§1913 National Language Service Corps

Summary

The Secretary of Defense can set up a National Language Service Corps to keep a pool of nongovernment people who have foreign language skills and agree, under rules, to help the Department of Defense or other federal agencies. If the Corps is set up, the National Security Education Board must oversee and coordinate it as the Secretary decides. To join, a person must be a U.S. citizen who can legally work in the United States, be at least 18 years old, and have the language skills the Secretary wants. The Secretary can give members training. When it is in the national interest, the Secretary must call on members to provide language services for the Department of Defense or another federal agency. If a member already works for another federal agency at that time, the Secretary must get that agency head’s agreement first. The Secretary may charge fees up to full-cost recovery for services and technical help. Any fees collected go back into the department’s account that covered the Corps’ costs, merge with that account, and remain available until spent.