---
type: "LegalText"
title: "16 U.S.C. § 656"
description: "Agents; administering oaths and taking testimony"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 16
title_name: "CONSERVATION"
chapter_number: "5"
chapter_name: "PROTECTION OF FUR SEALS AND OTHER FUR-BEARING ANIMALS"
section: "656"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 656"
status: "current"
release_point: "119-100"
release_date: "2026-06-26"
source: "official"
source_url: "https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc16@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t16/s656"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-16/usc16.xml"
source_hash: "b33ea0a42607d3cab60ca001abf4c4959ee3f7e1dedeae38a9ec83c31c696e3a"
raw_snapshot_hash: "7be8950da5a93cac7c98e4576ce00340f2aba5e8e46d29915382c203c421d503"
text_hash: "9a4fee3b613a4dd43a200718e55ba43fb99cadcbe246681aa1e99d6dc059cca2"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 16 U.S.C. § 656 - Agents; administering oaths and taking testimony

## Text

The agents are empowered to administer oaths in all cases relating to the service of the United States, and to take testimony in Alaska for the use of the Government in any matter concerning the public revenue.

(R.S. § 1976.)

## Notes

Editorial Notes

Codification R.S. § 1976 derived from act Mar. 5, 1872, ch. 31, § 3, 17 Stat. 35.