The assistant secretary of defense for legislative affairs, or ASD(LA), is responsible for providing support to the secretary of defense (SecDef) in his/her dealings with the United States Congress. In addition to serving as SecDef's legislative adviser, the ASD(LA) promotes the Department of Defense's strategy, legislative priorities, policies, and budget before Congress. In carrying out these responsibilities, the ASD(LA) directs a team of managers, action officers, and support personnel who help direct, monitor and manage communications and activities between Congress and elements of the Department of Defense.Assistant Secretary of Defense Legislative Affairs, Home, "https://la.defense.gov/", February 1, 2011 The ASD(LA) is considered a part of the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
History
This office was established as Special Assistant (Legal, Legislative, and Public Affairs) upon the creation of the National Military Establishment in 1947 (the NME was renamed the Department of Defense in 1949). This was one of three special assistants to the first secretary of defense.
The post was retitled Assistant Secretary of Defense (Legal and Legislative Affairs) in August 1949 based on amendments to the National Security Act (P.L. 81-216) that authorized three assistant secretaries of defense.
The position was abolished in 1953, with its functions divided and transferred to the general counsel and the assistant secretary of defense (legislative and public affairs), new posts established as the result of DoD Reorganization Plan No. 6 (June 1953) and Defense Directive 5122.1 (September 1953).
This position was abolished again in 1957, with its functions divided and transferred to Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) and Assistant to the Secretary of Defense (Legislative Affairs), new posts established by Defense Directive 5105.13 (August 1957).
Since 1957, the responsibilities of this position have stayed mostly constant, but the title has changed between Assistant Secretary of Defense and Assistant to the Secretary of Defense five times, largely because the secretary of defense has historically been authorized a limited number of assistant secretaries.
In 1973, the position of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs was reestablished as a separate assistant secretary billet when the former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Systems Analysis was redesignated as Director of Defense Program Analysis and Evaluation, with the legislative affairs portfolio elevated to an assistant secretary position within the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
The position was given statutory standing as the assistant secretary of defense (legislative affairs) by the National Defense Authorization Act for FY1994 (P.L. 103-160) This type of apparently minor, yet bureaucratically significant, distinction is sometimes satirized in popular culture. For example, on NBC's The Office, Dwight Schrute is a self-described "assistant regional manager," but is always corrected by his boss to be an "assistant to the regional manager., passed November 30, 1993. Across these changes, the office has continued to serve as the principal staff assistant and adviser to the secretary of defense for congressional relations, coordinating the Department’s contacts with Congress, legislative strategy, and support for hearings and other oversight activities.
Responsibilities and authority
Federal law designates the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs as one of the Department of Defense's assistant secretaries and provides that the office's principal duty is the overall supervision of the department's legislative affairs. The office develops and oversees the department's legislative strategy and coordinates interactions between the Office of the Secretary of Defense and Congress, including congressional testimony, briefings and visits.
The office also has responsibilities related to congressional hearings and investigations. Department of Defense instructions designate the Assistant Secretary as the central point for receiving authorization-hearing materials and coordinating their transmission to Congress. The office also oversees activities involving legislative investigations of Defense Department activities and coordinates departmental responses to congressional investigations, except for certain matters involving appropriations and financial issues.
In congressional oversight matters, the Assistant Secretary works with the Office of the General Counsel's Legislation, Investigations, and Oversight office. That office coordinates congressional requests for documents and interviews and provides legal advice concerning responses to congressional inquiries, including questions involving privilege and confidentiality.
Officeholders
The table below includes both the various titles of this post over time, as well as all the holders of those offices.
+ Assistant secretaries of defense (legislative affairs)Portrait Name Tenure SecDef(s) served under President(s) served under Special Assistant (Legal, Legislative, and Public Affairs) Marx Leva September 18, 1947 – September 11, 1949 James V. Forrestal Harry Truman Assistant Secretary of Defense (Legal and Legislative Affairs) Marx Leva September 12, 1949 - May 1, 1951 Louis A. Johnson George C. Marshall Harry Truman Daniel K. Edwards May 3, 1951 - November 19, 1951 George C. Marshall Robert A. Lovett Harry Truman Charles A. Coolidge November 20, 1951 - December 31, 1952 Robert A. Lovett Harry Truman Assistant Secretary of Defense (Legislative and Public Affairs) Frederick A. Seaton September 15, 1953 - February 20, 1955 Charles E. Wilson Dwight Eisenhower Robert Tripp Ross March 15, 1955 - February 20, 1957 Charles E. Wilson Dwight Eisenhower Assistant to the Secretary of Defense (Legislative Affairs) Brig. Gen. Clarence J. Hauck, Jr. April 1957 - April 1959 Charles E. Wilson Neil H. McElroy Dwight Eisenhower George W. Vaughan April 1959 - March 1960 Neil H. McElroy Thomas S. Gates Dwight Eisenhower Brig. Gen. James D. Hittle March 1960 - November 1960 Thomas S. Gates Dwight Eisenhower Norman S. Paul January 25, 1961 - June 30, 1962 Robert S. McNamara John F. Kennedy David E. McGiffert August 8, 1962 - June 30, 1965 Robert S. McNamara John F. Kennedy Lyndon Johnson Jack L. Stempler December 13, 1965 - January 4, 1970 Robert S. McNamara Clark M. Clifford Melvin R. Laird Lyndon Johnson Richard Nixon Richard G. Capen, Jr. January 5, 1970 - May 1, 1971 Melvin R. Laird Richard Nixon Rady A. Johnson May 2, 1971 - March 10, 1973 Melvin R. Laird Elliot L. Richardson Richard Nixon Col. George L.J. Dalferes (Acting) March 17, 1973 - April 17, 1973 Elliot L. Richardson Richard Nixon Assistant Secretary of Defense (Legislative Affairs) John O. Marsh April 17, 1973 - February 15, 1974 Elliot L. Richardson James R. Schlesinger Richard Nixon John M. Maury April 12, 1974 - February 28, 1976 James R. Schlesinger Donald Rumsfeld Richard Nixon Gerald Ford William K. Brehm March 19, 1976 - January 20, 1977 Donald Rumsfeld Gerald Ford Assistant to the Secretary of Defense (Legislative Affairs) Jack L. Stempler March 23, 1977 - January 19, 1981 Harold Brown Jimmy Carter Assistant Secretary of Defense (Legislative Affairs) Russell A. Rourke May 6, 1981 - December 8, 1985 Caspar W. Weinberger Ronald Reagan M. D. B. Carlisle August 4, 1986 - April 28, 1989 Caspar W. Weinberger Frank C. Carlucci III William H. Taft IV (Acting) Ronald Reagan George H. W. Bush David J. Gribbin III May 22, 1989 - January 18, 1993 Richard B. Cheney George H. W. Bush Assistant to the Secretary of Defense (Legislative Affairs) Sandra K. Stuart August 1, 1993 - September 15, 1994 Leslie Aspin, Jr. William J. Perry Bill Clinton Assistant Secretary of Defense (Legislative Affairs) Sandra K. Stuart September 15, 1994 - February 27, 1999 William J. Perry William S. Cohen Bill Clinton John K. Veroneau March 2, 1999 - November 10, 1999 (Acting) November 10, 1999 - February 16, 2001 William S. Cohen Bill Clinton George W. Bush Powell A. Moore May 4, 2001 - December 1, 2004 Donald Rumsfeld George W. Bush Daniel R. Stanley December 1, 2004 - June 30, 2005 (Acting) June 30, 2005 - January 31, 2006 Donald Rumsfeld George W. Bush Robert WilkieLoyola University New Orleans Office of Public Affairs, "Robert L. Wilkie Named Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs" Press Release http://www.loyno.edu/news/story/2006/10/18/1112 January 31, 2006 - September 29, 2006 (Acting) September 29, 2006 - January 19, 2009 Donald Rumsfeld Robert M. Gates George W. Bush Elizabeth L. King May 7, 2009 - January 1, 2015 Robert M. GatesLeon PanettaChuck Hagel Barack Obama Michael J. Stella (Acting) January 2, 2015 - April 1, 2015 Chuck HagelAsh Carter Barack ObamaStephen C. Hedger April 1, 2015 - July 5, 2016 Ash Carter Barack ObamaTressa S. Guenov (Acting) July 5, 2016 - January 20, 2017 Ash Carter Barack Obama Pete Giambastiani (Acting) January 20, 2017 - August 8, 2017 James Mattis Donald Trump Robert R. Hood August 8, 2017 - July 24, 2020 James MattisMark Esper Donald Trump Ann Thomas "A.T." Johnston (Acting) July 27, 2020 - January 20, 2021 Mark EsperChristopher C. Miller (Acting) Donald Trump Ryan Reilly (Acting) January 20, 2021 - February 9, 2021 David Norquist (Acting)Lloyd Austin Joe Biden Louis I Lauter (Acting) February 9, 2021 - April 5, 2022 Lloyd Austin Joe BidenThomas J. Mancinelli (Acting) April 5, 2022 - December 2, 2022 Lloyd Austin Joe Biden Rheanne Wirkkala December 2, 2022 - January 20, 2025 Lloyd Austin Joe Biden Dane Hughes January 20, 2025 - October 14, 2025 (Acting) Pete Hegseth Donald Trump October 14, 2025 - Present
Budget
Budget totals The annual budget for the ASD(LA) is contained in the OSD's budget, under the Defense-Wide Operation and Maintenance (O&M) account. The Obama administration cut funding for this position by over 37% in FY12.
+ASD(LA) Budget, FY 11-12 ($ in thousands) Line Item FY11 Estimate FY12 Request Assistant Secretary of Defense, Legislative Affairs 789 495
Notes
References