§ 202. Definitions

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(a)For the purpose of sections 203, 205, 207, 208, and 209 of this title the term “special Government employee” shall mean an officer or employee of the executive or legislative branch of the United States Government, of any independent agency of the United States or of the District of Columbia, who is retained, designated, appointed, or employed to perform, with or without compensation, for not to exceed one hundred and thirty days during any period of three hundred and sixty-five consecutive days, temporary duties either on a full-time or intermittent basis, a part-time United States commissioner, a part-time United States magistrate judge, or, regardless of the number of days of appointment, an independent counsel appointed under chapter 40 of title 28 and any person appointed by that independent counsel under section 594(c) of title 28. Notwithstanding the next preceding sentence, every person serving as a part-time local representative of a Member of Congress in the Member’s home district or State shall be classified as a special Government employee. Notwithstanding sections 502, 2105(d), and 5534 of title 5, a Reserve officer of the Armed Forces, an officer of the Space Force not serving on sustained duty pursuant to section 20105 of title 10, or an officer of the National Guard of the United States, unless otherwise an officer or employee of the United States, shall be classified as a special Government employee while on active duty solely for training. Such an officer who is voluntarily serving a period of extended active duty in excess of one hundred and thirty days shall be classified as an officer of the United States within the meaning of section 203 and sections 205 through 209 and 218. Such an officer who is serving involuntarily shall be classified as a special Government employee. The terms “officer or employee” and “special Government employee” as used in sections 203, 205, 207 through 209, and 218, shall not include enlisted members of the Armed Forces.

(b)For the purposes of sections 205 and 207 of this title, the term “official responsibility” means the direct administrative or operating authority, whether intermediate or final, and either exercisable alone or with others, and either personally or through subordinates, to approve, disapprove, or otherwise direct Government action.

(c)Except as otherwise provided in such sections, the terms “officer” and “employee” in sections 203, 205, 207 through 209, and 218 of this title shall not include the President, the Vice President, a Member of Congress, or a Federal judge.

(d)The term “Member of Congress” in sections 204 and 207 means—

(1)a United States Senator; and

(2)a Representative in, or a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the House of Representatives.

(e)As used in this chapter, the term—

(1)“executive branch” includes each executive agency as defined in title 5, and any other entity or administrative unit in the executive branch;

(2)“judicial branch” means the Supreme Court of the United States; the United States courts of appeals; the United States district courts; the Court of International Trade; the United States bankruptcy courts; any court created pursuant to article I of the United States Constitution, including the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, the United States Court of Federal Claims, and the United States Tax Court, but not including a court of a territory or possession of the United States; the Federal Judicial Center; and any other agency, office, or entity in the judicial branch; and

(3)“legislative branch” means—

(A)the Congress; and

(B)the Office of the Architect of the Capitol, the United States Botanic Garden, the Government Accountability Office, the Government Publishing Office, the Library of Congress, the Office of Technology Assessment, the Congressional Budget Office, the United States Capitol Police, and any other agency, entity, office, or commission established in the legislative branch.

(Added Pub. L. 87–849, § 1(a), Oct. 23, 1962, 76 Stat. 1121; amended Pub. L. 90–578, title III, § 301(b), Oct. 17, 1968, 82 Stat. 1115; Pub. L. 100–191, § 3(a), Dec. 15, 1987, 101 Stat. 1306; Pub. L. 101–194, title IV, § 401, Nov. 30, 1989, 103 Stat. 1747; Pub. L. 101–280, § 5(a), May 4, 1990, 104 Stat. 158; Pub. L. 101–650, title III, § 321, Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5117; Pub. L. 102–572, title IX, § 902(b)(1), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4516; Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title IX, § 924(d)(1)(B), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2832;

Pub. L. 108–271, § 8(b), July 7, 2004, 118 Stat. 814; Pub. L. 113–235, div. H, title I, § 1301(b), Dec. 16, 2014, 128 Stat. 2537; Pub. L. 118–159, div. A, title V, § 568(a), (c), Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 1905, 1906.)

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