2017 US Code
Title 10 - Armed Forces
Subtitle A - General Military Law
Part I - Organization and General Military Powers
Chapter 15 - Military Support for Civilian Law Enforcement Agencies
Sec. 282 - Emergency situations involving weapons of mass destruction

(a) In General.—The Secretary of Defense, upon the request of the Attorney General, may provide assistance in support of Department of Justice activities relating to the enforcement of section 175, 229, or 2332a of title 18 during an emergency situation involving a weapon of mass destruction. Department of Defense resources, including personnel of the Department of Defense, may be used to provide such assistance if—

(b) Emergency Situations Covered.—In this section, the term "emergency situation involving a weapon of mass destruction" means a circumstance involving a weapon of mass destruction—

(c) Forms of Assistance.—The assistance referred to in subsection (a) includes the operation of equipment (including equipment made available under section 372 ¹ of this title) to monitor, contain, disable, or dispose of the weapon involved or elements of the weapon.

(d) Regulations.—(1) The Secretary of Defense and the Attorney General shall jointly prescribe regulations concerning the types of assistance that may be provided under this section. Such regulations shall also describe the actions that Department of Defense personnel may take in circumstances incident to the provision of assistance under this section.

(2)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the regulations may not authorize the following actions:

(B) The regulations may authorize an action described in subparagraph (A) to be taken under the following conditions:

(e) Reimbursements.—The Secretary of Defense shall require reimbursement as a condition for providing assistance under this section to the extent required under section 377 ¹ of this title.

(f) Delegations of Authority.—(1) Except to the extent otherwise provided by the Secretary of Defense, the Deputy Secretary of Defense may exercise the authority of the Secretary of Defense under this section. The Secretary of Defense may delegate the Secretary's authority under this section only to an Under Secretary of Defense or an Assistant Secretary of Defense and only if the Under Secretary or Assistant Secretary to whom delegated has been designated by the Secretary to act for, and to exercise the general powers of, the Secretary.

(2) Except to the extent otherwise provided by the Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney General may exercise the authority of the Attorney General under this section. The Attorney General may delegate that authority only to the Associate Attorney General or an Assistant Attorney General and only if the Associate Attorney General or Assistant Attorney General to whom delegated has been designated by the Attorney General to act for, and to exercise the general powers of, the Attorney General.

(g) Relationship to Other Authority.—Nothing in this section shall be construed to restrict any executive branch authority regarding use of members of the armed forces or equipment of the Department of Defense that was in effect before September 23, 1996.

(Added Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title XIV, §1416(a)(1), Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2721, §382; amended Pub. L. 105–85, div. A, title X, §1073(a)(6), Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 1900; Pub. L. 111–383, div. A, title X, §1075(b)(10)(A), (B), Jan. 7, 2011, 124 Stat. 4369; Pub. L. 112–81, div. A, title X, §1089, Dec. 31, 2011, 125 Stat. 1603; renumbered §282, Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title XII, §1241(a)(2), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2497.)

Section 372 of this title, referred to in subsec. (c), was renumbered section 272 of this title by Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title XII, §1241(a)(2), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2497.

Section 377 of this title, referred to in subsec. (e), was renumbered section 277 of this title by Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title XII, §1241(a)(2), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2497.

2016—Pub. L. 114–328 renumbered section 382 of this title as this section.

2011—Pub. L. 111–383, §1075(b)(10)(B), struck out "chemical or biological" before "weapons" in section catchline.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 112–81 struck out "biological or chemical" before "weapon of mass destruction" in introductory provisions.

Pub. L. 111–383, §1075(b)(10)(A), substituted "section 175, 229, or 2332a" for "section 175 or 2332c".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 112–81 struck out "biological or chemical" before "weapon of mass destruction" in two places in introductory provisions.

Subsecs. (b)(2)(C), (d)(2)(A)(ii). Pub. L. 111–383, §1075(b)(10)(A), substituted "section 175, 229, or 2332a" for "section 175 or 2332c".

1997—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 105–85 substituted "September 23, 1996" for "the date of the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997".

Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title X, §1023, Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 747, authorized the Secretary of Defense, upon the request of the Attorney General, to provide assistance to civil authorities in responding to an act of terrorism or threat of an act of terrorism within the United States, if the Secretary determined that certain conditions were met, subject to reimbursement and limitations on funding and personnel, and provided that this authority applied between Oct. 1, 1999, and Sept. 30, 2004.

¹ See References in Text note below.