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B-177617 1 (1987-11-06)

handle is hein.gao/gaobadmxg0001 and id is 1 raw text is: The Comptroller General Washington, D.C. 20548 Decision Matterof- Acceptance of Payment by Commercial Credit Card File: B-177617 Date: November 6, 1987 DIGEST 1. Except where prohibited by statute, agencies may accept commercial credit card transactions in payment for amounts owed to the United States, subject to certain safeguards. However, where the Miscellaneous Receipts Act (31 U.S.C. S 3302(b) (1982)) applies, credit card company commissions must be paid from the agency's current operating appropria- tions, rather than be deducted from the proceeds of the credit card transaction itself. 2. Under 16 U.S.C. S 4601-6a(f) (1982), the Department of Agriculture (USDA) may allow credit card companies to deduct their commissions from the proceeds of commercial credit card transactions charged to the public for reserva- tion services. However, without additional statutory authority, commissions on credit card transactions for other kinds of USDA services or fees must be paid from current operating appropriations. DECISION The Assistant Secretary for Natural Resources and Environ- ment, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), requested our opinion regarding the acceptance of commercial credit card transactions in payment for amounts owed to the government by private individuals and organizations. Because the credit card companies usually deduct their fee from the amount charged to the credit card holder, USDA questions whether accepting credit card transactions would violate the so-called Miscellaneous Receipts Act, 31 U.S.C. S 3302(b) (1982). USDA is authorized by the Land and Water Conservation Act, as amended, 16 U.S.C. §§ 4601, 4601-6a (1982), to assess and collect a variety of fees and permit charges. Previously, USDA has been willing to accept only cash payments for those fees and permit charges. Now, however, USDA wants to offer

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