§1. Words denoting number, gender, and so forth.-In determining the meaning of any Act of Congress, unless the context indicates otherwise

words importing the singular include and apply to several persons, parties, or things;

words importing the plural include the singular;

words importing the masculine gender include the feminine as well; words use1 in the present tense include the future as well as the present;

the words "insane" and "insane person" and "lunatic" shall include every idiot, lunatic, insane person, and person non compos mentis; the words "person" and "whoever" include corporations, companies, associations, firms, partnerships, societies, and joint stock companies, as well as individuals;

"officer" includes any person authorized by law to perform the duties of the office;

"signature" or "subscription" includes a mark when the person making the same intended it as such;

"oath" includes affirmation, and "sworn" includes affirmed;

"writing" includes printing and typewriting and reproductions of visual symbols by photographing, multigraphing, mimeographing, manifolding, or otherwise. (July 30, 1947, ch. 388, § 1, 61 Stat. 633, amended June 25, 1948, ch. 645, § 6, 62 Stat. 859.)

1So in original. Probably should read "'used."

1948 amendment.-Act June 25, 1948, cited to text, amended section to include within the definition the words "tense, 99 66 "whoever, ," "signature," " "subscription," and "writing" and a broader definition of the term "" person.' Effective date. Section 20 of Act June 25, 1948, cited to text, provided that the amendment of this section should be effective as of Sept. 1, 1948.

§2. "County" as including “parish," and so forth.

The word "county" includes a parish, or any other equivalent subdivision of a State or Territory of the United States. (July 30, 1947, ch. 388, § 1, 61 Stat. 633.)

83. "Vessel" as including all means of water transportation.

The word "vessel" includes every description of watercraft or other artificial contrivance used, or capable of being used, as a means of transportation on water. (July 30, 1947, ch. 388, § 1, 61 Stat. 633.)

§4. "Vehicle" as including all means of land transportation.

The word "vehicle" includes every description of carriage or other artificial contrivance used, or capable of being used, as a means of transportation on land. (July 30, 1947, ch. 388, § 1, 61 Stat. 633.)

85. "Company" or "association" as including successors and assigns.

The word "company" or "association," when used in reference to a corporation, shall be deemed to embrace the words "successors and assigns of such company or association", in like manner as if these last-named words, or words of similar import, were expressed. (July 30, 1947, ch. 388, § 1, 61 Stat. 633.)

§ 6. Limitation of term "products of American fisheries."

Wherever, in the statutes of the United States or in the rulings, regulations, or interpretations of various administrative bureaus and agencies of the United States there appears or may appear the term "products of American fisheries" said term shall not include fresh or frozen fish fillets, fresh or frozen fish steaks, or fresh or frozen slices of fish substantially free of bone (including any of the foregoing divided into sections), produced in a foreign country or its territorial waters, in whole or in part with the use of the labor of persons who are not residents of the United States. (July 30, 1947, ch. 388, § 1, 61 Stat. 633.)

TITLE 3.—THE PRESIDENT

Chapter 1.-PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS AND VACANCIES

§ 19. Vacancy in offices of both President and Vice President; officers eligible to act.—(a) (1) If, by reason of death, resignation, removal from office, inability, or failure to qualify, there is neither a President nor Vice President to discharge the powers and duties of the office of President, then the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall, upon his resignation as Speaker and as Representative in Congress, act as President.

(2) The same rule shall apply in the case of the death, resignation, removal from office, or inability of an individual acting as President under this subsection.

(b) If, at the time when under subsection (a) of this section a Speaker is to begin the discharge of the powers and duties of the office of President, there is no Speaker, or the Speaker fails to qualify as Acting President, then the President pro tempore of the Senate shall, upon his resignation as President pro tempore and as Senator, act as President.

(c) An individual acting as President under subsection (a) or subsection (b) of this section shall continue to act until the expiration of the then current Presidential term, except that

(1) if his discharge of the powers and duties of the office is founded in whole or in part on the failure of both the President-elect and the Vice President-elect to qualify, then he shall act only until a President or Vice President qualifies; and

(2) if his discharge of the powers and duties of the office is founded in whole or in part on the inability of the President or Vice President, then he shall act only until the removal of the disability of one of such individuals.

(d) (1) If, by reason of death, resignation, removal from office, inability, or failure to qualify, there is no President pro tempore to act as President under subsection (b) of this section, then the officer of the United States who is highest on the following list, and who is not under disability to discharge the powers and duties of the office of President shall act as President: Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of Defense, Attorney General, Postmaster General, Secretary of the Interior, Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Labor.

(2) An individual acting as President under this subsection shall continue so to do until the expiration of the then current Presidential term, but not after a qualified and prior-entitled individual is able to act, except that the removal of the disability of an individual higher on the list contained in paragraph (1) of this subsection or the ability to qualify on the part of an individual higher on such list shall not terminate his service.

(3) The taking of the oath of office by an individual specified in the list in paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be held to constitute his resignation from the office by virtue of the holding of which he qualifies to act as President.