---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 913"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "913"
heading: "Duties and authority of Secretary"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/913"
units:
  - "Chapter 7 — Social Security"
  - "Subchapter VII — Administration"
---

# §913. Duties and authority of Secretary


The [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) shall perform the duties imposed upon the [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) by this chapter. The [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) is authorized to appoint and fix the compensation of such officers and employees, and to make such expenditures as may be necessary for carrying out the functions of the [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) under this chapter. The [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) may appoint attorneys and experts without regard to the civil service laws.


## Source credit

(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title VII, § 712, as added Pub. L. 103–296, title I, § 108(a)(1), Aug. 15, 1994, 108 Stat. 1481.)