Title 2 — The CongressRelease 119-73not60

§1873 Acceptance of Travel Expenses From Non-federal Sources

Title 2 › Chapter 28— ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL › Subchapter IV— APPROPRIATIONS AND EXPENDITURES › § 1873

Last updated Apr 3, 2026|Official source

Summary

Allows the Architect of the Capitol to accept money or let an Office employee accept money from non-Federal sources to pay for travel, lodging, meals, and related costs when the employee (or the employee’s spouse) goes to meetings tied to their job. Cash accepted goes into the Office’s travel budget. Non-cash gifts (like free lodging) must reduce any government payment by the same share. Except as allowed here or under section 7342 of title 5, the Office or its employees may not take such payments. An employee who takes a payment they are not allowed to must repay that amount to the U.S. Treasury’s general fund and then cannot get government reimbursement for those expenses. This rule applies starting in fiscal year 2019 and every year after.

Full Legal Text

Title 2, §1873

The Congress — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Architect of the Capitol may accept payment or authorize an employee of the Office of the Architect of the Capitol to accept payment on the Office’s behalf from non-Federal sources for travel, subsistence, and related expenses with respect to attendance of the employee (or the spouse of such employee) at any meeting or similar function relating to the employee’s official duties. Any cash payment so accepted shall be credited to the appropriation applicable to such expenses. In the case of a payment in kind so accepted, a pro rata reduction shall be made in any entitlement of the employee to payment from the Government for such expenses.

(b)Except as provided in this section or section 7342 of title 5, the Office or an employee of the Office may not accept payment for expenses referred to in subsection (a). An employee who accepts any payment in violation of the preceding sentence—

(1)may be required, in addition to any penalty provided by law, to repay, for deposit in the general fund of the Treasury, an amount equal to the amount of the payment so accepted; and

(2)in the case of a repayment under paragraph (1), shall not be entitled to any payment from the Government for such expenses.

(c)This section shall apply with respect to fiscal year 2019 and each succeeding fiscal year.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

2 U.S.C. § 1873

Title 2 — The Congress

Last Updated

Apr 3, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60