A bill to amend title 31 of the United States Code to provide for a transfer of control of the General Accounting Office Building and to improve the administration of the General Accounting Office.
PL 100-545 (H.R.5052), enacted 10/28/1988

PUBLIC LAW 100-545—OCT. 28, 1988 
102 STAT. 2727 
Public Law 100-545 
100th Congress 
An Act 
To amend title 31 of the United States Code to provide for a transfer of control of the 
General Accounting Office Building and to improve the administration of the 
General Accounting Office. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 
1
. 
PROPERTY 
MANAGEMENT 
AUTHORITY 
OF 
THE 
COMPTROLLER 
GENERAL. 
Chapter 7 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by adding at 
the end thereof the following new subchapter: 
"Subchapter VI—Property Management 
"§ 781. Authority over the General Accounting Office Building 
"(a) The Comptroller General shall have exclusive custody and 
control over the building located at 441 G Street, N.W., in the 
District of Columbia, that is generally known as the General 
Accounting Office Building, including operation, maintenance, 
protection, alteration, repair, and assignment of space therein. Such 
custody and control shall also extend to any machinery, equipment, 
spare parts and tools located in and usable for the operation and 
maintenance of the General Accounting Office Building. For the 
purposes of securing approval of any prospectus detailing proposed 
alterations of the General Accounting Office Building, as required 
by section 7 of the Public Buildings Act of 1959, as amended (40 
U.S.C. 606), the Comptroller General shall perform the functions 
assigned to the Administrator of General Services by that section. 
"(b) Upon request of the Comptroller General, the Administrator 
of General Services shall provide, to the extent resources are avail-
able, any necessary services for the protection of the property and 
persons in the General Accounting Office Building, including the 
provision of special police, responding to and investigating incidents, 
and the monitoring of the perimeter security system. Such services 
may be provided with or without reimbursement as the Comptroller 
General and the Administrator may agree. 
"(c)(1) The Comptroller General is authorized to enter into agree-
ments or contracts to acquire property or services on such terms and 
conditions and in such a manner as he deems necessary and without 
regard to section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 U.S.C. 5); except 
that the Comptroller General may not acquire real property unless 
specifically authorized by law. In exercising the authority granted 
by this section, the Comptroller General shall obtain full and open 
competition in accordance with the principles and purposes of the 
Competition in Contracting Act of 1984. 
"(2) To the extent that funds are otherwise available for obliga-
tion, agreements or contracts for utility services may be made for 
periods not exceeding 10 years. 
Oct. 28, 1988 
[H.R. 5052] 
District of 
Columbia. 
Contracts. 
102 STAT. 2728 
PUBLIC LAW 100-545—OCT. 28, 1988 
"(3) The Comptroller General may make advance, progress, and 
other payments which relate to agreements or contracts entered 
into under authority of this section, without regard to the provisions 
of section 3324 (a) and (b) of this title. 
"§ 782. Leasing of space in the General Accounting Office Building 
"The Comptroller General is authorized to lease or otherwise 
provide space and services within the General Accounting Office 
Building to persons, both public and private, or to any department, 
agency or instrumentality of the United States Government upon 
such terms and conditions as the Comptroller General deems nec-
essary to protect the public interest. The Comptroller General shall 
establish a rental rate for such leased space equivalent to the 
prevailing commercial rate for comparable space devoted to a simi-
lar purpose in the vicinity of the General Accounting Office Build-
ing. Additionally, the Comptroller General may make available, on 
occasion, or may lease at such rates and on such other terms and 
conditions as the Comptroller General deems to be in the public 
interest, auditoriums, meeting rooms, and lobbies of the General 
Accounting Office Building to persons, firms, or organizations en-
gaged in cultural, educational, or recreational activities (as defined 
in section 105 of the Public Buildings Cooperative Use Act of 1976 
(40 U.S.C. 612a). The Comptroller General will consult with the 
Administrator of General Services and will give priority to Federal 
agencies in filling available space within the General Accounting 
Office Building. Payments for space or services may be made in 
advance or by way of reimbursement and shall be deposited to a 
special account and shall be available for expenditure for operation, 
maintenance, protection, alteration, or repair of the General 
Accounting Office Building in such amounts as are specified in 
annual appropriation Acts without regard to fiscal year limitations. 
"§ 783. Rules and regulations 
"(a) The Comptroller General is authorized to make all needful 
rules and regulations for the Government of the General Accounting 
Office Building, and to annex to such rules and regulations such 
reasonable penalties, within the limits prescribed in subsection (b), 
as will ensure their enforcement. Such rules and regulations shall 
be posted and kept posted in a conspicuous place on such Federal 
property. 
Law 
"(b) Whoever shall violate any rule or regulation promulgated 
^
2
^
!
^
*
^
®
™
®
°
* ^"^ pursuant to subsection (a) shall be fined not more than $500 or 
imprisoned not more than 6 months, or both.". 
SEC. 2. CLERICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS. 
(a) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of subchapters for chapter 7 
of title 31, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the 
item relating to subchapter V the following new subchapter: 
crime. 
PUBLIC LAW 100-545—OCT. 28, 1988 
102 STAT. 2729 
"Subchapter VI—Property Management 
"Sec. 
"781. Authority over the General Accounting Office Building. 
"782. Leasing of space in the General Accounting Office Building. 
"783. Rules and regulations.". 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 702 of title 31, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking out subsection (c); and 
(2) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (c). 
Approved October 28, 1988. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 5052: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 100-898, Pt. 1 (Comm. on Government Operations). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 134 (1988): 
Oct. 3, considered and passed House. 
Oct. 12, considered and passed Senate.