Laws: Cases and Codes : U.S. Code : Title 50 : Section 191


   
U.S. Code as of: 01/19/04
Section 191. Regulation of anchorage and movement of vessels during national emergency

      Whenever the President by proclamation or Executive order
    declares a national emergency to exist by reason of actual or
    threatened war, insurrection, or invasion, or disturbance or
    threatened disturbance of the international relations of the United
    States, or whenever the Attorney General determines that an actual
    or anticipated mass migration of aliens en route to, or arriving
    off the coast of, the United States presents urgent circumstances
    requiring an immediate Federal response, the Secretary of
    Transportation may make, subject to the approval of the President,
    rules and regulations governing the anchorage and movement of any
    vessel, foreign or domestic, in the territorial waters of the
    United States, may inspect such vessel at any time, place guards
    thereon, and, if necessary in his opinion in order to secure such
    vessels from damage or injury, or to prevent damage or injury to
    any harbor or waters of the United States, or to secure the
    observance of the rights and obligations of the United States, may
    take, by and with the consent of the President, for such purposes,
    full possession and control of such vessel and remove therefrom the
    officers and crew thereof and all other persons not specially
    authorized by him to go or remain on board thereof.
      Whenever the President finds that the security of the United
    States is endangered by reason of actual or threatened war, or
    invasion, or insurrection, or subversive activity, or of
    disturbances or threatened disturbances of the international
    relations of the United States, the President is authorized to
    institute such measures and issue such rules and regulations - 
        (a) to govern the anchorage and movement of any foreign-flag
      vessels in the territorial waters of the United States, to
      inspect such vessels at any time, to place guards thereon, and,
      if necessary in his opinion in order to secure such vessels from
      damage or injury, or to prevent damage or injury to any harbor or
      waters of the United States, or to secure the observance of
      rights and obligations of the United States, may take for such
      purposes full possession and control of such vessels and remove
      therefrom the officers and crew thereof, and all other persons
      not especially authorized by him to go or remain on board
      thereof;
        (b) to safeguard against destruction, loss, or injury from
      sabotage or other subversive acts, accidents, or other causes of
      similar nature, vessels, harbors, ports, and waterfront
      facilities in the United States and all territory and water,
      continental or insular, subject to the jurisdiction of the United
      States.

    Any appropriation available to any of the Executive Departments
    shall be available to carry out the provisions of this title.(!1)




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