(a) Authorization to make payments

Notwithstanding any other provision of law and subject to subsection (b), during an emergency situation, the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives may make payments under contracts with vendors providing goods and services to the House in amounts and under terms and conditions other than those provided under the contract in order to ensure that those goods and services remain available to the House throughout the duration of the emergency.

(b) Conditions

(1) Approval required

The Chief Administrative Officer may not make payments under the authority of subsection (a) without the approval of the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives.

(2) Availability of appropriations

The authority of the Chief Administrative Officer to make payments under the authority of subsection (a) is subject to the availability of appropriations to make such payments.

(c) Applicability

Terms Used In 2 USC 5548

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
  • officer: includes any person authorized by law to perform the duties of the office. See 1 USC 1

This section shall apply with respect to fiscal year 2020 and each succeeding fiscal year.