WHAT THE LAW DOINCongress, in plain words

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

42 U.S.C. 243: General grant of authority for cooperation

Created in 1966 by Public Law 89-749. Changed by 6 later laws. 2 bills in this Congress would change it.

16 parts of federal rules cite it as their authority, written by Food and Drug Administration, Department of Health and Human Services (11), Environmental Protection Agency (3), Public Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services (2).

This Congress

  • H.R. 9877 Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026 · introduced · would change 317H–1, 317W, 317Y, 317Z, 320C
  • H.R. 10405 Kylie’s Voices for Childhood Cancer Act · introduced · would change 317W

How it got here

1985

  • Pub. L. 99–117 struck out "referred to in section 247b(f) of this title" after "epidemics of any disease or condition", "involving or resulting from disasters or any such disease" after "health emergencies or problems" in first sentence, and struck out "resulting from disasters or a… · (c)

1983

  • Pub. L. 97–414 substituted "six months" for "forty-five days" after "not in excess of". · (c)

1981

  • Pub. L. 97–35, §902(c)(1), inserted applicability to other public health matters, and struck out reference to section 246 of this title. · (a)
  • Pub. L. 97–35, §902(c)(2), substituted "public health activities" for "the purposes of section 246 of this title". · (b)

1976

  • Pub. L. 94–317, §202(c), inserted provision authorizing Secretary to charge only private entities reasonable fees for training of their personnel. · (b)
  • Pub. L. 94–317, §202(b), made changes in phraseology and restructured provisions into pars. (1) and (2) and, in par. (1), as so restructured, inserted provisions authorizing Secretary to develop a plan utilizing Public Health Service personnel, equipment, medical supplies and other res… · (c)

1970

  • Pub. L. 91–515 substituted "Secretary" for "Surgeon General" wherever appearing. · (a), (b)

1967

  • Pub. L. 90–174 added subsec. (c). · (c)

1966

  • Pub. L. 89–749 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), added subsec. (b), and amended subsec. (b) to permit Surgeon General to train personnel for State and local health work.

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.