EXTENSION OF LEAVE TRAVEL DEFERRAL PERIOD FOR MEMBERS PERFORMING CONSECUTIVE OVERSEAS TOURS OF DUTY.

SEC. 621. EXTENSION OF LEAVE TRAVEL DEFERRAL PERIOD FOR MEMBERS PERFORMING CONSECUTIVE OVERSEAS TOURS OF DUTY. (a) Authorized Deferral Period.—Section 411b of title 37, United States Code is amended by inserting after subsection (a) the following new subsection: “(b) Authority to Defer Travel; Limitations.—(1) Under the regulations referred to in subsection (a), a member may defer 116 STAT. 2571the travel for which the member is paid travel and transportation allowances under this section until any time before the completion of the consecutive tour at the same duty station or the completion of the tour of duty at the new duty station under the order involved, as the case may be. “(2) If a member is unable to undertake the travel before expiration of the deferral period under paragraph (1) because of duty in connection with a contingency operation, the member may defer the travel until not more than one year after the date on which the member’s duty in connection with the contingency operation ends.”. (b) Conforming and Clerical Amendments.—Such section is further amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) by striking “(a)(1)” and inserting “(a) Allowances Authorized.—”; and (B) by striking paragraph (2); and (2) by striking “(b) The allowances” and inserting “(c) Limitation on Allowance Rate.—The allowances”. (c) Application of Amendment.—Subsection (b) of section 411b of title 37, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall apply with respect to members of the uniformed services in a deferred leave travel status under such section as of the date of the enactment of this Act or becomes entitled to travel and transportation allowances under such section on or after that date.