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. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. OFFICE OF NET ASSESSMENT. 
(a) POLICY.—It is the policy of the United States to 
maintain an independent organization within the Depart-
ment of Defense to develop and coordinate net assess-
ments of the standing, trends, and future prospects of the 
military capabilities and potential of the United States in 
comparison with the military capabilities and potential of 
other countries or groups of countries so as to identify 
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emerging or future threats or opportunities for the United 
States. 
(b) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 4 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new section: 
‘‘§ 145. Office of Net Assessment 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—There is in the Office of the Sec-
retary of Defense an office known as the Office of Net 
Assessment. 
‘‘(b) HEAD.—(1) The head of the Office of Net As-
sessment shall be appointed by the Secretary of Defense. 
The head shall be a member of the Senior Executive Serv-
ice. 
‘‘(2) The head of the Office of Net Assessment may 
communicate views on matters within the responsibility of 
the head directly to the Secretary without obtaining the 
approval or concurrence of any other official within the 
Department of Defense. 
‘‘(3) The head of the Office of Net Assessment shall 
report directly to the Secretary. The Secretary may not 
delegate the authority under this paragraph. 
‘‘(c) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Office of Net Assess-
ment shall develop and coordinate net assessments with 
respect to the standing, trends, and future prospects of 
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the military capabilities and potential of the United States 
in comparison with the military capabilities and potential 
of other countries or groups of countries to identify emerg-
ing or future threats or opportunities for the United 
States. 
‘‘(d) BUDGET.—In the budget materials submitted to 
the President by the Secretary of Defense in connection 
with the submittal to Congress, pursuant to section 1105 
of title 31, of the budget for any fiscal year after fiscal 
year 2014, the Secretary shall ensure that a separate, 
dedicated program element is assigned for the Office of 
Net Assessment. 
‘‘(e) NET ASSESSMENT DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘net assessment’ means the comparative analysis 
of military, technological, political, economic, and other 
factors governing the relative military capability of na-
tions.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of chapter 4 of such title is 
amended by adding at the end the following new 
item: 
‘‘145. Office of Net Assessment.’’. 
Æ 
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