
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 15USC77]

 
                      TITLE 15--COMMERCE AND TRADE
 
   CHAPTER 2--FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION; PROMOTION OF EXPORT TRADE AND 
               PREVENTION OF UNFAIR METHODS OF COMPETITION
 
       SUBCHAPTER VI--PREVENTION OF UNFAIR METHODS OF COMPETITION
 
Sec. 77. Discrimination against neutral Americans in time of war

    Whenever, during the existence of a war in which the United States 
is not engaged, the President shall be satisfied that there is 
reasonable ground to believe that any vessel, American or foreign, is, 
on account of the laws, regulations, or practices of a belligerent 
Government, making or giving any undue or unreasonable preference or 
advantage in any respect whatsoever to any particular person, company, 
firm, or corporation, or any particular description of traffic in the 
United States or its possessions or to any citizens of the United States 
residing in neutral countries abroad, or is subjecting any particular 
person, company, firm, or corporation or any particular description of 
traffic in the United States or its possessions, or any citizens of the 
United States residing in neutral countries abroad to any undue or 
unreasonable prejudice, disadvantage, injury, or discrimination in 
regard to accepting, receiving, transporting, or delivering, or refusing 
to accept, receive, transfer, or deliver any cargo, freight, or 
passengers, or in any other respect whatsoever, he is authorized and 
empowered to direct the detention of such vessels by withholding 
clearance or by formal notice forbidding departure, and to revoke, 
modify, or renew any such direction.
    Whenever, during the existence of a war in which the United States 
is not engaged, the President shall be satisfied that there is 
reasonable ground to believe that under the laws, regulations, or 
practices of any belligerent country or Government, American ships or 
American citizens are not accorded any of the facilities of commerce 
which the vessels or citizens of that belligerent country enjoy in the 
United States or its possessions, or are not accorded by such 
belligerent equal privileges or facilities of trade with vessels or 
citizens of any nationality other than that of such belligerent, the 
President is authorized and empowered to withhold clearance from one or 
more vessels of such belligerent country until such belligerent shall 
restore to such American vessels and American citizens reciprocal 
liberty of commerce and equal facilities of trade; or the President may 
direct that similar privileges and facilities, if any, enjoyed by 
vessels or citizens of such belligerent in the United States or its 
possessions be refused to vessels or citizens of such belligerent; and 
in such case he shall make proclamation of his direction, stating the 
facilities and privileges which shall be refused, and the belligerent to 
whose vessels or citizens they are to be refused, and thereafter the 
furnishing of such prohibited privileges and facilities to any vessel or 
citizen of the belligerent named in such proclamation shall be unlawful; 
and he may change, modify, revoke, or renew such proclamation; and any 
person or persons who shall furnish or attempt or conspire to furnish or 
be concerned in furnishing or in the concealment of furnishing 
facilities or privileges to ships or persons contrary to the prohibition 
in such proclamation shall be liable to a fine of not less than $2,000 
nor more than $50,000 or to imprisonment not to exceed two years, or 
both, in the discretion of the court.
    In case any vessel which is detained by virtue of this subchapter 
shall depart or attempt to depart from the jurisdiction of the United 
States without clearance or other lawful authority, the owner or master 
or person or persons having charge or command of such vessel shall be 
severally liable to a fine of not less than $2,000 nor more than 
$10,000, or to imprisonment not to exceed two years, or both, and in 
addition such vessel shall be forfeited to the United States.
    The President of the United States is authorized and empowered to 
employ such part of the land or naval forces of the United States as 
shall be necessary to carry out the purposes of this subchapter.

(Sept. 8, 1916, ch. 463, title VIII, Sec. 806, 39 Stat. 799.)

                         Delegation of Functions

    For delegation to Secretary of the Treasury of authority vested in 
President by this section, see section 1(j), (k) of Ex. Ord. No. 10637, 
Sept. 16, 1955, 20 F.R. 7025, set out as a note under section 301 of 
Title 3, The President.
