---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 239"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "239"
heading: "National security space programs: major force program and budget assessment"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/239"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part I — Organization and General Military Powers"
  - "Chapter 9 — Defense Budget Matters"
---

# §239. National security space programs: major force program and budget assessment

- (a) **Establishment of Major Force Program.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense shall establish a unified major force [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) for [national security](/usc/10/801.md?p=16) space [programs](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) pursuant to [section 222(b) of this title](/usc/10/222.md?p=b) to prioritize [national security](/usc/10/801.md?p=16) space activities in accordance with the requirements of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense and [national security](/usc/10/801.md?p=16).
- (b) **Budget Assessment.—**
  - (1) Not later than 30 days after the date on which the President submits to Congress the budget for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2021, the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense shall submit to the [congressional defense committees](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-16) a report on the budget for [national security](/usc/10/801.md?p=16) space [programs](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense. The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) may include the report in the defense budget materials if the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) submits such materials to Congress by such date.
  - (2) Each report on the budget for [national security](/usc/10/801.md?p=16) space [programs](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense under [paragraph (1)](#b-1) shall include the following:
    - (A) An overview of the budget, including—
      - (i) a comparison between that budget, the previous budget, the most recent and prior future-years defense [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) submitted to Congress under [section 221 of this title](/usc/10/221.md), and the amounts appropriated for such [programs](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) during the previous fiscal year; and
      - (ii) the specific identification, as a budgetary line item, for the funding under such [programs](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1).
    - (B) An assessment of the budget, including significant changes, priorities, challenges, and risks.
    - (C) Any additional matters the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) determines appropriate.
  - (3) Each report under [paragraph (1)](#b-1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.
- (c) **Definitions.—** In this section:
  - (1) The term “budget”, with respect to a fiscal year, means the budget for that fiscal year that is submitted to Congress by the President under [section 1105(a) of title 31](/usc/31/1105.md?p=a).
  - (2) The term “defense budget materials”, with respect to a fiscal year, means the materials submitted to Congress by the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense in support of the budget for that fiscal year.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 114–92, div. A, title XVI, § 1601(a)(1), Nov. 25, 2015, 129 Stat. 1095; amended Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title XVI, § 1605, Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 2107.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2018—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 115–232 amended par. (1) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (1) read as follows: “The Secretary shall include with the defense budget materials for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2020 a report on the budget for national security space programs of the Department of Defense.”

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Plan To Carry Out Unified Major Force Program Designation

Pub. L. 114–92, div. A, title XVI, § 1601(b), Nov. 25, 2015, 129 Stat. 1096, provided that: “Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 25, 2015], the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees [Committees on Armed Services and Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives] a plan to carry out the unified major force program designation required by section 239(a) of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a)(1), including any recommendations for legislative action the Secretary determines appropriate.”