United States Paper Money Collection
© Copyright 1995-2009, Clay Irving <clay@panix.com>, Manhattan Beach, CA
31 United States Code Section 5114 - Engraving and printing currency and security documents
31 USC Sec. 5114 01/03/2007
TITLE 31 - MONEY AND FINANCE
SUBTITLE IV - MONEY
CHAPTER 51 - COINS AND CURRENCY
SUBCHAPTER II - GENERAL AUTHORITY
Sec. 5114. Engraving and printing currency and security documents
(a) Authority To Engrave and Print. -
(1) In general. - The Secretary of the Treasury shall engrave and print
United States currency and bonds of the United States Government and
currency and bonds of United States territories and possessions from
intaglio plates on plate printing presses the Secretary selects. However,
other security documents and checks may be printed by any process the
Secretary selects. Engraving and printing shall be carried out within
the Department of the Treasury if the Secretary decides the engraving and
printing can be carried out as cheaply, perfectly, and safely as outside
the Department.
(2) Engraving and printing for other governments. - The Secretary of the
Treasury may produce currency, postage stamps, and other security documents
for foreign governments if -
(A) the Secretary of the Treasury determines that such production will
not interfere with engraving and printing needs of the United States;
and
(B) the Secretary of State determines that such production would be
consistent with the foreign policy of the United States.
(3) Procurement guidelines. - Articles, material, and supplies procured for
use in the production of currency, postage stamps, and other security
documents for foreign governments pursuant to paragraph (2) shall be
treated in the same manner as articles, material, and supplies procured for
public use within the United States for purposes of title III of the Act of
March 3, 1933 (41 U.S.C. 10a et seq.; commonly referred to as the Buy
American Act).
(b) United States currency has the inscription "In God We Trust" in a place
the Secretary decides is appropriate. Only the portrait of a deceased
individual may appear on United States currency and securities. The name of
the individual shall be inscribed below the portrait.
(c) The Secretary may make a contract for a period of not more than 4 years
to manufacture distinctive paper for United States currency and securities.
To promote competition among manufacturers of the distinctive paper, the
Secretary may split the award for the manufacture of the paper between the
2 bidders with the lowest prices a pound. When the Secretary decides that it
is necessary to operate more than one mill to manufacture distinctive paper,
the Secretary may -
(1) employ individuals temporarily at rates of pay equivalent to the rates
of pay of regular employees; and
(2) charge the pay of the temporary employees to the appropriation available
for manufacturing distinctive paper.
(Pub. L. 97-258, Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 983; Pub. L. 108-458,
title VI, Sec. 6301(a), Dec. 17, 2004, 118 Stat. 3748.)
HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES
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Revised Source (U.S. Code) Source (Statutes at Large)
Section
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5114(a) 31:177. Aug. 24, 1912, ch. 355, Sec.
1(4th par. under heading
"Engraving and Printing"), 37
Stat. 430.
Jan. 3, 1923, ch. 22(2d par.
under heading "Bureau of
Engraving and Printing"), 42
Stat. 1099.
31:415. Mar. 3, 1877, ch. 105(provisos
in par. under heading "Bureau
of Engraving and Printing"),
19 Stat. 353.
31:416. R.S. Sec. 3577.
5114(b) 31:324a. July 11, 1955,
ch. 303, 69 Stat. 290.
31:413. R.S. Sec. 3576.
31:414. Mar. 2, 1889, ch. 411, Sec.
1(5th proviso under heading
"Engraving and Printing"), 25
Stat. 945.
5114(c) 31:418. July 1, 1916,
ch. 209, Sec. 1(2d par. on p. 277),
39 Stat. 277; Oct. 31, 1951,
ch. 654, Sec. 2(19), 65 Stat. 707.
31:418a. Aug. 11, 1951, ch. 301, Sec.
101(proviso under heading
"Bureau of Engraving and
Printing"), 65 Stat. 184.
31:419. Apr. 4, 1924, ch. 84(1st par.
on p. 69), 43 Stat. 69.
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In subsection (a), the words "The Secretary of the Treasury shall
engrave and print" are substituted for "The work of engraving and
printing . . . shall be performed at the Treasury Department" in
31:415 because of the source provisions restated in section 321(c)
of the revised title. The words "United States currency and
security documents of the United States Government and currency and
bonds of the United States territories and possessions" are
substituted for "the backs and tints of all United States bonds,
the backs and tints of all United States paper money, and the backs
and tints of bonds and paper money issued by any of the insular
possessions of the United States" in 31:177 to eliminate
unnecessary words and for clarity and consistency in the revised
title. The words "other security documents and checks" are
substituted for "checks" because only currency and bonds must be
printed from intaglio plates. The text of 31:177(1st proviso) is
omitted as unnecessary because of the authority of the Secretary to
engrave and print restated in the subsection and the source
provisions restated in section 303 of the revised title. The text
of 31:177(last proviso) is omitted as executed. The text of the
first and 2d provisos in the 4th paragraph under the heading
"Engraving and Printing" in section 1 of the Act of August 24, 1912
(ch. 355, 37 Stat. 430), is omitted as superseded by 31:177(1st
proviso). The words after the semicolon in the 2d paragraph under
the heading "Bureau of Engraving and Printing" of the Act of
January 3, 1923 (ch. 22, 42 Stat. 1099), are omitted as executed.
The words "if the Secretary decides the engraving and printing can
be carried out . . . as outside the Department" are substituted for
"provided it can be done there" in 31:415 for clarity. The words
"The Secretary of the Treasury may purchase and provide all the
machinery and materials" in 31:416 are omitted as being superseded
by section 5142 of the revised title. The words "and employ such
persons and appoint such officers as are necessary for the purpose
of section 415 of this title" are omitted as unnecessary because of
5:3101. The text of section 3577(words before the semicolon) of the
Revised Statutes is omitted as superseded by 31:415.
In subsection (b), the words "United States currency has the
inscription" are substituted for "the dies shall bear . . . the
inscription" in 31:324a for clarity. The words "At such time as new
dies for the printing of currency are adopted" are omitted as
executed. The words "and thereafter this inscription shall appear
on all United States currency and coins" are omitted as unnecessary
because of the restatement of the source provisions in this
subsection and section 5112(d) of the revised title. The words "in
connection with the current program of the Treasury Department to
increase the capacity of presses utilized by the Bureau of
Engraving and Printing" in the Act of July 11, 1955 (ch. 303, 69
Stat. 290), are omitted as unnecessary. The words "Only . . . of a
deceased individual" are substituted for "No . . . while the
original of such portrait is living" in 31:413 for clarity. The
words "United States currency and obligations" are substituted for
"bonds, securities, notes, fractional or postal currency of the
United States" for consistency in the revised title. The words
"shall be placed upon any of the plates for bonds, securities,
notes, and silver certificates of the United States" in 31:414 are
omitted as unnecessary because of the restatement.
In subsection (c), before clause (1), the words "subject to
applicable regulations under the Federal Property and
Administrative Services Act of 1949, as amended" in 31:418 are
omitted as unnecessary. The words "On and after August 11, 1951" in
31:418a are omitted as executed. The words "received after
advertisement" are omitted as unnecessary because of 41:252. The
words "the Secretary decides" are added for clarity. In clause (1),
the words "as may be necessary" in 31:419 are omitted as surplus.
In clause (2), the word "pay" is substituted for "compensation" for
consistency in the revised subsection and with other titles of the
United States Code.
REFERENCES IN TEXT
Title III of the Act of March 3, 1933, referred to in subsec.
(a)(3), is title III of act Mar. 3, 1933, ch. 212, 47 Stat. 1520,
as amended, known as the Buy American Act, which is classified
generally to sections 10a, 10b, and 10c of Title 41, Public
Contracts. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see
Short Title note set out under section 10a of Title 41 and Tables.
AMENDMENTS
2004 - Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 108-458 inserted subsec. heading,
designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted par. heading,
and added pars. (2) and (3).
PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS FOR MANUFACTURE OF DISTINCTIVE PAPER
FOR CURRENCY AND SECURITIES BY FOREIGN OWNED CORPORATIONS OR
OUTSIDE UNITED STATES; EXCEPTION
Pub. L. 100-440, title VI, Sec. 617(a), Sept. 22, 1988, 102 Stat.
1755, provided that: "None of the funds made available by this or
any other Act with respect to any fiscal year may be used to make a
contract for the manufacture of distinctive paper for United States
currency and securities pursuant to section 5114 of title 31,
United States Code, with any corporation or other entity owned or
controlled by persons not citizens of the United States, or for the
manufacture of such distinctive paper outside of the United States
or its possessions. This subsection shall not apply if the
Secretary of the Treasury determines that no domestic manufacturer
of distinctive paper for United States currency or securities
exists with which to make a contract and if the Secretary of the
Treasury publishes in the Federal Register a written finding
stating the basis for the determination."
Similar provisions were contained in the following prior
appropriation act:
Pub. L. 100-202, Sec. 101(m) [title VI, Sec. 622(a)], Dec. 22,
1987, 101 Stat. 1329-390, 1329-428.