
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 5]
[CITE: 31USC731]

 
                       TITLE 31--MONEY AND FINANCE
 
                           SUBTITLE I--GENERAL
 
                  CHAPTER 7--GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE
 
                        SUBCHAPTER III--PERSONNEL
 
Sec. 731. General

    (a) The Comptroller General may appoint, pay, assign, and remove 
officers (except the Deputy Comptroller General) and employees the 
Comptroller General decides are necessary to carry out the duties and 
powers of the General Accounting Office.
    (b) The Comptroller General may establish for appropriate officers 
and employees a merit pay system consistent with section 5401 of title 
5, as in effect on October 31, 1993.
    (c) The annual rate of basic pay of the General Counsel of the 
General Accounting Office is equal to the rate for level IV of the 
Executive Schedule.
    (d) When a change in organization, management responsibility, or 
workload makes it necessary, the Comptroller General may fix the rate of 
basic pay of 5 positions at rates not more than the rate for level IV of 
the Executive Schedule.
    (e) The Comptroller General may procure the services of experts and 
consultants under section 3109 of title 5 at rates not in excess of the 
maximum daily rate for GS-18 under section 5332 of such title, except 
that the services of not more than--
        (1) 15 experts and consultants may be procured for terms of not 
    more than 3 years, but which shall be renewable; and
        (2) 10 experts and consultants may be procured permanently, 
    temporarily, or intermittently to carry out sections 717(b)-(d) and 
    719(b)(1)(A) of this title at rates that are not more than the rate 
    for level IV of the Executive Schedule.

(Pub. L. 97-258, Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 896; Pub. L. 98-326, 
Sec. 1(a), June 22, 1984, 98 Stat. 269; Pub. L. 98-615, title II, 
Sec. 204(b), Nov. 8, 1984, 98 Stat. 3216; Pub. L. 103-89, Sec. 3(b)(4), 
Sept. 30, 1993, 107 Stat. 983; Pub. L. 106-303, Sec. 5, Oct. 13, 2000, 
114 Stat. 1069.)

                                          Historical and Revision Notes
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------
           Revised Section                   Source (U.S. Code)                
Source (Statutes at Large)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------
731(a)...............................  31:44(1st sentence).            June 10,
 1921, ch. 18, Sec.  304(1st par.
                                                                        1st sen
tence), 42 Stat. 24.
                                       31:52(a), (b).                  June 10,
 1921, ch. 18, Sec.  311(a), (b),
                                                                        42 Stat
. 25; restated Feb. 15, 1980,
                                                                        Pub. L.
 96-191, Sec.  8(e)(3), 94 Stat.
                                                                        33.
                                       31:52-1(related to              Feb. 15,
 1980, Pub. L. 96-191, Secs.
                                        appointment, pay, and           2(relat
ed to appointment, pay, and
                                        assignment).                    assignm
ent), 5(b), 94 Stat. 27, 32.
                                       31:56.                          Mar. 4, 
1909, ch. 297, Sec.  1(proviso on
                                                                        p. 866)
, 35 Stat 866; May 29, 1920, ch.
                                                                        214, Se
c.  1(last par. under heading
                                                                        ``Offic
e of Comptroller of the
                                                                        Treasur
y''), 41 Stat. 647.
731(b)...............................  31:52-4(b).
731(c)...............................  31:51a.                         Aug. 14,
 1964, Pub. L. 88-426, Sec.
                                                                        203(c)(
5th-14th words), 78 Stat. 415;
                                                                        Dec. 16
, 1967, Pub. L. 90-206, Sec.
                                                                        219(2),
 81 Stat. 639; restated Aug. 9,
                                                                        1975, P
ub. L. 94-82, Sec.  204(b), 89
                                                                        Stat. 4
21.
731(d)...............................  31:52b.                         Aug. 14,
 1964, Pub. L. 88-426, 78 Stat.
                                                                        400, Se
c.  203(i); added Dec. 15, 1971,
                                                                        Pub. L.
 92-190, 85 Stat. 646.
731(e)...............................  31:52c.                         Jan. 2, 
1975, Pub. L. 93-604, Sec.  401,
                                                                        88 Stat
. 1962.
                                       31:1154(d)(last sentence).      Oct. 26,
 1970, Pub. L. 91-510, Sec.
                                                                        204(d)(
last sentence), 84 Stat. 1168;
                                                                        restate
d July 12, 1974, Pub. L. 93-344,
                                                                        Sec.  7
02(a), 88 Stat. 326.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------

    In subsection (a), the text of 31:52(a) and (b) and 31:56 is omitted 
as superseded by the other source provisions restated in this subchapter 
and subchapter IV of this chapter. The word ``remove'' is added for 
consistency with other provisions of the subchapter. The words 
``officers (except the Deputy Comptroller General) and employees'' are 
substituted for ``personnel'' in 31:52-1, and the word ``powers'' is 
substituted for ``functions'', for consistency in the revised title and 
with other titles of the United States Code.
    Subsection (b) is substituted for 31:52-4(b) to eliminate 
unnecessary words. The words ``officers and'' are added for consistency 
in the revised title and with other titles of the Code.
    In subsections (c) and (d), the words ``basic pay'' are substituted 
for ``compensation'' for consistency in the revised title and with other 
titles of the Code.
    In subsection (c), the words ``United States'' and ``positions at'' 
are omitted as surplus.
    In subsection (d), the words ``in the General Accounting Office'', 
``prescribed . . . under section 5315 of title 5'', and ``of the 
Office'' are omitted as surplus.
    In subsection (e), before clause (1), the words ``procure the 
services of'' are substituted for ``employ'' for consistency with 
5:3109. The words ``at rates not in excess of the maximum daily rate 
prescribed for GS-18 under section 5332 of title 5 for persons in the 
Government service employed intermittently'' are omitted as unnecessary 
because of 5:3109. In clause (1), the word ``periods'' is omitted as 
surplus. Clause (2) is substituted for 31:1154(d)(last sentence) to 
eliminate unnecessary words. The words ``and consultants'' are added 
because of 5:3109.

                       References in Text

    Section 5401 of title 5, referred to in subsec. (b), was repealed by 
Pub. L. 103-89, Sec. 3(a)(1), Sept. 30, 1993, 107 Stat. 981.
    Level IV of the Executive Schedule, referred to in subsecs. (c), 
(d), and (e)(2), is set out in section 5315 of Title 5, Government 
Organization and Employees.


                               Amendments

    2000--Subsec. (e)(1). Pub. L. 106-303, Sec. 5(1), substituted 
``terms of not more than 3 years, but which shall be renewable'' for 
``not more than 3 years''.
    Subsec. (e)(2). Pub. L. 106-303, Sec. 5(2), substituted ``level IV'' 
for ``level V''.
    1993--Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103-89 inserted before period at end ``, 
as in effect on October 31, 1993''.
    1984--Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 98-615 substituted ``section 5401 of 
title 5'' for ``section 5401(a) of title 5''.
    Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 98-236 substituted ``title 5 at rates not in 
excess of the maximum daily rate for GS-18 under section 5332 of such 
title'' for ``title 5'' in provisions preceding par. (1) and ``15'' for 
``10'' in par. (1).


                    Effective Date of 1993 Amendment

    Amendment by Pub. L. 103-89 effective Nov. 1, 1993, see section 3(c) 
of Pub. L. 103-89, set out as a note under section 3372 of Title 5, 
Government Organization and Employees.


                    Effective Date of 1984 Amendments

    Section 205 of Pub. L. 98-615 provided that amendment by Pub. L. 98-
615 was effective Oct. 1, 1984, and applicable with respect to pay 
periods commencing on or after that date, with certain exceptions and 
qualifications.
    Section 2 of Pub. L. 98-326 provided that: ``The amendments made by 
this Act [amending this section and sections 732 and 733 of this title] 
shall take effect beginning on October 1, 1984.''


         References in Other Laws to GS-16, 17, or 18 Pay Rates

    References in laws to the rates of pay for GS-16, 17, or 18, or to 
maximum rates of pay under the General Schedule, to be considered 
references to rates payable under specified sections of Title 5, 
Government Organization and Employees, see section 529 [title I, 
Sec. 101(c)(1)] of Pub. L. 101-509, set out in a note under section 5376 
of Title 5.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in sections 719, 732a, 733, 735 of this 
title; title 2 section 356.
