NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FY2020
Conference report to Accompany S. 1790

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Advisory role of JASON scientific advisory group (sec. 222)

The House amendment contained a provision (sec. 215) that
would require the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Under
Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, to seek to
enter into a contract to support the JASON scientific advisory
group.

The Senate bill contained no similar provision.

The Senate recedes with an amendment that would modify the
requirement for the Department of Defense's arrangement with the
JASON scientific advisory group to conduct national security
studies and analyses. The conferees expect the arrangement or
contract to be structured to allow for the efficient management
of multiple national security research studies under one
agreement with the Department and to be available for use by
other Federal agencies, similar to previous contracts for JASON
research studies.