Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs
Chief liaison for the DOD to the US Congress
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.[3] The ASD(LA) is considered a part of the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
(informal)
The Honorable
(formal)
with Senate advice and consent
| United States Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs | |
|---|---|
| ASD(LA) | |
Seal of the United States Department of Defense | |
 Flag of an assistant secretary of defense | |
| United States Department of Defense Office of the Secretary of Defense | |
| Style | Mr Assistant Secretary (informal) The Honorable (formal) |
| Reports to | United States Secretary of Defense |
| Seat | The Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia |
| Appointer | The president with Senate advice and consent |
| Term length | No fixed term |
| Constituting instrument | 10 U.S.C. § 138 |
| Inaugural holder | Marx Leva |
| Formation | 1947 |
| Salary | Executive Schedule Level IV[2] |
| Website | Official website |
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.[4]
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.[4]
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).[4]
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).[4]
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) [5], passed November 30, 1993.[4] 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.[6] 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.[7]
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.[8]
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.[9]
Officeholders
The table below includes both the various titles of this post over time, as well as all the holders of those offices.
| 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[10] | December 1, 2004 - June 30, 2005 (Acting) June 30, 2005 - January 31, 2006 | Donald Rumsfeld | George W. Bush | |
 |
Robert Wilkie[11] | 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. Gates Leon Panetta Chuck Hagel | Barack Obama | |
 |
Michael J. Stella (Acting) | January 2, 2015 - April 1, 2015 | Chuck Hagel Ash Carter | Barack Obama |
 |
Stephen C. Hedger | April 1, 2015 - July 5, 2016 | Ash Carter | Barack Obama |
 |
Tressa 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[12] | James Mattis Mark Esper | Donald Trump |
 |
Ann Thomas "A.T." Johnston (Acting) | July 27, 2020 - January 20, 2021[13] | Mark Esper Christopher 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 Biden | |
 |
Thomas 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.
| Line Item | FY11 Estimate | FY12 Request |
|---|---|---|
| Assistant Secretary of Defense, Legislative Affairs | 789 | 495 |