§ 127b. Assistance in combating terrorism: rewards
(a)
Authority.—
The Secretary of Defense may pay a monetary amount, or provide a payment-in-kind, to a person as a reward for providing United States Government personnel, or government personnel of allied forces participating in a combined operation with the armed forces, with information or nonlethal assistance that is beneficial to—
(b)
Limitation.—
The amount or value of a reward provided under this section may not exceed $5,000,000.
(c)
Delegation of Authority.—
(1)
The authority of the Secretary of Defense under subsection (a) may be delegated only—
(2)
A commander of a combatant command to whom authority to provide rewards under this section is delegated under paragraph (1) may further delegate that authority, but only for a reward in an amount or with a value not in excess of $10,000, except that such a delegation may be made to the commander’s deputy commander, or to the commander of a command directly subordinate to that commander, without regard to such limitation. Such a delegation may be made to the commander of a command directly subordinate to the commander of a combatant command only with the approval of the Secretary of Defense, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, or an Under Secretary of Defense to whom authority has been delegated under subparagraph (1)(A).
(3)
(A)
Subject to subparagraphs (B) and (C), an official who has authority delegated under paragraph (1) or (2) may use that authority, acting through government personnel of allied forces, to offer and make rewards.
(B)
The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe policies and procedures for making rewards in the manner described in subparagraph (A), which shall include guidance for the accountability of funds used for making rewards in that manner. The policies and procedures shall not take effect until 30 days after the date on which the Secretary submits the policies and procedures to the congressional defense committees. Rewards may not be made in the manner described in subparagraph (A) except under policies and procedures that have taken effect.
(d)
Coordination.—
(1)
The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe policies and procedures for the offering and making of rewards under this section and otherwise for administering the authority under this section. Such policies and procedures shall be prescribed in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Attorney General and shall ensure that the making of a reward under this section does not duplicate or interfere with the payment of a reward authorized by the Secretary of State or the Attorney General.
(e)
Persons Not Eligible.—
The following persons are not eligible to receive a reward under this section:
(f)
Annual Report.—
(1)
Not later than December 1 of each year, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the administration of the rewards program under this section during the preceding fiscal year.
(2)
Each report for a fiscal year under this subsection shall include the following:
(A)
Information on the total amount expended during that fiscal year to carry out the rewards program under this section during that fiscal year.
(B)
Specification of the amount, if any, expended during that fiscal year to publicize the availability of rewards under this section.
(g)
Determinations by the Secretary.—
A determination by the Secretary under this section is final and conclusive and is not subject to judicial review.