Title 14 — Coast Guard
Chapter 9 — Administration
§ 934. Penalty for unauthorized use of words “Coast Guard”
Statutory text
No individual, association, partnership, or corporation shall, without authority of the Commandant, use the combination of letters “USCG” or “USCGR”, the words “Coast Guard,” “United States Coast Guard,” “Coast Guard Reserve,” “United States Coast Guard Reserve,” “Coast Guard Auxiliary,” “United States Coast Guard Auxiliary,” “Lighthouse Service,” “Life Saving Service,” or any combination or variation of such letters or words alone or with other letters or words, as the name under which he or it shall do business, for the purpose of trade, or by way of advertisement to induce the effect of leading the public to believe that any such individual, association, partnership, or corporation has any connection with the Coast Guard. No individual, association, partnership, or corporation shall falsely advertise, or otherwise represent falsely by any device whatsoever, that any project or business in which he or it is engaged, or product which he or it manufactures, deals in, or sells, has been in any way endorsed, authorized, or approved by the Coast Guard. Every person violating this section shall be fined not more than $10,000, or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
Legislative history
Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.
Title 14, United States Code, section —
Pub. L. 81–393 · 63 Stat. 495
Enacted · 14 U.S.C. § 934
Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, 63 Stat. 546, § 639
Source evidence
Code source credit
Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, 63 Stat. 546, § 639Howard Coble Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2014
Pub. L. 113–281 title II § 205(b) · 128 Stat. 3022
Substituted · 14 U.S.C. § 934
Pub. L. 113–281 substituted “$10,000” for “$1,000”
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Pub. L. 113–281 substituted “$10,000” for “$1,000”.Enacted provision · exact public law section
(b) Unauthorized Use of Words “Coast Guard”.— Section 639 of title 14, United States Code, is amended by striking “$1,000” and inserting “$10,000”.Frank LoBiondo Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2018
Pub. L. 115–282 title I § 107(b) · 132 Stat. 4192
Changed · 14 U.S.C. § 934
Pub. L. 115–282 renumbered section 639 of this title as this section
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Pub. L. 115–282 renumbered section 639 of this title as this section.Enacted provision · exact public law section
(b) Redesignations and Transfers.— (1) Requirement.— The sections of title 14, United States Code, identified in the table provided in paragraph (2) are amended— (A) by redesignating the sections as described in the table; and (B) by transferring the sections, as necessary, so that the sections appear after the table of sections for chapter 9 of such title (as added by subsection (a)), in the order in which the sections are presented in the table. (2) Table.— The table referred to in paragraph (1) is the following: Title 14 section number before redesignationSection heading (provided for identification purposes only-not amended)Title 14 section number after redesignation 641Disposal of certain material901 653Employment of draftsmen and engineers902 656Use of certain appropriated funds903 666Local hire904 670Procurement authority for family housing905 671Air Station Cape Cod Improvements906 672Long-term lease of special purpose facilities907 672aLong-term lease authority for lighthouse property908 674Small boat station rescue capability909 675Small boat station closures910 676Search and rescue center standards911 676aAir facility closures912 677Turnkey selection procedures913 681Disposition of infrastructure related to E–LORAN914 635Oaths required for boards931 636Administration of oaths932 638Coast Guard ensigns and pennants933 639Penalty for unauthorized use of words “Coast Guard”934 640Coast Guard band recordings for commercial sale935 645Confidentiality of medical quality assurance records; qualified immunity for participants936 646Admiralty claims against the United States937 647Claims for damage to property of the United States938 648Accounting for industrial work939 649Supplies and equipment from stock940 650Coast Guard Supply Fund941 654Public and commercial vessels and other watercraft; sale of fuel, supplies, and services942 655Arms and ammunition; immunity from taxation943 658Confidential investigative expenses944 659Assistance to film producers945 664User fees946 667Vessel construction bonding requirements947 668Contracts for medical care for retirees, dependents, and survivors: alternative delivery of health care948 669Telephone installation and charges949 673Designation, powers, and accountability of deputy disbursing officials950 678Aircraft accident investigations951
2 of 3 references resolved to an enrolled provision · 1 partial
Notes
Historical and Revision Notes
This section makes the unauthorized use of the words “Coast Guard” or any derivative thereof, a crime. This is believed to be a desirable prohibition in view of the many commercial organizations which are manufacturing equipment approved by the Coast Guard and selling same to vessels in the United States. 81st Congress, House Report No. 557.
Editorial Notes
Amendments1950–2018 · 3 rounds
2018
Pub. L. 115–282 renumbered section 639 of this title as this section.
2014
Pub. L. 113–281 substituted “$10,000” for “$1,000”.
1950
Act , made it possible for Commandant to grant authority to private business organizations to use terms or designations otherwise prohibited by this section.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Coast Guard City, USA
Pub. L. 105–383, title IV, § 409, , 112 Stat. 3431, as amended by Pub. L. 114–120, title II, § 206, , 130 Stat. 37, provided that: “The Commandant of the Coast Guard may recognize the community of Grand Haven, Michigan, as ‘Coast Guard City, USA’. If the Commandant desires to recognize any other community in the same manner or any other community requests such recognition from the Coast Guard, the Commandant shall notify the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives 30 days prior to approving such recognition.”
Credits
1949–2018 · 4 acts
- 1949Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, 63 Stat. 546, § 639
- 1950Aug. 3, 1950, ch. 536, § 30, 64 Stat. 408
- 2014Pub. L. 113–281, title II, § 205(b), , 128 Stat. 3025
- 2018renumbered § 934, Pub. L. 115–282, title I, § 107(b), , 132 Stat. 4205.
Show as published
(Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, 63 Stat. 546, § 639; Aug. 3, 1950, ch. 536, § 30, 64 Stat. 408; Pub. L. 113–281, title II, § 205(b), , 128 Stat. 3025; renumbered § 934, Pub. L. 115–282, title I, § 107(b), , 132 Stat. 4205.)