Title 22Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-73

§2455 Appropriations

Title 22 › Chapter CHAPTER 33— - MUTUAL EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE PROGRAM › § 2455

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Money appropriated for these programs can be used until it is all spent. The funds may be used to buy foreign currency when needed for current expenses and for grants, including grants to foundations and commissions, even without following 31 U.S.C. 543. The President may move money between agencies for similar purposes, but no appropriation can be increased or decreased by more than 10 percent because of these transfers. The President may also reserve and use certain receipts and proceeds for these programs. That includes money from surplus‑property or post‑World War II settlement agreements; sales or loan repayments (with interest) under the Food for Peace Act; repayments of other U.S. loans or credits; and deposits under section 1513(b)(6) or section 1513(h) of this title or similar laws. The Director of the United States Information Agency may use sums paid on or after August 24, 1949, by the Republic of Finland as interest or debt repayment under the Acts and agreements of February 25, 1919, May 1, 1923, and February 9, 1922, for educational and cultural programs about Finland. Foreign governments, international groups, and private parties are encouraged to help and may give money, property, or services that the President can accept and use. Finally, up to $10,000,000 was authorized for currency exchanges for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1968, and up to $15,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1969.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §2455

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(a)Amounts appropriated to carry out the purposes of this chapter are authorized to be made available until expended.
(b)Funds appropriated for programs under this chapter may, without regard to section 3651 11 See References in Text note below. of the Revised Statutes (31 U.S.C. 543), be used for the acquisition from any source of foreign currencies in such amounts as may be necessary for current expenditures and for grants, including grants to foundations and commissions in accordance with international agreements providing for the accomplishment of the purposes of this chapter.
(c)Moneys appropriated to any department or agency of the Government in furtherance of the purposes of this chapter for research, technical aid, and educational and cultural programs, may be transferred by the President to any other appropriation available for like purposes, but no appropriation authorized by this chapter shall be increased or decreased by more than 10 per centum by reason of transfers pursuant to this subsection.
(d)The President is authorized—
(1)to reserve in such amounts and for such periods as he shall determine to be necessary to provide for the programs authorized by subsections (a)(1), (2)(i) of section 2452 of this title, and
(2)notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, to use in such amounts as may from time to time be specified in appropriation Acts, to the extent that such use is not restricted by agreement with the foreign nations concerned, for any programs authorized by this chapter,
(i)under agreements disposing of surplus property or settling lend-lease and other war accounts concluded after World War II;
(ii)as the proceeds of sales or loan repayments, including interest, for transactions heretofore or hereafter effected under the Food for Peace Act, as amended [7 U.S.C. 1691 et seq.];
(iii)in repayment of principal or interest on any other credit extended or loan heretofore or hereafter made by the United States or any agency thereof; or
(iv)as deposits to the account of the United States pursuant to section 1513(b)(6) 1 or section 1513(h) 1 of this title, or any similar provision of any other law.
(e)The Director of the United States Information Agency is further authorized to reserve and use for educational and cultural exchange programs and other activities authorized in subsections (a) and (b) of section 2452 of this title, in relation to Finland and the people of Finland, all sums due or paid on and after August 24, 1949, by the Republic of Finland to the United States as interest on or in retirement of the principal of the debt incurred under the Act of February 25, 1919, as refunded by the agreement dated May 1, 1923, pursuant to the authority contained in the Act of February 9, 1922, or of any other indebtedness incurred by that Republic and owing to the United States as a result of World War I.
(f)Foreign governments, international organizations and private individuals, firms, associations, agencies, and other groups shall be encouraged to participate to the maximum extent feasible in carrying out this chapter and to make contributions of funds, property, and services which the President is authorized to accept, to be utilized to carry out the purposes of this chapter. Funds made available for the purposes of this chapter may be used to contribute toward meeting the expenses of activities carried out through normal private channels, by private means, and through foreign governments and international organizations.
(g)Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, there are authorized to be appropriated for the purposes of making currency exchanges under section 2452(b)(10) of this title, not to exceed $10,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1968, and not to exceed $15,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1969.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (a) to (d), (f), and (g), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 87–256, Sept. 21, 1961, 75 Stat. 527, known as the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 2451 of this title and Tables. section 3651 of the Revised Statutes (31 U.S.C. 543), referred to in subsec. (b), was repealed by Pub. L. 97–258, § 5(b), Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1068, the first section of which enacted Title 31, Money and Finance. The Food for Peace Act, as amended, referred to in subsec. (d)(2)(ii), is act July 10, 1954, ch. 469, 68 Stat. 454, which is classified principally to chapter 41 (§ 1691 et seq.) of Title 7, Agriculture. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 1691 of Title 7 and Tables. section 1513(b)(6) and 1513(h) of this title, referred to in subsec. (d)(2)(iv), were repealed by act Aug. 26, 1954, ch. 937, title V, § 542(a), 68 Stat. 861. The acts of
February 25, 1919, and
February 9, 1922, referred to in subsec. (e), are not classified to the Code.

Amendments

2008—Subsec. (d)(2)(ii). Pub. L. 110–246 substituted “Food for Peace Act” for “Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954”. 1994—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–236 amended subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (a) read as follows: “Appropriations to carry out the purposes of this chapter, to remain available until expended, are authorized, and this authorization includes the authority to grant, in any appropriation Act, the authority to enter into contracts, within the amounts so authorized, creating obligations in advance of appropriations.” 1966—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 89–698 added subsec. (g).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2008 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 110–246 effective May 22, 2008, see section 4(b) of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 8701 of Title 7, Agriculture.

Transfer of Functions

United States Information Agency (other than Broadcasting Board of Governors and International Broadcasting Bureau) abolished and functions transferred to Secretary of State, see section 6531 and 6532 of this title. “Director of the United States Information Agency” substituted for “Director of the International Communication Agency” in subsec. (e), pursuant to section 303(b) of Pub. L. 97–241, title III, Aug. 24, 1982, 96 Stat. 291, set out as a note under section 1461 of this title. Previously, “Director of the International Communication Agency” substituted for “President” in subsec. (e), pursuant to Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1977, § 7(a)(2), 42 F.R. 62461, 91 Stat. 1637, set out under section 1461 of this title, effective on or before July 1, 1978, at such time as specified by President, which transferred functions vested in President, Secretary of State, Department of State, United States Information Agency or Director thereof, under this chapter, to Director of International Communication Agency, except (A) for such functions as are vested by subsecs. (a), (b), and (c) of this section, section 2452(b)(6), (10), 2454(a), (e)(1), (2), (f), (g), 2456(a) and 2458 of this title, (B) for such functions as are vested by subsecs. (d)(2) and (f) of this section, section 2454(b) and 2456(d), (f) of this title, to the extent that such functions were assigned to Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare [now Secretary of Education] immediately prior to

Effective Date

of Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1977, and (C) for such functions as are vested by section 2456(b), (c) of this title to the extent that any such function therein is vested in President or Secretary of State. Increase in Grants for Exchange-of-Persons Activities; Funds for Specific Programs, Reductions, Other Use of Funds, Report to Congressional Committees Pub. L. 97–241, title III, § 305(c), (d), Aug. 24, 1982, 96 Stat. 294, provided that the amount obligated by United States Information Agency each fiscal year for grants for exchange-of-persons activities should be increased, through regular annual increases, so that by fiscal year 1986 the amount obligated for such grants would at least double (in terms of constant dollars) the amount obligated for such grants for fiscal year 1982 and in furtherance of this purpose provided for appropriations for the United States Information Agency for fiscal year 1983.

Executive Documents

Delegation of Functions Functions of President under this section delegated to Secretary of State, Director of United States Information Agency, Secretary of Commerce, and Secretary of Education, see Ex. Ord. No. 11034, June 25, 1962, 27 F.R. 6071, set out as a note under section 2454 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 2455

Title 22Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73