Section was formerly classified to section 601 of Title 5 prior to the general revision and enactment of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, by Pub. L. 89–554, § 1, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 378.

Section is based on part of the first par. of section 4 of act Feb. 14, 1903. The rest of the first par. and the second par. of section 4 are classified to sections 1511 and 1515 of this title, respectively.

Act Mar. 4, 1913, ch. 141, 37 Stat. 736, provided that the Department of Commerce and Labor and Secretary of Commerce and Labor were to be thereafter called the Department of Commerce and Secretary of Commerce and that the act creating the Department of Commerce and Labor (act Feb. 14, 1903) was amended accordingly.