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Title 7 — Agriculture

Chapter 60 — Egg Research and Consumer Information

§ 2717. Investigations by Secretary; oaths and affirmations; subpenas; judicial enforcement; contempt proceedings; service of process

Statutory text

The Secretary may make such investigations as he deems necessary for the effective carrying out of his responsibilities under this chapter or to determine whether an egg producer, processor, or other seller of commercial eggs or any other person has engaged or is about to engage in any acts or practices which constitute or will constitute a violation of any provisions of this chapter, or of any order, or rule or regulation issued under this chapter. For the purpose of such investigation, the Secretary is empowered to administer oaths and affirmations, subpena witnesses, compel their attendance, take evidence, and require the production of any books, papers, and documents which are relevant to the inquiry. Such attendance of witnesses and the production of any such records may be required from any place in the United States. In case of contumacy by, or refusal to obey a subpena to, any person, including an egg producer, the Secretary may invoke the aid of any court of the United States within the jurisdiction of which such investigation or proceeding is carried on, or where such person resides or carries on business, in requiring the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of books, papers, and documents; and such court may issue an order requiring such person to appear before the Secretary, there to produce records, if so ordered, or to give testimony touching the matter under investigation. Any failure to obey such order of the court may be punished by such court as a contempt thereof. All process in any such case may be served in the judicial district whereof such person is an inhabitant or wherever he may be found.

Legislative history

Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.

  1. Pub. L. 93–428 § 18 · 88 Stat. 1171

    Enacted · 7 U.S.C. § 2717

    (Pub. L. 93–428, § 18, Oct. 1, 1974, 88 Stat. 1178.)

    Source evidence

    Code source credit
    (Pub. L. 93–428, § 18, Oct. 1, 1974, 88 Stat. 1178.)

    Enacted provision · exact public law section
    Sec. 18. The Secretary may make such investigations as he deems 7 USC 2717. necessary for the effective carrying out of his responsibilities under this Act or to determine whether an egg producer, processor, or other seller of commercial eggs or any other person has engaged or is about to engage in any acts or practices which constitute or will constitute a violation of any provisions of this Act, or of any order, or rule or regulation issued under this Act. For the purpose of such investigation, the Secretary is empowered to administer oaths and affirmations, subpena witnesses, compel their attendance, take evidence, and require the production of any books, papers, and documents which are relevant to the inquiry. Such attendance of witnesses and the production of any such records may be required from any place in the United States. In case of contumacy by, or refusal to obey a subpena to, any person, including an egg producer, the Secretary may invoke the aid of any court of the United States within the jurisdiction of which such investigation or proceeding is carried on, or where such person resides or carries on business, in requiring the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of books, papers, and documents; and such court may issue an order requiring such person to appear before the Secretary, there to produce records, if so ordered, or to give testimony touching the matter under investigation. Any failure to obey such order of the court may be punished by such court as a contempt thereof. All process in any such case may be served in the judicial district whereof such person is an inhabitant or wherever he may be found.

1 of 1 references resolved to an enrolled provision

Credits

(Pub. L. 93–428, § 18, , 88 Stat. 1178.)

Parsed from the official OLRC USLM XML in data/usc_all/usc07.xml · release point 119-108 · OLRC build 2026-09-09

USLM identifier /us/usc/t7/s2717