22 U.S.C. § 3620 — Authority of Ambassador; independence

Page 1379 TITLE 22—FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE § 3621 ronment referred to in section 3616 of this title shall be allowed travel or transportation ex- penses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in the same manner as persons employed inter- mittently in Government service are allowed ex- penses under section 5703 of title 5. (Pub. L. 96–70, title I, § 1107, Sept. 27, 1979, 93 Stat. 458.) § 3618. Defense of Panama Canal In the event of an armed attack against the Panama Canal, or when, in the opinion of the President, conditions exist which threaten the security of the Canal, the Administrator of the Commission shall, upon the order of the Presi- dent, comply with such directives as the United States military officer charged with the protec- tion and defense of the Panama Canal may con- sider necessary in the exercise of his duties. (Pub. L. 96–70, title I, § 1108, Sept. 27, 1979, 93 Stat. 458.) § 3619. Joint sea level canal study (a) Committee; appointment of representatives The President shall appoint the representa- tives of the United States to any joint com- mittee or body with the Republic of Panama to study the possibility of a sea level canal in the Republic of Panama pursuant to Article XII of the Panama Canal Treaty of 1977. (b) Transmittal of study to President of Senate and Speaker of House of Representatives Upon the completion of any joint study be- tween the United States and the Republic of Panama concerning the feasibility of a sea level canal in the Republic of Panama pursuant to paragraph 1 of Article XII of the Panama Canal Treaty of 1977, the text of the study shall be transmitted by the President to the President of the Senate and to the Speaker of the House of Representatives. (c) Congressional authorization respecting con- struction of sea level canal No construction of a sea level canal by the United States in the Republic of Panama shall be undertaken except with express congressional authorization after submission of the study by the President as provided in subsection (b) of this section. (Pub. L. 96–70, title I, § 1109, Sept. 27, 1979, 93 Stat. 459.) § 3620. Authority of Ambassador; independence of Commission regarding its Panama Canal responsibilities (a) Authority of Ambassador The United States Ambassador to the Republic of Panama shall have full responsibility for the coordination of the transfer to the Republic of Panama of those functions that are to be as- sumed by the Republic of Panama pursuant to the Panama Canal Treaty of 1977 and related agreements. (b) Independence of Commission regarding its Panama Canal responsibilities (1) The Commission shall not be subject to the direction or supervision of the United States Chief of Mission in the Republic of Panama with respect to the responsibilities of the Commis- sion for the operation, management, or mainte- nance of the Panama Canal, as established in this chapter or any other Act or in the Panama Canal Treaty of 1977 and related agreements, ex- cept that the Commission shall keep the Ambas- sador fully and currently informed with respect to all activities and operations of the Commis- sion. (2) Except as provided in paragraph (1) of this subsection, section 3927 of this title shall apply with respect to the activities of the Commis- sion. (c) Agreements for United States to provide post- transfer administrative services for certain employee benefits (1) The Secretary of State may enter into one or more agreements to provide for the United States to furnish administrative services relat- ing to the benefits described in paragraph (2) after December 31, 1999, and to establish appro- priate procedures for providing advance funding for the services. (2) The benefits referred to in paragraph (1) are the following: (A) Pension, disability, and medical benefits provided by the Panama Canal Commission pursuant to section 3682 of this title. (B) Compensation for work injuries covered by chapter 81 of title 5. (Pub. L. 96–70, title I, § 1110, Sept. 27, 1979, 93 Stat. 459; Pub. L. 105–85, div. C, title XXXV, § 3550(d)(4), Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 2074; Pub. L. 105–261, div. C, title XXXV, § 3506, Oct. 17, 1998, 112 Stat. 2269.) Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT This chapter, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), was in the original ‘‘this Act’’, meaning Pub. L. 96–70, Sept. 27, 1979, 93 Stat. 452, known as the Panama Canal Act of 1979, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 3601 of this title and Tables. AMENDMENTS 1998—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 105–261 added subsec. (c). 1997—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 105–85 substituted ‘‘sec- tion 3927’’ for ‘‘section 2680a’’. § 3621. Security legislation It is the sense of the Congress that the best in- terests of the United States require that the President enter into negotiations with the Re- public of Panama for the purpose of arranging for the stationing of United States military forces, after the termination of the Panama Canal Treaty of 1977, in the area comprising the Canal Zone before October 1, 1979, and for the maintenance of installations and facilities, after the termination of such Treaty, for the use of United States military forces stationed in such area. The President shall report to the Congress in a timely manner the status of negotiations conducted pursuant to this section. (Pub. L. 96–70, title I, § 1111, Sept. 27, 1979, 93 Stat. 459.)