---
kind: "section"
citation: "2 U.S.C. § 5547"
title: "2"
title_heading: "The Congress"
number: "5547"
heading: "Emergency expenditures for meals, refreshments, and other support and maintenance"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/2/5547"
units:
  - "Chapter 55 — House of Representatives Officers and Administration"
  - "Subchapter III — Chief Administrative Officer"
---

# §5547. Emergency expenditures for meals, refreshments, and other support and maintenance

- (a) At any time on or after February 20, 2003, the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives may incur obligations and make expenditures out of available appropriations for meals, refreshments, and other support and maintenance for [Members](/usc/2/4556.md?p=2), officers, and [employees](/usc/2/4558.md?p=2) of the House of Representatives when, in the judgment of the Chief Administrative Officer, such obligations and expenditures are necessary to respond to emergencies involving the safety of human life or the protection of property.
- (b) Nothing in this section may be construed to affect any other authority of the Chief Administrative Officer to incur obligations and make expenditures for the items and services described in [subsection (a)](#a) for [Members](/usc/2/4556.md?p=2), officers, and [employees](/usc/2/4558.md?p=2) of the House of Representatives.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 108–7, div. H, title I, § 107, Feb. 20, 2003, 117 Stat. 355.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 130k of this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

Section is from the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2003, which is div. H of the Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003.