R.S. § 2003 derived from act Feb. 25, 1865, ch. 52, § 1, 13 Stat. 437.

Air Force inserted to conform to section 207(a), (f) of act July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title II, 61 Stat. 502, which established a separate Department of the Air Force, and Secretary of Defense Transfer Order No. 40 [App. A(10)], July 22, 1949, which transferred certain functions to the Air Force. Section 207(a), (f) of act July 26, 1947, was repealed by section 53 of act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 641. Section 1 of act Aug. 10, 1956, enacted “Title 10, Armed Forces”, which in sections 8010 to 8013 continued Department of the Air Force under administrative supervision of Secretary of the Air Force.

Section was formerly classified to section 32 of Title 8, Aliens and Nationality.