Page:US Code Section 1.pdf/3

 In determining the meaning of any Act of Congress, unless the context indicates otherwise—
 * words importing the singular include and apply to several persons, parties, or things;
 * words importing the plural include the singular;
 * words importing the masculine gender include the feminine as well;
 * words used in the present tense include the future as well as the present;
 * the words "insane" and "insane person" shall include every idiot, insane person, and person non compos mentis;
 * the words "person" and "whoever" include corporations, companies, associations, firms, partnerships, societies, and joint stock companies, as well as individuals;
 * "officer" includes any person authorized by law to perform the duties of the office;
 * "signature" or "subscription" includes a mark when the person making the same intended it as such;
 * "oath" includes affirmation, and "sworn" includes affirmed;
 * "writing" includes printing and typewriting and reproductions of visual symbols by photographing, multigraphing, mimeographing, manifolding, or otherwise.

(July 30, 1947, ch. 388, 61 Stat. 633; June 25, 1948, ch. 645, §6, 62 Stat. 859; Oct. 31, 1951, ch. 655, §1, 65 Stat. 710; Pub. L. 112–231, §2(a), Dec. 28, 2012, 126 Stat. 1619.)


 * 2012—Pub. L. 112–231, in fifth clause after opening clause, struck out "and 'lunatic'" before "shall include every" and "lunatic," before "insane person,".
 * 1951—Act Oct. 31, 1951, substituted, in fourth clause after opening clause, "used" for "use".
 * 1948—Act June 25, 1948, included "tense", "whoever", "signature", "subscription", "writing" and a broader definition of "person".

Pub. L. 117–228, §1, Dec. 13, 2022, 136 Stat. 2305, provided that: "This Act [enacting section 1738C of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure, amending section 7 of this title, repealing section 1738C of Title 28, and enacting provisions set out as notes under section 7 of this title] may be cited as the 'Respect for Marriage Act'."

Pub. L. 112–231, §1, Dec. 28, 2012, 126 Stat. 1619, provided that: "This Act [amending this section and sections 92a, 215, and 215a of Title 12, Banks and Banking] may be cited as the '21st Century Language Act of 2012'."

Pub. L. 107–207, §1, Aug. 5, 2002, 116 Stat. 926, provided that: "This Act [enacting section 8 of this title] may be cited as the 'Born-Alive Infants Protection Act of 2002'."

Pub. L. 104–199, §1, Sept. 21, 1996, 110 Stat. 2419, provided that: "This Act [enacting section 7 of this title and section 1738C of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure] may be cited as the 'Defense of Marriage Act'."

Pub. L. 117–229, §3, Dec. 16, 2022, 136 Stat. 2308, provided that: "Except as expressly provided otherwise, any reference to 'this Act' contained in any division of this Act [Further Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2023, see Tables for classification] shall be treated as referring only to the provisions of that division."