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31 U.S.C. § 3527 — General authority to relieve accountable officials and agents from liability
Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a)** Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, the Comptroller General may relieve a present or former accountable official or agent of an agency responsible for the physical loss or deficiency of public money, vouchers, checks, securities, or records, or may authorize reimbursement from an appropriation or fund available for the activity in which the loss or deficiency occurred for the amount of the loss or deficiency paid by the official or agent as restitution, when—
(1) the head of the agency decides that—
(A) the official or agent was carrying out official duties when the loss or deficiency occurred, or the loss or deficiency occurred because of an act or failure to act by a subordinate of the official or agent; and
(B) the loss or deficiency was not the result of fault or negligence by the official or agent;
(2) the loss or deficiency was not the result of an illegal or incorrect payment; and
(3) the Comptroller General agrees with the decision of the head of the agency.
**(b)**
(1) The Comptroller General shall relieve an official of the armed forces referred to in subsection (a) responsible for the physical loss or deficiency of public money, vouchers, or records, or a payment described in [section 3528(a)(4)(A) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title31-section3528/a/4/A&num=0&edition=prelim), or shall authorize reimbursement, from an appropriation or fund available for reimbursement, of the amount of the loss or deficiency paid by or for the official as restitution, when—
(A) in the case of a physical loss or deficiency—
(i) the Secretary of Defense or the appropriate Secretary of the military department of the Department of Defense (or the Secretary of Homeland Security, in the case of
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Source file: Laws/federal/codes/united-states-code/title-31/section-3527-general-authority-to-relieve-accountable-officials-and-agents-from-liabi--0b77da87c8.md
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Source location: Title 31, Chapter 35, § 3527; chapter-035-accounting-and-collection.md
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**(a)** Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, the Comptroller General may relieve a present or former accountable official or agent of an agency responsible for the physical loss or deficiency of public money, vouchers, checks, securities, or records, or may authorize reimbursement from an appropriation or fund available for the activity in which the loss or deficiency occurred for the amount of the loss or deficiency paid by the official or agent as restitution, when—
(1) the head of the agency decides that—
(A) the official or agent was carrying out official duties when the loss or deficiency occurred, or the loss or deficiency occurred because of an act or failure to act by a subordinate of the official or agent; and
(B) the loss or deficiency was not the result of fault or negligence by the official or agent;
(2) the loss or deficiency was not the result of an illegal or incorrect payment; and
(3) the Comptroller General agrees with the decision of the head of the agency.
**(b)**
(1) The Comptroller General shall relieve an official of the armed forces referred to in subsection (a) responsible for the physical loss or deficiency of public money, vouchers, or records, or a payment described in [section 3528(a)(4)(A) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title31-section3528/a/4/A&num=0&edition=prelim), or shall authorize reimbursement, from an appropriation or fund available for reimbursement, of the amount of the loss or deficiency paid by or for the official as restitution, when—
(A) in the case of a physical loss or deficiency—
(i) the Secretary of Defense or the appropriate Secretary of the military department of the Department of Defense (or the Secretary of Homeland Security, in the case of a disbursing official of the Coast Guard when the Coast Guard is not operating as a service in the Navy) decides that the official was carrying out official duties when the loss or deficiency occurred;
(ii) the loss or deficiency was not the result of an illegal or incorrect payment; and
(iii) the loss or deficiency was not the result of fault or negligence by the official; or
(B) in the case of a payment described in [section 3528(a)(4)(A) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title31-section3528/a/4/A&num=0&edition=prelim), the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of the appropriate military department (or the Secretary of Homeland Security, in the case of a disbursing official of the Coast Guard when the Coast Guard is not operating as a service in the Navy), after taking a diligent collection action, finds that the criteria of [section 3528(b)(1) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title31-section3528/b/1&num=0&edition=prelim) are satisfied.
(2) The finding of the Secretary involved is conclusive on the Comptroller General.
**(c)** On the initiative of the Comptroller General or written recommendation of the head of an agency, the Comptroller General may relieve a present or former disbursing official of the agency responsible for a deficiency in an account because of an illegal, improper, or incorrect payment, and credit the account for the deficiency, when the Comptroller General decides that the payment was not the result of bad faith or lack of reasonable care by the official. However, the Comptroller General may deny relief when the Comptroller General decides the head of the agency did not carry out diligently collection action under procedures prescribed by the Comptroller General.
**(d)**
(1) When the Comptroller General decides it is necessary to adjust the account of an official or agent granted relief under subsection (a) or (c) of this section, the amount of the relief shall be charged—
(A) to an appropriation specifically provided to be charged; or
(B) if no specific appropriation, to the appropriation or fund available for the expense of the accountable function when the adjustment is carried out.
(2) Subsection (c) of this section does not—
(A) affect the liability, or authorize the relief, of a payee, beneficiary, or recipient of an illegal, improper, or incorrect payment; or
(B) relieve an accountable official, the head of an agency, or the Comptroller General of responsibility in carrying out collection action against a payee, beneficiary, or recipient.
**(e)** Relief provided under this section is in addition to relief provided under another law.
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a) In General.—** Except to the extent provided otherwise by law, the activities of the Department of Justice (including any bureau, office, board, division, commission, subdivision, unit, or other component thereof) may, in the reasonable discretion of the Attorney General, be carried out through any means, including—
(1) through the Department’s own personnel, acting within, from, or through the Department itself;
(2) by sending or receiving details of personnel to other branches or agencies of the Federal Government, on a reimbursable, partially-reimbursable, or nonreimbursable basis;
(3) through reimbursable agreements with other Federal agencies for work, materials, or equipment;
(4) through contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements with non-Federal parties; and
(5) as provided in subsection (b), in section 524, and in any other provision of law consistent herewith, including, without limitation, section 102(b) of Public Law 102–395 (106 Stat. 1838), as incorporated by section 815(d) of Public Law 104–132 (110 Stat. 1315).
**(b) Permitted Uses.—**
(1) **General permitted uses.—** — Funds available to the Attorney General (i.e., all funds available to carry out the activities described in subsection (a)) may be used, without limitation, for the following:
(A) The purchase, lease, maintenance, and operation of passenger motor vehicles, or police-type motor vehicles for law enforcement purposes, without regard to general purchase price limitation for the then-current fiscal year.
(B) The purchase of insurance for motor vehicles, boats, and aircraft operated in official Government business in foreign countries.
(C) Services of experts and consultants, including private counsel, as authorized by [section 3109 of title 5](https://uscode.house.gov/vi
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 28 U.S.C. § 530C
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a)**
(1) The Secretary of the Treasury is not liable for a payment made by the Secretary or depositary in due course and without negligence, of—
(A) a check, draft, or warrant drawn on the Treasury or the depositary;
(B) an electronic payment issued by the Treasury or the depositary; and
(C) a debt obligation guaranteed or assumed by the United States Government.
(2) The Comptroller General shall credit the accounts of the Treasury or the depositary for the payment.
(3) The amount of the relief and the amount of any relief granted to an official or agent of the Department of the Treasury under [31 U.S.C. 3527](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title31-section3527&num=0&edition=prelim), shall be charged to the Check Forgery Insurance Fund ([31 U.S.C. 3343](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title31-section3343&num=0&edition=prelim)). A recovery or repayment of a loss for which replacement is made out of the fund shall be credited to the fund and is available for the purposes for which the fund was established.
**(b)** This section does not relieve another individual from civil or criminal liability for a check, draft, warrant, or debt obligation of the Government.
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 31 U.S.C. § 3333
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a)** The pay of an officer of an armed force may be withheld, under [section 5512 of title 5](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title5-section5512&num=0&edition=prelim), only for an indebtedness to the United States admitted by the officer or shown by the judgment of a court, or upon a special order issued in the discretion of the Secretary of Defense (or the Secretary of Homeland Security, in the case of an officer of the Coast Guard when the Coast Guard is not operating as a service in the Navy), or upon the denial of relief of an officer pursuant to [section 3527 of title 31](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title31-section3527&num=0&edition=prelim).
**(b)** An amount due to the United States from an enlisted member of the Army, the Air Force, or the Space Force for articles sold to the member on credit under section 4621(a)(1) or 9621(a)(1) of title 10, as the case may be, shall be deducted from the next pay due the member after the sale is reported.
**(c)**
(1) Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned, an amount that a member of the uniformed services is administratively determined to owe the United States or any of its instrumentalities may be deducted from the member’s pay in monthly installments.
(2) After the deduction of pay forfeited by the sentence of a court-martial, if any, or otherwise authorized by law to be withheld, the deductions authorized by this section may not reduce the pay actually received by a member of the uniformed services for any month to less than one-third of the member’s pay for that month.
(3)
(A) If the indebtedness of a member of the uniformed services to the United States is due to the overpayment of pay or allowances to the member through no fault of t
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
Page 285
TITLE 31—MONEY AND FINANCE
§ 3527
Comptroller General when the President de-
cides the amount expended may be made pub-
lic; or
(2) make, or have the Secretary of State
make, a certificate of the amount expended if
the President decides the amount is not to be
accounted for specifically. The certificate is a
sufficient voucher for the amount stated in
the certificate.
(f) The Comptroller General shall keep all set-
tled accounts, vouchers, certificates, and related
papers until they are disposed of as prescribed
by law.
(g) This subchapter does not prohibit the
Comptroller General from suspending an item in
an account to get additional evidence or expla-
nations needed to settle an account.
(Pub. L. 97–258, Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 964.)
HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES
Revised
Section
Source (U.S. Code)
Source (Statutes at Large)
3526(a) .....
31:44(1st sentence).
June 10, 1921, ch. 18, § 304(1st
par.), 42 Stat. 24.
31:71(related to ac-
counts).
R.S. § 236(related to accounts);
restated June 10, 1921, ch.
18, § 305, 42 Stat. 24.
31:538.
June 5, 1920, ch. 240(3d par.
under heading ‘‘Advances to
Disbursing
Officers’’),
41
Stat. 975.
31:541.
June 19, 1878, ch. 312, § 3, 20
Stat. 168.
3526(b) .....
31:44(1st sentence).
31:74(last par. words
after 4th comma).
July 31, 1894, ch. 174, § 8(1st
par. less proviso, 3d par. 1st
sentence words after semi-
colon, 4th par., 6th par.
words after 4th comma), 28
Stat. 207, 208; Oct. 25, 1951,
ch. 562, § 3(1), 65 Stat. 639.
3526(c) .....
31:82i.
May 19, 1947, ch. 78, 61 Stat.
101; June 6, 1972, Pub. L.
92–310, § 231(ee), 86 Stat. 213.
3526(d) .....
31:44.
31:74(1st par. 1st
sentence).
3526(e) .....
31:44(1st sentence).
31:107.
R.S. § 291.
3526(f) .....
31:44(1st sentence).
31:74
Source: Supplied 2024 U.S. Code historical extraction · 31 U.S.C. § 3527
Stored review status: historical_2024_not_currentness_verified. Same stored citation; legal effect and authority still require review.