§701 — Title 5 Government Organization and Employees | U.S. Code

Summary

You can use the rules in this chapter to ask a court to review actions by federal agencies, except when a law says courts may not review them or when the law gives the agency sole discretion to decide. "Agency" means any U.S. government authority, even if another agency can review it. It does not include Congress, the federal courts, territorial or D.C. governments, agencies made up of parties to a dispute, courts martial or military commissions, military authority in the field during war or occupation, or certain specific functions named in other federal laws. The words "person," "rule," "order," "license," "sanction," "relief," and "agency action" are defined in section 551.

Title 5, §701

Government Organization and Employees — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)This chapter applies, according to the provisions thereof, except to the extent that—

(1)statutes preclude judicial review; or

(2)agency action is committed to agency discretion by law.

(b)For the purpose of this chapter—

(1)“agency” means each authority of the Government of the United States, whether or not it is within or subject to review by another agency, but does not include—

(A)the Congress;

(B)the courts of the United States;

(C)the governments of the territories or possessions of the United States;

(D)the government of the District of Columbia;

(E)agencies composed of representatives of the parties or of representatives of organizations of the parties to the disputes determined by them;

(F)courts martial and military commissions;

(G)military authority exercised in the field in time of war or in occupied territory; or

(H)functions conferred by section 1738, 1739, 1743, and 1744 of title 12; subchapter II of chapter 471 of title 49; or section 1884, 1891–1902, and former section 1641(b)(2), of title 50, appendix; 11 See References in Text note below. and

(2)“person”, “rule”, “order”, “license”, “sanction”, “relief”, and “agency action” have the meanings given them by section 551 of this title.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

DerivationU.S. CodeRevised Statutes andStatutes at Large (a)5 U.S.C. 1009 (introductory clause).

June 11, 1946, ch. 324, § 10 (introductory clause), 60 Stat. 243. In subsection (a), the words “This chapter applies, according to the provisions thereof,” are added to avoid the necessity of repeating the introductory clause of former section 1009 in section 702–706. Subsection (b) is added on authority of section 2 of the Act of

June 11, 1946, ch. 324, 60 Stat. 237, as amended, which is carried into section 551 of this title. In subsection (b)(1)(G), the words “or naval” are omitted as included in “military”. In subsection (b)(1)(H), the words “functions which by law expire on the termination of present hostilities, within any fixed period thereafter, or before

July 1, 1947” are omitted as executed. Reference to the “Selective Training and Service Act of 1940” is omitted as that Act expired on Mar. 31, 1947. Reference to the “Sugar Control Extension Act of 1947” is omitted as that Act expired on Mar. 31, 1948. References to the “Housing and Rent Act of 1947, as amended” and the “Veterans’ Emergency Housing Act of 1946” have been consolidated as they are related. The reference to former section 1641(b)(2) of title 50, appendix, is retained notwithstanding its repeal by § 111(a)(1) of the Act of Sept. 21, 1961, Pub. L. 87–256, 75 Stat. 538, since § 111(c) of the Act provides that a reference in other Acts to a provision of law repealed by § 111(a) shall be considered to be a reference to the appropriate provisions of Pub. L. 87–256. Standard changes are made to conform with the definitions applicable and the style of this title as outlined in the preface to the report.

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 1884 and 1891–1902 of title 50, appendix, referred to in subsec. (b)(1)(H), were a part of the various Housing and Rent Acts which were classified to section 1881 et seq. of the former Appendix to Title 50, War and National Defense, and had been repealed or omitted from the Code as executed prior to the elimination of the Appendix to Title 50. See Elimination of Title 50, Appendix note preceding section 1 of Title 50. Section 1641 of title 50, appendix, referred to in subsec. (b)(1)(H), was repealed by Pub. L. 87–256, § 111(a)(1), Sept. 21, 1961, 75 Stat. 538.

Amendments

2011—Subsec. (b)(1)(H). Pub. L. 111–350 struck out “chapter 2 of title 41;” after “title 12;”. 1994—Subsec. (b)(1)(H). Pub. L. 103–272 substituted “subchapter II of chapter 471 of title 49; or sections” for “or section 1622,”.

§701 Application; definitions