§149. Regulation, cleaning, etc., of vehicles and materials entering from Mexico

(a) Administration by Secretary; fees

To prevent the introduction of insect pests and plant diseases the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized and directed to promulgate such rules and regulations as he may deem necessary to regulate the entry into the United States of railway cars and other vehicles and freight, express, baggage, and other materials which may carry such pests and to provide for the inspection, cleaning, and, when necessary, disinfection of such vehicles and materials; to carry out the activities required to accomplish this purpose, the Secretary of Agriculture shall use such means as he may deem necessary, including construction and repair of buildings, plants, and equipment for fumigation and disinfection or cleaning of vehicles and materials; the cleaning and disinfection of vehicles or materials necessary to accomplish the purpose shall be carried out by or under the direction of authorized inspectors of the Department of Agriculture, and the Secretary of Agriculture shall make and collect such charge as will cover, as nearly as may be, the average cost of materials, facilities, and special labor used in performing such disinfection, and fees so collected shall be covered into the Treasury of the United States as miscellaneous receipts.

(b) Penalties

(1) Any person who knowingly violates any rule or regulation promulgated under subsection (a) of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $5,000, by imprisonment not exceeding one year, or both.

(2) Any person who violates any such rule or regulation may be assessed a civil penalty by the Secretary of Agriculture not exceeding $1,000. The Secretary may issue an order assessing such civil penalty only after notice and an opportunity for an agency hearing on the record. Such order shall be treated as a final order reviewable under chapter 158 of title 28. The validity of such order may not be reviewed in an action to collect such civil penalty.

(Jan. 31, 1942, ch. 31, 56 Stat. 40 ; Pub. L. 85–36, title I, §110, May 23, 1957, 71 Stat. 34 ; Pub. L. 97–461, §3, Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2524 ; Pub. L. 103–465, title IV, §431(b), Dec. 8, 1994, 108 Stat. 4967 .)

Amendments

1994-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–465 struck out "from Mexico" after "regulate the entry into the United States".

1983-Pub. L. 97–461 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b).

1957-Pub. L. 85–36 substituted "or" for "and" before "under the direction of authorized inspectors".

Effective Date of 1994 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 103–465 effective on the date of entry into force of the WTO Agreement with respect to the United States (Jan. 1, 1995), except as otherwise provided, see section 451 of Pub. L. 103–465, set out as an Effective Date note under section 3601 of Title 19, Customs Duties.

Transfer of Functions

Functions of all officers, agencies and employees of Department of Agriculture transferred, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of Agriculture by 1953 Reorg. Plan No. 2, §1, eff. June 4, 1953, 18 F.R. 3219, 67 Stat. 633, set out as a note under section 2201 of this title.

Disposition of Moneys

Department of Agriculture Appropriation Acts, July 12, 1943, ch. 215, 57 Stat. 408 ; June 28, 1944, ch. 296, 58 Stat. 440 , provided that any moneys received in payment of charges shall be covered into the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.

Continuation of Provisions

Sections amended or repealed by Pub. L. 85–36 to continue in force as to rights, liabilities and violations that occurred before May 23, 1957, and findings, regulations, other orders, permits and certificates issued before May 23, 1957, as remaining in effect until modified, see section 111 of Pub. L. 85–36, set out as a note under section 147a of this title.