
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 10USC163]

 
                         TITLE 10--ARMED FORCES
 
                    Subtitle A--General Military Law
 
            PART I--ORGANIZATION AND GENERAL MILITARY POWERS
 
                      CHAPTER 6--COMBATANT COMMANDS
 
Sec. 163. Role of Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff

    (a) Communications Through Chairman of JCS; Assignment of Duties.--
Subject to the limitations in section 152(c) of this title, the 
President may--
        (1) direct that communications between the President or the 
    Secretary of Defense and the commanders of the unified and specified 
    combatant commands be transmitted through the Chairman of the Joint 
    Chiefs of Staff; and
        (2) assign duties to the Chairman to assist the President and 
    the Secretary of Defense in performing their command function.

    (b) Oversight by Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff.--(1) The 
Secretary of Defense may assign to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of 
Staff responsibility for overseeing the activities of the combatant 
commands. Such assignment by the Secretary to the Chairman does not 
confer any command authority on the Chairman and does not alter the 
responsibility of the commanders of the combatant commands prescribed in 
section 164(b)(2) of this title.
    (2) Subject to the authority, direction, and control of the 
Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff serves 
as the spokesman for the commanders of the combatant commands, 
especially on the operational requirements of their commands. In 
performing such function, the Chairman shall--
        (A) confer with and obtain information from the commanders of 
    the combatant commands with respect to the requirements of their 
    commands;
        (B) evaluate and integrate such information;
        (C) advise and make recommendations to the Secretary of Defense 
    with respect to the requirements of the combatant commands, 
    individually and collectively; and
        (D) communicate, as appropriate, the requirements of the 
    combatant commands to other elements of the Department of Defense.

(Added Pub. L. 99-433, title II, Sec. 211(a), Oct. 1, 1986, 100 Stat. 
1013.)

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in section 153 of this title.
