US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

42 U.S.C. § 203

Organization of Service

1

1 So in original. The “and” probably should not appear.
2
2 So in original. Probably should be followed by “(5)”.
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3 See 1993 Amendment note below.
The Service shall consist of (1) the Office of the Surgeon General, (2) the National Institutes of Health, (3) the Bureau of Medical Services, and  (4) the Bureau of State Services, and  the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The Secretary is authorized and directed to assign to the Office of the Surgeon General, to the National Institutes of Health, to the Bureau of Medical Services, and to the Bureau of State Services, respectively, the several functions of the Service, and to establish within them such divisions, sections, and other units as he may find necessary; and from time to time abolish, transfer, and consolidate divisions, sections, and other units and assign their functions and personnel in such manner as he may find necessary for efficient operation of the Service. No division shall be established, abolished, or transferred, and no divisions shall be consolidated, except with the approval of the Secretary. The National Institutes of Health shall be administered as a part of the field service. The Secretary may delegate to any officer or employee of the Service such of his powers and duties under this chapter, except the making of regulations, as he may deem necessary or expedient.

July 1, 1944, ch. 37358 Stat. 683June 16, 1948, ch. 481, § 6(b)62 Stat. 46967 Stat. 631Pub. L. 103–43, title XX, § 2008(g)107 Stat. 212Pub. L. 106–129, § 2(b)(2)113 Stat. 1670(, title II, § 202, ; , ; 1953 Reorg. Plan No. 1, §§ 5, 8, eff. , 18 F.R. 2053, ; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 106–1291999— substituted “Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality” for “Agency for Health Care Policy and Research”.

Pub. L. 103–43, § 2008(g)(2)1993—, inserted “, and the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research” in first sentence.

Pub. L. 103–43, § 2008(g)(1), which directed the amendment of this section by striking “Surgeon General” the second and subsequent times that such term appears and inserting “Secretary”, was executed by making the substitution before “is authorized and directed” and before “may delegate to any officer” and by leaving unchanged “Surgeon General” in the phrase “assign to the Office of the Surgeon General” in second sentence, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

1948—Act , substituted “National Institutes of Health” for “National Institute of Health” in cl. (2).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

section 509(b) of Pub. L. 96–88section 3508(b) of Title 20“Secretary of Health and Human Services” substituted in text for “Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare” pursuant to , which is classified to , Education.

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

80 Stat. 1610section 202 of this titleBureau of Medical Services, Bureau of State Services, National Institutes of Health, excluding several research Institutes in agency, and Office of Surgeon General abolished by section 3 of Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1966, eff. , 31 F.R. 8855, , and all functions thereof transferred to Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare by section 1 of Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1966, set out as a note under . Office of Surgeon General reestablished within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, see Notice of Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, , 52 F.R. 11754.

section 3501 of this titleFunctions of Federal Security Administrator transferred to Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, and all agencies of Federal Security Agency transferred to Department of Health, Education, and Welfare by section 5 of Reorg. Plan No. 1 of 1953, set out as a note under . Federal Security Agency and office of Administrator abolished by section 8 of Reorg. Plan No. 1 of 1953.