Title 5, Government Organization and EmployeesRelease 119-102
§5513 Withholding Pay; Credit Disallowed or Charge Raised for Payment
Title 5 › PART III — EMPLOYEES › Subpart D — Pay and Allowances › CHAPTER 55 — PAY ADMINISTRATION › SUBCHAPTER II — WITHHOLDING PAY › § 5513
Summary
Withhold pay, wholly or partly, if the GAO, on an official account report, disallows or charges back a payment to someone in an Executive agency until full reimbursement under agency rules. It doesn't affect other laws on collecting debts from officials.
Full Legal Text
Title 5, §5513
Government Organization and Employees, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
When the Government Accountability Office, on a statement of the account of a disbursing or certifying official of the United States, disallows credit or raises a charge for a payment to an individual in or under an Executive agency otherwise entitled to pay, the pay of the payee shall be withheld in whole or in part until full reimbursement is made under regulations prescribed by the head of the Executive agency from which the payee is entitled to receive pay. This section does not repeal or modify existing statutes relating to the collection of the indebtedness of an accountable, certifying, or disbursing official.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
DerivationU.S. CodeRevised Statutes andStatutes at Large 5 U.S.C. 46b.
May 26, 1936, ch. 452, 49 Stat. 1374.Aug. 3, 1950, ch. 515, 64 Stat. 393. The words “On and after
May 26, 1936” are omitted as executed. The word “official” is substituted for “officer” and “officers” as the definition of “officer” in section 2104 excludes a member of a uniformed service. The words “from the United States or from an agency or instrumentality thereof” are omitted as unnecessary. Standard changes are made to conform with the definitions applicable and the style of this title as outlined in the preface to the report.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2004—Pub. L. 108–271 substituted “Government Accountability Office” for “General Accounting Office”.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
5 U.S.C. § 5513
Title 5, Government Organization and Employees
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102