Title 49 › SUBTITLE VII — AVIATION PROGRAMS › PART B — AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT AND NOISE › CHAPTER 473 — INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT FACILITIES › § 47304
Allows the Secretary of Transportation or the Secretary of Commerce to give airport and airway property in foreign countries to a foreign government or an international group when asked. The Secretary can set the terms of the transfer, including terms agreed in talks. A military Secretary can give such property without charge to the Secretary of Transportation (except weather facilities) or to the Secretary of Commerce (for weather facilities) when the property is outside the continental United States, so long as doing so fits national defense, the military finds it is no longer needed only for military use, and the Transportation or Commerce Secretary thinks the transfer is or may be needed. For the Republic of Panama, the Secretary of Transportation can run and keep air navigation, communications, and air traffic services with Defense approval and following U.S. obligations under agreements with Panama. A military Secretary may transfer Panama property without charge if the Transportation Secretary thinks it will help. Some other rules in this chapter do not apply for these Panama actions. If the military needs the property back for a military reason, the military Secretary can retake it right away and must pay fair compensation to anyone who made improvements not paid for by the Government; the military Secretary decides the payment. The military Secretary can also choose not to retake the property if the Secretary of Transportation or Commerce recommends against it.
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Legislative History
Reference
Citation
49 U.S.C. § 47304
Title 49, Transportation
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110