View all text of Subchapter I [§ 900 - § 909]

§ 905. Exempt programs and activities
(a) Social security benefits and tier I railroad retirement benefits

Benefits payable under the old-age, survivors, and disability insurance program established under title II of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.), and benefits payable under sections 231b and 231c 1

1 See References in Text note below.
of title 45, shall be exempt from reduction under any order issued under this subchapter.

(b) Veterans programs

The following programs shall be exempt from reduction under any order issued under this subchapter:

All programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Special benefits for certain World War II veterans (28–0401–0–1–701).

(c) Net interest

No reduction of payments for net interest (all of major functional category 900) shall be made under any order issued under this subchapter.

(d) Refundable income tax credits and certain elective payments
(1) Refundable income tax credits

Payments to individuals made pursuant to provisions of title 26 establishing refundable tax credits shall be exempt from reduction under any order issued under this part.

(2) Certain elective payments

Payments made to taxpayers pursuant to elections under subsection (d) of section 48D of title 26, or amounts treated as payments which are made by taxpayers under paragraph (1) of such subsection, shall be exempt from reduction under any order issued under this part.

(e) Non-defense unobligated balances

Unobligated balances of budget authority carried over from prior fiscal years, except balances in the defense category, shall be exempt from reduction under any order issued under this subchapter.

(f) Optional exemption of military personnel
(1) In general

The President may, with respect to any military personnel account, exempt that account from sequestration or provide for a lower uniform percentage reduction than would otherwise apply.

(2) Limitation

The President may not use the authority provided by paragraph (1) unless the President notifies the Congress of the manner in which such authority will be exercised on or before the date specified in section 904(a) of this title for the budget year.

(g) Other programs and activities
(1)
(A) The following budget accounts and activities shall be exempt from reduction under any order issued under this subchapter:

Activities resulting from private donations, bequests, or voluntary contributions to the Government.

Activities financed by voluntary payments to the Government for goods or services to be provided for such payments.

Administration of Territories, Northern Mariana Islands Covenant grants (14–0412–0–1–808).

Advances to the Unemployment Trust Fund and Other Funds (16–0327–0–1–600).

Black Lung Disability Trust Fund Refinancing (16–0329–0–1–601).

(B) The following Federal retirement and disability accounts and activities shall be exempt from reduction under any order issued under this subchapter:

Black Lung Disability Trust Fund (20–8144–0–7–601).

Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System Fund (56–3400–0–1–054).

Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund (24–8135–0–7–602).

Comptrollers general retirement system (05–0107–0–1–801).

Contributions to U.S. Park Police annuity benefits, Other Permanent Appropriations (14–9924–0–2–303).

Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Retirement Fund (95–8290–0–7–705).

Department of Defense Medicare-Eligible Retiree Health Care Fund (97–5472–0–2–551).

District of Columbia Federal Pension Fund (20–5511–0–2–601).

District of Columbia Judicial Retirement and Survivors Annuity Fund (20–8212–0–7–602).

Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Fund (16–1523–0–1–053).

Foreign National Employees Separation Pay (97–8165–0–7–051).

Foreign Service National Defined Contributions Retirement Fund (19–5497–0–2–602).

Foreign Service National Separation Liability Trust Fund (19–8340–0–7–602).

Foreign Service Retirement and Disability Fund (19–8186–0–7–602).

Government Payment for Annuitants, Employees Health Benefits (24–0206–0–1–551).

Government Payment for Annuitants, Employee Life Insurance (24–0500–0–1–602).

Judicial Officers’ Retirement Fund (10–8122–0–7–602).

Judicial Survivors’ Annuities Fund (10–8110–0–7–602).

Military Retirement Fund (97–8097–0–7–602).

National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust (60–8118–0–7–601).

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration retirement (13–1450–0–1–306).

Pensions for former Presidents (47–0105–0–1–802).

Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund (24–5391–0–2–551).

Public Safety Officer Benefits (15–0403–0–1–754).

Rail Industry Pension Fund (60–8011–0–7–601).

Retired Pay, Coast Guard (70–0602–0–1–403).

Retirement Pay and Medical Benefits for Commissioned Officers, Public Health Service (75–0379–0–1–551).

September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (15–0340–0–1–754).

Special Benefits for Disabled Coal Miners (16–0169–0–1–601).

Special Benefits, Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (16–1521–0–1–600).

Special Workers Compensation Expenses (16–9971–0–7–601).

Tax Court Judges Survivors Annuity Fund (23–8115–0–7–602).

United States Court of Federal Claims Judges’ Retirement Fund (10–8124–0–7–602).

United States Secret Service, DC Annuity (70–0400–0–1–751).

Victims Compensation Fund established under section 410 of the Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act (49 U.S.C. 40101 note).

United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund.

Voluntary Separation Incentive Fund (97–8335–0–7–051).

World Trade Center Health Program Fund (75–0946–0–1–551).

(2) Prior legal obligations of the Government in the following budget accounts and activities shall be exempt from any order issued under this subchapter:

Biomass Energy Development (20–0114–0–1–271).

Check Forgery Insurance Fund (20–4109–0–3–803).

Credit liquidating accounts.

Credit reestimates.

Employees Life Insurance Fund (24–8424–0–8–602).

Federal Aviation Insurance Revolving Fund (69–4120–0–3–402).

Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Fund (12–4085–0–3–351).

Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Flood Insurance Fund (58–4236–0–3–453).

Geothermal resources development fund (89–0206–0–1–271).

Low-Rent Public Housing—Loans and Other Expenses (86–4098–0–3–604).

Maritime Administration, War Risk Insurance Revolving Fund (69–4302–0–3–403).

Natural Resource Damage Assessment Fund (14–1618–0–1–302).

United States International Development Finance Corporation.

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation Fund (16–4204–0–3–601).

San Joaquin Restoration Fund (14–5537–0–2–301).

Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance Fund (36–4009–0–3–701).

Terrorism Insurance Program (20–0123–0–1–376).

(h) Low-income programs

The following programs shall be exempt from reduction under any order issued under this subchapter:

Academic Competitiveness/Smart Grant Program (91–0205–0–1–502).

Child Care Entitlement to States (75–1550–0–1–609).

Child Enrollment Contingency Fund (75–5551–0–2–551).

Child Nutrition Programs (with the exception of special milk programs) (12–3539–0–1–605).

Children’s Health Insurance Fund (75–0515–0–1–551).

Commodity Supplemental Food Program (12–3507–0–1–605).

Contingency Fund (75–1522–0–1–609).

Family Support Programs (75–1501–0–1–609).

Federal Pell Grants under section 1070a of title 20.

Grants to States for Medicaid (75–0512–0–1–551).

Payments for Foster Care and Permanency (75–1545–0–1–609).

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (12–3505–0–1–605).

Supplemental Security Income Program (28–0406–0–1–609).

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (75–1552–0–1–609).

(i) Economic recovery programs

The following programs shall be exempt from reduction under any order issued under this subchapter:

GSE Preferred Stock Purchase Agreements (20–0125–0–1–371).

Office of Financial Stability (20–0128–0–1–376).

Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (20–0133–0–1–376).

(j) Split treatment programs

Each of the following programs shall be exempt from any order under this subchapter to the extent that the budgetary resources of such programs are subject to obligation limitations in appropriations bills:

Federal-Aid Highways (69–8083–0–7–401).

Highway Traffic Safety Grants (69–8020–0–7–401).

Operations and Research NHTSA and National Driver Register (69–8016–0–7–401).

Motor Carrier Safety Operations and Programs (69–8159–0–7–401).

Motor Carrier Safety Grants (69–8158–0–7–401).

Formula and Bus Grants (69–8350–0–7–401).

Grants-In-Aid for Airports (69–8106–0–7–402).

(k) Identification of programs

For purposes of subsections (b), (g), and (h), each account is identified by the designated budget account identification code number set forth in the Budget of the United States Government 2010–Appendix, and an activity within an account is designated by the name of the activity and the identification code number of the account.

(Pub. L. 99–177, title II, § 255, Dec. 12, 1985, 99 Stat. 1082; Pub. L. 99–509, title VII, § 7002(a), Oct. 21, 1986, 100 Stat. 1949; Pub. L. 99–514, § 2, Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2095; Pub. L. 100–86, title V, § 506(a), Aug. 10, 1987, 101 Stat. 634; Pub. L. 100–119, title I, § 104(a)(1), (2), (b), (c)(1), Sept. 29, 1987, 101 Stat. 775–777; Pub. L. 101–73, title VII, § 743(a), (c), Aug. 9, 1989, 103 Stat. 437; Pub. L. 101–220, § 8, Dec. 12, 1989, 103 Stat. 1881; Pub. L. 101–508, title XIII, § 13101(c), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1388–589; Pub. L. 102–54, § 13(a), June 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 274; Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(c)(2), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 406; Pub. L. 102–486, title IX, § 902(d), Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 2944; Pub. L. 102–572, title VI, § 601, Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4514; Pub. L. 104–193, title I, § 110(r)(1), Aug. 22, 1996, 110 Stat. 2175; Pub. L. 104–208, div. A, title II, § 2704(d)(10), Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–489; Pub. L. 105–33, title X, § 10207, Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 704; Pub. L. 109–171, title II, § 2102(b), Feb. 8, 2006, 120 Stat. 9; Pub. L. 111–139, title I, § 11, Feb. 12, 2010, 124 Stat. 23; Pub. L. 113–67, div. A, title I, § 121(5)–(8), Dec. 26, 2013, 127 Stat. 1175; Pub. L. 114–113, div. O, title IV, § 403(a), Dec. 18, 2015, 129 Stat. 3007; Pub. L. 115–254, div. F, title VI, § 1470(a), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3515; Pub. L. 117–167, div. A, §§ 102(e), 106(d), 107(c), Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1378, 1393, 1398.)