Sec. 916. Limitation on availability of funds for modification or consolidation of geographic combatant commands

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None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2026 for the Department of Defense may be obligated or expended to carry out an action described in subsection

(b)until a period of 60 days has elapsed following the date on which the Secretary of Defense submits the certification and all other information required under subsection

(c)with respect to such action. The actions described in this subsection are the following: Modifying or combining the missions, responsibilities, or force structure of any a geographic combatant command as set forth in chapter 6 of title 10, United States Code, with those of any other command. Appointing an officer in a grade below O–10 to serve as the Commander of any geographic combatant command. Divesting, consolidating, or returning to a host country any site included in the real property inventory of a geographic combatant command as of June 1, 2025. The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees each of the following with respect to any action described in subsection

(b)that is proposed to be taken by the Secretary: A certification that, in the determination of the Secretary, undertaken with appropriate consultations with international partners, the action is in the national security interest of the United States. A detailed analysis of the impact of such action on— the ability of the Armed Forces to execute contingency and other operational plans of the Department of Defense, including counterterrorism operations and crisis response operations, and the ability of the Armed Forces to support such execution; the ability of the United States to maintain access in the affected geographic command’s area of responsibility, including to protect the freedom of navigation; military training and major military exercises, including on interoperability, security cooperation, and joint activities with allies and partners; and United States deterrence of potential threats, including those that may be posed by the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation, and the adequacy of United States military posture in the affected geographic command’s area of responsibilities for such purposes. A detailed analysis of the costs for relocation of personnel, equipment, and associated infrastructure. A description of consultations regarding such action with each relevant ally or partner. Independent risk assessments prepared by the Commanders of the affected geographic combatant commands, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and any other combatant commander that may be affected by such action, of— the impact of such action on the security of the United States; the impact of such action on the ability of the Armed Forces to execute campaign and contingency plans of the Department of Defense, including in support of operations outside the area of responsibility of the affected geographic combatant commands; and the impact of such action on military training and major military exercises, including on interoperability and joint activities with regional allies and partners. In preparing the certification and other information required under subsection

(c)the Secretary of Defense shall consult with Commanders in the affected geographic combatant command’s area of responsibility and the commander of any other geographic combatant command expected to be affected by an action described in subsection (b). The certification required by subsection (c)(1) shall be submitted in unclassified form. The information described in paragraphs

(2)through

(5)of subsection

(c)may be submitted in classified form. Each independent risk assessment required by subsection (c)(5) shall be submitted in unaltered format.