Title 31Money and FinanceRelease 119-73not60

§502 Officers

Title 31 › Subtitle SUBTITLE I— GENERAL › Chapter 5— OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET › Subchapter I— ORGANIZATION › § 502

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The President picks the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and the Senate must confirm that choice. The Director runs the Office under the President. The President also appoints a Deputy Director and a Deputy Director for Management, both Senate‑confirmed. The Deputy follows the Director’s instructions and fills in if the Director is absent. The Deputy for Management is the chief federal financial manager. The Office has 3 Assistant Directors. The Director may add up to 6 more officers, chosen in the competitive service by the Director with the President’s approval, and the Director gives them titles and duties. If both the Director and Deputy Director are unable to serve or those jobs are vacant, the President may name an Office officer to act as Director.

Full Legal Text

Title 31, §502

Money and Finance — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The head of the Office of Management and Budget is the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. The Director is appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Under the direction of the President, the Director shall administer the Office.
(b)The Office has a Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget, appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Deputy Director—
(1)shall carry out the duties and powers prescribed by the Director; and
(2)acts as the Director when the Director is absent or unable to serve or when the office of Director is vacant.
(c)The Office has a Deputy Director for Management appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Deputy Director for Management shall be the chief official responsible for financial management in the United States Government.
(d)The Office has 3 Assistant Directors who shall carry out the duties and powers prescribed by the Director.
(e)The Office may have not more than 6 additional officers, each of whom is appointed in the competitive service by the Director, with the approval of the President. Each additional officer shall carry out the duties and powers prescribed by the Director. The Director shall specify the title of each additional officer.
(f)When the Director and Deputy Director are absent or unable to serve or when the offices of Director and Deputy Director are vacant, the President may designate an officer of the Office to act as Director.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 502(a)31:16(2d sentence related to Director).June 10, 1921, ch. 18, § 207(2d, 3d sentences), 42 Stat. 22; Reorg. Plan No. 1 of 1939, eff. July 1, 1939, § 1, 53 Stat. 1423; July 31, 1953, ch. 302, § 101(1st proviso in par. under heading “Bureau of the Budget”), 67 Stat. 299; Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1970, eff. July 1, 1970, § 102(a), (b), (d), (e), (f)(less words between parentheses), 84 Stat. 2085; Mar. 2, 1974, Pub. L. 93–250, § 1, 88 Stat. 11. 502(b)31:16(2d sentence related to Deputy Director, 3d sentence). 502(c)31:16a.Reorg. Plan No. 1 of 1939, eff. July 1, 1939, § 1, 53 Stat. 1423; July 31, 1953, ch. 302, § 101(last proviso in par. under heading “Bureau of the Budget”), 67 Stat. 299; Sept. 6, 1966, Pub. L. 89–554, § 8(a), 80 Stat. 657; Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1970, eff. July 1, 1970, § 102(b), (e), 84 Stat. 2085. 31:16c.Reorg. Plan No. 1 of 1939, eff. July 1, 1939, § 1, 53 Stat. 1423; Aug. 1, 1956, ch. 838, 70 Stat. 887; Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1970, eff. July 1, 1970, § 102(b), (e), 84 Stat. 2085. 502(d), (e)31:16(note).Reorg. Plan No. 1 of 1939, eff. July 1, 1939, § 1, 53 Stat. 1423; Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1970, eff. July 1, 1970, § 102(c)(words before last comma), (e), (f)(words between parentheses), 84 Stat. 2085. In subsections (a) and (b), the words related to salaries in section 207 of the Budget and Accounting Act, 1921 (ch. 18, 42 Stat. 22), are omitted as covered by 5:5313(11) and 5314(34). In subsection (a), the text of section 102(d)(1st sentence) of Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1970 (eff. July 1, 1970, 84 Stat. 2085) is omitted as covered by 3:301 and for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the United States Code. The word “administer” is substituted for “supervise and direct the administration of” in section 102(d) of the Reorganization Plan to eliminate unnecessary words. In subsections (b) and (c), the words “designated by this reorganization plan” in section 102(e) of Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1970 are omitted as executed. The words “carry out the duties and powers prescribed by” are substituted for “perform such functions as” for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the Code. The words “may from time to time direct” are omitted as unnecessary. In subsection (c), the words “the duties and powers prescribed by” in section 102(e)(related to Assistant Directors) of Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1970 are substituted for “such functions as” for consistency. The words “may from time to time direct” are omitted as unnecessary. The words related to compensation in 31:16c are omitted as covered by 5:5315(37). In subsection (d), the words “as determined from time to time by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (hereinafter referred to as the Director)” in section 102(c)(1st sentence) of Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1970 are omitted as unnecessary. The words “in the competitive” are substituted for “under the classified civil” in section 102(c)(2d sentence) of the Reorganization Plan to conform to 5:2102. The words “The Director shall specify the title of each additional officer” are substituted for “shall have such title as the Director shall from time to time determine” to eliminate unnecessary words. The words “provided for in subsection (c) of this section” in section 102(e)(related to officers) of the Reorganization Plan are omitted because of the restatement. The words “carry out the duties and powers prescribed by” are substituted for “perform such functions as” for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the Code. The words “may from time to time direct” are omitted as unnecessary. In subsection (e), the words “When the Director and Deputy Director are absent or unable to serve or when the offices of Director and Deputy Director are vacant” are substituted for “or during the absence or disability of the Deputy Director or in the event of a vacancy in the office of Deputy Director” and “during the absence or disability of the Director or in the event of a vacancy in the office of Director” in section 102(f)(words between parentheses) of Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1970 for clarity and consistency with other titles of the Code. The words “an officer” are substituted for “such other officials” for clarity and consistency in the chapter. The words “in such order as” are omitted as unnecessary. The words “from time to time” are eliminated as unnecessary.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1990—Subsecs. (c) to (f). Pub. L. 101–576 added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsecs. (c) to (e) as (d) to (f), respectively.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

31 U.S.C. § 502

Title 31Money and Finance

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60