§2214 Transfer of funds: procedure and limitations

Summary

When money is moved between certain Defense accounts — like working capital funds or other Defense appropriations (not military construction) — the money joins the receiving account and can be used for the same purposes and during the same time period as that account. Money can only be moved to pay for a higher‑priority, unexpected military need. It cannot be moved to something Congress already refused to fund. The Secretary of Defense must tell Congress quickly about each transfer. The Secretary of Defense and the military department heads may not ask Congress to reprogram funds unless it is for an unexpected higher‑priority need, and they may not ask to move money to an item Congress denied.