5 U.S.C. § 551 : US Code - Section 551: Definitions

Search 5 U.S.C. § 551 : US Code - Section 551: Definitions

For the purpose of this subchapter - 
(1) "agency" means each authority of the Government of the
United States, whether or not it is within or subject to review
by another agency, but does not include - 
(A) the Congress;
(B) the courts of the United States;
(C) the governments of the territories or possessions of the
United States;
(D) the government of the District of Columbia;
or except as to the requirements of section 552 of this title - 
(E) agencies composed of representatives of the parties or of
representatives of organizations of the parties to the disputes
determined by them;
(F) courts martial and military commissions;
(G) military authority exercised in the field in time of war
or in occupied territory; or
(H) functions conferred by sections 1738, 1739, 1743, and
1744 of title 12; chapter 2 of title 41; subchapter II of
chapter 471 of title 49; or sections 1884, 1891-1902, and
former section 1641(b)(2), of title 50, appendix;
(2) "person" includes an individual, partnership, corporation,
association, or public or private organization other than an
agency;
(3) "party" includes a person or agency named or admitted as a
party, or properly seeking and entitled as of right to be
admitted as a party, in an agency proceeding, and a person or
agency admitted by an agency as a party for limited purposes;
(4) "rule" means the whole or a part of an agency statement of
general or particular applicability and future effect designed to
implement, interpret, or prescribe law or policy or describing
the organization, procedure, or practice requirements of an
agency and includes the approval or prescription for the future
of rates, wages, corporate or financial structures or
reorganizations thereof, prices, facilities, appliances, services
or allowances therefor or of valuations, costs, or accounting, or
practices bearing on any of the foregoing;
(5) "rule making" means agency process for formulating,
amending, or repealing a rule;
(6) "order" means the whole or a part of a final disposition,
whether affirmative, negative, injunctive, or declaratory in
form, of an agency in a matter other than rule making but
including licensing;
(7) "adjudication" means agency process for the formulation of
an order;
(8) "license" includes the whole or a part of an agency permit,
certificate, approval, registration, charter, membership,
statutory exemption or other form of permission;
(9) "licensing" includes agency process respecting the grant,
renewal, denial, revocation, suspension, annulment, withdrawal,
limitation, amendment, modification, or conditioning of a
license;
(10) "sanction" includes the whole or a part of an agency - 
(A) prohibition, requirement, limitation, or other condition
affecting the freedom of a person;
(B) withholding of relief;
(C) imposition of penalty or fine;
(D) destruction, taking, seizure, or withholding of property;
(E) assessment of damages, reimbursement, restitution,
compensation, costs, charges, or fees;
(F) requirement, revocation, or suspension of a license; or
(G) taking other compulsory or restrictive action;
(11) "relief" includes the whole or a part of an agency - 
(A) grant of money, assistance, license, authority,
exemption, exception, privilege, or remedy;
(B) recognition of a claim, right, immunity, privilege,
exemption, or exception; or
(C) taking of other action on the application or petition of,
and beneficial to, a person;
(12) "agency proceeding" means an agency process as defined by
paragraphs (5), (7), and (9) of this section;
(13) "agency action" includes the whole or a part of an agency
rule, order, license, sanction, relief, or the equivalent or
denial thereof, or failure to act; and
(14) "ex parte communication" means an oral or written
communication not on the public record with respect to which
reasonable prior notice to all parties is not given, but it shall
not include requests for status reports on any matter or
proceeding covered by this subchapter.