Title 31 — Money and FinanceRelease 119-73

§3336 Electronic benefit transfer pilot

Title 31 › Subtitle SUBTITLE III— - FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT › Chapter CHAPTER 33— - DEPOSITING, KEEPING, AND PAYING MONEY › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - PAYMENTS › § 3336

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must keep running the current electronic benefit transfer (EBT) pilot that pays people who do not have bank accounts by electronic card. The pilot must include naming one or more banks or financial institutions as government agents and offering participating states the chance to contract with the agent the Secretary picks under the Invitation dated March 9, 1995, as amended on June 30, 1995, July 7, 1995, and August 1, 1995. Decisions about choosing agents, the pilot’s design, and related matters cannot be reviewed by courts. Congress says EBT is safe, reliable, and cost‑effective; that naming financial institutions as federal agents is a proper use of the Secretary’s power; that a joint federal‑state EBT can let states put multiple state benefits on one card and save money; and that the service is specialized and may be offered to states under section 6501 and the following sections.

Full Legal Text

Title 31, §3336

Money and Finance — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Congress finds that:

(1)Electronic benefit transfer (EBT) is a safe, reliable, and economical way to provide benefit payments to individuals who do not have an account at a financial institution.

(2)The designation of financial institutions as financial agents of the Federal Government for EBT is an appropriate and reasonable use of the Secretary’s authority to designate financial agents.

(3)A joint federal-state 11 So in original. Probably should be capitalized. EBT system offers convenience and economies of scale for those states 1 (and their citizens) that wish to deliver 1 state-administered benefits on a single card by entering into a partnership with the federal 1 government.1

(4)The Secretary’s designation of a financial agent to deliver EBT is a specialized service not available through ordinary business channels and may be offered to the states 1 pursuant to section 6501 et seq. of this title.

(b)The Secretary shall continue to carry out the existing EBT pilot to disburse benefit payments electronically to recipients who do not have an account at a financial institution, which shall include the designation of one or more financial institution 22 So in original. Probably should be “institutions”. as a financial agent of the Government, and the offering to the participating states 1 of the opportunity to contract with the financial agent selected by the Secretary, as described in the Invitation for Expressions of Interest to Acquire EBT Services for the Southern Alliance of States dated March 9, 1995, as amended as of June 30, 1995, July 7, 1995, and August 1, 1995.

(c)The selection and designation of financial agents, the design of the pilot program, and any other matter associated with or related to the EBT pilot described in subsection (b) shall not be subject to judicial review.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

31 U.S.C. § 3336

Title 31 — Money and Finance

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73