---
kind: "section"
citation: "33 U.S.C. § 894d–1"
title: "33"
title_heading: "Navigation and Navigable Waters"
number: "894d–1"
heading: "Investigation requirement"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/33/894d-1"
units:
  - "Chapter 17 — National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration"
  - "Subchapter VI — Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention"
---

# §894d–1. Investigation requirement

- (a) **Requirement to investigate—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/33/426h–1.md?p=2) of Commerce, acting through the Under [Secretary](/usc/33/426h–1.md?p=2) for Oceans and Atmosphere, shall ensure that each allegation of sexual harassment reported under [section 894 of this title](/usc/33/894.md) and each allegation of sexual assault reported under [section 894a of this title](/usc/33/894a.md) is investigated thoroughly and promptly.
  - (2) **Sense of Congress on commencement of investigation—** It is the sense of Congress that the [Secretary](/usc/33/426h–1.md?p=2) should ensure that an investigation of alleged sexual harassment reported under [section 894 of this title](/usc/33/894.md) or sexual assault reported under [section 894a of this title](/usc/33/894a.md) commences not later than 48 hours after the time at which the allegation was reported.
- (b) **Notification of delay—** In any case in which the time between the reporting of alleged sexual harassment or sexual assault under section [894](/usc/33/894.md) or [894a](/usc/33/894a.md) of this title, respectively, and commencement of an investigation of the allegation exceeds 48 hours, the [Secretary](/usc/33/426h–1.md?p=2) shall notify the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives of the delay.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 114–328, div. C, title XXXV, § 3546, as added Pub. L. 116–259, title V, § 504(b)(2), Dec. 23, 2020, 134 Stat. 1180.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 3546 of Pub. L. 114–328 was renumbered section 3548 and is classified to section 894e of this title.