United States v. Emory

The purpose and provisions of the National Housing Act1 lead me to the conclusion that § 3466 of the Revised *434Statutes is inapplicable to the claim of the Administrator in this case.2

A statute is not to be interpreted by its text alone, as though it were a specimen under laboratory control. It takes meaning from other enactments forming the whole body of law bearing upon its subject.3 If, like § 3466, it has been upon the books for years, the precedents interpreting its meaning must be considered in connection with it, particularly when, as here, new legislation is passed which may be…