Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 553, 42 Stat. 976. That section was superseded by section 553 of act June 17, 1930, comprising this section, and repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 act.

A prior provision that merchandise destined for a foreign country might be entered and conveyed through the territory of the United States without payment of duties under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury was contained in R.S. § 3005, as amended by act Feb. 27, 1877, ch. 69, § 1, 19 Stat. 247, and act May 21, 1900, ch. 487, § 1, 31 Stat. 181. Res. March 1, 1895, No. 23, 28 Stat. 973, partially suspending the operation of that section, was repealed by act May 21, 1900, ch. 487, § 2, 31 Stat. 181, and the section was itself repealed by act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 642, 42 Stat. 989.

A provision that baggage or personal effects in transit to a foreign country might be delivered to the collector for retention without payment of duty, or forwarding to the collector of the port of departure, was contained in act Oct. 3, 1913, ch. 16, § III, CC, 38 Stat. 192, which reenacted Customs Administrative Act June 10, 1890, ch. 407, § 28, 26 Stat. 141, as reenacted by Payne-Aldrich Tariff Act Aug. 5, 1909, ch. 6, § 28, 36 Stat. 104. Said section III, CC, of the 1913 act was repealed by act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 643, 42 Stat. 989.

R.S. § 2803, on the same subject, was superseded by section 28 of the Customs Administrative Act of June 10, 1890, and repealed by section 642 of the act of Sept. 21, 1922.

R.S. § 2866, provided for the entry and conveyance in transit, without payment of duties, of merchandise arriving at certain ports in the United States destined for the British possessions in North America, and for conveyance in transit from such possessions for export from said ports, in pursuance of provisions of the treaty with Great Britain of May 8, 1871. It was repealed on the termination of articles 18–25, 30, of that treaty, pursuant to the Joint Resolution of Mar. 3, 1883, No. 22, 22 Stat. 641.

1990—Pub. L. 101–382 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b).

1938—Act June 25, 1938, inserted sentence providing for transportation otherwise than by bonded carrier where no bonded common-carrier facilities are reasonably available.

Pub. L. 101–382, title III, § 484H(b), Aug. 20, 1990, 104 Stat. 711, as amended by Pub. L. 104–295, § 5, Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3517, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [amending this section] shall apply with respect to articles entered for transportation in bond on or after the date that is 15 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Aug. 20, 1990].”

Amendment by act June 25, 1938, effective on thirtieth day following June 25, 1938, except as otherwise specifically provided, see section 37 of act June 25, 1938, set out as a note under section 1401 of this title.