- "(2) the title of which is as follows: 'To provide for an exception to a limitation against appointment of persons as Secretary of Defense within seven years of relief from active duty as a regular commissioned officer of the Armed Forces.'; and
- "(3) the matter after the enacting or resolving clause of which is as follows:
"'(a) In General.—Notwithstanding the second sentence of section 113(a) of title 10, United States Code, the first person appointed, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, as Secretary of Defense after the date of the enactment of this Act may be a person who is, on the date of appointment, within seven years after relief, but not within three years after relief, from active duty as a commissioned officer of a regular component of the Armed Forces.
Applicability."'(b) Limited Exception.—This section applies only to the first person appointed as Secretary of Defense as described in subsection (a) after the date of the enactment of this Act, and to no other person.'.
Time period."(b) Introduction.—During the 30-calendar day period described in subsection (a)(1), qualifying legislation may be introduced in the Senate by the Majority Leader (or the Majority Leader's designee), the Minority Leader (or the Minority Leader's designee), the Chairman of the Committee on Armed Services, or the Ranking Minority Member of the Committee on Armed Services.
"(c) Consideration In The Senate.—
- "(1) Committee referral.—Qualifying legislation introduced in the Senate shall be referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
- "(2) Reporting and discharge.—If the Committee on Armed Services has not reported the qualifying legislation within 5 session days after the date of referral of the legislation, the Committee shall be discharged from further consideration of the legislation, and the qualifying legislation shall be placed on the appropriate calendar.
- "(3) Proceeding to consideration.—Notwithstanding Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, it is in order at any time after the Committee on Armed Serves reports the qualifying legislation to the Senate or has been discharged from its consideration (even though a previous motion to the same effect has been disagreed to) to move to proceed to the consideration of the qualifying legislation, and all points of order against the qualifying legislation (and against consideration of the qualifying legislation) are waived. The motion to proceed is not debatable. The motion is not subject to a motion to postpone. A motion to reconsider the vote by which the motion is agreed to or disagreed to shall not be in order. If a motion to proceed to the consideration of the qualifying legislation is agreed to, the qualifying legislation shall remain the unfinished business until disposed of.
