13 U.S.C. § 3 Seal

• Library: United States Statutes
• Edition: 2023
• Currency: Current through P.L. 118-34 (published on www.congress.gov on 12/26/2023), except for [P. L. 118-31]
• Year: 2023
• Citation: 13 U.S.C. § 3

The Bureau shall have a seal containing such device as has been selected heretofore, or as the Secretary may select hereafter. A description of such seal with an impression thereof shall be filed in the office of the Secretary of State. The seal shall remain in the custody of the Secretary or such officer or employee of the Bureau as he designates, and shall be affixed to all documents authenticated by the Bureau. Judicial notice shall be taken of the seal.

Cite as 13 U.S.C. § 3

Source: Aug. 31, 1954, ch. 1158, 68 Stat. 1012; Pub. L. 85-207, §2, Aug. 28, 1957, 71 Stat. 481; Pub. L. 94-521, §2, Oct. 17, 1976, 90 Stat. 2459.

Notes from the Office of Law Revision Counsel

current through 10/12/2022

HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES

Based on acts Mar. 3, 1899, ch. 419, §31, 30 Stat. 1021; Mar. 6, 1902, ch. 139, §6, 32 Stat. 52.

Section is new to the United States Code, but is in accordance with current practice. Act Mar. 3, 1899, ch. 419, 30 Stat. 1014, which established the "Census Office" on a temporary basis, provided in section 31 thereof (30 Stat. 1021) for a seal for that office. The office was made permanent by act Mar. 6, 1902, ch. 139, 32 Stat. 51, and section 6 of that act (32 Stat. 52) continued in full force and effect "for the taking of the Thirteenth and subsequent censuses" all provisions of the act of Mar. 3, 1899, not inconsistent with the provisions of such 1902 act. Therefore, since the 1902 act contained no provisions with respect to a seal, section 31 of the 1899 act, providing for the seal, remained in force as it was not inconsistent. Section 33 of act July 2, 1909, ch. 2, 36 Stat. 10, which act (36 Stat. 1) related to the Thirteenth and subsequent decennial censuses, repealed the said act of Mar. 3, 1899, specifically, and all "other" laws and parts of laws inconsistent with the provisions of the 1909 act. These repealing provisions are somewhat ambiguous, but it was probably the intent of Congress, as it was the intent thereof at the time of enactment of the act of Mar. 6, 1902, referred to above, to continue in effect all provisions of the act of Mar. 3, 1899, that were not inconsistent with the act of July 2, 1909. The 1909 act contained no provisions with respect to the seal, and it accordingly follows that the provisions of section 31 of the act of Mar. 3, 1899, with respect thereto, continued in force. This is also the interpretation of the Bureau of the Census, which has continued to use a seal through the years in connection with "certificates and attestations".