Defense Department Original Transformation Proposal: Compared to Existing Law
Released: 2003-05-19T00:00:00

Summary:
The Department of Defense (DOD) has sent the Congress a major proposal entitled "Defense Transformation for the 21st Century Act of 2003"on April 10, 2003. The complex proposal wouldhave made many changes, and in some cases, major changes, in the military personnel andacquisition systems, and in the statutory basis for much of DOD's civilian personnel system. Thechanges would have affected in a number of titles in the United States Code but primarily in Title5 (Government Organization and Employees), and Title 10 (Armed Forces). A number ofcongressional committees have begun action on various parts of this proposal. The Senate ArmedServices Committee reported S. 1050 on May 9 ( S.Rept. 108-46 ), and the House ArmedServices Committee reported H.R. 1588 on May 16 ( H.Rept. 108-106 ); the HouseCommittee on Government Reform reported H.R. 1836 on May 8 (ordered to bereported (amended) by voice vote).
This report briefly summarizes and presents all of the sections of the original DOD proposal in a side by side with the relevant provisions in current law, if they exist, that would have beenaffected by the proposal. The idea is to provide a "road map" that relates each section of theproposal to existing law. Provisions from the Homeland Security Act (HSA) of 2002 specific to theDepartment of Homeland Security are separately listed from the rest of the existing law, and are themost recently enacted changes to Title 5. The Homeland Security Act represents the broadestchanges in the Title in a number of years. HSA provisions that applied government-wide are coveredunder "Current Law" (Column 2) of the report. The DOD proposal, if it had been enacted in itsentirety, would have resulted in significantly greater changes in Title 5 than the HSA changes.
The DOD proposal covered a wide spectrum of current law. As a result, a number of Congressional Research Service (CRS) analysts and attorneys contributed to this report. Most arelisted in a "Key Policy Staff" table at the end of this report. This report will be updated if additionalclarification of DOD's proposal or relevant current law is warranted.

subsections: section_title: Introduction
paragraphs: In April 2003, the Department of Defense (DOD) sent Congress a proposal entitled, "DefenseTransformation for the 21st Century Act of 2003." (1) The 207-page proposal would have made manychanges, in some cases major changes, in the military personnel and acquisition systems, and in thestatutory basis for much of DOD's civilian personnel system. The changes would have occurred ina number of titles in the U.S. Code; but, primarily in Title 5 (Government Organization andEmployees) and Title 10 (Armed Forces). A number of congressional committees have begun actionon various parts of this proposal. The Senate Armed Services Committee reported S. 1050 on May 9 ( S.Rept. 108-46 ), and the House Armed Services Committee reported H.R. 1588 on May 16 ( H.Rept. 108-106 ); the House Committee on Government Reformreported H.R. 1836 on May 8 (ordered to reported (amended) by voice vote).
This report summarizes and lists all of the proposal's sections along side the relevant provisions in current law, if they exist, that would have been impacted by the proposal. The idea is to providethe reader with a type of roadmap that would help relate each aspect of the proposal to existing law. Provisions from the Homeland Security Act (HSA) of 2002 specific to personnel management in theDepartment of Homeland Security are listed separately from the rest of the current law primarilybecause they are the most recent legislative actions impacting Title 5. HSA provisions that appliedgovernment-wide are covered under "Current Law" (column 2) of the report. HSA provisions alsorepresent the broadest changes in Title 5 in a number of years. The DOD proposal, if it had beenenacted in its entirety, would have resulted in significantly greater changes in Title 5 than the HSAchanges.
Because the DOD proposal covered such a wide spectrum of current law, a number of Congressional Research Service (CRS) analysts and attorneys contributed to this report. Most arelisted with their subject coverage in a separate table in this report. CRS made every effort to becomprehensive in identifying statutes currently in effect which would relate to the proposed changein the law. However, there may be some provision in law which has been inadvertently omitted. This report will not be updated unless additional clarification of DOD's proposal or relevant currentlaw is warranted.
 Defense Department Original Transformation Proposal: Compared to Existing Law
 Key Policy Staff