Title 22 — Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-73not60
§2698 Procurement of Legal Services
Title 22 › Chapter 38— DEPARTMENT OF STATE › § 2698
Summary
The Secretary of State can let a senior Foreign Service officer hire legal help. This can be done without following the usual rules in section 3106 of title 5 when lawyers are needed to protect the Government’s interests or to help a Foreign Service member do their job well. The same power is given to the Broadcasting Board of Governors and to the Administrator of the Agency for International Development for their organizations.
Full Legal Text
Title 22, §2698
Foreign Relations and Intercourse — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)The Secretary of State may, without regard to section 3106 of title 5, authorize a principal officer of the Foreign Service to procure legal services whenever such services are required for the protection of the interests of the Government or to enable a member of the Service to carry on the member’s work efficiently.
(b)The authority available to the Secretary of State under this section shall be available to the Broadcasting Board of Governors,11 So in original. The comma probably should not appear. and the Administrator of the Agency for International Development with respect to the Board and the Agency.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1999—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 106–113 made technical correction to directory language of Pub. L. 105–277, § 1422(b)(3)(B). See 1998 Amendment note below. 1998—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 105–277, § 1422(b)(3)(B), as amended by Pub. L. 106–113, substituted “Administrator of the Agency for International Development” for “Director of the United States International Development Cooperation Agency”. Pub. L. 105–277, § 1335(l)(3), substituted “Broadcasting Board of Governors,” for “Director of the United States Information Agency, the chairman of the Board for International Broadcasting,” and “with respect to the Board and the Agency” for “with respect to their respective agencies”. 1990—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 101–246 substituted “United States Information Agency, the chairman of the Board for International Broadcasting,” for “International Communication Agency”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Change of Name
Broadcasting Board of Governors renamed United States Agency for Global Media pursuant to section 6204(a)(21) of this title. The renaming was effectuated by notice to congressional appropriations committees dated May 24, 2018, and became effective Aug. 22, 2018.
Effective Date
of 1998 AmendmentAmendment by section 1335(l)(3) of Pub. L. 105–277 effective Oct. 1, 1999, see section 1301 of Pub. L. 105–277, set out as an
Effective Date
note under section 6531 of this title. Amendment by section 1422(b)(3)(B) of Pub. L. 105–277 effective Apr. 1, 1999, see section 1401 of Pub. L. 105–277, set out as an
Effective Date
note under section 6561 of this title.
Effective Date
Section effective Feb. 15, 1981, except as otherwise provided, see section 2403 of Pub. L. 96–465, set out as a note under section 3901 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
22 U.S.C. § 2698
Title 22 — Foreign Relations and Intercourse
Last Updated
Apr 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60