Title 14Coast GuardRelease 119-73

§1908 Authorization for use of Coast Guard Academy facilities and equipment by covered foundations

Title 14 › Subtitle SUBTITLE II— - PERSONNEL › Chapter CHAPTER 19— - COAST GUARD ACADEMY › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - ADMINISTRATION › § 1908

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Lets the Secretary, with the Coast Guard Academy Superintendent’s agreement, allow a "covered foundation" to use Academy facilities or equipment. The Secretary decides if the foundation pays or uses them for free. Uses cannot put Coast Guard members or cadets at risk. The United States must not be legally liable to the foundation. The use also must not stop any Coast Guard person from doing their job fairly, hurt the integrity or appearance of Coast Guard programs or people, or involve cadets in foundation events except as honor guards. Uses must follow ethics rules and be approved by a Coast Guard lawyer. The Secretary must write policies to carry this out. By the last day of each fiscal year, the Commandant must brief the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on how many foundation events were supported. A "covered foundation" is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit the Secretary finds supports things like recruiting, parent or alumni work, cadet academic or leadership development, Academy growth, or athletics.

Full Legal Text

Title 14, §1908

Coast Guard — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Subject to subsections (b) and (c), the Secretary, with the concurrence of the Superintendent of the Coast Guard Academy, may authorize a covered foundation to use, on a reimbursable or nonreimbursable basis as determined by the Secretary, facilities or equipment of the Coast Guard Academy.
(b)The Secretary may not authorize any use of facilities or equipment under subsection (a) if such use may jeopardize the health, safety, or well-being of any member of the Coast Guard or cadet of the Coast Guard Academy.
(c)The Secretary may only authorize the use of facilities or equipment under subsection (a) if such use—
(1)is without any liability of the United States to the covered foundation;
(2)does not—
(A)affect the ability of any official or employee of the Coast Guard, or any member of the armed forces, to carry out any responsibility or duty in a fair and objective manner;
(B)compromise the integrity or appearance of integrity of any program of the Coast Guard, or any individual involved in any such program; or
(C)include the participation of any cadet of the Coast Guard Academy at an event of the covered foundation, other than participation of such a cadet in an honor guard;
(3)complies with any applicable ethics regulation; and
(4)has been reviewed and approved by an attorney of the Coast Guard.
(d)The Secretary shall issue Coast Guard policies to carry out this section.
(e)For any fiscal year in which the Secretary exercises the authority under subsection (a), not later than the last day of such fiscal year, the Commandant shall provide a briefing to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives on the number of events or activities of a covered foundation supported by such exercise of authority during the fiscal year.
(f)In this section, the term “covered foundation” means an organization that—
(1)is a charitable, educational, or civic nonprofit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and
(2)the Secretary determines operates exclusively to support—
(A)recruiting activities with respect to the Coast Guard Academy;
(B)parent or alumni development in support of the Coast Guard Academy;
(C)academic, leadership, or character development of Coast Guard Academy cadets;
(D)institutional development of the Coast Guard Academy; or
(E)athletics in support of the Coast Guard Academy.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, referred to in subsec. (f)(1), is classified to section 501(c)(3) of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

14 U.S.C. § 1908

Title 14Coast Guard

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73