# § 5373. Limitation on pay fixed by administrative action
**(a)** Except as provided in subsection (b) and by the Government Employees Salary Reform Act of 1964 (78 Stat. 400) and notwithstanding the provisions of other statutes, the head of an Executive agency or military department who is authorized to fix by administrative action the annual rate of basic pay for a position or employee may not fix the rate at more than the rate for level IV of the Executive Schedule. This section does not impair the authorities provided by—
**1** sections 248, 482, 1766, and 1819 of title 12, section 206 of the Bank Conservation Act, sections 2B(b) [^1] and 21A(e)(4) [^1] of the Federal Home Loan Bank Act, section 2A(i) [^1] of the Home Owners’ Loan Act, and sections 5.11 and 5.58 of the Farm Credit Act of 1971;
See References in Text note below.
**(2)** section 831b of title 16;
**(3)** sections 403a–403c, 403e–403h, and 403j of title 50; <sup>1</sup> or
**2** [^2] section 4802.
So in original. Two pars. (4) have been enacted.
**(4)** <sup>2</sup> section 2(a)(7) of the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 2(a)(7)).
**(b)** Subsection (a) shall not affect the authority of the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of a military department to fix the pay of a civilian employee paid from nonappropriated funds, except that the annual rate of basic pay (including any portion of such pay attributable to comparability with private-sector pay in a locality) of such an employee may not be fixed at a rate greater than the rate for level III of the Executive Schedule.
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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 89–554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 473, § 5363; renumbered § 5373, Pub. L. 95–454, title VIII, § 801(a)(3)(A)(ii), Oct. 13, 1978, 92 Stat. 1221; Pub. L. 96–70, title III, § 3302(e)(4), Sept. 27, 1979, 93 Stat. 498; Pub. L. 101–73, title VII, § 742(b), title XII, § 1209, Aug. 9, 1989, 103 Stat. 437, 523; Pub. L. 101–509, title V, § 529 [title I, § 101(b)(9)(H)], Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1427, 1441; Pub. L. 104–201, div. C, title XXXV, § 3548(a)(4), Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2868; Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title XI, § 1102, Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 776; Pub. L. 107–123, § 8(d)(1)(C), Jan. 16, 2002, 115 Stat. 2399; Pub. L. 107–171, title X, § 10702(c)(3), May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 517.)
| Derivation | U.S. Code | Revised Statutes andStatutes at Large |
| --- | --- | --- |
| | 5 U.S.C. 2212. | Aug. 14, 1964, Pub. L. 88–426, § 308, 78 Stat. 432.Oct. 6, 1964, Pub. L. 88–631, § 3(e), 78 Stat. 1008. |
The words “head of an Executive agency or military department” are coextensive with and substituted for “head of any executive department, independent establishment, or agency in the executive branch” because of the definitions in sections 102 and 105.
Standard changes are made to conform to the definitions applicable and the style of this title as outlined in the preface to the report.
## Editorial Notes
### References in Text
The Government Employees Salary Reform Act of 1964 (), referred to in subsec. (a), is , , . For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.
Level IV of the Executive Schedule, referred to in subsec. (a), is set out in .
Section 206 of the Bank Conservation Act, referred to in subsec. (a)(1), is classified to , Banks and Banking.
Sections 2B(b) and 21A(e)(4) of the Federal Home Loan Bank Act, referred to in subsec. (a)(1), were classified to former sections 1422b(b) and 1441a(e)(4), respectively, of Title 12, Banks and Banking. was repealed by , , . was repealed by , , .
Section 2A(i) of the Home Owners’ Loan Act, referred to in subsec. (a)(1), probably should be a reference to section 3(g) of the Home Owners’ Loan Act, , as amended by , , , which was classified to , Banks and Banking, prior to repeal by , , .
Sections 5.11 and 5.58 of the Farm Credit Act of 1971, referred to in subsec. (a)(1), are classified to sections 2245 and 2277a–7, respectively, of Title 12, Banks and Banking.
Sections 403a–403c, 403e–403h, and 403j of title 50, referred to in subsec. (a)(3), were editorially reclassified to sections 3501 to 3503, 3505, 3323, 3506, 3507, 3508, and 3510, respectively, of Title 50, War and National Defense. , included within the reference to sections 403e–403h of Title 50, was enacted by , , , after subsec. (a)(3) was enacted, and subsequently editorially reclassified to .
Level III of the Executive Schedule, referred to in subsec. (b), is set out in .
### Amendments
2002—Subsec. (a)(2). , which directed amendment of par. (2) by striking “or” at end, could not be executed because the word “or” did not appear at the end. See below.
, struck out “or” at end.
Subsec. (a)(3). , which directed substitution of “; or” for the period at the end, could not be executed because there was no period at the end. See below.
, substituted “; or” for the period at the end.
Subsec. (a)(4). , added par. (4) relating to section 2(a)(7) of the Commodity Exchange Act.
, added par. (4) relating to section 4802.
1999— designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), substituted “(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) and” for “Except as provided”, and added subsec. (b).
1996— redesignated pars. (2) to (4) as (1) to (3), respectively, and struck out former par. (1) which read as follows: “section 1202 of the Panama Canal Act of 1979;”.
1990— substituted “rate for level IV of the Executive Schedule.” for “maximum rate for GS–18.”
1989—Par. (2). , amended par. (2) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (2) read as follows: “sections 248, 481, 1437, 1439, and 1819 of title 12;”.
, inserted references to sections 1437 and 1439 of title 12.
1979—Par. (1). substituted “section 1202 of the Panama Canal Act of 1979” for “, Canal Zone Code ()”.
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Effective Date of 2002 Amendment
Amendment by effective , see , set out as a note under , Commerce and Trade.
### Effective Date of 1990 Amendment
Amendment by effective on such date as the President shall determine, but not earlier than 90 days, and not later than 180 days, after , see section 529 [title III, § 305] of , set out as a note under .
### Effective Date of 1979 Amendment
Amendment by effective , see , set out as an Effective Date note under , Foreign Relations and Intercourse.