(a) Existence.—There is in the Treasury a fund known as the Federal Buildings Fund.
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Terms Used In 40 USC 592
- Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
- Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
- Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
- Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
- Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
(b) Deposits.—
(1) In general.—The following revenues and collections shall be deposited into the Fund:
(A) User charges under section 586(b) of this title, payable in advance or otherwise.
(B) Proceeds from the lease of federal building sites or additions under section 581(d) of this title.
(C) Receipts from carriers and others for loss of, or damage to, property belonging to the Fund.
(2) Reimbursements for special services.—This subchapter does not preclude the Administrator of General Services from providing special services, not included in the standard level user charge, on a reimbursable basis. The reimbursements may be credited to the Fund.
(3) Transfer of surplus amounts.—To prevent the accumulation of excessive surpluses in the Fund, in any fiscal year an amount specified in an appropriation law may be transferred out of the Fund and deposited as miscellaneous receipts in the Treasury.
(c) Uses.—
(1) In general.—Deposits in the Fund are available for real property management and related activities in the amounts specified in annual appropriation laws without regard to fiscal year limitations.
(2) Salaries and expenses related to construction projects or planning programs.—Deposits in the Fund that are available pursuant to annual appropriation laws may be transferred and consolidated on the books of the Treasury into a special account in accordance with, and for the purposes specified in, section 3176 of this title.
(3) Repayment of general services administration borrowing from federal financing bank.—The Administrator, in accordance with rules and procedures that the Office of Management and Budget and the Secretary of the Treasury establish, may transfer from the Fund an amount necessary to repay the principal amount of a General Services Administration borrowing from the Federal Financing Bank, if the borrowing is a legal obligation of the Fund.
(4) Buildings deemed federally owned.—For purposes of amounts authorized to be expended from the Fund, the following are deemed to be federally owned buildings:
(A) A building constructed pursuant to the purchase contract authority of section 5 of the Public Buildings Amendments of 1972 (Public Law 92-313, 86 Stat. 219).
(B) A building occupied pursuant to an installment purchase contract.
(C) A building under the control of a department or agency, if alterations of the building are required in connection with moving the department or agency from a former building that is, or will be, under the control of the Administration.
(d) Energy Management Programs.—
(1) Receiving cash incentives.—The Administrator may receive amounts from rebates or other cash incentives related to energy savings and shall deposit the amounts in the Fund for use as provided in paragraph (4).
(2) Receiving goods or services.—The Administrator may accept, from a utility, goods or services that enhance the energy efficiency of federal facilities.
(3) Assignment of energy rebates.—In the administration of real property that the Administrator leases and for which the Administrator pays utility costs, the Administrator may assign all or a portion of energy rebates to the lessor to underwrite the costs incurred in undertaking energy efficiency improvements in the real property if the payback period for the improvement is at least 2 years less than the remainder of the term of the lease.
(4) Obligating amounts for energy management improvement programs.—In addition to amounts appropriated for energy management improvement programs and without regard to subsection (c)(1), the Administrator may obligate for those programs—
(A) amounts received and deposited in the Fund under paragraph (1);
(B) goods and services received under paragraph (2); and
(C) amounts the Administrator determines are not needed for other authorized projects and that are otherwise available to implement energy efficiency programs.
(e) Recycling Programs.—
(1) Receiving amounts.—The Administrator may receive amounts from the sale of recycled materials and shall deposit the amounts in the Fund for use as provided in paragraph (2).
(2) Obligating amounts for recycling programs.—In addition to amounts appropriated for such purposes and without regard to subsection (c)(1), the Administrator may obligate amounts received and deposited in the Fund under paragraph (1) for programs which—
(A) promote further source reduction and recycling programs; and
(B) encourage employees to participate in recycling programs by providing financing for child care.
(f) Additional Authority Related to Energy Management and Recycling Programs.—The Fund may receive, in the form of rebates, cash incentives or otherwise, any revenues, collections, or other income related to energy savings or recycling efforts. Amounts received under this subsection remain in the Fund until expended and remain available for federal energy management improvement programs, recycling programs, or employee programs that are authorized by law or that the Administrator considers appropriate. The Administration may use amounts received under this subsection, in addition to amounts received as New Obligational Authority, in activities of the Fund as necessary.
