Whoever, being an officer authorized to administer oaths or to take and certify acknowledgments, knowingly makes any false acknowledgment, certificate, or statement concerning the appearance before him or the taking of an oath or affirmation by any person with respect to any proposal, contract, bond, undertaking, or other matter submitted to, made with, or taken on behalf of the United States or any department or agency thereof, concerning which an oath or affirmation is required by law or lawful regulation, or with respect to the financial standing of any principal, surety, or other party to any such proposal, contract, bond, undertaking, or other instrument, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 753; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(I), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)
Historical and Revision NotesBased on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 75 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 31, 35 Stat. 1094).
Words “or of any department or agency thereof” were inserted after “United States” so as to remove any ambiguity as to scope of section. (See definitions of “department” and “agency” in section 6 of this title.)
Editorial Notes
Amendments1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $2,000”.