(a)

(b)

(1) if the Board has rendered a recommended decision, its recommendation shall be final agency action and not subject to further review or approval within the department in which the Coast Guard is operating; or

(2) if the Board has not rendered a recommended decision, agency action is deemed to have been unreasonably delayed or withheld and the applicant is entitled to—

(A) an order under section 706(1) of title 5, directing final action be taken within 30 days from the date the order is entered; and

(B) from amounts appropriated to the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, the costs of obtaining the order, including a reasonable attorney's fee.

(Added Pub. L. 104–324, title II, §209(a), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3914.)

A prior section 425, act Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, 63 Stat. 525, related to retiring boards, prior to repeal by act Aug. 3, 1950, ch. 536, §36, 64 Stat. 408. See section 1216 of Title 10, Armed Forces.

Section 209(d) of Pub. L. 104–324 provided that: “This section [enacting this section and provisions set out as a note below] shall be effective on and after June 12, 1990.”

Section 209(c) of Pub. L. 104–324 provided that: “This section [enacting this section and provisions set out as a note above] applies to any applicant who had an application filed with or pending before the Board or the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating on or after June 12, 1990, who files with the Board for Correction of Military Records of the Coast Guard an application for relief under the amendment made by subsection (a) [enacting this section]. If a recommended decision was modified or reversed on review with final agency action occurring after expiration of the 10-month deadline under that amendment, an applicant who so requests shall have the order in the final decision vacated and receive the relief granted in the recommended decision if the Coast Guard has the legal authority to grant such relief. The recommended decision shall otherwise have no effect as precedent.”