---
kind: "section"
citation: "29 U.S.C. § 521"
title: "29"
title_heading: "Labor"
number: "521"
heading: "Investigations by Secretary; applicability of other laws"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/29/521"
units:
  - "Chapter 11 — Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Procedure"
  - "Subchapter VII — Miscellaneous Provisions"
---

# §521. Investigations by Secretary; applicability of other laws

- (a) The [Secretary](/usc/29/402.md?p=p) shall have power when he believes it necessary in order to determine whether any [person](/usc/29/402.md?p=d) has violated or is about to violate any provision of this chapter (except subchapter II of this chapter) to make an investigation and in connection therewith he may enter such places and inspect such records and accounts and question such [persons](/usc/29/402.md?p=d) as he may deem necessary to enable him to determine the facts relative thereto. The [Secretary](/usc/29/402.md?p=p) may report to interested [persons](/usc/29/402.md?p=d) or officials concerning the facts required to be shown in any report required by this chapter and concerning the reasons for failure or refusal to file such a report or any other matter which he deems to be appropriate as a result of such an investigation.
- (b) For the purpose of any investigation provided for in this chapter, the provisions of sections [49](/usc/15/49.md) and [50](/usc/15/50.md) of title 15 (relating to the attendance of witnesses and the production of books, papers, and documents), are made applicable to the jurisdiction, powers, and duties of the [Secretary](/usc/29/402.md?p=p) or any [officers](/usc/29/402.md?p=n) designated by him.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 86–257, title VI, § 601, Sept. 14, 1959, 73 Stat. 539.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The phrase “this chapter (except subchapter II of this chapter)”, referred to in subsec. (a), was in the original “this Act (except title I or amendments made by this Act to other statutes)”. “This chapter”, referred to later in subsec. (a) and also in subsec. (b), was in the original “this Act”. “This Act” is Pub. L. 86–257, Sept. 14, 1959, 73 Stat. 519, as amended, known as the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959, which enacted this chapter, amended sections 153, 158, 159, 160, 164, 186, and 187 of this title, and enacted provisions set out as notes under sections 153, 158, and 481 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 401 of this title and Tables.