2 USC § 272 - Legislative Counsel

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t2/s272"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "2 USC § 272 - Legislative Counsel"
title_number: 2
title_name: "THE CONGRESS"
section_number: "272"
section_name: "Legislative Counsel"
chapter_number: 9
chapter_name: "OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL"
subchapter_number: "I"
subchapter_name: "SENATE"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Feb. 24, 1919, ch. 18, title XIII, § 1303(a), (d), 40 Stat. 1141; June 2, 1924, ch. 234, title XI, § 1101, 43 Stat. 353; Sept. 20, 1941, ch. 412, title VI, § 602, 55 Stat. 726.)"
---


# § 272. Legislative Counsel

The Legislative Counsel shall be appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate, without reference to political affiliations and solely on the ground of fitness to perform the duties of the office.

---

**Source Credit**: (Feb. 24, 1919, ch. 18, title XIII, § 1303(a), (d), 40 Stat. 1141; June 2, 1924, ch. 234, title XI, § 1101, 43 Stat. 353; Sept. 20, 1941, ch. 412, title VI, § 602, 55 Stat. 726.)

## Editorial Notes

### Codification

Provisions authorizing appointment of a legislative counsel for the House of Representatives by the Speaker were omitted in view of nonapplicability of section to Speaker, employee, etc., of the House of Representatives pursuant to , set out as a note under . See  for provisions authorizing appointment, etc., of Legislative Counsel of the House of Representatives.

### Amendments

1941—Act , substituted “President pro tempore of the Senate” for “President of the Senate.”