
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 10USC2604]

 
                         TITLE 10--ARMED FORCES
 
                    Subtitle A--General Military Law
 
                PART IV--SERVICE, SUPPLY, AND PROCUREMENT
 
              CHAPTER 155--ACCEPTANCE OF GIFTS AND SERVICES
 
Sec. 2604. United Seamen's Service: cooperation and assistance

    (a) Whenever the President finds it necessary in the interest of 
United States commitments abroad to provide facilities and services for 
United States merchant seamen in foreign areas, he may authorize the 
Secretary of Defense, under such regulations as the Secretary may 
prescribe, to cooperate with and assist the United Seamen's Service in 
establishing and providing those facilities and services.
    (b) Personnel of the United Seamen's Service who are performing 
duties in connection with the cooperation and assistance under 
subsection (a) may be furnished--
        (1) transportation, at the expense of the United States, while 
    traveling to and from, and while performing those duties, in the 
    same manner as civilian employees of the armed forces;
        (2) meals and quarters, at their expense or at the expense of 
    the United Seamen's Service, except that where civilian employees of 
    the armed forces are quartered without charge, employees of the 
    United Seamen's Service may also be quartered without charge; and
        (3) available office space (including space for recreational 
    activities for seamen), warehousing, wharfage, and means of 
    communication, without charge.

    (c) No fee may be charged for a passport issued to an employee of 
the United Seamen's Service for travel outside the United States to 
assume or perform duties under this section.
    (d) Supplies of the United Seamen's Service, including gifts for the 
use of merchant seamen, may be transported at the expense of the United 
States, if it is determined under regulations prescribed under 
subsection (a) that they are necessary to the cooperation and assistance 
provided under this section.
    (e) Where practicable, the President shall also make arrangements to 
provide for convertibility of local currencies for the United Seamen's 
Service, in connection with its activities under subsection (a).
    (f) For the purposes of this section, employees of the United 
Seamen's Service may not be considered as employees of the United 
States.

(Added Pub. L. 91-603, Sec. 3(1), Dec. 31, 1970, 84 Stat. 1674.)


                               Short Title

    Section 1 of Pub. L. 91-603 provided: ``That this Act [enacting this 
section, amending sections 1151, 1152, 1171, and 1223 of Title 46, 
Appendix, Shipping, and enacting provisions set out as a note under this 
section] may be cited as the `Seamen's Service Act'.''


                  Congressional Declaration of Purpose

    Section 2 of Pub. L. 91-603 provided that: ``It is the purpose of 
this Act [enacting this section and amending sections 1151, 1152, 1171 
and 1223 of Title 46, Appendix, Shipping], by authorizing appropriate 
departments and agencies of the United States Government to cooperate 
with the United Seamen's Service (a nonprofit, charitable organization 
incorporated under the laws of the State of New York) in the 
establishment and operation of facilities for United States merchant 
seamen in foreign areas, to promote the welfare of such seamen, 
essential to the overall interests of shipment of United States goods 
and supplies to such areas.''
