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22 CFR § 309.3 - Definitions.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t22/s309.3"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "22 CFR § 309.3 - Definitions."
title_number: 22
title_name: "Foreign Relations"
section_number: "309.3"
section_name: "Definitions."
chapter_name: "PEACE CORPS"
part_number: "309"
part_name: "DEBT COLLECTION"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "31 U.S.C. 3701-3719; 5 U.S.C. 5514; 22 U.S.C. 2503(b); 31 U.S.C. 3720A; 31 CFR part 285; 5 CFR 550, subpart K."
regulatory_source: "73 FR 18155, Apr. 3, 2008, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "309"
---

# 309.3 Definitions.

As used in this part (except where the context clearly indicates, or where the term is otherwise defined elsewhere in this part) the following definitions shall apply:

(a) *Administrative offset* means withholding funds payable by the United States to, or held by the United States for, a person to satisfy a debt owed by the person to the United States.

(b) *Administrative wage garnishment* means the process by which a Federal agency orders a non-Federal employer to withhold amounts from an employee's wages to satisfy a debt the employee owes to the United States.

(c) *Compromise* means that the creditor agency accepts less than the full amount of an outstanding debt in full satisfaction of the entire amount of the debt.

(d) *Debt* or *claim* means an amount of money which has been determined by an appropriate agency official to be owed to the United States from any person. As used in this part, the terms debt and claim are synonymous.

(e) *Debtor* means a person who owes the Federal Government money.

(f) *Delinquent debt* means any debt, which has not been paid by the date specified in an agency's initial written notification or in an applicable agreement, unless other satisfactory payment arrangements have been made.

(g) *Discharge* means the release of a debtor from personal liability for a debt. Further collection action is prohibited.

(h) *Disposable pay* has the same meaning as that term is defined in 5 CFR § 550.1103.

(i) *Employee* means a current employee of the Peace Corps or other Federal agency, including a member of the Armed Forces or Reserve of the Armed Forces of the United States.

(j) *FCCS* means the Federal Claims Collection Standards jointly published by the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Justice at 31 CFR parts 900-904.

(k) *Person* means an individual, corporation, partnership, association, organization, State or local government, or any other type of entity other than a Federal agency, foreign government, or public international organization.

(l) *Salary offset* means the withholding of amounts from the current pay account of a Federal employee to satisfy a debt owed by that employee to the United States.

(m) *Suspension* means the temporary cessation of an active debt collection pending the occurrence of an anticipated event.

(n) *Termination* means the cessation of all active debt collection action for the foreseeable future.

(o) *Waiver* means the decision to forgo collection of a debt owed to the United States as permitted or required by law.