13 USC § 1 - Definitions

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t13/s1"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "13 USC § 1 - Definitions"
title_number: 13
title_name: "CENSUS"
section_number: "1"
section_name: "Definitions"
chapter_number: 1
chapter_name: "ADMINISTRATION"
subchapter_number: "I"
subchapter_name: "GENERAL PROVISIONS"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2025-08-11"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Aug. 31, 1954, ch. 1158, 68 Stat. 1012; Pub. L. 94–521, § 1, Oct. 17, 1976, 90 Stat. 2459.)"
---


# § 1. Definitions

As used in this title, unless the context requires another meaning or unless it is otherwise provided—

**(1)** “Bureau” means the Bureau of the Census;

**(2)** “Secretary” means the Secretary of Commerce; and

**(3)** “respondent” includes a corporation, company, association, firm, partnership, proprietorship, society, joint stock company, individual, or other organization or entity which reported information, or on behalf of which information was reported, in response to a questionnaire, inquiry, or other request of the Bureau.

---

**Source Credit**: (Aug. 31, 1954, ch. 1158, 68 Stat. 1012; Pub. L. 94–521, § 1, Oct. 17, 1976, 90 Stat. 2459.)

### Historical and Revision Notes

Section is new, and was inserted to eliminate the necessity for referring, throughout this title, to the Bureau of the Census, and the Secretary of Commerce, by their full designations.

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1976— designated existing provisions as pars. (1) and (2), and added par. (3).

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1976 Amendment

> “The amendments made by this Act [enacting sections 181 to 184 and 196 of this title, amending this section and sections 3 to 6, 8, 23, 141, 191, 195, 214, 221, 224, 225, and 241 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section] shall take effect on
> 
> , or on the date of the enactment of this Act [
> 
> ], whichever date is later”.

, , , provided that:

### Short Title of 2015 Amendment

> “This Act [amending provisions set out as a note under
> 
> ] may be cited as the ‘Quarterly Financial Report Reauthorization Act’.”

, , , provided that:

### Short Title of 1999 Amendment

> “This subtitle [amending
> 
> and enacting provisions set out as notes under
> 
> ] may be cited as the ‘Proliferation Prevention Enhancement Act of 1999’.”

, , , 1501A–505, provided that:

### Short Title of 1994 Amendment

> “This Act [enacting
> 
> , amending sections 9 and 214 of this title and
> 
> , Postal Service, and enacting provisions set out as a note under
> 
> ] may be cited as the ‘Census Address List Improvement Act of 1994’.”

, , , provided that:

### Separability

> “If a provision enacted by this Act [see
> 
> set out above] is held invalid, all valid provisions that are severable from the invalid provision remain in effect. If a provision of this Act [
> 
> ] is held invalid in one or more of its applications, the provision remains in effect in all valid applications that are severable from the invalid application or applications.”

, , , provided that: