§ 652. Notice to Congress of proposed changes in units, assignments, etc. to which female members may be assigned
(a)
Rule for Ground Combat Personnel Policy.—
(1)
If the Secretary of Defense proposes to make any change described in paragraph (2)(A) or (2)(B) to the ground combat exclusion policy or proposes to make a change described in paragraph (2)(C), the Secretary shall, before any such change is implemented, submit to Congress a report providing notice of the proposed change. Such a change may then be implemented only after the end of a period of 30 days of continuous session of Congress (excluding any day on which either House of Congress is not in session) following the date on which the report is received.
(2)
A change referred to in paragraph (1) is a change that—
(A)
closes to female members of the armed forces any category of unit or position that at that time is open to service by such members;
(4)
In this subsection, the term “ground combat exclusion policy” means the military personnel policies of the Department of Defense and the military departments, as in effect on October 1, 1994, by which female members of the armed forces are restricted from assignment to units and positions below brigade level whose primary mission is to engage in direct combat on the ground.
(5)
For purposes of this subsection, the continuity of a session of Congress is broken only by an adjournment of the Congress sine die.
(6)
For purposes of this subsection, a military career designator is one that is related to military operations on the ground as of May 18, 2005, and applies—
(b)
Other Personnel Policy Changes.—
(1)
Except in a case covered by section
6035 of this title or by subsection (a), whenever the Secretary of Defense proposes to make a change to military personnel policies described in paragraph (2), the Secretary shall, not less than 30 days before such change is implemented, submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives notice, in writing, of the proposed change.
(2)
Paragraph (1) applies to a proposed military personnel policy change, other than a policy change covered by subsection (a), that would make available to female members of the armed forces assignment to any of the following that, as of the date of the proposed change, is closed to such assignment: