51 U.S.C. § 20141 — Misuse of agency name and initials
submitted 16 years ago by Pub. L. 111-314 to r/title-51-NATIONAL-AND-COMMERCIAL-SPACE-PROGRAMS · 202 words · no verdicts yet
No one may knowingly misuse the words 'National Aeronautics and Space Administration' or 'NASA'. This includes using them to falsely suggest a business is connected to the Administration. It also bans falsely implying endorsement, and the Attorney General may sue to stop it.
(a) In General. No person (as defined by section 20135(a)) may knowingly use the words 'National Aeronautics and Space Administration*,' the letters 'NASA,' or any combination, variation, or imitation of them — alone or with other words — (1) as a business name in a way reasonably meant to make people think the business is connected to, endorsed by, or authorized by the Administration, when that is not actually true; or (2) in connection with a product or service offered to the public in a way reasonably meant to make people think the Administration authorized, supported, sponsored, endorsed, developed, used, or made it, when that is not actually true.
(b) Civil Proceeding To Enjoin. If it looks to the Attorney General that someone is doing, or about to do, something banned by subsection (a), the Attorney General may start a civil lawsuit in a U.S. district court to stop it.
No person (as defined by section 20135(a) of this title) may knowingly use the words “National Aeronautics and Space Administration*” or the letters “NASA”, or any combination, variation, or colorable imitation of those words or letters either alone or in combination with other words or letters—
as a firm or business name in a manner reasonably calculated to convey the impression that the firm or business has some connection with, endorsement of, or authorization from, the Administration which does not, in fact, exist; or
in connection with any product or service being offered or made available to the public in a manner reasonably calculated to convey the impression that the product or service has the authorization, support, sponsorship, or endorsement of, or the development, use, or manufacture by or on behalf of the Administration which does not, in fact, exist.
Whenever it appears to the Attorney General that any person is engaged in an act or practice which constitutes or will constitute conduct prohibited by subsection (a), the Attorney General may initiate a civil proceeding in a district court of the United States to enjoin such act or practice.
Source credit: (Pub. L. 111–314, § 3, Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3348.)
- 2010Enacted · Pub. L. 111-314 · 124 Stat. 3348
A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by Pub. L. 111-314 on 2010-12-18.
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