§ 241. Evidence

When any request for information, made by the Secretary or other authorized officer or employee of the Department of Commerce or bureau or agency thereof, is made by registered or certified mail or telegram, the return receipt therefor or other written receipt thereof shall be prima facie evidence of an official request in any prosecution under such section.

(Aug. 31, 1954, ch. 1158, 68 Stat. 1025; Pub. L. 85–207, § 19, Aug. 28, 1957, 71 Stat. 484; Pub. L. 94–521, § 15(b), Oct. 17, 1976, 90 Stat. 2465.)

Historical And Revision

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 13, U.S.C., 1952 ed., §§ 74, 84 (Aug. 7, 1916, ch. 274, § 4, 39 Stat. 437; Apr. 2, 1924, ch. 80, § 4, 43 Stat. 32; June 18, 1929, ch. 28, § 21, 46 Stat. 26; June 14, 1938, ch. 358, 52 Stat. 678; July 25, 1947, ch. 331, 61 Stat. 457).

Section consolidates part of section 74 of title 13, U.S.C., 1952 ed., which section related to the collection of cotton statistics, with part of section 84 of such title, which section related to the collection of statistics on oilseeds, nuts and kernels, fats, oils and greases. For remainder of such sections 74 and 84, see Distribution Table.

Section 74 of title 13, U.S.C., 1952 ed., authorized the making of requests for information by registered mail, and provided that, if so made, the registry receipt should be “accepted as evidence of such demand”. Section 84 thereof authorized the making of requests by registered mail, or “by telegraph”, and provided that, if so made, the “return” receipt therefor should be “prima facie evidence of an official request”. The authorizations contained in such sections have been carried into section 224 of this title, and the evidentiary provisions thereof have been carried into this section, and they apply to investigations other than those to which such sections 74 and 84 related. See Revision Note to section 224 of this title.

In this revised section, the language of section 84 of title 13, U.S.C., 1952 ed., was largely followed as probably being the more desirable, but “or other written receipt thereof” was inserted since there is no return receipt with respect to a telegram, and words “in any prosecution under such section” were inserted for the purpose of completeness.

Further, words “Secretary or other authorized officer or employee of the Department of Commerce or bureau or agency thereof” were substituted for references to the Director of the Census, to conform with 1950 Reorganization Plan No. 5, §§ 1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3174, 64 Stat. 1263. See Revision Note to section 4 of this title.

Changes were made in phraseology.

Amendments

Amendments

1976—Pub. L. 94–521 struck out “as authorized by section 224 of this title” after “telegram”.

1957—Pub. L. 85–207 inserted “or certified” after “registered”.

Effective Date Of Amendment

Effective Date of 1976 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 94–521 effective Oct. 17, 1976, see section 17 of Pub. L. 94–521, set out as a note under section 1 of this title.