§717. Members of the armed forces: participation in international sports

(a) The Secretary of Defense, or the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy, may permit members of the armed forces under his jurisdiction to train for, attend, and participate in any of the following sports competitions:

(1) The Pan-American Games and the Olympic Games, and qualifying events and preparatory competition for those games.

(2) The Paralympic Games, if eligible to participate in those games, and qualifying events and preparatory competition for those games.

(3) Any other international competition in amateur sports, if the Secretary of State determines that the interests of the United States will be served by participation in that competition, and qualifying events and preparatory competition for that competition.

(b) Subject to subsections (c) and (d), the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of Homeland Security, as the case may be, may spend such funds, and acquire and use such supplies, as he determines to be necessary to provide for-

(1) the training of members of the armed forces for the competitions covered by subsection (a);

(2) their attendance at and participation in those competitions; and

(3) the training of animals of the armed forces for, and their attendance at and participation in, those competitions.

(c)(1) Not more than $3,000,000, to be apportioned among the military departments as the Secretary of Defense prescribes, may be spent during each successive four-year period beginning on October 1, 1980, for the participation of members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force in the competitions covered by subsection (a).

(2) Not more than $100,000 may be spent during each successive four-year period beginning on October 1, 1980, for the participation of members of the Coast Guard in the competitions covered by subsection (a).

(d) Appropriations available to the Department of Defense or to the Department of Homeland Security, as the case may be, may be used to carry out this section.

(Added Pub. L. 85–861, §1(17), Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1442 , §716; renumbered §717, Pub. L. 87–651, title I, §103(a), Sept. 7, 1962, 76 Stat. 508 ; amended Pub. L. 89–348, §1(12), Nov. 8, 1965, 79 Stat. 1311 ; Pub. L. 89–718, §7, Nov. 2, 1966, 80 Stat. 1117 ; Pub. L. 96–513, title V, §511(22), Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2921 ; Pub. L. 98–525, title XV, §1534, Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2632 ; Pub. L. 107–296, title XVII, §1704(b)(1), Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2314 ; Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title V, §561, Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3266 ; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, §924(b)(1)(F), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3820 .)

Historical and Revision Notes
1958 Act

Revised section	Source (U.S. Code)	Source (Statutes at Large)
716 [now 717]	22:1981. 22:1982. 22:1983.	Mar. 14, 1955, ch. 11 (less last 2 pars.), 69 Stat. 11.

In subsection (a), the first 27 words are substituted for section 1 of the source statute. The reference to the Second Pan-American Games, the Seventh Olympic Winter Games, and the Games of the XVI Olympiad are omitted as covered by clause (1) of the revised subsection. The words "subject to the limitation contained in subsection (b) herein" are omitted as covered by revised subsection (b). The words "any other" are substituted for the words "other * * * not specified in (1) above".

In subsection (b), the word "entry" is substituted for the word "commitment" for clarity. The words "or the Secretary of the Treasury, as the case may be" are inserted since, under subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury has the prescribed authority with respect to members of the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy.

In subsection (c), the words "materiel, and equipment" are omitted as covered by the word "supplies" as defined in section 101(26) of this title.

1962 Act

This section corrects a duplication in numbering occasioned by the addition of a duplicate section 716 by Pub. L. 85–861. (The first section 716 was added by Pub. L. 85–599.)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2021-Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 116–283 substituted "Marine Corps, and Space Force" for "and Marine Corps".

2006-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 109–163 substituted "participate in any of the following sports competitions:

"(1) The Pan-American Games and the Olympic Games, and qualifying events and preparatory competition for those games.

"(2) The Paralympic Games, if eligible to participate in those games, and qualifying events and preparatory competition for those games.

"(3) Any other"

for "participate in-

"(1) Pan-American Games and Olympic Games and qualifying events and preparatory competition for those games; and

"(2) any other".

2002-Subsecs. (a), (b), (d). Pub. L. 107–296 substituted "of Homeland Security" for "of Transportation".

1984-Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 98–525, §1534(1), included qualifying events and preparatory competition.

Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 98–525, §1534(2), included qualifying events and preparatory competition.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 98–525, §1534(3), struck out reference to subsec. (e).

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 98–525, §1534(4), (6), designated existing provisions as par. (1), substituted "$3,000,000" for "$800,000" and "October 1, 1980" for "March 14, 1955", redesignated subsec. (d) as par. (2), and substituted "October 1, 1980" for "March 14, 1955".

Subsecs. (d), (e). Pub. L. 98–525, §1534(7), redesignated subsec. (e) as (d). Former subsec. (d) redesignated par. (2) of subsec. (c).

1980-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 96–513, §511(22)(A), substituted "Transportation" for "the Treasury".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 96–513, §511(22), redesignated subsec. (c) as (b) and substituted reference to subsec. (c) for reference to subsec. (f), and "Transportation" for "the Treasury".

Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 96–513, §511(22)(C), redesignated subsecs. (d) and (e) as (c) and (d), respectively. Former subsec. (c) redesignated (b).

Subsecs. (e), (f). Pub. L. 96–513, §511(22) (A), (C), redesignated subsec. (f) as (e) and substituted "Transportation" for "the Treasury". Former subsection (e) redesignated (d).

1966-Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 89–718 repealed subsec. (b) which required the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of the Treasury to report to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives the details of the proposed participation by members of the Armed Forces under his jurisdiction in international amateur sports competition. See also Pub. L. 89–348, §1(12), Nov. 8, 1965, 79 Stat. 1311 , which earlier repealed the reporting requirement of subsec. (b).

1965-Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 89–348 repealed provision of subsec. (b) which required the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of the Treasury, as the case may be, to report to the Committees on the Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives the details of the proposed participation by members of the Armed Forces under his jurisdiction in international amateur sports competition.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2002 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 107–296 effective on the date of transfer of the Coast Guard to the Department of Homeland Security, see section 1704(g) of Pub. L. 107–296, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.

Effective Date of 1980 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 96–513 effective Dec. 12, 1980, see section 701(b)(3) of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.