---
kind: "section"
citation: "34 U.S.C. § 40312"
title: "34"
title_heading: "Crime Control and Law Enforcement"
number: "40312"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/34/40312"
units:
  - "Subtitle IV — Criminal Records and Information"
  - "Chapter 403 — Criminal Justice Identification, Information, and Communication"
  - "Subchapter II — Exchange of Criminal History Records for Noncriminal Justice Purposes"
---

# §40312. Definitions


In this subchapter:

- (1) **Attorney General—** The term “Attorney General” means the Attorney General of the United States.
- (2) **Compact—** The term “Compact” means the National Crime Prevention and Privacy Compact set forth in [section 40316 of this title](/usc/34/40316.md).
- (3) **Council—** The term “Council” means the [Compact](#2) Council established under Article VI of the [Compact](#2).
- (4) **FBI—** The term “FBI” means the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
- (5) **Party State—** The term “Party State” means a [State](#6) that has ratified the [Compact](#2).
- (6) **State—** The term “State” means any State, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 105–251, title II, § 213, Oct. 9, 1998, 112 Stat. 1874.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 14612 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.