I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3455 
To amend title 10, United States Code, to include the Chief of the National 
Guard Bureau as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and to reestab-
lish the position of Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 17, 2011 
Mr. PALAZZO (for himself, Mr. HOLDEN, Mr. BARTLETT, Mr. THOMPSON of 
Mississippi, Mr. WESTMORELAND, Mr. LATHAM, Mr. LOBIONDO, Mr. 
NUNNELEE, and Mr. HARPER) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Armed Services 
A BILL 
To amend title 10, United States Code, to include the Chief 
of the National Guard Bureau as a member of the Joint 
Chiefs of Staff and to reestablish the position of Vice 
Chief of the National Guard Bureau. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. MEMBERSHIP OF THE CHIEF OF THE NA-
TIONAL GUARD BUREAU ON THE JOINT 
CHIEFS OF STAFF. 
(a) MEMBERSHIP ON JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF.— 
Section 151(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(7) The Chief of the National Guard Bu-
reau.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 10502 of 
such title, as amended by section 2(b)(1) of this Act, is 
further amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (d) as sub-
section (e); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (c) the fol-
lowing new subsection (d): 
‘‘(d) MEMBER OF JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF.—The 
Chief of the National Guard Bureau shall perform the du-
ties prescribed for him or her as a member of the Joint 
Chiefs of Staff under section 151 of this title.’’. 
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SEC. 2. REESTABLISHMENT OF POSITION OF VICE CHIEF 
OF THE NATIONAL GUARD BUREAU AND TER-
MINATION OF POSITION OF DIRECTOR OF 
THE JOINT STAFF OF THE NATIONAL GUARD 
BUREAU. 
(a) REESTABLISHMENT AND TERMINATION OF POSI-
TIONS.—Section 10505 of title 10, United States Code, 
is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘§ 10505. Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau 
‘‘(a) APPOINTMENT.—(1) There is a Vice Chief of the 
National Guard Bureau, selected by the Secretary of De-
fense from officers of the Army National Guard of the 
United States or the Air National Guard of the United 
States who— 
‘‘(A) are recommended for such appointment by 
their respective Governors or, in the case of the Dis-
trict of Columbia, the commanding general of the 
District of Columbia National Guard; 
‘‘(B) have had at least 10 years of federally rec-
ognized service in an active status in the National 
Guard; and 
‘‘(C) are in a grade above the grade of brigadier 
general. 
‘‘(2) The Chief and Vice Chief of the National Guard 
Bureau may not both be members of the Army or of the 
Air Force. 
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‘‘(3)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), an 
officer appointed as Vice Chief of the National Guard Bu-
reau serves for a term of four years, but may be removed 
from office at any time for cause. 
‘‘(B) The term of the Vice Chief of the National 
Guard Bureau shall end within a reasonable time (as de-
termined by the Secretary of Defense) following the ap-
pointment of a Chief of the National Guard Bureau who 
is a member of the same armed force as the Vice Chief. 
‘‘(b) DUTIES.—The Vice Chief of the National Guard 
Bureau performs such duties as may be prescribed by the 
Chief of the National Guard Bureau. 
‘‘(c) GRADE.—The Vice Chief of the National Guard 
Bureau shall be appointed to serve in the grade of lieuten-
ant general. 
‘‘(d) FUNCTIONS AS ACTING CHIEF.—When there is 
a vacancy in the office of the Chief of the National Guard 
Bureau or in the absence or disability of the Chief, the 
Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau acts as Chief 
and performs the duties of the Chief until a successor is 
appointed or the absence of disability ceases.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) Section 10502 of such title is amended by 
striking subsection (e). 
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(2) Section 10506(a)(1) of such title is amend-
ed by striking ‘‘and the Director of the Joint Staff 
of the National Guard Bureau’’ and inserting ‘‘and 
the Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau’’. 
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) HEADING
AMENDMENT.—The heading of 
section 10502 of such title is amended to read as 
follows: 
‘‘§ 10502. Chief of the National Guard Bureau: ap-
pointment; advisor on National Guard 
matters; grade’’. 
(2) TABLE OF SECTIONS.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 1011 of such title is 
amended— 
(A) by striking the item relating to section 
10502 and inserting the following new item: 
‘‘10502. Chief of the National Guard Bureau: appointment; advisor on National 
Guard matters; grade.’’; 
and 
(B) by striking the item relating to section 
10505 and inserting the following new item: 
‘‘10505. Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau.’’. 
Æ 
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