Public Law 92–550

By inserting after the section designation the letter “(a)”; by changing the first sentence to read: “Subject to such standards as shall be promulgated jointly by the Secretary of the Treasury and the Comptroller General of the United States, payment for transportation of persons or property for or on behalf of the United States by any carrier or forwarder shall be made upon presentation of bills therefor, prior to audit or settlement by the General Accounting Office, but the light is reserved to the United States Government to deduct the amount or any overcharge by any carrier or forwarder from any amount subsequently found to be due such carrier or forwarder.”; deleting the portion of the second sentence preceding the colon and substituting therefor the following: “The term “overcharges’ shall be deemed to

“Overcharges.”

mean charges for transportation services in excess of those applicable thereto under tariffs lawfully on file with the Interstate Commerce Commission, the Civil Aeronautics Board, the Federal Maritime Com-mission, and any State transportation regulatory agency, and charges in excess of those applicable thereto under rates, fares, and charges established pursuant to section 22 of the Interstate Commerce Act, as

24 Stat. 387; 71 Stat. 564.

49 USC 22.

Advance payment.

amended, or other equivalent contract, arrangement, or exemption from regulation”.

By adding the following new subsections to the section:

“(b)“(b)

Pursuant to regulations prescribed by the head of a Government agency or his designee and in conformity with such standards as shall be promulgated jointly by the Secretary of the Treasury and the Comptroller General of the United States, bills for passenger or freight transportation services to be furnished the United States by any carrier or forwarder may be paid in advance of completion of the services, without regard to section 3648 of the Revised Statutes, as amended (31 U.S.C. 529): Provided, That such carrier or forwarder has issued the usual ticket, receipt, bill of lading, or equivalent document covering the service involved, subject to later recovery by deduction or otherwise of any payments made for any services not received as ordered by the United States.

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“(c)“(c)

The term ‘head of a Government agency’ means any individual or group of individuals having final decisionmaking responsibility for any department, commission, board, service, Government corporation, instrumentality, or other establishment or body in the United States Government.”

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