An Act to improve and clarify certain laws affecting the Coast Guard
PL 91-278 (H.R.13816), enacted 06/12/1970

304 
PUBLIC LAW 91-278-JUNE 12, 1970 
[84 STAT. 
June 12, 1970 
[H. R.13816] 
Coast Guard. 
63 Stat. 496; 
75 Stat. 827. 
14 u s e 2. 
Active duty 
promotion list. 
77 Stat. 174. 
Life and prop-
erty saving. 
63 Stat. 501. 
Cadets. 
63 Stat. 508; 
8b Stat. 195. 
70A Stat. 27; 
72 Stat. 1440, 
1570. 
Permanent 
teachers, re-
tirement. 
63 Stat. 509; 
77 Stat. 175. 
63 Stat. 508. 
14 u s e 181-194. 
Public Law 91-278 
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AN ACT 
To improve and clarify certain laws affecting the Coast Guard. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That title 14, United 
States Code, is amended as follows: 
(1) Section 2 is amended— 
(A) by deleting the word "upon" and substituting therefor the 
words "on and under", in the clause preceding the first semicolon; 
(B) by inserting "and under" after the phrase "life and prop-
erty on" and deletmg the word "on" after the jphrase "the high 
seas and" in the clause preceding the second semicolon; and 
(C) by correctly spelling icebreaking as an unhyphenated word 
and inserting ", under," after the phrase "promotion of safety on" 
in the clause preceding the third semicolon. 
. (2) Section 41a (a) is amended by deleting the comma after the word 
"components" in the last sentence and inserting the words "or assigned 
to the Selective Service System," in lieu thereof. 
(3) The beginning of the first sentence of subsection (a) of section 
88 is amended to read as follows: 
"(a) In order to render aid to distressed persons, vessels, and air-
craft on and under the high seas and on and under the waters over 
which the United States has jurisdiction and in order to render aid 
to persons and property imperiled by flood, the Coast Guard may:" 
(4) Section 182 is amended— 
(A) by striking the word "four" and inserting the word "six" 
in lieu thereof in the first sentence; 
(B) by inserting the words "to complete the course of instruc-
tion at the Coast Guard Academy and "after the word "prescribe," 
in the penultimate sentence; 
(C) by designating the amended section as subsection (a); and 
(D) by adding a new subsection (b) as follows: 
"(b) A cadet who does not fulfill his obligation to complete the 
course of instruction or refuses to accept an appointment as an officer 
in the Coast Guard may be transferred by the Secretary to the Coast 
Guard Reserve in an appropriate enlisted grade or rating, and, not-
withstanding section 651 of title 10, United States Code, may be ordered 
to active duty to serve in that grade or rating for such period of time 
as the Secretary prescribes, but not for more than four years." 
(5) The first sentence of section 190 is amended by inserting at the 
end thereof, the words ", nor shall they be required to retire at age 
sixty-two but may be permitted to serve until age sixty-four at which 
time unless earlier retired or separated they shall be retired". 
(6) Chapter 9 is amended by adding at the end thereof a new sec-
tion 196 as follows: 
*'§ 195. Admission of foreigners for instruction; restrictions; 
conditions 
" (a) The Secretary may permit not to exceed four persons at a time 
from the Republic of the Philippines designated by the President to 
receive instruction at the Academy. 
"(b) A person receiving instruction under this section is entitled 
to the same pay and allowances, to be paid from the same appropria-
tions, as cadets at the Academy. 
84 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 91-278-JUNE 12, 1970 
305 
"(c) Except as the Secretary determines, a person receiN'ing instruc-
tion under tnis section is subject to the same regulations governing 
admission, attendance, discipline, resignation, discharge, dismissal, and 
graduation as a cadet; however, a person receiving instruction under 
this section is not entitled to an appointment in the Coast Guard by 
reason of his graduation from the Academy." 
(7) The analysis of chapter 9 is amended by inserting at the end 
thereof: 
"Sec. 195. Admission of foreigners for instruction: restrictions; conditions." 
(8) Section 271 is amended by striking the word "eighteen" and 
inserting the word "twelve" in lieu thereof in the first sentence of sub-
section (c). 
(9) Section 332(a) is amended by striking all after the word "per-
form" and inserting a period at that point. 
(10) Subsection (g) of section 432 is amended by striking out the 
figures "5,100" and inserting in lieu thereof the figures "7,500". 
(11) Section 475 is amended— 
(A) by amending the catchline to read as follows: "Leasing 
and hiring of quarters; rental of inadequate housing"; 
(B) by designating the existing paragraph as subsection (d); 
and 
(C) by adding new subsections (a), (b), (c),and (e) as follows: 
"(a) The Secretary is authorized to lease housing facilities at or 
near Coast Guard installations, wherever located, for assignment as 
public quarters to military personnel and their dependents, if any, 
without rental char^re upon a determination by the Secretary, or his 
designee, that there is a lack of adequate housing facilities at or near 
such Coast Guard installations. Such public housing facilities may be 
leased on an individual or multiple-unit basis. Expenditures for the 
rental of such housing facilities may not exceed the average authorized 
for the Department of Defense in any year except where the Secretary 
of the Department in v,-hich the Coast Guard is operating finds that the 
average is so low as to prevent rental of necessary housing facilities in 
some areas, in which event he is authorized to reallocate existing funds 
to high-cost areas so that rental expenditures in such areas exceed the 
average authorized for the Department of Defense. 
"(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, members of 
the Coast Guard, with dependents, may occupy on a rental basis, with-
out loss of basic allowance for quarters, inadequate quarters under the 
jurisdiction of the Coast Guard notwithstanding that such quarters 
may have been constructed or converted for assignment as public 
quarters. The net difference between the basic allowance for quarters 
and the fair rental value of such quarters shall be paid from otherwise 
available appropriations; however, no rental charge for such quarters 
shall be made against the basic allowance for quarters of a member of 
the Coast Guard in excess of 75 per centum of such allowance except 
that in no event shall the net rental value charged to the member's basic 
allowance for quarters be less than the cost of maintaining and operat-
ing the housing. 
"(c) The Secretary is authorized, subject to regulations approved 
by tlie President— 
" (1) to designate as rental housing such housing as he may 
determine to be inadequate as public quarters; and 
"(2) to lease inadequate housing to members of the Coast 
Guard for occupancy by them and their dependents. 
Promotions. 
77 Stat. 181. 
14 u s e 271. 
Recall to 
active duty. 
73 Stat. 585,. 
Personnel 
quarters. 
63 Stat. 532. 
Leasing. 
Limitation, 
exception. 
Rental. 
Limitation, 
exception. 
306 
PUBLIC LAW 91-278-JUNE 12, 1970 
[84 STAT. 
Expiration 
date. 
14 u s e 461-
511. 
Supply fund. 
70 Stat. 1077. 
77 Stat. 69. 
14 u s e 631-
656. 
79 Stat. 615. 
10 u s e 2001-
2002. 
Uniformed serv-
ices, pay grades. 
76 Stat. 454. 
37 u s e 201. 
Rates. 
77 Stat. 212. 
Uniform allow-
ance. 
76 Stat. 477; 
80 Stat. 198. 
37 u s e 415. 
" (e) The authority provided in subsections (a), (b), and (c) of this 
section shall expire on June 30,1972." 
(12) The analysis of chapter 13 is amended by striking out— 
"475. Hiring of quarters for personnel." 
and inserting in lieu thereof 
"475. Leasing and hiring of quarters; rental of inadequate housing." 
(13) Section 650 is amended— 
(A) by designating the existing paragraph as subsection (a); 
and 
(B) by adding a new subsection (b) as follows: 
" (b) Obligations may, without regard to fiscal year limitations, be 
incurred against anticipated reimbursement to the Coast Guard Sup-
ply Fund m such amount and for such period, as the Secretary, with 
approval of the Director of the Bureau of the Budget, majjr determine 
to be necessary to maintain stock levels consistently with planned 
operations for the next year." 
(14) By adding the following new section after section 656: 
'*§ 657. Dependent school children; transportation of 
"Whenever the Secretary, under such regulations as he may pre-
scribe, determines that schools located in the same area in which a 
Coast Guard facility is located are not accessible by public means of 
transportation on a regular basis, he may provide, out of funds appro-
priated to or for the use of the Coast Guard, for the transportation of 
dependents of Coast Guard personnel between the schools serving the 
area and the Coast Guard facility." 
(15) The analysis of chapter 17 is amended by adding the following 
new item: 
"657. Dependent school children; transportation of." 
SEC. 2. Title 10, United States Code, is amended as follows: 
(1) The catchline of section 2002 is amended to read as follows: 
''§2002. Dependents of members of armed forces: language 
training" 
(2) Subsection (a) of section 2002 is amended— 
(A) by deleting the comma after the phrase "Secretary of 
Defense" and inserting "or, with respect to the Coast Guard when 
it is not operating as a service in the Navy, the Secretary of Trans-
portation," in lieu thereof; and 
(B) by deleting "Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps" and 
inserting "armed forces" in lieu thereof in subparagraph (3). 
(3) The analysis of chapter 101 is amended by striking out— 
"2002. Dependents of members of Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps: 
language training." 
and inserting in lieu thereof 
"2002. Dependents of members of armed forces: language training." 
SEC. 3. Title 37, United States Code, is amended as follows: 
(1) Subsection (e) of section 201 is amended by striking the word 
"or" before "Marine Corps" and by inserting the words , or Coast 
Guard" after "Marine Corps". 
(2) The first sentence of subsection (b) of section 203 is amended 
by adding the words "or as a member of the permanent commissioned 
teaching staff at the United States Coast Guard Academy" after the 
words "United States Air Force Academy". 
(3) Subsection (e) of section 415 is amended by inserting the words 
" or a warrant officer under section 213 of title 14," after the words 
"section 214 of title 14,". 
Approved June 12, 1970.