Title 42 › CHAPTER 6A — PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE › SUBCHAPTER II — GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES › Part G — Quarantine and Inspection › § 267
The Surgeon General runs and manages all U.S. quarantine stations, grounds, and anchorages. He decides their borders and who is in charge at each place. With the President’s OK, he can pick and set up new stations when he thinks they are needed to help stop the spread of contagious diseases. The Surgeon General sets the hours for inspections at each station and can order 24-hour service if needed or requested. He can also limit inspections to daylight for vessels that cannot be checked safely at night. No vessel must be inspected at night unless an immediate check is needed to protect public health. Public Health Service employees who work overtime between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. (or 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. at 7-to-7 stations), or on Sundays or holidays, must be paid twice their regular hourly rate for those overtime hours. The owner, agent, operator, or person in charge of the vehicle or vessel that asks for overtime service must pay these extra charges to the United States. If employees were ordered in and reported but the work could not be done for reasons beyond their control, payment is still due as if they had worked, and at least one hour is charged. The Surgeon General may require a bond or deposit to guarantee payment. Money paid goes to the U.S. Treasury and is used to pay these workers. Exceptions apply for certain scheduled crossings, flights, trains, and some Canada-connected vessel routes.
Full Legal Text
The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Legislative History
Reference
Citation
42 U.S.C. § 267
Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare
Last Updated
Sep 23, 2026
Release point: 119-110