PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

During a war the President can require that any communications he thinks are essential for national defense get priority with any carrier covered by this law. Carriers that follow those orders are protected from civil or criminal penalties for giving that priority. The President can also order this at times he chooses and change or stop those orders. It is illegal during a war for anyone to knowingly block or slow interstate or foreign radio or wire communications by physical force or threats. The President may use the armed forces to stop such obstruction. He may, when he proclaims war, threat of war, a national emergency, or to keep the United States neutral, suspend or change rules for stations or devices that emit electromagnetic radiation, close and remove equipment from stations (including ones between 10 kilocycles and 100,000 megacycles that can be used as navigational aids beyond five miles), or let a government department take control and use them with just payment to owners. The same powers apply to wire communication facilities for a period ending no later than six months after the end of the state or threat of war, unless Congress by concurrent resolution sets an earlier date. The President must decide fair payment and send that amount to Congress to pay. If an owner objects, they get 75 percent at first and may sue the United States under sections 1346 or 1491 of title 28 to recover the rest. These powers do not change state tax or police powers except where those affect government communications or issuance of stocks and bonds by communication systems. The President cannot change Commission rules beyond what the Commission could lawfully do, nor make actions last beyond the allowed date. Anyone who willfully disobeys or blocks these orders can be fined up to $1,000 or jailed up to one year (or both); organizations can be fined up to $5,000. If done with intent to harm the United States or help a foreign nation, the penalty is a fine up to $20,000 or up to 20 years in prison (or both).

Title 47, §606

Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Priority communications

During the continuance of a war in which the United States is engaged, the President is authorized, if he finds it necessary for the national defense and security, to direct that such communications as in his judgment may be essential to the national defense and security shall have preference or priority with any carrier subject to this chapter. He may give these directions at and for such times as he may determine, and may modify, change, suspend, or annul them and for any such purpose he is authorized to issue orders directly, or through such person or persons as he designates for the purpose, or through the Commission. Any carrier complying with any such order or direction for preference or priority herein authorized shall be exempt from any and all provisions in existing law imposing civil or criminal penalties, obligations, or liabilities upon carriers by reason of giving preference or priority in compliance with such order or direction.

(b)Obstruction of interstate or foreign communications

It shall be unlawful for any person during any war in which the United States is engaged to knowingly or willfully, by physical force or intimidation by threats of physical force, obstruct or retard or aid in obstructing or retarding interstate or foreign communication by radio or wire. The President is authorized, whenever in his judgment the public interest requires, to employ the armed forces of the United States to prevent any such obstruction or retardation of communication: Provided, That nothing in this section shall be construed to repeal, modify, or affect either section 17 of title 15 or section 52 of title 29.

(c)Suspension or amendment of rules and regulations applicable to certain emission stations or devices

Upon proclamation by the President that there exists war or a threat of war, or a state of public peril or disaster or other national emergency, or in order to preserve the neutrality of the United States, the President, if he deems it necessary in the interest of national security or defense, may suspend or amend, for such time as he may see fit, the rules and regulations applicable to any or all stations or devices capable of emitting electromagnetic radiations within the jurisdiction of the United States as prescribed by the Commission, and may cause the closing of any station for radio communication, or any device capable of emitting electromagnetic radiations between 10 kilocycles and 100,000 megacycles, which is suitable for use as a navigational aid beyond five miles, and the removal therefrom of its apparatus and equipment, or he may authorize the use or control of any such station or device and/or its apparatus and equipment, by any department of the Government under such regulations as he may prescribe upon just compensation to the owners. The authority granted to the President, under this subsection, to cause the closing of any station or device and the removal therefrom of its apparatus and equipment, or to authorize the use or control of any station or device and/or its apparatus and equipment, may be exercised in the Canal Zone.

(d)Suspension or amendment of rules and regulations applicable to wire communications; closing of facilities; Government use of facilities

Upon proclamation by the President that there exists a state or threat of war involving the United States, the President, if he deems it necessary in the interest of the national security and defense, may, during a period ending not later than six months after the termination of such state or threat of war and not later than such earlier date as the Congress by concurrent resolution may designate, (1) suspend or amend the rules and regulations applicable to any or all facilities or stations for wire communication within the jurisdiction of the United States as prescribed by the Commission, (2) cause the closing of any facility or station for wire communication and the removal therefrom of its apparatus and equipment, or (3) authorize the use or control of any such facility or station and its apparatus and equipment by any department of the Government under such regulations as he may prescribe, upon just compensation to the owners.

(e)Compensation

The President shall ascertain the just compensation for such use or control and certify the amount ascertained to Congress for appropriation and payment to the person entitled thereto. If the amount so certified is unsatisfactory to the person entitled thereto, such person shall be paid only 75 per centum of the amount and shall be entitled to sue the United States to recover such further sum as added to such payment of 75 per centum will make such amount as will be just compensation for the use and control. Such suit shall be brought in the manner provided by section 1346 or section 1491 of title 28.

(f)Affect on State laws and powers

Nothing in subsection (c) or (d) shall be construed to amend, repeal, impair, or affect existing laws or powers of the States in relation to taxation or the lawful police regulations of the several States, except wherein such laws, powers, or regulations may affect the transmission of Government communications, or the issue of stocks and bonds by any communication system or systems.

(g)Limitations upon Presidential power

Nothing in subsection (c) or (d) shall be construed to authorize the President to make any amendment to the rules and regulations of the Commission which the Commission would not be authorized by law to make; and nothing in subsection (d) shall be construed to authorize the President to take any action the force and effect of which shall continue beyond the date after which taking of such action would not have been authorized.

(h)Penalties

Any person who willfully does or causes or suffers to be done any act prohibited pursuant to the exercise of the President’s authority under this section, or who willfully fails to do any act which he is required to do pursuant to the exercise of the President’s authority under this section, or who willfully causes or suffers such failure, shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished for such offense by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both, and, if a firm, partnership, association, or corporation, by fine of not more than $5,000, except that any person who commits such an offense with intent to injure the United States, or with intent to secure an advantage to any foreign nation, shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not more than $20,000 or by imprisonment for not more than 20 years, or both.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (a), was in the original “this Act”, meaning act

June 19, 1934, ch. 652, 48 Stat. 1064, known as the Communications Act of 1934, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 609 of this title and Tables. For definition of Canal Zone, referred to in subsec. (c), see section 3602(b) of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse. Codification In subsec. (e), “section 1346 or section 1491 of title 28” substituted for “paragraph 20 of section 24 or by section 145, of the Judicial Code, as amended” (which were classified to section 41(20) and 250 of former Title 28, Judicial Code and Judiciary) on authority of act

June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 869, the first section of which enacted Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure. Section 1346 of Title 28 sets forth the basic jurisdiction of the district courts in cases in which the United States is defendant. Section 1491 of Title 28 sets forth the basic jurisdiction of the United States Court of Claims. section 24(20) and 145 of the Judicial Code were also classified to section 1496, 1501, 1503, 2401, 2402, and 2501 of Title 28.

Amendments

1951—Subsec. (c). Act Oct. 24, 1951, § 1, clarified scope of President’s powers to use, control, and close radio facilities of all kinds which might be useful to an enemy for navigational purposes. Subsec. (h). Act Oct. 24, 1951, § 2, added subsec. (h). 1947—Subsec. (h). Act July 25, 1947, struck out subsec. (h) which related to modification of certain sections of this title until six months after termination of World War II for the protection of vessels in wartime. 1942—Subsecs. (d), (e). Act Jan. 26, 1942, § 1, added subsec. (d) and redesignated former subsec. (d) as (e). Subsecs. (f), (g). Act Jan. 26, 1942, § 2, added subsecs. (f) and (g). Subsec. (h). Act Dec. 29, 1942, added subsec. (h).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Termination of War and EmergenciesAct

July 25, 1947, ch. 327, § 3, 61 Stat. 451, provided that in the interpretation of this section, the date

July 25, 1947, shall be deemed to be the date of termination of any state of war theretofore declared by Congress and of the national emergencies proclaimed by the President on Sept. 8, 1939, and

May 27, 1941.

Executive Documents

Delegation of Functions Authorities of President under subsecs. (a) and (c) to (e) of this section delegated to the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, if the President takes the actions, including issuing any necessary proclamations and findings, required by this section to invoke those authorities, see section 2.3 of Ex. Ord. No. 13618, which is set out as a note under section 5195 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. Executive Order No. 8964 Ex. Ord. No. 8964, eff. Dec. 10, 1941, 6 F.R. 6367, relating to the use and control of radio stations and preference or priority of communications was revoked by Ex. Ord. No. 9831, eff. Feb. 24, 1947, 12 F.R. 1363. Ex. Ord. No. 9831. Board of War Communications Abolished Ex. Ord. No. 9831, eff. Feb. 24, 1947, 12 F.R. 1363, provided: By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and statutes, including the Communications Act of 1934 (48 Stat. 1104, as amended; 47 U.S.C. 606) and as President of the United States, and in the interest of the internal management of the Government, it is hereby ordered as follows: 1. The Board of War Communications, established as the Defense Communications Board by Executive Order No. 8546 of

September 24, 1940, is abolished, and all property and records thereof are transferred to the Federal Communications Commission. 2. Executive Orders Nos. 8546 of

September 24, 1940, 8960 of

December 6, 1941, 8964 of

December 10, 1941, 9089 of

March 6, 1942, and 9183 of

June 15, 1942, are revoked. Harry S. Truman. Executive Order No. 10312 Ex. Ord. No. 10312, eff. Dec. 10, 1951, 16 F.R. 12452, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 10438, eff. Mar. 13, 1953, 18 F.R. 1491; Ex. Ord. No. 10773, eff.

July 1, 1958, 23 F.R. 5061; Ex. Ord. No. 10782, eff. Sept. 6, 1958, 23 F.R. 6971; Ex. Ord. No. 11051, eff. Sept. 27, 1962, 27 F.R. 9683, relating to delegation of authority to the Federal Communications Commission was revoked by Ex. Ord. No. 11490, eff. Oct. 28, 1969, 34 F.R. 17567. Executive Order No. 10705 Ex. Ord. No. 10705, Apr. 17, 1957, 22 F.R. 2729, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 10773,

July 1, 1958, 23 F.R. 5061; Ex. Ord. No. 10782, Sept. 6, 1958, 23 F.R. 6971; Ex. Ord. No. 11051, Sept. 27, 1962, 27 F.R. 9683; Ex. Ord. No. 11556, Sept. 4, 1970, 35 F.R. 14193, which related to the delegation of authority to the Director of the Office of Telecommunications Policy, was revoked by Ex. Ord. No. 12046, Mar. 27, 1978, 43 F.R. 13349, set out as a note under section 305 of this title.

§606 War Powers of President