2 U.S.C. § 179q

(a) Use of seal (1) Prohibition on distribution and exhibition No person shall knowingly distribute or exhibit to the public a version of a film or any copy in any format of a film which bears the seal described in section 179m(a)(3) of this title if such film— (A) is not included in the National Film Registry; or (B) is included in the National Film Registry, but such film or film copy has not been approved for use of the seal by the Librarian pursuant to section 179m(a)(1)(D) of this title . (2) Prohibition on promotion No person shall knowingly use the seal described in section 179m(a)(3) of this title to promote any version of a film in any format other than a Registry version. (b) Effective date of seal The use of the seal described in section 179m(a)(3) of this title shall be effective for each film after the Librarian publishes in the Federal Register, in accordance with section 179m(a)(2) of this title , the name of that film as selected for inclusion in the National Film Registry.