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Exception for Secretary of Defense Appointment Rule

This law creates a one-time exception to the rule that normally prevents someone from being appointed as Secretary of Defense if they left active military duty less than seven years ago. It allowed the first person appointed to this role after January 20, 2021, to be a former officer who had left service between four and seven years prior. This change does not directly affect citizens' daily lives but impacts the selection process for a key government official responsible for national defense.
Key points
The law permits a former officer to be appointed as Secretary of Defense even if less than seven years (but not less than four years) have passed since their active duty.
This exception applies only to the first person appointed to this position after January 20, 2021, and is a one-time provision.
The change aims to provide flexibility in selecting an individual for a crucial national defense role.
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VOTING RESULTS
2021-01-21
72%
For 69
Against 27
Abstain 0
Full voting results open_in_new
Status: Became Law
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Additional Information
Print number: 117_HR_335
Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9]
Process start date: 2021-01-15
Voting date: 2021-01-21
Meeting no: 1
Voting no: 4
System Note: Lustra is free, publicly auditable civic infrastructure — full source code available on GitHub. You are reading sterilized legislative data, processed by our radical neutrality engine to strip political spin and retain factual mechanics. We process only official government data. Original documents remain the authoritative source—always verify them if you can.
Summarized by: gemini-2.5-flash-preview-05-20
Source data: api.congress.gov
AI work logs for this document launch

OFFICIAL LEGAL TITLE

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.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the official ID of this bill?

The official print number for this legislation is 117_HR_335.

Which chamber initiated this legislation?

This legislation was initiated in the House of Representatives.

When did the legislative process begin?

The process officially started on 2021-01-15.

What are the main provisions?

Key points include:

  • The law permits a former officer to be appointed as Secretary of Defense even if less than seven years (but not less than four years) have passed since their active duty.
  • This exception applies only to the first person appointed to this position after January 20, 2021, and is a one-time provision.
  • The change aims to provide flexibility in selecting an individual for a crucial national defense role.
What is the specific legal status?

The current status is Became Law.

Where can I read the full text of this legislation?

The full official text is available at: View full text

Where is the official voting record?

The official roll call vote is recorded at: voting record

Who is the primary sponsor?

The primary sponsor is Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9].

What is the latest detailed status?

The latest detailed status is: Became Public Law No: 117-1.

Is this summary verified?

Yes. This content was analyzed by AI and verified by the Lustra Judge System on 2025-12-27.

What is the impact of this bill?

We don't know—that is up to you to decide. Summarizing raw data with AI is fundamentally different from predicting socio-economic outcomes. As of 2026, we believe impact assessment strictly requires a human in the loop to verify and judge.

CATEGORIES

Security