§ 4. Secretary defined

In this title, the term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the respective department in which the Coast Guard is operating.

(Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, 63 Stat. 497; May 5, 1950, ch. 169, § 14(u), 64 Stat. 148; Pub. L. 89–444, § 1(1), June 9, 1966, 80 Stat. 195; Pub. L. 112–213, title II, § 217(1), Dec. 20, 2012, 126 Stat. 1557.)

Historical And Revision

Historical and Revision Notes

Subsections (a) and (b) are based on title 14, U.S.C., 1946 ed., § 1 (Jan. 28, 1915, ch. 20, § 1, 38 Stat. 800; July 11, 1941, ch. 290, §§ 5, 6(a), 55 Stat. 585).

Said section has been divided. The provisions relating to appropriations are in this section. The provisions relating to establishment of the Coast Guard are placed in section 1 of this title. The provisions relating to when the Coast Guard operates as a service in the Navy are placed in section 3 of this title.

The substantive changes relating to the availability of appropriations when the Coast Guard is transferred to the Navy were suggested by the Bureau of the Budget (July 11, 1941, ch. 290, § 6 (a), 55 Stat. 585).

Subsection (c) is based on title 14, U.S.C., 1946 ed., § 7 (Aug. 29, 1916, ch. 417, 39 Stat. 600).

Subsection (d) is derived from title 34, U.S.C., 1946 ed., §§ 355 to 356b (Feb. 4, 1919, ch. 14, §§ 2–5, 40 Stat. 1056; Aug. 7, 1942, ch. 551, § 1, 56 Stat. 743).

Said sections authorized medals for presentation “… to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the Navy of the United States . . .”; inasmuch as this language includes the Coast Guard when it is operating under the Navy, this subsection entails no change in existing law.

Subsection (e) is based on title 34, U.S.C., 1946 ed., § 228 (R.S. 1442; Feb. 28, 1942, ch. 11, 59 Stat. 9).

Inasmuch as R.S. 1442 cited above applies to the Navy and Marine Corps as well as the Coast Guard it is not scheduled for repeal but is being amended by section 6 of this act to eliminate reference to the Coast Guard.

Subsection (f) is based on title 14, U.S.C., 1946 ed., § 3 (Aug. 29, 1916, ch. 417, 39 Stat. 600).

Said section has been divided. The provisions concerning applicability of Navy laws to Coast Guard personnel are placed in this section. The provisions of the provisos of title 14, U.S.C., 1946 ed., § 3 are placed in section 571 of this title.

Changes were made in phraseology. 81st Congress, House Report No. 557.

Amendments

Amendments

2012—Pub. L. 112–213 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section related to operation of Coast Guard as a service in the Navy.

1966—Pub. L. 89–444 made technical changes in subsecs. (d) and (e) by inserting “and” at end of subsec. (d) and substituting a period for “; and” at end of subsec. (e).

1950—Act May 5, 1950, repealed subsec. (f) which provided that personnel of the Coast Guard should be subject to the laws for the government of the Navy.

Effective Date Of Amendment

Effective Date of 1950 Amendment

Act May 5, 1950, ch. 169, § 5, 64 Stat. 145, provided that the amendment made by that section is effective May 31, 1951.