---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 7516"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "7516"
heading: "Settlement and adjustment of claims"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/7516"
units:
  - "Chapter 102 — Emergency Food Assistance"
---

# §7516. Settlement and adjustment of claims

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) or a designee of the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) shall have the authority to—
  - (1) determine the amount of, settle, and adjust any claim arising under this chapter; and
  - (2) waive such a claim if the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) determines that to do so will serve the purposes of this chapter.
- (b) **Litigation—** Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to diminish the authority of the Attorney General of the United States under [section 516 of title 28](/usc/28/516.md) to conduct litigation on behalf of the United States.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 98–8, title II, § 215, as added Pub. L. 102–237, title IX, § 922(b), Dec. 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 1888.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective and to be implemented no later than Feb. 1, 1992, see section 1101(d)(1) of Pub. L. 102–237, set out as an Effective Date of 1991 Amendment note under section 1421 of this title.