What gives the USCG Authority to enforce CFR?

• A. 14 U.S.C. 633
• B. 46 U.S.C. 2104
• C. 33 U.S.C. 123
• D. 18 U.S.C. 1001

Answer: (A)

The ability of the Coast Guard to enforce CFRs comes from a statutory grant that gives its officers the authority to enforce federal laws and regulations within the Coast Guard’s jurisdiction. The specific statute most often cited for this power is 14 U.S.C. 633, which authorizes Coast Guard personnel to enforce the laws and regulations and to take enforcement actions when violations are found. This is the mechanism that turns the written CFR rules into enforceable rules in the field—during inspections, investigations, and other regulatory activities.

Other statutes listed do not provide the general enforcement authority for CFRs. For example, one is a general false statements provision that does not grant regulatory enforcement authority to the Coast Guard, and the others cover different legal areas or agencies. So the authority to enforce CFRs, in this context, rests on the statute that explicitly empowers the Coast Guard to enforce federal law and regulations, codified as 14 U.S.C. 633.