118 STAT. 359 PUBLIC LAW 108–199—JAN. 23, 2004 procedures to (a) an individual with an unsatisfactory credit history where such card is used to pay travel expenses and the agency determines there is no suitable alternative payment mechanism available before issuing the card, or (b) an individual who lacks a credit history. Each executive department and agency shall estab lish guidelines and procedures for disciplinary actions to be taken against agency personnel for improper, fraudulent, or abusive use of Government charge cards, which shall include appropriate dis ciplinary actions for use of charge cards for purposes, and at establishments, that are inconsistent with the official business of the Department or agency or with applicable standards of conduct. SEC. 639. Section 640(c) of the Treasury and General Govern ment Appropriations Act, 2000 (Public Law 106–58; 2 U.S.C. 437g note 1), as amended by section 642 of the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, 2002 (Public Law 107–67), is amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2003’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2005’’. SEC. 640. (a) The adjustment in rates of basic pay for employees under the statutory pay systems that takes effect in fiscal year 2004 under sections 5303 and 5304 of title 5, United States Code, shall be an increase of 4.1 percent, and this adjustment shall apply to civilian employees in the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security and such adjustments shall be effective as of the first day of the first applicable pay period beginning on or after January 1, 2004. (b) Notwithstanding section 613 of this Act, the adjustment in rates of basic pay for the statutory pay systems that take place in fiscal year 2004 under sections 5344 and 5348 of title 5, United States Code, shall be no less than the percentage in paragraph (a) as employees in the same location whose rates of basic pay are adjusted pursuant to the statutory pay systems under section 5303 and 5304 of title 5, United States Code. Prevailing rate employees at locations where there are no employees whose pay is increased pursuant to sections 5303 and 5304 of title 5 and prevailing rate employees described in section 5343(a)(5) of title 5 shall be considered to be located in the pay locality designated as ‘‘Rest of US’’ pursuant to section 5304 of title 5 for purposes of this paragraph. (c) Funds used to carry out this section shall be paid from appropriations, which are made to each applicable department or agency for salaries and expenses for fiscal year 2004. SEC. 641. Section 304(a) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 434(a)) is amended as follows— (1) in clauses (a)(2)(A)(i) and (a)(4)(A)(ii) by striking ‘‘(or posted by registered or certified mail no later than the 15th day before)’’ and inserting ‘‘(or posted by any of the following: registered mail, certified mail, priority mail having a delivery confirmation, or express mail having a delivery confirmation, or delivered to an overnight delivery service with an on line tracking system, if posted or delivered no later than the 15th day before)’’; and (2) by striking paragraph (a)(5) and inserting the following: ‘‘(5) If a designation, report, or statement filed pursuant to this Act (other than under paragraph (2)(A)(i) or (4)(A)(ii) or subsection (g)(1)) is sent by registered mail, certified mail, priority mail having a delivery confirmation, or express mail having a delivery confirmation, the United States postmark Effective date. 5 USC 5303 note.
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