46 U.S.C. § 53716: Deposit fund

There is a deposit fund in the Treasury for purposes of this section. The Secretary or Administrator, in accordance with an agreement under subsection (b), may deposit into and hold in the fund cash belonging to an obligor to serve as collateral for a guarantee made under this chapter with respect to the obligor. terms and conditions required by this section; terms that grant to the United States Government a security interest in all amounts deposited into the fund; and any additional terms considered by the Secretary or Administrator to be necessary to protect fully the interests of the Government. The Secretary or Administrator may invest and reinvest any part of the amounts in the fund in obligations of the Government with maturities such that amounts in the fund will be available as required for purposes of the agreement under subsection (b). Cash balances in the fund in excess of current requirements shall be maintained in a form of uninvested funds, and the Secretary of the Treasury shall pay interest on these funds. Cash deposited into the fund may not be withdrawn without the consent of the Secretary or Administrator. Subject to paragraph (3), the Secretary or Administrator may pay any income earned on cash of an obligor deposited into the fund in accordance with the agreement with the obligor under subsection (b). The Secretary or Administrator may retain and offset any or all of the cash of an obligor in the fund, and any income realized thereon, as part of the Secretary’s or Administrator’s recovery against the obligor in case of a default by the obligor on an obligation.