Shipping - 46 USC Appendix Section 142

01/19/04

Sec. 142. Retaliatory suspension of commercial privileges to
foreign vessels

Whenever any foreign country whose vessels have been placed on
the same footing in the ports of the United States as American
vessels (the coastwise trade excepted) shall deny to any vessels of
the United States any of the commercial privileges accorded to
national vessels in the harbors, ports, or waters of such foreign
country, the President, on receiving satisfactory information of
the continuance of such discriminations against any vessels of the
United States, is authorized to issue his proclamation excluding,
on and after such time as he may indicate, from the exercise of
such commercial privileges in the ports of the United States as are
denied to American vessels in the ports of such foreign country,
all vessels of such foreign country of a similar character to the
vessels of the United States thus discriminated against, and
suspending such concessions previously granted to the vessels of
such country; and on and after the date named in such proclamation
for it to take effect, if the master, officer, or agent of any
vessel of such foreign country excluded by said proclamation from
the exercise of any commercial privileges shall do any act
prohibited by said proclamation in the ports, harbors, or waters of
the United States for or on account of such vessel, such vessel,
and its rigging, tackle, furniture, and boats, and all the goods on
board, shall be liable to seizure and to forfeiture to the United
States; and any person opposing any officer of the United States in
the enforcement of this section, or aiding and abetting any other
person in such opposition, shall forfeit $800, and shall be guilty
of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction, shall be liable to
imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years.

Last modified: April 20, 2006