§ 479. Travel and transportation allowances: house trailers and mobile homes

(a)

(1) A member, or in the case of a member’s death, the member’s dependent, who would otherwise be entitled to transportation of baggage and household effects under section 476 of this title, may be provided transportation of a house trailer or mobile home dwelling within the continental United States, within Alaska, or between the continental United States and Alaska (or reimbursement for such transportation), if the house trailer or mobile home dwelling is intended for use as a residence by such member or dependent. Such transportation may be limited to such modes and maximum costs as may be prescribed by regulations under subsection (d).

(2) Except as provided in subsection (c), transportation of a house trailer or mobile home dwelling under paragraph (1) is in place of the transportation of baggage and household effects the member or member’s dependent would otherwise be entitled to have provided.

(3) The cost of transportation of a house trailer or mobile home dwelling under paragraph (1) may not be more than the total cost of transportation (including packing, pick-up, line-haul or drayage, delivery, and unpacking) of baggage and household effects of the member or dependent having the maximum weight authorized for the member or dependent under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned.

(4) A house trailer or mobile home dwelling in transit under this section may be stored up to 180 days in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned.

(b) Any payment authorized by this section may be made in advance of the transportation concerned.

(c) A member or member’s dependent who is entitled to the transportation of baggage or household effects from a place inside the continental United States or Alaska to a place outside the continental United States or Alaska, or from a place outside the continental United States or Alaska to a place inside the continental United States or Alaska, may be provided the transportation of a house trailer or mobile dwelling under this section, but the total cost to the Government of the transportation of baggage and household effects and the transport of a house trailer or mobile home dwelling may not exceed the cost of transporting baggage and household effects of the member or dependent having the maximum weight authorized for the member or dependent under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned.

(d) The Secretaries concerned shall prescribe regulations to carry out this section.

(e) No transportation of a house trailer or mobile home, or storage or payment in connection therewith, may be provided under this section for transportation that begins after the travel authorities transition expiration date.

(Pub. L. 87–649, Sept. 7, 1962, 76 Stat. 475, § 409; Pub. L. 88–406, Aug. 7, 1964, 78 Stat. 383; Pub. L. 89–718, §§ 61, 62, Nov. 2, 1966, 80 Stat. 1123; Pub. L. 90–246, Jan. 2, 1968, 81 Stat. 782; Pub. L. 96–342, title VIII, § 808(a)(1), Sept. 8, 1980, 94 Stat. 1096; Pub. L. 100–26, § 8(e)(6), Apr. 21, 1987, 101 Stat. 286; Pub. L. 102–25, title VII, § 702(b)(1), (2), (c), Apr. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 117; Pub. L. 107–314, div. A, title VI, § 654(b)(3), Dec. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 2582; renumbered § 479 and amended Pub. L. 112–81, div. A, title VI, § 631(d)(2), (e)(12), (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)
409	37:253(c) (12th sentence).	Oct. 12, 1949, ch. 681, § 303(c) (12th sentence); added Mar. 31, 1955, ch. 20, § 2(13), 69 Stat. 22; Mar. 17, 1958, Pub. L. 85–347, 72 Stat. 37; restated Oct. 4, 1961, Pub. L. 87–374, 75 Stat. 804.

The words “the United States, except in Hawaii or Alaska,” are substituted for the words “the continental United States” to conform to the definition of United States in section 101(1) of this revised title and to reflect the opinion of the Comptroller General in B–139624, June 29, 1959, that Alaska was not included within those words. The words “an agent of the United States” are substituted for the words “the Government”, for clarity. The words “United States” are substituted for the word “Government”. The words “of the uniformed services” are omitted as surplusage in view of the definition of member in section 101(23) of this revised title.

Amendments

Amendments

2013—Subsec. (a)(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 409 of this title as this section.

Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 112–81, § 631(f)(4)(A), as amended by Pub. L. 112–239, § 1076(a)(9), substituted “476” for “406”.

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 112–81, § 631(e)(12), added subsec. (e).

2002—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 107–314 struck out subsec. (e) which read as follows: “In this section, the term ‘continental United States’ means the 48 contiguous States and the District of Columbia.”

1991—Subsec. (a)(1) to (3). Pub. L. 102–25 struck out “of this section” and “of this subsection” wherever appearing.

1987—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 100–26 inserted “the term” after “In this section,”.

1980—Pub. L. 96–342 completely revised and expanded provisions covering the travel and transportation allowances for the movement of house trailers and mobile homes, changing the structure of the section from a single unlettered paragraph to one consisting of five subsections lettered (a) to (e).

1968—Pub. L. 90–246 substituted “74 cents” for “51 cents” as maximum allowable cost-of-transportation mileage rate.

1966—Pub. L. 89–718 substituted “household effects” for “household goods” and “48” for “forty-eight”.

1964—Pub. L. 88–406 substituted “continental United States, within Alaska, or between the continental United States and Alaska” for “United States except in Hawaii or Alaska”, “51 cents” for “36 cents”, inserted “by the United States or” in cl. (2), and defined “continental United States”.

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 1980 Amendment

Pub. L. 96–342, title VIII, § 808(b), Sept. 8, 1980, 94 Stat. 1097, provided that: “The amendments made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall only apply to transportation of house trailers and mobile home dwellings which is completed after September 30, 1980.”