38 U.S.C. § 7424 — Travel expenses of certain employees

(a) The Secretary^* may pay expenses, except membership fees, for people described in sections 7306 and 7401(1), including certain temporary full-time or part-time appointees under section 7405, when the Under Secretary for Health assigns them to attend meetings of associations that promote medical or related science.

(b)(1) The Secretary may issue regulations allowing Administration officers and employees who are nationally recognized principal investigators in medical research to accept cash or in-kind payments from non-Federal agencies, organizations, or people for travel and reasonable subsistence expenses approved under the regulations. The expenses must relate to attending meetings, performing advisory services, accepting significant awards, or related activity concerning Department^* functions or activities. (2) The regulations may allow the officer or employee to keep the payment to cover the expense or require it to be deposited to the appropriation that paid the expense.