AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND SUPPORT FOR COALITION LIAISON OFFICERS.

SEC. 1201. AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND SUPPORT FOR COALITION LIAISON OFFICERS. (a) Authority.—(1) Chapter 53 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1051 the following new section: “§ 1051a. Coalition liaison officers: administrative services and support; travel, subsistence, and other personal expenses “(a) Authority.—The Secretary of Defense may provide administrative services and support for the performance of duties by a liaison officer of another nation involved in a coalition with the United States while the liaison officer is assigned temporarily to the headquarters of a combatant command, component command, or subordinate operational command of the United States in connection with the planning for, or conduct of, a coalition operation. “(b) Travel and Subsistence Expenses.—(1) The Secretary may pay the expenses specified in paragraph (2) of a liaison officer of a developing country in connection with the assignment of that officer to the headquarters of a combatant command as described in subsection (a), if the assignment is requested by the commander of the combatant command. “(2) Expenses of a liaison officer that may be paid under paragraph (1) in connection with an assignment described in that paragraph are the following: “(A) Travel and subsistence expenses. “(B) Personal expenses directly necessary to carry out the duties of that officer in connection with that assignment. “(c) Reimbursement.—To the extent that the Secretary determines appropriate, the Secretary may provide the services and support authorized by subsection (a) and the expenses authorized by subsection (b) with or without reimbursement from (or on behalf of) the recipients. “(d) Definitions.—In this section: “(1) The term ‘administrative services and support’ includes base or installation support services, office space, utilities, 116 STAT. 2663copying services, fire and police protection, and computer support. “(2) The term ‘coalition’ means an ad hoc arrangement between or among the United States and one or more other nations for common action. “(e) Expiration of Authority.—The authority under this section shall expire on September 30, 2005”. (2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 1051 the following new item: “1051a. Coalition liaison officers: administrative services and support; travel, subsistence, and other personal expenses.”. (b) GAO Report.—Not later than March 1, 2005, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a report providing an assessment of the implementation of section 1051a of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a). The assessment shall include the following: (1) A description of the benefits to coalition operations of the authority provided by that section. (2) A statement of the cost to the Department of Defense of the use of the authority provided by that section. (3) A summary of activities carried out under the authority provided by that section, including (A) the number of liaison officers for whom administrative services and support or expenses were provided under that authority and their countries of origin, and (B) the type of services, support, and expenses provided.