Us Code § 2648 - Persons and supplies: sea, land, and air transportation

Full text of Us Code United States Code § 2648 — Persons and supplies: sea, land, and air transportation, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.

§ 2648. Persons and supplies: sea, land, and air transportation

Whenever the Secretary of Defense considers that space is available, the following persons and supplies may be transported on vessels, vehicles, or aircraft operated by the Department of Defense:

(1) Members of Congress.

(2) Other officers of the United States traveling on official business.

(3) Secretaries and supplies of the Armed Services Department of the Young Men's Christian Association.

(4) Officers and employees of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico on official business.

(5) The families of members of the armed forces, officers and employees of the Department of Defense or the Coast Guard, and persons described in paragraphs (1), (2), and (4).


However, a person described in paragraph (4) or (5) may be so transported only if the transportation is without expense to the United States.

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 266, §4744; Pub. L. 86–624, §4(d), July 12, 1960, 74 Stat. 411; renumbered §2648 and amended Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title X, §1072(a), (b)(1), Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 2057; Pub. L. 111–383, div. A, title III, §352(d), (e)(1), Jan. 7, 2011, 124 Stat. 4193.)

Historical and Revision Notes
Revised sectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large)
4744 10:1369.

10:1370.

10:1371 (less last 29 words).

Mar. 2, 1907, ch. 2511 (6th proviso, less last 29 words under "Transportation of the Army and Its Supplies"), 34 Stat. 1170.
  June 30, 1921, ch. 33 (8th proviso under "Transportation of the Army and Its Supplies"), 42 Stat. 81.
  Mar. 3, 1911, ch. 209 (3d proviso under "Transportation of the Army and Its Supplies"), 36 Stat. 1051.

Reference to the Philippine government, contained in the source statute for 10:1371, is omitted, since the Philippine Republic now has the status of a foreign country and only possessions of the United States are intended to be covered by the source statute. The words "Armed Services Department" are substituted for the words "Army and Navy Department", in 10:1370, to reflect the present name of that Department of the Young Men's Christian Association. (See also third sentence of revision note for section 4746 of this title, below.)


Editorial Notes

Amendments

2011—Pub. L. 111–383 substituted "Persons and supplies: sea, land, and air transportation" for "Persons and supplies: sea transportation" in section catchline and inserted ", vehicles, or aircraft" after "vessels" in introductory provisions.

2004—Pub. L. 108–375, §1072(b)(1), in introductory provisions, substituted "Secretary of Defense" for "Secretary of the Army" and struck out "Army transport agencies or, within bulk space allocations made to the Department of the Army, on vessels operated by any military transport agency of" before "the Department of Defense", redesignated pars. (4) to (8) as (1) to (5), respectively, in par. (5), substituted "members of the armed forces, officers and employees of the Department of Defense or the Coast Guard, and persons described in paragraphs (1), (2), and (4)" for "persons described in clauses (1), (2), (4), (5), and (7)", in concluding provisions, substituted "paragraph (4) or (5)" for "clause (7) or (8)", and struck out former pars. (1) to (3) which read as follows:

"(1) Members of the Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard.

"(2) Officers and employees of the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, the Department of the Air Force, or the Coast Guard.

"(3) Supplies of the Department of the Navy."

Pub. L. 108–375, §1072(a), renumbered section 4744 of this title as this section.

1960—Pub. L. 86–624 struck out cl. (6) which authorized transportation of officers and employees of the Territory of Hawaii, redesignated cls. (7) to (9) as (6) to (8), respectively, and substituted "clauses (1), (2), (4), (5), and (7)" for "clauses (1), (2), (4), (5), (6), and (8)" in redesignated cl. (8), and "clause (7) or (8)" for "clause (8) or (9)" in closing sentence.

About This Section

10 U.S.C. § 2648 is part of Title 10 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.

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Sources

Source: official Us Code text · Last verified 2026-08-27

Frequently Asked Questions About Us Code § 2648

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Section 2648 ("Persons and supplies: sea, land, and air transportation") is part of the United States Code, the codified statutory law of Us Code. It sets out the legal rule or procedure described in the text above. Statutes are amended regularly, so always verify against the official source.

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