---
kind: "section"
citation: "5 U.S.C. § 4507"
title: "5"
title_heading: "Government Organization and Employees"
number: "4507"
heading: "Awarding of ranks in the Senior Executive Service"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/5/4507"
units:
  - "Part III — Employees"
  - "Subpart C — Employee Performance"
  - "Chapter 45 — Incentive Awards"
  - "Subchapter I — Awards for Superior Accomplishments"
---

# §4507. Awarding of ranks in the Senior Executive Service

- (a) For the purpose of this section, “[agency](/usc/5/4501.md?p=1)”, “[senior executive](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-3)”, and “[career appointee](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-4)” have the meanings set forth in [section 3132(a) of this title](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a).
- (b) Each [agency](/usc/5/4501.md?p=1) shall submit annually to the [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) recommendations of [career appointees](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-4) in the [agency](/usc/5/4501.md?p=1) to be awarded the rank of Meritorious Executive or Distinguished Executive. The recommendations may take into [account](/usc/5/8401.md?p=1) the individual’s performance over a period of years. The [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) shall review such recommendations and provide to the President recommendations as to which of the [agency](/usc/5/4501.md?p=1) recommended appointees should receive such rank.
- (c) During any fiscal year, the President may, subject to [subsection (d)](#d) of this section, award to any [career appointee](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-4) recommended by the [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) the rank of—
  - (1) Meritorious Executive, for sustained accomplishment, or
  - (2) Distinguished Executive, for sustained extraordinary accomplishment.

  A [career appointee](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-4) awarded a rank under paragraph (1) or (2) of this subsection shall not be entitled to be awarded that rank during the following 4 fiscal years.

- (d) During any fiscal year—
  - (1) the number of [career appointees](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-4) awarded the rank of Meritorious Executive may not exceed 5 percent of the [Senior Executive](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-3) [Service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26); and
  - (2) the number of [career appointees](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-4) awarded the rank of Distinguished Executive may not exceed 1 percent of the [Senior Executive](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-3) [Service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26).
- (e)
  - (1) Receipt by a [career appointee](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-4) of the rank of Meritorious Executive entitles such individual to a lump-sum payment of an amount equal to 20 percent of annual [basic pay](/usc/5/8401.md?p=4), which shall be in addition to the [basic pay](/usc/5/8401.md?p=4) paid under [section 5382 of this title](/usc/5/5382.md) or any award paid under [section 5384 of this title](/usc/5/5384.md).
  - (2) Receipt by a [career appointee](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-4) of the rank of Distinguished Executive entitles the individual to a lump-sum payment of an amount equal to 35 percent of annual [basic pay](/usc/5/8401.md?p=4), which shall be in addition to the [basic pay](/usc/5/8401.md?p=4) paid under [section 5382 of this title](/usc/5/5382.md) or any award paid under [section 5384 of this title](/usc/5/5384.md).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 95–454, title IV, § 406(a), Oct. 13, 1978, 92 Stat. 1170; amended Pub. L. 105–277, div. A, § 101(h) [title VI, § 631(a), (b)], Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–480, 2681–523.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1998—Subsec. (e)(1). Pub. L. 105–277, § 101(h) [title VI, § 631(a)], substituted “an amount equal to 20 percent of annual basic pay” for “$10,000”.

Subsec. (e)(2). Pub. L. 105–277, § 101(h) [title VI, § 631(b)], substituted “an amount equal to 35 percent of annual basic pay” for “$20,000”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1998 Amendment

Pub. L. 105–277, div. A, § 101(h) [title VI, § 631(c)], Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–480, 2681–523, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [amending this section] shall take effect on October 1, 1998, or the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 21, 1998], whichever is later.”

### Effective Date

Section effective 9 months after Oct. 13, 1978, and congressional review of provisions of sections 401 through 412 of Pub. L. 95–454, see section 415(a)(1), (b), of Pub. L. 95–454, set out as a note under section 3131 of this title.