# § 3992. Rights in public lands
**(a)** **Rights not forfeited** The rights of a servicemember to lands owned or controlled by the United States, and initiated or acquired by the servicemember under the laws of the United States (including the mining and mineral leasing laws) before military service, shall not be forfeited or prejudiced as a result of being absent from the land, or by failing to begin or complete any work or improvements to the land, during the period of military service.
**(b)** **Temporary suspension of permits or licenses** June 28, 193443 U.S.C. 315
If a permittee or licensee under the Act of ( et seq.), enters military service, the permittee or licensee may suspend the permit or license for the period of military service and for 180 days after termination of or release from military service.
**(c)** **Regulations** Regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior shall provide for such suspension of permits and licenses and for the remission, reduction, or refund of grazing fees during the period of such suspension.
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**Source Credit**: (Oct. 17, 1940, ch. 888, title V, § 502, as added Pub. L. 108–189, § 1, Dec. 19, 2003, 117 Stat. 2855.)
## Editorial Notes
### References in Text
Act of , referred to in subsec. (b), is , , popularly known as the Taylor Grazing Act, which is classified principally to subchapter I (§ 315 et seq.) of chapter 8A of Title 43, Public Lands. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.
### Codification
Section was formerly classified to section 562 of the former Appendix to this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.
### Prior Provisions
A prior section 502 of , art. V, , related to homestead entries and settlement claims, prior to the general amendment of this Act by .
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Effective Date
Section applicable to any case not final before , see , set out as a note under .