THE NEUTRALITY ACT OF 1937,
May 1, 1937


JOINT RESOLUTION
To amend the joint resolution, approved August 31, 1935, as amended.

Resolved...

EXPORT OF ARMS, AMMUNITION, AND IMPLEMENTS OF WAR

Section 1. (a) Whenever the President shall find that there exists a 
state of war between, or among, two or more foreign states, the 
President shall proclaim such fact, and it shall thereafter be unlawful 
to export, or attempt to export, or cause to be exported, arms, 
ammunition, or implements of war from any place in the United States to 
any belligerent state named in such proclamation, or to any neutral 
state for transshipment to, or for the use of, any such belligerent 
state.
(b) The President shall, from time to time, by proclamation, extend such 
embargo upon the export of arms, ammunition, or implements of war to 
other states as and when they may become involved in such war.
(c) Whenever the President shall find that such a state of civil strife 
exists in a foreign state and that such civil strife is of a magnitude 
or is being conducted under such conditions that the export of arms, 
ammunition, or implements of war from the United States to such foreign 
state would threaten or endanger the peace of the United States, the 
President shall proclaim such fact, and it shall thereafter be unlawful 
to export, or attempt to export, or cause to be exported, arms, 
ammunition, or implements of war from any place in the United States to 
such foreign state, or to any neutral state for transshipment to, or for 
use of, such foreign state.
(d) The President shall, from time to time by proclamation, definitely 
enumerate the arms, ammunition, and implements of war, the export of 
which is prohibited by this section.  The arms, ammunition, and 
implements of war so enumerated shall include those enumerated in the 
President's proclamation Numbered 2163, of April 10, 1936, but shall not 
include raw materials or any other articles or materials not of the same 
general character as those enumerated in the said proclamation, and in 
the Convention for the Supervision for the International Trade in Arms 
and Ammunition and in Implements of War, signed at Geneva June, 17, 
1925.
(e) Whoever, in violation of any of the provisions of this Act, shall 
export, or attempt to export, or cause to be exported, arms, ammunition, 
or implements of war from the United States shall be fined not more than 
$10,000, or imprisoned not more than five years, or both...
(f) In the case of the forfeiture of any arms, ammunition, or implements 
of war by reason of a violation of this Act, ... such arms, ammunition, 
or implements of war shall be delivered to the Secretary of War for such 
use or disposal thereof as shall be approved by the President of the 
United States.
(g) Whenever, in the judgment of the President, the conditions which 
have caused him to issue any proclamation under the authority of this 
section have ceased to exist, he shall revoke the same, and the 
provisions of this section shall thereupon cease to apply with respect 
to the state or states named in such proclamation, except with respect 
to offenses committed, or forfeiture incurred, prior to such revocation.

EXPORT OF OTHER ARTICLES AND MATERIALS
Section 2. (a) Whenever the President shall have issued a proclamation 
under the authority of section 1 of this Act and he shall thereafter 
find that the placing of restrictions on the shipment of certain 
articles or materials in addition to arms, ammunition, and implements of 
war from the United States to belligerent states, or to a state wherein 
civil strife exists, is necessary to promote the security or preserve 
the peace of the United States or to protect the lives of citizens of 
the United States, he shall so proclaim, and it shall thereafter be 
unlawful, for any American vessel to carry such articles or materials to 
any belligerent state, or to any state wherein civil strife exists, 
named in such proclamation issued under the authority of section 1 of 
this Act, or to any neutral state for transshipment to, or for the use 
of, any such belligerent states or any such state wherein civil strife 
exists.  The President shall by proclamation from time to time 
definitely enumerate the articles and materials which is shall be 
unlawful for American vessels to so transport...
(c) The President shall from time to time by proclamation extend such 
restrictions as are imposed under the authority of this section to other 
states as and when they may be declared to become belligerent states 
under the authority of section 1 of this Act.
(d) The President may from time to time change, modify, or revoke in 
whole or in part any proclamations issued by him under the authority of 
this section.
(e) Except with respect to offenses committed, or forfeitures incurred, 
prior to May 1, 1939, this section and all proclamations issued 
thereunder shall not be effective after May 1, 1939.

FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS
Section 3. (a) Whenever the President shall have issued a proclamation 
under the authority of section 1 of this Act, it shall thereafter be 
unlawful for any person within the United States to purchase, sell, or 
exchange bonds, securities, or other obligations of the government of 
any belligerent state or of any state wherein civil strife exists, named 
in such proclamation, or of any political subdivision of any such state, 
or of any person acting for or on behalf of the government of any such 
state, or of any faction or asserted government within any such state 
wherein civil strife exists, or of any person acting for or on behalf of 
any faction or asserted government within any such state wherein civil 
strife exists, issued after the date of such proclamation, or to make 
any load or extend any credit to any such government, political 
subdivision, faction, asserted government, or person, or to solicit or 
receive any contribution for any such government, political subdivision, 
faction, asserted government, or person: PROVIDED, That if the President 
shall find that such action will serve to protect the commercial or 
other interest of the United States or its citizens, he may, in his 
discretion, and to such extent and under such regulations as he may 
prescribe, except from the operation of this section ordinary commercial 
credits and short-time obligations in aid of legal transactions and of a 
character customarily used in normal peacetime commercial transactions.  
Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit the 
solicitation or collection of funds to be used for medical aid and 
assistance, or for food and clothing to relieve human suffering, when 
such solicitation or collection of funds is made on behalf of and for 
use by any person or organization which is not acting for or on behalf 
of any such government, political subdivision, faction, or asserted 
government, but all such solicitations and collections of funds shall be 
subject to the approval of the President and shall be made under such 
rules and regulations as he shall prescribe....
(c) Whoever shall violate the provisions of this section or of any 
regulations issued hereunder shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined 
not more than $50,000 or imprisoned for not more than five years, or 
both.  Should the violation be by a corporation, organization, or 
association, each officer or agent thereof participating in the 
violation may be liable to the penalty herein prescribed....

EXCEPTIONS - AMERICAN REPUBLICS
Section 4. This Act shall not apply to an American republic or republics 
engaged in war against a non-American state or states, provide the 
American republic is no cooperating with an non-American state or states 
in such a war

NATIONAL MUNITIONS CONTROL BOARD
Section 5. (a) There is hereby established a National Munitions Control 
Board (herein after referred to as the 'Board') to carry out the 
provisions of this Act.  The board shall consist of the Secretary of 
State, who shall be chairman and executive officer of the Board, the 
Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the 
Navy, and the Secretary of Commerce.  Except as otherwise provided in 
this Act,  or by other law,. the administration of this Act is vested in 
the Department of State.  The Secretary of State shall promulgate such 
rules and regulations with regard to the enforcement of this section as 
he may deem necessary to carry out its provisions.  The Board shall be 
convened by the chairman and shall hold at least one meeting a year.
(b) Every person who engages in the business of manufacturing, 
exporting, or importing any of the arms, ammunition, or implements of 
war referred to in this Act, whether as an exporter, importer, 
manufacturer, or dealer, shall register with the Secretary of States his 
name, place of business, and places of business in the United States, 
and a list of the arms, ammunition, and implements of war which he 
manufactures, imports, or exports.
(c) Every person required to register under this section shall notify 
the Secretary of State of any change in the arms, ammunition, or 
implements of war which he exports, imports, or manufactures;...
(d) It shall be unlawful for any person to export, or attempt to export, 
from the United States to any other state, any of the arms, ammunition, 
or implements of war referred to in this Act, or to import, or attempt 
to import, to the United States from any other state, any of the arms, 
ammunition, or implements of war referred to in this Act, without first 
having obtained a license therefor. ...
(k) The President is hereby authorized to proclaim upon recommendation 
of the Board from time to time a list of articles which shall be 
considered arms, ammunition, and implements of war for the purposes of 
this section.

AMERICAN VESSELS PROHIBITED FROM CARRYING ARMS TO BELLIGERENT STATES
Section 6. (a) Whenever the President shall have issued a proclamation 
under the authority of section 1 of this Act, it shall thereafter be 
unlawful, until such proclamation is revoked, for any American vessel to 
carry any arms, ammunition, or implements of war to any belligerent 
state, or to any state wherein civil strife exists, named in such 
proclamation, or to any neutral state for transshipment to, or for the 
use of, any such belligerent state or any such state wherein civil 
strife exists.
(b) Whoever, in violation of the provisions of this section, shall take, 
or attempt to take, or shall authorize, hire, or solicit another to 
take, any American vessel carrying such cargo out of port or from the 
jurisdiction of the United States shall be fined not more than $10,000, 
or imprisoned not more than five years, or both; and in addition, such 
vessel, and her tackle, apparel, furniture, and equipment, and the arms, 
ammunition, and implements of war on board, shall be forfeited to the 
United States.

USE OF AMERICAN PORTS AS BASE OF SUPPLY
Section 7. (a) Whenever, during any war in which the United States is 
neutral, the President, or any person thereunto authorized by him, shall 
have cause to believe that nay vessel, domestic or foreign, whether 
requiring clearance or not, is about to carry out of a port of the 
Untied States, fuel, men, arms, ammunition, implements of war, or other 
supplies to any warship, tender, or supply ship of a belligerent state, 
but the evidence is not deemed sufficient to justify forbidding the 
departure of the vessel as provided for by section 1, title V, chapter 
30, of the Act approved June 15, 1917, and if, in the President's 
judgment, such action will serve to maintain peace between the United 
States and foreign states, or to protect the commercial interests of the 
United States and its citizens, or to promote the security or neutrality 
of the United States, he shall have the power and it shall be his duty 
to require the owner, master, or person in command thereof, before 
departing from a port of the United States, to give a bond to the United 
States, with sufficient sureties, in such amount as he shall deem 
proper, conditioned that the vessel will not deliver the men, or any 
part of the cargo, to any warship, tender, or supply ship of the 
belligerent state.
(b) If the President, or any person thereunto authorized by him, shall 
find that a vessel, domestic or foreign, in a port of the United States, 
has previously cleared from a port of the United States during such war 
and delivered its cargo or any part thereof to a warship, tender, or 
supply ship of a belligerent state, he may prohibit the departure of 
such vessel during the duration of the war.

SUBMARINES AND ARMED MERCHANT VESSELS
Section 8. Whenever, during any war in which the United States is 
neutral, the President shall find that special restrictions placed on 
the use of the ports and territorial waters of the United States by the 
submarines or armed merchant vessels of a foreign state, will serve to 
maintain peace between the United States and foreign states, or to 
protect the commercial interests of the United States and its citizens, 
or to promote the security of the United States, and shall make 
proclamation therefore, it shall thereafter be unlawful for any such 
submarine or armed merchant vessel to enter a port or the territorial 
waters of the United States or to depart therefrom, except under such 
conditions and subject to such limitations as the President may 
prescribe.  Whenever, in his judgment, the conditions which have caused 
him to issue his proclamation have ceased to exist, he shall revoke his 
proclamation and the provisions of this section shall thereupon cease to 
apply.

TRAVEL ON VESSELS OF BELLIGERENT STATES
Section 9.  Whenever the President shall have issued a proclamation 
under the authority of section 1 of this Act it shall thereafter be 
unlawful for any citizen of the United States to travel on any vessel of 
the state or states named in such proclamation, except in accordance 
with such rules and regulations as the President shall prescribe:...

ARMING OF AMERICAN MERCHANT VESSELS PROHIBITED
Section 10.  Whenever the President shall have issued a proclamation 
under the authority of section 1, it shall thereafter be unlawful, until 
such proclamation is revoked, for any American vessel engaged in 
commerce with any belligerent state, or any state wherein civil strife 
exists, named in such proclamation, to be armed or to carry any 
armament, arms, ammunition, or implements of war, except small arms and 
ammunition therefor which the President may deem necessary and shall 
publicly designate for the preservation of discipline aboard such 
vessels.

REGULATIONS
Section 11.  The President may, from time to time, promulgate such rules 
and regulations, not inconsistent with law, as may be necessary and 
proper to carry out any of the provisions of this Act; and he may 
exercise any power or authority conferred on him by this Act through 
such officer or officers, or agency or agencies, as he shall direct....