12 U.S.C. § 501 — Liability of Federal reserve or member bank for certifying check when amount of deposit was inadequate

It shall be unlawful for any officer, director^*, agent, or employee of any Federal reserve bank, or any member bank as defined in this chapter, to certify any check drawn upon such Federal reserve bank or member bank unless the person^*, firm, or corporation drawing the check has on deposit with such Federal reserve bank or member bank, at the time such check is certified, an amount of money not less than the amount specified in such check. Any check so certified by a duly authorized officer, director, agent, or employee shall be a good and valid obligation against such Federal reserve bank or member bank; but the act of any officer, director, agent, or employee of any such Federal reserve bank or member bank in violation of this section shall, in the discretion of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, subject such Federal reserve bank to the penalties imposed by subsection (h) of section 248 of this title, and shall subject such member banks, if a national bank, to the liability and proceedings on the part of the Comptroller of the Currency provided for in section 192 of this title, and shall, in the discretion of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, subject any other member bank to the penalties imposed by subchapter VIII of chapter 3 of this title for the violation of any of the provisions of this chapter.