---
kind: "section"
citation: "2 U.S.C. § 191"
title: "2"
title_heading: "The Congress"
number: "191"
heading: "Oaths to witnesses"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/2/191"
units:
  - "Chapter 6 — Congressional and Committee Procedure; Investigations"
---

# §191. Oaths to witnesses


The President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, or a chairman of any joint committee established by a joint or concurrent resolution of the two Houses of Congress, or of a committee of the whole, or of any committee of either House of Congress, is empowered to administer oaths to witnesses in any case under their examination.

Any [member](/usc/2/4556.md?p=2) of either House of Congress may administer oaths to witnesses in any matter depending in either House of Congress of which he is a [Member](/usc/2/4556.md?p=2), or any committee thereof.


## Source credit

(R.S. § 101; June 26, 1884, ch. 123, 23 Stat. 60; June 22, 1938, ch. 594, 52 Stat. 942, 943.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

R.S. § 101 derived from acts May 3, 1798, ch. 36, § 1, 1 Stat. 554, and Feb. 8, 1817, ch. 10, 3 Stat. 345.

R.S. § 101 constitutes first sentence, and act June 26, 1884, constitutes second sentence.

### Amendments

1938—Act June 22, 1938, reenacted section without change.