to the district court of the United States for the district in which the party complaint against is located. Such appeal shall be perfected by the filing of a notice thereof together with a petition in duplicate which shall recite prior proceedings before the Secretary, and shall state the grounds upon which petitioner relies to defeat the right of the adverse party to recover the damages claimed, with the clerk of said court with proof of service thereof upon the adverse party, together with a bond in double the amount of the reparation award conditioned upon the payment of the judgment entered by the court plus interest and costs, including a reasonable attorney's fee for the appellee, if the appellee shall prevail. The clerk of court shall immediately forward a copy thereof to the Secretary of Agriculture, who shall forthwith prepare, certify, and file in said court a true copy of the Secretary's decision, findings of fact, conclusions, and order in said case, together with copies of the pleadings upon which the case was heard and submitted to the Secretary. Such suit in the district court shall be a trial de novo and shall proceed in all respects like other civil suits for damages, except that the findings of fact and order or orders of the Secretary shall be prima-facie evidence of the facts therein stated. Appellee shall not be liable for costs in said court if appellee prevails he shall be allowed a reasonable attorney's fee to be taxed and collected as a part of his costs. Such petition and pleadings certified by the Secretary upon which decision was made by him shall upon filing in the district court constitute the pleadings upon which said trial de novo shall proceed subject to any amendment allowed in that court; (d) Suspension of license for failure to obey reparation order or appeal. Unless the licensee against whom a reparation order has been issued shows to the satisfaction of the Secretary within five days from the expiration of the period allowed for compliance with such order that he has either taken an appeal as herein authorized or has made payment in full as required by such order his license shall be suspended automatically at the expiration of such five-day period until he shows to the satisfaction of the Secretary that he has paid the amount therein specified with interest thereon to date of payment: Provided, That if on the appeal the appellee prevails or if the appeal is dismissed the automatic suspension of license shall become effective at the expiration of ten days from the date of the judgment on the appeal unless prior thereto the judgment of the court has been satisfied. (June 10, 1930, ch. 436, § 7, 46 Stat. 534; Apr. 13, 1934, ch. 120, §§ 11-13, 48 Stat. 587, 588; June 19, 1936, ch. 602, § 3, 49 Stat. 1534; Aug. 20, 1937, ch. 719, § 10, 50 Stat. 728; June 23, 1938, ch. 599, 52 Stat. 953; May 14, 1940, ch. 196, 54 Stat. 214.) CROSS REFERENCE Delegation of regulatory functions of Secretary of Agriculture, see section 516a et seq. of Title 5, Executive Departments and Government Officers and Employees. § 499h. Grounds for suspension or revocation of license-(a) Authority of Secretary. Whenever (a) the Secretary determines, as provided in section 499f of this title, that any commis sion merchant, dealer, or broker has violated any of the provisions of section 499b of this title, or (b) any commission merchant, dealer, or broker has been found guilty in a Federal court of having violated section 499n (b) of this title, the Secretary may publish the facts and circumstances of such violation and/or, by order, suspend the license of such offender for a period not to exceed ninety days, except that, if the violation is flagrant or repeated, the Secretary may, by order, revoke the license of the offender; (b) Unlawful employment of former licensee; bond.-The Secretary may, after thirty days' notice and an opportunty for a hearing, revoke the license of any commission merchant, dealer, or broker who, after the date given in such notice, continues to employ in any responsible position any individual whose license was revoked or who was responsibly connected with any firm, partnership, association, or corporation whose license has been revoked. Employment of such individual by a licensee in any responsible position after one year following the revocation of any such license shall be conditioned upon the filing by the employing licensee of a bond, in such reasonable sums as may be fixed by the Secretary, or other assurance satisfactory to the Secretary that its business will be conducted in accordance with the provisions of this chapter; (c) Fraud in procurement.-If, after a license shall have been issued to an applicant, the Secretary believes that the license was obtained through a false or misleading statement in the application therefor or through a misrepresentation, concealment, or withholding of facts respecting any violation of the chapter by any officer, agent, or employee, he may, after thirty days' notice and an opportunity for a hearing,. revoke said license, whereupon no license shall be issued to said applicant or any applicant in which the person responsible for such false or misleading statement or misrepresentation, concealment, or withholding of facts is financially interested, except under the conditions set forth in section 499d (b) of this title. (d) Injunction.--In addition to being subject to the penalties provided by section 499c (a) of this title, any commission merchant, dealer, or broker who engages in or operates such business without a valid and effective license from the Secretary shall be liable to be proceeded against in any court of competent jurisdiction in a suit by the United States for an injunction to restrain such defendant from further continuing so to engage in or operate such business, and, if the court shall find that the defendant is continuing to engage in such business without a valid and effective license, the court shall issue an injunction to restrain such defendant from continuing to engage in or to operate such business without such license. (June 10, 1930, ch. 436, § 8, 46 Stat. 535; Apr. 13, 1934, ch. 120, § 14, 48 Stat. 588; Aug. 20, 1937, ch. 719, § 11, 50 Stat. 730.) CROSS REFERENCE Delegation of regulatory functions of Secretary of Agriculture, see section 516a et seq. of Title 5, Executive Departments and Government Officers and Employees. 84991. Accounts, records, and memoranda; duty of licensees to keep; contents; suspension of license for violation of duty.Every commission merchant, dealer, and broker shall keep such accounts, records, and memoranda as fully and correctly disclose all transactions involved in his business, including the true ownership of such business by stockholding or otherwise. If such accounts, records, and memoranda are not so kept, the Secretary may publish the facts and circumstances and/or, by order, suspend the license of the offender for a period not to exceed ninety days. (June 10, 1930, ch. 436; § 9, 46 Stat. 535.) § 499j. Orders; when in effect; continuance in force; suspension, modification and setting aside; penalty. Any order of the Secretary under this chapter other than an order for the payment of money shall take effect within such reasonable time, not less than ten days, as is prescribed in the order, and shall continue in force until his further order, or for a specified period of time, accordingly as it is prescribed in the order, unless such order is suspended, modified, or set aside by the Secretary or is suspended, modified, or set aside by a court of competent jurisdiction. Any such order of the Secretary, if regularly made, shall be final, unless before the date prescribed for its taking effect application is made to a court of competent jurisdiction by the commission merchant, dealer, or broker against whom such order is directed to have such order set aside or its enforcement, operation, or execution suspended or restrained. (June 10, 1930, ch. 436, § 10, 46 Stat. 535.) CROSS REFERENCE Delegation of regulatory functions of Secretary of Agriculture, see section 516a et seq. of Title 5, Executive Departments and Government Officers and Employees. § 499k. Injunctions; application of injunction laws governing orders of Interstate Commerce Commission.-For the purposes of this chapter the provisions of all laws relating to the suspending or restraining of the enforcement, operation, or execution, or the setting-aside, in whole or in part, of the orders of the Interstate Commerce Commission are made applicable to orders of the Secretary under this chapter and to any person subject to the provisions of this chapter. (June 10, 1930, ch. 436, § 11, 46 Stat. 535.) § 4991. Violation of provisions of chapter; report to Attorney General; proceedings in Federal courts.-The Secretary may report any violation of this chapter for which a civil penalty is provided to the Attorney General of the United States, who shall cause appropriate proceedings to be commenced and prosecuted in the proper courts of the United States without delay. The costs and expenses of such proceedings shall be paid out of the appropriation for the expenses of the courts of the United States. (June 10, 1930, ch. 436, § 12, 46 Stat. 536.) § 499m. Investigation of complaints; procedure, penalties, etc. -(a) Investigation of complaints by Secretary of Agriculture; inspection of accounts, records, and memoranda; penalty for refusing inspection.-In the investigation of complaints under this chapter, the Secretary or his duly authorized agents shall have the right to inspect such accounts, records, and memoranda of any commission merchant, dealer, or broker as may be material for the determination of any such complaint. If any such commission merchant, dealer, or broker refuses to permit such inspection, the Secretary may publish the facts and circumstances and/or, by order, suspend the license of the offender until permission to make such inspection is given. (b) Hearings; subpoenas; oaths; witnesses; evidence.--The Secretary, or any officer or employee designated by him for such purpose, may hold hearings, sign and issue subpoenas, administer oaths, examine witnesses, receive evidence, and require by subpœna the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of such accounts, records, and memoranda as may be material for the determination of any complaint under this chapter. (c) Disobedience to subpœnas; remedy; contempt.-In case of disobedience to a subpoena, the Secretary or any of his examiners may invoke the aid of any court of the United States in requiring the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of accounts, records, and memoranda. Any district court of the United States within the jurisdiction of which any hearing is carried on may, in case of contumacy or refusal to obey a subpoena issued to any person, issue an order requiring the person to appear before the Secretary or his examiner or to produce accounts, records, and memoranda if so ordered, or to give evidence touching any matter pertinent to any complaint; and any failure to obey such order of the court shall be punished by the court as a contempt thereof. (d) Depositions; production of accounts, records and memoranda. The Secretary may order testimony to be taken by deposition in any proceeding or investigation or incident to any complaint pending under this chapter at any stage thereof. Such depositions may be taken before any person designated by the Secretary and having power to administer oaths. Such testimony shall be reduced to writing by the person taking the deposition or under his direction and shall then be subscribed by the deponent. Any person may be compelled to appear and depose and to produce accounts, records, and memoranda in the same manner as witnesses may be compelled to appear and testify and produce accounts, records, and memoranda before the Secretary or any of his examiners. (e) Fees and mileage of witnesses.-Witnesses summoned before the Secretary or any officer or employee designated by him shall be paid the same fees and mileage that are paid witnesses in the courts of the United States, and witnesses whose depositions are taken and the persons taking the same shall severally be entitled to the same fees as are paid for like service in the courts of the United States. (f) Incriminating nature of evidence as excuse for failure of witness to testify or produce.-No person shall be excused from attending, testifying, answering any lawful inquiry, or deposing or from producing any documentary evidence, before the Secretary or any officer or employee designated by him, in obedience to the subpoena of the Secretary or any such officer or employee, in any cause or proceeding, based upon or growing out of any alleged violation of this chapter, or upon the taking of any deposition herein provided for, upon the ground or for the reason that the testimony or evidence, documentary or otherwise, required of him may tend to incriminate him or subject him to a penalty or forfeiture. But no natural person shall be prosecuted or subjected to any penalty or forfeiture for or on account of any transaction, matter, or thing, concerning which he is compelled under oath so to testify, or produce evidence, documentary or otherwise, before the Secretary or any officer or employee designated by him, in obedience to the subpoena of the Secretary, or any such officer or employee, or upon the taking of any such deposition, or in any such cause or proceeding: Provided, That no person so testifying shall be exempt from prosecution and punishment for perjury committed in so testifying. (June 10, 1930, ch. 436, § 13, 46 Stat. 536.) § 499n. Inspection of perishable agricultural commodities; employment of inspectors; fees for and expenses of inspection; travel and subsistence of inspectors; certificates of inspectors as evidence; issuance of fraudulent certificates; penalty.-(a) The Secretary is hereby authorized, independently and in cooperation with other branches of the Government, State, or municipal agencies and/or any person, whether operating in one or more jurisdictions, to employ and/or license inspectors to inspect and certify, without regard to the filing of a complaint under this chapter, to any interested person the class, quality, and/or condition of any lot of any perishable agricultural commodity when offered for interstate or foreign shipment or when received at places where the Secretary shall find it practicable to provide such service, under such rules and regulations as he may prescribe, including the payment of such fees and expenses as will be reasonable and as nearly as may be to cover the cost for the service rendered: Provided, That fees for inspections made by a licensed inspector, less the percentage thereof which he is allowed by the terms of his contract of employment with the Secretary as compensation for his services, shall be deposited into the Treasury of the United States as miscellaneous receipts; and fees for inspections made by an inspector acting under a cooperative agreement with a State, municipality, or other person shall be disposed of in accordance with the terms of such agreement: Provided further, That expenses for travel and subsistence incurred by inspectors shall be paid by the applicant for inspection to the United States Department of Agriculture to be credited to the appropriation for carrying out the purposes of this chapter: And provided further, That official inspection certificates for fresh fruits and vegetables issued by the Secretary of Agriculture pursuant to any law shall be received by all officers and all courts of the United States, in all proceedings under this chapter, and in all transactions upon contract markets under sections 1-17 (a) of this title as primafacie evidence of the truth of the statements therein contained; (b) Whoever shall falsely make, issue, alter, forge, or counterfeit, or cause or procure to be falsely made, issued, altered, forged, or counterfeited, or willingly aid, cause, procure or assist in, or be |