Based on section
53 of title
44, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Public Printing and Documents (Jan. 12, 1895, ch. 23, § 34,
28 Stat. 605).
Words “on conviction before any court of competent jurisdiction” were omitted as unnecessary, since punishment cannot be imposed until there has been a conviction before a competent tribunal.
Words “in the penitentiary” were omitted as surplusage as section
4082 of this title commits all prisoners to the custody of the Attorney General. (See reviser’s note under section
1 of this title.)
The minimum punishment provision “for a term of not less than one nor” was omitted in keeping with policy of codifiers of 1909 Criminal Code.
Mandatory punishment provision was rephrased in the alternative.
The offense described in this section involves no moral turpitude, and therefore the punishment provisions were reduced from 5 years to 1 year, so that the stigma of a felony would not attach to an offender. The fine was increased from $500 to $1,000 as more proportionate to the 1-year term of imprisonment. (See classification of felony and misdemeanor in section
1 of this title and note thereunder.)
1994—
Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $1,000” in second par.