
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 10USC4683]

 
                         TITLE 10--ARMED FORCES
 
                            Subtitle B--Army
 
                PART IV--SERVICE, SUPPLY, AND PROCUREMENT
 
          CHAPTER 443--DISPOSAL OF OBSOLETE OR SURPLUS MATERIAL
 
Sec. 4683. Excess M-1 rifles: loan or donation for funeral and 
        other ceremonial purposes
        
    (a) Authority To Lend or Donate.--(1) The Secretary of the Army, 
under regulations prescribed by the Secretary, may conditionally lend or 
donate excess M-1 rifles (not more than 15), slings, and cartridge belts 
to any eligible organization for use by that organization for funeral 
ceremonies of a member or former member of the armed forces, and for 
other ceremonial purposes.
    (2) If the rifles to be loaned or donated under paragraph (1) are to 
be used by the eligible organization for funeral ceremonies of a member 
or former member of the armed forces, the Secretary may issue and 
deliver the rifles, together with the necessary accoutrements and blank 
ammunition, without charge.
    (b) Relief From Liability.--The Secretary may relieve an eligible 
organization to which materials are lent or donated under subsection 
(a), and the surety on its bond, from liability for loss or destruction 
of the material lent or donated, if there is conclusive evidence that 
the loss or destruction did not result from negligence.
    (c) Conditions on Loan or Donation.--In lending or donating rifles 
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall impose such conditions on the 
use of the rifles as may be necessary to ensure security, safety, and 
accountability. The Secretary may impose such other conditions as the 
Secretary considers appropriate.
    (d) Eligible Organization Defined.--In this section, the term 
``eligible organization'' means--
        (1) a unit or other organization of honor guards recognized by 
    the Secretary of the Army as honor guards for a national cemetery;
        (2) a law enforcement agency; or
        (3) a local unit of any organization that, as determined by the 
    Secretary of the Army, is a nationally recognized veterans' 
    organization.

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 262; Pub. L. 101-189, div. A, title 
XVI, Sec. 1621(a)(1), Nov. 29, 1989, 103 Stat. 1602; Pub. L. 106-65, 
div. A, title III, Sec. 381(a)-(d)(1), Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 582.)

                                          Historical and Revision Notes
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------
            Revised section                      Source (U.S. Code)            
   Source (Statutes at Large)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------
4683(a)...............................  50:62.                               Fe
b. 10, 1920, ch. 64; restated
4683(b)...............................  50:62b.                               J
une 5, 1920, ch. 240 (par. under
                                                                              `
`Rifles and Accessories for
                                                                              O
rganizations of War Veterans'');
                                                                              r
estated May 26, 1952, ch. 364, 66
                                                                              S
tat. 94.
                                        ...................................  De
c. 15, 1926, ch. 10, 44 Stat.
                                                                              9
22.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------

    In subsection (a), the words ``rules, limitations'' and ``in 
suitable amounts'' are omitted as surplusage. The words ``(not more than 
10)'' are substituted for 50:62 (proviso). The words ``any local unit'' 
are substituted for the words ``posts or camps'', before the words ``of 
national''. The words ``that unit'' are substituted for the word 
``them''. The words ``those units'' are substituted for the words ``such 
posts and camps''. The words ``a member or former member of the armed 
forces'' are substituted for the words ``soldiers, sailors, and 
marines''. Clause (2) is substituted for 50:62 (words between semicolon 
and colon).
    In subsection (b), the words ``a unit to which materials are lent 
under subsection (a)'' are substituted for the description of the posts 
or camps covered. The words ``the material lent'' are substituted for 
the words ``obsolete or condemned Army rifles, slings, and cartridge 
belts loaned by the Secretary of the Army under authority of section 62 
of this title''.


                               Amendments

    1999--Pub. L. 106-65, Sec. 381(d)(1), substituted ``Excess M-1 
rifles: loan or donation for funeral and other ceremonial purposes'' for 
``Obsolete or condemned rifles: loan to local units of recognized 
veterans' organizations'' in section catchline.
    Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 106-65, Sec. 381(a), amended subsec. (a) 
generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (a) read as follows: ``The 
Secretary of the Army, under regulations to be prescribed by him, may--
        ``(1) lend obsolete or condemned rifles (not more than 10), 
    slings, and cartridge belts to any local unit of any national 
    veterans' organization recognized by the Department of Veterans 
    Affairs, for use by that unit for funeral ceremonies of a member or 
    former member of the armed forces, and for other ceremonial 
    purposes; and
        ``(2) issue and deliver to those units blank ammunition for 
    those rifles--
            ``(A) without charge, if it is to be used for ceremonies at 
        national cemeteries; and
            ``(B) without charge, except for packing, handling, and 
        transportation, if it is to be used for other ceremonies.''
    Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 106-65, Sec. 381(c), inserted heading, 
substituted ``an eligible organization'' for ``a unit'' and ``lent or 
donated'' for ``lent'' in two places.
    Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 106-65, Sec. 381(b), added subsecs. (c) 
and (d).
    1989--Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 101-189 substituted ``Department of 
Veterans Affairs'' for ``Veterans' Administration''.


                        Report on Implementation

    Pub. L. 106-65, div. A, title III, Sec. 381(e), Oct. 5, 1999, 113 
Stat. 583, provided that: ``Not later than two years after the date of 
the enactment of this Act [Oct. 5, 1999], the Comptroller General shall 
review the exercise of authority under section 4683 of title 10, United 
States Code, as amended by this section, and submit to Congress a report 
on the findings resulting from the review.''
