§ 6. — Department and agency defined.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 18USC6]
TITLE 18--CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
PART I--CRIMES
CHAPTER 1--GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 6. Department and agency defined
As used in this title:
The term ``department'' means one of the executive departments
enumerated in section 1 of Title 5, unless the context shows that such
term was intended to describe the executive, legislative, or judicial
branches of the government.
The term ``agency'' includes any department, independent
establishment, commission, administration, authority, board or bureau of
the United States or any corporation in which the United States has a
proprietary interest, unless the context shows that such term was
intended to be used in a more limited sense.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 685.)
Historical and Revision Notes
This section defines the terms ``department'' and ``agency'' of the
United States. The word ``department'' appears 57 times in title 18,
U.S.C., 1940 ed., and the word ``agency'' 14 times. It was considered
necessary to define clearly these words in order to avoid possible
litigation as to the scope or coverage of a given section containing
such words. (See United States v. Germaine, 1878, 99 U.S. 508, 25 L. Ed.
482, for definition of words ``department'' or ``head of department.'')
The phrase ``corporation in which the United States has a
proprietary interest'' is intended to include those governmental
corporations in which stock is not actually issued, as well as those in
which stock is owned by the United States. It excludes those
corporations in which the interest of the Government is custodial or
incidental.
References in Text
Section 1 of Title 5, referred to in text, was repealed by Pub. L.
89-554, Sec. 8, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 632, and reenacted by the first
section thereof as section 101 of Title 5, Government Organization and
Employees.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in title 12 section 1821.
