---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 8611"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "8611"
heading: "Attendance at meetings of technical, professional, or scientific organizations"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/8611"
units:
  - "Subtitle C — Navy and Marine Corps"
  - "Part IV — General Administration"
  - "Chapter 861 — Secretary of the Navy: Miscellaneous Powers and Duties"
---

# §8611. Attendance at meetings of technical, professional, or scientific organizations

- (a) The [Secretary](/usc/10/8720.md?p=4) of the [Navy](/usc/10/8001.md?p=a-1) may authorize—
  - (1) members of the naval service on [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1);
  - (2) civilian [officers](/usc/10/8001.md?p=a-5) and employees of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of the [Navy](/usc/10/8001.md?p=a-1);
  - (3) members of the Coast Guard when it is operating as a service in the [Navy](/usc/10/8001.md?p=a-1); and
  - (4) members of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration serving with the [Navy](/usc/10/8001.md?p=a-1);

  to attend meetings of technical, professional, scientific, and similar organizations, if the [Secretary](/usc/10/8720.md?p=4) believes that their attendance will benefit the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6). The personnel may be reimbursed for their expenses at the [rates](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-9) prescribed by law.

- (b) The [Secretary](/usc/10/8720.md?p=4), to the extent he considers proper, may delegate the authority conferred by this section to any person in the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of the [Navy](/usc/10/8001.md?p=a-1), with or without the authority to make successive redelegations.

## Source credit

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 444, § 7211; Pub. L. 89–718, § 8(a), Nov. 2, 1966, 80 Stat. 1117; Pub. L. 96–513, title V, § 513(24), Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2932; renumbered § 8611, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(d)(1), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1836.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 7211 | 5 U.S.C. 421c. | Aug. 2, 1946, ch. 756, § 1, 60 Stat. 853. |
|  | 5 U.S.C. 421g(b), (c). | Aug. 2, 1946, ch. 756, § 40(b), (c), 60 Stat. 858. |
|  | 5 U.S.C. 412a. | Aug. 2, 1946, ch. 756, § 39, 60 Stat. 858. |

In subsection (b) the words “except the authority to prescribe regulations” are omitted, since 5 U.S.C. 421c contains no authority for the Secretary of the Navy to prescribe regulations for the administration of that section.

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 8611, act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 531, provided that President could prescribe uniform of Air Force, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 90–235, § 8(2), Jan. 2, 1968, 81 Stat. 764.

### Amendments

2018—Pub. L. 115–232 renumbered section 7211 of this title as this section.

1980—Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 96–513 substituted “National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration” for “Environmental Science Services Administration”.

1966—Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 89–718 substituted “Environmental Science Services Administration” for “Coast and Geodetic Survey”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2018 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of amendments and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 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.

### Repeals

The directory language of, but not the amendment made by, Pub. L. 89–718, § 8(a), Nov. 2, 1966, 80 Stat. 1117, cited as a credit to this section, was repealed by Pub. L. 97–295, § 6(b), Oct. 12, 1982, 96 Stat. 1314.

### Transfer of Functions

For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.