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

Legislative history

Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.

1. 1962

   Pub. L. 87–651 title II § 201(a) · 76 Stat. 506

   Enacted · 10 U.S.C. § 125

   Added Pub. L. 87–651, title II, § 201(a), Sept. 7, 1962, 76 Stat. 515

   Source evidence

   Code source credit
   Added Pub. L. 87–651, title II, § 201(a), Sept. 7, 1962, 76 Stat. 515

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   (a) Chapter 3 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 123: “§ 124. Combatant commands: establishment; composition; functions; administration and support “(a) With the advice and assistance of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the President, through the Secretary of Defense, shall— “(1) establish unified combatant commands or specified combatant commands to perform military missions; and “(2) shall prescribe the force structure of those commands. “(b) The military departments shall assign forces to combatant commands established under this section to perform the missions of those commands. A force so assigned is under the full operational command of the commander of the command to which it is assigned. It may be transferred from the command to which it is assigned only by authority of the Secretary and under procedures prescribed by the Secretary with the approval of the President. A force not so assigned remains, for all purposes, in the military department concerned. “(c) Combatant commands established under this section are responsible to the President and to the Secretary for such military missions as may be assigned to them by the Secretary with the approval of the President. “(d) Subject to the authority, direction, and control of the Secretary, each military department is responsible for the administration of forces assigned by that department to combatant commands established under this section. The Secretary shall assign the responsibility for the support of forces assigned to those commands to one or more of the military departments. “§ 125. Functions, powers, and duties: transfer, reassignment, consolidation, or abolition “(a) Subject to section 401 of title 50, the Secretary of Defense shall 72 Stat. 514. 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 unless the Secretary reports the details of the proposed transfer, reassignment, consolidation, or abolition to the Committees on Armed Services or the Senate and House of Representatives. The transfer, reassignment, consolidation, or abolition concerned takes effect on the first day after the expiration of the first 30 days that Congress is in continuous session after the Secretary so reports, unless either of those Committees, within that period, reports a resolution recommending that the proposed transfer, reassignment, consolidation, or abolition be rejected by the Senate or the House of Representatives, as the case may be, because it— “(1) proposes to transfer, reassign, consolidate, or abolish a major combatant function, power, or duty assigned to the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps by section 3062(b), 5012, 5013, or 8062(c) of this title; and 70A Stat. 166, 277, 493. “(2) would, in its judgment, tend to impair the defense of the United States. If either of those Committees, within that period, reports such a resolution and it is not adopted by the Senate or the House of Representatives, as the case may be, within the first 40 days that Congress is in continuous session after that resolution is so reported, the transfer, reassignment, consolidation, or abolition concerned takes effect on the first day after the expiration of that forty-day period. For the purposes of this subsection, a session may be considered as not continuous only if broken by an adjournment of Congress sine die. However, in computing the period that Congress is in continuous session, days that the Senate or the House of Representatives is not in session because of an adjournment of more than three days to a day certain are not counted. “(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, including one assigned to the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps by section 3062(b), 5012, 70A Stat. 166, 277, 493. 5013, or 8062(c) 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. “(d) In subsection (a)(1), ‘major combatant function, power, or duty’ does not include a supply or service activity common to more than one military department. The Secretary of Defense shall, whenever he determines it will be more effective, economical, or efficient, provide for the performance of such an activity by one agency or such other organizations as he considers appropriate. “§ 126. Transfer of funds and employees “(a) When a function, power, or duty or an activity of a department or agency of the Department of Defense is transferred or assigned to another department or agency of that department, balances of appropriations that the Secretary of Defense determines are available and needed to finance or discharge that function, power, duty, or activity, as the case may be, may, with the approval of the President, be transferred to the department or agency to which that function, power, duty, or activity, as the case may be, is transferred, and used for any purpose for which those appropriations were originally available. Balances of appropriations so transferred shall— “(1) be credited to any applicable appropriation account of the receiving department or agency; or “(2) be credited to a new account that may be established on the books of the Department of the Treasury; and be merged with the funds already credited to that account and accounted for as one fund. Balances of appropriations credited to an account under clause (1) are subject only to such limitations as are specifically applicable to that account. Balances of appropriations credited to an account under clause (2) are subject only to such limitations as are applicable to the appropriations from which they are transferred. “(b) When a function, power, or duty or an activity of a department or agency of the Department of Defense is transferred to another department or agency of that department, those civilian employees of the department or agency from which the transfer is made that the Secretary of Defense determines are needed to perform that function, power, or duty, or for that activity, as the case may be, may, with the approval of the Director of the Bureau of the Budget, be transferred to the department or agency to which that function, power, duty, or activity, as the case may be, is transferred. The authorized strength in civilian employees of a department or agency from which employees are transferred under this section is reduced by the number of employees so transferred. The authorized strength in civilian employees of a department or agency to which employees are transferred under this section is increased by the number of employees so transferred.”

2. 1966

   Pub. L. 89–501 title IV § 401 · 80 Stat. 275

   Changed · 10 U.S.C. § 125(c)

   Pub. L. 89–501 required the Secretary of Defense to report to the Congress all the pertinent details regarding any substantial reduction or elimination of a major weapons system before action could be initiated or effected by the Department of Defense

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 89–501 required the Secretary of Defense to report to the Congress all the pertinent details regarding any substantial reduction or elimination of a major weapons system before action could be initiated or effected by the Department of Defense.

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   Sec. 401. Section 125(c) of title 10, United States Code, is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof a new sentence as follows: “However, notwithstanding any other provision of this title or any other law, the Secretary of Defense shall not direct or approve a plan to initiate or effect a substantial reduction or elimination of a major weapons system until the Secretary of Defense has reported all the pertinent details of the proposed action to the Congress of the United States while the Congress is in session.”

3. 1984

   Department of Defense Authorization Act, 1985

   Pub. L. 98–525 title XIV § 1405(1) · 98 Stat. 2492

   Substituted · 10 U.S.C. § 125(a)

   Pub. L. 98–525 substituted “section 2 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 401)” for “section 401 of title 50”

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 98–525 substituted “section 2 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 401)” for “section 401 of title 50”.

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   (1) Section 125(a) is amended by striking out “section 401 of title 50” and inserting in lieu thereof “section 2 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 401)”.

4. 1986

   Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986

   Pub. L. 99–433 § 103(1) · 100 Stat. 992

   Struck · 10 U.S.C. § 125(a)

   Pub. L. 99–433, § 103(1), struck out provision under which the Secretary of Defense could substantially transfer, reassign, consolidate, or abolish functions, powers, or duties vested in the Department of Defense by law if the Secretary reported the details of the proposed transfer, reassignment, consolidation, or abolition to Congress and if Congress did not affirmatively reject the proposal

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 99–433, § 103(1), struck out provision under which the Secretary of Defense could substantially transfer, reassign, consolidate, or abolish functions, powers, or duties vested in the Department of Defense by law if the Secretary reported the details of the proposed transfer, reassignment, consolidation, or abolition to Congress and if Congress did not affirmatively reject the proposal.

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   (1) by striking out “unless the Secretary” in the second sentence of subsection (a) and all that follows in that subsection and inserting in lieu thereof a period; and

5. 1986

   Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986

   Pub. L. 99–433 title I § 103 · 100 Stat. 992

   1. Inserted · 10 U.S.C. § 125(b)

      Pub. L. 99–433, §§ 103(2), 514(c)(1), inserted “vested by law in the Department of Defense, or an officer, official, or agency thereof”

   2. Substituted · 10 U.S.C. § 125(b)

      Pub. L. 99–433, §§ 103(2), 514(c)(1), substituted “5062, 5063” for “5012, 5013”

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 99–433, §§ 103(2), 514(c)(1), inserted “vested by law in the Department of Defense, or an officer, official, or agency thereof” and substituted “5062, 5063” for “5012, 5013”.

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   SEC. 103. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY OF DEFENSE TO REORGANIZE THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Section Post, pp. 1022, 1055. 125 is amended— (1) by striking out “unless the Secretary” in the second sentence of subsection (a) and all that follows in that subsection and inserting in lieu thereof a period; and (2) by inserting “vested by law in the Department of Defense, or an officer, official, or agency thereof” in subsection (b) after “function, power, or duty”.

6. 1986

   Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986

   Pub. L. 99–433 § 301(b)(1) · 100 Stat. 992

   Struck · 10 U.S.C. § 125(d)

   Pub. L. 99–433, § 301(b)(1), struck out subsec. (d) which read as follows: “In subsection (a)(1), ‘major combatant function, power, or duty’ does not include a supply or service activity common to more than one military department. The Secretary of Defense shall, whenever he determines it will be more effective, economical, or efficient, provide for the performance of such an activity by one agency or such other organizations as he considers appropriate.”

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 99–433, § 301(b)(1), struck out subsec. (d) which read as follows: “In subsection (a)(1), ‘major combatant function, power, or duty’ does not include a supply or service activity common to more than one military department. The Secretary of Defense shall, whenever he determines it will be more effective, economical, or efficient, provide for the performance of such an activity by one agency or such other organizations as he considers appropriate.”

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   (1) Ante, p. 996. Section 125 is amended by striking out subsection (d).

7. 1990

   National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1991

   Pub. L. 101–510 div. A title XIII § 1301(3) · 104 Stat. 1485

   Struck · 10 U.S.C. § 125(c)

   Pub. L. 101–510 struck out at end “However, notwithstanding any other provision of this title or any other law, the Secretary of Defense shall not direct or approve a plan to initiate or effect a substantial reduction or elimination of a major weapons system until the Secretary of Defense has reported all the pertinent details of the proposed action to the Congress of the United States while the Congress is in session.”

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–510 struck out at end “However, notwithstanding any other provision of this title or any other law, the Secretary of Defense shall not direct or approve a plan to initiate or effect a substantial reduction or elimination of a major weapons system until the Secretary of Defense has reported all the pertinent details of the proposed action to the Congress of the United States while the Congress is in session.”

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   (3) Section 125 is amended by striking out the second sentence of subsection (c).

8. 2014

   Carl Levin and Howard P. ‘Buck’ McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015

   Pub. L. 113–291 div. A title X § 1071(c)(1) · 128 Stat. 3292

   Substituted · 10 U.S.C. § 125(a)

   Pub. L. 113–291 substituted “(50 U.S.C. 3002)” for “(50 U.S.C. 401)”

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 113–291 substituted “(50 U.S.C. 3002)” for “(50 U.S.C. 401)”.

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   (1) Sections 113(b), 125(a), and 155(d) are amended by striking “(50 U.S.C. 401)” and inserting “(50 U.S.C. 3002)”.

9. 2018

   John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019

   Pub. L. 115–232 div. A title VIII § 809(a) · 132 Stat. 1636

   Substituted · 10 U.S.C. § 125(b)

   Pub. L. 115–232 substituted “section 7062(b), 8062, 8063, or 9062(c)” for “section 3062(b), 5062, 5063, or 8062(c)”

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 115–232 substituted “section 7062(b), 8062, 8063, or 9062(c)” for “section 3062(b), 5062, 5063, or 8062(c)”.

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   (a) Title 10, United States Code.— Each provision of title 10, United States Code (including the table of subtitles preceding subtitle A), that contains a reference to a section or chapter redesignated by this part is 10 USC prec. 101, 125, 162, 347, 532, 616, 624, 631–634, 637–638b, 641, 652, 688, 1074h, 1134a, 1135, 1174, 1176, 1370, 1402, 1402a, 1406, 1407, 1409, 1447, 1488, 1552, 2208, 2218, 2433, 2474, 2522, 2547, 2563, 2575, 2780, 7023, 7032, 7033, 7036, 7278, 7282, 7285, 7311, 7314, 7317, 7318, 7324, 7325, 7326, 7329, 7343, 7345, 7361, 7362, 7433a, 7442, 7443, 7482–7484, 7629, 7722, 7806, 8023, 8027, 8032, 8033, 8036, 8037, 8042, 8043, 8083, 8084, 8089, 8139, 8146, 8219, 8243, 8286, 8298, 8307, 8323, 8325–8327, 8330, 8331, 8333, 8335, 8336, 8371, 8372, 8451a, 8454, 8456, 8458, 8470a, 8474, 8476, 8481, 8545, 8549, 8585–8587, 8675, 8686, 8722, 8723, 8725, 8730, 8731, 8737, 8766, 8855, 8859, 8860, 8881, 8892–8894, 8897, 9023, 9032, 9033, 9039, 9062, 9081, 9229, 9278, 9282, 9285, 9311, 9314, 9317, 9318, 9324–9326, 9329, 9343, 9345, 9361, 9362, 9414a, 9415, 9417, 9433a, 9442, 9443, 9482–9484, 9491m, 9494, 9496, 9498, 10154, 10171–10174, 12009, 12645–12647, 12741, 14108, 14311. amended so that the reference refers to the number of the section or chapter as redesignated.

   Effective date note
   Amendment by Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of amendments and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.

10. 2021

    William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021

    Pub. L. 116–283 div. A title IX § 924(b)(3)(A) · 134 Stat. 3388

    1. Substituted · 10 U.S.C. § 125(b)

       Pub. L. 116–283 substituted “Marine Corps, or Space Force” for “or Marine Corps”

    2. Substituted · 10 U.S.C. § 125(b)

       Pub. L. 116–283 substituted “9062(c), or 9081” for “or 9062(c)”

    Source evidence

    Code amendment note
    Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 116–283 substituted “Marine Corps, or Space Force” for “or Marine Corps” and “9062(c), or 9081” for “or 9062(c)”.

    Enacted provision · exact public law section
    (A) Section 125(b).

12 of 12 references resolved to an enrolled provision