143-year-old law has lawmakers treading gingerly during shutdown

Steve Liesman , CNBC
4 hours ago

Lawmakers feel fenced in by an 1870 law.

Administration officials now live in fear of a 19th-century law that could get them fired, penalized or even imprisoned if they make the wrong choices while the government is shut down.

The law is the Antideficiency Act, passed by Congress in 1870 (and amended several times), which prohibits the government from incurring any monetary obligation for which Congress has not appropriated funds.

In shutting down the government, most memos cite the law as the reason. The Government Accountability Office says employees who violate the Antideficiency Act may be subject to disciplinary action, suspension and even "fines, imprisonment, or both."

CNBC has learned that in several executive branch departments, high-level staff members review individual decisions about what government activities to allow for fear of running afoul of the Antideficiency Act. One White House official said he has advised his employees not to check their email or cellphones. Under the act, even volunteering for government service is expressly prohibited.

Read more:

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/143-year...down-8C11319714

Quote: conservgramma wrote in post #3

---

Since when do members of the Obama administration care about any laws? This must be some law they can't navigate around - interesting indeed.

---