§ 3902. — Definitions.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 22USC3902]
TITLE 22--FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE
CHAPTER 52--FOREIGN SERVICE
SUBCHAPTER I--GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 3902. Definitions
As used in this chapter, the term--
(1) ``abroad'' means all areas not included within the United
States;
(2) ``agency'' means an agency as defined in section 552(e) \1\
of title 5;
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ See References in Text note below.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(3) ``chief of mission'' means the principal officer in charge
of a diplomatic mission of the United States or of a United States
office abroad which is designated by the Secretary of State as
diplomatic in nature, including any individual assigned under
section 3982(c) of this title to be temporarily in charge of such a
mission or office;
(4) ``Department'' means the Department of State, except that
with reference to the exercise of functions under this chapter with
respect to another agency authorized by law to utilize the Foreign
Service personnel system, such term means that other agency;
(5) ``employee'' (except as provided in section 4102(8) of this
title) means, when used with respect to an agency or to the
Government generally, an officer or employee (including a member of
the Service) or a member of the Armed Forces of the United States,
the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service, or the
commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration;
(6) ``function'' includes any duty, obligation, power,
authority, responsibility, right, privilege, discretion, or
activity;
(7) ``Government'' means the Government of the United States;
(8) ``merit principles'' means the principles set out in section
2301(b) of title 5;
(9) ``principal officer'' means the officer in charge of a
diplomatic mission, consular mission (other than a consular agency),
or other Foreign Service post;
(10) ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of State, except that
(subject to section 3921 of this title) with reference to the
exercise of functions under this Act with respect to any agency
authorized by law to utilize the Foreign Service personnel system,
such term means the head of that agency;
(11) ``Service'' or ``Foreign Service'' means the Foreign
Service of the United States; and
(12) ``United States'', when used in a geographic sense, means
the several States and the District of Columbia.
(Pub. L. 96-465, title I, Sec. 102, Oct. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 2075; Pub.
L. 98-164, title I, Sec. 130(a), Nov. 22, 1983, 97 Stat. 1027.)
References in Text
Section 552(e) of title 5, referred to in par. (2), was redesignated
section 552(f) of title 5 by section 1802(b) of Pub. L. 99-570.
Amendments
1983--Pub. L. 98-164 struck out ``(a)'' before ``As used in this
chapter'', and struck out subsec. (b) which provided that references to
Foreign Service officers in any provision be deemed to refer to, with
respect to the United States Information Agency, Foreign Service
Information officers.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in sections 2391, 3982, 4341 of this
title; title 5 section 6301; title 50 section 404j.
