An act to authorize the voluntary interservice transfer of officers between the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Armed Forces, to authorize advance payments of pay and allowances to officers of such corps under the the same conditions that apply to advance payments to members of the Armed Forces, and to provide officers of such corps the same unemployment compensation benefits that apply to members of the Armed Forces.
PL 96-215 (S.1454), enacted 03/25/1980

PUBLIC LAW 96-215—MAR. 25, 1980 
94 STAT. 123 
Public Law 96-215 
96th Congress 
An Act 
To authorize the voluntary interservice transfer of officers between the commis-
sioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the 
Armed Forces, to authorize advance payments of pay and allowances to officers of 
such corps under the same conditions that apply to advance payments to mem-
bers of the Armed Forces, and to provide officers of such corps the same unem-
ployment compensation benefits that apply to members of the Armed Forces. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 3(a) of 
the Act of August 10, 1956 (70A Stat. 619; 33 U.S.C. 857a(a)), is 
amended by adding at the end thereof the following new clause: 
"(13) Section 716, Commissioned officers: transfers between 
armed forces and to and from National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration.". 
SEC. 2. (a) Section 716 of title 10, United States Code, is amended to 
read as follows: 
"§716. Commissioned officers: transfers between armed forces 
and to and from National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration 
"(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the President 
may, within authorized strengths, transfer any commissioned officer 
with his consent from his armed force or from the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration to, and appoint him in, another 
armed force or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion. The Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the department in 
which the Coast Guard is operating, and the Secretary of Commerce 
shall jointly establish, by regulations approved by the President, 
policies, and procedures for such transfers and appointments. 
"(b) An officer transferred under this section— 
"(1) may not be assigned precedence or relative rank higher 
than that which he held on the day before his transfer; and 
"(2) shall be credited for retirement and pay purposes with the 
same years of service with which he has been credited on the day 
before his transfer.". 
(b) The item relating to such section in the table of sections at the 
beginning of chapter 41 of such title is amended to read as follows: 
"716. Commissioned officers: transfers between armed forces and to and from National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.". 
SEC. 3. Section 1006 of title 37, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking out "an armed force or of the Public Health 
Service" in subsection (a), (b), and (c) and inserting in lieu thereof 
"a uniformed service"; 
(2) by striking out "members of the armed forces or of the 
Public Health Service" in subsection (c) and inserting in lieu 
thereof "members of the uniformed services"; 
(3) by striking out "from his armed force or from the Public 
Health Service" in subsection (d) and inserting in lieu thereof 
"from his uniformed service"; 
Mar. 25, 1980 
[S. 1454] 
Armed Forces 
and NOAA, 
transfer of 
personnel. 
Authorization of 
benefits. 
Regulations. 
Advance 
payments. 
94 STAT. 124 
PUBLIC LAW 96-215—MAR. 25, 1980 
(4) by striking out "armed forces and the Public Health 
Service in subsection (e) and inserting in lieu thereof "uni-
formed services"; and 
(5) by striking out "an armed force or of the Public Health 
Service" in subsection (h) and inserting in lieu thereof "a 
uniformed service". 
SEC. 4. (a) Subparagraph (B) of section 8501(1) of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
"(B) as a member of the armed forces or the Commissioned 
Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion;", 
(b) Paragraph (1) of section 8521(a) of title 5, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting "or the Commissioned Corps of the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration" after "armed forces". 
5 use 8501 note. 
(c) The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect 
to assignments of 
services and wages pursuant to any first claim (for a 
benefit year) which is filed after the date of 
the enactment of this Act. 
Approved March 25, 1980. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 96-539, pt. 1 (Comm. on Ways and Means), No. 96-539, pt. 2 
(Comm. on Merchant Marine and Fisheries), and No. 96-539, pt. 3 
(Comm. on Armed Services). 
SENATE REPORT No. 96-297 (Comm. on Commerce, Science, and Transportation). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 125 (1979): Sept. 6, considered and peissed Senate. 
Dec. 20, considered and passed House, amended. 
Vol. 126 (1980): Mar. 11, Senate concurred in House amendments.