SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONAL ENERGY PLANS AND PROGRAMS.

SEC. 903. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONAL ENERGY PLANS AND PROGRAMS.(a) Findings.—Congress makes the following findings:(1) The demand for operational energy within the Department of Defense imposes significant logistical burdens and operational vulnerabilities on the warfighter and increases force protection requirements.123 STAT. 2424(2) In March 2008, the Comptroller General of the United States found that responsibilities for operational energy strategy, management, and oversight within the Department are diffused throughout various offices and working groups, including the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics; the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy; the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller); the Office of Program Analysis and Evaluation; the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; the commanders of the combatant commands; and the offices of the Secretaries of the military departments.(3) The Defense Science Board’s 2008 report titled “More Fight – Less Fuel” stated that “There are currently few efforts to manage energy demand by operational forces, which consume about three quarters of DoD energy, perhaps because no one is in charge. The lowest organizational level where all decisions that drive DoD energy use come together is the Deputy Secretary of Defense, implying the need for a senior energy official, and oversight of the Department’s energy strategy and program by the Deputy’s Advisory Working Group (DAWG).”.(4) Congress established the Director of Operational Energy Plans and Programs in section 139b of title 10, United States Code, to provide leadership, conduct oversight, and be accountable for operational energy plans and programs in the Department of Defense and the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps.(5) Congress envisioned that the Director would have a direct line of communication with the Secretary of Defense and the Deputy Secretary of Defense, including participation in the Deputy’s Advisory Working Group.(6) The Department of Defense issued a statement that it “intends to establish this position as administratively reporting to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (USD(AT&L)), and this official would report directly to the Secretary of Defense on issues related to Operational Energy”.(b) Sense of Congress.—It is the sense of Congress that the Director of Operational Energy Plans and Programs should report directly to the Secretary of Defense on issues related to operational energy and be included as a fully participating member of the Advisory Working Group of the Deputy Secretary of Defense.