(a) Except as provided in this section, a payment under a contract to provide a service or deliver an article for the United States Government may not be more than the value of the service already provided or the article already delivered.

Terms Used In 31 USC 3324

  • Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • individual: shall include every infant member of the species homo sapiens who is born alive at any stage of development. See 1 USC 8
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.

(b) An advance of public money may be made only if it is authorized by—

(1) a specific appropriation or other law; or

(2) the President to be made to—

(A) a disbursing official if the President decides the advance is necessary to carry out—

(i) the duties of the official promptly and faithfully; and

(ii) an obligation of the Government; or


(B) an individual serving in the armed forces at a distant station if the President decides the advance is necessary to disburse regularly pay and allowances.


(c) Before the Secretary of the Treasury acts on a requisition for an advance, the Comptroller General shall act on the requisition under section 3522 of this title. The Comptroller General does not countersign a requisition for an advance.

(d) The head of an agency may pay in advance from appropriations available for the purpose—

(1) to the Secretary of the Army, charges for messages sent by the Secretary of the Army for the head of the agency, including charges for—

(A) payment of tolls of commercial carriers;

(B) leasing facilities for sending messages; and

(C) installing and maintaining facilities for sending messages; and


(2) charges for a publication printed or recorded in any way for the auditory or visual use of the agency.

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