DOD terminates Threat Reduction Advisory Committee

The Defense Department has terminated the Threat Reduction Advisory Committee, according to a notice in today's Federal Register.

"The TRAC is being terminated under the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) of 1972 (5 U.S.C., Appendix) and 41 CFR 102-3.55, and the Government in the Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b), effective December 16, 2019," the notice states.

In August, the committee held a classified meeting on the "continued viability" of U.S. chemical and biological weapon treaties, and in past years has discussed countering weapons of mass destruction issues related to North Korea, Russia and other countries.

Committee membership "consists of retired non-DOD and DOD senior civilians and retired flag officers as well as former senior representatives from other Executive Branch Agencies, senior industry affiliated members and both active and retired eminent academics," according to a fact sheet on the panel.

The committee "was organized to advise and assist the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (USD(A&S)) on the reduction of the threat to the United States and its allies from nuclear, biological, chemical, conventional, and special weapons; sustainment of the nuclear deterrent; chemical and biological defense; counterproliferation; weapons effects; combating terrorism; and other matters related to the USD(A&S), Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological ASD (NCB) and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA)," the fact sheet states.