Border equalization pay adjustment — Us Code Code § 3974

Us Code Code § 3974 — Border equalization pay adjustment. Reproduced from the official United States Code, with a citation summary, verification link, and related provisions.

§ 3974. Border equalization pay adjustment

(a) In general

An employee who regularly commutes from the employee's place of residence in the continental United States to an official duty station in Canada or Mexico shall receive a border equalization pay adjustment equal to the amount of comparability payments under section 5304 of title 5 that the employee would receive if the employee were assigned to an official duty station within the United States locality pay area closest to the employee's official duty station.

(b) Employee defined

For purposes of this section, the term "employee" means a person who—

(1) is an "employee" as defined under section 2105 of title 5; and

(2) is employed by the Department of State, the United States Agency for International Development, or the International Joint Commission of the United States and Canada (established under Article VII of the treaty signed January 11, 1909) (36 Stat. 2448), except that the term shall not include members of the Service (as specified in section 3903 of this title).

(c) Treatment as basic pay

An equalization pay adjustment paid under this section shall be considered to be part of basic pay for the same purposes for which comparability payments are considered to be part of basic pay under section 5304 of title 5.

(d) Regulations

The heads of the agencies referred to in subsection (b)(2) may prescribe regulations to carry out this section.

(Pub. L. 96–465, title I, §414, as added Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, §1000(a)(7) [div. A, title III, §333(a)], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A–439.)

About This Section

22 U.S.C. § 3974 is part of Title 22 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.

This section may be cited in legal writing as 22 U.S.C. § 3974. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.

How to Read This Statute

Statutes are organized by title, chapter, section, and subsection. Pay attention to words like "shall," "may," "and," and "or," because they determine whether a requirement is mandatory or permissive and whether multiple conditions must all be met. Historical notes and amendments often appear at the end of a section.

Using This Page

This page is intended for research and educational use. Lawyers, students, journalists, and compliance professionals can use it as a starting point, but should always verify the current text through an official government source before relying on it for legal advice, filings, or compliance decisions.

Sources

Source: official Us Code text · Last verified 2026-08-27

At a glance

Verify the text

Statute text is transcribed from the official United States Code. Confirm it against the primary source before relying on it:

Not legal advice. Verify against the official source and consult a licensed Us Code attorney.

Common questions

What is the source of United States Code § 3974?

The text above is transcribed from the United States Code, the codified statutes of Us Code. The official publisher link appears under "Verify the text" on this page.

What subject does United States Code § 3974 address?

It addresses "Border equalization pay adjustment". Read the section together with the surrounding provisions listed under "Nearby provisions" for the full picture.

Is United States Code § 3974 still in force?

Statutes are amended, repealed, and renumbered every session. Confirm the current version at the official Us Code source before relying on this text.

Can this page be used as legal advice?

No. This is a reference transcription for research. Applying Us Code law to your facts requires a licensed Us Code attorney who can review the specifics.