Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-110
§5871 Transitional Provisions
Title 42 › CHAPTER 73 — DEVELOPMENT OF ENERGY SOURCES › SUBCHAPTER III — MISCELLANEOUS AND TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS › § 5871
Summary
When all of an agency’s functions or programs are moved under this chapter, that agency or component ends. Any positions or offices that were specially created by law, or that paid at Executive Schedule level II, III, IV, or V (5 U.S.C. 5313–5316), also end. Rules, orders, permits, contracts, certificates, licenses, and similar things that were issued under the moved functions and are in effect when the chapter starts will keep working the same way until an authorized official, a court, or the law changes them. Pending proceedings and lawsuits that began before the chapter takes effect keep going as if nothing changed. If a function is moved to the Administrator, the Commission, or another official, that new official becomes the proper party in any ongoing suit. Suits by or against officers or agencies do not stop because of the transfers; they can continue against the United States or the right official. Final orders made under transferred functions can be reviewed in court the same as before. References in other laws to old agencies or officers should be read as referring to the new Administration, the Administrator, the Commission, or the official now in charge. The President’s powers are not reduced, legal references include later amendments, and the chapter’s new functions are in addition to prior ones unless the chapter says otherwise.
Full Legal Text
Title 42, §5871
The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Lapse of agency or other body from which functions or programs have been transferred and positions or offices therein (b) Continuation of orders, determinations, rules, etc.
Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, whenever all of the functions or programs of an agency, or other body, or any component thereof, affected by this chapter, have been transferred from that agency, or other body, or any component thereof by this chapter, the agency, or other body, or component thereof shall lapse. If an agency, or other body, or any component thereof, lapses pursuant to the preceding sentence, each position and office therein which was expressly authorized by law, or the incumbent of which was authorized to receive compensation at the rate prescribed for an office or position at level II, III, IV, or V of the Executive Schedule (5 U.S.C. 5313–5316), shall lapse.
(c)Effect of chapter on proceedings pending before Atomic Energy Commission or other department or agency
The provisions of this chapter shall not affect any proceeding pending, at the time this section takes effect, before the Atomic Energy Commission or any department or agency (or component thereof) functions of which are transferred by this chapter; but such proceedings, to the extent that they relate to functions so transferred, shall be continued. Orders shall be issued in such proceedings, appeals shall be taken therefrom, and payments shall be made pursuant to such orders, as if this chapter had not been enacted; and orders issued in any such proceedings shall continue in effect until modified, terminated, superseded, or revoked by a duly authorized official, by a court of competent jurisdiction, or by operation of law. Nothing in this subsection shall be deemed to prohibit the discontinuance or modification of any such proceeding under the same terms and conditions and to the same extent that such proceeding could have been discontinued if this chapter had not been enacted.
(d)Effect of chapter on suits commenced prior to effective date
Except as provided in subsection (f)—
(1)the provisions of this chapter shall not affect suits commenced prior to the date this chapter takes effect, and
(2)in all such suits proceedings shall be had, appeals taken, and judgments rendered, in the same manner and effect as if this chapter had not been enacted.
(e)Abatement of suits, actions, or other proceedings by or against officer, department, or agency
No suit, action, or other proceeding commenced by or against any officer in his official capacity as an officer of any department or agency, functions of which are transferred by this chapter, shall abate by reason of the enactment of this chapter. No cause of action by or against any department or agency, functions of which are transferred by this chapter, or by or against any officer thereof in his official capacity shall abate by reason of the enactment of this chapter. Causes of actions, suits, actions, or other proceedings may be asserted by or against the United States or such official as may be appropriate and, in any litigation pending when this section takes effect, the court may at any time, on its own motion or that of any party, enter any order which will give effect to the provisions of this section.
(f)Continuation of suits; substitution of parties
If, before the date on which this chapter takes effect, any department or agency, or officer thereof in his official capacity, is a party to a suit, and under this chapter any function of such department, agency, or officer is transferred to the Administrator or Commission, or any other official, then such suit shall be continued as if this chapter had not been enacted, with the Administrator or Commission, or other official, as the case may be, substituted.
(g)Judicial review of orders and actions in performance of transferred functions; statutory requirements relating to notices, hearings, action upon record, or administrative review
Final orders and actions of any official or component in the performance of functions transferred by this chapter shall be subject to judicial review to the same extent and in the same manner as if such orders or actions had been made or taken by the officer, department, agency, or instrumentality in the performance of such functions immediately preceding the effective date of this chapter. Any statutory requirements relating to notices, hearings, action upon the record, or administrative review that apply to any function transferred by this chapter shall apply to the performance of those functions by the Administrator or Commission, or any officer or component.
(h)References in other laws to department, agency, officer, or office whose functions have been transferred deemed reference to Administration, Administrator, or Commission
With respect to any functions transferred by this chapter and performed after the effective date of this chapter, reference in any other law to any department or agency, or any officer or office, the functions of which are so transferred, shall be deemed to refer to the Administration, the Administrator or Commission, or other office or official in which this chapter vests such functions.
(i)Limitation, curtailment, etc., of presidential functions or authority
Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed to limit, curtail, abolish, or terminate any function of the President which he had immediately before the effective date of this chapter; or to limit, curtail, abolish, or terminate his authority to perform such function; or to limit, curtail, abolish, or terminate his authority to delegate, redelegate, or terminate any delegation of functions.
(j)References in chapter to provision of law deemed to include references thereto as amended or supplemented
Any reference in this chapter to any provision of law shall be deemed to include, as appropriate, references thereto as now or hereafter amended or supplemented.
(k)Functions conferred by chapter deemed in addition to and not substitution for functions existing before effective date
Except as may be otherwise expressly provided in this chapter, all functions expressly conferred by this chapter shall be in addition to and not in substitution for functions existing immediately before the effective date of this chapter and transferred by this chapter.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 93–438, Oct. 11, 1974, 88 Stat. 1233, which enacted this chapter, amended sections 5313 to 5316 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, repealed section 2031 and 2032 of this title, and enacted provisions set out as notes under section 5801 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see
Short Title
note set out under section 5801 of this title and Tables. References to “at the time this chapter takes effect” in subsec. (b)(2), “the date this chapter takes effect” in subsec. (d)(1), “date on which this chapter takes effect” in subsec. (f), and “the
Effective Date
of this chapter” in subsecs. (g), (h), (i), and (k), refer to the
Effective Date
of Pub. L. 93–438. See section 312 of Pub. L. 93–438, set out as an
Effective Date
Interim Appointments note under section 5801 of this title.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Transfer of Functions
Energy Research and Development Administration terminated and functions vested by law in Administrator thereof transferred to Secretary of Energy (unless otherwise specifically provided) by section 7151(a) and 7293 of this title.
Executive Documents
Transfer of Functions
For transfer of certain functions from Nuclear Regulatory Commission to Chairman thereof, see Reorg. Plan No. 1 of 1980, 45 F.R. 40561, 94 Stat. 3585, set out as a note under section 5841 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
42 U.S.C. § 5871
Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110