Tap any paragraph to write a margin note. Your notes collect in the Desk below the text and file under cases with @. The side-by-side margin rail opens on a larger screen.

Code · U.S. Code · Title 31 - MONEY AND FINANCE · CHAPTER 33— DEPOSITING, KEEPING, AND PAYING MONEY · SUBCHAPTER II— PAYMENTS · § 3322

§ 3322. Disbursing officials

999 words·~5 min read·/usc/title-31/section-3322

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

(a)The Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer public money to a disbursing official only by draft or warrant written on the Treasury. Except as provided in section 3716 and section 3720A of this title and subsection
(b)of this section, a disbursing official shall—
(1)deposit public money as required by section 3302 of this title; and
(2)draw public money from the Treasury or a depositary only—
(A)as necessary to make payments; and
(B)payable to persons to whom payment is to be made.
(b)In a place without a depositary, the Secretary, on deciding it is essential to the public interest, may authorize specially in writing that public money be—
(1)deposited in any other public depositary; or
(2)kept in another manner under regulations the Secretary decides are the safest and most effective in making a payment to a public creditor easier.
(c)A disbursing official is not liable for an overpayment provided under a United States Government bill of lading or transportation request when the overpayment is caused by the—
(1)use of improper transportation rates or classifications if the Administrator of General Services has determined that verification by a prepayment audit conducted pursuant to section 3726(a) of this title for a particular mode or modes of transportation, or for an agency or subagency, will not adequately protect the interests of the Government; or
(2)failure to deduct the proper amount under—
(A)a land grant law; or
(B)an equalization or other agreement.
(Pub. L. 97–258, Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 950; Pub. L. 98–216, § 1(3), Feb. 14, 1984, 98 Stat. 3; Pub. L. 104–134, title III, § 31001(g)(1)(A), Apr. 26, 1996, 110 Stat. 1321–363; Pub. L. 105–264, § 3(a)(1), Oct. 19, 1998, 112 Stat. 2352.)
In the section, the words “disbursing official” are substituted for “disbursing officer” for consistency in the revised title.
In subsection (a), before clause (1), the words “Secretary of the Treasury” are substituted for “Treasurer of the United States” because of the source provisions restated in section 321(c) of the revised title. The words “or an assistant treasurer of the United States” in section 3620(a) of the Revised Statutes are omitted as obsolete because of the 1st–4th pars. under the heading “Independent Treasury” in the Act of May 29, 1920 (ch. 214, 41 Stat. 654). In clause (1), the words “as required by section 3302 of this title” are substituted for “with the Treasurer or some one of the assistant treasurers of the United States (subsequently changed to ‘or with one of the depositaries of the United States mentioned in section 476 of this title’)” because of 31:476.
In clause (2), the words “in pursuance of law” are omitted as surplus. The text of 31:492(a)(last sentence) is omitted because of section 3323(a) of the revised title.
In subsection (b), before clause (1), the words “On and after June 1, 1942” are omitted as executed. The words “of the United States” are omitted as unnecessary. The words “for transportation” are omitted as surplus.
1984 Act
This is necessary because section 3620(a) (last sentence) of the Revised Statutes inadvertently was omitted from the codification of title 31 by section 1 of the Act of September 13, 1982 (Pub. L. 97–258, 96 Stat. 877).
In subsection (a), before clause (1), the words “Except as provided in subsection
(b)of this section” are added because of the restatement.
In subsection (b), before clause (1), the word “however” is omitted as surplus. The words “treasurer or” are omitted as obsolete because of the 1st–4th pars. under the heading “Independent Treasury” in the Act of May 29, 1920 (ch. 214, 41 Stat. 654). In clause (2), the words “rules and” are omitted as surplus.
Connections25 cite this · traces to 8
20 references not yet in our index
  • Pub. L. 97–258
  • 96 Stat. 950
  • Pub. L. 98–216, § 1(3)
  • 98 Stat. 3
  • Pub. L. 104–134, title III, § 31001(g)(1)(A)
  • 110 Stat. 1321–363
  • Pub. L. 105–264, § 3(a)(1)
  • 112 Stat. 2352
  • 41 Stat. 654
  • section 476 of this title
  • section 1 of the Act of September 13, 1982
  • 96 Stat. 877
  • Pub. L. 105–264
  • Pub. L. 104–134
  • Pub. L. 98–216
  • Pub. L. 105–264, § 3(b)
  • 112 Stat. 2354
  • Pub. L. 104–134, title III, § 31001(a)(2)(A)
  • 110 Stat. 1321–358
  • section 4(c) of Pub. L. 98–216
Citation graph
cites case law
§ 3322
Disbursing officials
Fed. Reg.×18
U.S.C.×3
Stat.×2
TFM×2
Pub. L.Pub. L. 97–258
Stat.96 Stat. 950
Pub. L.Pub. L. 98–216, § 1(3)
Stat.98 Stat. 3
Cites 28 · showing 12Cited by 25 across 4 sources
★   the supreme law of the land   ★
Don't Tread on Me
E Pluribus Unum — out of many, one

"If you don't know your rights, you don't have any."

Marginalia · a citizen's law index
A research desk, not legal advice. Always read the cited source before relying on a summary.
Questions or an issue? support@self-law.org
disclaimerMarginalia is a research index, not a law firm. Nothing on this site is legal, tax, or financial advice and no attorney–client relationship is formed by using it. Statutes, regulations, and case law change; summaries, search results, AI output, and member posts may be incomplete, out of date, or wrong. Any interpretation drawn from material on this site should be validated by a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before you act on it.