Chapter 4 of this title, referred to in last par., was in the original “the Act entitled ‘An Act to regulate navigation on the Great Lakes, and their connecting and tributary waters as far east as Montreal,’ approved February eighth, eighteen hundred and ninety-five”, which was classified generally to chapter 4 (§ 241 et seq.) of this title and was repealed by Pub. L. 96–591, § 8(b), Dec. 24, 1980, 94 Stat. 3435, eff. Mar. 1, 1983, pursuant to 47 F.R. 15135, Apr. 8, 1982. See section 7 of Pub. L. 96–591, set out as an Effective Date note under section 2001 of this title.

“Coast Guard vessels” and “Coast Guard” substituted in text for “revenue cutters” and “Revenue-Cutter Service”, respectively, the Revenue Cutter Service and Life-Saving Service having been combined to form the Coast Guard by act Jan. 28, 1915, ch. 20, § 1, 38 Stat. 800. That act was repealed by act Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, § 20, 63 Stat. 561, section 1 of which reestablished the Coast Guard by enacting Title 14, Coast Guard.

Secretary of Commerce and Labor designated Secretary of Commerce by act Mar. 4, 1913, which created Department of Labor.

Functions of Secretary of Commerce under this section transferred to Commandant of Coast Guard by Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1946, §§ 101–104, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

For transfer of functions of other officers, employees, and agencies of Department of the Treasury, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of the Treasury with power to delegate, see Reorg. Plan No. 26 of 1950, §§ 1, 2, eff. July 31, 1950, 15 F.R. 4935, 64 Stat. 1280, 1281, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. Functions of Coast Guard, and Commandant of Coast Guard, excepted from transfer when Coast Guard is operating as part of Navy under sections 1 and 3 of Title 14, Coast Guard.

Coast Guard transferred to Department of Transportation, and functions, powers, and duties relating to Coast Guard of Secretary of the Treasury and of other officers and offices of Department of the Treasury transferred to Secretary of Transportation by Pub. L. 89–670, § 6(b)(1), Oct. 15, 1966, 80 Stat. 938. 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 section 3 of Title 14, Coast Guard. 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.