[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 31, Volume 2]
[Revised as of July 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 31CFR240.2]

[Page 81-82]
 
                  TITLE 31--MONEY AND FINANCE: TREASURY
 
         CHAPTER II--FISCAL SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
 
PART 240--INDORSEMENT AND PAYMENT OF CHECKS DRAWN ON THE UNITED STATES TREASURY--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 240.2  Definitions.

    (a) Certifying agency means an agency for whom a Treasury disbursing 
officer or a non-Treasury disbursing officer makes payment in accordance 
with 31 U.S.C. 3325. The responsibilities of a certifying official are 
set forth at 31 U.S.C. 3528.
    (b) Check or Checks means a check or checks drawn on the United 
States Treasury.
    (c) Check payment means the amount paid to a presenting bank in 
accordance with Sec. 240.9(a)(3) of this part.
    (d) Commissioner means the Commissioner of the Financial Management 
Service, Department of the Treasury, 401 14th Street SW., Washington, DC 
20227.
    (e) Days means calendar days.
    (f) Financial institution means any bank, savings bank, savings and 
loan association, Federal or State chartered credit union, or similar 
institution.
    (g) Item means a reference in a monthly interest billing statement 
to a check for the amount of which Treasury has demanded refund from a 
presenting bank.
    (h) Monthly interest billing statement means a statement prepared by 
Treasury and sent to a presenting bank

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which includes the following information regarding each outstanding 
demand for refund:
    (1) The reclamation date;
    (2) The reclamation number;
    (3) Check identifying information; and
    (4) The balance due, including interest.
    (i) Person or persons means an individual or individuals, or an 
institution or institutions including all forms of financial 
institutions.
    (j) Presenting bank means:
    (1) A financial institution which, either directly or through a 
correspondent banking relationship, presents checks to and receives 
provisional credit from a Federal Reserve Bank; or
    (2) A depositary which is authorized to charge checks directly to 
the General Account of the United States Treasury and present them to 
Treasury for payment through a designated Federal Reserve Bank.
    (k) Protest means a presenting bank's written statement and any 
supporting documentation tending to prove that it is not liable for 
refund of the reclamation balance.
    (l) Reclamation means a demand by Treasury for refund of the amount 
of a check payment.
    (m) Reclamation date means the date on which a demand for refund was 
prepared. Normally, demands are sent to presenting banks within two 
working days of the reclamation date.
    (n) Treasury means the United States Treasury.
    (o) U.S. securities means securities of the United States and 
securities of Federal agencies and wholly or partially government-owned 
corporations for which the Treasury acts as the transfer agent.
    (p) Unauthorized indorsement means:
    (1) An indorsement made by a person other than the payee, except as 
authorized by and in accordance with Sec. 204.5 and Secs. 240.11 through 
240.15;
    (2) An indorsement by a financial institution under circumstances in 
which the financial institution breaches the guaranty required of it by 
31 CFR 209.9(a) (See, 31 CFR 209.8); or
    (3) A missing indorsement where the depositary bank had no authority 
to supply the indorsement.