6 U.S.C. § 551 — Transitional authorities

(a) Officials’ help.—Until an agency^* transfers to the Department^*, every official who had authority over, or functions^* related to, the agency immediately before the effective date must give the Secretary^* requested help, including personnel and assets^*, to prepare for and integrate the agency into the Department.
(b) Services and personnel.—During the transition, an executive-agency head may, at the Secretary’s request and with reimbursement, provide services or detail personnel to help.
(c) Acting officials.
(1) While waiting for Senate advice and consent on an officer required by this chapter to be appointed that way, the President may designate to act in the office an officer who was appointed that way and held the office immediately before the effective date (and remains in office), or immediately before the designation. The person acts until the office is filled under this chapter. The acting officer receives the higher of the pay rate for the office in which the officer acts or the pay rate for the office held when designated.
(2) This chapter does not require Senate advice and consent for the President’s appointment to the Department of an officer whose agency transfers to the Department and whose post-transfer duties are related to the officer’s earlier duties.
(d) Personnel, assets, obligations, and functions.—When an agency transfers—
(1) its personnel, assets, and obligations transfer to the Secretary for suitable allocation, subject to the Office of Management and Budget Director’s approval and section 1531(a)(2) of title 31; and
(2) the Secretary receives every function concerning the agency that another official could legally exercise immediately before the transfer, plus every function given to the Secretary by this chapter or another law.
(e) Transportation trust funds.
(1) General rule.—Despite any other part of this chapter, money from the Highway, Airport and Airway, Inland Waterway, or Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund may not be transferred to, made available to, or obligated by the Secretary or another Department official.
(2) Limit.—This subsection does not apply to security-related money given to the Federal Aviation Administration for fiscal years before fiscal year 2003 for operations, facilities and equipment, or research, engineering, and development. It also does not apply to money given to the Coast Guard from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund for boating-safety programs.