The President may, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint as ensigns in the Coast Guard all cadets who shall graduate from the Academy. Ensigns so commissioned on the same date shall take rank according to their proficiency as shown by the order of their merit at date of graduation.

(Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, 63 Stat. 508.)

Based on title 14, U.S.C., 1946 ed., §15a–1 (May 25, 1943, ch. 99, 57 Stat. 84).

Said section has been divided. The proviso is incorporated in section 182 of this title. The other part is incorporated in this section.

The last sentence of this section is new as a statute; it makes statutory what has been the practice of years, and is similar to the third sentence of title 34, U.S.C., 1946 ed., §1057, applicable to graduates of the Naval Academy. 81st Congress, House Report No. 557.