(a)  Authority to Collect Fees.⁠—(1)  The Secretary of Defense may collect fees from any individual or commercial participant in a conference, seminar, exhibition, symposium, or similar meeting conducted by the Department of Defense (in this section referred to collectively as a “conference”).

(2)  The Secretary may provide for the collection of fees under this section directly or by contract. The fees may be collected in advance of a conference.

(b)  Use of Collected Fees.⁠—Amounts collected under subsection (a) with respect to a conference shall be credited to the appropriation or account from which the costs of the conference are paid and shall be available to pay the costs of the Department of Defense with respect to the conference or to reimburse the Department for costs incurred with respect to the conference.

(c)  Treatment of Excess Amounts.⁠—In the event the total amount of fees collected under subsection (a) with respect to a conference exceeds the actual costs of the Department of Defense with respect to the conference, the amount of such excess shall be deposited into the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.