10 USC § 8703 - Settlement of claims

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t10/s8703"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "10 USC § 8703 - Settlement of claims"
title_number: 10
title_name: "ARMED FORCES"
section_number: "8703"
section_name: "Settlement of claims"
chapter_number: 865
chapter_name: "SALVAGE FACILITIES"
part_number: "IV"
part_name: "GENERAL ADMINISTRATION"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Added Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title X, § 1015, Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 425, § 7363; amended Pub. L. 108–136, div. A, title III, § 315(b), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1431; renumbered § 8703, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(d)(3), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1836.)"
---


# § 8703. Settlement of claims

**(a)** **Authority to Settle Claim.—** The Secretary of the Navy may settle any claim by the United States for salvage services rendered by the Department of the Navy and may receive payment of any such claim.

**(b)** **Salvage Services Defined.—** In this section, the term “salvage services” includes services performed in connection with a marine salvage operation that are intended to prevent, abate, or minimize damage to the environment.

---

**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title X, § 1015, Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 425, § 7363; amended Pub. L. 108–136, div. A, title III, § 315(b), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1431; renumbered § 8703, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(d)(3), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1836.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2018— renumbered  as this section.

2003— designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted heading, and added subsec. (b).

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2018 Amendment

Amendment by  effective , with provision for the coordination of amendments and special rule for certain redesignations, see , set out as a note preceding .