Speech #690122967

Foreign aircraft.-(a) The Congress hereby declares that the Government of the United States has. to the exclusion of all foreign nations. complete sovereignty of the air space over the lands and waters of the United States. including the Canal Zone. Aircraft a part of the armed forces of any foreign nation shall not be navigated in the United States. including the Canal Zone. except in accordance with an authorization granted by the Secretary of State. "(b) Foreign aircraft not a part of the armed forces of the foreign nation shall be navigated in the United States only if authorized as hereinafter in this section provided. and if so authorized. such aircraft and airmen serVing in connection therewith. shall be subject to the requirements of section 3. unless exempt under subdivision (c) of this section. "(c) If a foreign nation grants a similar privilege in respect of aircraft of the United States. and/or airmen serving in connection therewith. the Secretary of Commerce may authorize aircraft registered under the law of the foreign nation and not a part of the armed forces thereof to be navigated in the United States. and may by regulation exempt such aircraft. and/or airmen serving in connection therewith. from the requirements of section 3. other than the air traffic rules. but no foreign aircraft shall engage in interstate or intrastate air commerce. " SEc. 7. Application of existing laws relating to foreign commerce.-(a) The imavigation and shipping laws of the United States. including any definition of vessel or vehicle found therein and including the rules for the prevention of collisions. shall not be construed to apply to seaplanes or other aircraft or to the navigation of vessels in relation to seaplanes or other aircraft. "(b) The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to (1) designate places in the United States as ports of entry for civil aircraft arriving in the United States from any place outside thereof and for merchandise carried on such aircraft. (2) detail to ports of entry for civil aircraft such officers and employees of the customs service as he may deem necessary. and to confer or impose upon any officer or employee of the United States stationed at any such port of entry (with the consent of the head of the Government department or other independent establishment under whose jurisdiction the officer or employee is serving) any of the powers. privileges. or duties conferred or imposed upon officers or employees of the customs service. and (3) by regulation to provide for the application to civil air navigation of the laws and regulations relating to the administration of the customs and public health laws to such extent and upon such conditions as he deems necessary. "(c) The Secretary of Commerce is authorized by regulation to provide for the application to civil aircraft of the laws and regulations relating to the entry and clearance of vessels to such extent and upon such conditions as he deems necessary. "(d) The Secretary of Labor is authorized to (1) designate any of the ports of entry for civil aircraft as ports of entry for aliens arriving by aircraft. (2) detail to such ports of entry such officers and employees of the Immigration Service as he may deem necessary. and to confer or impose upon any employee of the United States stationed at such port of entry (with the consent of the head of the Government department or other independent establishment under whose jurisdiction the officer or employee is serving) any of the powers. privileges. or duties conferred or imposed upon officers or employees of the Immigration Service. and (3) by regulation to provide for the application to civil air navigation of the laws and regulations relating to the administration of the immigration laws to such extent and upon such conditions as he deems necessary. " SEC. S. Additional Assistant Secretary of Commerce.-To aid the .Secretary of Commerce in fostering air commerce and to perform such functions vested in the Secretary under this act as the Secretary may designate. there shall be an additional Assistant Secretary of Commerce. who shall be appointed by the President. by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and whose compensation shall be fixed in accordance with the classification act of 1923.