To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the membership of the Commandant of the Coast Guard on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Bill: H.R.2136 | Sponsor: Rep. Crist, Charlie (D-FL)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
This bill adds the Commandant of the Coast Guard as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Commandant must keep the department under which the Coast Guard is operating (either the Department of Homeland Security or the Department of the Navy) fully informed of significant military operations affecting the duties and responsibilities of such departments.

To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the membership of 
    the Commandant of the Coast Guard on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

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

SECTION 1. MEMBERSHIP OF COMMANDANT OF THE COAST GUARD ON THE JOINT 
              CHIEFS OF STAFF.

    (a) Membership on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.--Section 151(a) of 
title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph:
            ``(9) The Commandant of the Coast Guard.''.
    (b) Appointment of Chairman; Grade and Rank.--Section 152 of such 
title is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)(1)(B) by striking ``or the Commandant 
        of the Marine Corps'' and inserting ``the Commandant of the 
        Marine Corps, or the Commandant of the Coast Guard''; and
            (2) in subsection (c), by striking ``Navy'' and inserting 
        ``Navy or Coast Guard''.
    (c) Vice Chairman.--Section 154(f) of such title is amended by 
striking ``Navy'' and inserting ``Navy or Coast Guard''.
    (d) Inclusion on the Joint Staff.--Section 155(a) of such title is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (2)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by 
                striking ``(other than the Coast Guard)'';
                    (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (C) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (D) by adding at the end the following new 
                subparagraph:
            ``(D) the Coast Guard.''; and
            (2) in paragraph (3), by striking ``Secretary of the 
        military department having jurisdiction over that armed force'' 
        and inserting ``Secretary concerned''.
    (e) Duties as Member of Joint Staff.--Section 302 of title 14, 
United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking ``The President may'' and inserting the 
        following:
    ``(a) The President may''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(b)(1) The Commandant of the Coast Guard shall also perform the 
duties prescribed for the Commandant as a member of the Joint Chiefs of 
Staff under section 151 of title 10.
    ``(2) To the extent that such action does not impair the 
independence of the Commandant in the performance of the Commandant's 
duties as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Commandant shall 
inform the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is 
operating regarding military advice rendered by members of the Joint 
Chiefs of Staff on matters affecting such department.
    ``(3) Subject to the authority, direction, and control of the 
Secretary of Defense, the Commandant shall keep the Secretary of the 
department in which the Coast Guard is operating fully informed of 
significant military operations affecting the duties and 
responsibilities of such Secretary.''.
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