5 USC § 303 - Oaths to witnesses

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t5/s303"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "5 USC § 303 - Oaths to witnesses"
title_number: 5
title_name: "GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION AND EMPLOYEES"
section_number: "303"
section_name: "Oaths to witnesses"
chapter_number: 3
chapter_name: "POWERS"
subchapter_number: "I"
subchapter_name: "GENERAL PROVISIONS"
part_number: "I"
part_name: "THE AGENCIES GENERALLY"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 89–554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 379; Pub. L. 94–213, Feb. 13, 1976, 90 Stat. 179.)"
---


# § 303. Oaths to witnesses

**(a)** An employee of an Executive department lawfully assigned to investigate frauds on or attempts to defraud the United States, or irregularity or misconduct of an employee or agent of the United States, may administer an oath to a witness attending to testify or depose in the course of the investigation.

**(b)** An employee of the Department of Defense lawfully assigned to investigative duties may administer oaths to witnesses in connection with an official investigation.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 89–554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 379; Pub. L. 94–213, Feb. 13, 1976, 90 Stat. 179.)

| Derivation | U.S. Code | Revised Statutes andStatutes at Large |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | 5 U.S.C. 93. | R.S. § 183.Mar. 2, 1901, ch. 809, § 3, 31 Stat. 951.Feb. 13, 1911, ch. 43, 36 Stat. 898. |

The word “employee” is substituted for “officer or clerk” in view of the definition in section 2105. The words “Executive department” are substituted for “departments” as the definition of “department” applicable to this section is coextensive with the definition of “Executive department” in section 101. So much as related to the Armed Forces is omitted as superseded by  and .

This section was part of title IV of the Revised Statutes. The , as added ,  (formerly ), which provides “Except to the extent inconsistent with the provisions of this Act [National Security Act of 1947], the provisions of title IV of the Revised Statutes as now or hereafter amended shall be applicable to the Department of Defense” is omitted from this title but is not repealed.

Standard changes are made to conform with the definitions applicable and the style of this title as outlined in the preface to the report.

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1976— designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b).