                          TITLE 2--THE CONGRESS
 
                     CHAPTER 5--LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
 
Sec. 142l. Disbursing Officer of Library of Congress; 
        disbursements for Office of Compliance; voucher certifications, 
        accountability and relief by Comptroller General
        
    From and after October 1, 1996, the Disbursing Officer of the 
Library of Congress is authorized to disburse funds appropriated for the 
Office of Compliance, and the Library of Congress shall provide 
financial management support to the Office of Compliance as may be 
required and mutually agreed to by the Librarian of Congress and the 
Executive Director of the Office of Compliance. The Library of Congress 
is further authorized to compute and disburse the basic pay of all 
personnel of the Office of Compliance pursuant to the provisions of 
section 5504 of title 5.
    All vouchers certified for payment by duly authorized certifying 
officers of the Library of Congress shall be supported with a 
certification by an officer or employee of the Office of Compliance duly 
authorized in writing by the Executive Director of the Office of 
Compliance to certify payments from appropriations of the Office of 
Compliance. The Office of Compliance certifying officers shall (1) be 
held responsible for the existence and correctness of the facts recited 
in the certificate or otherwise stated on the voucher or its supporting 
paper and the legality of the proposed payment under the appropriation 
or fund involved, (2) be held responsible and accountable for the 
correctness of the computations of certifications made, and (3) be held 
accountable for and required to make good to the United States the 
amount of any illegal, improper, or incorrect payment resulting from any 
false, inaccurate, or misleading certificate made by them, as well as 
for any payment prohibited by law which did not represent a legal 
obligation under the appropriation or fund involved: Provided, That the 
Comptroller General of the United States may, at his discretion, relieve 
such certifying officer or employee of liability for any payment 
otherwise proper whenever he finds (1) that the certification was based 
on official records and that such certifying officer or employee did not 
know, and by reasonable diligence and inquiry could not have ascertained 
the actual facts, or (2) that the obligation was incurred in good faith, 
that the payment was not contrary to any statutory provision 
specifically prohibiting payments of the character involved, and the 
United States has received value for such payment: Provided further, 
That the Comptroller General shall relieve such certifying officer or 
employee of liability for an overpayment for transportation services 
made to any common carrier covered by section 3726 of title 31, whenever 
he finds that the overpayment occurred solely because the administrative 
examination made prior to payment of the transportation bill did not 
include a verification of transportation rates, freight classifications, 
or land grant deductions.
    The Disbursing Officer of the Library of Congress shall not be held 
accountable or responsible for any illegal, improper, or incorrect 
payment resulting from any false, inaccurate, or misleading certificate, 
the responsibility for which is imposed upon a certifying officer or 
employee of the Office of Compliance.

(Pub. L. 104-197, title II, Sec. 208, Sept. 16, 1996, 110 Stat. 2409.)
