WHAT THE LAW DOINCongress, in plain words

The law › Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare › Chapter 6A

42 U.S.C. 201: Definitions

Created in 1959 by Public Law 86-70. Changed by 12 later laws. 1 bill in this Congress would change it.

45 other sections of the Code cite this one, including 7 U.S.C. 136a–1, 8 U.S.C. 1255a, 10 U.S.C. 1415, 20 U.S.C. 1092a, 21 U.S.C. 350l.

7 parts of federal rules cite it as their authority, written by Food and Drug Administration, Department of Health and Human Services (7).

This Congress

  • H.R. 9877 Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026 · introduced · would change (f), XXXIV, XXXV

How it got here

2024

  • Pub. L. 118–42 substituted "the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau" for "and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands". (Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024) Law text · (f)

1993

  • Pub. L. 103–43 substituted "Health and Human Services" for "Health, Education, and Welfare". · (c)

1981

  • Pub. L. 97–35, §902(d)(5), struck out reference to section 300d(2) of this title. · (f)
  • Pub. L. 97–35, §986(a), struck out subsec. (h) which defined "seamen". · (h)

1979

  • Pub. L. 96–79 struck out from enumeration of excepted sections reference to section 300s–3(1) of this title. · (f)

1977

  • Pub. L. 95–83 expanded definition of "State" to include American Samoa and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. · (f)

1976

  • Pub. L. 94–484 amended subsec. (f) generally. · (f)
  • Pub. L. 94–317 substituted provisions defining, with certain specific exceptions, "State" to include the several States, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands for provisions defining "State" to include a State or the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Isla… · (f)

1974

  • Pub. L. 93–523 designated existing provisions as cl. (1) and added cl. (2). · (f)

1970

  • Pub. L. 91–212 amended subsec. (c) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (c) read as follows: "The term 'Administrator' means the Federal Security Administrator;". · (c)
  • Pub. L. 91–513 added subsec. (q). · (q)

1960

  • Pub. L. 86–624 struck out "Hawaii," before "Puerto Rico". · (f)
  • Pub. L. 86–415 added subsec. (p). · (p)

1959

  • Pub. L. 86–70 struck out "Alaska," after "Hawaii," and substituted "or the District of Columbia" for ", the District of Columbia, or Alaska". · (f)

Text, outline and history from the official U.S. Code (2024 edition) on GovInfo, published by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel. Changes made after that edition appear under This Congress.