Open Eye

A plain-language record of the U.S. government

substantiveJan 21, 2021 · Senate roll call · passage · Result: Bill Passed

On Passage of the Bill — H.R. 335

To provide for an exception to a limitation against appointment of persons as Secretary of Defense within seven years of relief from active duty as a regular commissioned officer of the Armed Forces.

In plain language

  • This House bill from the 117th Congress would create an exception to the limit on appointing someone as Secretary of Defense within seven years after leaving active duty as a regular commissioned officer.
  • Official subject tags include the Department of Defense, federal officials, military command and structure, military personnel, presidential powers, and national security.
  • The official summary says the first person nominated and appointed as Secretary of Defense after 12 p.m.
  • Eastern Standard Time on January 20, 2021, could be someone who, on the appointment date, is at least four years after relief from active duty as a commissioned officer of a regular component of the Armed Forces.
  • Current law, as described here, bars appointment within seven years after that relief.
Official summary (Congressional Research Service)

This bill allows the first person nominated and appointed as Secretary of Defense after 12 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) on January 20, 2021, to be a person who is, on the date of appointment, at least four years after relief from active duty as a commissioned officer of a regular component of the Armed Forces. Under current law, an individual may not be appointed as Secretary of Defense within seven years after relief from such active duty.

View this measure on congress.gov

Roll-call breakdown

Yea69

Democrat: 32 · Independent: 4 · Republican: 33

Nay27

Democrat: 14 · Republican: 13

Present0

—

Not Voting4

Republican: 4

How each member voted (100)

Yea (69)

Nay (27)

Not Voting (4)

Party labels reflect each member’s most recent affiliation on record.