2014 US Code
Title 50 - War and National Defense (Sections 1 - 3751)
Title 50 - Appendix-War and National Defense
Second War Powers Act, 1942

Section 631, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title I, §101, 56 Stat. 177, amended section 304 of former Title 49, Transportation.

Section 631a, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title I, §102, 56 Stat. 177, amended section 310a of former Title 49.

Section 631b, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title I, §103, 56 Stat. 177, amended section 911 of former Title 49.

Sections 632 and 632a were omitted as terminated pursuant to section 645 of this Appendix.

Section 632, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title II, §201, 56 Stat. 177, added section 2 to act July 2, 1917, ch. 35, section 171a of Title 50, War and National Defense, authorizing the acquisition and disposition of property for military, naval, or other war purposes.

Section 632a, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title II, §202, as added Dec. 28, 1945, ch. 590, §1(a), 59 Stat. 658, provided that the authority granted by section 2 of act July 2, 1917, should not be exercised after Dec. 28, 1945.

The following Executive Orders related to the exercise of authority under section 632: No. 9129, eff. Apr. 13, 1942, 7 F.R. 2810; No. 9150, eff. Apr. 28, 1942, 7 F.R. 3217; No. 9186, eff. June 5, 1942, 7 F.R. 4317; No. 9194, eff. July 7, 1942, 7 F.R. 5257; No. 9211, eff. Aug. 1, 1942, 7 F.R. 6030; No. 9217, eff. Aug. 7, 1942, 7 F.R. 6177; No. 9218, eff. Aug. 11, 1942, 7 F.R. 6381; No. 9249, eff. Oct. 1, 1942, 7 F.R. 7874; No. 9280, eff. Dec. 5, 1942, 7 F.R. 10179; No. 9321, eff. Mar. 25, 1943, 8 F.R. 3749; and President's letter of July 31, 1943, 8 F.R. 10702.

Section, acts Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title III, §301, 56 Stat. 177; Dec. 20, 1944, ch. 614, 58 Stat. 827; Aug. 7, 1946, ch. 770, §1(26), (31), 60 Stat. 868, which amended section 1152 of this Appendix, was omitted as terminated pursuant to the provisions of section 645 of this Appendix.

Section, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title IV, §401, 56 Stat. 180, which amended section 355(b) of Title 12, Banks and Banking, was omitted as terminated pursuant to the provisions of section 645 of this Appendix.

Section, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title V, §501, 56 Stat. 180, which authorized waiver of navigation and inspection laws, was omitted as terminated pursuant to the provisions of section 645 of this Appendix.

Treasury Decisions No. 50756, Oct. 30, 1942, 7 F.R. 9005 and No. 50811, Feb. 5, 1943, 8 F.R. 1757, related respectively to those vessels.

Section 636, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title VI, §601, 56 Stat. 181, amended section 721 of this Appendix, which was omitted from the Code.

Section 636a, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title VI, §602, 56 Stat. 181, amended section 721 of this Appendix, which was omitted from the Code.

Section, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title VII, §701, 56 Stat. 181, amended section 118i of former Title 5, Executive Departments and Government Officers and Employees.

Section, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title VIII, §801, 56 Stat. 181, related to utilization of Civilian Conservation Corps.

Section, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title IX, §901, 56 Stat. 181, related to free postage for members of the armed forces.

Section, act Oct. 6, 1945, ch. 393, §10, 59 Stat. 542, related to first class mail matter for members of the armed forces and termination date.

Section, acts Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title X, §1001, 56 Stat. 182; Dec. 28, 1945, ch. 590, §1(c), 59 Stat. 658, were amendments to the Nationality Act of 1940 which were formerly classified to sections 1001 to 1006 of Title 8, Aliens and Nationality (relating to naturalization of persons serving in the armed forces of the United States during World War II). See section 1440 of Title 8.

Section 641, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title XI, §1101, 56 Stat. 183, related to acceptance by Secretary of the Treasury of gifts for war purposes.

Section 641a, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title XI, §1102, 56 Stat. 183, related to conversion of gift property into money.

Section 641b, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title XI, §1103, 56 Stat. 183, related to deposit of moneys in War Contributions Fund.

Section 641c, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title XI, §1104, 56 Stat. 183, related to allocation of deposits to pertinent appropriations.

Section 641d, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title XI, §1105, 56 Stat. 184, related to reports to Congress.

Section 641e, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title XI, §1106, 56 Stat. 184, related to penalties for wrongful solicitation or use of gifts. Section was also repealed by act June 25, 1948, ch. 645, §21, 62 Stat. 862. See section 663 of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure.

Section 641f, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title XI, §1107, as added by act Dec. 28, 1945, ch. 590, §1(d), 59 Stat. 658, limited scope of authority granted by these sections to the personnel of the armed forces stationed abroad.

Section 642, acts Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title XII, §1201, 56 Stat. 184; Dec. 28, 1945, ch. 590, §1(e), 59 Stat. 658, which related to temporary coinage of silver and copper 5-cent pieces, expired Dec. 31, 1945, by its own terms.

Section 642a, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title XII, §1202, 56 Stat. 184, related to allocation of silver bullion to Director of Mint for coinage of 5 cent pieces pursuant to section 642 of this Appendix.

Section 642b, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title XII, §1203, 56 Stat. 184, set standard for silver-copper ingots used for coinage pursuant to section 642 of this Appendix and set the weight deviation of such coinage.

Section 642c, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title XII, §1204, 56 Stat. 184, provided that for purposes of section 341 of former Title 31, Money and Finance, the coinage authorized by section 642 of this Appendix was to be deemed to be copper.

Section 642d, acts Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title XII, §1205, 56 Stat. 184; Dec. 28, 1945, ch. 590, §1(e), 59 Stat. 658, related to redemption, melting, and use of 5-cent pieces for subsidiary silver coinage.

Section 642e, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title XII, §1206, 56 Stat. 185, related to effective date of sections 642 to 642e of this Appendix.

Sections 643 to 643c of this Appendix were omitted as terminated six months after the termination of the national emergency proclaimed by the President on Dec. 16, 1950, which emergency terminated two years from Sept. 14, 1976, pursuant to section 1601 of Title 50, War and National Defense.

Section 643, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title XIII, §1301, 56 Stat. 185, related to inspection of plants and audits of books and records of defense contractors, definition of defense contract, and designation of the governmental agency or officer to administer these functions.

Section 643a, acts Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title XIII, §1302, 56 Stat. 185; Oct. 15, 1970, Pub. L. 91–452, title II, §248, 84 Stat. 931, related to oaths and affirmations, attendance and testimony of witnesses, production of records and other evidence, and unlawful disclosure of information obtained.

Section 643b, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title XIII, §1303, 56 Stat. 186, related to refusal to give evidence, etc., assistance of courts to obtain such evidence, and penalties for such refusal.

Section 643c, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title XIII, §1304, 56 Stat. 186, defined "person" for purposes of sections 643 to 643c of this Appendix.

Act June 30, 1953, ch. 169, 67 Stat. 120, provided that sections 643 to 643c of this Appendix as extended by subsection 1(a)(2) of the Emergency Powers Continuation Act (Public Law 450, Eighty-second Congress), as amended, remain in full force and effect until six months after the termination of the national emergency proclaimed by the President on Dec. 16, 1950 (Proc. 2914, 3 C.F.R. 71, set out as a note preceding section 1 of this Appendix), notwithstanding any limitation by reference to war of the time during which the powers and authorizations therein granted may be exercised, or until such earlier date as may be provided by the Congress by concurrent resolution or by the President.

Provisions of this section were previously extended to July 1, 1953 by act July 3, 1952, ch. 570, §1(a)(2), 66 Stat. 331, as amended by act Mar. 31, 1953, ch. 13, §1, 67 Stat. 18.

Act Apr. 4, 1953, ch. 21, §2, 67 Stat. 23, repealed act July 3, 1952, ch. 570, §1(a)(18), 66 Stat. 331, which continued the effectiveness of this section until Apr. 1, 1953. Section 6 of act July 3, 1952, repealed act Apr. 14, 1952, ch. 204, 66 Stat. 54, as amended by act May 28, 1952, ch. 339, 66 Stat. 96; act June 14, 1952, ch. 437, 66 Stat. 137; act June 30, 1952, ch. 526, 66 Stat. 296, which continued provisions until July 3, 1952. This repeal took effect as of June 16, 1952, by section 7 of act July 3, 1952.

Ex. Ord. No. 9127, eff. Apr. 10, 1942, 7 F.R. 2753, provided for the inspection of plants and audit of books of defense contractors.

Sections 644 to 644b were omitted as terminated pursuant to section 645 of this Appendix.

Section 644, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title XIV, §1401, 56 Stat. 186, related to special investigations and reports and to penalties for refusal to answer questions or for supplying false information.

Section 644a, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title XIV, §1402, 56 Stat. 186, related to availability of reports to other government agencies.

Section 644b, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title XIV, §1403, 56 Stat. 186, defined person as used in this title.

Sections 645 to 645b of this Appendix, which were part of the Second War Powers Act, 1942, were omitted in view of the repeal or omission of the remaining provisions of the Second War Powers Act, 1942.

Section 645, acts Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title XV, §1501, 56 Stat. 187; Dec. 20, 1944, ch. 614, 58 Stat. 827; Dec. 28, 1945, ch. 590, §1(f), 59 Stat. 658; June 29, 1946, ch. 526, §1, 60 Stat. 345; Mar. 31, 1947, ch. 29, §3, 61 Stat. 34; June 30, 1947, ch. 184, §1, 61 Stat. 214; July 15, 1947, ch. 248, §3, 61 Stat. 322; Feb. 28, 1948, ch. 85, 62 Stat. 58; June 4, 1948, ch. 419, §1, 62 Stat. 342; June 30, 1949, ch. 289, 63 Stat. 404, provided for termination of portions of the Second War Powers Act, 1942, former sections 631 to 642e, 643 to 643c, 644 to 644b, and 645 to 645b of this Appendix, on certain specified dates.

Section 645a, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title XV, §1502, 56 Stat. 187, provided that act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, 56 Stat. 176, be cited as the "Second War Powers Act, 1942".

Section 645b, act Mar. 27, 1942, ch. 199, title XV, §1503, as added June 29, 1946, ch. 526, §2, 60 Stat. 346, provided that nothing in the Second War Powers Act, 1942, or any other Federal Act, except the Emergency Price Control Act of 1942, sections 901 to 946 of this Appendix, the Stabilization Act of 1942, sections 961 to 971 of this Appendix, or the District of Columbia Emergency Rent Act be construed to authorize the establishment of price and rent controls.

Act Mar. 31, 1947, ch. 29, 61 Stat. 34, known as the "First Decontrol Act of 1947", provided that it was vital to a free economy and full production in the United States that all emergency controls and war powers under the Second War Powers Act, sections 631 to 642e, 643 to 643c, 644 to 644b, and 645 to 645b of this Appendix, be removed except in certain limited instances, and amended section 645 of this Appendix for the purpose of liquidating existing emergency controls and war powers and for the purpose of affording Congressional committees an opportunity to consider specific legislation granting restricted authority in limited instances.

Act July 15, 1947, ch. 248, 61 Stat. 321, as amended Feb. 28, 1948, ch. 85, 62 Stat. 58; June 4, 1948, ch. 419, §1, 62 Stat. 342, known as the "Second Decontrol Act of 1947", provided that it was the general policy of the United States to eliminate emergency wartime controls of materials except to the minimum extent necessary, and amended sections 645 and 701 of this Appendix to effectuate this policy.

Act June 30, 1947, ch. 184, §2, 61 Stat. 214, authorized appropriations, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of act June 30, 1947, amending sections 645 and 701 of this Appendix.