I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2136 

To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the membership 

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

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 23, 2021 

Mr. CRIST (for himself and Mr. PALAZZO) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the 

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of 

such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the 

membership of the Commandant of the Coast Guard 

on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. MEMBERSHIP OF COMMANDANT OF THE COAST 

4 GUARD ON THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF. 

5 (a) MEMBERSHIP ON THE JOINT CHIEFS OF

6 STAFF.—Section 151(a) of title 10, United States Code, 

7 is amended by adding at the end the following new para8 graph: 


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1 ‘‘(9) The Commandant of the Coast Guard.’’. 

2 (b) APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRMAN; GRADE AND

3 RANK.—Section 152 of such title is amended— 

4 (1) in subsection (b)(1)(B) by striking ‘‘or the 

5 Commandant of the Marine Corps’’ and inserting 

6 ‘‘the Commandant of the Marine Corps, or the Com7 mandant of the Coast Guard’’; and 

8 (2) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘Navy’’ and 

9 inserting ‘‘Navy or Coast Guard’’. 

10 (c) VICE CHAIRMAN.—Section 154(f) of such title is 

11 amended by striking ‘‘Navy’’ and inserting ‘‘Navy or 

12 Coast Guard’’. 

13 (d) INCLUSION ON THE JOINT STAFF.—Section 

14 155(a) of such title is amended— 

15 (1) in paragraph (2)— 

16 (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph 

17 (A), by striking ‘‘(other than the Coast 

18 Guard)’’; 

19 (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking 

20 ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

21 (C) in subparagraph (C), by striking the 

22 period at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

23 (D) by adding at the end the following new 

24 subparagraph: 

25 ‘‘(D) the Coast Guard.’’; and 


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1 (2) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘Secretary of 

2 the military department having jurisdiction over that 

3 armed force’’ and inserting ‘‘Secretary concerned’’. 

4 (e) DUTIES AS MEMBER OF JOINT STAFF.—Section 

5 302 of title 14, United States Code, is amended— 

6 (1) by striking ‘‘The President may’’ and in7 serting the following: 

8 ‘‘(a) The President may’’; and 

9 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub10 section: 

11 ‘‘(b)(1) The Commandant of the Coast Guard shall 

12 also perform the duties prescribed for the Commandant 

13 as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under section 

14 151 of title 10. 

15 ‘‘(2) To the extent that such action does not impair 

16 the independence of the Commandant in the performance 

17 of the Commandant’s duties as a member of the Joint 

18 Chiefs of Staff, the Commandant shall inform the Sec19 retary of the department in which the Coast Guard is op20 erating regarding military advice rendered by members of 

21 the Joint Chiefs of Staff on matters affecting such depart22 ment. 

23 ‘‘(3) Subject to the authority, direction, and control 

24 of the Secretary of Defense, the Commandant shall keep 

25 the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard 


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1 is operating fully informed of significant military oper2 ations affecting the duties and responsibilities of such Sec3 retary.’’. 

Æ 


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