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Membership of Commandant of the Coast Guard on the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Division A · Title IX: Department of Defense Organization and Management

Plain-language summaryAI

The Commandant of the Coast Guard is added as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, giving them the same status and responsibilities as other service chiefs. The law is updated to include the Coast Guard in various references to the Joint Chiefs and Joint Staff. The Commandant must also keep the Secretary of the department overseeing the Coast Guard informed about military advice and significant operations, while maintaining independence in their Joint Chiefs role.

AI-generated from this section’s text — a quick orientation, not a substitute for the full text below. Not legal advice.

Section Text · Sec. 902.
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(a) Membership on the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Section 151(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(9)

The Commandant of the Coast Guard.

(b) Appointment of Chairman; grade and rank

Section 152 of such title is amended—

(1)

in subsection (b)(1)(B) by striking or the Chief of Space Operations and inserting the Chief of Space Operations, or the Commandant of the Coast Guard ; and

(2)

in subsection (c), by striking Navy and inserting Navy or Coast Guard .

(c) Vice Chairman

Section 154(f) of such title is amended by striking Navy and inserting Navy or Coast Guard .

(d) Inclusion on the Joint Staff

Section 155(a) of such title is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (2)—

(A)

in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking (other than the Coast Guard) ;

(B)

in subparagraph (B), by striking and at the end;

(C)

in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and

(D)

by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

(D)

the Coast Guard.

(2)

in paragraph (3), by striking Secretary of the military department having jurisdiction over that armed force and inserting Secretary concerned .

(e) Duties as member of Joint Staff

Section 302 of title 14, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

by striking The President may and inserting the following:

(a)

The President may

(2)

by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(b)
(1)

The Commandant of the Coast Guard shall also perform the duties prescribed for the Commandant as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under section 151 of title 10.

(2)

To the extent that such action does not impair the independence of the Commandant in the performance of the Commandant’s duties as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Commandant shall inform the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating regarding military advice rendered by members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on matters affecting such department.

(3)

Subject to the authority, direction, and control of the Secretary of Defense, the Commandant shall keep the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating fully informed of significant military operations affecting the duties and responsibilities of such Secretary.