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Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-110

§1320b–15 Protection of Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds

Title 42 › CHAPTER 7 — SOCIAL SECURITY › SUBCHAPTER XI — GENERAL PROVISIONS, PEER REVIEW, AND ADMINISTRATIVE SIMPLIFICATION › Part A — General Provisions › § 1320b–15

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Prevents federal officers and employees from delaying or changing the normal timing or process for putting money into certain federal trust funds. They must invest those fund amounts in public debt obligations and may not cash in those investments early unless the money is needed to pay benefits or administrative expenses. Public debt obligation — any debt covered by the public debt limit in 31 U.S.C. 3101. Federal fund — one of these four trust funds: Federal Old‑Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund; Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund; Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund; Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §1320b–15

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In general
No officer or employee of the United States shall—
(1)delay the deposit of any amount into (or delay the credit of any amount to) any Federal fund or otherwise vary from the normal terms, procedures, or timing for making such deposits or credits,
(2)refrain from the investment in public debt obligations of amounts in any Federal fund, or
(3)redeem prior to maturity amounts in any Federal fund which are invested in public debt obligations for any purpose other than the payment of benefits or administrative expenses from such Federal fund.
(b)“Public debt obligation” defined
For purposes of this section, the term “public debt obligation” means any obligation subject to the public debt limit established under section 3101 of title 31.
(c)“Federal fund” defined
For purposes of this section, the term “Federal fund” means—
(1)the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund;
(2)the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund;
(3)the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund; and
(4)the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Pub. L. 104–121, title I, § 107(b), Mar. 29, 1996, 110 Stat. 857, provided that: “The amendment made by this section [enacting this section] shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act [Mar. 29, 1996].”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 1320b–15

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110