

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