§ 2696 — Nondiscretionary Personnel Costs, Currency Fluctuations, And Other Contingencies

(a) There are authorized to be appropriated for the Department of State, in addition to amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated for the Department, such sums as may be necessary for any fiscal year for increases in salary, pay, retirement, and other employee benefits authorized by law. (1) In order to maintain the levels of program activity for the Department of State provided for each fiscal year by the annual authorizing legislation, there are authorized to be appropriated for the Department of State such sums as may be necessary to offset adverse fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, or overseas wage and price changes, which occur after November 30 of the earlier of— (A) the calendar year which ended during the fiscal year preceding such fiscal year, or (B) the calendar year which preceded the calendar year during which the authorization of appropriations for such fiscal year was enacted. (2) In carrying out this subsection, there may be established a Buying Power Maintenance account. (3) In order to eliminate substantial gains to the approved levels of overseas operations for the Department of State, the Secretary of State shall transfer to the Buying Power Maintenance account such amounts in any appropriation account under the heading “Administration of Foreign Affairs” as the Secretary determines are excessive to the needs of the approved level of operations under that appropriation account because of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates or changes in overseas wages and prices. (4) In order to offset adverse fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates or overseas wage and price changes, the Secretary of State may transfer from the Buying Power Maintenance account to any appropriation account under the heading “Administration of Foreign Affairs” such amounts as the Secretary determines are necessary to maintain the approved level of operations under that appropriation account. (5) Funds transferred by the Secretary of State from the Buying Power Maintenance account to another account shall be merged with and be available for the same purpose, and for the same time period, as the funds in that other account. Funds transferred by the Secretary from another account to the Buying Power Maintenance account shall be merged with the funds in the Buying Power Maintenance account and shall be available for the purposes of that account until expended. (6) Any restriction contained in an appropriation Act or other provision of law limiting the amounts available for the Department of State that may be obligated or expended shall be deemed to be adjusted to the extent necessary to offset the net effect of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates or overseas wage and price changes in order to maintain approved levels. (A) Subject to the limitations contained in this paragraph, not later than the end of the fifth fiscal year after the fiscal year for which funds are appropriated or otherwise made available for an account under “Administration of Foreign Affairs”, the Secretary of State may transfer any unobligated balance of such funds to the Buying Power Maintenance account. (B) The balance of the Buying Power Maintenance account may not exceed $100,000,000 as a result of any transfer under this paragraph. (C) Any transfer pursuant to this paragraph shall be treated as a reprogramming of funds under section 2706 of this title and shall be available for obligation or expenditure only in accordance with the procedures under such section. (D) The authorities contained in this paragraph may be exercised only with respect to funds appropriated or otherwise made available after fiscal year 2008. (c) Amounts authorized to be appropriated for a fiscal year for the Department of State or to the Secretary of State are authorized to be made available until expended. (1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), funds authorized to be appropriated for any account of the Department of State in the Department of State Appropriations Act, for either fiscal year of any two-year authorization cycle may be appropriated for such fiscal year for any other account of the Department of State. (2) Amounts appropriated for the “Diplomatic and Consular Programs” account may not exceed by more than 5 percent the amount specifically authorized to be appropriated for such account for a fiscal year. No other appropriations account may exceed by more than 10 percent the amount specifically authorized to be appropriated for such account for a fiscal year. (3) The requirements and limitations of section 2680 of this title shall not apply to the appropriation of funds pursuant to this subsection. (e) Amounts authorized to be appropriated for a fiscal year for the Department of State or to the Secretary of State are authorized to be obligated for twelve-month contracts which are to be performed in two fiscal years, if the total amount for such contracts is obligated in the earlier fiscal year.