DLA Disposition Services is responsible for property reuse (including the disposal and sale of surplus and excess defense equipment and supplies), precious metal recovery, recycling, hazardous property disposal, and the demilitarization of military equipment. Major New Developments10

		Congressional Concerns over the 1033 Program

Some Members of Congress have expressed concern over the 1033 Program and the types of military equipment made available to state and local law enforcement agencies, particularly in the in the aftermath of clashes between protesters and police. The concerns of these Members were elevated in the aftermath of the August 2014 shooting death incident in Ferguson, MO, and the widely circulated photographs of heavily armed police using equipment believed to be transferred from the federal government through the 1033 Law Enforcement Support Program, as well as from other sources. (See section on the Law Enforcement Support Office)
On September 9, 2014, the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will hold a hearing titled "Oversight of Federal Programs Equipping State and Law Enforcement." DLA Disposition Services

DLA Disposition Services manages the reutilization, transfer, donation and sale of surplus military property. The Reutilization/Transfer/Donation Program through DLA Disposition Services establishes a process for property considered no longer needed by DOD to be redistributed among various groups. Property considered surplus can be reused, transferred, donated, or sold; potential recipients may include law enforcement agencies, school systems, medical institutions, civic and community organizations, libraries, homeless assistance providers, state and local government agencies, veteran's organizations, and the public. Property that is no longer needed by the government may be acquired through public sales, if the property is appropriate and safe for sale to the general public. This property is considered excess to the needs of the Department of Defense. These are drawn from Department of Defense (DOD) stocks deemed excess to military needs. 101-189 ), which temporarily authorized transfers of defense equipment to law enforcement agencies for counter-drug enforcement use. DLA states that all of the equipment requisitioned under the 1033 Program has either a commercial similarity or can be requested through a grant.
The effort to dispose of surplus military equipment dates back to the end of World War II when the federal government sought to reduce a massive inventory of surplus military equipment by making such equipment available to civilians. (The disposal of surplus real property, including land, buildings, commercial facilities, and equipment situated thereon, is assigned to the General Services Administration, Office of Property Disposal.)
The Department of Defense (DOD) through a Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) component called DLA Disposition Services has a policy for disposing of government equipment and supplies considered surplus or deemed unnecessary, or excess to the agency's currently designated mission. DLA Disposition Services is responsible for property reuse (including resale), precious metal recovery, recycling, hazardous property disposal, and the demilitarization of military equipment.
DLA Disposition Services manages the reutilization, transfer, donation and sale of surplus military property. The Reutilization/Transfer/Donation Program through DLA Disposition Services establishes a process for property considered no longer needed by DOD to be redistributed among various groups. Property considered surplus can be reused, transferred, donated, or sold; potential recipients may include law enforcement agencies, school systems, medical institutions, civic and community organizations, libraries, homeless assistance providers, state and local government agencies, veteran's organizations, and the public. Property that is no longer needed by the government may be acquired through public sales, if the property is appropriate and safe for sale to the general public.
Recently, the Law Enforcement Support Program (LESO), also referred to as the 1033 Program, has been the subject of media reports. Some Members of Congress have expressed concern over the transfer of surplus weapons from federal programs including the 1033 Program, and the types of military equipment that can be made available to state and local law enforcement agencies, particularly in the aftermath of clashes between protesters and police over the August 2014 shooting death incident in Ferguson, MO. On September 9, 2014, the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will hold a hearing titled "Oversight of Federal Programs Equipping State and Law Enforcement."
This report focuses on the disposal of defense surplus property that is delegated to DOD from the General Services Administration. Law enforcement agencies are a recipient of defense surplus property, along with many other recipients. For further information on the 1033 Program, see CRS Report R43701, The "1033 Program," Department of Defense Support to Law Enforcement, by [author name scrubbed].