In order to facilitate the development, standardization, and interoperability of submarine vessel safety and rescue systems and procedures, the Secretary of the Navy may conduct a program under which members of the naval service of any of the member nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization may be assigned to United States commands to work on such systems and procedures.

The authority under subsection (a) is not an exchange program. Reciprocal assignments of members of the Navy to the naval service of a foreign country is not a condition for the exercise of such authority.

The United States may not pay the following costs for a member of a foreign naval service sent to the United States under the program authorized by this section:

The United States may not pay the following costs for a member of a foreign naval service sent to the United States under the program authorized by this section:

(A) Salary.

(B) Per diem.

(C) Cost of living.

(D) Travel costs.

(E) Cost of language or other training.

(F) Other costs.

Paragraph (1) does not apply to the following costs, which may be paid by the United States:

(A) The cost of temporary duty directed by the Secretary of the Navy or an officer of the Navy authorized to do so.

(B) The cost of training programs conducted to familiarize, orient, or certify members of foreign naval services regarding unique aspects of their assignments.

(C) Costs incident to the use of the facilities of the Navy in the performance of assigned duties.

The provisions of this section shall apply in the exercise of any authority of the Secretary of the Navy to enter into an agreement with the government of a foreign country, subject to the concurrence of the Secretary of State, to provide for the assignment of members of the naval service of the foreign country to a Navy submarine safety program. The Secretary of the Navy may prescribe regulations for the application of this section in the exercise of such authority.

The Secretary of the Navy may not accept the assignment of a member of the naval service of a foreign country under this section after September 30, 2008.

(Added Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title XII, § 1223(a), Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 2089, § 7234; renumbered § 8634, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(d)(1), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1836.)