118 STAT. 3607 PUBLIC LAW 108–454—DEC. 10, 2004 (2) For purposes of paragraph (1), a related claim is a claim involving the same Federal executive agency and the same or similar factual allegations or legal issues as those being pursued under a claim under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. (c) REFERRAL OF OTHER CLAIMS AGAINST FEDERAL EXECUTIVE AGENCIES.—(1) Under the demonstration project, the Secretary— (A) shall refer to the Office of Special Counsel all claims described in paragraph (2) made during the period of the dem- onstration project; and (B) may refer any claim described in paragraph (2) filed before the demonstration project that is pending before the Secretary at the beginning of the demonstration project. (2) A claim referred to in paragraph (1) is a claim under chapter 43 of title 38, United States Code, against a Federal execu- tive agency by a claimant with a social security account number with an odd number as its terminal digit, or, in the case of a claim that does not contain a social security account number, a case number assigned to the claim with an odd number as its terminal digit. (d) ADMINISTRATION OF DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.—(1) The Office of Special Counsel shall administer the demonstration project. The Secretary shall cooperate with the Office of Special Counsel in carrying out the demonstration project. (2) In the case of any claim referred, or otherwise received by, to the Office of Special Counsel under the demonstration project, any reference to the ‘‘Secretary’’ in sections 4321, 4322, and 4326 of title 38, United States Code, is deemed a reference to the ‘‘Office of Special Counsel’’. (3) In the case of any claim referred to, or otherwise received by, the Office of Special Counsel under the demonstration project, the Office of Special Counsel shall retain administrative jurisdiction over the claim. (e) PERIOD OF PROJECT.—The demonstration project shall be carried out during the period beginning on the date that is 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and ending on September 30, 2007. (f) EVALUATIONS AND REPORT.—(1) The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct periodic evaluations of the dem- onstration project under this section. (2) Not later than April 1, 2007, the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report on the evaluations conducted under paragraph (1). The report shall include the following information and recommendations: (A) A description of the operation and results of the dem- onstration program, including— (i) the number of claims described in subsection (c) referred to, or otherwise received by, the Office of Special Counsel, and the number of such claims referred to the Secretary of Labor; and (ii) for each Federal executive agency, the number of claims resolved, the type of corrective action obtained, the period of time for final resolution of the claim, and the results obtained. (B) An assessment of whether referral to the office of special counsel of claims under the demonstration project— VerDate 11-MAY-2000 13:54 Nov 10, 2005 Jkt 029194 PO 00000 Frm 00141 Fmt 6580 Sfmt 6581 C:\STATUTES\2004\29194PT4.001 APPS10 PsN: 29194PT4
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