Opinion ID: 420979
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Presidental Proclamation 4771

Text: 26 As an independent ground for dismissing the indictment, the district court held that Presidential Proclamation 4771, 45 Fed.Reg. 45,247 (1980), was void for noncompliance with the notice and comment requirement of 50 U.S.C.App. Sec. 463(b). Wayte, 549 F.Supp. at 1389-91. Absent the Proclamation, there is no basis for criminal prosecution for nonregistration. See United States v. Mersky, 361 U.S. 431, 437-38, 80 S.Ct. 459, 463-464, 4 L.Ed.2d 423 (1960). Section 463(b) provides in part: 27 [N]o regulation issued under [the Selective Service] Act shall become effective until the expiration of thirty days following the date on which such regulation has been published in the Federal Register. After the publication of any regulation and prior to the date on which such regulation becomes effective, any person shall be given an opportunity to submit his views to the Director on such regulation, but no formal hearing shall be required on any such regulation. 28 50 U.S.C.App. Sec. 463(b). It does not mention presidential proclamations. 29 Wayte argues that Congress intended the term regulation in that section to refer to presidential proclamations as well as Selective Service regulations. The force of that argument is diluted by Congress' conjunctive use of the terms regulation and proclamation elsewhere in the Selective Service Act. 30 Section 453 of the Selective Service Act provides that men shall register at that time and place and in that manner determined by proclamation of the President and by rules and regulations prescribed hereunder. 50 U.S.C.App. Sec. 453(a) (emphasis added). In light of Congress' reference to proclamations and regulations in that section, its Sec. 463(b) reference to regulations alone indicates that proclamations do not fall within the notice and comment requirement. 31 The confusing legislative history of the section does not warrant a departure from the plain meaning of the statutory language. See SEC v. Mount Vernon Memorial Park, 664 F.2d 1358, 1364 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 456 U.S. 961, 102 S.Ct. 2037, 72 L.Ed.2d 485 (1982). Section 463(b) does not apply to presidential proclamations.