For the purposes of the part the following definitions will apply:

Agency means an executive agency as is defined at 5 U.S.C. 105 including the U.S. Postal Service, the U.S. Postal Commission, a military department as defined at 5 U.S.C. 102, an agency or court in the judicial branch, an agency of the legislative branch including the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives and other independent establishments that are entities of the Federal government.

Chairperson means the Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Humanities or the Chairperson's designee.

Creditor agency means the agency to which the debt is owed.

Debt means an amount owed to the United States from sources which include loans insured or guaranteed by the United States and all other amounts due the United States from fees, leases, rents, royalties, services, sales or real or personal property, overpayments, penalties, damages, interests, fines, forfeitures, (except those arising under the Uniform Code of Military Justice) and all other similar sources.

Disposable pay means the amount that remains from an employee's Federal pay after required deductions for social security, Federal, state or local income tax, health insurance premiums, retirement contributions, life insurance premiums, Federal employment taxes, and any other deductions that are required to be withheld by law.

Hearing official means an individual responsible for conducting any hearing with respect to the existence or amount of a debt claimed, and who renders a decision on the basis of such hearing. A hearing official may not be under the supervision or control of the Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Paying Agency means the agency that employes the individual who owes the debt and authorizes the payment of his/her current pay.

Salary offset means an administrative offset to collect a debt pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 5514 by deduction(s) at one or more officially established pay intervals from the current pay account of an employee without his/her consent.