---
kind: "section"
citation: "20 U.S.C. § 3471"
title: "20"
title_heading: "Education"
number: "3471"
heading: "General authority"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/20/3471"
units:
  - "Chapter 48 — Department of Education"
  - "Subchapter IV — Administrative Provisions"
  - "Part B — General Administrative Provisions"
---

# §3471. General authority

- (a) **Force and effect of actions by Secretary—** In carrying out any [function](/usc/20/3404.md?p=4) transferred by this chapter, the [Secretary](/usc/20/3404.md?p=2), or any officer or employee of the [Department](/usc/20/3404.md?p=1), may exercise any authority available by law (including appropriation Acts) with respect to such [function](/usc/20/3404.md?p=4) to the official or agency from which such [function](/usc/20/3404.md?p=4) is transferred, and the actions of the [Secretary](/usc/20/3404.md?p=2) in exercising such authority shall have the same force and effect as when exercised by such official or agency.
- (b) **Reporting requirements—**
  - (1) The director of any [office](/usc/20/3404.md?p=7) continued in the [Department](/usc/20/3404.md?p=1) the director of which was required, prior to May 4, 1980, to report to the Commissioner of Education or the Assistant [Secretary](/usc/20/3404.md?p=2) for Education of the [Department](/usc/20/3404.md?p=1) of Health, Education, and Welfare, shall report to the [Secretary](/usc/20/3404.md?p=2).
  - (2) The [Secretary](/usc/20/3404.md?p=2) is authorized to delegate reporting requirements vested in the [Secretary](/usc/20/3404.md?p=2) by [paragraph (1)](#b-1) to any officer or employee of the [Department](/usc/20/3404.md?p=1).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 96–88, title IV, § 411, Oct. 17, 1979, 93 Stat. 683.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

In subsec. (b)(1), “May 4, 1980” substituted for “the effective date of this chapter” pursuant to section 601 of Pub. L. 96–88, set out as an Effective Date note under section 3401 of this title.