Director of the National Reconnaissance Office

There is a Director of the National Reconnaissance Office. The Director of the National Reconnaissance Office shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Director of the National Reconnaissance Office shall be the head of the National Reconnaissance Office and shall discharge such functions and duties as are provided by this chapter or otherwise by law or executive order. There is established in the National Reconnaissance Office an advisory board (in this section referred to as the “Board”). study matters relating to the mission of the National Reconnaissance Office, including with respect to promoting innovation, competition, and resilience in space, overhead reconnaissance, acquisition, and other matters; and advise and report directly to the Director with respect to such matters. The Board shall be composed of up to 8 members appointed by the Director, in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence and the Secretary of Defense, from among individuals with demonstrated academic, government, business, or other expertise relevant to the mission and functions of the National Reconnaissance Office, and who do not present any actual or potential conflict of interest. The Director shall ensure that no more than 2 concurrently serving members of the Board qualify for membership on the Board based predominantly on a single qualification set forth under clause (i). Not later than 30 days after the date on which the Director appoints a member to the Board, the Director shall notify the congressional intelligence committees and the congressional defense committees (as defined in section 101(a) of title 10) of such appointment. Each member shall be appointed for a term of 2 years. Except as provided by subparagraph (C), a member may not serve more than three terms. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration of the term for which the member’s predecessor was appointed shall be appointed only for the remainder of that term. A member may serve after the expiration of that member’s term until a successor has taken office. The Board shall have a Chair, who shall be appointed by the Director from among the members. Each member shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5. The Director may appoint an executive secretary, who shall be an employee of the National Reconnaissance Office, to support the Board. The Board shall meet not less than quarterly, but may meet more frequently at the call of the Director. Mandatory processes for identifying potential conflicts of interest, including the submission of initial and periodic financial disclosures by Board members. The vetting of potential conflicts of interest by the designated agency ethics official, except that no individual waiver may be granted for a conflict of interest identified with respect to the Chair of the Board. The establishment of a process and associated protections for any whistleblower alleging a violation of applicable conflict of interest law, Federal contracting law, or other provision of law. Not later than March 31 of each year, the Board shall submit to the Director and to the congressional intelligence committees a report on the activities and significant findings of the Board during the preceding year. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) 11 See References in Text note below. shall not apply to the Board. The Board shall terminate on August 31, 2027. the date of the first nomination by the President of an individual to serve as the Director of the National Reconnaissance Office that occurs on or after October 1, 2014; or the date of the cessation of the performance of the duties of the Director of the National Reconnaissance Office by the individual performing such duties on October 1, 2014; and the date of the first nomination by the President of an individual to serve as the Inspector General of the National Reconnaissance Office that occurs on or after October 1, 2014; or the date of the cessation of the performance of the duties of the Inspector General of the National Reconnaissance Office by the individual performing such duties on October 1, 2014. Notwithstanding paragraph (1)(A) or (2)(A) of subsection (a), an individual serving as the Director of the National Reconnaissance Office or the Inspector General of the National Reconnaissance Office on the date that the President first nominates an individual for such position on or after October 1, 2014, may continue to perform in that position after such date of nomination and until the individual appointed to the position, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, assumes the duties of the position. The individual serving as Inspector General of the National Reconnaissance Office on the date of the enactment of this Act [July 7, 2014] shall be eligible to be appointed by the President to a new term of service under section 403 of title 5, United States Code, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.” The President may designate the Director of the National Reconnaissance Office as a position of importance and responsibility under section 601 of title 10, United States Code. Paragraph (1) shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act [July 7, 2014].” The Board shall— The Director shall establish a charter for the Board that includes the following: The amendments made by sections 411 [enacting this section] and 412 [amending sections 8G and 12 of Pub. L. 95–452, formerly set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees] shall take effect on October 1, 2014, and shall apply upon the earlier of— in the case of section 411— in the case of section 412— (Source: (July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title I, § 106A, as added Pub. L. 113–126, title IV, § 411(a), July 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 1409; amended Pub. L. 116–92, div. E, title LXIV, § 6433(a), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 2200; Pub. L. 117–263, div. F, title LXIV, § 6431, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3532; Pub. L. 118–159, div. F, title LXIII, § 6304, Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 2473.))