[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7712 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7712

  To prohibit the Secretary of Defense from eliminating or otherwise 
 modifying certain programs of the National Defense University pending 
                    an assessment of such programs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 21, 2020

 Mr. Panetta introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To prohibit the Secretary of Defense from eliminating or otherwise 
 modifying certain programs of the National Defense University pending 
                    an assessment of such programs.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Special Operations and International 
Security Education Act''.

SEC. 2. COLLEGE OF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY AFFAIRS OF THE NATIONAL 
              DEFENSE UNIVERSITY.

    (a) Prohibition.--The Secretary of Defense may not eliminate, 
divest, downsize, or reorganize the College of International Security 
Affairs, nor its satellite program, the Joint Special Operations 
Masters of Arts, of the National Defense University, or seek to reduce 
the number of students educated at the College, or its satellite 
program, until 30 days after the date on which the congressional 
defense committees receive the report required by subsection (c).
    (b) Assessment, Determination, and Review.--The Under Secretary of 
Defense for Policy, in consultation with the Under Secretary of Defense 
for Personnel and Readiness, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for 
Special Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict, the Deputy Assistant 
Secretary of Defense for Counternarcotics and Global Threats, the 
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Stability and Humanitarian 
Affairs, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special 
Operations and Combating Terrorism, the Chief Financial Officer of the 
Department, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the 
Commander of United States Special Operations Command, shall--
            (1) assess requirements for joint professional military 
        education and civilian leader education in the 
        counterterrorism, irregular warfare, and asymmetrical domains 
        to support the Department and other national security 
        institutions of the Federal Government;
            (2) determine whether the importance, challenges, and 
        complexity of the modern counterterrorism environment and 
        irregular and asymmetrical domains warrant--
                    (A) a college at the National Defense University, 
                or a college independent of the National Defense 
                University whose leadership is responsible to the 
                Office of the Secretary of Defense; and
                    (B) the provision of resources, services, and 
                capacity at levels that are the same as, or decreased 
                or enhanced in comparison to, those resources, 
                services, and capacity in place at the College of 
                International Security Affairs on January 1, 2019;
            (3) review the plan proposed by the National Defense 
        University for eliminating the College of International 
        Security Affairs and reducing and restructuring the 
        counterterrorism, irregular, and asymmetrical faculty, course 
        offerings, joint professional military education and degree and 
        certificate programs, and other services provided by the 
        College; and
            (4) assess the changes made to the College of International 
        Security Affairs since January 1, 2019, and the actions 
        necessary to reverse those changes, including relocating the 
        College and its associated budget, faculty, staff, students, 
        and facilities outside of the National Defense University.
    (c) Report Required.--Not later than February 1, 2021, the 
Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report 
on--
            (1) the findings of the Secretary with respect to the 
        assessments, determination, and review conducted under 
        subsection (b); and
            (2) such recommendations as the Secretary may have for 
        higher education in the counterterrorism, irregular, and 
        asymmetrical domains.
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