33 U.S.C. § 3061 — Cooperation with and transfer to military departments

(a) Transfers during a national emergency. (1) If the President judges that a sufficient national emergency exists, the President may transfer Administration^* vessels, equipment, stations, and officers to a military department’s service and jurisdiction when the President considers that in the country’s best interest. (2) After transfer, the receiving department’s appropriations pay all connected expenses. (3) The transferred items and officers must return to the Administration when, in the President’s opinion, the emergency ends. (4) This does not transfer the Administration or its functions from the Commerce Department except during an emergency and only as this section provides.

(b) Limitation. This section does not authorize transferring an officer^* if that officer’s appointment or retention in the military department is otherwise unlawful.

(c) Status. While under a military department, a transferred officer has proper military status and is subject to applicable Army, Navy, or Air Force laws, regulations, and orders, so far as they apply to people whom the law does not contemplate retaining permanently in United States military service.