§ 142b. — Certifying officers of the Library of Congress; accountability; relief by Comptroller General.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 2USC142b]
TITLE 2--THE CONGRESS
CHAPTER 5--LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
Sec. 142b. Certifying officers of the Library of Congress;
accountability; relief by Comptroller General
On and after June 13, 1957, each officer and employee of the Library
of Congress, including the Copyright Office, who has been duly
authorized in writing by the Librarian of Congress to certify vouchers
for payment from appropriations and funds, shall (1) be held responsible
for the existence and correctness of the facts recited in the
certificate or otherwise stated on the voucher or its supporting papers
and for the legality of the proposed payment under the appropriation or
fund involved; (2) [Repealed]; (3) be held responsible and accountable
for the correctness of the computations of certified vouchers; and (4)
be held accountable for and required to make good to the United States
the amount of any illegal, improper, or incorrect payment resulting from
any false, inaccurate, or misleading certificate made by him, as well as
for any payment prohibited by law or which did not represent a legal
obligation under the appropriation or fund involved: Provided, That the
Comptroller General of the United States may, at his discretion, relieve
such certifying officer or employee of liability for any payment
otherwise proper whenever he finds (1) that the certification was based
on official records and that such certifying officer or employee did not
know, and by reasonable diligence and inquiry could not have
ascertained, the actual facts, or (2) that the obligation was incurred
in good faith, that the payment was not contrary to any statutory
provision specifically prohibiting payments of the character involved,
and the United States has received value for such payment: Provided
further, That the Comptroller General shall relieve such certifying
officer or employee of liability for an overpayment for transportation
services made to any common carrier covered by section 3726 of title 31,
whenever he finds that the overpayment occurred solely because the
administrative examination made prior to payment of the transportation
bill did not include a verification of transportation rates, freight
classifications, or land grant deductions.
(Pub. L. 85-53, Sec. 1, June 13, 1957, 71 Stat. 81; Pub. L. 92-310,
title II, Sec. 220(k), June 6, 1972, 86 Stat. 205.)
Codification
``Section 3726 of title 31'' substituted in text for ``title III,
part II, section 322, of the Transportation Act of 1940, approved
September 18, 1940 [31 U.S.C. 244]'' on authority of Pub. L. 97-258,
Sec. 4(b), Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1067, the first section of which
enacted Title 31, Money and Finance.
Amendments
1972--Pub. L. 92-310 struck out provisions which required officers
and employees of Library who are authorized to certify vouchers for
payment to give a bond.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in section 142d of this title.
