Us Code § 4051 - Requirement of prior authorization
Full text of Us Code United States Code § 4051 — Requirement of prior authorization, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 4051. Requirement of prior authorization
(a) General rule
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, money appropriated to the Department of Commerce for expenses to carry out any export promotion program may be obligated or expended only if—
(1) the appropriation thereof has been previously authorized by law enacted on or after July 12, 1985; or
(2) the amount of all such obligations and expenditures does not exceed an amount previously prescribed by law enacted on or after such date.
(b) Exception for later legislation authorizing obligations or expenditures
To the extent that legislation enacted after the making of an appropriation to carry out any export promotion program authorizes the obligation or expenditure thereof, the limitation contained in subsection (a) shall have no effect.
(c) Provisions must be specifically superseded
The provisions of this section shall not be superseded except by a provision of law enacted after July 12, 1985, which specifically repeals, modifies, or supersedes the provisions of this section.
(d) "Export promotion program" defined
For purposes of this subchapter, the term "export promotion program" means any activity of the Department of Commerce designed to stimulate or assist United States businesses in marketing their goods and services abroad competitively with businesses from other countries, including, but not limited to—
(1) trade development (except for the trade adjustment assistance program) and dissemination of foreign marketing opportunities and other marketing information to United States producers of goods and services, including the expansion of foreign markets for United States textiles and apparel and any other United States products;
(2) the development of regional and multilateral economic policies which enhance United States trade and investment interests, and the provision of marketing services with respect to foreign countries and regions;
(3) the exhibition of United States goods in other countries;
(4) the operations of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service, or any successor agency; and
(5) the Market Development Cooperator Program established under section 4723 of this title, and assistance for trade shows provided under section 4724 of this title.
(e) Printing outside United States
(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 501 of title 44, and consistent with other applicable law, the Secretary of Commerce, in carrying out any export promotion program, may authorize—
(A) the printing, distribution, and sale of documents outside the contiguous United States, if the Secretary finds that the implementation of such export promotion program would be more efficient, and if such documents will be distributed primarily and sold exclusively outside the United States; and
(B) the acceptance of private notices and advertisements in connection with the printing and distribution of such documents.
(2) Any fees received by the Secretary pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be deposited in a separate account or accounts which may be used to defray directly the costs incurred in conducting activities authorized by paragraph (1) or to repay or make advances to appropriations or other funds available for such activities.
(Pub. L. 99–64, title II, §201, July 12, 1985, 99 Stat. 157; Pub. L. 100–418, title II, §§2305(a), 2308(a), Aug. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 1344, 1346.)
Editorial Notes
Codification
Section was enacted as part of the Export Administration Amendments Act of 1985, and not as part of Pub. L. 97–290 which enacted this chapter.
Amendments
1988—Subsec. (d)(5). Pub. L. 100–418, §2305(a), added par. (5).
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 100–418, §2308(a), added subsec. (e).
About This Section
15 U.S.C. § 4051 is part of Title 15 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.
This section may be cited in legal writing as 15 U.S.C. § 4051. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.
How to Read This Statute
Statutes are organized by title, chapter, section, and subsection. Pay attention to words like "shall," "may," "and," and "or," because they determine whether a requirement is mandatory or permissive and whether multiple conditions must all be met. Historical notes and amendments often appear at the end of a section.
Using This Page
This page is intended for research and educational use. Lawyers, students, journalists, and compliance professionals can use it as a starting point, but should always verify the current text through an official government source before relying on it for legal advice, filings, or compliance decisions.