§ 166a. Combatant commands: funding through the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff
(a)
Combatant Commander Initiative Fund.—
From funds made available in any fiscal year for the budget account in the Department of Defense known as the “Combatant Commander Initiative Fund”, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff may provide funds to the commander of a combatant command, upon the request of the commander, or, with respect to a geographic area or areas not within the area of responsibility of a commander of a combatant command, to an officer designated by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for such purpose. The Chairman may provide such funds for any of the activities named in subsection (b).
(b)
Authorized Activities.—
Activities for which funds may be provided under subsection (a) are the following:
(6)
Humanitarian and civic assistance, in coordination with the relevant chief of mission to the extent practicable, to include urgent and unanticipated humanitarian relief and reconstruction assistance.
(c)
Priority.—
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in considering requests for funds in the Combatant Commander Initiative Fund, should give priority consideration to—
(1)
requests for funds to be used for activities that would enhance the war fighting capability, readiness, and sustainability of the forces assigned to the commander requesting the funds;
(d)
Relationship to Other Funding.—
Any amount provided by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during any fiscal year out of the Combatant Commander Initiative Fund for an activity referred to in subsection (b) shall be in addition to amounts otherwise available for that activity for that fiscal year.
(e)
Limitations.—
(1)
Of funds made available under this section for any fiscal year—
(A)
not more than $20,000,000 may be used to purchase items with a unit cost in excess of the investment unit cost threshold in effect under section
2245a of this title;
(f)
Inclusion of NORAD.—
For purposes of this section, the Commander, United States Element, North American Aerospace Defense Command shall be considered to be a commander of a combatant command.