§1036. Escorts for dependents of members: transportation and travel allowances

Under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary concerned, round trip transportation and travel allowances may be paid to any person for travel performed or to be performed under competent orders as an escort for dependents of a member of the armed forces, if the travel is performed not later than one year after the member—

(1) dies;

(2) is missing; or

(3) is otherwise unable to accompany his dependents;

and it has been determined that travel by the dependents is necessary and that they are incapable of traveling alone because of age, mental or physical incapacity, or other extraordinary circumstances. Such allowances may be paid in advance.

(Added Pub. L. 86–160, §1(1), Aug. 14, 1959, 73 Stat. 358; amended Pub. L. 98–94, title IX, §913(a), Sept. 24, 1983, 97 Stat. 640.)

Amendments

1983—Pub. L. 98–94 inserted sentence allowing the payment of allowances in advance.

Effective Date of 1983 Amendment

Pub. L. 98–94, title IX, §913(c), Sept. 24, 1983, 97 Stat. 640, provided that: “The amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) [amending this section and section 1040 of this title] shall apply to travel performed by escorts or attendants of dependents on or after the date of the enactment of this Act [Sept. 24, 1983].”

Back Payments: Validation; Application; Limitations; Accountability of Disbursing Officers; Regulations

Pub. L. 86–160, §§4–7, Aug. 14, 1959, 73 Stat. 359, provided that:

“Sec. 4. Travel and transportation allowances paid before the effective date of this Act [Aug. 14, 1959] to persons ordered by competent authority to escort dependents of members of the uniformed services are hereby validated, if they would have been authorized under section 1 of this Act [enacting this section].

“Sec. 5. Any person who was ordered by competent authority after January 1, 1950, and before the effective date of this Act [Aug. 14, 1959] to escort dependents of members of the uniformed services and who has not been paid travel and transportation allowances, or who has repaid the United States the amount so paid to him, is entitled to be paid the amount otherwise authorized by section 1 of this Act [enacting this section], if application for such payment is made not later than one year after the effective date of this Act [Aug. 14, 1959].

“Sec. 6. The Comptroller General of the United States, or his designee, shall relieve disbursing officers, including special disbursing agents, from accountability or responsibility for any payments described in section 4 of this Act, and shall allow credits in the settlement of the accounts of those disbursing officers or agents for payments which are found to be free from fraud or collusion.

“Sec. 7. No regulations under section 1 of this Act [enacting this section] relating to the military departments shall be prescribed by the Secretary of a military department unless such regulations are first approved under procedures prescribed by the Secretary of Defense. Regulations of the Secretaries of the Treasury, Commerce, and Health, Education, and Welfare [now Health and Human Services] under section 1, 2, or 3 of this Act [enacting this section and amending section 857a of Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters, and section 213a of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare] shall, to the extent practicable, agree with regulations so approved.”

Public Health Service

Authority vested by this section in “the Secretary concerned” to be exercised, with respect to commissioned officers of Public Health Service, by Secretary of Health and Human Services or his designee, see section 213a of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Authority vested by this section in “the Secretary concerned” to be exercised, with respect to commissioned officer corps of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, by Secretary of Commerce or Secretary's designee, see section 3071 of Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters.