R.S. § 1708 derived from act Aug. 18, 1856, ch. 127, § 27, 11 Stat. 62.

Act Feb. 14, 1903, substituted “Secretary of Commerce and Labor” for “Secretary of the Treasury”. Act Mar. 4, 1913, substituted “Secretary of Commerce” for “Secretary of Commerce and Labor”.

Section was not enacted as part of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 which comprises this chapter.

Section was formerly classified to section 1174 of this title, and prior thereto to section 74 of this title.

Coast Guard transferred to Department of Transportation and functions, powers, and duties, relating to Coast Guard, of Secretary of the Treasury and of other offices and officers of Department of the Treasury transferred to Secretary of Transportation by Pub. L. 89–670, § 6(b)(1), Oct. 15, 1966, 80 Stat. 931. Section 6(b)(2) of Pub. L. 89–670, however, provided that notwithstanding such transfer of functions, Coast Guard shall operate as part of Navy in time of war or when President directs as provided in former section 3 (now 103) of Title 14. See section 108 of Title 49, Transportation.

For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.

Certain shipping and navigation functions of Secretary of Commerce transferred to Commandant of Coast Guard and Commissioner of Customs by Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1946, §§ 101 to 104, eff. July 16, 1946, 11 F.R. 7875, 60 Stat. 1097, 1098 set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Functions of all officers of Department of the Treasury [which included Commandant of Coast Guard and Commissioner of Customs], and functions of all agencies and employees of Department, transferred, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of the Treasury, with power vested in him to authorize their performance or performance of any of his functions, by any of such officers, agencies, and employees, by Reorg. Plan No. 26 of 1950, §§ 1, 2, eff. July 31, 1950, 15 F.R. 4935, 64 Stat. 1280, set out in the Appendix to Title 5. Coast Guard was generally a service in Department of the Treasury but such Plan excepted, from transfer, functions of Coast Guard, and of Commandant thereof, when Coast Guard was operating as a part of Navy under former section 3 (now 103) of Title 14, Coast Guard.