281 
SEC. 704. ACCESS TO INFERTILITY TREATMENT FOR MEM-
BERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND DEPEND-
ENTS. 
(a) ACCESS.—Pursuant to the findings contained in 
the report required by section 729 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113– 
291), the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Sec-
retaries of the military departments, shall provide to mem-
bers of the Armed Forces and dependents of members of the 
Armed Forces access to reproductive counseling and treat-
ments for infertility. 
(b) CONTINUITY OF SERVICES.—In carrying out sub-
section (a), the Secretary shall ensure that members and 
dependents are provided continuity of services as appro-
priate if treatments for infertility are disrupted, including 
pursuant to a change of duty station. 
Subtitle B—Health Care 
Administration 
SEC. 711. UNIFIED MEDICAL COMMAND. 
(a) UNIFIED COMBATANT COMMAND.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 6 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 
167a the following new section: 
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‘‘§ 167b. Unified combatant command for medical op-
erations 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—With the advice and assist-
ance of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Presi-
dent, through the Secretary of Defense, shall establish under 
section 161 of this title a unified command for medical op-
erations (in this section referred to as the ‘unified medical 
command’). The principal function of the command is to 
provide medical services to the armed forces and other 
health care beneficiaries of the Department of Defense as 
defined in chapter 55 of this title. 
‘‘(b) ASSIGNMENT OF FORCES.—In establishing the 
unified medical command under subsection (a), all active 
military medical treatment facilities, training organiza-
tions, and research entities of the armed forces shall be as-
signed to such unified command, unless otherwise directed 
by the Secretary of Defense. 
‘‘(c) GRADE OF COMMANDER.—The commander of the 
unified medical command shall hold the grade of general 
or, in the case of an officer of the Navy, admiral while serv-
ing in that position, without vacating his permanent grade. 
The commander of such command shall be appointed to that 
grade by the President, by and with the advice and consent 
of the Senate, for service in that position. The commander 
of such command shall be a member of a health profession 
described in paragraph (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), or (6) of sec-
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tion 335(j) of title 37. During the five-year period begin-
ning on the date on which the Secretary establishes the com-
mand under subsection (a), the commander of such com-
mand shall be exempt from the requirements of section 
164(a)(1) of this title. 
‘‘(d) SUBORDINATE COMMANDS.—(1) The unified med-
ical command shall have the following subordinate com-
mands: 
‘‘(A) A command that includes all fixed military 
medical treatment facilities, including elements of the 
Department of Defense that are combined, operated 
jointly, or otherwise operated in such a manner that 
a medical facility of the Department of Defense is op-
erating in or with a medical facility of another de-
partment or agency of the United States. 
‘‘(B) A command that includes all medical 
training, education, and research and development 
activities that have previously been unified or com-
bined, including organizations that have been des-
ignated as a Department of Defense executive agent. 
‘‘(C) The Defense Health Agency. 
‘‘(2) The commander of a subordinate command of the 
unified medical command shall hold the grade of lieutenant 
general or, in the case of an officer of the Navy, vice admiral 
while serving in that position, without vacating his perma-
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nent grade. The commander of such a subordinate command 
shall be appointed to that grade by the President, by and 
with the advice and consent of the Senate, for service in 
that position. The commander of such a subordinate com-
mand shall also be required to be a surgeon general of one 
of the military departments. 
‘‘(e) AUTHORITY OF COMBATANT COMMANDER.—(1) In 
addition to the authority prescribed in section 164(c) of this 
title, the commander of the unified medical command shall 
be responsible for, and shall have the authority to conduct, 
all affairs of such command relating to medical operations 
activities. 
‘‘(2) The commander of such command shall be respon-
sible for, and shall have the authority to conduct, the fol-
lowing functions relating to medical operations activities 
(whether or not relating to the unified medical command): 
‘‘(A) Developing programs and doctrine. 
‘‘(B) Preparing and submitting to the Secretary 
of Defense program recommendations and budget pro-
posals for the forces described in subsection (b) and 
for other forces assigned to the unified medical com-
mand. 
‘‘(C) Exercising authority, direction, and control 
over the expenditure of funds— 
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‘‘(i) for forces assigned to the unified med-
ical command; 
‘‘(ii) for the forces described in subsection 
(b) assigned to unified combatant commands 
other than the unified medical command to the 
extent directed by the Secretary of Defense; and 
‘‘(iii) for military construction funds of the 
Defense Health Program. 
‘‘(D) Training assigned forces. 
‘‘(E) Conducting specialized courses of instruc-
tion for commissioned and noncommissioned officers. 
‘‘(F) Validating requirements. 
‘‘(G) Establishing priorities for requirements. 
‘‘(H) Ensuring the interoperability of equipment 
and forces. 
‘‘(I) Monitoring the promotions, assignments, re-
tention, training, and professional military education 
of medical officers described in paragraph (1), (2), 
(3), (4), (5), or (6) of section 335(j) of title 37. 
‘‘(3) The commander of such command shall be respon-
sible for the Defense Health Program, including the Defense 
Health Program Account established under section 1100 of 
this title. 
‘‘(g) REGULATIONS.—In establishing the unified med-
ical command under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense 
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shall prescribe regulations for the activities of the unified 
medical command.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended by 
inserting after the item relating to section 167a the 
following new item: 
‘‘167b. Unified combatant command for medical operations.’’. 
(b) PLAN, NOTIFICATION, AND REPORT.— 
(1) PLAN.—Not later than July 1, 2016, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall submit to the congressional de-
fense committees a comprehensive plan to establish the 
unified medical command authorized under section 
167b of title 10, United States Code, as added by sub-
section (a), including any legislative actions the Sec-
retary considers necessary to implement the plan. 
(2) NOTIFICATION.—The Secretary shall submit 
to the congressional defense committees written notifi-
cation of the time line of the Secretary to establish the 
unified medical command under such section 167b by 
not later than the date that is 30 days before estab-
lishing such command. 
(3) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after sub-
mitting the notification under paragraph (2), the Sec-
retary shall submit to the congressional defense com-
mittees a report on the establishment of the unified 
medical command. 
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