PUBLIC LAW 106-398—APPENDIX 114 STAT. 1654A-315 "(C) not more than a total of 10 scientific and engineering positions in the National Imagery and Mapping Agency and the National Security Agency;". (d) RATES OF PAY FOR APPOINTEES.—Subsection (b)(2) of such section is amended by inserting after "United States Code," the following: "as increased by locality-based comparability payments under section 5304 of such title,". (e) COMMENSURATE EXTENSION OF REQUIREMENT FOR ANNUAL REPORT. —Subsection (g) of such section is amended by striking "2004" and inserting "2006". (f) AMENDMENT OF SECTION HEADING. — The heading for such section is amended to read as follows: "SEC. 1101. EXPERIMENTAL PERSONNEL PROGRAM FOR SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL PERSONNEL.". SEC. 1114. CLARIFICATION OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY UNDER PERSONNEL DEMONSTRATION PROJECT. (a) ELIMINATION OF REQUIREMENT FOR OPM REVIEW AND APPROVAL.— Section 342 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1995 (Public Law 103-337; 108 Stat. 2721) is amended— (1) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ", with the approval of the Director of the Office of Personnel Management,"; and (2) in subsection (b)(3)— (A) by striking "and" at the end of subparagraph (A); (B) by striking "section 4703." and inserting "section 4703; and" at the end of subparagraph (B); and (C) by inserting at the end the following new subparagraph (C): "(C) the Secretary shall exercise the authorities granted to the Office of Personnel Management under such section 4703.". (b) INCREASE IN LEVEL OF AUTHORIZED PAY. — Section 342(b) of such Act is further amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: "(5) The limitations in section 5373 of title 5, United States Code, do not apply to the authority of the Secretary under this section to prescribe salary schedules and other related benefits.". Subtitle C—Educational Assistance SEC. 1121. RESTRUCTURING THE RESTRICTION ON DEGREE TRAINING. Section 4107 of title 5, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (a), by striking "subsection (b)" and inserting "subsections (b) and (c)"; (2) in subsection (b)(1), by striking "subsection (a)" and inserting "subsection (a) or (c)"; and (3) by adding at the end the following new subsection: "(c) With respect to an employee of the Department of Defense— "(1) this chapter does not authorize, except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, the selection and assignment of the employee for training, or the payment or reimbursement of the costs of training, for— "(A) the purpose of providing an opportunity to the employee to obtain an academic degree in order to qualify
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