I 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 3840 

To establish the Office of Net Assessment within the Department of Defense. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 9, 2014 

Mr. THORNBERRY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Armed Services 

A BILL 

To establish the Office of Net Assessment within the 

Department of Defense. 

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

3 SECTION 1. OFFICE OF NET ASSESSMENT. 

4 (a) POLICY.—It is the policy of the United States to 

5 maintain an independent organization within the Depart6 ment of Defense to develop and coordinate net assess7 ments of the standing, trends, and future prospects of the 

8 military capabilities and potential of the United States in 

9 comparison with the military capabilities and potential of 

10 other countries or groups of countries so as to identify 


smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 3840 IH

1 emerging or future threats or opportunities for the United 

2 States. 

3 (b) ESTABLISHMENT.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 4 of title 10, United 

5 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 

6 following new section: 

7 ‘‘§ 145. Office of Net Assessment 

8 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—There is in the Office of the Sec9 retary of Defense an office known as the Office of Net 

10 Assessment. 

11 ‘‘(b) HEAD.—(1) The head of the Office of Net As12 sessment shall be appointed by the Secretary of Defense. 

13 The head shall be a member of the Senior Executive Serv14 ice. 

15 ‘‘(2) The head of the Office of Net Assessment may 

16 communicate views on matters within the responsibility of 

17 the head directly to the Secretary without obtaining the 

18 approval or concurrence of any other official within the 

19 Department of Defense. 

20 ‘‘(3) The head of the Office of Net Assessment shall 

21 report directly to the Secretary. The Secretary may not 

22 delegate the authority under this paragraph. 

23 ‘‘(c) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Office of Net Assess24 ment shall develop and coordinate net assessments with 

25 respect to the standing, trends, and future prospects of 


smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 3840 IH

1 the military capabilities and potential of the United States 

2 in comparison with the military capabilities and potential 

3 of other countries or groups of countries to identify emerg4 ing or future threats or opportunities for the United 

5 States. 

6 ‘‘(d) BUDGET.—In the budget materials submitted to 

7 the President by the Secretary of Defense in connection 

8 with the submittal to Congress, pursuant to section 1105 

9 of title 31, of the budget for any fiscal year after fiscal 

10 year 2014, the Secretary shall ensure that a separate, 

11 dedicated program element is assigned for the Office of 

12 Net Assessment. 

13 ‘‘(e) NET ASSESSMENT DEFINED.—In this section, 

14 the term ‘net assessment’ means the comparative analysis 

15 of military, technological, political, economic, and other 

16 factors governing the relative military capability of na17 tions.’’. 

18 (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec19 tions at the beginning of chapter 4 of such title is 

20 amended by adding at the end the following new 

21 item: 

‘‘145. Office of Net Assessment.’’. 

Æ 


smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS