republic-os/legal/us/code/title-31/chapter-7/section-703.md

type, title, description, jurisdiction, corpus, kind, title_number, title_name, chapter_number, chapter_name, section, citation, status, release_point, release_date, source, source_url, source_identifier, source_file, source_hash, raw_snapshot_hash, text_hash, retrieved_at, confidence, tags

type	title	description	jurisdiction	corpus	kind	title_number	title_name	chapter_number	chapter_name	section	citation	status	release_point	release_date	source	source_url	source_identifier	source_file	source_hash	raw_snapshot_hash	text_hash	retrieved_at	confidence	tags
LegalText	31 U.S.C. § 703	Comptroller General and Deputy Comptroller General	us	united_states_code	code_section	31	MONEY AND FINANCE	7	GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE	703	31 U.S.C. § 703	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc31@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t31/s703	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-31/usc31.xml	f0263024fb32ca3f43abda1987f9c9260d9f87a04d4e757ab080059daa9dbe08	94d3fba324cbbc12277242f872f8f47cff5250dbcdc0057fe857212764e4b704	93a0131d1cfd51d1d4fcb5a54ddb372782d2711e2f65c7a8fddf396646b6649e	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

31 U.S.C. § 703 - Comptroller General and Deputy Comptroller General

Text

(a) (1) The Comptroller General and Deputy Comptroller General are appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.

(2) When a vacancy occurs in the office of Comptroller General or Deputy Comptroller General, a commission is established to recommend individuals to the President for appointment to the vacant office. The commission shall be composed of—

(A) the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(B) the President pro tempore of the Senate;

(C) the majority and minority leaders of the House of Representatives and the Senate;

(D) the chairmen and ranking minority members of the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Government Operations of the House; and

(E) when the office of Deputy Comptroller General is vacant, the Comptroller General.

(3) A commission established because of a vacancy in the office of the Comptroller General shall recommend at least 3 individuals. The President may ask the commission to recommend additional individuals.

(b) Except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, the term of the Comptroller General is 15 years. The Comptroller General may not be reappointed. The term of the Deputy Comptroller General expires on the date an individual is appointed Comptroller General. The Deputy Comptroller General may continue to serve until a successor is appointed.

(c) The Deputy Comptroller General—

(1) carries out duties and powers prescribed by the Comptroller General; and

(2) acts for the Comptroller General when the Comptroller General is absent or unable to serve or when the office of Comptroller General is vacant.

(d) The Comptroller General shall designate an officer or employee of the Government Accountability Office to act as Comptroller General when the Comptroller General and Deputy Comptroller General are absent or unable to serve or when the offices of Comptroller General and Deputy Comptroller General are vacant.

(e) (1) A Comptroller General or Deputy Comptroller General may retire after becoming 70 years of age and completing 10 years of service as Comptroller General or Deputy Comptroller General (as the case may be). Either may be removed at any time by—

(A) impeachment; or

(B) joint resolution of Congress, after notice and an opportunity for a hearing, only for—

(i) permanent disability;

(ii) inefficiency;

(iii) neglect of duty;

(iv) malfeasance; or

(v) a felony or conduct involving moral turpitude.

(2) A Comptroller General or Deputy Comptroller General removed from office under paragraph (1) of this subsection may not be reappointed to the office.

(f) The annual rate of basic pay of the—

(1) Comptroller General is equal to the rate for level II of the Executive Schedule; and

(2) Deputy Comptroller General is equal to the rate for level III of the Executive Schedule.

(Pub. L. 97–258, Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 888; Pub. L. 100–426, title II, § 201, Sept. 9, 1988, 102 Stat. 1599; Pub. L. 108–271, § 8(b), July 7, 2004, 118 Stat. 814.)

Notes

Historical and Revision Notes Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 703(a)(1)31:42(a)(1st sentence words after comma).June 10, 1921, ch. 18, § 302(a)(1st sentence words after 1st comma, last sentence), 42 Stat. 23; Apr. 3, 1980, Pub. L. 96–226, § 104(a), 94 Stat. 314. 703(a)(2), (3)31:42(b).June 10, 1921, ch. 18, 42 Stat. 20, § 302(b); added Apr. 3, 1980, Pub. L. 96–226, § 104(a), 94 Stat. 314. 703(b)31:43(1st par. 1st, 2d sentence).June 10, 1921, ch. 18, § 303(1st par.), 42 Stat. 23; Apr. 3, 1980, Pub. L. 96–226, § 104(b)(1), 94 Stat. 315. 703(c)31:42(a)(last sentence). 703(d)31:43a.June 27, 1944, ch. 286, § 101(last par. on p. 371), 58 Stat. 371. 703(e)31:43(1st par. 3d–last sentences). 703(f)31:42a.Aug. 14, 1964, Pub. L. 88–426, § 203(a), (b), 78 Stat. 415; Dec. 16, 1967, Pub. L. 90–206, § 219(1), 81 Stat. 639; restated Aug. 9, 1975, Pub. L. 94–82, § 204(b), 89 Stat. 421. In subsections (a)(1), (b), (d), and (e), the word “Deputy” is substituted for “Assistant” because of section 101 of the Act of July 9, 1971 (Pub. L. 92–51, 85 Stat. 143). In subsection (a)(1), the words “The Comptroller General and Deputy Comptroller General” are added because of the restatement. The words “by and” are added for consistency. The words “and shall receive salaries of $10,000 and $7,500 a year, respectively” in section 302(a)(1st sentence words after 2d comma) of the Budget and Accounting Act, 1921 (ch. 18, 42 Stat. 23), are omitted as superseded by subsection (f) of this section. In subsection (a)(2), before clause (A), the words “after April 3, 1980” are omitted as executed. In clause (E), the words “of the United States” are omitted as surplus. In subsection (a)(3), the words “because of a vacancy in the office of the Comptroller General” are substituted for “under paragraph (1)” for clarity. The word “recommend” is substituted for “submit” and “submitted” for consistency. The words “to the President for consideration the names of”, “for the Office of Comptroller General”, and “within his discretion” are omitted as surplus. In subsection (b), the words “the term of . . . is 15 years” are substituted for “shall hold office for fifteen years” for consistency. The words “eligible for” are omitted as surplus. The words “the term of . . . expires on” are substituted for “shall hold office from the date of his appointment until” to eliminate unnecessary words and for consistency. The words “to fill a vacancy in the Office of” are omitted as surplus. In subsection (c), the words “carries out duties and powers prescribed” are substituted for “perform such duties as may be assigned” for consistency. The words “to him” are omitted as surplus. In subsection (d), the words “officer or” are added for consistency in the revised title. The text of section 101(last par. on p. 371 words before colon) of the Act of June 27, 1944 (ch. 286, 58 Stat. 371), is omitted as expired. In subsection (e)(1), before clause (A), the words “from his office” are omitted as surplus. In clause (A), the words “and for no other cause and in no other manner” are omitted as surplus. In clause (B), before subclause (i), the words “opportunity for a” are added for consistency. The words “guilty of” are omitted as surplus. In subclause (i), the word “disability” is substituted for “incapacitated” for consistency in the chapter and with title 5. In subclause (iv), the words “in office” are omitted as surplus. In subsection (e)(2), the words “from office” are added for clarity. In subsection (f), before clause (1), the words “basic pay” are substituted for “compensation” for consistency with other titles of the United States Code. In clauses (1) and (2), the words “of the United States” and “positions at” are omitted as surplus. In clause (1), the words “of subchapter II of chapter 53 of title 5” are omitted as surplus.

Editorial Notes

Amendments2004—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 108–271 substituted “Government Accountability Office” for “General Accounting Office”. 1988—Subsec. (e)(1). Pub. L. 100–426 substituted “may retire after becoming 70 years of age and completing 10 years of service as Comptroller General or Deputy Comptroller General (as the case may be)” for “retires on becoming 70 years of age”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name Committee on Governmental Affairs of Senate changed to Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of Senate, effective Jan. 4, 2005, by Senate Resolution No. 445, One Hundred Eighth Congress, Oct. 9, 2004. Committee on Government Operations of House of Representatives treated as referring to Committee on Government Reform and Oversight of House of Representatives by section 1(a) of Pub. L. 104–14, set out as a note preceding section 21 of Title 2, The Congress. Committee on Government Reform and Oversight of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Government Reform of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Sixth Congress, Jan. 6, 1999. Committee on Government Reform of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 6, One Hundred Tenth Congress, Jan. 5, 2007. Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Oversight and Reform of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 6, One Hundred Sixteenth Congress, Jan. 9, 2019. Committee on Oversight and Reform of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Oversight and Accountability of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Eighteenth Congress, Jan. 9, 2023.

Effective Date of 1988 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 100–426 effective after end of 60-day period beginning Sept. 9, 1988, with certain exceptions, see section 208 of Pub. L. 100–426, set out as a note under section 772 of this title.

Executive Documents

Salary Increases1987—Salaries of Comptroller General and Deputy Comptroller General increased respectively to $89,500 and $82,500 per annum, on recommendation of the President of the United States, see note set out under section 358 of Title 2, The Congress. 1977—Salaries of Comptroller General and Deputy Comptroller General increased respectively to $57,500 and $52,500 per annum, on recommendation of the President of the United States, see note set out under section 358 of Title 2. 1969—Salaries of Comptroller General and Assistant Comptroller General increased respectively to $42,500 and $40,000 per annum, on recommendation of the President of the United States, see note set out under section 358 of Title 2.