2020 US Code
Title 31 - Money and Finance
Subtitle III - Financial Management
Chapter 33 - Depositing, Keeping, and Paying Money
Subchapter II - Payments
Sec. 3323 - Warrants

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Citation 31 U.S.C. § 3323 (2020)
Section Name §3323. Warrants
Section Text

(a) Except as provided in section 3326 of this title, the Secretary of the Treasury may pay out money only against a warrant. A warrant shall be—

(1) authorized by law;

(2) signed by the Secretary; and

(3) countersigned by the Comptroller General.


(b)(1) A disbursing official shall send to the Secretary with a warrant a certificate under section 3526 of this title, or a requisition for an advance. The certificate or requisition shall state the appropriation to which the payment is to be charged.

(2) The Secretary shall return the certificate or requisition to the Comptroller General with the date and amount endorsed on the certificate or requisition.

(c) A requisition for the payment of money on an audited account or for depositing money in the Treasury is not required.

(d) The Secretary and the Comptroller General shall charge to the appropriate appropriation in their books any money paid by a warrant.

Source Credit

(Pub. L. 97–258, Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 950.)

Editorial Notes
Historical and Revision Notes
Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large)
3323(a) 31:44(1st sentence). June 10, 1921, ch. 18, §304(1st par. 1st sentence), 42 Stat. 24.
  31:76(2d sentence words before 3d comma). July 31, 1894, ch. 174, §11(2d, 3d sentences), 28 Stat. 209.
  31:147(related to disbursement). R.S. §305(related to disbursement); July 31, 1894, ch. 174, §11(last sentence related to §305), 28 Stat. 209.
3323(b) 31:76(2d sentence words after 3d comma).
3323(c) 31:76(3d sentence).
3323(d) 31:44(1st sentence).
  31:77. R.S. §3675.

In the section, the words "Comptroller General" are substituted for "General Accounting Office" for consistency.

Subsection (a) is substituted for 31:76(2d sentence words before 3d comma) and 147(related to disbursement) to eliminate unnecessary words and for clarity and consistency.

In subsection (b), the word "Secretary" is substituted for "Treasurer" because of the source provisions restated in section 321 of the revised title.

In subsection (b)(1), the words "instead of being specified on the warrant" are omitted as surplus. The reference to "section 3526 of this title" is used because section 72, referred to in 31:76, has been omitted from the restatement superseded by 31:82i and 31:82i is restated in section 3526.

In subsection (c), the word "depositing" is substituted for "covering" for clarity and consistency.

Publication Title United States Code, 2018 Edition, Supplement 2, Title 31 - MONEY AND FINANCE
Category Bills and Statutes
Collection United States Code
SuDoc Class Number Y 1.2/5:
Contained Within Title 31 - MONEY AND FINANCE
SUBTITLE III - FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
CHAPTER 33 - DEPOSITING, KEEPING, AND PAYING MONEY
SUBCHAPTER II - PAYMENTS
Sec. 3323 - Warrants
Contains section 3323
Date 2020
Laws In Effect As Of Date January 13, 2021
Positive Law Yes
Disposition standard
Statutes at Large References 28 Stat. 209
42 Stat. 24
96 Stat. 950
Public Law References Public Law 97-258
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