Title 6, Domestic SecurityRelease 119-102
§456 Military Activities
Title 6 › CHAPTER 1 — HOMELAND SECURITY ORGANIZATION › SUBCHAPTER VIII — COORDINATION WITH NON-FEDERAL ENTITIES; INSPECTOR GENERAL; UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE; COAST GUARD; GENERAL PROVISIONS › Part H — Miscellaneous Provisions › § 456
Summary
Gives no power to the Secretary to fight wars, defend the United States, or carry out other military actions. It also does not take away the Department of Defense’s or the Armed Forces’ existing authority to do those things.
Full Legal Text
Title 6, §456
Domestic Security, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Nothing in this chapter shall confer upon the Secretary any authority to engage in warfighting, the military defense of the United States, or other military activities, nor shall anything in this chapter limit the existing authority of the Department of Defense or the Armed Forces to engage in warfighting, the military defense of the United States, or other military activities.
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. 107–296, Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2135, known as the Homeland Security Act of 2002, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see
Short Title
note set out under section 101 of this title and Tables.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
6 U.S.C. § 456
Title 6, Domestic Security
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102