46 U.S.C. § 11102
Medicine chests
(a)
A vessel of the United States on a voyage from a port in the United States to a foreign port (except to a Canadian port), and a vessel of the United States of at least 75 gross tons as measured under section 14502 of this title , or an alternate tonnage measured under section 14302 of this title as prescribed by the Secretary under section 14104 of this title on a voyage between a port of the United States on the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean, shall be provided with a medicine chest.
(b)
The owner and master of a vessel not equipped as required by subsection (a) of this section or a regulation prescribed under subsection (a) are liable to the United States Government for a civil penalty of $500. If the offense was due to the fault of the owner, a master penalized under this section has the right to recover the penalty and costs from the owner.
( Pub. L. 98–89 , Aug. 26, 1983 , 97 Stat. 578 ; Pub. L. 104–324, title VII, § 741 , Oct. 19, 1996 , 110 Stat. 3942 .)