14 U.S.C. § 2903 — Reimbursement for adoption expenses

Page 189 TITLE 14—COAST GUARD § 2903 L. 115–282, title I, § 117(b), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4230.) Editorial Notes PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior section 2901 was renumbered section 5101 of this title. AMENDMENTS 2018—Pub. L. 115–282 renumbered section 531 of this title as this section. § 2902. Surveys of Coast Guard families (a) AUTHORITY.—The Commandant, in order to determine the effectiveness of Federal policies, programs, and activities related to the families of Coast Guard members, may survey— (1) any Coast Guard member; (2) any retired Coast Guard member; (3) the immediate family of any Coast Guard member or retired Coast Guard member; and (4) any survivor of a deceased Coast Guard member. (b) VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION.—Participation in any survey conducted under subsection (a) shall be voluntary. (c) FEDERAL RECORDKEEPING.—Each individual surveyed under subsection (a) shall be consid- ered an employee of the United States for pur- poses of section 3502(3)(A)(i) of title 44. (Added Pub. L. 113–281, title II, § 214(a), Dec. 18, 2014, 128 Stat. 3029, § 532; renumbered § 2902, Pub. L. 115–282, title I, § 117(b), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4230; amended Pub. L. 116–283, div. G, title LVXXXV [LXXXV], § 8505(a)(47), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4750.) Editorial Notes PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior section 2902 was renumbered section 5102 of this title. AMENDMENTS 2021—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 116–283 substituted ‘‘indi- vidual’’ for ‘‘person’’. 2018—Pub. L. 115–282 renumbered section 532 of this title as this section. § 2903. Reimbursement for adoption expenses (a) AUTHORIZATION TO REIMBURSE.—The Sec- retary shall carry out a program under which a member of the Coast Guard may be reimbursed, as provided in this section, for qualifying adop- tion expenses incurred by the member in the adoption of a child under 18 years of age. (b) ADOPTIONS COVERED.—An adoption for which expenses may be reimbursed under this section includes an adoption by a single indi- vidual, an infant adoption, an intercountry adoption, and an adoption of a child with special needs (as defined in section 473(c) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 673(c))). (c) BENEFITS PAID AFTER ADOPTION IS FINAL.— Benefits paid under this section in the case of an adoption may be paid only after the adoption is final. (d) TREATMENT OF OTHER BENEFITS.—A benefit may not be paid under this section for any ex- pense paid to or for a member of the Coast Guard under any other adoption benefits pro- gram administered by the Federal Government or under any such program administered by a State or local government. (e) LIMITATIONS.—(1) Not more than $2,000 may be paid under this section to a member of the Coast Guard, or to two such members who are spouses of each other, for expenses incurred in the adoption of a child. (2) Not more than $5,000 may be paid under this section to a member of the Coast Guard, or to two such members who are spouses of each other, for adoptions by such member (or mem- bers) in any calendar year. (f) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall pre- scribe regulations to carry out this section. (g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: (1) The term ‘‘qualifying adoption expenses’’ means reasonable and necessary expenses that are directly related to the legal adoption of a child under 18 years of age, but only if such adoption is arranged by a qualified adoption agency. Such term does not include any ex- pense incurred— (A) by an adopting parent for travel; or (B) in connection with an adoption ar- ranged in violation of Federal, State, or local law. (2) The term ‘‘reasonable and necessary ex- penses’’ includes— (A) public and private agency fees, includ- ing adoption fees charged by an agency in a foreign country; (B) placement fees, including fees charged adoptive parents for counseling; (C) legal fees (including court costs) in connection with services that are unavail- able to a member of the Coast Guard under section 1044 or 1044a of title 10; and (D) medical expenses, including hospital expenses of the biological mother of the child to be adopted and of a newborn infant to be adopted. (3) The term ‘‘qualified adoption agency’’ means any of the following: (A) A State or local government agency which has responsibility under State or local law for child placement through adoption. (B) A nonprofit, voluntary adoption agen- cy which is authorized by State or local law to place children for adoption. (C) Any other source authorized by a State to provide adoption placement if the adop- tion is supervised by a court under State or local law. (Added Pub. L. 102–190, div. A, title VI, § 651(b)(1), Dec. 5, 1991, 105 Stat. 1386, § 514; amended Pub. L. 102–484, div. A, title X, § 1054(g), Oct. 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 2503; Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title VI, § 652(b), Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2582; renumbered § 541, Pub. L. 113–281, title II, § 214(b)(1)(A), Dec. 18, 2014, 128 Stat. 3033; renumbered § 2903, Pub. L. 115–282, title I, § 117(b), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4230; Pub. L. 116–283, div. G, title LVXXXV [LXXXV], § 8505(a)(48), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4750.) Editorial Notes PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior section 2903 was renumbered section 5103 of this title. Page 190 TITLE 14—COAST GUARD § 2904 AMENDMENTS 2021—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 116–283 substituted ‘‘indi- vidual’’ for ‘‘person’’. 2018—Pub. L. 115–282 renumbered section 541 of this title as this section. 2014—Pub. L. 113–281 renumbered section 514 of this title as this section. 1996—Subsec. (g)(1). Pub. L. 104–201, § 652(b)(1), sub- stituted ‘‘qualified adoption agency.’’ for ‘‘State or local government agency which has responsibility under State or local law for child placement through adoption or by a nonprofit, voluntary adoption agency which is authorized by State or local law to place chil- dren for adoption.’’ Subsec. (g)(3). Pub. L. 104–201, § 652(b)(2), added par. (3). 1992—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 102–484 inserted a close pa- renthesis before period at end. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE Section effective Dec. 5, 1991, and applicable to adop- tions completed on or after that date, see section 651(c) of Pub. L. 102–190, set out as a note under section 1052 of Title 10, Armed Forces. REIMBURSEMENT FOR ADOPTIONS COMPLETED DURING INTERIM BETWEEN TEST AND PERMANENT PROGRAM For provisions relating to reimbursement for adop- tion expenses and time period for application, see sec- tion 652 of Pub. L. 102–484, set out as a note under sec- tion 1052 of Title 10, Armed Forces. § 2904. Education and training opportunities for Coast Guard spouses (a) TUITION ASSISTANCE.—The Commandant may provide, subject to the availability of ap- propriations, tuition assistance to an eligible spouse to facilitate the acquisition of— (1) education and training required for a de- gree or credential at an accredited college, university, or technical school in the United States that expands employment and portable career opportunities for the spouse; or (2) education prerequisites and a profes- sional license or credential required, by a gov- ernment or government-sanctioned licensing body, for an occupation that expands employ- ment and portable career opportunities for the spouse. (b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following definitions apply: (1) ELIGIBLE SPOUSE.— (A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘eligible spouse’’ means the spouse of a member of the Coast Guard who is serving on active duty and includes a spouse who receives transitional compensation under section 1059 of title 10. (B) EXCLUSION.—The term ‘‘eligible spouse’’ does not include an individual who— (i) is married to, but legally separated from, a member of the Coast Guard under a court order or statute of any State or territorial possession of the United States; or (ii) is eligible for tuition assistance as a member of the Armed Forces. (2) PORTABLE CAREER.—The term ‘‘portable career’’ includes an occupation that requires education, training, or both that results in a credential that is recognized by an industry, profession, or specific type of business. (Added Pub. L. 113–281, title II, § 214(a), Dec. 18, 2014, 128 Stat. 3030, § 542; renumbered § 2904, Pub. L. 115–282, title I, § 117(b), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4230; amended Pub. L. 116–283, div. G, title LVXXXV [LXXXV], § 8505(a)(49), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4750.) Editorial Notes PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior section 2904 was renumbered section 5104 of this title. AMENDMENTS 2021—Subsec. (b)(1)(B). Pub. L. 116–283 substituted ‘‘an individual’’ for ‘‘a person’’ in introductory provisions. 2018—Pub. L. 115–282 renumbered section 542 of this title as this section. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries SECOND EXPANSION OF THE MY CAREER ADVANCEMENT ACCOUNT PROGRAM FOR MILITARY SPOUSES Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title V, § 580G, Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1410, provided that: ‘‘The spouse of a member of the Coast Guard may participate in the My Career Ad- vancement Account program of the Department of De- fense if the Coast Guard reimburses the Department of Defense.’’ § 2905. Youth sponsorship initiatives (a) IN GENERAL.—The Commandant is author- ized to establish, within any Coast Guard unit, an initiative to help integrate into new sur- roundings the dependent children of members of the Coast Guard who received permanent change of station orders. (b) DESCRIPTION OF INITIATIVE.—An initiative established under subsection (a) shall— (1) provide for the involvement of a depend- ent child of a member of the Coast Guard in the dependent child’s new Coast Guard com- munity; and (2) primarily focus on preteen and teenaged children. (c) AUTHORITY.—In carrying out an initiative under subsection (a), the Commandant may— (1) provide to a dependent child of a member of the Coast Guard information on youth pro- grams and activities available in the depend- ent child’s new Coast Guard community; and (2) enter into agreements with nonprofit en- tities to provide youth programs and activi- ties to such child. (Added Pub. L. 113–281, title II, § 214(a), Dec. 18, 2014, 128 Stat. 3030, § 543; renumbered § 2905, Pub. L. 115–282, title I, § 117(b), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4230.) Editorial Notes PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior section 2905 was renumbered section 5106 of this title. AMENDMENTS 2018—Pub. L. 115–282 renumbered section 543 of this title as this section. § 2906. Dependent school children (a) The Secretary may provide, out of funds appropriated to or for the use of the Coast