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Title 5 — Government Organization and EmployeesRelease 119-73

§5739 Authority for relocation expenses test programs

Title 5 › Part PART III— - EMPLOYEES › Subpart Subpart D— - Pay and Allowances › Chapter CHAPTER 57— - TRAVEL, TRANSPORTATION, AND SUBSISTENCE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES; NEW APPOINTEES, STUDENT TRAINEES, AND TRANSFERRED EMPLOYEES › § 5739

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Agencies may run special test programs that let them pay necessary relocation costs instead of the usual payments, but only if the head of the General Services Administration (GSA) agrees it is in the government's interest. When asking for approval, an agency must give a cost‑benefit analysis and clear criteria for judging how well the program works. The tests must be designed to save money or make things more efficient. The GSA must send any approved or extended test program to the proper Congressional committees at least 30 days before it starts. The agency must send yearly progress reports to GSA and a final report within 3 months after the program ends to GSA and those committees. No more than 12 test programs can run at once. Initial approval can be up to 4 years. GSA can extend a program on request; each extension can be up to 4 years, and more than one extension is allowed.

Full Legal Text

Title 5, §5739

Government Organization and Employees — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, under a test program which the Administrator of General Services determines to be in the interest of the Government and approves, an agency may pay through the proper disbursing official any necessary relocation expenses in lieu of any payment otherwise authorized or required under this subchapter. An agency shall include in any request to the Administrator for approval of such a test program an analysis of the expected costs and benefits and a set of criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of the program.
(2)Any test program conducted under this section shall be designed to enhance cost savings or other efficiencies that accrue to the Government.
(b)The Administrator shall transmit a copy of any test program approved or extended by the Administrator under this section to the appropriate committees of the Congress at least 30 days before the effective date of the program or extension.
(c)(1)An agency authorized to conduct a test program under subsection (a) shall annually submit a report on the results of the program to date to the Administrator.
(2)Not later than 3 months after completion of a test program, the agency conducting the program shall submit a final report on the results of the program to the Administrator and the appropriate committees of Congress.
(d)No more than 12 test programs under this section may be conducted simultaneously.
(e)(1)The Administrator may not approve any test program for an initial period of more than 4 years.
(2)(A)Upon the request of the agency administering a test program, the Administrator may extend the program.
(B)An extension under subparagraph (A) may not exceed 4 years.
(C)The Administrator may exercise more than 1 extension under subparagraph (A) with respect to any test program.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2009—Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 111–112, § 1(a)(1), struck out par. (3) which read as follows: “Nothing in this section is intended to limit the authority of any agency to conduct test programs.” Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 111–112, § 1(a)(2), inserted “or extended” after “approved” and “or extension” after “of the program”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 111–112, § 1(a)(3), added subsec. (c) and struck out former subsec. (c) which read as follows: “An agency authorized to conduct a test program under subsection (a) shall provide to the Administrator and the appropriate committees of the Congress a report on the results of the program no later than 3 months after completion of the program.” Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 111–112, § 1(a)(4), substituted “12” for “10”. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 111–112, § 1(a)(5), added subsec. (e) and struck out former subsec. (e) which read as follows: “The authority to conduct test programs under this section shall expire 11 years after the date of the enactment of the Travel and Transportation Reform Act of 1998.” 2006—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 109–325, § 1(a)(1), struck out “for a period not to exceed 24 months” after “disbursing official”. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 109–325, § 1(a)(2), substituted “11 years” for “7 years”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2009 Amendment Pub. L. 111–112, § 1(b), Nov. 30, 2009, 123 Stat. 3025, provided that: “This section [amending this section] shall take effect on December 18, 2009.”

Effective Date

of 2006 Amendment Pub. L. 109–325, § 1(b), Oct. 11, 2006, 120 Stat. 1760, provided that: “The

Amendments

made by this section [amending this section] shall take effect as though enacted as part of the Travel and Transportation Reform Act of 1998 (Public Law 105–264; 112 Stat. 2350).”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

5 U.S.C. § 5739

Title 5 — Government Organization and Employees

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73