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Title 7, AgricultureRelease 119-110

§7753 Reimbursable Agreements

Title 7 › CHAPTER 104 — PLANT PROTECTION › SUBCHAPTER III — MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS › § 7753

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary may make paid agreements with people or companies to do preclearance inspections of plants, plant products, biological control organisms, and related items at places outside the United States before those items are brought into the country. Money from those fees goes into special accounts the Secretary sets up and can be used until spent, with no fiscal year limit. The Department may pay its employees extra for overtime, night, or holiday work at rates the Secretary sets. People who get the services must reimburse the Department for those costs. If they pay late, the Secretary can charge penalties and interest as required by section 3717 of title 31, and those funds also go to the same account and can be used until spent.

Full Legal Text

Title 7, §7753

Agriculture, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Authority to enter into agreements
The Secretary may enter into reimbursable fee agreements with persons for preclearance of plants, plant products, biological control organisms, and articles at locations outside the United States for movement into the United States.
(b)Funds collected for preclearance
Funds collected for preclearance shall be credited to accounts which may be established by the Secretary for this purpose and shall remain available until expended for the preclearance activities without fiscal year limitation.
(c)Payment of employees
(1)In general
Notwithstanding any other law, the Secretary may pay employees of the Department of Agriculture performing services relating to imports into and exports from the United States, for all overtime, night, or holiday work performed by them, at rates of pay established by the Secretary.
(2)Reimbursement of the Secretary
(A)In general
The Secretary may require persons for whom the services are performed to reimburse the Secretary for any sums of money paid by the Secretary for the services.
(B)Use of funds
All funds collected under this paragraph shall be credited to the account that incurs the costs and shall remain available until expended without fiscal year limitation.
(d)Late payment penalties
(1)Collection
Upon failure to reimburse the Secretary in accordance with this section, the Secretary may assess a late payment penalty, and the overdue funds shall accrue interest, as required by section 3717 of title 31.
(2)Use of funds
Any late payment penalty and any accrued interest shall be credited to the account that incurs the costs and shall remain available until expended without fiscal year limitation.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Transfer of Functions

For

Transfer of Functions

of the Secretary of Agriculture relating to agricultural import and entry inspection activities under this chapter to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see section 231, 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

7 U.S.C. § 7753

Title 7, Agriculture

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110