Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the U.S.

Sylvia M. Becker

Commissioner of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission
On September 16, 2013, Ms. Sylvia M. Becker was sworn in as a part-time Commissioner of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission. She was nominated for the position by President Obama on September 19, 2012, and confirmed by the Senate on June 27, 2013.

Patrick Hovakimian

Commissioner of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission
On June 4, 2018, Mr. Patrick Hovakimian was sworn in as a part-time Commissioner of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission. He was nominated for the position by President Trump on February 5, 2018, and confirmed by the Senate on May 10, 2018.

November 13, 2020

THE COMMISSION’S NEXT PUBLIC MEETING TO BE HELD NOVEMBER 19, 2020 at 10:00 AM.

January 28, 2020

STATUS OF ALL GUAM CLAIMS IS NOW AVAILABLE HERE ON OUR WEBSITE.  Please visit our Guam page for more information.

March 6, 2019

Policy Changes Regarding Cuba

On March 4, 2019, the Secretary of State reported to the appropriate Congressional committees his determination that an additional suspension for 30 days through April 17, 2019, of the right to bring an action under Title III of the 1996 Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act is necessary to the national interests of the United States and will expedite a transition to democracy in Cuba, with the below exception. Beginning March 19, suspension shall not apply to:

• The right to bring an action against a Cuban entity or sub-entity identified by name on the State Department’s List of Restricted Entities and Sub-entities Associated with Cuba (known as the Cuba Restricted List), as may be updated from time to time.

Please note that the Commission is not directly involved with this Policy change and is unable to provide further detailed information regarding the change beyond that which is noted above.  If you have further questions, you may contact the Department of State by email at cubaquestions@state.gov.  For further information regarding this change in Policy, you may also wish to refer to the Department of State’s Special Briefing on this topic available at https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2019/03/289871.htm.    

June 29, 2018

THE COMMISSION'S GUAM WORLD WAR II LOYALTY RECOGNITION ACT CLAIMS PROGRAM FILING PERIOD HAS CLOSED. 

The Commission’s staff is now beginning to review and develop the claims for presentation to the Commission.  During this process, you may be contacted by a member of the Commission's legal staff if further information or evidence is needed.  While the Commission cannot say at this time exactly when any individual claim will be reviewed, please be assured that we will work as expeditiously as possible to review each of the claims.

Once a claim has been reviewed and it is determined that it is ready for presentation to the Commission, that claim will be scheduled for presentation during one of the Commission’s open meetings.  During such meeting, the claim will be presented to the Commissioners by a member of the Commission’s legal staff.  The Commissioners will make a determination on each of the scheduled claims.  A written decision detailing the Commission’s determinations in each claim considered will be mailed to each Claimant following the meeting.  Upon receipt, Claimants will have 15 days to object to a Commission decision.  If no objection is filed then after 30 days, the Commission’s decision becomes final and it will then be certified to the Treasury Department for payment.

Please note that the Commission is committed to the timely administration of the Guam Claims Program, and is very cognizant of the burdens that delays may impose on claimants in the program.  However, the Commission must review and determine the validity of each of the claims it has received before it approves eligible claims for payment. Some claims are relatively straightforward and less time-intensive, whereas others may present complex issues that require extensive factual development or legal analysis.

If you have further questions or require additional information, you may review the Frequently Asked Questions Page or contact the Commission by email atinfo.fcsc@usdoj.gov(link sends e-mail) or by phone at 202-616-6975.

April 12, 2018

IMPORTANT NOTICE

THE COMMISSION'S OFFICES WILL BE MOVING ON APRIL 19, 2018.  The new address for the Commission will be 601 D Street, NW, Suite 10300, Washington, DC 20579.

January 22, 2018

NOTICE OF COMPLETION OF THE COMMISSION'S ADJUDICATION OF CLAIMS UNDER THE REFERRAL FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE DATED NOVEMBER 27, 2013

The Commission has published notice in the Federal Register regarding the completion of its adjudication of claims under the Referral from the Department of State dated November 27, 2013 (the Libya III program), see 83 FR 3026.  The completion date of the Libya III program is April 6, 2018.  A petition to reopen a claim filed in the Libya III program must be filed not later than February 5, 2018 (60 days before the completion date).  45 C.F.R. § 509.5(l).

January 13, 2017

CLAIMS AGAINST CUBA

On December 17, 2014, the President issued a statement announcing significant changes to the United States Government’s policies regarding Cuba.  Subsequently, on July 1, 2015, the President issued a statement announcing that the United States has agreed to formally re-establish diplomatic relations with the Government of Cuba and re-open embassies in the respective countries.  Thereafter, the United States and Cuba have held several government-to-government claims discussion in both Havana and Washington to exchange information on a wide variety of claims, including claims of U.S. nationals that were certified by the Commission in its Cuba claims programs.

It is not yet clear what effect such changes will have on the status of the claims previously adjudicated by the Commission.  While the Commission is not responsible for these policy changes, information regarding pertinent developments will be posted in the “News” section of the Commission’s website, http://www.justice.gov/fcsc. 

For further information regarding the Commission's Cuba claims programs, including access to all of the Commission's decisions in those programs, please click here.

February 9, 2015

All of the Commission's decisions issued under its Cuba claims program are now available online.  Those decisions, along with a searchable index of the claims, may be found on the Final Opinions and Orders page of the Commission's website.  If you have any questions or require further information you may contact the Commission via email at info.fcsc@usdoj.gov or by phone at 202-616-6975.

October 2009

Availability of FCSC Decisions (PDF)