SUBCHAPTER III-PAYMENTS

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2018- Pub. L. 115–282, title I, §116(c)(3), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4229 , inserted subchapter III designation and heading.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Travel Allowance for Members of Coast Guard Assigned to Alaska

Pub. L. 119–60, div. G, title LXXII, §7232, Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1713 , provided that:

"(a) Establishment.-The Commandant [of the Coast Guard] shall implement a policy that provides for reimbursement to eligible members of the Coast Guard for the cost of airfare for such members to travel to a place within the United States or the territories of the United States at the request of such member during the period specified in subsection (h).

"(b) Eligible Members.-A member of the Coast Guard is eligible for a reimbursement under subsection (a) if-

"(1) the member is assigned to a duty location in Alaska; and

"(2) an officer in a grade above O–5 in the chain of command of the member authorizes the travel of the member.

"(c) Treatment of Time as Leave.-The time during which an eligible member is absent from duty for travel reimbursable under subsection (a) shall be treated as leave for purposes of section 704 of title 10, United States Code.

"(d) Restriction.-The Commandant [of the Coast Guard] shall not deny reimbursement for travel authorized under subsection (b)(2) to the respective member.

"(e) Justification.-If a member requests to travel to a place that is not the home of record, or state of legal residence, of such member, the approving official under subsection (b)(2) may require a justification of the request by such member and shall not unreasonably deny such request.

"(f) Reimbursement Limitation.-The rate of reimbursement for travel to a place that is not the member's home of record or state of legal residence shall be limited to the cost of travel to the member's home of record or state of legal residence using the amounts determined by the GSA City Pairs [sic] Program.

"(g) Briefing Required.-Not later than February 1, 2027, the Commandant [of the Coast Guard] shall provide to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a briefing on-

"(1) the use and effectiveness of reimbursements under subsection (a);

"(2) the calculation and use of the cost of living allowance for a member assigned to a duty location in Alaska; and

"(3) the use of special pays and other allowances as incentives for cold weather proficiency or duty locations.

"(h) Period Specified.-The period specified in this subsection is the period-

"(1) beginning on the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 18, 2025]; and

"(2) ending on the later of-

"(A) December 31, 2029; or

"(B) the date on which the authority under section 352 of title 37, United States Code, to grant assignment or special duty pay to members of the uniform services terminates under subsection (g) of such section."

Tuition Assistance and Advanced Education Assistance Pilot Program

Pub. L. 119–60, div. G, title LXXII, §7233, Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1714 , provided that:

"(a) Establishment.-Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 18, 2025], the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, acting through the Commandant [of the Coast Guard], shall establish a tuition assistance pilot program for active-duty members of the Coast Guard, to be known as the 'Tuition Assistance and Advanced Education Assistance Pilot Program for Sea Duty' (referred to in this section as the 'pilot program').

"(b) Formal Agreement.-A member of the Coast Guard participating in the pilot program shall enter into a formal agreement with the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating that provides that, upon the successful completion of a sea duty tour by such member and beginning on the date on which the sea duty tour concludes, the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall-

"(1) reduce by one half the service obligation incurred by such member as a result of participation in the advanced education assistance program under section 2005 of title 10, United States Code, or the tuition assistance program under section 2007 of such title; and

"(2) for a period equal to the length of the sea duty tour, increase the tuition assistance cost cap for such member to not more than double the amount of the standard tuition assistance cost cap set by the Commandant [of the Coast Guard] for the applicable fiscal year.

"(c) Report.-Not later than 1 year after the date on which the pilot program is established, and annually thereafter through the date on which the pilot program is terminated under subsection (d), the Commandant [of the Coast Guard] shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report that-

"(1) evaluates and compares-

"(A) the Coast Guard's retention, recruitment, and filling of sea duty billets for all members of the Coast Guard; and

"(B) the Coast Guard's retention, recruitment, and filling of sea duty billets for all members of the Coast Guard participating in the pilot program;

"(2) includes the number of participants in the pilot program as of the date of the report, disaggregated by officer and enlisted billet type; and

"(3) assesses the progress made by such participants in their respective voluntary education programs, in accordance with their degree plans, during the period described in subsection (b).

"(d) Termination.-The pilot program shall terminate on the date that is 6 years after the date on which the pilot program is established."