---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 277"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "277"
heading: "Reimbursement"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/277"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part I — Organization and General Military Powers"
  - "Chapter 15 — Military Support for Civilian Law Enforcement Agencies"
---

# §277. Reimbursement

- (a) Subject to [subsection (c)](#c), to the extent otherwise required by [section 1535 of title 31](/usc/31/1535.md) (popularly known as the “Economy Act”) or other applicable law, the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense shall require a civilian law enforcement [agency](/usc/10/3451.md?p=3) to which support is provided under this chapter to reimburse the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense for that support.
- (b)
  - (1) Subject to [subsection (c)](#c), the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense shall require a Federal [agency](/usc/10/3451.md?p=3) to which law enforcement support or support to a national special security event is provided by [National Guard](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-1) personnel performing duty under [section 502(f) of title 32](/usc/32/502.md?p=f) to reimburse the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense for the costs of that support, notwithstanding any other provision of law. No other provision of this chapter shall apply to such support.
  - (2) Any funds received by the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense under this subsection as reimbursement for support provided by personnel of the [National Guard](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-1) shall be credited, at the election of the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense, to the following:
    - (A) The appropriation, fund, or account used to fund the support.
    - (B) The appropriation, fund, or account currently available for reimbursement purposes.
- (c) An [agency](/usc/10/3451.md?p=3) to which support is provided under this chapter or [section 502(f) of title 32](/usc/32/502.md?p=f) is not required to reimburse the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense for such support if the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense waives reimbursement. The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) may waive the reimbursement requirement under this subsection if such support—
  - (1) is provided in the normal course of [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9) or operations; or
  - (2) results in a benefit to the element of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense or personnel of the [National Guard](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-1) providing the support that is substantially equivalent to that which would otherwise be obtained from [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) operations or [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 97–86, title IX, § 905(a)(1), Dec. 1, 1981, 95 Stat. 1116, § 377; amended Pub. L. 100–456, div. A, title XI, § 1104(a), Sept. 29, 1988, 102 Stat. 2045; Pub. L. 110–181, div. A, title X, § 1061, Jan. 28, 2008, 122 Stat. 319; renumbered § 277, Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title XII, § 1241(a)(2), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2497.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 277, act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 14, prohibited discrimination in administering laws applicable to both Regulars and Reserves, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, §§ 1661(a)(2)(A), 1691, Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2979, 3026, effective Dec. 1, 1994. See section 10209 of this title.

### Amendments

2016—Pub. L. 114–328 renumbered section 377 of this title as this section.

2008—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 110–181, § 1061(1), substituted “Subject to subsection (c), to the extent” for “To the extent”.

Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 110–181, § 1061(2), added subsecs. (b) and (c) and struck out former subsec. (b) which read as follows: “An agency to which support is provided under this chapter is not required to reimburse the Department of Defense for such support if such support—

“(1) is provided in the normal course of military training or operations; or

“(2) results in a benefit to the element of the Department of Defense providing the support that is substantially equivalent to that which would otherwise be obtained from military operations or training.”

1988—Pub. L. 100–456 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section read as follows: “The Secretary of Defense shall issue regulations providing that reimbursement may be a condition of assistance to a civilian law enforcement official under this chapter.”