Title 28Judiciary and Judicial ProcedureRelease 119-73

§537 Expenses of unforeseen emergencies of a confidential character

Title 28 › Part PART II— - DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE › Chapter CHAPTER 33— - FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION › § 537

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

FBI funds may cover secret emergency costs if the appropriation allows, under the Attorney General's direction; his signed statement of the undisclosed amount proves the spending.

Full Legal Text

Title 28, §537

Judiciary and Judicial Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Appropriations for the Federal Bureau of Investigation are available for expenses of unforeseen emergencies of a confidential character, when so specified in the appropriation concerned, to be spent under the direction of the Attorney General. The Attorney General shall certify the amount spent that he considers advisable not to specify, and his certification is a sufficient voucher for the amount therein expressed to have been spent.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

DerivationU.S. CodeRevised Statutes andStatutes at Large 5 U.S.C. 341c (less last sentence).July 28, 1950, ch. 503, § 5 (less last sentence), 64 Stat. 380. The section is revised and reorganized for clarity. The words “now or hereafter provided” are omitted as unnecessary. The words “for expenses of membership in the International Commission of Criminal Police and” are omitted as obsolete. The Act of Aug. 27, 1958, Pub. L. 85–768, 72 Stat. 921 (22 U.S.C. 263a) authorizes the Attorney General to accept and maintain, on behalf of the United States, membership in the International Criminal Police Organization, and to designate any departments and agencies which may participate in the United States representation with that organization; and authorizes each participating department and agency to pay its pro rata share, as determined by the Attorney General, of the expenses of such membership. The word “spent” is substituted for “expended”. The words “certify the amount spent that he considers” are substituted for “make a certificate of the amount of any such expenditure as he may think it”. The words “his certification is a sufficient voucher” are substituted for “and every such certificate shall be deemed a sufficient voucher”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

28 U.S.C. § 537

Title 28Judiciary and Judicial Procedure

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73