Sec. 1601. Establishment of Space Corps in the Department of the Air Force
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Not later than January 1, 2019, the Secretary of the Air Force shall certify to the congressional defense committees that the Space Corps under chapter 809 of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (b), is established. Part I of subtitle D of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new chapter: Subchapter Sec. I. General Matters 8091 II. Organization 8096 Sec. 8091. Establishment. 8092. Authorities and Responsibilities. 8093. Research and development and procurement of satellites and terminals. 8094.
Space functions of other elements of Department of Defense. Not later than January 1, 2019, the Secretary of Defense shall establish in the executive part of the Department of the Air Force a Space Corps. The function of the Space Corps shall be to assist the Secretary of the Air Force in carrying out the duties described in subsection (c). The Space Corps shall be composed of the following: The Chief of Staff of the Space Corps. Such other offices and officials as may be established by law or as the Secretary of the Air Force, in consultation with the Chief of Staff of the Space Corps, may establish or designate.
Except as otherwise specifically prescribed by law, the Space Corps shall be organized in such manner, and the members of the Space Corps shall perform, such duties and have such titles, as the Secretary may prescribe. Such duties shall include— protecting the interests of the United States in space; deterring aggression in, from, and through space; providing combat-ready space forces that enable the commanders of the combatant commands to fight and win wars; organizing, training, and equipping space forces; and conducting space operations of the Space Corps under the command of the Commander of the United States Space Command.
The Chief of Staff of the Space Corps shall furnish professional assistance to the Secretary, the Under Secretary, and the Assistant Secretaries of the Air Force. Under the authority, direction, and control of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Chief of Staff of the Space Corps, shall— subject to subsections
(c)and
(d)of section 8014 of this title, prepare for such employment of the Space Corps, and for such recruiting, organizing, supplying, equipping (including research and development), training, servicing, mobilizing, demobilizing, administering, and maintaining of the Space Corps, as will assist in the execution of any power, duty, or function of the Secretary or the Chief of Staff; investigate and report upon the efficiency of the Space Corps and its preparation to support military operations by commanders of the combatant commands; prepare detailed instructions for the execution of approved plans and supervise the execution of those plans and instructions; as directed by the Secretary, coordinate the action of organizations of the Space Corps; and perform such other duties, not otherwise assigned by law, as may be prescribed by the Secretary. To the extent practicable, the Secretary shall provide to the Space Corps the functions of the Department of the Air Force that may be feasibly shared with the Space Corps, including with respect to the United States Air Force Academy, recruitment, and basic training. The Secretary of the Air Force shall serve as the primary agent of the Department of Defense with respect to the research, development, test, and evaluation of satellites and user satellite terminals used by the Air Force, the Space Corps, and the Defense Agencies (except as otherwise provided by section 8094 of this title). The Secretary shall serve as the primary agent of the Department of Defense with respect to the procurement of satellites and user satellite terminals used by the military departments and the Defense Agencies (except as otherwise provided by section 8094 of this title). Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and except as provided in paragraph (2), the Secretary shall serve as the milestone decision authority (as defined in section 2366a of this title) for major defense acquisition programs or major subprograms relating to space. The Secretary may not serve as the milestone decision authority for the user satellite terminal programs of— the military departments other than the Air Force and the Space Corps; and the Defense Agencies specified in section 8094(c)(1) of this title. The Chief of Staff of the Space Corps shall develop the requirements for the satellites and user satellite terminals for which the Secretary has the authority for research, development, test, and evaluation, procurement, and milestone decisions pursuant to this section. Nothing in this chapter shall affect the authority of each Secretary concerned to— carry out the research, development, test, and evaluation of satellites and user satellite terminals of the military department of the Secretary concerned; operate such terminals; and develop requirements to ensure that the space programs of the Department of Defense support the mission of the Secretary concerned. Nothing in this chapter shall affect the authority of each Director concerned to— carry out the research, development, test, and evaluation and procurement of satellites and user satellite terminals of the Defense Agency of the Director concerned; operate such terminals; and develop requirements to ensure that the space programs of the Department of Defense support the mission of the Director concerned. In this section: The term Director concerned means— the Director of the National Reconnaissance Office, with respect to matters concerning the National Reconnaissance Office; and the Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, with respect to matters concerning the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. The term Secretary concerned means— the Secretary of the Army, with respect to matters concerning the Army; and the Secretary of the Navy, with respect to matters concerning the Navy, the Marine Corps, and the Coast Guard when it is operating as a service in the Department of the Navy. Sec. 8096. Chief of Staff of the Space Corps. There shall be a Chief of Staff of the Space Corps, appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Chief of Staff shall serve at the pleasure of the President. The Chief of Staff shall be appointed for a term of six years. In time of war or during a national emergency declared by Congress, the Chief of Staff may be reappointed for a term of not more than six years. The first Chief of Staff appointed after the date of the enactment of this section shall be appointed from the general officers of the Air Force. The President may appoint the incumbent Commander of the Air Force Space Command as the first such Chief of Staff without regard to the requirement in paragraph
(1)for the advice and consent of the Senate. Each subsequent Chief of Staff shall be appointed from the general officers of the Space Corps. The President may appoint an officer as Chief of Staff only if— the officer has had significant experience in joint duty assignments; and such experience includes at least one full tour of duty in a joint duty assignment (as defined in section 664(d) of this title) as a general officer. The President may waive paragraph
(4)in the case of an officer if the President determines such action is necessary in the national interest. The Chief of Staff of the Space Corps, while so serving, has the grade of general without vacating the permanent grade of the officer. Except as otherwise prescribed by law and subject to section 8013(f) of this title, the Chief of Staff of the Space Corps performs the duties of such position under the authority, direction, and control of the Secretary of the Air Force and is directly responsible to the Secretary. Subject to the authority, direction, and control of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Chief of Staff of the Space Corps shall— preside over the Space Corps; transmit the plans and recommendations of the Space Corps to the Secretary and advise the Secretary with regard to such plans and recommendations; after approval of the plans or recommendations of the Space Corps by the Secretary, act as the agent of the Secretary in carrying them into effect; exercise supervision, consistent with the authority assigned to commanders of unified or specified combatant commands under chapter 6 of this title, over such of the members and organizations of the Space Corps and the Air Force as the Secretary determines; perform the duties prescribed for the Chief of Staff by sections 171 and 2547 of this title and other provisions of law; and perform such other military duties, not otherwise assigned by law, as are assigned to the Chief of Staff by the President, the Secretary of Defense, or the Secretary of the Air Force. The Chief of Staff of the Space Corps shall also perform the duties prescribed for the Chief of Staff as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under section 151 of this title. To the extent that such action does not impair the independence of the Chief of Staff in the performance of the duties of the Chief of Staff as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Chief of Staff shall inform the Secretary regarding military advice rendered by members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on matters affecting the Department of the Air Force. Subject to the authority, direction, and control of the Secretary of Defense, the Chief of Staff shall keep the Secretary of the Air Force fully informed of significant military operations affecting the duties and responsibilities of the Secretary. . The table of chapters at the beginning of subtitle D of title 10, United States Code, and at the beginning of part I of such subtitle, are each amended by inserting after the item relating to chapter 807 the following new item: 809. Space Corps 8091. . Chapter 5 of title 10, United States Code, is amended as follows: In section 151(a), by adding at the end the following new paragraph: The Chief of Staff of the Space Corps. . In section 152(b)(1)(B), by striking or the Commandant of the Marine Corps and inserting the Commandant of the Marine Corps, or the Chief of Staff of the Space Corps . Section 171 of title 10, United States Code, is amended— in paragraph (12), by striking ; and ; in paragraph (13), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and by adding at the end the following new paragraph: the Chief of Staff of the Space Corps. . Section 1406(i)(3)(A) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new clause: Chief of Staff of the Space Corps. . Section 2547(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking and the Commandant of the Marine Corps and inserting the Commandant of the Marine Corps, and the Chief of Staff of the Space Corps . Section 8017 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking paragraph
(4)and inserting the following: The Chief of Staff of the Air Force. The Chief of Staff of the Space Corps. . Effective on the date on which the Space Corps is established under section 8091 of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a)(1)— the position, and the office of, the Principal Department of Defense Space Advisor (previously known as the Department of Defense Executive Agent for Space) shall be terminated; the personnel of such office shall be transferred to the Air Force and to the Space Corps, as determined appropriate by the Secretary of Defense; any reference in Federal law, regulations, guidance, instructions, or other documents of the Federal Government to the Principal Department of Defense Space Advisor or the Department of Defense Executive Agent for Space shall be deemed to be a reference to the Secretary of the Air Force or the Chief of Staff of the Space Corps, as appropriate; and the Defense Space Council shall be terminated. Nothing in this section, or the amendments made by this section, shall be construed to authorize or require the relocation of any facility, infrastructure, or military installation of the Air Force. Not later than March 1, 2018, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees an interim report on the Space Corps established under chapter 809 of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a)(1), that includes— a review of the organizational and management structure of the Space Corps; and recommendations for the modification and improvement of such organizational and management structure. Not later than August 1, 2018, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a final report on the Space Corps that includes— an update of the review and recommendations described in paragraph (1), including recommendations for any necessary revisions to appointments and qualifications, duties and powers, and precedent in the Department of Defense; recommendations for the appropriate sharing of functions between the Air Force and the Space Corps, including functions with respect to personnel matters and uniforms; a plan for implementing the recommendations described in subparagraphs
(A)and (B), which shall include proposed legislative and administrative actions, including conforming and other amendments to law, that the Secretary determines to be appropriate for carrying out such plan; the estimated number of general officers of the Space Corps, including an identification of the current positions of such general officers that will be transferred to the Space Corps and whether the Secretary determines it necessary for the number of general officers authorized in chapter 32 of title 10, United States Code, to be increased; and any other matters that the Secretary determines to be appropriate.