Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

36 U.S.C. § 2103

Administrative

(a)

General Authority .—

Subject to appropriations made to carry out this chapter, the American Battle Monuments Commission may—
(1)
section 3111 of title 40 acquire land or an interest in land in a foreign country to carry out the purposes of this chapter, or an executive order conferring duties and powers on the Commission, without submission to the Attorney General under ;
(2)
maintain, repair, and operate motor-propelled passenger-carrying vehicles and other property that another department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States Government provides to the Commission;
(3)
establish offices in the District of Columbia and elsewhere in or outside the United States;
(4)
rent office and garage space, which may be paid for in advance, in foreign countries; and
(5)
procure printing, binding, engraving, lithographing, photographing, and typewriting, including the publication of information on United States activities, battlefields, memorials, and cemeteries with respect to which the Commission may exercise any duties and powers.
(b)

Disposition of Land .—

Under conditions and in the manner the Commission decides is proper, the Commission may dispose of land or an interest in land in a foreign country that the Commission acquires in connection with its work.
(c)

Contracting Out .—

Notwithstanding the requirements of existing laws or regulations, the Commission, under conditions the Commission decides are necessary and proper, may contract for work, supplies, materials, and equipment outside or for use outside the United States and engage the services of architects and other technical and professional personnel.
(d)

Delegation .—

Under conditions the Commission may prescribe, the Commission may delegate to its Chairman, secretary, or officials in charge of any of its offices any of its authority it considers necessary and proper.
(e)

Solicitation and Receipt of Contributions .—

(1)
The Commission may solicit and receive funds and in-kind donations and gifts from any State, municipal, or private source to carry out the purposes of this chapter. The Commission shall deposit such funds in a separate account in the Treasury. Funds from that account shall be disbursed upon vouchers approved by the Chairman of the Commission.
(2)
The Commission shall establish written guidelines setting forth the criteria to be used in determining whether the acceptance of funds and in-kind donations and gifts under paragraph (1) would—
(A)
reflect unfavorably on the ability of the Commission, or any member or employee of the Commission, to carry out the responsibilities or official duties of the Commission in a fair and objective manner; or
(B)
compromise the integrity or the appearance of the integrity of the programs of the Commission or any official involved in those programs.
(f)

Limitation on Use of Contributions .—

The Commission may not obligate, withdraw, or expend amounts received as contributions before .
(g)

Statements to President .—

The Commission shall transmit to the President on October 1 of each year a statement of all its financial and other transactions during the prior fiscal year.
(h)

Financial Statements and Audits .—

section 3515 of title 31section 2106(d)(4) of this titleThe Commission shall have a system of financial controls to enable the Commission to comply with the requirements of and with .
(i)

Disposition of Records and Archives .—

section 2107 of title 44When no longer required by the Commission, the records and archives of the Commission shall be deposited with the National Archives in accordance with .
(j)

Seal .—

The Commission shall have a seal that shall be judicially noticed.
(k)

Disbursements Outside Continental United States .—

Disbursements for expenditures outside the continental United States may be made by a special disbursing agent designated by the Commission under regulations it prescribes.

Pub. L. 105–225112 Stat. 1270Pub. L. 106–117, title VI113 Stat. 1578Pub. L. 107–217, § 3(i)(1)116 Stat. 1300Pub. L. 112–234, § 2(g)126 Stat. 1625(, , ; , §§ 602, 604(3), , , 1580; , , ; , , .)

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised

Section

Source (U.S. Code)

Source (Statutes at Large)

2103(a)

36:138b (1st par.).

Mar. 4, 1923, ch. 283, § 12 (1st–3d, last pars.), 42 Stat. 1509; June 26, 1946, ch. 502, 60 Stat. 317; July 25, 1956, ch. 721, §§ 2(c), (d), 4(c)(1), (2), 70 Stat. 640, 641.

2103(b)

36:137.

Feb. 11, 1927, ch. 104, § 1 (5th proviso in par. under heading “American Battle Monuments Commission”), 44 Stat. 1071.

36:138b (3d par.).

2103(c)

36:138b (2d par.).

2103(d)

36:138b (last par.).

2103(e)

36:128.

Mar. 4, 1923, ch. 283, § 7, 42 Stat. 1509; June 26, 1946, ch. 502, 60 Stat. 317.

2103(f)

36:138d(c).

Mar. 4, 1923, ch. 283, § 14, as added Oct. 9, 1996, Pub. L. 104–275, title VI, § 602(b), 110 Stat. 3345.

2103(g)

36:131.

Mar. 4, 1923, ch. 283, § 8, 42 Stat. 1509; June 26, 1946, ch. 502, 60 Stat. 317; July 25, 1956, ch. 721, § 2(c), (d), 70 Stat. 640; Apr. 21, 1976, Pub. L. 94–273, § 3(19), 90 Stat. 377.

2103(h)

36:138d(a), (b).

2103(i)

36:138.

Mar. 4, 1923, ch. 283, § 9, 42 Stat. 1509; June 26, 1946, ch. 502, 60 Stat. 317; July 25, 1956, ch. 721, §§ 2(c), (d), 4(a), 70 Stat. 640, 641.

2103(j)

36:136.

Feb. 11, 1927, ch. 104, § 1 (3d proviso in par. under heading “American Battle Monuments Commission”), 44 Stat. 1071.

2103(k)

36:133.

Feb. 11, 1927, ch. 104, § 1 (last proviso in par. under heading “American Battle Monuments Commission”), 44 Stat. 1071.

In this section, the word “terms” is omitted as included in “conditions”.

In subsection (a), before clause (1), the words “or appropriations” are omitted because of 1:1. In clauses (1) and (5), the words “duties and powers” are substituted for “functions” for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the United States Code. In clause (2), the words “department, agency, or instrumentality” are substituted for “departments” for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the Code.

Provided58 Stat. 78463 Stat. 39964 Stat. 583section 2 of the Act of August 4, 1972Public Law 92–36286 Stat. 504section 21 of the Act of June 25, 194862 Stat. 868Public Law 87–25675 Stat. 538In subsection (b), the text of 36:137 is omitted as superseded. The words “which has been or may after , be” and “, That this subsection shall not be effective until the expiration of the Surplus Property Act of 1944” are omitted as obsolete. Section 38 of the Surplus Property Act of 1944 (ch. 479, ) provided that the Act was to expire 3 years after the cessation of hostilities of World War II. The cessation of hostilities was proclaimed on , by Proclamation No. 2714, 12 Fed. Reg. 1. However, section 602(a)(1) of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (ch. 288, ) [renumbered by section 6(a) and (b) of the Act of (ch. 849, )] repealed the Surplus Property Act of 1944 effective (except for sections 13(d), (g), and (h), 28, and 32(b)(2)). Section 13(d), concerning power transmission lines, and section 13(g), concerning property for public airports, do not involve the American Battle Monuments Commission. Section 13(h) was repealed by (, ). Section 28 was repealed by (ch. 645, ). Section 32(b)(2) was repealed by section 111(a)(1) of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 (, ).

In subsection (c), the words “in its discretion”, “by contract or otherwise”, and “firms of architects” are omitted as unnecessary.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 112–234section 3515 of title 312012—Subsec. (h). substituted “of ” for “of paragraph (2) of this subsection”, struck out par. (1) designation before “The Commission”, and struck out par. (2) which required the Commission to prepare and submit a financial statement by March 1 of each year beginning with 1998 and to obtain an audit by the Comptroller General of each such financial statement.

Pub. L. 107–217section 3111 of title 4040 U.S.C. 2552002—Subsec. (a)(1). substituted “” for “section 355 of the Revised Statutes ()”.

Pub. L. 106–117, § 604(3)(C)1999—Subsec. (d). , substituted “Chairman” for “chairman”.

Pub. L. 106–117, § 602Subsec. (e). , amended heading and text of subsec. (e) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “The Commission may receive State, local, or private amounts to carry out this chapter. The Commission shall deposit the amounts with the Treasurer of the United States. The Treasurer shall keep the amounts in separate accounts and shall disburse the amounts on vouchers approved by the chairman.”

Pub. L. 106–117, § 604(3)(A)Subsec. (h)(2)(A)(i). , struck out “, United States Code” after “title 31”.

Pub. L. 106–117, § 604(3)(B)Subsec. (i). , struck out “, United States Code” after “title 44”.