§ 478. Travel and transportation allowances: travel within limits of duty station

(a) A member of a uniformed service may be directed, by regulations of the head of the department or agency in which he is serving, to procure transportation necessary for conducting official business of the United States within the limits of his station. Expenses so incurred by the member for train, bus, streetcar, taxicab, ferry, bridge, and similar fares and tolls, or for the use of privately owned vehicles at a fixed rate a mile plus parking fees, shall be defrayed by the department or agency under which he is serving, or the member is entitled to be reimbursed for the expense.

(b)

(1) Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned, a member of a uniformed service who performs emergency duty described in paragraph (2) is entitled to travel and transportation allowances under section 474 of this title for that duty.

(2) The emergency duty referred to in paragraph (1) is duty that—

(A) is performed by a member under emergency circumstances that threaten injury to property of the Federal Government or human life;

(B) is performed at a location within the limits of the member’s station (other than at the residence or normal duty location of the member);

(C) is performed pursuant to the direction of competent authority; and

(D) requires the member’s use of overnight accommodations.

(c) No travel or transportation allowance, payment, or reimbursement may be provided under this section for travel that begins after the travel authorities transition expiration date.

(Pub. L. 87–649, Sept. 7, 1962, 76 Stat. 475, § 408; Pub. L. 99–145, title VI, § 619(a), Nov. 8, 1985, 99 Stat. 642; Pub. L. 100–26, § 8(d)(6), Apr. 21, 1987, 101 Stat. 285; Pub. L. 102–190, div. A, title VI, § 623, Dec. 5, 1991, 105 Stat. 1379; renumbered § 478 and amended Pub. L. 112–81, div. A, title VI, § 631(d)(2), (e)(11), (f)(4)(A), Dec. 31, 2011, 125 Stat. 1460, 1462, 1465; Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title X, § 1076(a)(9), Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 1948.)

Historical And Revision

Historical and Revision Notes
Revised section	Source (U.S. Code)	Source (Statutes at Large)
408	40:491(m).	June 30, 1949, ch. 288, § 211(m); added Sept. 1, 1954, ch. 1211, § 2 (13th par.), 68 Stat. 1126.

The words “(as defined in the Career Compensation Act of 1949, as amended)” and “so directed” are omitted as surplusage. The words “official business of the United States” are substituted for the words “official Government business”.

Amendments

Amendments

2013—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 112–239, § 1076(a)(9), made technical amendment to directory language of Pub. L. 112–81, § 631(f)(4)(A). See 2011 Amendment note below.

2011—Pub. L. 112–81, § 631(d)(2), renumbered section 408 of this title as this section.

Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 112–81, § 631(f)(4)(A), as amended by Pub. L. 112–239, § 1076(a)(9), substituted “474” for “404”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 112–81, § 631(e)(11), added subsec. (c).

1991—Pub. L. 102–190 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b).

1987—Pub. L. 100–26 substituted “privately owned” for “privately-owned”.

1985—Pub. L. 99–145 inserted “plus parking fees” after “fixed rate a mile”.

Effective Date Of Amendment

Effective Date of 2013 Amendment

Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title X, § 1076(a), Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 1947, provided that the amendment made by section 1076(a)(9) is effective Dec. 31, 2011, and as if included in Pub. L. 112–81 as enacted.

Effective Date of 1985 Amendment

Pub. L. 99–145, title VI, § 619(b), Nov. 8, 1985, 99 Stat. 642, provided that: “The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall apply with respect to parking fees incurred after September 30, 1985.”