---
kind: "section"
citation: "5 U.S.C. § 5751"
title: "5"
title_heading: "Government Organization and Employees"
number: "5751"
heading: "Travel expenses of witnesses"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/5/5751"
units:
  - "Part III — Employees"
  - "Subpart D — Pay and Allowances"
  - "Chapter 57 — Travel, Transportation, and Subsistence"
  - "Subchapter IV — Miscellaneous Provisions"
---

# §5751. Travel expenses of witnesses

- (a) Under such regulations as the Attorney General may prescribe, an [employee](/usc/5/5701.md?p=2) as defined by [section 2105 of this title](/usc/5/2105.md) (except an individual whose [pay](/usc/5/7511.md?p=a-4) is disbursed by the [Secretary](/usc/5/9901.md?p=2) of the Senate or the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives) summoned, or assigned by his [agency](/usc/5/5701.md?p=1), to testify or produce official records on behalf of the [United States](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-18) is entitled to travel expenses under subchapter I of this chapter. If the case involves the activity in connection with which he is employed, the travel expenses are paid from the appropriation otherwise available for travel expenses of the [employee](/usc/5/5701.md?p=2) under proper certification by a certifying official of the [agency](/usc/5/5701.md?p=1) concerned. If the case does not involve its activity, the employing [agency](/usc/5/5701.md?p=1) may advance or [pay](/usc/5/7511.md?p=a-4) the travel expenses of the [employee](/usc/5/5701.md?p=2), and later obtain reimbursement from the [agency](/usc/5/5701.md?p=1) properly chargeable with the travel expenses.
- (b) An [employee](/usc/5/5701.md?p=2) as defined by [section 2105 of this title](/usc/5/2105.md) (except an individual whose [pay](/usc/5/7511.md?p=a-4) is disbursed by the [Secretary](/usc/5/9901.md?p=2) of the Senate or the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives) summoned, or assigned by his [agency](/usc/5/5701.md?p=1), to testify in his official capacity or produce official records, on behalf of a party other than the [United States](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-18), is entitled to travel expenses under subchapter I of this chapter, except to the extent that travel expenses are paid to the [employee](/usc/5/5701.md?p=2) for his appearance by the [court](/usc/5/8401.md?p=7), [authority](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-6), or party which caused him to be summoned.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 91–563, § 4(a), Dec. 19, 1970, 84 Stat. 1477; amended Pub. L. 104–186, title II, § 215(9), Aug. 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 1746.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1996—Pub. L. 104–186 substituted “Chief Administrative Officer” for “Clerk” in subsecs. (a) and (b).