Title 42The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73

§2271 General provisions

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 23— - DEVELOPMENT AND CONTROL OF ATOMIC ENERGY › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER XVII— - ENFORCEMENT OF CHAPTER › § 2271

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The President may use any federal agency he thinks is needed to stop the illegal spreading of Restricted Data and to protect the Commission’s buildings, equipment, materials, and other property. The FBI must investigate any reported or suspected crimes under this chapter. No criminal case against a person for violating this chapter can begin until the U.S. Attorney General tells the Commission about it, and only the Attorney General can start such cases. That rule does not stop the Commission from taking its own administrative actions.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §2271

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)To protect against the unlawful dissemination of Restricted Data and to safeguard facilities, equipment, materials, and other property of the Commission, the President shall have authority to utilize the services of any Government agency to the extent he may deem necessary or desirable.
(b)The Federal Bureau of Investigation of the Department of Justice shall investigate all alleged or suspected criminal violations of this chapter.
(c)No action shall be brought against any individual or person for any violation under this chapter unless and until the Attorney General of the United States has advised the Commission with respect to such action and no such action shall be commenced except by the Attorney General of the United States: Provided, however, That nothing in this subsection shall be construed as applying to administrative action taken by the Commission.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (b) and (c), was in the original “this Act”, meaning act Aug. 1, 1946, ch. 724, as added by act Aug. 30, 1954, ch. 1073, § 1, 68 Stat. 919, known as the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 2011 of this title and Tables.

Amendments

1990—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–647 struck out “That no action shall be brought under section 2272, 2273, 2274, 2275, or 2276 of this title except by the express direction of the Attorney General: And provided further,” after “Provided however,”. 1969—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 91–161 provided that nothing in this subsection should be construed to apply to administrative action taken by the Commission.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 2271

Title 42The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73