# Regime, as a U.S. government term of art *Concept; use of the word "regime" in United States federal law and federal releases, including its application to [[Minnesota]].* In federal usage, "regime" has served as a term of art for governments the United States opposes. The [[Iraq Liberation Act]] of 1998 (Pub. L. 105-338) declares a policy of supporting efforts to remove "the regime headed by Saddam Hussein."[^1] On January 14, 2026, the Office of Public Affairs of the [[United States Department of Justice]] issued release No. 26-21. It announced a federal lawsuit against Minnesota, and its title applies the same word to the State.[^2] The project's catalogue of U.S.-government "regime" usages, in [[How Minnesota Got Here]], finds Minnesota to be the only U.S. state so described. That is the project's catalogue finding, not an independently established fact.[^4] ## Usage in federal law The Iraq Liberation Act, Public Law 105-338, was enacted in 1998.[^1] It uses "regime" for a foreign government the United States opposed, and it states the policy of supporting efforts to remove "the regime headed by Saddam Hussein."[^1] The record in this entry pairs that statutory usage with the 2026 Department of Justice release described below.[^1][^2] ## Application to Minnesota Department of Justice release No. 26-21 is dated January 14, 2026. It is titled *United States Department of Justice Files Lawsuit Against Minnesota's 'Affirmative Action' Regime*.[^2] The title concerns [[Affirmative action]] in Minnesota. It sets the phrase "Affirmative Action" in quotation marks and attaches the word "regime" to the State.[^2] According to the release, Attorney General Pamela Bondi certified the case as a matter of general public importance.[^3] The lawsuit is a pending federal action. The record assembled for this entry does not state the complaint's docket number, its specific allegations, or its current status.[^2] Under the project's catalogue of U.S.-government "regime" usages (*How Minnesota Got Here*, note 40), this release is the only instance in which the federal government has applied the term to a U.S. state. The finding is the project's own and rests on that catalogue.[^4] ## Notes [^1]: United States Congress, *Iraq Liberation Act of 1998*, Pub. L. 105-338 (1998). Establishes the stated policy of supporting efforts to remove "the regime headed by Saddam Hussein." https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-105publ338/pdf/PLAW-105publ338.pdf [^2]: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs, *United States Department of Justice Files Lawsuit Against Minnesota's 'Affirmative Action' Regime*, release No. 26-21 (Jan. 14, 2026). Establishes the release's number, date and title, and the announcement of a lawsuit against Minnesota. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/united-states-department-justice-files-lawsuit-against-minnesotas-affirmative-action-regime [^3]: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs, *United States Department of Justice Files Lawsuit Against Minnesota's 'Affirmative Action' Regime*, release No. 26-21 (Jan. 14, 2026). Establishes that Attorney General Pamela Bondi certified the case as a matter of general public importance. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/united-states-department-justice-files-lawsuit-against-minnesotas-affirmative-action-regime [^4]: How Minnesota Got Here, note 40, catalogue of U.S.-government "regime" usages, as recorded with the statutory example it cites. Establishes the project's catalogue finding that Minnesota is the only U.S. state so described; this is a project finding, not an independently established fact. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-105publ338/pdf/PLAW-105publ338.pdf