Space-Available Act of 2012

Space-Available Act of 2012 - Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to establish a program to provide transportation on Department of Defense (DOD) aircraft on a space-available basis for: (1) active duty and reserve members holding a valid Uniformed Services Identification and Privilege Card; (2) retired members who, but for not attaining age 60, would be eligible for military retired pay; (3) an unremarried widow or widower of an active or reserve member; and (3) certain dependents of members described above. Allows the Secretary to establish an order of priority based on considerations of military needs and readiness.

[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2112 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2112

  To amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize space-available 
 travel on military aircraft for members of the reserve components, a 
  member or former member of a reserve component who is eligible for 
 retired pay but for age, widows and widowers of retired members, and 
                              dependents.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 15, 2012

 Mr. Begich (for himself, Mr. Graham, Mr. Brown of Massachusetts, Mr. 
    Manchin, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Leahy, Ms. Snowe, Ms. Ayotte, Mrs. 
  Gillibrand, Mr. Tester, Mr. Udall of New Mexico, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. 
Nelson of Nebraska, Mr. Akaka, Mr. Casey, Mr. Pryor, and Mr. Grassley) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
                      Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize space-available 
 travel on military aircraft for members of the reserve components, a 
  member or former member of a reserve component who is eligible for 
 retired pay but for age, widows and widowers of retired members, and 
                              dependents.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Space-Available Act of 2012''.

SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY OF ACTIVE AND RESERVE MEMBERS, RETIREES, GRAY AREA 
              RETIREES, AND DEPENDENTS FOR SPACE-AVAILABLE TRAVEL ON 
              MILITARY AIRCRAFT.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 157 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 2641b the following new section:
``Sec. 2641c. Space-available travel on department of defense aircraft: 
              eligibility
    ``(a) Authority To Establish Benefit Program.--The Secretary of 
Defense may establish a program to provide transportation on Department 
of Defense aircraft on a space-available basis. The program shall be 
conducted in a budget neutral manner.
    ``(b) Benefit.--If the Secretary establishes such a program, the 
Secretary shall, subject to section (c), provide the benefit equally to 
the following individuals:
            ``(1) Active duty members and members of the Selected 
        Reserve holding a valid Uniformed Services Identification and 
        Privilege Card.
            ``(2) A retired member of an active or reserve component, 
        including retired members of reserve components, who, but for 
        being under the eligibility age applicable to the member under 
        section 12731 of this title, would be eligible for retired pay 
        under chapter 1223 of this title.
            ``(3) An unremarried widow or widower of an active or 
        reserve component member of the armed forces.
            ``(4) A dependent that--
                    ``(A)(i) is the child of an active or reserve 
                component member or former member described in 
                paragraph (1) or (2); or
                    ``(ii) is the child of a deceased member entitled 
                to retired pay holding a valid Uniformed Services 
                Identification and Privilege Card and a surviving 
                unremarried spouse; and
                    ``(B) is accompanying the member or, in the case of 
                a deceased member, is the surviving unremarried spouse 
                of the deceased member or is a dependent accompanying 
                the surviving unremarried spouse of the deceased 
                member.
            ``(5) The surviving dependent of a deceased member or 
        former member described in paragraph (2) holding a valid 
        Uniformed Services Identification and Privilege Card, if the 
        dependent is accompanying the member or, in the case of a 
        deceased member, is the surviving unremarried spouse of the 
        deceased member or is a dependent accompanying the surviving 
        unremarried spouse of the deceased member.
            ``(6) Other such individuals as determined by the Secretary 
        in the Secretary's discretion.
    ``(c) Discretion To Establish Priority Order.--The Secretary, in 
establishing a program under this section, may establish an order of 
priority that is based on considerations of military needs and military 
readiness.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
2641b the following new item:

``2641c. Space-available travel on Department of Defense aircraft: 
                            eligibility.''.
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