---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 9780"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "9780"
heading: "Acquisition of buildings in District of Columbia"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/9780"
units:
  - "Subtitle D — Air Force and Space Force"
  - "Part IV — Service, Supply, and Procurement"
  - "Chapter 979 — Real Property"
---

# §9780. Acquisition of buildings in District of Columbia

- (a) In time of war or when war is imminent, the [Secretary](/usc/10/9511.md?p=10) of the Air Force may acquire by lease any building, or part of a building, in the District of Columbia that may be needed for military purposes.
- (b) At any time, the [Secretary](/usc/10/9511.md?p=10) may, for the purposes of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of the Air Force, requisition the use and take possession of any building or space in any building, and its appurtenances, in the District of Columbia, other than—
  - (1) a dwelling house occupied as such;
  - (2) a building occupied by any other agency of the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1); or
  - (3) space in such a dwelling house or building.

  The [Secretary](/usc/10/9511.md?p=10) shall determine, and [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) out of funds appropriated for the payment of rent by the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of the Air Force, just compensation for that use. If the amount of the compensation is not satisfactory to the [person](/usc/10/9511.md?p=1) entitled to it, the [Secretary](/usc/10/9511.md?p=10) shall [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) 75 percent of it to that [person](/usc/10/9511.md?p=1), and the claimant is entitled to recover by action against the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) an additional amount that, when added to the amount paid by the [Secretary](/usc/10/9511.md?p=10), is determined by the court to be just compensation for that use.


## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 85–861, § 1(203)(A), Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1542.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 9780(a)<br>9780(b) | 40:37.<br>40:41. | July 9, 1918, ch. 143 (3d proviso under “Barracks and Quarters”), 40 Stat. 861. |
|  |  | July 8, 1918, ch. 139 (2d par. under “War Department”), 40 Stat. 826. |

In subsection (a), the words “may acquire by lease” are substituted for the words “is authorized, in his discretion, to rent or lease”. The word “needed” is substituted for the word “required”.

In subsection (b), the words “At any time” are inserted for clarity. The word “may” is substituted for the words “is authorized”. The word “agency” is substituted for the word “branch”. Clause (3) is inserted for clarity. The word “determine” is substituted for the word “ascertain”. The words “out of funds appropriated for the payment of rent by” are substituted for the words “within the limits of the appropriations for rent made by any act making appropriations for”. The word “is” is substituted for the word “be”. The words “so ascertained” and “in the manner provided by sections 41(20) and 250 of Title 28” are omitted as surplusage, since those sections were repealed in 1948 and replaced by sections 1346, 1491, 1496, 1501, 1503, 2401, 2402, and 2501 of that title.