### §152. Regulation of length of towlines

The Commandant of the Coast Guard shall prepare regulations limiting the length of hawsers between towing vessels and seagoing barges in tow and the length of such tows within any of the inland waters of the United States designated and defined from time to time pursuant to section 151 of this title, and such regulations shall have the force of law.

(May 28, 1908, ch. 212, §14, 35 Stat. 428; June 17, 1910, ch. 301, §§4, 6, 36 Stat. 537, 538; Mar. 4, 1913, ch. 141, §1, 37 Stat. 736; June 30, 1932, ch. 314, pt. II, title V, §§501, 502, 47 Stat. 415; May 27, 1936, ch. 463, §1, 49 Stat. 1380; 1939 Reorg. Plan No. II, §2(a), eff. July 1, 1939, 4 F.R. 2731, 53 Stat. 1432; 1946 Reorg. Plan No. 3, §§101–104, eff. July 16, 1946, 11 F.R. 7875, 60 Stat. 1097; Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, §§1, 20, 63 Stat. 496, 561.)

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### Codification

Section was not enacted as part of act June 7, 1897, ch. 4, 30 Stat. 96, which comprises a major part of this chapter.

#### **Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries**

#### Transfer of Functions

"Commandant of the Coast Guard" substituted in text for provision that the Chairman of the Light House Board, the Supervising Inspector General of the Steamboat Inspection Service and the Commissioner of Navigation shall convene as a board to prepare regulations, and for approval of the regulations by the Secretary of Commerce and Labor.

Secretary of Commerce and Labor designated Secretary of Commerce by act Mar. 4, 1913, which created Department of Labor.

Sections 4 and 6 of act June 17, 1910, established in Department of Commerce and Labor a Bureau of Lighthouses with a Commissioner of Lighthouses as its head, and transferred duties of Light House Board to such Commissioner. Said sections 4 and 6 were repealed by section 20 of act Aug. 4, 1949, section 1 of which reestablished Coast Guard by enacting Title 14, Coast Guard. Section 2(a) of Reorg. Plan No. II, of 1939, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, consolidated Bureau of Lighthouses with Coast Guard, the Chief of which is Commandant of the Coast Guard.

Supervising Inspector General of the Steamboat Inspection Service and Commissioner of Navigation of Bureau of Navigation were affected by Secretary's authority to retain or dismiss officers and employees upon consolidation of bureaus under section 502(b) of act June 30, 1932.

Steamboat Inspection Service and Bureau of Navigation consolidated into Bureau of Navigation and Steamboat Inspection to be under direction of a chief of bureau by section 501 of act June 30, 1932.

Director of the Bureau of Navigation and Steamboat Inspection was designation given to chief of such Bureau by Secretary of Commerce under section 502(b) of act June 30, 1932.

Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation was designation given to Bureau of Navigation and Steamboat Inspection by act May 27, 1936.

Functions of Secretary of Commerce and Director of Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation under this section transferred to Commandant of the Coast Guard by Reorg. Plan No. 3, of 1946, §§101 to 104, set out in the Appendix to Title 5.

For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.

Coast Guard transferred to Department of Transportation, and functions, powers, and duties relating to Coast Guard of Secretary of the Treasury and of other officers and offices of Department of the Treasury transferred to Secretary of Transportation by Pub. L. 89–670, §6(b)(1), Oct. 15, 1966, 80 Stat. 938. Section 6(b)(2) of Pub. L. 89–670, however, provided that notwithstanding such transfer of functions, Coast Guard shall operate as part of Navy in time of war or when President directs as provided in former section 3 (now 103) of Title 14, Coast Guard. See section 108 of Title 49, Transportation.

#### **Executive Documents**

#### Transfer of Functions

For transfer of functions of other officers, employees, and agencies of Department of the Treasury, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of the Treasury with power to delegate, see Reorg. Plan No. 26 of 1950, §§1, 2, eff. July 31, 1950, 15 F.R. 4935, 64 Stat. 1280, 1281, set out in the Appendix to Title 5. Functions of Coast Guard, and Commandant of the Coast Guard, excepted from transfer when Coast Guard is operating as part of Navy under former sections 1 and 3 (now 101 and 103) of Title 14, Coast Guard.