Bill > S1906

This bill establishes the Office of Net Assessment within the Department of Defense, a policy that aims to maintain an independent organization to analyze and compare the military capabilities, trends, and future prospects of the United States against those of other countries or groups of countries. The purpose of these "net assessments," defined as comparative analyses of military, technological, political, economic, and other factors influencing national military capability, is to identify emerging or future threats and opportunities for the United States. The bill outlines that the Office will be headed by a member of the Senior Executive Service, appointed by the Secretary of Defense, who will report directly to the Secretary and can communicate their views without needing approval from other officials. Furthermore, the bill mandates that a separate, dedicated budget line item be assigned to the Office of Net Assessment in future budget submissions to Congress.