---
kind: "section"
citation: "31 U.S.C. § 6712"
title: "31"
title_heading: "Money and Finance"
number: "6712"
heading: "Discrimination proceedings"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/31/6712"
units:
  - "Subtitle V — General Assistance Administration"
  - "Chapter 67 — Federal Payments"
---

# §6712. Discrimination proceedings

- (a) **Notice of Noncompliance.—** By the 10th day after the [Secretary](/usc/31/6401.md?p=6) makes a [finding of discrimination](/usc/31/6720.md?p=a-7) or receives a [holding of discrimination](/usc/31/6720.md?p=a-8) about a [unit of general local government](/usc/31/6501.md?p=10), the [Secretary](/usc/31/6401.md?p=6) shall submit a notice of noncompliance to the government. The notice shall [state](/usc/31/6201.md?p=2) the basis of the finding or holding.
- (b) **Informal Presentation of Evidence.—** A [unit of general local government](/usc/31/6501.md?p=10) may present evidence informally to the [Secretary](/usc/31/6401.md?p=6) within 30 days after the government receives a notice of noncompliance from the [Secretary](/usc/31/6401.md?p=6). Except as provided in [subsection (e)](#e), the government may present evidence on whether—
  - (1) a person in the United States has been excluded or denied benefits of, or discriminated against under, the program or activity of the government, in violation of [section 6711(a)](/usc/31/6711.md?p=a);
  - (2) the program or activity of the government violated a prohibition described in [section 6711(b)](/usc/31/6711.md?p=b); and
  - (3) any part of that program or activity has been paid for with a payment received under this chapter.
- (c) **Temporary Suspension of Payments.—** By the end of the 30-day period under [subsection (b)](#b), the [Secretary](/usc/31/6401.md?p=6) shall decide whether the [unit of general local government](/usc/31/6501.md?p=10) has not complied with [section 6711(a)](/usc/31/6711.md?p=a) or (b), unless the government has entered into a compliance agreement under section 6714. If the [Secretary](/usc/31/6401.md?p=6) decides that the government has not complied, the [Secretary](/usc/31/6401.md?p=6) shall notify the government of the decision and shall suspend payments to the government under this chapter unless, within 10 days after the government receives notice of the decision, the government—
  - (1) enters into a compliance agreement under [section 6714](/usc/31/6714.md); or
  - (2) requests a proceeding under [subsection (d)(1)](#d-1).
- (d) **Administrative Review of Suspensions.—**
  - (1) **Proceeding.—** A proceeding requested under [subsection (c)(2)](#c-2) shall begin by the 30th day after the [Secretary](/usc/31/6401.md?p=6) receives a request for the proceeding. The proceeding shall be before an administrative law judge appointed under [section 3105 of title 5](/usc/5/3105.md), United States Code. By the 30th day after the beginning of the proceeding, the judge shall issue a preliminary decision based on the record at the time on whether the [unit of general local government](/usc/31/6501.md?p=10) is likely to prevail in showing compliance with [section 6711(a)](/usc/31/6711.md?p=a) or (b).
  - (2) **Decision.—** If the administrative law judge decides at the end of a proceeding under [paragraph (1)](#d-1) that the [unit of general local government](/usc/31/6501.md?p=10) has—
    - (A) not complied with [section 6711(a)](/usc/31/6711.md?p=a) or (b), the judge may order payments to the government under this chapter terminated; or
    - (B) complied with [section 6711(a)](/usc/31/6711.md?p=a) or (b), a suspension under [section 6713(a)(1)(A)](/usc/31/6713.md?p=a-1-A) shall be discontinued promptly.
  - (3) **Likelihood of prevailing.—** An administrative law judge may not issue a preliminary decision that the government is not likely to prevail if the judge has issued a decision described in [paragraph (2)(A)](#d-2-A).
- (e) **Basis for Review.—** In a proceeding under subsections [(b)](#b) through [(d)](#d) on a program or activity of a [unit of general local government](/usc/31/6501.md?p=10) about which a [holding of discrimination](/usc/31/6720.md?p=a-8) has been made, the [Secretary](/usc/31/6401.md?p=6) or administrative law judge may consider only whether a payment under this chapter was used to pay for any part of the program or activity. The [holding of discrimination](/usc/31/6720.md?p=a-8) is conclusive. If the holding is reversed by an appellate court, the [Secretary](/usc/31/6401.md?p=6) or judge shall end the proceeding.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 103–322, title III, § 31001(a), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 1875.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 6712, Pub. L. 97–258, Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1021, related to adjustments of local government allocations, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 99–272, title XIV, § 14001(a)(1), (e), Apr. 7, 1986, 100 Stat. 327, 329, eff. Oct. 18, 1986.