14 USC § 909 - Small boat station rescue capability

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t14/s909"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "14 USC § 909 - Small boat station rescue capability"
title_number: 14
title_name: "COAST GUARD"
section_number: "909"
section_name: "Small boat station rescue capability"
chapter_number: 9
chapter_name: "ADMINISTRATION"
subchapter_number: "I"
subchapter_name: "REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-03-26"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Added Pub. L. 104–324, title III, § 309(a), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3919, § 673; renumbered § 674, Pub. L. 107–295, title IV, § 405(a)(1), Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2115; amended Pub. L. 107–296, title XVII, § 1704(a), (f)(1), Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2314, 2316; Pub. L. 112–213, title II, § 217(12), Dec. 20, 2012, 126 Stat. 1558; renumbered § 909, Pub. L. 115–282, title I, § 107(b), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4205.)"
---


# § 909. Small boat station rescue capability

The Secretary shall ensure that each Coast Guard small boat station (including a seasonally operated station) maintains, within the area of responsibility for the station, at least 1 vessel that is fully capable of performing offshore rescue operations, taking into consideration prevailing weather, marine conditions, and depositional geologic features such as sand bars.

---

**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 104–324, title III, § 309(a), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3919, § 673; renumbered § 674, Pub. L. 107–295, title IV, § 405(a)(1), Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2115; amended Pub. L. 107–296, title XVII, § 1704(a), (f)(1), Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2314, 2316; Pub. L. 112–213, title II, § 217(12), Dec. 20, 2012, 126 Stat. 1558; renumbered § 909, Pub. L. 115–282, title I, § 107(b), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4205.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2018— renumbered  as this section.

2012— struck out “of Homeland Security” after “Secretary”.

2002—, which directed renumbering of the  that was added by , as , could not be executed because of the prior amendment by , see below.

, which directed amendment of  by substituting “of Homeland Security” for “of Transportation”, was executed by making the substitution in this section, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

renumbered , relating to small boat station rescue capability, as this section.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2002 Amendment

Amendment by  effective on the date of transfer of the Coast Guard to the Department of Homeland Security, see , set out as a note under , Armed Forces.

Amendment by  effective 60 days after , see , set out as an Effective Date note under , Domestic Security.