Title 22 — Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-73
§294 Manner of use of buildings; contracts for construction, etc.
Title 22 › Chapter CHAPTER 8— - FOREIGN SERVICE BUILDINGS › § 294
Summary
Buildings and land bought under this chapter or bought or approved before May 7, 1926 for use by diplomatic or consular offices abroad can be used as government offices, as homes for staff, or as both. Contracts to buy or lease buildings, and to build, change, or repair them under this chapter, can be arranged and carried out when needed without following the usual U.S. contracting rules and without following section 3324(a) and (b) of title 31.
Full Legal Text
Title 22, §294
Foreign Relations and Intercourse — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Buildings and grounds acquired under this chapter or prior to May 7, 1926, acquired or authorized for the use of the diplomatic and consular establishments in foreign countries may be used, in the case of buildings and grounds for the diplomatic establishment, as Government offices or residences or as such offices and residences; or, in the case of other buildings and grounds, as such offices or such offices and residences. The contracts for purchases of buildings, for leases, and for all work of construction, alteration, and repair under this chapter are authorized to be negotiated, the terms of the contracts to be prescribed, and the work to be performed, where necessary, without regard to such statutory provisions as relate to the negotiation, making, and performance of contracts and performance of work in the United States and without regard to section 3324(a) and (b) of title 31.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Codification “section 3324(a) and (b) of title 31” substituted in text for “section 3648 of the Revised Statutes of the United States (31 U.S.C. 529)” 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 Finance.
Amendments
1991—Pub. L. 102–138 inserted “purchases of buildings, for leases, and for” after “contracts for”. 1963—Pub. L. 88–94 struck out “, subject to the direction of the commission,” before “be used” and “in the judgment of the commission,” after “where necessary,” and inserted “and without regard to section 529 of title 31”.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
22 U.S.C. § 294
Title 22 — Foreign Relations and Intercourse
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73