31 U.S.C.
United States Code, 2023 Edition
Title 31 - MONEY AND FINANCE
SUBTITLE I - GENERAL
CHAPTER 7 - GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE
SUBCHAPTER VI - PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov

### SUBCHAPTER VI—PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

### §781. Authority over the General Accounting Office Building

(a) The Comptroller General shall have exclusive custody and control over the building located at 441 G Street, N.W., in the District of Columbia, that is generally known as the General Accounting Office Building,1 including operation, maintenance, protection, alteration, repair, and assignment of space therein. Such custody and control shall also extend to any machinery, equipment, spare parts and tools located in and usable for the operation and maintenance of the General Accounting Office Building.1 For the purposes of securing approval of any prospectus detailing proposed alterations of the General Accounting Office Building,1 as required by section 3307 of title 40, the Comptroller General shall perform the functions assigned to the Administrator of General Services by that section.

(b) Upon request of the Comptroller General, the Administrator of General Services shall provide, to the extent resources are available, any necessary services for the protection of the property and persons in the General Accounting Office Building,1 including the provision of special police, responding to and investigating incidents, and the monitoring of the perimeter security system. Such services may be provided with or without reimbursement as the Comptroller General and the Administrator may agree.

(c)(1) The Comptroller General is authorized to enter into agreements or contracts to acquire property or services on such terms and conditions and in such a manner as he deems necessary and without regard to section 6101(b) to (d) of title 41; except that the Comptroller General may not acquire real property unless specifically authorized by law. In exercising the authority granted by this section, the Comptroller General shall obtain full and open competition in accordance with the principles and purposes of the Competition in Contracting Act of 1984.

(2) To the extent that funds are otherwise available for obligation, agreements or contracts for utility services may be made for periods not exceeding 10 years.

(3) The Comptroller General may make advance, progress, and other payments which relate to agreements or contracts entered into under authority of this section, without regard to the provisions of section 3324(a) and (b) of this title.

(Added Pub. L. 100–545, §1, Oct. 28, 1988, 102 Stat. 2727; amended Pub. L. 107–217, §3(h)(1), Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1299; Pub. L. 111–350, §5(h)(3), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3849.)

#### Editorial Notes

#### References in Text

The Competition in Contracting Act of 1984, referred to in subsec. (c)(1), is title VII of Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 1175. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 1984 Act note set out under section 101 of Title 41, Public Contracts, and Tables.

#### Amendments

2011—Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 111–350 substituted "section 6101(b) to (d) of title 41" for "section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 U.S.C. 5)".

2002—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107–217 substituted "section 3307 of title 40" for "section 7 of the Public Buildings Act of 1959, as amended (40 U.S.C. 606)".

#### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

#### Change of Name

General Accounting Office redesignated Government Accountability Office. See section 8 of Pub. L. 108–271, set out as a note under section 702 of this title.

#### Source of Funds Used for Payment of Salaries and Expenses of Tiny Findings Child Development Center

Pub. L. 116–136, div. B, title IX, §19009, Mar. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 579, as amended by Pub. L. 116–260, div. O, title XI, §1101(b)(3), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2157, provided that:

"(a) Reimbursements.—During the period beginning on the date of enactment of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 [Dec. 27, 2020] and ending on the termination date of the public health emergency declared pursuant to section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d) resulting from the COVID–19 pandemic, the Government Accountability Office shall reimburse the Tiny Findings Child Development Center for expenses, due to measures taken in the Capitol complex to combat coronavirus, as calculated under subsection (b) and from amounts in the appropriations account 'Government Accountability Office—Salaries and Expenses'.

"(b) Amount.—The amount of the reimbursement under this section for each month of the period described in subsection (a) shall be equal to the difference between—

"(1) the lesser of—

"(A) the amount of the operating costs (including payroll, general, and administrative expenses) of the Center for such month; or

"(B) $162,500; and

"(2) the amount of tuition payments collected by the Center for such month."

[For definition of "coronavirus" as used in section 19009 of Pub. L. 116–136, set out above, see section 23005 of Pub. L. 116–136, set out as a note under section 162b of Title 2, The Congress.]

1 See Change of Name note below.

### §782. Leasing of space in the General Accounting Office Building

The Comptroller General is authorized to lease or otherwise provide space and services within the General Accounting Office Building 1 to persons, both public and private, or to any department, agency or instrumentality of the United States Government upon such terms and conditions as the Comptroller General deems necessary to protect the public interest. The Comptroller General shall establish a rental rate for such leased space equivalent to the prevailing commercial rate for comparable space devoted to a similar purpose in the vicinity of the General Accounting Office Building.1 Additionally, the Comptroller General may make available, on occasion, or may lease at such rates and on such other terms and conditions as the Comptroller General deems to be in the public interest, auditoriums, meeting rooms, and lobbies of the General Accounting Office Building 1 to persons, firms, or organizations engaged in cultural, educational, or recreational activities (as defined in section 3306(a) of title 40). The Comptroller General will consult with the Administrator of General Services and will give priority to Federal agencies in filling available space within the General Accounting Office Building.1 Payments for space or services may be made in advance or by way of reimbursement and shall be deposited to a special account and shall be available for expenditure for operation, maintenance, protection, alteration, or repair of the General Accounting Office Building 1 in such amounts as are specified in annual appropriation Acts without regard to fiscal year limitations.

(Added Pub. L. 100–545, §1, Oct. 28, 1988, 102 Stat. 2728; amended Pub. L. 103–272, §4(f)(1)(D), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1362; Pub. L. 107–217, §3(h)(2), Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1299.)

#### Editorial Notes

#### Amendments

2002—Pub. L. 107–217 substituted "(as defined in section 3306(a) of title 40)" for "(as defined in section 105 of the Public Buildings Cooperative Use Act of 1976 (40 U.S.C. 612a))".

1994—Pub. L. 103–272 substituted "612a))." for "612a)."

#### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

#### Change of Name

General Accounting Office redesignated Government Accountability Office. See section 8 of Pub. L. 108–271, set out as a note under section 702 of this title.

#### Payments of Reimbursements Incident to Operation of General Accounting Office Building

Pub. L. 101–520, title II, Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 2275, as amended by Pub. L. 108–271, §8(b), July 7, 2004, 118 Stat. 814, provided in part that "notwithstanding the provisions of section 782 of title 31, United States Code, hereinafter any payments of reimbursements received incident to the operation of the General Accounting Office Building shall be credited to the appropriation currently available to the Government Accountability Office and remain available until expended, and not more than $5,915,000 of such funds shall be available for use in fiscal year 1991".

1 See Change of Name note below.

### §783. Rules and regulations

(a) The Comptroller General is authorized to make all needful rules and regulations for the Government of the General Accounting Office Building,1 and to annex to such rules and regulations such reasonable penalties, within the limits prescribed in subsection (b), as will ensure their enforcement. Such rules and regulations shall be posted and kept posted in a conspicuous place on such Federal property.

(b) Whoever shall violate any rule or regulation promulgated pursuant to subsection (a) shall be fined not more than $500 or imprisoned not more than 6 months, or both.

(Added Pub. L. 100–545, §1, Oct. 28, 1988, 102 Stat. 2728.)

#### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

#### Change of Name

General Accounting Office redesignated Government Accountability Office. See section 8 of Pub. L. 108–271, set out as a note under section 702 of this title.

1 See Change of Name note below.