US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

5 U.S.C. § 5729

Transportation expenses; prior return of family

(a)
section 5738 of this title Under regulations prescribed under , an agency shall pay from its appropriations, not more than once before the return to the United States of an employee whose post of duty is outside the continental United States, the expenses of transporting his immediate family and of shipping his household goods and personal effects from his post of duty to his actual place of residence when—
(1)
he has acquired eligibility for that transportation; or
(2)
the public interest requires the return of the immediate family for compelling personal reasons of a humanitarian or compassionate nature, such as may involve physical or mental health, death of a member of the immediate family, or obligation imposed by authority or circumstances over which the individual has no control.
(b)
section 5738 of this title Under regulations prescribed under , an agency shall reimburse from its appropriations an employee whose post of duty is outside the continental United States for the proper transportation expenses of returning his immediate family and his household goods and personal effects to the United States, when—
(1)
their return was made at the expense of the employee before his return and for other than reasons of public interest; and
(2)
he acquires eligibility for those transportation expenses.
(c)
This section does not apply to appropriations for the Foreign Service of the United States.

Pub. L. 89–55480 Stat. 505Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title XVII, § 1723(b)(1)110 Stat. 2759Pub. L. 105–264, § 6(9)112 Stat. 2356(, , ; , , ; , , .)

Historical and Revision Notes

Derivation

U.S. Code

Revised Statutes and

Statutes at Large

 

5 U.S.C. 73b–3(a) (5th and 6th provisos).

Aug. 31, 1954, ch. 1155 (less 1st proviso), 68 Stat. 1008.

The first 14 words of subsections (a) and (b), and subsection (c), are added on authority of former section 73b–3(a) (less 3d–6th provisos), which is carried into section 5722. The words “household effects” and “household goods” in the 5th and 6th provisos of former section 73b–3(a) are changed to “household goods and personal effects” for clarity and consistency in the use of the words elsewhere in this subchapter.

Standard changes are made to conform with the definitions applicable and the style of this title as outlined in the preface to the report.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 105–2641998—Subsecs. (a), (b). struck out “or its territories or possessions” after “to the United States”.

Pub. L. 104–201section 5738 of this title1996—Subsecs. (a), (b). substituted “Under regulations prescribed under ” for “Under such regulations as the President may prescribe”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1996 Amendment

Pub. L. 104–201section 1725(a) of Pub. L. 104–201section 5722 of this titleAmendment by effective 180 days after , see , set out as a note under .