43 U.S.C. § 1451 (PUBLIC LANDS)
§ 1451. Establishment
There shall be at the seat of government an executive department to be known as the Department of the Interior, and a Secretary of the Interior, who shall be the head thereof.
(R.S. § 437.)
heading: Editorial Notes
heading: Codification
text: R.S. § 437 derived from act Mar. 3, 1849, ch. 108, § 1, 9 Stat. 395.
Section was formerly classified to section 481 of Title 5 prior to the general revision and enactment of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, by Pub. L. 89–554, § 1, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 378.
heading: Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
heading: Short Title of 2025 Amendment
text: Pub. L. 119–60, div. H, title LXXXIV, § 8431(a), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1919, provided that: “This section [amending section 1474d of this title and enacting provisions set out as a note under section 1474d of this title] may be cited as the ‘North Pacific Research Board Enhancement Act’.”
Pub. L. 118–230, § 1, Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 2826, provided that: “This Act [enacting section 1478 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Accelerating Appraisals and Conservation Efforts Act’ or the ‘AACE Act’.”
heading: Short Title of 2005 Amendment
text: Pub. L. 109–125, § 1, Dec. 7, 2005, 119 Stat. 2544, provided that: “This Act [enacting section 1475b of this title and provisions set out as a note under section 1475b of this title] may be cited as the ‘Department of the Interior Volunteer Recruitment Act of 2005’.”
heading: Stewart Lee Udall Department of the Interior Building
text: Pub. L. 111–176, June 8, 2010, 124 Stat. 1259, provided that:
“SECTION 1. DESIGNATION.
“The United States Department of the Interior Building located at 1849 C Street, Northwest, in Washington, District of Columbia, shall be known and designated as the ‘Stewart Lee Udall Department of the Interior Building’.
“SEC. 2. REFERENCES.
“Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, record, or other paper of the United States to the building referred to in section 1 shall be considered to be a reference to the ‘Stewart Lee Udall Department of the Interior Building’.”
heading: Charges for Use of Property at Main and South Interior Building Complex, Washington, D.C.
text: Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(3) [title I, § 115], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1535, 1501A-158, provided that: “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in fiscal year 2000 and thereafter, the Secretary is authorized to permit persons, firms or organizations engaged in commercial, cultural, educational, or recreational activities (as defined in section 612a of title 40, United States Code) [now sections 3301(a)(4), (5) and 3306(a) of Title 40, Public Buildings, Property, and Works] not currently occupying such space to use courtyards, auditoriums, meeting rooms, and other space of the main and south Interior building complex, Washington, D.C., the maintenance, operation, and protection of which has been delegated to the Secretary from the Administrator of General Services pursuant to the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 [see chapters 1 to 11 of Title 40, and division C (except sections 3302, 3307(e), 3501(b), 3509, 3906, 4710, and 4711) of subtitle I of Title 41, Public Contracts], and to assess reasonable charges therefore, subject to such procedures as the Secretary deems appropriate for such uses. Charges may be for the space, utilities, maintenance, repair, and other services. Charges for such space and services may be at rates equivalent to the prevailing commercial rate for comparable space and services devoted to a similar purpose in the vicinity of the main and south Interior building complex, Washington, D.C., for which charges are being assessed. The Secretary may without further appropriation hold, administer, and use such proceeds within the Departmental Management Working Capital Fund to offset the operation of the buildings under his jurisdiction, whether delegated or otherwise, and for related purposes, until expended.”
Similar provisions were contained in Pub. L. 105–277, div. A, § 101(e) [title I, § 117], Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–231, 2681–256.
heading: Compensation of Secretary
text: Compensation of Secretary, see section 5312 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
heading: Executive Documents
heading: Transfer of Functions
text: For transfer of functions of other officers, employees, and agencies of Department of the Interior, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of the Interior, with power to delegate, see Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1950, §§ 1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3174, 64 Stat. 1262, set out below.
heading: Order of Succession
text: For order of succession during any period when both Secretary and Deputy Secretary of the Interior are unable to perform functions and duties of office of Secretary, see Ex. Ord. No. 13244, Dec. 18, 2001, 66 F.R. 66267, listed in a table under section 3345 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
heading: Executive Order No. 9432
text: Ex. Ord. No. 9432, eff. Mar. 28, 1944, 9 F.R. 3411, which related to designation of Under Secretary and Assistant Secretaries of the Interior to act as Secretary of the Interior, was superseded by Ex. Ord. No. 9866, eff. June 14, 1947, 12 F.R. 3909, formerly set out below.
heading: Executive Order No. 9866
text: Ex. Ord. No. 9866, eff. June 14, 1947, 12 F.R. 3909, which related to designation of officers to act as Secretary of the Interior, was superseded by Ex. Ord. No. 10156, eff. Aug. 26, 1950, 15 F.R. 5789, formerly set out below.
heading: Executive Order No. 10156
text: Ex. Ord. No. 10156, eff. Aug. 26, 1950, 15 F.R. 5789, which related to designation of certain officers of Department of the Interior to act as Secretary of the Interior, was superseded by Ex. Ord. No. 10753, eff. Feb. 15, 1958, 23 F.R. 1107, formerly set out below.
heading: Executive Order No. 10753
text: Ex. Ord. No. 10753, eff. Feb. 15, 1958, 23 F.R. 1107, which provided for succession to office of Secretary of the Interior, was superseded by Ex. Ord. No. 11487, eff. Oct. 6, 1969, 34 F.R. 15593, listed in a table under section 3345 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
heading: REORGANIZATION PLAN NO. 3 OF 1950Eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3174, 64 Stat. 1262, as amended June 1, 1971, Pub. L. 92–22, § 3, 85 Stat. 76.
text: Prepared by the President and transmitted to the Senate and the House of Representatives in Congress assembled, March 13, 1950, pursuant to the provisions of the Reorganization Act of 1949, approved June 20, 1949 [see 5 U.S.C. 901 et seq.].
heading: DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
heading: Section 1. Transfer of Functions to the Secretary
text: (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this section, there are hereby transferred to the Secretary of the Interior all functions of all other officers of the Department of the Interior and all functions of all agencies and employees of such Department.
(b) This section shall not apply to the functions vested by the Administrative Procedure Act (60 Stat. 237) [see 5 U.S.C. 551 et seq. and 701 et seq.] in hearing examiners employed by the Department of the Interior, nor to the functions of the Virgin Islands Corporation or of its Board of Directors or officers.
heading: Sec. 2. Performance of Functions of Secretary
text: The Secretary of the Interior may from time to time make such provisions as he shall deem appropriate authorizing the performance by an other officer, or by any agency or employee, of the Department of the Interior of any function of the Secretary, including any function transferred to the Secretary by the provisions of this reorganization plan.
heading: Sec. 3. Assistant Secretary of the Interior
text: There shall be in the Department of the Interior one additional Assistant Secretary of the Interior, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, who shall perform such duties as the Secretary of the Interior shall prescribe, and who shall receive compensation at the rate prescribed by law for Assistant Secretaries of executive departments.
heading: Sec. 4. Administrative Assistant Secretary
text: [Repealed. Pub. L. 92–22, § 3, June 1, 1971, 85 Stat. 76. Section authorized appointment of Administrative Assistant Secretary of the Interior. See 43 U.S.C. 1453a and 5 U.S.C. 5315. Section 3 provided that such repeal be effective upon Senate confirmation of Presidential appointment of Assistant Secretary of the Interior under successor provisions.]
heading: Sec. 5. Incidental Transfers
text: The Secretary of the Interior may from time to time effect such transfers within the Department of the Interior of any of the records, property, personnel, and unexpended balances (available or to be made available) of appropriations, allocations, and other funds of such Department as he may deem necessary in order to carry out the provisions of this reorganization plan.
heading: Message of the President
text: To the Congress of the United States:
I transmit herewith Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1950, prepared in accordance with the Reorganization Act of 1949 and providing for reorganizations in the Department of the Interior. My reasons for transmitting this plan are stated in an accompanying general message.
After investigation I have found and hereby declare that each reorganization included in Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1950 is necessary to accomplish one or more of the purposes set forth in section 2(a) of the Reorganization Act of 1949.
I have found and hereby declare that it is necessary to include in the accompanying reorganization plan, by reason of reorganizations made thereby, provisions for the appointment and compensation of an Assistant Secretary of the Interior and an Administrative Assistant Secretary of the Interior. The rate of compensation fixed for these officers is that which I have found to prevail in respect of comparable officers in the executive branch of the Government.
The taking effect of the reorganizations included in this plan may not in itself result in substantial immediate savings. However, many benefits in improved operations are probable during the next years which will result in a reduction in expenditures as compared with those that would be otherwise necessary. An itemization of these reductions in advance of actual experience under this plan is not practicable.
Harry S. Truman.
The White House, March 13, 1950.