Definitions — Us Code Code § 3501

Us Code Code § 3501 — Definitions. Reproduced from the official United States Code, with a citation summary, verification link, and related provisions.

§ 3501. Definitions

When used in this chapter, the term—

(1) "Agency" means the Central Intelligence Agency;

(2) "Director" means the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency; and

(3) "Government agency" means any executive department, commission, council, independent establishment, corporation wholly or partly owned by the United States which is an instrumentality of the United States, board, bureau, division, service, office, officer, authority, administration, or other establishment, in the executive branch of the Government.

(June 20, 1949, ch. 227, §1, 63 Stat. 208; Pub. L. 86–707, title V, §511(a)(3), (c)(1), Sept. 6, 1960, 74 Stat. 800, 801; Pub. L. 108–458, title I, §1077, Dec. 17, 2004, 118 Stat. 3695.)


Editorial Notes

Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 403a of this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

Amendments

2004—Pub. L. 108–458 redesignated subsecs. (a) to (c) as pars. (1) to (3), respectively, and amended par. (2) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (2) read as follows: " 'Director' means the Director of Central Intelligence;".

1960—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 86–707, §511(c)(1), substituted "Government." for "Government; and".

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 86–707, §511(a)(3), repealed subsec. (d) which defined "continental United States". See section 5921 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.


Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2004 Amendment

For Determination by President that amendment by Pub. L. 108–458 take effect on Apr. 21, 2005, see Memorandum of President of the United States, Apr. 21, 2005, 70 F.R. 23925, set out as a note under section 3001 of this title.

Amendment by Pub. L. 108–458 effective not later than six months after Dec. 17, 2004, except as otherwise expressly provided, see section 1097(a) of Pub. L. 108–458, set out in an Effective Date of 2004 Amendment; Transition Provisions note under section 3001 of this title.

Short Title

Act June 20, 1949, ch. 227, §10, formerly §12, 63 Stat. 213; renumbered §10, July 7, 1958, Pub. L. 85–507, §21(b)(2), 72 Stat. 337, provided that: "This Act [see Tables for classification] may be cited as the 'Central Intelligence Agency Act of 1949'."

Separability

Act June 20, 1949, ch. 227, §9, formerly §11, 63 Stat. 213; renumbered §9, July 7, 1958, Pub. L. 85–507, §21(b)(2), 72 Stat. 337, provided that: "If any provision of this Act [see Tables for classification], or the application of such provision to any person or circumstances, is held invalid, the remainder of this Act or the application of such provision to persons or circumstances other than those as to which it is held invalid, shall not be affected thereby."

Designation of Headquarters Compound of Central Intelligence Agency as the George Bush Center for Intelligence

Pub. L. 105–272, title III, §309, Oct. 20, 1998, 112 Stat. 2403, provided that:

"(a) Designation.—The headquarters compound of the Central Intelligence Agency located in Langley, Virginia, shall be known and designated as the 'George Bush Center for Intelligence'.

"(b) References.—Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the headquarters compound referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a reference to the 'George Bush Center for Intelligence'."

About This Section

50 U.S.C. § 3501 is part of Title 50 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.

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Sources

Source: official Us Code text · Last verified 2026-08-27

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