14 U.S.C. § 708: Department of Health and…

Summary

The Commandant can help the Secretary of Health and Human Services provide emergency medical helicopter transport for civilians. The Commandant can set conditions, including payment rules. Help is only allowed where Coast Guard units are already based (units can’t be moved to new areas), only if it does not interfere with Coast Guard duties, and only if it does not increase Coast Guard operating costs. A person the Coast Guard authorizes to give these services, and that person’s estate, is not legally responsible for property damage, injury, or death that may occur while they are acting within their official duties.

Title 14, §708

Coast Guard, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Commandant may assist the Secretary of Health and Human Services in providing medical emergency helicopter transportation services to civilians. The Commandant may prescribe conditions, including reimbursement, under which resources may be provided under this section. The following specific limitations apply to assistance provided under this section:

(1)Assistance may be provided only in areas where Coast Guard units able to provide the assistance are regularly assigned. Coast Guard units may not be transferred from one area to another to provide the assistance.

(2)Assistance may be provided only to the extent it does not interfere with the performance of the Coast Guard mission.

(3)Providing assistance may not cause an increase in amounts required for the operation of the Coast Guard.

(b)An individual (or the estate of that individual) who is authorized by the Coast Guard to provide a service under a program established under subsection (a) and who is acting within the scope of that individual’s duties is not liable for injury to, or loss of, property or personal injury or death that may be caused incident to providing the service.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 147a14:141 (note).July 1, 1977, Pub. L. 95–61, § 8, 91 Stat. 260. In subsection (a), the words “Secretary of Health and Human Services” are substituted for “Department of Health, Education, and Welfare” because of 20:3508(b) and because the responsibility is in the head of the Department. The word “may” is substituted for “is authorized to” for clarity. The word “conditions” is substituted for “terms and conditions” because it is inclusive. The words “deems appropriate” are omitted as unnecessary. The words “The following . . . limitations apply” are substituted for “shall be subject to the following . . . limitations” for clarity.

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 708 was renumbered section 3708 of this title.

Amendments

2018—Pub. L. 115–282 renumbered section 147a of this title as this section.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Similar ProvisionsSimilar provisions were contained in section 8 of Pub. L. 95–61 which was formerly set out as a note under section 141 (now 701) of this title.

§708 Department of Health and Human Services