2 U.S.C. § 142e — Disbursing Officer of the Library of Con-

Page 68 TITLE 2—THE CONGRESS § 142b and Panama Canal transferred to Division of Disburse- ments, Treasury Department, by Ex. Ord. No. 6166, § 4, June 10, 1933, and Ex. Ord. No. 6728, May 29, 1934. Division subsequently consolidated with other agen- cies into Fiscal Service in Treasury Department by Reorg. Plan No. III of 1940, § 1(a)(1), eff. June 30, 1940, 5 F.R. 2107, 54 Stat. 1231. See section 306 of Title 31, Money and Finance. § 142b. Certifying officers of the Library of Con- gress; accountability; relief by Comptroller General On and after June 13, 1957, each officer and em- ployee of the Library of Congress, including the Copyright Office, who has been duly authorized in writing by the Librarian of Congress to cer- tify vouchers for payment from appropriations and funds, shall (1) be held responsible for the existence and correctness of the facts recited in the certificate or otherwise stated on the vouch- er or its supporting papers and for the legality of the proposed payment under the appropria- tion or fund involved; (2) [Repealed]; (3) be held responsible and accountable for the correctness of the computations of certified vouchers; and (4) be held accountable for and required to make good to the United States the amount of any il- legal, improper, or incorrect payment resulting from any false, inaccurate, or misleading certifi- cate made by him, as well as for any payment prohibited by law or which did not represent a legal obligation under the appropriation or fund involved: Provided, That the Comptroller Gen- eral of the United States may, at his discretion, relieve such certifying officer or employee of li- ability for any payment otherwise proper when- ever he finds (1) that the certification was based on official records and that such certifying offi- cer or employee did not know, and by reasonable diligence and inquiry could not have ascertained, the actual facts, or (2) that the ob- ligation was incurred in good faith, that the payment was not contrary to any statutory pro- vision specifically prohibiting payments of the character involved, and the United States has received value for such payment: Provided fur- ther, That the Comptroller General shall relieve such certifying officer or employee of liability for an overpayment for transportation services made to any common carrier covered by section 3726 of title 31, whenever he finds that the over- payment occurred solely because the adminis- trative examination made prior to payment of the transportation bill did not include a verification of transportation rates, freight clas- sifications, or land grant deductions. (Pub. L. 85–53, § 1, June 13, 1957, 71 Stat. 81; Pub. L. 92–310, title II, § 220(k), June 6, 1972, 86 Stat. 205.) Editorial Notes CODIFICATION ‘‘Section 3726 of title 31’’ substituted in text for ‘‘title III, part II, section 322, of the Transportation Act of 1940, approved September 18, 1940 [31 U.S.C. 244]’’ on au- thority of Pub. L. 97–258, § 4(b), Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1067, the first section of which enacted Title 31, Money and Finance. AMENDMENTS 1972—Pub. L. 92–310 struck out provisions which re- quired officers and employees of Library who are au- thorized to certify vouchers for payment to give a bond. § 142c. Enforcement of liability of certifying offi- cers of Library of Congress The liability of these certifying officers or em- ployees shall be enforced in the same manner and to the same extent as now provided by law with respect to enforcement of the liability of disbursing and other accountable officers; and they shall have the right to apply for and obtain a decision by the Comptroller General on any question of law involved in a payment on any vouchers presented to them for certification. (Pub. L. 85–53, § 2, June 13, 1957, 71 Stat. 81.) § 142d. Disbursing officer of the Library of Con- gress; disbursements in accordance with voucher; examination of vouchers; liability The disbursing officer of the Library of Con- gress shall (1) disburse moneys of the Library of Congress only upon, and in strict accordance with, vouchers duly certified by the Librarian of Congress or by an officer or employee of the Li- brary of Congress duly authorized in writing by the Librarian to certify such vouchers; (2) make such examination of vouchers as may be nec- essary to ascertain whether they are in proper form, and duly certified and approved; and (3) be held accountable accordingly: Provided, That the disbursing officer shall not be held accountable or responsible for any illegal, improper, or in- correct payment resulting from any false, inac- curate, or misleading certificate, the responsi- bility for which, under section 142b of this title, is imposed upon a certifying officer or employee of the Library of Congress. (Pub. L. 85–53, § 3, June 13, 1957, 71 Stat. 81.) § 142e. Disbursing Officer of the Library of Con- gress; disbursements for Congressional Budget Office, accountability; financial man- agement support to Congressional Budget Office under agreement of Librarian of Con- gress and Director of Congressional Budget Office; Congressional Budget Office certi- fying officers: voucher certifications, ac- countability, relief by Comptroller General From and after January 1, 1976, the Disbursing Officer of the Library of Congress is authorized to disburse funds appropriated for the Congres- sional Budget Office, and the Library of Con- gress shall provide financial management sup- port to the Congressional Budget Office as may be required and mutually agreed to by the Li- brarian of Congress and the Director of the Con- gressional Budget Office. The Library of Con- gress is further authorized to compute and dis- burse the basic pay of all personnel of the Con- gressional Budget Office pursuant to the provi- sions of section 5504 of title 5, except the Direc- tor, who as head of an agency, shall have pay computed and disbursed pursuant to the provi- sions of section 5505 of title 5. All vouchers certified for payment by duly au- thorized certifying officers of the Library of Congress shall be supported with a certification by an officer or employee of the Congressional Budget Office duly authorized in writing by the Page 69 TITLE 2—THE CONGRESS § 142f 1 So in original. The word ‘‘of’’ probably should not appear. Director of the Congressional Budget Office to certify payments from appropriations of the Congressional Budget Office. The Congressional Budget Office certifying officers shall (1) be held responsible for the existence and correctness of the facts recited in the certificate or otherwise stated on the voucher or its supporting paper and the legality of the proposed payment under the appropriation or fund involved, (2) be held responsible and accountable for the correctness of the computations of certifications made, and (3) be held accountable for and required to make good to the United States the amount of any il- legal, improper, or incorrect payment resulting from any false, inaccurate, or misleading certifi- cate made by him, as well as for any payment prohibited by law which did not represent a legal obligation under the appropriation or fund involved: Provided, That the Comptroller Gen- eral of the United States may, at his discretion, relieve such certifying officer or employee of li- ability for any payment otherwise proper when- ever he finds (1) that the certification was based on official records and that such certifying offi- cer or employee did not know, and by reasonable diligence and inquiry could not have ascertained the actual facts, or (2) that the obligation was incurred in good faith, that the payment was not contrary to any statutory provision specifi- cally prohibiting payments of the character in- volved, and the United States has received value for such payment: Provided further, That the Comptroller General shall relieve such certi- fying officer or employee of liability for an over- payment for transportation services made to any common carrier covered by section 3726 of title 31, whenever he finds that the overpayment occurred solely because the administrative ex- amination made prior to payment of the trans- portation bill did not include a verification of transportation rates, freight classifications, or land grant deductions. The Disbursing Officer of the Library of Con- gress shall not be held accountable or respon- sible for any illegal, improper, or incorrect pay- ment resulting from any false, inaccurate, or misleading certificate, the responsibility for which is imposed upon a certifying officer or employee of the Congressional Budget Office. (Pub. L. 96–536, § 101(c), Dec. 16, 1980, 94 Stat. 3167.) Editorial Notes CODIFICATION In the second par., ‘‘section 3726 of title 31’’ sub- stituted for ‘‘section 244 of title 31’’ on authority of Pub. L. 97–258, § 4(b), Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1067, the first section of which enacted Title 31, Money and Fi- nance. Section is based on section 207 of title II of H.R. 7593, as passed the House of Representatives on July 21, 1980, and incorporated by reference in section 101(c) of Pub. L. 96–536, to be effective as if enacted into law. PRIOR PROVISIONS Provisions similar to those in this section were con- tained in the following prior appropriation acts: Pub. L. 96–86, § 101(c) [H.R. 4390, title II, § 207], Oct. 12, 1979, 93 Stat. 657. Pub. L. 95–391, title II, § 207, Sept. 30, 1978, 92 Stat. 786. Pub. L. 95–94, title II, § 207, Aug. 5, 1977, 91 Stat. 678. Pub. L. 94–440, title VIII, § 808, Oct. 1, 1976, 90 Stat. 1458. Pub. L. 94–157, title I, ch. IV, Dec. 18, 1975, 89 Stat. 835. § 142f. Office of Technology Assessment; dis- bursement of funds, computation and dis- bursement of basic pay, and provision of fi- nancial management support by Library of Congress From and after October 1, 1981, the Disbursing Officer of the Library of Congress is authorized to disburse funds appropriated for the Office of Technology Assessment, and the Library of Con- gress shall provide financial management sup- port to the Office of Technology Assessment as may be required and mutually agreed to by the Librarian of Congress and the Director of the Of- fice of Technology Assessment. The Library of Congress is further authorized to compute and disburse the basic pay of all personnel of the Of- fice of Technology Assessment pursuant to the provisions of section 5504 of title 5. All vouchers certified for payment by duly au- thorized certifying officers of the Library of Congress shall be supported with a certification by an officer or employee of the Office of Tech- nology Assessment duly authorized in writing by the Director of the Office of Technology As- sessment to certify payments from appropria- tions of the Office of Technology Assessment. The Office of Technology Assessment certifying officers shall (1) be held responsible for the ex- istence and correctness of the facts recited in the certificate or otherwise stated on the vouch- er or its supporting paper and the legality of the proposed payment under the appropriation or fund involved, (2) be held responsible and ac- countable for the correctness of the computa- tions of certifications made, and (3) be held ac- countable for and required to make good to the United States the amount of any illegal, im- proper, or incorrect payment resulting from any false, inaccurate, or misleading certificate made by him, as well as for any payment prohibited by law which did not represent a legal obliga- tion under the appropriation or fund involved: Provided, That the Comptroller General of the United States may, at his discretion, relieve such certifying officer or employee of liability for any payment otherwise proper whenever he finds (1) that the certification was based on offi- cial records and that such certifying officer or employee did not know, and by reasonable dili- gence and inquiry could not have ascertained the actual facts, or (2) that the obligation was incurred in good faith, that the payment was not contrary to any statutory provision specifi- cally prohibiting payments of the character in- volved, and the United States has received value for such payment: Provided further, That the Comptroller General shall relieve such certi- fying officer or employee of liability for an over- payment for transportation services made to any common carrier covered by section 3726 of title 31, whenever he finds that the overpayment occurred solely because of 1 the administrative examination made prior to payment of the transportation bill did not include a verification