An Act to achieve the fullest cooperation and coordination of activities among the levels of government in order to improve the operation of our federal system in an increasingly complex society, to imjprove the administration of grants-in-aid to the States, to permit provision of reimbursable technical services to State and local government, to establish coordinated intergovernmental policy and administration of development assistance programs, to provide for the acquisition, use, and disposition of land within urban areas by Federal agencies in conformity with local government programs, to provide for periodic congressional review of Federal grants-in-aid, and for other purposes
PL 90-577 (S.698), enacted 10/16/1968

1098 
PUBLIC L
A
W 90-577-OCT. 16, 1968 
[82 STAT. 
HEAD START STUDY 
SEC. 309. The President shall make a special study of whether the 
responsibility for administering the Head Start program established 
under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 should continue to be 
vested in the Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity, should 
be transferred to another agency of the Government, or should be dele-
gated to another such agency pursuant to the provisions of section 
8o^stat^\468^' 
602(d) of tlic aforemeutioned Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, and 
42 use 2942. 
shall submit the findings of this study to the Congress not later than 
Report to Con- 
M a T C h 1 , 1 9 6 9 . 
Approved October 16, 1968. 
81 Stat. 698. 
42 u s e 2809. 
gress. 
Public Law 90-577 
October 16, 1968 
A N A C T 
^^- ^^^^ 
To achieve the fullest cooperation and coordination of activities among the 
levels of government in order to improve the operation of our federal system 
in an increasingly complex society, to imjprove the administration of grants-in-
aid to the States, to permit provision of reimbursable technical services to 
State and local government, to establish coordinated intergovernmental policy 
and administration of development assistance programs, to provide for the 
acquisition, use, and disposition of land within urban areas by Federal agencies 
in conformity with local government programs, to provide for periodic congres-
sional review of Federal grants-in-aid, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
mintai^cooTra- 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That this Act be 
tion Act o
f 1968. citcd as the "Intergovernmental Cooperation Act of 1968". 
TITLE I—DEFINITIONS 
When used in this Act— 
82 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 90-577-OCT. 16, 1968 
1099 
FEDERAL AGENCY 
SEC. 101. The term "Federal agency" means any department, agency, 
or instrumentality in the executive branch of the Government and 
any wholly owned Government corporation. 
STATE 
SEC. 102. The term "State" means any of the several States of the 
United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, any territory 
or possession of the United States, or any agency or instrumentality of 
a State, but does not include the governments of the political subdi-
visions of the State. 
POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT 
SEC. 103. The term "political subdivision" or "local government" 
means a local unit of government, including specifically a county, 
municipality, city, town, township, or a school or other special district 
created by or pursuant to State law. 
UNIT OF GENERAL LOCAL GOVERNMENT 
SEC. 104. "Unit of general local government" means any city, county, 
town, parish, village, or other general purpose political subdivision of 
a State. 
S P E C I A L - P U R P O S E UNIT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT 
SEC. 105. "Special-purpose unit of local government" means any 
special district, public-purpose corporation, or other strictly limited-
purpose political subdivision of a State, but shall not include a school 
district. 
GRANT OR 
GRANT-IN-AID 
SEC. 106. The term "grant" or "grant-in-aid" means money, or 
property provided in lieu of money, paid or furnished by the United 
States under a fixed, annual or aggregate authorization— 
(A) to a State; or 
(B) to a political subdivision of a State; or 
78 Stat. 508. 
42 u s e 2701 
1100 
PUBLIC LAW 90-577-OCT. 16, 1968 
[82 STAT. 
(C) to a beneficiary under a plan or program, administered 
by a State or a political subdivision of a State, which is subject 
to approval by a Federal agency; 
if such authorization either (i) requires the States or political sub-
divisions to expend non-Federal funds as a condition for the receipt of 
money or property from the United States; or (ii) specifies directly, 
or establishes Dy means of a formula, the amounts which may be paid 
or furnished to States or political subdivisions, or the amounts to be 
allotted for use in each of the States by the States, political subdivi-
sions, or other beneficiaries. The term also includes money, or property 
provided in lieu of money, paid and furnished by the United States 
to any community action agency under the Economic Opportunity 
Act of 1964, as amended. The term does not include (1) shared reve-
notl. 
""^ 
nues; (2) payments of taxes; (3) payments in lieu of taxes; (4) 
loans or repayable advances; (5) surplus property or surplus agri-
cultural commodities furnished as such; (6) payments under research 
and development contracts or grants which are awarded directly and 
on similar terms to all qualifying organizations, whether public or 
private; or (7) payments to States or political subdivisions as full 
reimbursement for the costs incurred in paying benefits or furnishing 
services to persons entitled thereto under Federal laws. 
FEDERAL ASSISTANCE, FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, FEDERAL ASSIST-
ANCE PROGRAMS, OR FEDERALLY ASSISTED PROGRAMS 
SEC. 107. The term "Federal assistance'", "Federal financial assist-
ance", "Federal assistance programs", or "federally assisted pro-
grams", means programs that provide assistance through grant or 
contractual arrangements, and includes technical assistance programs 
or programs providing assistance in the form of loans, loan guaran-
tees, or insurance. The term does not include any annual payment by 
the United States to the District of Columbia authorized by article 
VI of the District of Columbia Revenue Act of 1947 (D.C. Code sees. 
An?e,^r6iT' 
47-2501a and 47-2501b). 
SPECIALIZED OR TECHNICAL SERVICES 
SEC. 108. "Specialized or technical services" means statistical and 
other studies and compilations, development projectSj technical tests 
and evaluations, technical information, training activities, surveys, 
reports, documents, and any other similar service functions which any 
department or agency of the executive branch of the Federal Govern-
ment is especially equipped and authorized by law to perform. 
COMPREHENSIVE P L A N N I N G 
SEC. 109. "Comprehensive planning" includes the following, to the 
extent directly related to area needs or needs of a unit of general local 
government: (A) preparation, as a guide for governmental policies 
and action, of general plans with respect to (i) the pattern and inten-
sity of land use, (ii) the provision of public facilities (including 
transportation facilities) and other government services, and (iii) the 
effective development and utilization of human and natural resources; 
(B) long-range physical and fiscal plans for such action; (C) pro-
graming of capital improvements and other major expenditures, based 
on a determination of relative urgency, together with definitive 
financing plans for such expenditures in the earlier years of the pro-
gram; (D) coordination of all related plans and activities of the State 
and local governments and agencies concerned; and (E) preparation 
of regulatory and administrative measures in support of the foregoing. 
82 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 90-577-OCT. 16, 1968 
1101 
HEAD OF AGENCY 
SEC. 110. The term "head of a Federal agency" or "head of a State 
agency" includes a duly designated delegate of such agency head. 
TITLE II—IMPROVED ADMINISTRATION OF GRANTS-
IN-AID TO T H E STATES 
FULL INFORMATION ON FUNDS RECEIVED 
SEC. 201. Any department or agency of the United States Govern-
ment which administers a program of grants-in-aid to any of the State 
governments of the United States or to their political subdivisions 
shall, upon request, notify in writing the Governor, the State legisla-
ture, or other official designated by either, of the purpose and amounts 
of actual grants-in-aid to the State or to its political subdivisions. In 
each instance, a copy of requested information shall be furnished the 
State legislature or the Governor depending upon the original request 
for such data. 
DEPOSIT OF GRANTS-IN-AID 
SEC. 202. No grant-in-aid to a State shall be required by Federal law 
or administrative regulation to be deposited in a separate bank account 
apart from other funds administered by the State. All Federal grant-
in-aid funds made available to the States shall be properly accounted 
for as Federal funds in the accounts of the State. In each case the State 
agency concerned shall render regular authenticated reports to the 
appropriate Federal agency covering the status and the application of 
the funds, the liabilities and obligations on hand, and such other facts 
as may be required by said Federal agency. The head of the Federal 
agency and the Comptroller General of the United States or any of 
their duly authorized representatives shall have access for the purpose 
of audit and examination to an}^ books, documents, papers, and records 
that are pertinent to the grant-in-aid received by the States. 
S C H E D U L I N G O F FEDERAL TRANSFERS TO THE STATES 
SEC. 203. Heads of Federal departments and agencies responsible for 
administering grant-in-aid programs shall schedule the transfer of 
grant-in-aid funds consistent with program purposes and applicable 
Treasury regulations, so as to minimize the time elapsing between the 
transfer of such funds from the United States Treasury and the dis-
bursement thereof by a State, whether such disbursement occurs prior 
to or subsequent to such transfer of funds, or subsequent to such trans-
fer of funds. States shall not be held accountable for interest earned 
on grant-in-aid funds, pending their disbursement for program 
purposes. 
ELIGIBLE STATE AGENCY 
SEC. 204. Notwithstanding any other Federal law which provides 
that a single State agency or multimember board or commission must 
be established or designated to administer or supervise the administra-
tion of any grant-in-aid program, the head of any Federal department 
or agency administering such program may, upon request of the Gov-
ernor or other appropriate executive or legislative authority of the 
State responsible for determining or revising the organizational struc-
ture of State government, waive the single State agency or multimem-
ber board or commission provision upon adequate showing that such 
provision prevents the establishment of the most effective and efficient 
organizational arrangements within the State government and a])prove 
1102 
PUBLIC LAW 90-577-OCT. 16, 1968 
[82 STAT. 
other State administrative structure or arrangements: Provided^ That 
the head of the Federal department or agency determines that the 
objectives of the Federal statute authorizing the granit-in-aid program 
will not be endangered by the use of such other State structure or 
arrangements. 
TITLE 
III—PEEMITTING 
FEDERAL 
DEPARTMENTS 
AND 
AGENCIES TO PROVIDE SPECIAL OR TECHNICAL 
SERVICES TO STATE AND 
LOCAL UNITS OF 
GOV-
ERNMENT 
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE 
SEC. 301. It is the purpose of this title to encourage intergovern-
mental cooperation in the conduct of specialized or technical services 
and provision of facilities essential to the administration of State or 
local governmental activities, many of which are nationwide in scope 
and financed in part by Federal funds; to enable State or local govern-
ments to avoid unnecessary duplication of special service functions; 
and to authorize all departments and agencies of the executive branch 
of the Federal Government which do not have such authority to pro-
vide reimbursable specialized or technical services to State and local 
governments. 
AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE SERVICE 
SEC. 302. The head of any Federal department or agency is author-
ized within his discretion, upon written request from a State or politi-
cal subdivision thereof, to provide specialized or technical services, 
upon payment, to the department or agency by the unit of government 
making the request, of salaries and all other identifiable direct or 
indirect costs of performing such services: Provided^ however^ That 
such services shall include only those which the Director of the Bureau 
of the Budget through rules and regulations determines Federal 
departments and agencies have special competence to provide. Such 
rules and regulations shall be consistent with and in furtherance of 
the Government's jpolicy of relying on the private enteri)rise system to 
provide those services which are reasonably and expeditiously avail-
able through ordinary business channels. 
R E I M B U R S E M E N T 
O F 
APPROPRIATION 
SEC. 303. All moneys received by any department or agency of the 
executive branch of the Federal Government, or any bureau or other 
administrative division thereof, in payment for furnishing specialized 
or technical services as authorized under section 302 shall be deposited 
to the credit of the principal appropriation from which the cost of 
providing such services has been paid or is to be charged. 
REPORTS T O CONGRESS 
SEC. 304. The Secretary of any department or the administrative 
head of any agency of the executive branch of the Federal Government 
shall furmsh annually to the respective Committees on Government 
Operations of the Senate and House of Representatives a summary 
report on the scope of the services provided under the administration 
of this title. 
82 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 90-577-OCT. 16, 1968 
1103 
RESERVATION 
OF EXISTING 
AUTHORITY 
SEC. 305. This title is in addition to and does not supersede any exist-
ing authority now possessed by any Federal department or agency 
with respect to furnishing services, whether on a reimbursable or non-
reimbursable basis, to State and local units of government. 
TITLE IV—COOEDINATED INTERGOVERNMENTAL POL-
ICY AND ADMINISTRATION OF DEVELOPMENT ASSIST-
ANCE PROGRAMS 
DECLARATION OF DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE POLICY 
SEC. 401. (a) The economic and social development of the NaJtion 
and the achievement of satisfactory levels of living depend upon the 
sound and orderly development of all areas, both urban and rural. 
Moreover, in a time of rapid urbanization, the sound and orderly devel-
opment of urban communities depends to a large degree upon the social 
and economic health and the sound development of smaller commu-
nities and rural areas. The President shall, therefore, establish rules 
and regulations governing the formulation, evaluation, and review of 
Federal programs and projects having a significant impact on area and 
community development, including programs providing Federal assist-
ance to the States and localities, to the end that they shall most effec-
tively serve these basic objectives. Such rules and regulations shall 
provide for full consideration of the concurrent achievement of the fol-
lowing specific objectives and, to the extent authorized by law, reasoned 
choices shall be made between such objectives when they conflict: 
(1) Appropriate land uses for housing, commercial, industrial, 
governmental, institutional, and other purposes; 
(2) Wise development and conservation of natural resources, 
including land, water, minerals, wildlife, and others; 
(3) Balanced transportation systems, including highway, air, 
water, pedestrian, mass transit, and other modes for the movement 
of people and goods; 
(4) Adequate outdoor recreation and open space; 
(5) Protection of areas of unique natural beauty, historical and 
scientific interest; 
(6) Properly planned community facilities, including utilities 
for the supply of power, water, and communications, for the safe 
disposal of wastes, and for other purposes; and 
(Y) Concern for high standards of design. 
(b) All viewpoints—national, regional. State, and local—shall, to 
the extent possible, be fully considered and taken into account in 
planning Federal or federally assisted development programs and 
projects. State and local government objectives, together with the 
objectives of regional organizations shall be considered and evaluated 
within a framework of national public objectives, as expressed in 
Federal law, and available projections of future national conditions 
and needs of regions, States, and localities shall be considered in plan 
formulation, evaluation, and review. 
(c) To the maximum extent possible, consistent with national objec-
tives, all Federal aid for development purposes shall be consistent 
with and further the objectives of State, regional, and local compre-
hensive planning. Consideration shall be given to all developmental 
aspects of our total national community, including but not limited to 
housing, transportation, economic development, natural and human 
resources development, community facilities, and the general improve-
ment of living environments. 
1104 
PUBLIC LAW 90- 577-OCT. 16, 1968 
[82 STAT. 
(d) Each Federal department and agency administering a develop-
ment assistance program shall, to the maximum extent practicable, 
consult with and seek advice from all other significantly affected 
Federal departments and agencies in an effort to assure fully coordi-
nated programs. 
(e) Insofar as possible, systematic planning required by individual 
Federal programs (such as highway construction, urban renewal, and 
open space) shall be coordinated with and, to the extent authorized by 
law, made part of comprehensive local and areawide development 
planning. 
FAVORING UNITS OF GENERAL LOCAL GOVERNMENT 
SEC. 402. Where Federal law provides that both special-purpose 
units of local government and units of general local government are 
eligible to receive loans or grants-in-aid, heads of Federal depart-
ments and agencies shall, in the absence of substantial reasons to the 
contrary, make such loans or grants-in-aid to units of general local 
government rather than to special-purpose units of local government. 
RULES AND REGULATIONS 
SEC. 403. The Bureau of the Budget or such other agency as may 
be designated by the President is hereby authorized to prescribe such 
rules and regulations as are deemed appropriate for the effective 
administration of this title. 
TITLE V—ACQUISITION, USE, AND DISPOSITION 
OF 
LAND W I T H I N URBAN AREAS BY FEDERAL AGENCIES 
IN 
CONFORMITY 
W I T H 
LAND 
UTILIZATION 
PRO-
GRAMS OF A F F E C T E D LOCAL 
GOVERNMENT 
AMENDMENT OF FEDERAL PROPERTY AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES ACT 
SEC. 501. The Federal Property and Administrative Services Act 
63 Stat. 377. 
fyf ^949^ ^s amcudcd (40 U.S.C. 471 et seq.), is amended by adding 
at the end thereof a new title as follows: 
"TITLE VIII—URBAN LAND UTILIZATION 
a, 
SHORT TITLE 
Citation of title. 
" S E C 801. This title may be cited as the 'Federal Urban Land-Use 
Act'. 
a 
DECLARATION OF PURPOSE AND POLICY 
"SEC. 802. It is the purpose of this title to promote more harmonious 
intergovernmental relations and to encourage sound planning, zoning, 
and land use practices by prescribing uniform policies and procedures 
whereby the Administrator shall acquire, use, and dispose of land in 
urban areas in order that urban land transactions entered into for the 
General Services Administration or on behalf of other Federal 
agencies shall, to the greatest extent practicable, be consistent with 
zoning and land-use practices and shall be made to the greatest extent 
practicable in accordance with planning and development objectives 
of the local governments and local planning agencies concerned. 
82 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 90-577-OCT. 16, 1968 
1105 
u 
DISPOSAL OF URBAN LANDS 
"SEC. 803. (a) Whenever the Administrator contemplates the dis-
posal for or on behalf of any Federal agency of any real property 
situated within an urban area, he shall, prior to offering such land for 
sale, give reasonable notice to the head of the governing body of the 
unit of general local government having jurisdiction over zoning and 
land-use regulation in the geographical area within which the land or 
lands are located in order to afford the government the opportunity of 
zoning for the use of such land in accordance with local comprehensive 
planning. 
"(b) The Administrator, to the greatest practicable extent, shall 
furnish to all prospective purchasers of such real property, full and 
complete information concerning— 
" (1) current zoning regulations and prospective zoning require-
ments and objectives for such property when it is unzoned; and 
"(2) current availability to such propert^^ of streets, sidewalks, 
sewers, water, street lights, and other service facilities and pro-
spective availability of such services if such property is included 
in comprehensive planning. 
"ACQUISITION OR CHANGE or USE or REAL PROPERTY 
"SEC. 804. (a) To the extent practicable, prior to a commitment to 
acquire any real property situated in an urban area, the Administrator 
shall notify the unit of general local government exercising zoning and 
land-use jurisdiction over the land proposed to be purchased of his 
intent to acquire such land and the proposed use of the property. In 
the event that the Administrator determines that such advance notice 
would have an adverse impact on the proposed purchase, he shall, upon 
conclusion of the acquisition, immediately notify such local govern-
ment of the acquisition and the proposed use of the property. 
"(b) In the acquisition or change of use of any real property situated 
in an urban area as a site for public building, the Administrator shall, 
to the extent he determines practicable— 
"(1) consider all objections made to any such acquisition or 
change of use by such unit of government upon the ground that 
the proposed acquisition or change of use conflicts or would con-
flict with the zoning regulations or planning objectives of such 
unit; and 
"(2) comply with and conform to such regulations of the unit 
of general local government having jurisdiction with respect to 
the area within which such property is situated and the planning 
and development objectives of such local government. 
"SEC. 805. The procedures prescribed in sections 803 and 804 may be 
waived during any period of national emergency proclaimed by the 
President. 
"DEFINITIONS 
"SEC. 806. As used in this title— 
"(a) 'Unit of general local government' means any city, county, 
town, parish, village, or other general-purpose political subdivision of 
a State. 
"(b) 'Urban area' means— 
"(1) any geographical area within the jurisdiction of any in-
corporated city, town, borough, village, or other unit of general 
local government, except county or parish, having a population of 
ten thousand or more inhabitants; 
"(2) that portion of the geographical area within the jurisdic-
tion of any county, town, township, or similar governmental 
1106 
PUBLIC LAW 90-577-OCT. 16, 1968 
[82 STAT. 
entity which contains no incorporated unit of general local gov-
ernment but has a population density equal to or exceeding one 
thousand five hundred inhabitants per square mile; and 
"(3) that portion of any geographical area having a population 
density equal to or exceeding one thousand five hundred inhabi-
tants per square mile and situated adjacent to the boundary of 
any incorporated unit of general local government which has a 
population of ten thousand or more inhabitants. 
" (c) '(Comprehensive planning' includes the following, to the extent 
directly related to the needs of a unit of general local government: 
"(1) Preparation, as a guide for governmental policies and 
action, of general plans with respect to (A) the pattern and inten-
sity of land use, (B) the provision of public facilities (including 
transportation facilities) and other firovernmental services, and 
(C) the effective development and utilization of human and natu-
ral resources; 
" (2) Long-range physical and fiscal plans for such action; 
"(3) Programing of capital improvements and other major 
expenditures, based on a determination of relative urgencj, 
together with definitive financing plans for such expenditures m 
the earlier years of the program; 
" (4) Coordination of all related plans and M ctivities of the State 
and local governments and agencies concerned; and 
" (5) Preparation of regulatory and administrative measures in 
support of the foregoing." 
TITLE y i — R E V I E W O F FEDERAL GRANT-IN-AID 
PROGRAMS 
CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW OF GRANT-IN-AID PROGRAMS 
SEC. 601. (a) Where any Act of Congress authorizes the making of 
grants-in-aid and no expiration date for such authority has been speci-
fied by law, then prior to the expiration of each period specified in sub-
section (b) the Committees of the Senate and the House having legis-
lative jurisdiction over such grants-in-aid shall, separately or jointly, 
conduct studies of the program under which such grants-in-aid are 
made and advise their respective Houses of the results of their findings 
with special attention to— 
(1) The extent to which the purposes for which the grants-in-
aid are authorized have been met; 
(2) The extent to which the objectives of such programs can be 
carried on without further financial assistance from the United 
States; 
(3) Whether or not any changes in purpose, direction or admin-
istration of the original program, or in procedures and require-
ments applicable thereto, shall be made; and 
(4) The extent to which such grant-in-aid programs are ade-
quate to meet the growing and changing needs which they were 
designed to suppoit. 
(b) (1) A study of a grant-in-aid program to which subsection (a) 
applies and which is authorized by an Act of Congress enacted before 
the date of enactment of this Act shall be conducted prior to the expira-
tion of the fourth calendar year beginning after the date of enactment 
of this Act, and thereafter prior to the expiration of the fourth cal-
endar year following the year during which a study of such program 
was last conducted under this paragraph. 
(2) A study of a grant-in-aid program to which subsection (a) 
applies and which is authorized by an Act of Congress enacted after 
the date of enactment of this Act shall be conducted prior to the 
82 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 90-578-OCT. 17, 1968 
1107 
expiration of the fourth calendar year following the year of enactment 
of such Act, and prior to the expiration of each fourth calendar year 
thereafter. 
STUDIES BY COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF FEDERAL GRANT-IN-AID PROGRAMS 
SEC. 602. (a) Upon request of any committee having jurisdiction 
over a grant-in-aid program, the Comptroller General shall make a 
study of such program to determine among other relevant matters, the 
extent to which— 
(1) such program conflicts with or duplicates other grant-in-
aid programs; and 
(2) more effective, efficient, economical, and uniform admin-
istration of such program can be achieved by changing certain 
requirements and procedures applicable thereto, 
(b) In reviewing grant-in-aid programs the Comptroller General 
shall consider, among other relevant matters, and the budgetary, 
accounting, reporting and administrative procedures applicable to 
such programs. Reports on such studies, together with recommenda- c^gres*s^.*^° 
tions, shall be submitted by the Comptroller General to the Congress. 
Reports on expiring programs should, to the extent practicable, be 
submitted in the year prior to the date set for their expiration. 
STUDIES BY ADVISORY COMMISSION ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS 
SEC. 603. Upon request of any committee having jurisdiction over a 
grant-in-aid program, the Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental 
Relations (established by Public Law 86-380, as amended) shall con- ^^ ^*°*- ^°3' 
duct studies of the intergovernmental relations aspects of such program 
5o*usc 1501 -
including (1) the impact of such program, if any, on the structural 1509. 
organization of State and local governments and on Federal-State-local 
liscal relations, and (2) the coordination of Federal administration of 
such program with State and local administration thereof, and shall c^^^esV° 
report its findings and recommendations to such committee and to the °"^'"^^^" 
Congress. 
PRESERVATION OF HOUSE AND SENATE COMMITTEE JURISDICTION 
SEC. 604. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to affect the juris-
diction of committees under the rules of the Senate and the House of 
Representatives. 
Approved October 16, 1968. 
Public Law 90-578 
A N A C T 
October 17, 1968 
To abolish the office of United States commissioner, to establish in place thereof 
f
^
- ^"^s] 
within the judicial branch of the Government the office of United States magis-
trate, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and Houne of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That this Act may 
Federal Magis-
be cited as the "Federal Magistrates Act"'. 
*'^'" '^^^^