Opinions
Term of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue
Under 26 U.S.C. § 7803, the five-year term of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue runs from the date of appointment and is not calculated from the expiration of his predecessor’s term.
Application of 18 U.S.C. § 207 to Former CIA Officials’ Communications With CIA Employees on Detail to Other Agencies
The prohibition in 18 U.S.C. § 207(c), under which a former high level official, in the year after his departure, may not make “any communication to or appearance before any officer or employee” of his former agency, would apply if former CIA officials make communications to or appearances before CIA employees who are on detail to other agencies.
Responsibility of Agencies to Pay Attorney’s Fee Awards Under the Equal Access to Justice Act
The judgment of attorney’s fees and expenses entered against the United States in Cienega Gardens v. United States cannot be paid out of the Judgment Fund because the Equal Access to Justice Act provides for payment.
Pursuant to EAJA, the Department of Housing and Urban Development must pay the award. HUD would be the “agency over which the [plaintiffs] prevail[ed]” under EAJA because it administered the federal program that was the subject of the litigation.
Rate of Accrual of Annual Leave by a Civilian Employee Appointed While on Terminal Leave Pending Retirement From One of the Uniformed Services
A member of a uniformed service appointed to a civilian position while on terminal leave pending retirement from the service is entitled to credit for his years of active military service only for the duration of his terminal leave.
Once the employee retires from the uniformed service, he no longer is entitled to credit for his years of active military service unless he satisfies certain statutory exceptions detailed in 5 U.S.C. § 6303(a) or (e). The employee’s leave-accrual rate must be recalculated upon his retirement to reflect his reduced years of creditable service.
Whether the Defense of Marriage Act Precludes the Nonbiological Child of a Member of a Vermont Civil Union From Qualifying for Child’s Insurance Benefits Under the Social Security Act
The Defense of Marriage Act would not prevent the non-biological child of a partner in a Vermont civil union from receiving child’s insurance benefits under the Social Security Act.
Department of Justice Authority to Represent the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in Certain Potential Suits
The Department of Justice has statutory authority to represent the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in suits that may arise from his decision to exercise his authority under the United States Housing Act of 1937 to override certain state civil service protections that would otherwise apply to employees of the Housing Authority of New Orleans.
Authority of the President to Name an Acting Attorney General
The President may designate an Acting Attorney General under the Vacancies Reform Act, even if an officer of the Department of Justice otherwise could act under 28 U.S.C. § 508, which deals with succession to the office of the Attorney General.
Whether the Office of Administration Is an “Agency” for Purposes of the Freedom of Information Act
The Office of Administration, which provides administrative support to entities within the Executive Office of the President, is not an agency for purposes of the Freedom of Information Act.
Applicability of the Presidential Records Act to the White House Usher’s Office
Because the White House Usher’s Office is part of the President’s “immediate staff” or, alternatively, would be “a unit . . . of the Executive Office of the President whose function is to advise and assist the President,” any documentary materials “created or received [by the Office] in the course of conducting activities which relate to or have an effect upon the carrying out of constitutional, statutory, or other official or ceremonial duties of the President” constitute “Presidential records” under the Presidential Records Act, 44 U.S.C. § 2201(2).
Immunity of the Former Counsel to the President From Compelled Congressional Testimony
The former Counsel to the President is immune from compelled congressional testimony about matters that arose during her tenure as Counsel to the President and that relate to her official duties in that capacity and is not required to appear in response to a subpoena to testify about such matters.