
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document affected by Public Law 106-303 Section 4(a)(3)]
[CITE: 31USC701]

 
                       TITLE 31--MONEY AND FINANCE
 
                           SUBTITLE I--GENERAL
 
                  CHAPTER 7--GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE
 
           SUBCHAPTER I--DEFINITIONS AND GENERAL ORGANIZATION
 
Sec. 701. Definitions

    In this chapter--
        (1) ``agency'' includes the District of Columbia government but 
    does not include the legislative branch or the Supreme Court.
        (2) ``appropriations'' means appropriated amounts and includes, 
    in appropriate context--
            (A) funds;
            (B) authority to make obligations by contract before 
        appropriations; and
            (C) other authority making amounts available for obligation 
        or expenditure.

(Pub. L. 97-258, Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 887.)

                                          Historical and Revision Notes
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------
           Revised Section                   Source (U.S. Code)                
Source (Statutes at Large)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------
701(1)...............................  31:2(1st-4th pars.).            June 10,
 1921, ch. 18, Sec.  2(1st-5th
                                                                        pars.),
 42 Stat. 20; Apr. 3, 1939, ch.
                                                                        36, Sec
.  201, 53 Stat. 565; July 31,
                                                                        1953, c
h. 302, Sec.  101(1st proviso in
                                                                        par. un
der heading ``Bureau of the
                                                                        Budget'
'), 67 Stat. 299.
701(2)...............................  31:2(last par.).                June 10,
 1921, ch. 18, 42 Stat. 20, Sec.
                                                                        2(last 
par.); added Sept. 12, 1950, ch.
                                                                        946, Se
c.  101, 64 Stat. 832.
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---------------------------------

    In clause (1), ``agency'' (which is defined for purposes of this 
title in section 101 to mean a department, agency, or instrumentality of 
the United States) is coextensive with and substituted for the term 
``department or establishment'' which was defined in 31:2 as in part 
meaning ``any executive department, independent commission, board, 
bureau, office, agency, or other establishment of the Government, 
including any independent regulatory commission or board''. This 
definition merely restates and continues, and does not in any way change 
or expand, the definition in 31:2. Under that definition, entities such 
as the Tennessee Valley Authority that have been interpreted to be 
outside the purview of the definition will continue to be outside the 
purview in the same manner and to the same extent that they were under 
31:2. The words ``includes the District of Columbia government'' are 
used because of existing law but the inclusion of these words is not to 
be interpreted as construing the extent to which the District of 
Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganizational Act (Pub. L. 
93-198, 87 Stat. 774) supersedes the provisions codified in this title. 
The words ``of the United States'' are omitted as surplus. The text of 
31:2 (2d-4th pars.) is omitted as unnecessary because of the 
restatement. The text of section 2 (3d par.) of the Budget and 
Accounting Act, 1921 (ch. 18, 42 Stat. 20), is omitted as obsolete 
because of section 501 of the revised title.


                      Short Title of 1996 Amendment

    Pub. L. 104-316, Sec. 1, Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3826, provided 
that: ``This Act [see Tables for classification] may be cited as the 
`General Accounting Office Act of 1996'.''


                      Short Title of 1988 Amendment

    Pub. L. 100-426, Sec. 1, Sept. 9, 1988, 102 Stat. 1598, provided 
that: ``This Act [amending sections 703, 732, 751, 752, 755, 771 to 774, 
776, and 777 of this title and section 5349 of Title 5, Government 
Organization and Employees, and enacting provisions set out as notes 
under sections 755 and 772 of this title] may be cited as the `General 
Accounting Office Personnel Amendments Act of 1988'.''
