Contracts, leases, etc., with public agencies and private organizations and persons

The Secretary is authorized to enter into and perform such contracts, leases, cooperative agreements, or other similar transactions with public agencies and private organizations and persons, and to make such payments (in lump sum or installments, and by way of advance or reimbursement) as he may deem to be necessary or appropriate to carry out functions now or hereafter vested in the Secretary. Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, no authority to enter into contracts or to make payments under this subchapter shall be effective except to such extent or in such amounts as are provided in advance in appropriation Acts. The Secretary may lease, upon terms and conditions the Secretary considers appropriate to promote national security or the public interest, acquired real property and related personal property that— To the extent provided in advance in appropriations Acts, the Secretary may retain and use money rentals received by the Secretary directly from a lease entered into under subsection (c) in any amount the Secretary considers necessary to cover the administrative expenses of the lease, the maintenance and repair of the leased property, or environmental restoration activities at the facility where the leased property is located. Amounts retained under this subsection shall be retained in a separate fund established in the Treasury for such purpose. The Secretary shall annually submit to the Congress a report on amounts retained and amounts used under this subsection. In applying section 2371 1 of title 10 to the Secretary under paragraph (1)— The authority of the Secretary under paragraph (1) shall not be subject to— The Secretary may protect from disclosure any information developed pursuant to a transaction under paragraph (1) that would be protected from disclosure under section 552(b)(4) of title 5, if obtained from a person other than a Federal agency— Not later than 1 year after the date on which the final guidelines are published under paragraph (6), the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report describing—