§ 710. Assistance to foreign governments and maritime authorities

894 words·~4 min read·/usc/title-14/section-710

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(a)Detail of Members to Assist Foreign Governments.— The President may upon application from the foreign governments concerned, and whenever in his discretion the public interests render such a course advisable, detail members of the Coast Guard to assist foreign governments in matters concerning which the Coast Guard may be of assistance.

(b)Technical Assistance to Foreign Maritime Authorities.— The Commandant, in coordination with the Secretary of State, may provide, in conjunction with regular Coast Guard operations, technical assistance (including law enforcement and maritime safety and security training) to foreign navies, coast guards, and other maritime authorities.

(c)Grants to International Maritime Organizations.— After consultation with the Secretary of State, the Commandant may make grants to, or enter into cooperative agreements, contracts, or other agreements with, international maritime organizations for the purpose of acquiring information or data about merchant vessel inspections, security, safety, environmental protection, classification, and port state or flag state law enforcement or oversight.

(d)Authorized Activities.—

(1)The Commandant may use funds for—

(A)the activities of traveling contact teams, including any transportation expense, translation services expense, or administrative expense that is related to such activities;

(B)the activities of maritime authority liaison teams of foreign governments making reciprocal visits to Coast Guard units, including any transportation expense, translation services expense, or administrative expense that is related to such activities;

(C)seminars and conferences involving members of maritime authorities of foreign governments;

(D)distribution of publications pertinent to engagement with maritime authorities of foreign governments; and

(E)personnel expenses for Coast Guard civilian and military personnel to the extent that those expenses relate to participation in an activity described in subparagraph

(C)or (D).

(2)An activity may not be conducted under this subsection with a foreign country unless the Secretary of State approves the conduct of such activity in that foreign country.

(3)The amount of funds used under this subsection may not exceed $100,000 in any fiscal year.

(Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, 63 Stat. 507, § 149; Pub. L. 98–557, § 15(a)(3)(D), (E), (4)(A)(i), Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 2865; Pub. L. 109–241, title II, § 202(a), July 11, 2006, 120 Stat. 520; Pub. L. 111–281, title II, §§ 206, 220, Oct. 15, 2010, 124 Stat. 2911, 2918; Pub. L. 112–213, title II, §§ 203, 216(d), Dec. 20, 2012, 126 Stat. 1543, 1555; renumbered § 710, Pub. L. 115–282, title I, § 106(b), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4203.)

Historical and Revision Notes

Derived from title 34, U.S.C., 1946 ed., § 441a (May 19, 1926, ch. 334, 44 Stat. 565; May 14, 1935, ch. 109, 49 Stat. 218; Oct. 1, 1942, ch. 571, 56 Stat. 763; 1946 Proc. No. 2695, July 4, 1946, 11 F.R. 7517, 60 Stat. 1352).

Experience has indicated that it will be advantageous for the Government to include the Coast Guard along with the other armed forces for the purpose of detailing personnel for service with foreign governments.

It seems probable that the increased collaboration with foreign governments after the war and the vital nature of the Coast Guard’s activities in relation to such collaboration will result in requests from time to time by foreign governments for assistance which the Coast Guard is in the best position to render. This section, which confers broad authority in the President to detail Coast Guard officers and enlisted men to assist foreign governments, is patterned after the act of October 1, 1942, 56 Stat. 763 (title 34, U.S.C., 1946 ed., § 441–a), which authorizes the President to detail Army, Navy, and Marine Corps officers and men to certain foreign governments and, in times of war or national emergency, to any foreign government in the interests of national defense. 81st Congress, House Report No. 557.

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