25 USC 5331 – Contract disputes and claims
(a) Civil actions; concurrent jurisdiction; relief
The United States district courts shall have original jurisdiction over any civil action or claim against the appropriate Secretary arising under this chapter and, subject to the provisions of subsection (d) of this section and concurrent with the United States Court of Claims, over any civil action or claim against the Secretary for money damages arising under contracts authorized by this chapter. In an action brought under this paragraph, the district courts may order appropriate relief including money damages, injunctive relief against any action by an officer of the United States or any agency thereof contrary to this chapter or regulations promulgated thereunder, or mandamus to compel an officer or employee of the United States, or any agency thereof, to perform a duty provided under this chapter or regulations promulgated hereunder (including immediate injunctive relief to reverse a declination finding under section 5321(a)(2) of this title or to compel the Secretary to award and fund an approved self-determination contract).
(b) Revision of contracts
Terms Used In 25 USC 5331
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- officer: includes any person authorized by law to perform the duties of the office. See 1 USC 1
The Secretary shall not revise or amend a self-determination contract with a tribal organization without the tribal organization’s consent.
(c) Application of laws to administrative appeals
The Equal Access to Justice Act (Publc 1 Law 96-481, Act of October 1,1 1980; 92 1 Stat. 2325, as amended), section 504 of title 5, and section 2412 of title 28 shall apply to administrative appeals pending on or filed after October 5, 1988, by tribal organizations regarding self-determination contracts.
(d) Application of chapter 71 of title 41
Chapter 71 of title 41 shall apply to self-determination contracts, except that all administrative appeals relating to such contracts shall be heard by the Interior Board of Contract Appeals established pursuant to section 8 of such Act (41 U.S.C. 607).2
(e) Application of subsection (d)
Subsection (d) of this section shall apply to any case pending or commenced on or after March 17, 1986, before the Boards of Contract Appeals of the Department of the Interior or the Department of Health and Human Services 2 except that in any such cases finally disposed of before October 5, 1988, the thirty-day period referred to in section 504(a)(2) of title 5 shall be deemed to commence on October 5, 1988.