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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 240 (Friday, December 13, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 100988-100989]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-29349]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

Defense Science Board; Notice of Federal Advisory Committee 
Meeting

AGENCY: Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, 
Department of Defense (DoD).

ACTION: Notice of Federal Advisory Committee meeting.

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SUMMARY: The DoD is publishing this notice to announce that the 
following Federal Advisory Committee meeting of the Defense Science 
Board (DSB) will take place.

DATES:  Closed to the public Wednesday, January 15, 2025, from 8:30 
a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Eastern time.

ADDRESSES: The address of the closed meeting is the Pentagon, Room 
3E188, Washington, DC 20301.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Elizabeth J. Kowalski, Designated 
Federal Officer (DFO): (703) 571-0081 (Voice), (703) 697-1860 
(Facsimile), [email protected], (Email). Mailing 
address is Defense Science Board, 3140 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC 
20301-3140. Website: http://www.acq.osd.mil/dsb/. The most up-to-date 
changes to the meeting agenda can be found on the website.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This meeting is being held under the 
provisions of chapter 10 of title 5, United States Code (U.S.C.) 
(commonly known as the ``Federal Advisory Committee Act'' or ``FACA''); 
5 U.S.C. 552b(c); and sections 102-3.140 and 102-3.150 of title 41, 
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
    Purpose of the Meeting: The mission of the DSB is to provide 
independent advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Defense on 
matters relating to the DoD's scientific and technical enterprise. The 
objective of the meeting is to obtain, review, and evaluate classified 
information related to the DSB's mission. The DSB will meet with DoD 
Leadership to discuss classified current and future national security 
challenges and priorities within the DoD and deliberate and vote on 
findings and recommendations.
    Agenda: The meeting will begin on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, at 
8:15 a.m. Ms. Betsy Kowalski, DFO, and Dr. Eric Evans, Chair of the 
DSB, will provide classified opening remarks regarding ongoing studies. 
Next, from 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. the board will deliberate and vote on 
the classified findings and recommendations of the DSB Task Force on 
21st Century Industrial Base for National Defense. From 9:30 a.m. to 
10:30 a.m. Dr. Christopher Scolese, National Reconnaissance Office 
(NRO) Director, will provide a classified briefing on his views of 
current NRO strategy, challenges, and priorities. Following a 15-minute 
break, the DSB will hold a session from 10:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. that 
includes a classified discussion to deliberate and vote on the findings 
and recommendations of the DSB Task Force on Balancing Security, 
Reliability, and Technological Advantage in Generative Artificial 
Intelligence for Defense. Following a break from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 
p.m., the DSB Members will hold a classified discussion to deliberate 
and vote on the findings and recommendations of the DSB Task Force on 
Emerging Biotechnologies and National Security. After the final break 
of the day from 3 p.m. to 3:15 p.m., General Reed, Commander U.S. 
Transportation Command (TRANSCOM), will provide a classified briefing 
from 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. on his views of current TRANSCOM strategy, 
challenges, and priorities (VTC). The meeting will adjourn at 4:15 p.m.
    Meeting Accessibility: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 1009(d) and 41 
CFR 102-3.155, the DoD has determined that the DSB meeting will be 
closed to the public. Specifically, the Under Secretary of Defense for 
Research and Engineering, in consultation with the DoD Office of the 
General Counsel, has determined in writing that the meeting will be 
closed to the public because it will consider matters covered by 5 
U.S.C. 552b(c)(1). The determination is based on the consideration that 
it is expected that discussions throughout will involve classified 
matters of national security concern. Such classified material is so 
intertwined with the unclassified material that it cannot reasonably be 
segregated into separate discussions without defeating the 
effectiveness and meaning of the overall meetings. To permit the 
meeting to be open to the public would preclude discussion of such 
matters and would greatly diminish the ultimate utility of the DSB's 
findings and recommendations to the Secretary of Defense and to the 
Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.
    Written Statements: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 1009(a)(3) and 41 
CFR 102-3.150(6) and 102-3.140, interested persons may submit a written 
statement for consideration by the DSB at any time regarding its 
mission or in response to the stated agenda of a planned meeting. 
Individuals submitting a written statement should submit their 
statement to Ms. Elizabeth J. Kowalski, the DSB DFO, via electronic 
mail (the preferred mode of submission) at the email address provided 
above in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section. Each page of the 
comment or statement must include the author's name, title or 
affiliation, address and daytime phone number. If a written statement 
is not received at least three calendar days prior to the scheduled 
meeting, which is the subject of this notice, then it may not be 
provided to or considered by the DSB until a later date. Please note 
that all submitted comments and statements will be treated as public 
documents and

[[Page 100989]]

will be made available for public inspection, including, but not 
limited to, being posted on the Board's website.

    Dated: December 9, 2024.
Aaron T. Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2024-29349 Filed 12-12-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6001-FR-P
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