§ 3322. Disbursing officials

• (a) The Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer public money to a disbursing official only by draft or warrant written on the Treasury. Except as provided in section 3716 and section 3720A of this title and subsection (b) of this section, a disbursing official shall—
  • (1) deposit public money as required by section 3302 of this title ; and
  • (2) draw public money from the Treasury or a depositary only—
    • (A) as necessary to make payments; and
    • (B) payable to persons to whom payment is to be made.
• (b) In a place without a depositary, the Secretary, on deciding it is essential to the public interest, may authorize specially in writing that public money be—
  • (1) deposited in any other public depositary; or
  • (2) kept in another manner under regulations the Secretary decides are the safest and most effective in making a payment to a public creditor easier.
• (c) A disbursing official is not liable for an overpayment provided under a United States Government bill of lading or transportation request when the overpayment is caused by the—
  • (1) use of improper transportation rates or classifications if the Administrator of General Services has determined that verification by a prepayment audit conducted pursuant to section 3726(a) of this title for a particular mode or modes of transportation, or for an agency or subagency, will not adequately protect the interests of the Government; or
  • (2) failure to deduct the proper amount under—
    • (A) a land grant law; or
    • (B) an equalization or other agreement.