§ 55. — Civil actions.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 41USC55]
TITLE 41--PUBLIC CONTRACTS
CHAPTER 1--GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 55. Civil actions
(a)(1) The United States may, in a civil action, recover a civil
penalty from any person who knowingly engages in conduct prohibited by
section 53 of this title. The amount of such civil penalty shall be--
(A) twice the amount of each kickback involved in the violation;
and
(B) not more than $10,000 for each occurrence of prohibited
conduct.
(2) The United States may, in a civil action, recover a civil
penalty from any person whose employee, subcontractor or subcontractor
employee violates section 53 of this title by providing, accepting, or
charging a kickback. The amount of such civil penalty shall be the
amount of that kickback.
(b) A civil action under this section shall be barred unless the
action is commenced within 6 years after the later of (1) the date on
which the prohibited conduct establishing the cause of action occurred,
and (2) the date on which the United States first knew or should
reasonably have known that the prohibited conduct had occurred.
(Mar. 8, 1946, ch. 80, Sec. 5, as added Pub. L. 99-634, Sec. 2(a), Nov.
7, 1986, 100 Stat. 3524.)
Effective Date
Section effective with respect to conduct described in section 53 of
this title which occurs on or after Nov. 7, 1986, see section 3(a) of
Pub. L. 99-634, set out as an Effective Date of 1986 Amendment note
under section 51 of this title.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in sections 51, 52 of this title.
