(a)(1) There is a Secretary of the Navy, appointed from civilian life by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Secretary shall, to the greatest extent practicable, be appointed from among persons most highly qualified for the position by reason of background and experience, including persons with appropriate management or leadership experience. The Secretary is the head of the Department of the Navy.
(2) A person may not be appointed as Secretary of the Navy within five years after relief from active duty as a commissioned officer of a regular component of an armed force.
(b) Subject to the authority, direction, and control of the Secretary of Defense and subject to the provisions of chapter 6 of this title, the Secretary of the Navy is responsible for, and has the authority necessary to conduct, all affairs of the Department of the Navy, including the following functions:
(1) Recruiting.
(2) Organizing.
(3) Supplying.
(4) Equipping (including research and development).
(5) Training.
(6) Servicing.
(7) Mobilizing.
(8) Demobilizing.
(9) Administering (including the morale and welfare of personnel).
(10) Maintaining.
(11) The construction, outfitting, and repair of military equipment.
(12) The construction, maintenance, and repair of buildings, structures, and utilities and the acquisition of real property and interests in real property necessary to carry out the responsibilities specified in this section.
(c) Subject to the authority, direction, and control of the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Navy is also responsible to the Secretary of Defense for—
(1) the functioning and efficiency of the Department of the Navy;
(2) the formulation of policies and programs by the Department of the Navy that are fully consistent with national security objectives and policies established by the President or the Secretary of Defense;
(3) the effective and timely implementation of policy, program, and budget decisions and instructions of the President or the Secretary of Defense relating to the functions of the Department of the Navy;
(4) carrying out the functions of the Department of the Navy so as to fulfill the current and future operational requirements of the unified and specified combatant commands;
(5) effective cooperation and coordination between the Department of the Navy and the other military departments and agencies of the Department of Defense to provide for more effective, efficient, and economical administration and to eliminate duplication;
(6) the presentation and justification of the positions of the Department of the Navy on the plans, programs, and policies of the Department of Defense; and
(7) the effective supervision and control of the intelligence activities of the Department of the Navy.
(d) The Secretary of the Navy is also responsible for such other activities as may be prescribed by law or by the President or Secretary of Defense.
(e) After first informing the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Navy may make such recommendations to Congress relating to the Department of Defense as he considers appropriate.
(f) The Secretary of the Navy may assign such of his functions, powers, and duties as he considers appropriate to the Under Secretary of the Navy and to the Assistant Secretaries of the Navy. Officers of the Navy and the Marine Corps shall, as directed by the Secretary, report on any matter to the Secretary, the Under Secretary, or any Assistant Secretary.
(g) The Secretary of the Navy may—
(1) assign, detail, and prescribe the duties of members of the Navy and Marine Corps and civilian personnel of the Department of the Navy;
(2) change the title of any officer or activity of the Department of the Navy not prescribed by law; and
(3) prescribe regulations to carry out his functions, powers, and duties under this title.
(Added Pub. L. 99–433, title V, §511(c)(2), Oct. 1, 1986, 100 Stat. 1043; amended Pub. L. 99–661, div. A, title V, §534, Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3873; Pub. L. 108–136, div. A, title IX, §901, Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1558; Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title IX, §931(b), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2363.)
Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 5031 of this title prior to enactment of Pub. L. 99–433.
A prior section 5013 was renumbered section 5063 of this title.
2016—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 114–328 inserted "The Secretary shall, to the greatest extent practicable, be appointed from among persons most highly qualified for the position by reason of background and experience, including persons with appropriate management or leadership experience." after first sentence.
2003—Subsec. (c)(4). Pub. L. 108–136 struck out "(to the maximum extent practicable)" after "fulfill".
1986—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 99–661 substituted "five years" for "10 years".
Pub. L. 109–148, div. B, title I, §702, Dec. 30, 2005, 119 Stat. 2773, provided that: "For any real property expressly granted to the United States since January 1, 1980 for use as or in connection with a Navy homeport subject to a reversionary interest retained by the grantor and serving as the site of or being used by a naval station subsequently closed or realigned pursuant to the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 [part A of title XXIX of div. B of Pub. L. 101–510, set out as a note under section 2687 of this title] as amended, the right of the United States to any consideration or repayment for the fair market value of the real property as improved shall be released, relinquished, waived, or otherwise permanently extinguished. The Secretary shall execute such written agreements as may be needed to facilitate the reversion and transfer all right, title, and interest of the United States in any real property described in this section, including the improvements thereon, for no consideration to the reversionary interest holder as soon as practicable after the naval station is closed or realigned. This agreement shall not require the reversionary interest holder to assume any environmental liabilities of the United States or relieve the United States from any responsibilities for environmental remediation that it may have incurred as a result of federal ownership or use of the real property."
Pub. L. 108–375, div. B, title XXVIII, §2823, Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 2132, provided that:
"(a)
"(b)
"(2) In determining the type and value of any in-kind consideration to be provided for the acquisition of a reversionary interest under subsection (a), the Secretary shall take into account the nature of the reversionary interest, including whether it would require the holder of the reversionary interest to pay for any improvements acquired by the holder as part of the reversion of the real property, and the long-term use and ultimate disposition of the real property if the United States were to acquire all right, title, and interest in and to the real property subject to the reversionary interest.
"(c)
Pub. L. 108–136, div. A, title III, §338, Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1447, as amended by Pub. L. 110–181, div. A, title III, §329, Jan. 28, 2008, 122 Stat. 67; Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title III, §321, Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 1694; Pub. L. 113–66, div. A, title X, §1091(d), Dec. 26, 2013, 127 Stat. 876; Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title III, §321, Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1352, provided that:
"(a)
"(b)
"(1) that, on the basis of the results of analysis of work processes, demonstrate that process improvements would result from the trade combinations proposed to be implemented under the demonstration project; and
"(2) that describes the improvements in cost, quality, or schedule of work that are anticipated to result from the participation in the demonstration project.
"(c)
"(2) Job descriptions and competency-based training plans must be developed for each worker while in training under the demonstration project and once certified as a multi-trade worker. A certified multi-trade worker who receives a pay grade promotion under the demonstration project must use each new skill during at least 25 percent of the worker's work year.
"(d)
"(e)
"(f) GAO
Pub. L. 105–85, div. A, title XI, §1108, Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 1926, authorized the Secretary of the Navy to establish and conduct a pilot program of graduate-level higher education regarding the administration of business relationships between the Government and the private sector during fiscal years 1998 through 2002, and required the Secretary of the Navy to submit to Congress a report not later than 90 days after the termination of the pilot program.
Pub. L. 103–160, div. A, title XIII, §1374, Nov. 30, 1993, 107 Stat. 1821, as amended by Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title X, §1064, Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2848, provided that:
"(a)
"(b)
"(c)
"(d)
"(e)
"(A) be liable for any loss or damage to Federal Government property that may result from, or in connection with, the provision of prerelease employment training by the organization under the demonstration project; and
"(B) hold harmless and indemnify the United States from and against any suit, claim, demand, action, or liability arising out of any claim for personal injury or property damage that may result from or in connection with the demonstration project.
"(2) The Secretary may not enter into an agreement under subsection (b) with the State concerned for the provision of prerelease employment training directly by the Secretary unless the agreement with the State concerned includes provisions that the State shall—
"(A) be liable for any loss or damage to Federal Government property that may result from, or in connection with, the provision of the training except to the extent that the loss or damage results from a wrongful act or omission of Federal Government personnel; and
"(B) hold harmless and indemnify the United States from and against any suit, claim, demand, action, or liability arising out of any claim for personal injury or property damage that may result from, or in connection with, the provision of the training except to the extent that the personal injury or property damage results from a wrongful act or omission of Federal Government personnel.
"(f)
For order of succession in event of death, permanent disability, or resignation of Secretary of the Navy, see Ex. Ord. No. 12879, Nov. 8, 1993, 58 F.R. 59929, listed in a table under section 3345 of Title 5.