135 STAT. 3  PUBLIC LAW 117–1—JAN. 22, 2021  Public Law 117–1  117th Congress  An Act  To provide for an exception to a limitation against appointment of persons as  Secretary of Defense within seven years of relief from active duty as a regular  commissioned officer of the Armed Forces.  Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of  the United States of America in Congress assembled,  (a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding the second sentence of sec- tion 113(a) of title 10, United States Code, the first person  appointed, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate,  as Secretary of Defense in an appointment made on or after January  20, 2021, may be a person who is, on the date of appointment,  within seven years after relief, but not within four years after  relief, from active duty as a commissioned officer of a regular  component of the Armed Forces.  (b) LIMITED EXCEPTION.—This section applies only to the first  person nominated after 12 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) on  January 20, 2021, and appointed as Secretary of Defense as  described in subsection (a), and to no other person.  Approved January 22, 2021.  Applicability.  10 USC 113 note.  Jan. 22, 2021  [H.R. 335]  SECTION 1. EXCEPTION TO LIMITATION AGAINST APPOINTMENT OF  PERSONS AS SECRETARY OF DEFENSE WITHIN SEVEN  YEARS OF RELIEF FROM ACTIVE DUTY AS REGULAR  COMMISSIONED OFFICERS OF THE ARMED FORCES.  LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 335 (S. 12):  CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 167 (2021):  Jan. 21, considered and passed House and Senate.  Æ 