PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

An account that was set up so money could be used at any time must be closed and its remaining funds canceled if two things happen: the head of the agency or the President decides the purpose of the money has been finished, and no payments have been made from the account for two consecutive fiscal years. Once closed and canceled, any remaining balance—whether already promised (obligated) or not (unobligated)—cannot be used for any purpose.

Title 31, §1555

Money and Finance, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

An appropriation account available for obligation for an indefinite period shall be closed, and any remaining balance (whether obligated or unobligated) in that account shall be canceled and thereafter shall not be available for obligation or expenditure for any purpose, if—

(1)the head of the agency concerned or the President determines that the purposes for which the appropriation was made have been carried out; and

(2)no disbursement has been made against the appropriation for two consecutive fiscal years.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 1555(a)31:706(less proviso).July 25, 1956, ch. 727, § 6, 70 Stat. 649. 1555(b)31:706(proviso). In subsection (a), the words “indefinite period” are substituted for “not limited to a definite period of time” for consistency in the revised title. The words “consecutive fiscal years” are substituted for “full consecutive fiscal years” to eliminate an unnecessary word. In subsection (b), the words “or were heretofore withdrawn from the appropriation account by administrative action” are omitted as executed.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1990—Pub. L. 101–510 substituted “Closing of appropriation accounts available” for “Withdrawal of unobligated balances of appropriations” in section catchline and amended text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “(a) An unobligated balance of an appropriation for an indefinite period shall be withdrawn in the way provided in section 1552(a)(2) of this title when the head of the agency concerned decides that the purposes for which the appropriation was made have been carried out or when no disbursement is made against the appropriation for 2 consecutive fiscal years. “(b) An amount of an appropriation withdrawn under this section may be restored to the applicable appropriation account to pay obligations and to settle accounts.”

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1990 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 101–510 applicable to any appropriation account the obligated balance of which, on Nov. 5, 1990, has not been transferred under section 1552(a)(1) of this title, as in effect Nov. 4, 1990, with transitional provisions, see section 1405(b) of Pub. L. 101–510, set out as a note under section 1551 of this title.

§1555 Closing of Appropriation Accounts Available for Indefinite Periods