§ 125. Functions, powers, and duties: transfer, reassignment, consolidation, or abolition

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(a)Subject to section 2 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3002), the Secretary of Defense shall take appropriate action (including the transfer, reassignment, consolidation, or abolition of any function, power, or duty) to provide more effective, efficient, and economical administration and operation, and to eliminate duplication, in the Department of Defense. However, except as provided by subsections

(b)and (c), a function, power, or duty vested in the Department of Defense, or an officer, official, or agency thereof, by law may not be substantially transferred, reassigned, consolidated, or abolished.

(b)Notwithstanding subsection (a), if the President determines it to be necessary because of hostilities or an imminent threat of hostilities, any function, power, or duty vested by law in the Department of Defense, or an officer, official, or agency thereof, including one assigned to the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Space Force by section 7062(b), 8062, 8063, 9062(c), or 9081 of this title, may be transferred, reassigned, or consolidated. The transfer, reassignment, or consolidation remains in effect until the President determines that hostilities have terminated or that there is no longer an imminent threat of hostilities, as the case may be.

(c)Notwithstanding subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense may assign or reassign the development and operational use of new weapons or weapons systems to one or more of the military departments or one or more of the armed forces.

(Added Pub. L. 87–651, title II, § 201(a), Sept. 7, 1962, 76 Stat. 515; amended Pub. L. 89–501, title IV, § 401, July 13, 1966, 80 Stat. 278; Pub. L. 98–525, title XIV, § 1405(1), Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2621; Pub. L. 99–433, title I, § 103, title III, § 301(b)(1), title V, § 514(c)(1), Oct. 1, 1986, 100 Stat. 996, 1022, 1055; Pub. L. 101–510, div. A, title XIII, § 1301(3), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1668; Pub. L. 113–291, div. A, title X, § 1071(c)(1), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3508; Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 809(a), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1840; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, § 924(b)(3)(A), (b)(6), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3821, 3822.)

In subsection (a), the following substitutions are made: “Except as provided by subsections

(b)and (c)” for “except as otherwise provided in this subsection”; “vested . . . by law” for “established by law to be performed by”; “recommending” for “stating”; “proposes” for “contemplates”; and “the period” for “the thirty-day period or the forty-day period”. The words “on the first day after” are inserted for clarity. The words “if carried out” are omitted as surplusage.

In subsection (b), the words “Notwithstanding subsection (a)” are substituted for the words “Notwithstanding other provisions of this subsection”; and “Unless the President determines otherwise” for “subject to the determination of the President”.

In subsection (c), the following substitutions are made: “Notwithstanding subsection (a)” for “Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph

(1)hereof”; and “armed forces” for “services”.

In subsection (d), the following substitutions are made: “In subsection

(a)(1)” for “within the meaning of paragraph

(1)hereof”; and “considers” for “deems”. The words “advantageous to the Government in terms of” are omitted as surplusage.

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