Title 31Money and FinanceRelease 119-73not60

§3719 Reports on Debt Collection Activities

Title 31 › Subtitle SUBTITLE III— FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT › Chapter 37— CLAIMS › Subchapter II— CLAIMS OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT › § 3719

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of the Treasury, after talking with the Comptroller General, must make rules that require each agency head with unpaid non-tax debts to send a report at least once each year. The report must summarize the agency’s loans and accounts receivable. It must show totals owed and when due; amounts and counts at least 30 days past due; amounts written off and allowances for uncollectible debts; interest rates and interest charged and collected; total claims and amounts collected; and the number and amount of claims sent to, and settled by, the Attorney General. It must give the same details for each program and any other facts the Secretary needs to judge collection efforts. The Secretary must review those reports and send a yearly report to Congress about how each agency is managing its debt collection, using the information the agencies provided.

Full Legal Text

Title 31, §3719

Money and Finance — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In consultation with the Comptroller General of the United States, the Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe regulations requiring the head of each agency with outstanding nontax claims to prepare and submit to the Secretary at least once each year a report summarizing the status of loans and accounts receivable that are managed by the head of the agency. The report shall contain—
(1)information on—
(A)the total amount of loans and accounts receivable owed the agency and when amounts owed the agency are due to be repaid;
(B)the total amount of receivables and number of claims at least 30 days past due;
(C)the total amount written off as actually uncollectible and the total amount allowed for uncollectible loans and accounts receivable;
(D)the rate of interest charged for overdue debts and the amount of interest charged and collected on debts;
(E)the total number of claims and the total amount collected; and
(F)the number and total amount of claims referred to the Attorney General for settlement and the number and total amount of claims the Attorney General settles;
(2)the information described in clause (1) of this subsection for each program or activity the head of the agency carries out; and
(3)other information the Secretary considers necessary to decide whether the head of the agency is acting aggressively to collect the claims of the agency.
(b)The Secretary shall analyze the reports submitted under subsection (a) of this section and shall report annually to Congress on the management of debt collection activities by the head of each agency, including the information provided the Secretary under subsection (a).

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 3719(a)31 App.:955(a).Oct. 25, 1982, Pub. L. 97–365, § 12, 96 Stat. 1756. 3719(b)31 App.:955(b). In subsection (a), before clause (1), the words “of the United States” are omitted as surplus. The words “the head of” are added for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the United States Code. In clause (1)(C), the words “uncollectible loans and accounts receivable” are added for clarity. In clause (1)(F), the words “Attorney General” are substituted for “Department of Justice” for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the Code, including 28:503, 509. In subsection (b), the word “submitted” is substituted for “received by each agency” for clarity.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1996—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104–134, § 31001(aa)(3)(A)(i), amended first sentence generally. Prior to amendment, first sentence read as follows: “In consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Comptroller General, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall prescribe

Regulations

requiring the head of each agency with outstanding debts to prepare and submit to the Director and the Secretary at least once each year a report summarizing the status of loans and accounts receivable managed by the head of the agency.” Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 104–134, § 31001(aa)(3)(A)(ii), substituted “Secretary” for “Director”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–134, § 31001(aa)(3)(B), which directed that subsec. (b) be amended by substituting “Secretary” for “Director”, was executed by making the substitution to both places where “Director” appeared.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Termination of Reporting RequirementsFor termination, effective May 15, 2000, of provisions of law requiring submittal to Congress of any annual, semiannual, or other regular periodic report listed in House Document No. 103–7 (in which the reporting requirement under subsec. (b) of this section is listed on page 42), see section 3003 of Pub. L. 104–66, as amended, and section 1(a)(4) [div. A, § 1402(1)] of Pub. L. 106–554, set out as notes under section 1113 of this title. Consolidation of Reports Pub. L. 104–134, title III, § 31001(aa)(4), Apr. 26, 1996, 110 Stat. 1321–380, provided that: “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of the Treasury may consolidate reports concerning debt collection otherwise required to be submitted by the Secretary into one annual report.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

31 U.S.C. § 3719

Title 31Money and Finance

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60