Federal · Title 40 — Public Buildings, Property, and Works

40 U.S.C. § 553: Property for correctional facility, law enforcement, and emergency management response purposes

Civil

What this law says, in plain English

This statute establishes procedures for transferring federal property to states and entities for correctional facilities, law enforcement, and emergency management purposes, with conditions requiring perpetual use for the stated purpose and reversion rights if the property ceases to serve that purpose.

Read the full statutory text
In this section, the term “State” includes the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Palau, and, the Northern Mariana Islands. the Attorney General determines is required by the transferee or grantee for correctional facility use under a program approved by the Attorney General for the care or rehabilitation of criminal offenders; the Attorney General determines is required by the transferee or grantee for law enforcement purposes; or the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency determines is required by the transferee or grantee for emergency management response purposes including fire and rescue services. A transfer or conveyance under this section shall be made without monetary consideration to the Federal Government. shall provide that all of the property be used and maintained for the purpose for which it was conveyed in perpetuity, and that if the property ceases to be used or maintained for that purpose, all or any portion of the property shall, in its then existing condition, at the option of the Government, revert to the Government; and may contain additional terms, reservations, restrictions, and conditions that the Administrator determines are necessary to safeguard the interests of the Government. The Administrator shall determine and enforce compliance with the terms, conditions, reservations, and restrictions contained in an instrument by which a transfer or conveyance under this section is made. The Administrator shall reform, correct, or amend the instrument if necessary to correct the instrument or to conform the transfer to the requirements of law. The Administrator shall grant a release from any term, condition, reservation or restriction contained in the instrument, and shall convey, quitclaim, or release to the transferee (or other eligible user) any right or interest reserved to the Government by the instrument, if the Administrator determines that the property no longer serves the purpose for which it was transferred or that a release, conveyance, or quitclaim deed will not prevent accomplishment of that purpose. The release, conveyance, or quitclaim deed may be made subject to terms and conditions that the Administrator considers necessary to protect or advance the interests of the Government.

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.