Public Debt Bureau 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Secretary of the Treasury is responsible for computing and publishing the percentage rate that is used in assessing interest charges for outstanding debts owed to the Government (The Debt Collection Act of 1982, as amended). This rate is also used by agencies as a comparison point in evaluating the cost-effectiveness of a cash discount. In addition, this rate is used in determining when agencies should pay purchase card invoices when the card issuer offers a rebate. The percentage rate generally is calculated on an annual, calendar year basis; however, quarterly adjustments are made to the rate if the annual average of the method used to calculate it results in a change of 2 percent or more. Notice is hereby given that such an adjustment is being implemented, and the applicable rate for April through December 2023 is 3.00 percent.

The Department of the Treasury's (Treasury) Bureau of the Fiscal Service (``Fiscal Service'' or ``we''), is proposing to amend its regulation that implements a statutory mandate requiring the Federal Government to deliver non-tax payments by electronic funds transfer (EFT) unless a waiver is available. Among other things, this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) would strengthen the EFT requirement by narrowing the scope of existing waivers from the EFT mandate or requiring agencies to obtain Fiscal Service's approval to invoke certain existing waivers; provide that Treasury has the right to nullify an agency's use of a waiver if Treasury determines that application of a waiver would lead to an agency initiating an unusually large number or proportion of payments by means other than EFT; and clarify that when an agency fails to make a payment by EFT as prescribed by part 208, Treasury has authority to assess a charge to an agency. The proposed changes reflect the reality that the use of electronic payments has expanded significantly since the waivers from the EFT mandate were first published in 1998 and also seek to take advantage of Treasury's growing profile of electronic payment options, which are faster, less expensive, and safer than paper checks. Strengthening the EFT requirements as proposed in the NPRM is also consistent with Treasury's commitment to reducing check payments.