2017 US Code
Title 42 - The Public Health and Welfare
Chapter 6A - Public Health Service
Subchapter I - Administration and Miscellaneous Provisions
Part A - Administration
Sec. 217 - Use of Service in time of war or emergency

In time of war, or of emergency proclaimed by the President, he may utilize the Service to such extent and in such manner as shall in his judgment promote the public interest. In time of war, or of emergency involving the national defense proclaimed by the President, he may by Executive order declare the commissioned corps of the Service to be a military service. Upon such declaration, and during the period of such war or such emergency or such part thereof as the President shall prescribe, the commissioned corps (a) shall constitute a branch of the land and naval forces of the United States, (b) shall, to the extent prescribed by regulations of the President, be subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice [10 U.S.C. 801 et seq.], and (c) shall continue to operate as part of the Service except to the extent that the President may direct as Commander in Chief.

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title II, §216, 58 Stat. 690; Apr. 27, 1956, ch. 211, §1, 70 Stat. 116.)

The Uniform Code of Military Justice, referred to in text, is classified to chapter 47 (§801 et seq.) of Title 10, Armed Forces.

1956—Act Apr. 27, 1956, empowered President to declare commissioned corps of the Service to be a military service in time of emergency involving national defense, and substituted "the Uniform Code of Military Justice" for "the Articles of War and to the Articles for the Government of the Navy".

Section 6 of Joint Res. July 3, 1952, ch. 570, 66 Stat. 334, repealed Joint Res. Apr. 14, 1952, ch. 204, 66 Stat. 54 as amended by Joint Res. May 28, 1952, ch. 339, 66 Stat. 96; Joint Res. June 14, 1952, ch. 437, 66 Stat. 137; Joint Res. June 30, 1952, ch. 526, 66 Stat. 296, which continued provisions until July 3, 1952. This repeal shall take effect as of June 16, 1952, by section 7 of said Joint Res. July 3, 1952.

Functions of Public Health Service, Surgeon General of Public Health Service, and all other officers and employees of Public Health Service, and functions of all agencies of or in Public Health Service transferred to Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare by Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1966, eff. June 25, 1966, 31 F.R. 8855, 80 Stat. 1610, set out as a note under section 202 of this title. Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare redesignated Secretary of Health and Human Services by section 509(b) of Pub. L. 96–88 which is classified to section 3508(b) of Title 20, Education.

Ex. Ord. No. 9575, eff. June 28, 1945, 10 F.R. 7895, which declared the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service to be a military service subject to the Articles for the Government of the Navy as therein prescribed, was superseded by Ex. Ord. No. 10349, eff. Apr. 28, 1952, 17 F.R. 3769.

Ex. Ord. No. 10349, eff. Apr. 28, 1952, 17 F.R. 3769, superseded Ex. Ord. No. 9575, and subjected the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service to the provisions of the Uniform Code of Military Justice until June 1, 1952.

Ex. Ord. No. 10356, eff. June 2, 1952, 17 F.R. 4967, amended Ex. Ord. No. 10349, and extended from June 1, 1952, to June 15, 1952, the period during which the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service was subject to the provisions of the Uniform Code of Military justice.

Ex. Ord. No. 10362, eff. June 14, 1952, 17 F.R. 5413, amended Ex. Ord. No. 10356, and extended from June 15, 1952, to June 30, 1952, the period during which the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service was subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

Ex. Ord. No. 10367, eff. June 30, 1952, 17 F.R. 5929, amended Ex. Ord. No. 10362, and extended from June 30, 1952, to July 3, 1952, the period during which the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service was subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice.