42 U.S.C. § 289e — Use of appropriations

(a) Unless a law says otherwise, money appropriated to carry out this subchapter can be spent in the District of Columbia on: personal services; stenographic recording and translating services; travel expenses, including travel to attend meetings the Secretary specifically approves; rent; supplies and equipment; buying and trading medical books, reference books, directories, periodicals, newspapers, and press clippings; buying, running, and maintaining passenger vehicles; printing and binding, on top of what other laws already allow; and any other expenses necessary to carry out this subchapter. If needed, this money can be spent through a contract, without following section 6101 of title 41. (b) None of the money appropriated under this chapter for this subchapter can pay for building facilities, including buying land, unless two things are both true: a provision in this subchapter specifically allows that purpose, and the appropriations law funding that provision says the money can be used for it. Any grant, cooperative agreement, or contract this subchapter authorizes for building facilities can only be awarded through a competitive process.