Title 31Money and FinanceRelease 119-73

§324 Disposing and extending the maturity of obligations

Title 31 › Subtitle SUBTITLE I— - GENERAL › Chapter CHAPTER 3— - DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - ADMINISTRATIVE › § 324

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Treasury Secretary may sell or extend the repayment date of government obligations that Treasury bought or that executive agencies gave it. The Secretary can decide the method, amount, price, and payment form (cash, other debt, property, or a mix). This power adds to other legal powers.

Full Legal Text

Title 31, §324

Money and Finance — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary of the Treasury may—
(1)dispose of obligations—
(A)acquired by the Secretary for the United States Government; or
(B)delivered by an executive agency; and
(2)make arrangements to extend the maturity of those obligations.
(b)The Secretary may dispose or extend the maturity of obligations under subsection (a) of this section in the way, in amounts, at prices (for cash, obligations, property, or a combination of cash, obligations, or property), and on conditions the Secretary considers advisable and in the public interest.
(c)The authority under this section is in addition to authority under another law.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 324(a)31:741a(a)(1st sentence words before 9th comma).Apr. 3, 1945, ch. 51, § 5, 59 Stat. 48. 324(b)31:741a(a)(1st sentence words after 9th comma, last sentence). 324(c)31:741a(b). In the section, the words “sell, exchange” are omitted as being included in “dispose”. The word “obligations” is substituted for “bonds, notes, or other securities” for consistency in the revised title. The words “under judicial process or otherwise” are omitted as unnecessary. In subsection (a), before clause (1), the words “Notwithstanding the provisions of section 302 of title 40” are omitted as unnecessary and because section 302 was repealed by section 1(95) of the Act of October 31, 1951 (ch. 654, 65 Stat. 705). In clause (2), the words “those obligations” are substituted for “thereof” for clarity. In subsection (b), the words “The Secretary may dispose or extend the maturity of obligations under subsection (a) of this section” are added for clarity and because of the restatement. The words “combination of cash, obligations, or property” are substituted for “or any combination thereof” for clarity. The words “terms and conditions” are omitted as being included in “on conditions”. The words “under the authority of this section” are omitted as unnecessary because of the restatement. Subsection (c) is substituted for 31:741a(b) to eliminate unnecessary words and for consistency in the revised title.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1984—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 98–369 struck out provision that the Secretary could not dispose of obligations of one issuer, held by the Secretary at one time, having on the date of disposal a total face or par value of more than $1,000,000 or, if no-par obligations, a stated or book value of more than $1,000,000.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

31 U.S.C. § 324

Title 31Money and Finance

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73