Whoever knowingly issues or publishes any counterfeit weather forecast or warning of weather conditions falsely representing such forecast or warning to have been issued or published by the Weather Bureau, United States Signal Service, or other branch of the Government service, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ninety days, or both.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 795; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(G), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)
Historical and Revision NotesBased on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 117 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 61, 35 Stat. 1100).
Minor verbal changes were made.
Editorial Notes
References in TextThe United States Signal Service, referred to in text, is now the Signal Corps which is a branch of the Army, see section 3063 of Title 10, Armed Forces.
Amendments1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $500”.
Executive Documents
Transfer of Functions
Weather Bureau of Department of Commerce consolidated with Coast and Geodetic Survey to form a new agency in Department of Commerce to be known as Environmental Science Services Administration by Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1965, eff. July 13, 1965, 30 F.R. 8819, 79 Stat. 1318, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. All functions of Bureau transferred to Secretary of Commerce by the Plan.
Environmental Science Services Administration abolished by Reorg. Plan No. 4 of 1970, eff. Oct. 3, 1970, 35 F.R. 15627, 84 Stat. 2090, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, which created National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Department of Commerce. By Department Organization Order 25–5A, republished 39 F.R. 27486, Secretary of Commerce delegated to NOAA his functions relating to Weather Bureau. By order of Acting Associate Administrator of NOAA, the organization name of Weather Bureau was changed to National Weather Service. For further details, see Codification note under section 311 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade.