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Congressional communications officials of the Service Academies

Division A · Title V: MILITARY PERSONNEL POLICY · Subtitle C: Member Training

Plain-language summaryAI

Each of the three military service academies—the Army, Navy, and Air Force—will have a civilian employee appointed to serve as a congressional communications official for their respective Board of Visitors. These officials are authorized to communicate directly with Members of Congress and congressional defense committees about the Board's activities without needing prior approval or clearance for their communications. The section also defines who qualifies as a covered congressional employee and clarifies the meaning of Member of Congress for these purposes.

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

Section Text · Sec. 526.

(a) United States Military Academy

Chapter 753 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 7455 the following new section:

7455a. Congressional communications official

(a) Appointment

The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of the Army, shall appoint a civilian employee of the Department of the Army to serve as the congressional communications official of the Board of Visitors under section 7455 of this title.

(b) Duties

(1)

The congressional communications official shall communicate directly with a Member of Congress, congressional defense committee, or covered congressional employee regarding the activities of such Board of Visitors.

(2)

The Secretary of Defense may not require the congressional communications official to obtain approval, clearance, or review of a communication under paragraph (1) before submitting such communication to a Member of Congress, congressional defense committee, or covered congressional employee.

(c) Definitions

In this section:

(1)

The term covered congressional employee means an employee of a Member of Congress, or of a congressional defense committee, without regard to—

(A)

whether such employee serves on a full-time or part-time basis; or

(B)

where such employee so serves.

(2)

The term Member of Congress has the meaning given such term in section 1563 of this title.

(b) United States Naval Academy

Chapter 853 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 8468 the following new section:

8468a. Congressional communications official

(a) Appointment

The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of the Navy, shall appoint a civilian employee of the Department of the Navy to serve as the congressional communications official of the Board of Visitors under section 7455 of this title.

(b) Duties

(1)

The congressional communications official shall communicate directly with a Member of Congress, congressional defense committee, or covered congressional employee regarding the activities of such Board of Visitors.

(2)

The Secretary of Defense may not require the congressional communications official to obtain approval, clearance, or review of a communication under paragraph (1) before submitting such communication to a Member of Congress, congressional defense committee, or covered congressional employee.

(c) Definitions

In this section:

(1)

The term covered congressional employee means an employee of a Member of Congress, or of a congressional defense committee, without regard to—

(A)

whether such employee serves on a full-time or part-time basis; or

(B)

where such employee so serves.

(2)

The term Member of Congress has the meaning given such term in section 1563 of this title.

(c) United States Air Force Academy

Chapter 953 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 9455 the following new section:

9455a. Congressional communications official

(a) Appointment

The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of the Air Force, shall appoint a civilian employee of the Department of the Air Force to serve as the congressional communications official of the Board of Visitors under section 9455 of this title.

(b) Duties

(1)

The congressional communications official shall communicate directly with a Member of Congress, congressional defense committee, or covered congressional employee regarding the activities of such Board of Visitors.

(2)

The Secretary of Defense may not require the congressional communications official to obtain approval, clearance, or review of a communication under paragraph (1) before submitting such communication to a Member of Congress, congressional defense committee, or covered congressional employee.

(c) Definitions

In this section:

(1)

The term covered congressional employee means an employee of a Member of Congress, or of a congressional defense committee, without regard to—

(A)

whether such employee serves on a full-time or part-time basis; or

(B)

where such employee so serves.

(2)

The term Member of Congress has the meaning given such term in section 1563 of this title.