22 U.S.C. § 2451
Section 2451 · Congressional statement of purpose
This is the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961
Amended 1 time on record
Applied in 15 court decisions — leading case ASSE International, Inc. v. Kerry (2015)
Most recently applied in Capron v. Massachusetts Attorney General (December 2019)
How often courts cite this section
Court decisions citing this, by year.Markers show enactment, consequential amendments, and circuit splits over this section — watch for a citation surge after a change or a disagreement. The dip in the last several years is a data-coverage gap, not a real trend — our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so recent citations are undercounted.
The purpose of this chapter is to enable the Government of the United States to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries by means of educational and cultural exchange; to strengthen the ties which unite us with other nations by demonstrating the educational and cultural interests, developments, and achievements of the people of the United States and other nations, and the contributions being made toward a peaceful and more fruitful life for people throughout the world; to promote international cooperation for educational and cultural advancement; and thus to assist in the development of friendly, sympathetic, and peaceful relations between the United States and the other countries of the world.
Editorial notes U.S. Code · Office of the Law Revision Counsel
References in Text
This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 87–256, Sept. 21, 1961, 75 Stat. 527, as amended, known as the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out below and Tables.
Short Title
Section 1 of Pub. L. 87–256 provided: “That this Act [enacting this chapter, amending sections 1101, 1182 and 1258 of Title 8, Aliens and Nationality, sections 117, 871, 872, 1441, 3121, 3306, 3401 and 3402 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code, and section 410 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, repealing sections 1431(2), 1434, 1439, 1440, 1446, 1448, 1466 to 1468 and 1991 to 2001 of this title, sections 222 to 224 of Title 20, Education, and section 1641(b)(2) of Title 50, Appendix, War and National Defense, and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and under sections 117, 1441, 3121 and 3401 of Title 26] may be cited as the ‘Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961’.”
Transfer of Functions
Functions vested in President, Secretary of State, Department of State, United States Information Agency or Director thereof under this chapter transferred to Director of International Communication Agency by Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1977, §7(a)(2), 42 F.R. 62461, 91 Stat. 1637, set out under section 1461 of this title, effective on or before July 1, 1978, at such time as specified by President, except (A) for such functions as are vested by sections 2452(b)(6), (10), 2454(a), (e)(1), (2), (f), (g), 2455(a), (b), (c), 2456(a) and 2458 of this title, (B) for such functions as are vested by sections 2454(b), 2455(d)(2), (f), and 2456(d), (f) of this title, to extent that such functions were assigned to Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare [now Secretary of Education] immediately prior to effective date of Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1977, and (C) for such functions as are vested by section 2456(b), (c) of this title to extent that any such function therein is vested in President or Secretary of State. International Communication Agency, and Director thereof, redesignated United States Information Agency, and Director thereof, by section 303 of Pub. L. 97–241, title III, Aug. 24, 1982, 96 Stat. 291, set out as a note under section 1461 of this title.
Continuation of Certain Executive Orders, Agreements, Determinations, Regulations, Contracts, Appointments, and Other Actions
Section 111(b) of Pub. L. 87–256 provided that: “All Executive orders, agreements, determinations, regulations, contracts, appointments, and other actions issued, concluded, or taken under authority of any provisions of law repealed by subsection (a) of this section [repealing sections 1431(2), 1434, 1439, 1440, 1446, 1448, 1466 to 1468, and 1991 to 2001 of this title, sections 222 to 224 of Title 20, Education, and section 1641(b)(2) of Title 50, Appendix, War and National Defense] shall continue in full force and effect, and shall be applicable to the appropriate provisions of this Act [this chapter] until modified or superseded by appropriate authority.”
References in Other Laws to Repealed Provisions
Section 111(c) of Pub. L. 87–256 provided that: “Any reference in any other Act to the provisions of law listed in subsection (a) [repealing sections 1431(2), 1434, 1439, 1440, 1446, 1448, 1466 to 1468, and 1991 to 2001 of this title, sections 222 to 224 of Title 20, Education, and section 1641(b)(2) of Title 50, Appendix, War and National Defense] shall hereafter be considered to be references to the appropriate provisions of this Act [this chapter].”