### **CHAPTER 5—AUTHORITY AND DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY**

#### SUBCHAPTER I—GENERAL AUTHORITIES

Sec.
501.
Rules and regulations.
502.
Judicial review of rules and regulations.
503.
Administrative error; equitable relief.
505.
Opinions of Attorney General.
510.
Authority to reorganize offices.
511.
Decisions of the Secretary; finality.
512.
Delegation of authority; assignment of functions and duties.
513.
Contracts and personal services.
515.
Administrative settlement of tort claims.
516.
Equal employment responsibilities.
517.
Quarterly reports to Congress on conferences sponsored by the Department.

#### SUBCHAPTER II—SPECIFIED FUNCTIONS

521.
Assistance to certain rehabilitation activities.
521A.
Adaptive sports programs for disabled veterans and members of the Armed Forces.
522.
Studies of rehabilitation of disabled persons.
523.
Coordination and promotion of other programs affecting veterans and their dependents.
525.
Publication of laws relating to veterans.
527.
Evaluation and data collection.
529.
Annual report to Congress.
530.
Annual report on program and expenditures for domestic response to weapons of mass destruction.
531.
Requirements relating to naming of Department property.
532.
Authority to advertise in national media; VetStar Award Program.
533.
Anti-harassment and anti-sexual assault policy.

#### SUBCHAPTER III—ADVISORY COMMITTEES

541.
Advisory Committee on Former Prisoners of War.
542.
Advisory Committee on Women Veterans.
543.
Advisory Committee on Prosthetics and Special-Disabilities Programs.
544.
Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans.
545.
Advisory Committee on the Readjustment of Veterans.
546.
Advisory Committee on Disability Compensation.
547.
Advisory Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs.
548.
Advisory Committee on United States Outlying Areas and Freely Associated States  1

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### Amendments

**2022**—Pub. L. 117–263, div. E, title LI, §5102(a), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3205, added item 548.

Pub. L. 117–137, §1(b), June 7, 2022, 136 Stat. 1255, added item 531 and struck out former item 531 "Requirement relating to naming of Department property".

**2021**—Pub. L. 116–315, title V, §5303(b), title VII, §7002(a)(2), Jan. 5, 2021, 134 Stat. 5041, 5057, added items 533 and 547.

**2015**—Pub. L. 114–58, title VI, §601(2), Sept. 30, 2015, 129 Stat. 538, which directed amendment of this analysis by striking item "521A" and adding item 521A, was executed by striking item 512A "Adaptive sports programs for disabled veterans and members of the Armed Forces" and adding item 521A, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

**2013**—Pub. L. 113–59, §5(h)(2), Dec. 20, 2013, 127 Stat. 662, which directed amendment of this analysis by striking item 521A and adding item "512A", was executed by striking item 521A "Assistance for United States Olympic Committee" and adding item 512A in the position for item 521A, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

Pub. L. 113–37, §2(b)(3), Sept. 30, 2013, 127 Stat. 524, added item 521A and struck out former item 521A "Assistance for United States Paralympics, Inc."

**2012**—Pub. L. 112–154, title VII, §§707(b), 709(b)(2), Aug. 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 1207, 1208, added item 517 and substituted "Authority to advertise in national media; VetStar Award Program" for "Authority to advertise in national media" in item 532.

**2008**—Pub. L. 110–389, title II, §214(b), title VII, §702(b), title VIII, §809(b), Oct. 10, 2008, 122 Stat. 4154, 4183, 4190, added items 521A, 532, and 546.

**1998**—Pub. L. 105–368, title IX, §906(b), title X, §1001(a)(2), Nov. 11, 1998, 112 Stat. 3362, 3363, added items 530 and 531.

**1997**—Pub. L. 105–114, title I, §101(a)(2), Nov. 21, 1997, 111 Stat. 2279, added item 516.

**1996**—Pub. L. 104–262, title III, §333(a)(2), Oct. 9, 1996, 110 Stat. 3200, added item 545.

**1994**—Pub. L. 103–446, title V, §510(b), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4670, added item 544.

**1992**—Pub. L. 102–405, title I, §105(b)(2), Oct. 9, 1992, 106 Stat. 1976, added item 543.

1  So in original. Probably should be followed by a period.