[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 126 (Monday, July 1, 2019)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 31457-31458]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-14194]



[[Page 31455]]

Vol. 84

Monday,

No. 126

July 1, 2019

Part III





The President





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Memorandum of June 26, 2019--Policy for Military Service Academy and 
Reserve Officers' Training Corps Graduates Seeking to Participate in 
Professional Sports
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  Federal Register / Vol. 84 , No. 126 / Monday, July 1, 2019 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 31457]]

                Memorandum of June 26, 2019

                
 Policy for Military Service Academy and Reserve 
                Officers' Training Corps Graduates Seeking to 
                Participate in Professional Sports

                Memorandum for the Secretary of Defense

                By the authority vested in me as President by the 
                Constitution and the laws of the United States of 
                America, I hereby order as follows:

                Section 1. Background. Under current Department of 
                Defense (DOD) policy, new graduates of the Military 
                Service Academies (Academies) and Reserve Officers' 
                Training Corps (ROTC) programs cannot pursue careers in 
                professional sports until after they have served 2 
                years of commissioned service in the Armed Forces. As I 
                recently stated, these student-athletes should be able 
                to defer their military service obligations until they 
                have completed their professional sports careers. Such 
                cadets and midshipmen have a short window of time to 
                take advantage of their athletic talents during which 
                playing professional sports is realistically possible. 
                At the same time, these student-athletes should honor 
                the commitment they made to serve in the Armed Forces 
                in exchange for the extraordinary benefits afforded to 
                them at taxpayer expense at the Academies or ROTC 
                programs. A revised policy will benefit the student-
                athletes, the Academies and ROTC programs, and the 
                Armed Forces.

                Sec. 2. Revised Sports Policy. (a) The Secretary of 
                Defense (Secretary) shall develop a policy that 
                authorizes new graduates of the Academies and ROTC 
                programs to pursue professional sports opportunities 
                immediately following graduation, consistent with their 
                military service obligation (Revised Sports Policy).

                    (b) The Secretary shall submit the Revised Sports 
                Policy to the President, through the Assistant to the 
                President for National Security Affairs, no later than 
                120 days from the date of this memorandum.

                Sec. 3. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this 
                memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise 
                affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or 
the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

                    (b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent 
                with applicable law and subject to the availability of 
                appropriations.

[[Page 31458]]

                    (c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does 
                not, create any right or benefit, substantive or 
                procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any 
                party against the United States, its departments, 
                agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or 
                agents, or any other person.
                    (d) You are authorized and directed to publish this 
                memorandum in the Federal Register.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    Washington, June 26, 2019

[FR Doc. 2019-14194
Filed 6-28-19; 11:15 am]
Billing code 5001-06-P