§239 National Security Space Programs: Major Force Program and Budget Assessment

Summary

The Secretary of Defense must set up one unified major force program for national security space activities under the existing rules. For each of fiscal years 2017 through 2021, the Secretary must send a report to the congressional defense committees no later than 30 days after the President sends the budget to Congress. The Secretary can put that report inside the Department’s defense budget materials if those materials go to Congress by the same deadline. Each report must give an overview that compares the current budget to the prior budget, the recent multi-year defense plan, and the amounts appropriated the year before, and must show the space program funding as a distinct budget line. The report must also assess big changes, priorities, challenges, and risks, and may include other topics the Secretary thinks are appropriate. Reports should be unclassified but may include a classified annex. Definitions: “Budget” means the President’s budget submitted to Congress for that fiscal year. “Defense budget materials” means the documents the Secretary of Defense sends to support that budget.