Federal Explosives Act of 1917 is a United States federal
statutory law citing an incriminating act for the distribution, manufacture, possession, storage, and use of
explosive material
An explosive (or explosive material) is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure. An exp ...
during the time of
war. The
Act of Congress
An Act of Congress is a statute enacted by the United States Congress. Acts may apply only to individual entities (called Public and private bills, private laws), or to the general public (Public and private bills, public laws). For a Bill (law) ...
authorizes the
federal regulation
The ''Federal Register'' (FR or sometimes Fed. Reg.) is the official journal of the federal government of the United States that contains government agency rules, proposed rules, and public notices. It is published every weekday, except on feder ...
of the distribution, manufacture, possession, storage, and use of
incendiary material during
wartime.
The Act was passed by the
65th United States Congress
The 65th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1917, to ...
and enacted into law by
President Woodrow Wilson on October 6, 1917.
Provisions of 1917 Act
The
United States Bureau of Mines governs the federal regulations for restrictive protocols with regards to explosive materials.
* Combustible ingredients are held or purchased in minimal quantities
* Data and formulation processes prohibited from
disclosure
* Explosive inspectors authorized by U.S. Bureau of Mines
* Explosive possession is prohibited for unlicensed entities
* Federal licensing applies for
blasting agents at
mines and
quarries
* Federal licensing is subject to discretionary refusal
* Revocation is authorized for a federal explosive license
''Federal Explosive License Classifications''
:Exporter license
:Foreman license
:Importer license
:Manufacturer license
:Purchaser license
:Technical license (Analyst, Educator, Inventor, Investigator)
:Vendor license
Presidential Proclamation of 1917
In accordance with the
Trading with the Enemy Act of 1917, President Woodrow Wilson issued Presidential Proclamation 1364 on April 6, 1917. The presidential statement proclaimed
national security
National security, or national defence, is the security and defence of a sovereign state, including its citizens, economy, and institutions, which is regarded as a duty of government. Originally conceived as protection against military atta ...
protections regarding domestic alien enemies petitioning for aggressive
terrorist tactics against the
United States.
Precious Metal Regulation of 1918
The Sundry Civil Expenses Appropriations Act of 1918 applied the unlicensed enforcement prohibitions of the federal explosive act for
iridium,
palladium,
platinum, and
precious metal
Precious metals are rare, naturally occurring metallic chemical elements of high economic value.
Chemically, the precious metals tend to be less reactive than most elements (see noble metal). They are usually ductile and have a high lustre. ...
compounds.
Amendment and Cancellation of 1917 Act
The Federal Explosives Act Amendment of 1941 appended the 1917
public law
Public law is the part of law that governs relations between legal persons and a government, between different institutions within a state, between different branches of governments, as well as relationships between persons that are of direct ...
revitalizing the federal scope for the perils of
World War II. On July 25, 1947, President
Harry S. Truman signed a Senate Joint Resolution ceasing provisions of the Federal Explosives Act with the