TITLE 31 - US CODE - SUBCHAPTER II - APPORTIONMENT

31 USC 1511 - Definition and application

(a) In this subchapter, appropriations means

(1) appropriated amounts;

(2) funds; and

(3) authority to make obligations by contract before appropriations.

(b) This subchapter does not apply to

(1) amounts (except amounts for administrative expenses) available

(A) for price support and surplus removal of agricultural commodities; and

(B) under section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935 (7 U.S.C. 612c);

(2) a corporation getting amounts to make loans (except paid in capital amounts) without legal liability on the part of the United States Government; and

(3) the Senate, the House of Representatives, a committee of Congress, a member, officer, employee, or office of either House of Congress, or the Office of the Architect of the Capitol or an officer or employee of that Office.

31 USC 1512 - Apportionment and reserves

(a) Except as provided in this subchapter, an appropriation available for obligation for a definite period shall be apportioned to prevent obligation or expenditure at a rate that would indicate a necessity for a deficiency or supplemental appropriation for the period. An appropriation for an indefinite period and authority to make obligations by contract before appropriations shall be apportioned to achieve the most effective and economical use. An apportionment may be reapportioned under this section.

(b)

(1) An appropriation subject to apportionment is apportioned by

(A) months, calendar quarters, operating seasons, or other time periods;

(B) activities, functions, projects, or objects; or

(2) The official designated in section 1513 of this title to make apportionments shall apportion an appropriation under paragraph (1) of this subsection as the official considers appropriate. Except as specified by the official, an amount apportioned is available for obligation under the terms of the appropriation on a cumulative basis unless reapportioned.

(c)

(1) In apportioning or reapportioning an appropriation, a reserve may be established only

(A) to provide for contingencies;

(B) to achieve savings made possible by or through changes in requirements or greater efficiency of operations; or

(2) A reserve established under this subsection may be changed as necessary to carry out the scope and objectives of the appropriation concerned. When an official designated in section 1513 of this title to make apportionments decides that an amount reserved will not be required to carry out the objectives and scope of the appropriation concerned, the official shall recommend the rescission of the amount in the way provided in chapter 11 of this title for appropriation requests. Reserves established under this section shall be reported to Congress as provided in the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 681 et seq.).

(d) An apportionment or a reapportionment shall be reviewed at least 4 times a year by the official designated in section 1513 of this title to make apportionments.

31 USC 1513 - Officials controlling apportionments

(a) The official having administrative control of an appropriation available to the legislative branch, the judicial branch, the United States International Trade Commission, or the District of Columbia government that is required to be apportioned under section 1512 of this title shall apportion the appropriation in writing. An appropriation shall be apportioned not later than the later of the following:

(1) 30 days before the beginning of the fiscal year for which the appropriation is available; or

(2) 30 days after the date of enactment of the law by which the appropriation is made available.

(b)

(1) The President shall apportion in writing an appropriation available to an executive agency (except the Commission) that is required to be apportioned under section 1512 of this title. The head of each executive agency to which the appropriation is available shall submit to the President information required for the apportionment in the form and the way and at the time specified by the President. The information shall be submitted not later than the later of the following:

(A) 40 days before the beginning of the fiscal year for which the appropriation is available; or

(B) 15 days after the date of enactment of the law by which the appropriation is made available.

(2) The President shall notify the head of the executive agency of the action taken in apportioning the appropriation under paragraph (1) of this subsection not later than the later of the following:

(A) 20 days before the beginning of the fiscal year for which the appropriation is available; or

(B) 30 days after the date of enactment of the law by which the appropriation is made available.

(c) By the first day of each fiscal year, the head of each executive department of the United States Government shall apportion among the major organizational units of the department the maximum amount to be expended by each unit during the fiscal year out of each contingent fund appropriated for the entire year for the department. Each amount may be changed during the fiscal year only by written direction of the head of the department. The direction shall state the reasons for the change.

(d) An appropriation apportioned under this subchapter may be divided and subdivided administratively within the limits of the apportionment.

(e) This section does not affect the initiation and operation of agricultural price support programs.

31 USC 1514 - Administrative division of apportionments

(a) The official having administrative control of an appropriation available to the legislative branch, the judicial branch, the United States International Trade Commission, or the District of Columbia government, and, subject to the approval of the President, the head of each executive agency (except the Commission) shall prescribe by regulation a system of administrative control not inconsistent with accounting procedures prescribed under law. The system shall be designed to

(1) restrict obligations or expenditures from each appropriation to the amount of apportionments or reapportionments of the appropriation; and

(2) enable the official or the head of the executive agency to fix responsibility for an obligation or expenditure exceeding an apportionment or reapportionment.

(b) To have a simplified system for administratively dividing appropriations, the head of each executive agency (except the Commission) shall work toward the objective of financing each operating unit, at the highest practical level, from not more than one administrative division for each appropriation affecting the unit.

31 USC 1515 - Authorized apportionments necessitating deficiency or supplemental appropriations

(a) An appropriation required to be apportioned under section 1512 of this title may be apportioned on a basis that indicates the need for a deficiency or supplemental appropriation to the extent necessary to permit payment of such pay increases as may be granted pursuant to law to civilian officers and employees (including prevailing rate employees whose pay is fixed and adjusted under subchapter IV of chapter 53 of title 5) and to retired and active military personnel.

(b)

(1) Except as provided in subsection (a) of this section, an official may make, and the head of an executive agency may request, an apportionment under section 1512 of this title that would indicate a necessity for a deficiency or supplemental appropriation only when the official or agency head decides that the action is required because of

(A) a law enacted after submission to Congress of the estimates for an appropriation that requires an expenditure beyond administrative control; or

(B) an emergency involving the safety of human life, the protection of property, or the immediate welfare of individuals when an appropriation that would allow the United States Government to pay, or contribute to, amounts required to be paid to individuals in specific amounts fixed by law or under formulas prescribed by law, is insufficient.

(2) If an official making an apportionment decides that an apportionment would indicate a necessity for a deficiency or supplemental appropriation, the official shall submit immediately a detailed report of the facts to Congress. The report shall be referred to in submitting a proposed deficiency or supplemental appropriation.

31 USC 1516 - Exemptions

An official designated in section 1513 of this title to make apportionments may exempt from apportionment

(1) a trust fund or working fund if an expenditure from the fund has no significant effect on the financial operations of the United States Government;

(2) a working capital fund or a revolving fund established for intragovernmental operations;

(3) receipts from industrial and power operations available under law; and

(4) appropriations made specifically for

(A) interest on, or retirement of, the public debt;

(B) payment of claims, judgments, refunds, and drawbacks;

(D) payment under a law requiring payment of the total amount of the appropriation to a designated payee; and

(E) grants to the States under the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 301 et seq.).

31 USC 1517 - Prohibited obligations and expenditures

(a) An officer or employee of the United States Government or of the District of Columbia government may not make or authorize an expenditure or obligation exceeding

(1) an apportionment; or

(2) the amount permitted by regulations prescribed under section 1514 (a) of this title.

(b) If an officer or employee of an executive agency or of the District of Columbia government violates subsection (a) of this section, the head of the executive agency or the Mayor of the District of Columbia, as the case may be, shall report immediately to the President and Congress all relevant facts and a statement of actions taken. A copy of each report shall also be transmitted to the Comptroller General on the same date the report is transmitted to the President and Congress.

31 USC 1518 - Adverse personnel actions

An officer or employee of the United States Government or of the District of Columbia government violating section 1517 (a) of this title shall be subject to appropriate administrative discipline including, when circumstances warrant, suspension from duty without pay or removal from office.

31 USC 1519 - Criminal penalty

An officer or employee of the United States Government or of the District of Columbia government knowingly and willfully violating section 1517 (a) of this title shall be fined not more than $5,000, imprisoned for not more than 2 years, or both.