(a) Establishment.—
(b) Operation of Program.—
(c) Categories of Eligible Individuals.—Subject to subsection (d), the categories of eligible individuals described in this subsection are the following:
(2)
Members of the Selected Reserve who hold a valid Uniformed Services Identification and Privilege Card.
(3)
Retired members of a regular or reserve component of the armed forces, including retired members of reserve components who, but for being under the eligibility age applicable under section 12731 of title 10, would be eligible for retired pay under chapter 1223 of title 10.
(4)
Subject to subsection (f), veterans with a permanent service-connected disability rated as total.
(d) Requirements.—In operating the program, the Commandant shall—
(1)
in the sole discretion of the Commandant, establish an order of priority for transportation for categories of eligible individuals that is based on considerations of military necessity, humanitarian concerns, and enhancement of morale;
(2)
give priority in consideration of transportation to the demands of members of the armed forces in the regular components and in the reserve components on active duty and to the need to provide such members, and their dependents, a means of respite from such demands; and
(3)
implement policies aimed at ensuring cost control (as required under subsection (b)) and the safety, security, and efficient processing of travelers, including limiting the benefit under the program to 1 or more categories of otherwise eligible individuals, as the Commandant considers necessary.
(e) Transportation.—
(1) In general.—
Notwithstanding subsection (d)(1), in establishing space-available transportation priorities under the program, the Commandant shall provide transportation for an individual described in paragraph (2), and a single dependent of the individual if needed to accompany the individual, at a priority level in the same category as the priority level for an unaccompanied dependent over the age of 18 years traveling on environmental and morale leave.
(2) Individuals covered.—Subject to paragraph (3), paragraph (1) applies with respect to an individual described in subsection (c)(3) who—
(3) Application to certain retired individuals.—
If an individual described in subsection (c)(3) is a retired member of a reserve component who is ineligible for retired pay under chapter 1223 of title 10 by reason of being under the eligibility age applicable under section 12731 of title 10, paragraph (1) applies to the individual only if the individual is also enrolled in the TRICARE program for certain members of the Retired Reserve authorized under section 1076e of title 10.
(f) Limitations on Travel.—
(1) In general.—
Travel may not be provided under this section to a veteran eligible for travel pursuant to paragraph (4) of subsection (c) in priority over any member eligible for travel under paragraph (1) of that subsection or any dependent of such a member eligible for travel under this section.
(2) Rule of construction.—Subsection (c)(4) may not be construed as—
(A)
affecting or in any way imposing on the Coast Guard, any armed force, or any commercial entity with which the Coast Guard or an armed force contracts, an obligation or expectation that the Coast Guard or such armed force will retrofit or alter, in any way, military aircraft or commercial aircraft, or related equipment or facilities, used or leased by the Coast Guard or such armed force to accommodate passengers provided travel under such authority on account of disability; or