The Antideficiency Act (ADA), Pub.L. 97–258, 96 Stat. 923, is legislation enacted by the United States Congress to prevent the incurring of obligations or the making of expenditures (outlays) in excess of amounts available in appropriations or funds. The law was initially enacted in 1884, with major amendments occurring in 1950 (64 Stat. 765) and 1982 (96 Stat. 923). It is now codified at 31 U.S.C. § 1341. The ADA prohibits the federal government from entering into a contract that is not "fully funded" because doing so would obligate the government in the absence of an appropriation adequate to the needs of the contract. This Act of Congress is sometimes known as Section 3679 of the Revised Statutes, as amended.
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If ever there was a law with a title appropriate to the current administration…
Two of President Trump’s cabinet secretaries could be running afoul of an obscure 19th-century law through their use of private jets for government work, even though they say they’re paying for the travel themselves.
Government watchdog groups and some congressional Democrats are exploring whether Small Business Administration Secretary Linda McMahon and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos are violating the Antideficiency Act, a law that bars the federal government from accepting free services.
Trump officials’ travel habits are under tight scrutiny following news reports detailing how Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price has spent thousands of taxpayer dollars on private jets — at times combining personal trips with work travel. The HHS secretary on Thursday apologized for the taxpayer-funded travel and said he would refund the government for his share of the travel costs with a personal check, raising its own Antideficiency Act issues.
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The general question revolves around whether the pilot is being paid by the Secretaries and how is the value of the plane’s service is quantified. It’s all in the initial inquiry phase according to Rep. Elijah Cummings, the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee.