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Code · BILL · 116th Congress · S. 1215 (Introduced in Senate) — To authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2020 for military activities of the Department of Defense and for militar... · Sec. 1701

Sec. 1701. Establishment of United States Space Force in the Department of the Air Force

1,475 words·~7 min read·/bill/116/s/1215/is/section-1701

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Part I of subtitle D of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new chapter: Sec. 9091. Establishment of the Space Force. 9092. The Space Staff: function; composition. 9093. The Space Staff: general duties. 9094. Chief of Staff of the Space Force. 9095. Vice Chief of Staff of the Space Force. There is established a United States Space Force as an armed force within the Department of the Air Force. The Space Force shall be organized, trained, and equipped— to provide for freedom of operations in, from, and to the space domain for the United States; to provide independent military options for joint and national leadership; and to enable the lethality and effectiveness of the joint force.
The Space Force includes both combat and combat-support functions to enable prompt and sustained offensive and defensive space operations and joint operations in all domains. The Space Force consists of— the Regular Space Force and associated reserve components; all persons appointed or enlisted in, or conscripted into, the Space Force, including those not assigned to units, necessary to form the basis for a complete and immediate mobilization for the national defense in the event of a national emergency; and all Space Force units and other Space Force organizations, including installations and supporting and auxiliary combat, training, administrative, and logistic elements.
Except as otherwise specifically prescribed by law, the Space Force shall be organized in such manner, and the members of the Space Force shall perform such duties and have such titles, as the Secretary of the Air Force may prescribe. There is in the executive part of the Department of the Air Force a Space Staff to assist the Secretary of the Air Force in carrying out the responsibilities of the Secretary. The Space Staff is composed of the following: The Chief of Staff of the Space Force.
The Vice Chief of Staff of the Space Force. Such other offices and officials as may be established by law or as the Secretary of the Air Force may establish or designate. Other members of the Air Force and Space Force assigned or detailed to the Space Staff. Civilian employees in the Department of the Air Force assigned or detailed to the Space Staff. Except as otherwise specifically prescribed by law, the Space Staff shall be organized in such manner, and the members of the Space Staff shall perform such duties and have such titles, as the Secretary of the Air Force may prescribe.
The Space Staff shall furnish professional assistance to the Secretary of the Air Force, the Chief of Staff of the Space Force, and other personnel of the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force or the Space Staff. Under the authority, direction, and control of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Space Staff shall— subject to subsections
(c)and
(d)of section 9014 of this title, prepare for such employment of the Space Force, and for such recruiting, organizing, supplying, equipping (including research and development), training, servicing, mobilizing, demobilizing, administering, and maintaining of the Space Force, as will assist in the execution of any power, duty, or function of the Secretary of the Air Force or the Chief of Staff of the Space Force; investigate and report upon the efficiency of the Space Force 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 of the Air Force or the Chief Staff of the Space Force, coordinate the action of organizations of the Space Force; and perform such other duties, not otherwise assigned by law, as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Air Force. There is a Chief of Staff of the Space Force, appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, from the general officers of the Space Force. The Chief of Staff shall serve at the pleasure of the President. The Chief of Staff shall be appointed for a term of four 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 four years. 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
(3)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 Force, 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 9013(f) of this title, the Chief of Staff of the Space Force 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 Force shall— preside over the Space Staff; transmit the plans and recommendations of the Space Staff to the Secretary of the Air Force and advise the Secretary with regard to such plans and recommendations; after approval of the plans or recommendations of the Space Staff by the Secretary of the Air Force, 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 Force and the Air Force as the Secretary of the Air Force 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 Force 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 of the Air Force 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 of the Air Force. There is a Vice Chief of Staff of the Space Force, appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, from the general officers of the Space Force. The Vice Chief of Staff of the Space Force, while so serving, has the grade of general without vacating the permanent grade of the officer so serving. The Vice Chief of Staff has such authority and duties with respect to the Space Force as the Chief of Staff of the Space Force, with the approval of the Secretary of the Air Force, may delegate to or prescribe for the Vice Chief of Staff. Orders issued by the Vice Chief of Staff in performing such duties have the same effect as those issued by the Chief of Staff. When there is a vacancy in the office of Chief of Staff of the Space Force or during the absence or disability of the Chief of Staff— the Vice Chief of Staff shall perform the duties of the Chief of Staff until a successor is appointed or the absence or disability ceases; or if there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice Chief of Staff or the Vice Chief of Staff is absent or disabled, unless the President directs otherwise, the most senior officer of the Space Force in the Space Staff who is not absent or disabled and who is not restricted in performance of duty shall perform the duties of the Chief of Staff until a successor to the Chief of Staff or the Vice Chief of Staff is appointed or until the absence or disability of the Chief of Staff or Vice Chief of Staff ceases, whichever occurs first. .
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