; and (2) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives. 9. Office of the Secretary of Defense Management and Process Improvements (a) Establishment of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Deterrence Policy and Programs Section 138(b)(4) of title 10, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: (4) One of the Assistant Secretaries is the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Deterrence Policy and Programs. The principal duty of the Assistant Secretary shall be the overall supervision (including oversight of policy and resources) of nuclear deterrence activities of the Department of Defense. The Assistant Secretary is the principal civilian adviser to the Secretary of Defense on nuclear deterrence policies, operations, and associated programs within the senior management of the Department of Defense. (A) Subject to the authority, direction, and control of the Secretary of Defense, the Assistant Secretary shall— (i) advise and assist the Secretary of Defense, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, and the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy in the development and supervision of policy, program planning and execution, and allocation and use of resources for the activities of the Department of Defense on all matters relating to the sustainment, operation, and modernization of United States nuclear forces; (ii) communicate views on issues within the responsibility of the Assistant Secretary directly to the Secretary of Defense and the Deputy Secretary of Defense without obtaining the approval or concurrence of any other official within the Department of Defense; (iii) serve as the Staff Director of the Nuclear Weapons Council established by section 179 of this title