The Secretary of State shall prepare for the President, and the heads of such other Government agencies as the President may determine, recommendations and advice concerning United States arms control, nonproliferation, and disarmament policy.
No action shall be taken pursuant to this chapter or any other Act that would obligate the United States to reduce or limit the Armed Forces or armaments of the United States in a militarily significant manner, except pursuant to the treaty-making power of the President set forth in Article II, Section 2, Clause 2 of the Constitution or unless authorized by the enactment of further affirmative legislation by the Congress of the United States.
Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed to authorize any policy or action by any Government agency which would interfere with, restrict, or prohibit the acquisition, possession, or use of firearms by an individual for the lawful purpose of personal defense, sport, recreation, education, or training.
22 U.S.C. § 2573
EDITORIAL NOTES
REFERENCES IN TEXTThis chapter, referred to in subsec. (c), was in the original "this chapter" and was translated as reading "this Act", meaning Pub. L. 87-297, Sept. 26, 1961, 75 Stat. 631, known as the Arms Control and Disarmament Act, which is classified generally to this chapter, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.
AMENDMENTS1998-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105-277, §1223(8), substituted "Secretary of State" for "Director" and struck out "the Secretary of State," after "the President,".Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 105-277, §2602, added subsec. (c).1994- Pub. L. 103-236 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section read as follows: "The Director is authorized and directed to prepare for the President, the Secretary of State, and the heads of such other Government agencies, as the President may determine, recommendations concerning United States arms control and disarmament policy: Provided, however, That no action shall be taken under this chapter or any other law that will obligate the United States to disarm or to reduce or to limit the Armed Forces or armaments of the United States, except pursuant to the treaty making power of the President under the Constitution or unless authorized by further affirmative legislation by the Congress of the United States. Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed to authorize any policy or action by any Government agency which would interfere with, restrict, or prohibit the acquisition, possession, or use of firearms by an individual for the lawful purpose of personal defense, sport, recreation, education, or training."1963- Pub. L. 88-186 inserted provision precluding construction of this chapter to authorize the regulation of the possession of firearms by an individual.
STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1998 AMENDMENT Amendment by section 1223(8), (21) of Pub. L. 105-277 effective Apr. 1, 1999, see section 1201 of Pub. L. 105-277 set out as an Effective Date note under section 6511 of this title.
- Government agency
- The term "Government agency" means any executive department, commission, agency, independent establishment, corporation wholly or partly owned by the United States which is an instrumentality of the United States, or any board, bureau, division, service, office, officer, authority, administration, or other establishment in the executive branch of Government.
- arms control
- The terms "arms control" and "disarmament" mean the identification, verification, inspection, limitation, control, reduction, or elimination, of armed forces and armaments of all kinds under international agreement including the necessary steps taken under such an agreement to establish an effective system of international control, or to create and strengthen international organizations for the maintenance of peace.
- disarmament
- The terms "arms control" and "disarmament" mean the identification, verification, inspection, limitation, control, reduction, or elimination, of armed forces and armaments of all kinds under international agreement including the necessary steps taken under such an agreement to establish an effective system of international control, or to create and strengthen international organizations for the maintenance of peace.