NATIONAL DEFENSE PANEL.

SEC. 924. NATIONAL DEFENSE PANEL. (a) Establishment.— Not later than December 1, 1996, the Secretary of Defense shall establish a nonpartisan, independent panel to be known as the National Defense Panel (in this section referred to as the “Panel”). The Panel shall have the duties set forth in this section. (b) Membership.— The Panel shall be composed of a chairman and eight other individuals appointed by the Secretary, in consultation with the chairman and ranking member of the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the chairman and ranking member of the Committee on National Security of the House of Representatives, from among individuals in the private sector who are recognized experts in matters relating to the national security of the United States. (c) Duties.— The Panel shall— (1) conduct and submit to the Secretary the assessment of the review under section 923 that is required by subsection (b)(2) of that section; (2) conduct and submit to the Secretary the comprehensive assessment of the review that is required by subsection (c) of that section upon completion of the review; and (3) conduct the assessment of alternative force structures for the Armed Forces required under subsection (d). (d) Alternative Force Structure Assessment.— (1) The Panel shall submit to the Secretary an independent assessment of a variety of possible force structures of the Armed Forces through the year 2010 and beyond, including the force structure identified in the report on the review under section 923(d). The purpose of the assessment is to develop proposals for an “above the line” force structure of the Armed Forces and to provide the Secretary and Congress recommendations regarding the optimal force structure to meet anticipated threats to the national security of the United States through the time covered by the assessment. (2) In conducting the assessment, the Panel shall examine a variety of potential threats (including near-term threats and long-term threats) to the national security interests of the United States, including the following: (A) Conventional threats across a spectrum of conflicts. (B) The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the means of delivering such weapons, and the illicit transfer of technology relating to such weapons. (C) The vulnerability of United States technology to non-traditional threats, including information warfare. (D) Domestic and international terrorism. (E) The emergence of a major potential adversary having military capabilities similar to those of the United States. (F) Any other significant threat, or combination of threats, identified by the Panel. 110 STAT. 2627 (3) For purposes of the assessment, the Panel shall develop a variety of scenarios requiring a military response by the United States, including the following: (A) Scenarios developed in light of the threats examined under paragraph (2). (B) Scenarios developed in light of a continuum of conflicts ranging from a conflict of lesser magnitude than the conflict described in the Bottom-Up Review to a conflict of greater magnitude than the conflict so described. (4) As part of the assessment, the Panel shall also— (A) develop recommendations regarding a variety of force structures for the Armed Forces that permit the forward deployment of sufficient air, land, and sea-based forces to provide an effective deterrent to conflict and to permit a military response by the United States to the scenarios developed under paragraph (3); (B) to the extent practicable, estimate the funding required by fiscal year, in constant fiscal year 1997 dollars, to organize, equip, and support the forces contemplated under the force structures assessed in the assessment; and (C) comment on each of the matters also to be included by the Secretary in the report required by section 923(d). (e) Report.— (1) Not later than December 1, 1997, the Panel shall submit to the Secretary a report setting forth the activities and the findings and recommendations of the Panel under subsection (d), including any recommendations for legislation that the Panel considers appropriate. (2) Not later than December 15, 1997, the Secretary shall, after consultation with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, submit to the committees referred to in subsection (b) a copy of the report under paragraph (1), together with the Secretary’s comments on the report. (f) Information From Federal Agencies.— The Panel may secure directly from the Department of Defense and any of its components and from any other Federal department and agency such information as the Panel considers necessary to carry out its duties under this section. The head of the department or agency concerned shall ensure that information requested by the Panel under this subsection is promptly provided. (g) Personnel Matters.— (1) Each member of the Panel shall be compensated at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States Code, for each day (including travel time) during which such member is engaged in the performance of the duties of the Panel. (2) The members of the Panel shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of services for the Panel. (3) (A) The chairman of the Panel may, without regard to the civil service laws and regulations, appoint and terminate an executive director, and a staff of not more than four additional individuals, if the Panel determines that an executive director and staff are necessary in order for the Panel to perform its duties effectively. The employment of an executive director shall be subject to confirmation by the Panel. 110 STAT. 2628 (B) The chairman may fix the compensation of the executive director without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, United States Code, relating to classification of positions and General Schedule pay rates, except that the rate of pay for the executive director may not exceed the rate payable for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such title. (4) Any Federal Government employee may be detailed to the Panel without reimbursement, and such detail shall be without interruption or loss of civil service status or privilege. The Secretary shall ensure that sufficient personnel are detailed to the Panel to enable the Panel to carry out its duties effectively. (5) To the maximum extent practicable, the members and employees of the Panel shall travel on military aircraft, military ships, military vehicles, or other military conveyances when travel is necessary in the performance of a duty of the Panel, except that no such aircraft, ship, vehicle, or other conveyance may be scheduled primarily for the transportation of any such member or employee when the cost of commercial transportation is less expensive. (h) Administrative Provisions.— (1) The Panel may use the United States mails and obtain printing and binding services in the same manner and under the same conditions as other departments and agencies of the Federal Government. (2) The Secretary shall furnish the Panel any administrative and support services requested by the Panel. (3) The Panel may accept, use, and dispose of gifts or donations of services or property. (i) Payment of Panel Expenses.— The compensation, travel expenses, and per diem allowances of members and employees of the Panel shall be paid out of funds available to the Department of Defense for the payment of compensation, travel allowances, and per diem allowances, respectively, of civilian employees of the Department. The other expenses of the Panel shall be paid out of funds available to the Department for the payment of similar expenses incurred by the Department. (j) Termination.— The Panel shall terminate 30 days after the date on which the Panel submits its report to the Secretary under subsection (e).