Title 20EducationRelease 119-73

§3404 Definitions

Title 20 › Chapter CHAPTER 48— - DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - GENERAL PROVISIONS › § 3404

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Defines key words used here. Department, Secretary, and Deputy Secretary mean the Department of Education and its officers. Function means any duty, power, responsibility, activity, or program. State covers the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Private means nonpublic elementary, secondary, and postsecondary institutions. Office means any part.

Full Legal Text

Title 20, §3404

Education — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

As used in this chapter, unless otherwise provided or indicated by the context—
(1)the term “Department” means the Department of Education or any component thereof;
(2)the term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Education;
(3)the term “Deputy Secretary” means the Deputy Secretary of Education;
(4)the term “function” includes any duty, obligation, power, authority, responsibility, right, privilege, activity, or program;
(5)the term “State” includes the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands;
(6)the terms “private” and “private educational” refer to independent, nonpublic, and private institutions of elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education; and
(7)the term “office” includes any office, institute, council, unit, organizational entity, or component thereof.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1990—Par. (3). Pub. L. 101–509 substituted “Deputy Secretary” for “Under Secretary” in two places.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1990 Amendment; Continued Service by Incumbents Pub. L. 101–509, title V, § 529 [title I, § 112(e)], Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1427, 1455, provided that: “(1) This section [amending this section, section 3412 of this title, section 5313 and 5314 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, section 472a of Title 25, Indians, section 3533 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, and section 1452 of Title 43, Public Lands and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and section 3501 of Title 42] shall take effect on the first day of the first pay period that begins on or after the date of enactment of this Act [Nov. 5, 1990]. “(2)(A) The incumbent in the position of Under Secretary of Health and Human Services on the day immediately preceding the date this section takes effect may serve as Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services at the pleasure of the President after such day. “(B) The incumbent in the position of Under Secretary of the Interior on the day immediately preceding the date this section takes effect may serve as Deputy Secretary of the Interior at the pleasure of the President after such day. “(C) The incumbent in the position of Under Secretary of Education on the day immediately preceding the date this section takes effect may serve as Deputy Secretary of Education at the pleasure of the President after such day. “(D) The incumbent in the position of Under Secretary of Housing and Urban Development on the day immediately preceding the date this section takes effect may serve as Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development at the pleasure of the President after such day.”

Construction

of References Pub. L. 101–509, title V, § 529 [title I, § 112(c)], Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1427, 1454, provided that: “Any reference in any statute, reorganization plan, regulation, executive order, or any document issued pursuant thereto in force on the date this section takes effect [see

Effective Date

of 1990 Amendment; Continued Service by Incumbents note above] to the Under Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Under Secretary of the Interior, the Under Secretary of Education, or the Under Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall be deemed to be a reference to the Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Deputy Secretary of the Interior, the Deputy Secretary of Education, or the Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, respectively.”

Executive Documents

Termination of Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands For termination of Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, see note set out preceding section 1681 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

20 U.S.C. § 3404

Title 20Education

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73