16 U.S.C. § 558a — Purpose

Page 1057 TITLE 16—CONSERVATION § 558a Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries SIMILAR PROVISIONS Provisions similar to this section were contained in the following prior appropriation acts: Pub. L. 117–328, div. G, title III, Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 4806. Pub. L. 117–103, div. G, title III, Mar. 15, 2022, 136 Stat. 396. Pub. L. 116–260, div. G, title III, Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 1522. Pub. L. 116–94, div. D, title III, Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 2729. Pub. L. 116–6, div. E, title III, Feb. 15, 2019, 133 Stat. 246. Pub. L. 115–141, div. G, title III, Mar. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 674. Pub. L. 115–31, div. G, title III, May 5, 2017, 131 Stat. 482. Pub. L. 114–113, div. G, title III, Dec. 18, 2015, 129 Stat. 2563. Pub. L. 113–235, div. F, title III, Dec. 16, 2014, 128 Stat. 2432. Pub. L. 113–76, div. G, title III, Jan. 17, 2014, 128 Stat. 326. Pub. L. 112–74, div. E, title III, Dec. 23, 2011, 125 Stat. 1025. Pub. L. 111–88, div. A, title III, Oct. 30, 2009, 123 Stat. 2944. Pub. L. 111–8, div. E, title III, Mar. 11, 2009, 123 Stat. 733. Pub. L. 110–161, div. F, title III, Dec. 26, 2007, 121 Stat. 2133. § 557. Employees of Forest Service; subsistence furnished to; personal equipment; supplies, and medical attention The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to furnish subsistence to employees of the Forest Service, to purchase personal equipment and supplies for them, and to make deductions therefor from moneys appropriated for salary payments or otherwise due such employees. He is also authorized, in his discretion, to provide out of moneys appropriated for the general ex- penses of the Forest Service medical attention for employees of the Forest Service located at isolated situations, including the moving of such employees to hospitals or other places where medical assistance is available, and in case of death to remove the bodies of deceased employees to the nearest place where they can be prepared for shipment or for burial: Provided, That when a transient without permanent resi- dence, or any other person while away from his place of residence, is temporarily employed by the Forest Service and while so employed be- comes disabled because of injury or illness not attributable to official work, he may be pro- vided hospitalization and other necessary med- ical care, subsistence, and lodging for a period of not to exceed fifteen days during such disability, the cost thereof to be payable from any funds available to the Forest Service applicable to the work for which such person is employed. (Mar. 3, 1925, ch. 457, §§ 4, 6, 43 Stat. 1133; Apr. 24, 1950, ch. 97, § 15, 64 Stat. 86.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1950—Act Apr. 24, 1950, inserted proviso to provide medical care for temporary employees. § 557a. Field season contracts; authority to make prior to appropriation The Secretary of Agriculture is hereafter au- thorized, in connection with the administration of the national forests, to enter into contracts for the procurement of services, materials, and supplies for the ensuing fiscal year, prior to the passage of an appropriation therefor: Provided, That such contracts shall aliquot the cost for such service by fiscal years and shall not be binding on the United States as to that part for the ensuing year unless and until an appropria- tion applicable to the payment thereof is made: And provided further, That all such contracts shall by their terms provide that the obligation of the United States is contingent upon the pas- sage of an applicable appropriation and that no payment thereunder will be made until such ap- propriation becomes available for expenditure. (June 30, 1932, ch. 331, 47 Stat. 473.) § 557b. Omitted Editorial Notes CODIFICATION Section, act June 16, 1955, ch. 147, title II, § 202, 69 Stat. 156, which related to employment of aliens in the Forest Service, was enacted as part of the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriation Act, 1956, and was not repeated in the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriation Act, 1957 (approved June 13, 1956, ch. 380, 70 Stat. 257), or sub- sequent appropriation acts. § 558. Repealed. Pub. L. 89–554, § 8(a), Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 642 Section, act Mar. 4, 1913, ch. 145, § 1[part], 37 Stat. 843, related to leaves of absence to employees of Forest Service in Alaska. § 558a. Purpose The purpose of this Act is to leverage volun- teer engagement to supplement projects that are carried out by the Secretaries to fulfill the missions of the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management and are accomplished with appropriated funds. (Pub. L. 92–300, § 2, as added Pub. L. 118–234, title III, § 341, Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 2913.) Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT This Act, referred to in text, is Pub. L. 92–300, May 18, 1972, 86 Stat. 147, as amended generally by Pub. L. 118–234, title III, § 341, Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 2913, known as the Volunteers in the National Forests and Public Lands Act, which enacted this section and sections 558b to 558g of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out below and Tables. CODIFICATION The Volunteers in the National Forests and Public Lands Act, enacting this section and sections 558b to 558g of this title, was orignally enacted as Pub. L. 92–300, May 18, 1972, 86 Stat. 147, known as the Volun- teers in the National Forests Act of 1972, which enacted former sections 558a to 558d of this title. Pub. L. 92–300 was amended by Pub. L. 95–289, § 1, June 5, 1978, 92 Stat. 289; Pub. L. 101–286, title II, § 204(a), May 9, 1990, 104 Page 1058 TITLE 16—CONSERVATION § 558b Stat. 175; Pub. L. 103–82, title IV, § 405(d), Sept. 21, 1993, 107 Stat. 921; Pub. L. 114–245, § 4(d)(1), Nov. 28, 2016, 130 Stat. 992. Pub. L. 92–300 was subsequently amended gen- erally by Pub. L. 118–234, title III, § 341, Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 2913, including an amendment to provide that the Act be cited as the Volunteers in the National Forests and Public Lands Act. Pub. L. 92–300 is shown herein, however, as having been added by Pub. L. 118–234 with- out reference to those intervening amendments because of the extensive revision of Pub. L. 92–300 by Pub. L. 118–234. PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior section 558a, Pub. L. 92–300, § 1, May 18, 1972, 86 Stat. 147; Pub. L. 103–82, title IV, § 405(d), Sept. 21, 1993, 107 Stat. 921, authorized the Secretary of Agri- culture to recruit, train, and accept volunteers in the National Forests Program, prior to the general amend- ment of the Volunteers in the National Forests Act of 1972 by Pub. L. 118–234. A prior section 2 of Pub. L. 92–300, May 18, 1972, 86 Stat. 147, was classified to section 558b of this title, prior to the general amendment of the Volunteers in the National Forests Act of 1972 by Pub. L. 118–234. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries SHORT TITLE Pub. L. 92–300, § 1, as added by Pub. L. 118–234, title III, § 341, Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 2913, provided that: ‘‘This Act [enacting this section and sections 558b to 558g of this title] may be cited as the ‘Volunteers in the Na- tional Forests and Public Lands Act’.’’ [For prior section 1 of Pub. L. 92–300, see Prior Provi- sions note above.] Pub. L. 92–300, § 5, May 18, 1972, 86 Stat. 147, provided that Pub. L. 92–300, which enacted former sections 558a to 558d of this title, could be cited as the ‘‘Volunteers in the National Forests Act of 1972’’, prior to the gen- eral amendment of Pub. L. 92–300 by Pub. L. 118–234. REFERENCE TO VOLUNTEERS IN THE NATIONAL FORESTS ACT OF 1972 Pub. L. 118–234, title III, § 342, Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 2914, provided that: ‘‘Any reference to the Volunteers in the National Forests Act of 1972 in any law, regulation, map, document, record, or other paper of the United States shall be deemed to be a reference to the Volun- teers in the National Forests and Public Land[s] Act [see Short Title note above].’’ § 558b. Definition of Secretaries In this Act, the term ‘‘Secretaries’’ means each of— (1) the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service; and (2) the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management. (Pub. L. 92–300, § 3, as added Pub. L. 118–234, title III, § 341, Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 2913.) Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT This Act, referred to in text, is Pub. L. 92–300, May 18, 1972, 86 Stat. 147, as amended generally by Pub. L. 118–234, title III, § 341, Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 2913, known as the Volunteers in the National Forests and Public Lands Act, which enacted sections 558a to 558g of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 558a of this title and Tables. PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior section 558b, Pub. L. 92–300, § 2, May 18, 1972, 86 Stat. 147, authorized the Secretary to provide for in- cidental expenses to program volunteers, prior to the general amendment of the Volunteers in the National Forests Act of 1972 by Pub. L. 118–234. A prior section 3 of Pub. L. 92–300, May 18, 1972, 86 Stat. 147, was classified to section 558c of this title, prior to the general amendment of the Volunteers in the National Forests Act of 1972 by Pub. L. 118–234. § 558c. Authorization The Secretaries are authorized to recruit, train, and accept without regard to the civil service and classification laws, rules, or regula- tions the services of individuals without com- pensation as volunteers for or in aid of recre- ation access, trail construction or maintenance, facility construction or maintenance, edu- cational uses (including outdoor classroom con- struction or maintenance), interpretive func- tions, visitor services, conservation measures and development, or other activities in and re- lated to areas administered by the Secretaries. In carrying out this section, the Secretaries shall consider referrals of prospective volunteers made by the Corporation for National and Com- munity Service. (Pub. L. 92–300, § 4, as added Pub. L. 118–234, title III, § 341, Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 2913.) Editorial Notes PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior section 558c, Pub. L. 92–300, § 3, May 18, 1972, 86 Stat. 147; Pub. L. 101–286, title II, § 204(a), May 9, 1990, 104 Stat. 175; Pub. L. 114–245, § 4(d)(1), Nov. 28, 2016, 130 Stat. 992, related to employment status of volunteers, prior to the general amendment of the Volunteers in the National Forests Act of 1972 by Pub. L. 118–234. A prior section 4 of Pub. L. 92–300, May 18, 1972, 86 Stat. 147, was classified to section 558d of this title, prior to the general amendment of the Volunteers in the National Forests Act of 1972 by Pub. L. 118–234. § 558d. Incidental expenses The Secretaries are authorized to provide for incidental expenses, such as transportation, uni- forms, lodging, training, equipment, and subsist- ence. (Pub. L. 92–300, § 5, as added Pub. L. 118–234, title III, § 341, Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 2913.) Editorial Notes PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior section 558d, Pub. L. 92–300, § 4, May 18, 1972, 86 Stat. 147; Pub. L. 95–289, § 1, June 5, 1978, 92 Stat. 289, authorized appropriations for former sections 558a to 558d of this title, prior to the general amendment of the Volunteers in the National Forests Act of 1972 by Pub. L. 118–234. A prior section 5 of Pub. L. 92–300, May 18, 1972, 86 Stat. 147, was set out as a Short Title note under sec- tion 558a of this title, prior to the general amendment of the Volunteers in the National Forests Act of 1972 by Pub. L. 118–234. § 558e. Consideration as Federal employee (a) Except as otherwise provided in this sec- tion, a volunteer shall not be deemed a Federal employee and shall not be subject to the provi- sions of law relating to Federal employment, in- cluding those relating to hours of work, rates of compensation, leave, unemployment compensa- tion, and Federal employee benefits.