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Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-102

§4156 Waiver and Modification of Standards

Title 42 › CHAPTER 51 — DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS TO ACCOMMODATE PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED › § 4156

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

The GSA Administrator (for standards under 4152), the HUD Secretary (for 4153), the Secretary of Defense (for 4154), and the U.S. Postal Service (for 4154a) may change or waive their standards in individual cases only if the head of the affected federal agency asks and the official finds the change clearly necessary. Each of these officials must run ongoing surveys and investigations to make sure the standards are being followed.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §4156

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

The Administrator of General Services, with respect to standards issued under section 4152 of this title, and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, with respect to standards issued under section 4153 of this title, and the Secretary of Defense with respect to standards issued under section 4154 of this title, and the United States Postal Service with respect to standards issued under section 4154a of this title—
(1)is authorized to modify or waive any such standard, on a case-by-case basis, upon application made by the head of the department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States concerned, and upon a determination by the Administrator or Secretary, as the case may be, that such modification or waiver is clearly necessary, and
(2)shall establish a system of continuing surveys and investigations to insure compliance with such standards.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1976—Pub. L. 94–541, in introductory text, inserted reference to the United States Postal Service with respect to standards issued under section 4154a of this title and struck out “is authorized” at end; in par. (1), inserted introductory words “is authorized”; and in par. (2), substituted “shall establish a system of continuing surveys and investigations” for “to conduct such surveys and investigations as he deems necessary”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 4156

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102