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.

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 Aug. 3, 1950, made it possible for Commandant to grant authority to private business organizations to use terms or designations otherwise prohibited by this section.

Pub. L. 105–383, title IV, § 409, Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3431, as amended by Pub. L. 114–120, title II, § 206, Feb. 8, 2016, 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.”