POSITIONS OF IMPORTANCE AND RESPONSIBILITY.

SEC. 303. POSITIONS OF IMPORTANCE AND RESPONSIBILITY. Section 228 (33 U.S.C. 3028) is amended— (1) in subsection (c)— (A) in the first sentence, by striking “The Secretary shall designate one position under this section” and inserting “The President shall designate one position”; and (B) in the second sentence, by striking “That position shall be filled by” and inserting “The President shall fill that position by appointing, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate,”; (2) in subsection (d)(2), by inserting “or immediately beginning a period of terminal leave” after “for which a higher grade is designated”; (3) by amending subsection (e) to read as follows: “(e) Limit on Number of Officers Appointed.—The total number of officers serving on active duty at any one time in the grade of rear admiral (lower half) or above may not exceed five, with only one serving in the grade of vice admiral. ” ; and (4) in subsection (f), by inserting “or in a period of annual leave used at the end of the appointment” after “serving in that grade”.