51–226 

[FULL COMMITTEE PRINT] 

118TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1st Session 118–XXX 

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2024 

XXXX , 2023.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the 

Union and ordered to be printed 

Mr. CALVERT of California, from the Committee on Appropriations, 

submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

together with 

XXXX VIEWS 

[To accompany H.R. XXXX] 

The Committee on Appropriations submits the following report in 

explanation of the accompanying bill making appropriations for the 

Department of Defense, and for other purposes, for the fiscal year 

ending September 30, 2024. 

BILL TOTALS

Appropriations for most military functions of the Department of 

Defense are provided for in the accompanying bill for fiscal year 

2024. This bill does not provide appropriations for military construction, military family housing, civil defense, and military nuclear warheads, for which requirements are considered in connection with other appropriations Acts. 

The fiscal year 2024 President’s budget request for activities 

funded in the Department of Defense Appropriations Act totals 

$826,162,133,000 in new discretionary budget obligational authority. 


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COMMITTEE BUDGET REVIEW PROCESS

During its review of the fiscal year 2024 President’s budget request and execution of appropriations from prior fiscal years, the 

Subcommittee on Defense held six hearings and seven classified 

sessions during the period of February 2023 to April 2023. Hearings were held in open session, except when the security classification of the material to be discussed presented no alternative but to 

conduct those hearings in executive or closed session. 

INTRODUCTION

The Committee recommendation for fiscal year 2024 Department 

of Defense discretionary funding is $826,448,000,000, which exceeds the President’s budget request by $285,867,000. 

Despite the late submission of the request, this bill maintains 

the Committee’s long-standing tradition of conducting a thorough, 

bipartisan evaluation of the budget request to ensure the appropriate use of valuable taxpayer funds. The Committee’s recommendation supports full funding for many of the Department’s 

top priorities, such as the B–21 bomber, the Columbia-class submarine, and a pay increase for uniformed personnel. 

While the Committee appreciates the budget request’s increase 

in funding for the Department, it is concerning that the Administration has poorly prioritized funds within the request to include 

proposals for climate change initiatives, partisan policies that may 

harm recruitment, and the use of legacy business systems and 

processes. Further, prior to submission of the President’s budget request, the Committee expressly communicated to Department of 

Defense officials its expectation of clear and adequate justification 

for the funding requested. Unfortunately, the Department failed to 

heed this direction for many of its programs prior to the Committee 

drafting its recommendation. Therefore, the Committee recommends approximately $20,000,000,000 in program reductions, 

which includes reductions due to schedule delays, unjustified cost 

increases, underexecution, or other programmatic adjustments. The 

Committee’s recommendation also includes prohibitions on funding 

for programs that do not directly increase military readiness or 

lethality. It is the constitutional prerogative of this Committee to 

ensure that the executive branch is both held accountable by, and 

responsive to, the representatives of the American people. The 

Committee takes this responsibility, and the responsibility to provide for the common defense of our Nation, seriously. 

Successive National Defense Strategies make clear the Department’s top priority is to strengthen and sustain the Nation’s ability 

to deter the aggressive and malign actions of the People’s Republic 

of China (PRC). This bill ensures the realization of this priority by 

rejecting the Administration’s request to decrease the number of 

ships in the Navy’s fleet, increasing investment in advanced aircraft, authorizing the multiyear procurement of critical munitions, 

building up domestic industrial base capacity, and supporting 

America’s most important strategic asset—its servicemembers. The 

current geopolitical environment also calls for the United States 

and its allies to be postured to respond to a variety of conflicts that 

threaten the homeland or the international rules-based order in 

place since the end of the Second World War. Russia’s ill-conceived 


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invasion of Ukraine, Iran’s increased aggression in the Middle 

East, and missile threats from the Democratic People’s Republic of 

Korea all serve as reminders that focusing on the pacing threat 

cannot lead to a vacuum of American leadership elsewhere in the 

world. 

To achieve these shared goals, the Committee’s top priorities for 

fiscal year 2024 are to invest in America’s military superiority, 

shape a more efficient and effective workforce while enhancing a 

culture of innovation, combat illicit fentanyl and synthetic opioids, 

and take care of servicemembers and their families. 

First, the Committee resources the military capabilities necessary to decisively defeat potential adversaries. As such, the Committee’s recommendation includes funding to directly counter the 

PRC’s malign global influence, including over $9,000,000,000 for 

the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, $108,000,000 for International Security Cooperation Programs for Taiwan, and robust funding for 

the modernization of the nuclear triad. The recommendation also 

includes language to prioritize the delivery of defense articles to 

Taiwan and supports training partnerships such as the National 

Guard State Partnership Program. Finally, the Committee recommendation supports the development of a ‘hedge’ portfolio to address the mounting global security risks. The Committee is concerned by growing tactical and logistical risks to current weapon 

systems, as well as the lack of industrial base capacity and diversity. A hedge in this sense will resource organizations capable of 

developing non-traditional solutions from non-traditional sources 

by intentionally taking calculated risks to incentivize positive, deliberate, accelerated change. If properly executed, this hedge has 

the potential to create asymmetric advantage to support combatant 

command operational challenges and reduce the taxpayer’s burden 

by leveraging private capital, expand America’s economic advantage by accelerating emerging technology, and broaden the pool of 

talent supporting national defense. 

Second, the Act drives significant changes to the way the Department of Defense operates. The Committee notes its frustration with 

the Department’s adherence to legacy business practices and manpower assumptions, particularly with respect to its civilian workforce. While in many cases the civilian workforce provides invaluable contributions to the warfighter, the Department must optimize 

its workforce by adopting emerging technologies and becoming fiscally sustainable or risk a misalignment of resources to execute the 

National Defense Strategy. Capabilities such as automation, artificial intelligence, and other novel business practices—which are 

readily adopted by the private sector—are often ignored or underutilized across the Department’s business operations. This bill 

takes aggressive steps to address this issue. Additionally, the Department continues to struggle to rapidly transition technology 

from industry, or its own research labs, into the hands of the 

warfighters. This bill includes many recommendations to address 

this deficiency. 

Third, illicit fentanyl and synthetic opioids are causing the 

deaths of more Americans than any other adversary. While the 

Committee acknowledges limits to the Department of Defense’s 

statutory authorities, the Department and the Intelligence Community can and must increase their contributions to combat this 


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threat. Therefore, the Act includes a historic investment of 

$1,162,161,000 in the drug interdiction and counter-drug activities 

account, including increased funding for counter-narcotics support, 

demand reduction, the National Guard Counter-Drug Program, and 

National Guard Counter-Drug Schools. 

Finally, as the Nation marks the 50th anniversary of the All-Volunteer Force, the Committee emphasizes that taking care of 

servicemembers and their families is foundational to the success of 

the military. Increased investments in warfighting capabilities are 

useless without a ready, trained, equipped, and robust force. However, the Committee is concerned that compensation, particularly 

for the junior enlisted ranks, has been insufficient to provide an 

adequate quality of life for servicemembers. The Committee is also 

concerned that this inadequate level of pay may impede the Department’s ability to recruit a force sufficient to execute the National Defense Strategy. 

Therefore, the Act includes a historic alteration to the funding 

tables for junior enlisted servicemembers that provides for an increase in pay that averages 30 percent. This investment will improve recruitment and enhance the quality of life for 

servicemembers and their families. The Committee looks forward 

to working with the Senate and other committees of jurisdiction to 

enact this proposal. 

The United States is in a decisive decade that will determine the 

fate of the world order. The PRC is rapidly building its military capabilities, investing in the developing world, and disrupting the 

rules-based order. The myth of integrated deterrence cannot lead 

the United States into shortchanging its military capabilities. Instead, the Department, in coordination with this Committee, must 

overcome the inertia in its current bureaucracy, processes, workforce, and mindset. It must be agile, ready, and lethal to encourage 

cooperation, not provocation. 

The Committee appreciates the input from the Department of 

Defense, the Intelligence Community, Members of Congress, industry, think tanks, and outside stakeholders as it worked to draft its 

recommendation for fiscal year 2024. 

DEFINITION OF PROGRAM, PROJECT, AND ACTIVITY

For the purposes of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 

Control Act of 1985 (Public Law 99–177), as amended by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Reaffirmation Act of 

1987 (Public Law 100–119), and by the Budget Enforcement Act of 

1990 (Public Law 101–508), the terms ‘‘program, project, and activity’’ for appropriations contained in this Act shall be defined as the 

most specific level of budget items identified in the Department of 

Defense Appropriations Act, 2024, the related classified annexes 

and Committee reports, and the P–1 and R–1 budget justification 

documents as subsequently modified by congressional action. 

The following exception to the above definition shall apply: the 

military personnel and the operation and maintenance accounts, 

for which the term ‘‘program, project, and activity’’ is defined as the 

appropriations accounts contained in the Department of Defense 

Appropriations Act. 

At the time the President submits the budget request for fiscal 

year 2025, the Secretary of Defense is directed to transmit to the 


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congressional defense committees budget justification documents to 

be known as the M–1 and O–1, which shall identify, at the budget 

activity, activity group, and sub-activity group level, the amounts 

requested by the President to be appropriated to the Department 

of Defense for military personnel and operation and maintenance 

in any budget request, or amended budget request, for fiscal year 

2025. 

REPROGRAMMING GUIDANCE

The Secretary of Defense is directed to continue to follow the reprogramming guidance for acquisition accounts as specified in the 

report accompanying the House version of the Department of Defense Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2008 (House Report 110– 

279). The dollar threshold for reprogramming funds shall be 

$15,000,000 for military personnel and operation and maintenance; 

and $10,000,000 for procurement and research, development, test 

and evaluation. 

Additionally, the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) is directed to continue to provide the congressional defense committees 

annual DD Form 1416 reports for titles I and II and quarterly, 

spreadsheet-based DD Form 1416 reports for Service and defensewide accounts in titles III and IV of this Act. Reports for titles III 

and IV shall comply with guidance specified in the explanatory 

statement accompanying the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2006. The Department shall continue to follow the limitation that prior approval reprogramming actions are set at either 

the specified dollar threshold or 20 percent of the procurement or 

research, development, test and evaluation line, whichever is less. 

These thresholds are cumulative from the base for reprogramming 

value as modified by any adjustments. Therefore, if the combined 

value of transfers into or out of a military personnel (M–1); an operation and maintenance (O–1); a procurement (P–1); or a research, 

development, test and evaluation (R–1) line exceeds the identified 

threshold, the Secretary of Defense must submit a prior approval 

reprogramming to the congressional defense committees. In addition, guidelines on the application of prior approval reprogramming 

procedures for congressional special interest items are established 

elsewhere in this statement. 

FUNDING INCREASES

The funding increases outlined in the tables for each appropriation account shall be provided only for the specific purposes indicated in the tables. 

CONGRESSIONAL SPECIAL INTEREST ITEMS

Items for which additional funds have been provided or items for 

which funding is specifically reduced as shown in the project level 

tables or in paragraphs using the phrase ‘‘only for’’ or ‘‘only to’’ in 

this report are congressional special interest items for the purpose 

of the Base for Reprogramming (DD Form 1414). Each of these 

items must be carried on the DD Form 1414 at the stated amount, 

as specifically addressed in the Committee report. 


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CLASSIFIED ANNEX

Adjustments to the classified programs are addressed in the classified annex accompanying this report. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS BY MAJOR CATEGORY

ACTIVE, RESERVE, AND NATIONAL GUARD MILITARY PERSONNEL

In title I of the Act, the Committee recommends a total of 

$177,922,024,000 for active, reserve, and National Guard military 

personnel, a decrease of $951,942,000 below the budget request due 

to projected underexecution of funds. The Committee recommendation provides full funding necessary to increase basic pay for all 

military personnel by 5.2 percent, effective January 1, 2024. The 

Committee recommendation also includes additional targeted funding increases for certain enlisted grades. 

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

In title II of the Act, the Committee recommends a total of 

$293,065,995,000 for operation and maintenance support to the 

military Services and other Department of Defense entities, an increase of $2,994,702,000 above the budget request. The recommended levels will fund robust operational training, readiness, 

and facilities needs in fiscal year 2024. 

PROCUREMENT

In title III of the Act, the Committee recommends a total of 

$165,061,083,000 for procurement, a decrease of $3,995,863,000 

below the budget request. 

Major initiatives and modifications include: 

$674,152,000 for 48 sets of M109A6 Paladin Self-Propelled Howitzers and M992A2 Field Artillery Ammunition Support Vehicles; 

$120,000,000 for additional modernized Army National Guard 

HMMWVs; 

$1,617,093,000 for the procurement of the B–21 Raider; 

$9,641,932,000 for 86 F–35 aircraft, which is an increase of 

$227,353,000 for 3 additional F–35As for the Air Force for a total 

of 51 F–35As, 16 short take-off and vertical landing variants for 

the Marine Corps, and 19 carrier variants for the Navy and Marine 

Corps; 

$2,758,048,000 for the procurement of 15 KC–46A tanker aircraft; 

$2,431,171,000 for the procurement of 24 F–15EX aircraft; 

$213,804,000 for the procurement of 7 MH–139 aircraft; 

$487,200,000 for the procurement of 4 C–130Js aircraft for the 

Air National Guard; 

$120,000,000 for the procurement of 2 Combat Rescue Helicopters; 

$200,000,000 for the acceleration of the delivery of the E–7 aircraft; 

$1,800,050,000 for the procurement of 16 CH–53K helicopters, an 

increase of one aircraft and 102,000,000 above the President’s 

budget request; 

$684,121,000 for the procurement of five CMV–22 aircraft; 


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$32,906,812,000 for the procurement of nine Navy battle force 

ships, including two DDG–51 guided missile destroyers, one Columbia-class ballistic submarine, two Virginia-class fast attack submarines, two Frigates, one TAO Fleet Oiler, and one submarine 

tender replacement; 

$2,672,314,000 for the procurement of 15 National Security 

Space Launches; and 

$200,000,000 for the Israeli Cooperative Programs under the 

Missile Defense Agency. 

RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION

In title IV of the Act, the Committee recommends a total of 

$146,836,251,000 for research, development, test and evaluation, 

an increase of $1,956,626,000 above the budget request. 

Major initiatives and modifications include: 

$1,493,804,000 to support Army Future Vertical Lift, including 

design, prototyping, and risk reduction for the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft and the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft; 

$974,020,000 for continued development and fielding of the 

Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon; 

$380,355,000 for the Army’s Mid-Range Missile capability; 

$816,663,000 for the Army’s Lower Tier Air Missile Defense capability; 

$2,356,734,000 for the F–35 Continuous Capability Development 

and Delivery program; 

$790,537,000 for the continued development of the Air Force’s 

Survivable Airborne Operations Center; 

$2,984,143,000 for the continued development of the B–21 bomber; 

$2,326,128,000 for the continued development of the Air Force’s 

Next Generation Air Dominance program; 

$891,406,000 for the Air Force’s Long Range Standoff Weapon; 

$3,686,840,000 for the continued development of the Air Force’s 

Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program; 

$901,064,000 for the continued development of the Navy’s conventional prompt strike program; 

$237,655,000 for the continued development of the Navy’s Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare Weapon program; 

$73,146,000 for the continued development for the Marine Corps 

ground-based anti-ship missile and long-range fires programs; 

$2,056,063,000 for the Next Generation Interceptor Development; 

$2,581,124,000 for the continued development of the Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared program; 

$2,272,214,000 for the continued development of the Resilient 

Missile Warning-Missile Tracking program; and 

$300,000,000 for the Israeli Cooperative Programs under the 

Missile Defense Agency. 

DEFENSE HEALTH PROGRAM

The Committee recommends a total of $39,365,472,000 for the 

Defense Health Program to support worldwide medical and dental 

services for active forces and other eligible beneficiaries. 


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PAY RAISE FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL

To address the recruiting crisis and increase the quality of life 

for the most vulnerable military personnel and their families, the 

Committee recommendation includes an average pay increase of 30 

percent for junior enlisted personnel, as well as a 5.2 percent pay 

increase for all military personnel. The Committee expects that 

this pay raise will help mitigate the recruiting crisis and improve 

the quality of life for servicemembers and their families. 

CIVILIAN WORKFORCE OPTIMIZATION

The Committee recognizes the valuable contributions of the Department of Defense civilian workforce to overall mission success 

but is concerned by its growing cost. Between fiscal years 2018 and 

2022, civilian pay expenditures grew by approximately 

$15,000,000,000, and in fiscal year 2022 expenditures across all appropriations exceeded $101,000,000,000. The Committee views this 

as unsustainable and excessive, particularly with the maturation of 

commercial technologies, such as robotic process automation and 

artificial intelligence, which can significantly reduce or eliminate 

manual processes across the Department. Therefore, the Committee recommendation includes a total reduction of $1,095,252,000 

for the Department of Defense civilian workforce. The Committee 

directs the Secretary of Defense to exclude civilian positions supporting shipyard, depot, health care, and sexual assault and response duties from any reductions. 

Further, the Committee assesses the Department has not taken 

meaningful steps to adopt, at scale, modern technologies in its business operations. The Department’s adherence to legacy systems, 

processes, and practices creates an inefficient application of manpower, squanders resources that could be applied to increase operational readiness, and is detrimental to the Department’s efforts to 

recruit and retain top talent. The Department must optimize its civilian workforce to meet current and future threats in a fiscally 

prudent manner. 

Therefore, the Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to the congressional defense committees, not later 

than 120 days after the enactment of this Act, that addresses these 

areas of concern. The report shall include: 

(1) a reassessment of total force manpower resources against core 

missions, tasks, and functions to include a mapping of missions to 

originating statute or Departmental policy; 

(2) a plan with specific goals and metrics for measuring the adoption of technologies, such as automation and artificial intelligence, 

and business process improvements across the Department; 

(3) a timeline for implementation of the stated goals; 

(4) a forecast of manpower savings as a result of these efforts 

across the future years defense program; and 

(5) any resources or authorities necessary to achieve these objectives or to facilitate these efforts. 

Further, the Committee directs that none of the funds appropriated in this Act may be obligated or expended to establish or operate a Department of Defense Civilian Workforce Incentive Fund 

until 30 days after the aforementioned report is submitted to the 

congressional defense committees. 


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Beginning with the fiscal year 2025 budget request, the Department will identify mission changes, areas of technology implementation, and business process improvements that will optimize the 

size, structure, and composition of the Department’s workforce and 

its allocation of manpower against validated requirements. 

CIVILIAN PAY BUDGET JUSTIFICATION MATERIALS

Justification for civilian pay is included with the corresponding 

appropriations justification materials, yet the Committee is concerned the lack of a consolidated Department-wide civilian pay 

budget exhibit hinders the Committee’s ability to perform its oversight of the civilian workforce. Therefore, the Committee directs 

the Secretary of Defense to consult with the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to develop a comprehensive budget exhibit 

outlining the costs of civilian pay to the Department. This exhibit 

shall be provided with submission of the fiscal year 2025 President’s budget request. 

MULTIYEAR PROCUREMENT AUTHORITY FOR CERTAIN MUNITIONS

The fiscal year 2024 President’s budget request includes a request for multiyear procurement authority for the Naval Strike 

Missile, Standard Missile–6, Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air 

Missile, Long Range Anti-Ship Missile, and Joint Air-to-Surface 

Standoff Missile. Following submission of the budget request, the 

Committee received further requests for multiyear procurement authority for the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System and PATRIOT Advanced Capability–3 Missile Segment Enhancement. The 

budget request also includes $1,896,332,000 in Economic Order 

Quantity (EOQ) funding in support of the requested multiyear procurements. The Committee further notes the request includes 

$1,395,400,000 in advance procurement and industrial base funding for munitions. 

The conditional use of multiyear procurement authority, outlined 

in 10 U.S.C. 3501, requires the Department to show substantial 

savings, the stability of the requirement, the stability of funding, 

stable configuration, realistic cost estimates, and national security 

interests. While the Committee strongly agrees with the need to 

ensure the munitions industrial base has steady demand from the 

Department of Defense to meet national defense requirements, the 

Department has failed to show how the use of these proposed contracts would meet the standards as outlined in statute. The Committee is particularly concerned the Department cannot provide realistic cost estimates and has proceeded with these multiyear procurement requests without a firm understanding of each program’s 

unit cost and production capacity. The Committee believes, however, that several of these programs are worthy of multiyear procurement consideration due to their enduring importance and 

steady production. 

Therefore, the Act includes a general provision to grant 

multiyear procurement authority for Naval Strike Missile, Guided 

Multiple Launch Rocket System, PATRIOT Advanced Capability–3 

Missile Segment Enhancement, Long Range Anti-Ship Missile, and 

Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile. The Committee also recommends $1,412,127,000 in advance procurement and industrial 

base funding to improve capacity for both private and public muniVerDate Sep 11 2014 08:52 Jun 16, 2023 Jkt 051226 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\A226.XXX A226

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tions providers. However, since the Department has failed to provide the Committee with cost savings expected to be generated by 

EOQ funding and in some instances has communicated an expectation of no cost savings from multiyear contracts, EOQ funding is 

not justified at this time. The Committee expects that prior to the 

transmission of its fiscal year 2025 President’s budget request, the 

Department will demonstrate how EOQ funding would generate 

cost savings across the respective multiyear contracts. 

NAVY LITTORAL COMBAT SHIPS

The Committee is troubled that, despite repeated rejections by 

Congress, the Navy is once again proposing to decommission several Littoral Combat Ships well before the end of their expected 

service lives. The Committee strongly believes that these ships, 

though not aligned with the Navy’s original plan, can provide operational value in support of combatant commander initiatives. Further, it is noted that the Navy is studying platforms that could be 

repurposed to serve as a mothership for a variety of future unmanned capabilities. The Committee believes it is premature to divest these ships before the completion of this study or a thorough 

review of combatant commander requirements for such capability. 

Therefore, the Committee directs the Secretary of the Navy to 

submit a report to the congressional defense committees, not later 

than 30 days after the enactment of this Act, on these proposed alternatives. Further, the Committee strongly urges the Secretary of 

the Navy to abstain from further proposals to decommission any 

Littoral Combat Ship. 

MARINE CORPS AMPHIBIOUS SHIPS

The Committee is troubled that the budget request seeks to retire three amphibious dock landing ships (LSDs) prior to reaching 

their expected service lives, which would bring the total number of 

operational Marine Corps amphibious warfare ships under 31. Not 

only is this request in contravention of existing law, but the Committee also notes that such a reduction would further inhibit the 

Marine Corps’ ability to respond to crises and support emerging 

combatant commander requirements. The Committee is concerned 

that the proposed rate of procurement of new amphibious ships is 

insufficient to meet the Marine Corps’ operational requirement. 

While the Committee notes that the Department of the Navy is 

studying future landing platform dock (LPD) requirements, it believes that an interruption in the procurement of new amphibious 

ships will have a detrimental effect on maritime power projection 

and the shipbuilding industrial base. Therefore, the Committee recommendation prevents the decommissioning of two LSDs to sustain 

near-term capacity. Further, the Committee directs the Secretary 

of the Navy, in coordination with the Commandant of the Marine 

Corps, to submit a report to the congressional defense committees, 

not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act, on the Department’s plan to meet and sustain a minimum of 31 operational 

Marine Corps amphibious warfare ships. 


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DIVESTMENTS AND DECOMMISSIONINGS

The Committee is concerned the Services are reducing personnel, 

operations, and sustainment for aircraft and ships prior to the congressional approval of corresponding divestment and decommissioning proposals. The Committee notes that over the past several 

fiscal years, Congress has rejected many of these proposals and has 

provided increased funding for the costs of keeping these assets in 

service. The Committee is specifically concerned by these actions as 

they relate to the Navy Littoral Combat Ships, Air National Guard 

aircraft, and Air Force Reserve Command aircraft. In the case of 

the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command, the divestment of aircraft without identified replacement missions increases uncertainty for personnel and local communities. While the 

Committee understands the phasing required for a divestment or 

decommissioning action, the Committee expects the Services to not 

initiate these actions until formally approved by the congressional 

defense committees. 

F–35 FLIGHT SCIENCES AIRCRAFT

Due to the age and configuration of the current F–35 flight 

sciences aircraft inventory, the Committee concurs with the F–35 

Joint Program Office (JPO) that modernized aircraft are required 

to support weapons integration and other developments to field advanced capabilities. The Committee understands the JPO recently 

awarded a contract for the non-recurring engineering and long-lead 

material to outfit three Lot 18 aircraft with instrumentation needed for flight sciences testing. This Act contains a general provision 

that grants authority to the Secretary of Defense to modify these 

aircraft for this purpose. To further execute these modifications, 

the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps have programmed funding 

in fiscal year 2024 and across the future years defense program. 

However, the Committee remains concerned that three aircraft will 

be insufficient and will incur undue risk to future advanced system 

development. Therefore, the Committee directs the Program Executive Officer (PEO) of the F–35 JPO, in coordination with the Secretaries of the Air Force and Navy, to submit a report to the congressional defense committees, not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act, on the number of flight sciences aircraft required 

to meet future testing requirements over the next ten years. The 

Committee further directs the Service Secretaries to appropriately 

budget for this assessment in the fiscal year 2025 President’s budget request. 

HYPERSONICS

The fiscal year 2024 President’s budget request for hypersonics 

programs across the Department of Defense totals $3,485,800,000. 

This includes proposed investments in the Navy’s Conventional 

Prompt Strike (CPS), the Air Force’s Hypersonic Attack Cruise 

Missile, and the Army’s Long Range Hypersonic Weapon, as well 

as research investments by the Defense Advanced Research 

Projects Agency, and elsewhere across the Department. Despite the 

enormous annual investment in hypersonic weapons, the Department of Defense has not yet fielded an operational hypersonic 

weapon. Meanwhile, the People’s Republic of China continues to 


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outpace the United States in both their hypersonic arsenal of weapons and their hypersonic wind tunnel testing capabilities. It is imperative that the Department of Defense transition hypersonic research and development into an operational capability in a more 

expedited fashion. 

While the Committee strongly supports investments in 

hypersonics, it is aware of issues with the Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) program and the Navy’s CPS program. As 

a result of delays and test failures, the Committee recommendation 

eliminates funding in fiscal year 2024 for the ARRW program. 

While the Committee continues to support the Navy’s CPS program 

and its efforts to integrate CPS onto Zumwalt-class destroyers and 

Virginia-class submarines, the Committee notes that recent test 

failures have added additional risk to the program’s development 

and schedule. The Committee recommendation, therefore, includes 

a reduction to the quantity of all-up rounds proposed to be procured in fiscal year 2024. The Committee expects the Secretary of 

the Navy to keep the Committee informed on whether the program 

is meeting the timelines and milestones for development and fielding. 

The Committee is also concerned about the fragility of the industrial base for hypersonics technology, including basic and applied 

research, and supports continued investments in the nation’s test 

infrastructure and capacity, such as the Multi-Service Advanced 

Capabilities Hypersonic Test Bed. 

Therefore, the Committee directs the Under Secretary of Defense 

for Research and Engineering to submit to the House and Senate 

Appropriations Committees, not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act, an updated hypersonics strategy and roadmap, a 

five-year plan for fielding hypersonic weapons across the Services, 

as well as an assessment of the health of the hypersonics industrial 

base to meet the Department’s current and future needs. 

ACCELERATING CHANGE WITH A NEAR-TERM HEDGE

The Committee commends the Secretary of Defense on the announcement of the new Director of the Defense Innovation Unit 

(DIU) that comes with an elevated role reporting directly to the 

Secretary. Given mounting global security risks, the Department 

must do more to mobilize a broader industrial base. The DIU transition provides a timely milestone to deliberately create a hedge 

portfolio to these risks and focus organizations capable of executing 

that hedge strategy. This portfolio is a hedge against growing and 

innate tactical and logistical risks to current weapon systems, as 

well as a hedge against industrial base risk, given the lack of capacity and diversity. The development of non-traditional sources 

and non-traditional solutions are essential to this hedge, and it will 

require intentionally taking calculated risks to incentivize positive 

deliberate accelerated change. If properly executed, this hedge has 

the potential to reduce the taxpayer’s burden by leveraging private 

capital, expand America’s economic advantage by accelerating 

emerging technology, and broaden the pool of talent supporting national defense. 

After observing the use of non-traditional weapons from non-traditional sources in Ukraine, the Committee supports maturing and 

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bilities from new sources at scale. With distinct and complementary 

missions, organizations like DIU, the Chief Digital and Artificial 

Intelligence Office, the Office of Strategic Capital, AFWERX, 

SpaceWERX, NavalX, Task Force 59, the Army Applications Lab, 

and the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab show promise in creating 

a hedge to growing security risks. If properly focused and 

resourced, these above ‘‘innovation organizations’’ and others become part of a coordinated non-traditional innovation fielding enterprise. They will collaboratively have the unique potential to expand the diversity and scale of new weapon systems, concepts of 

operation, and industry partners in a way that creates resiliency 

for the Nation and strategic uncertainty for adversaries. 

Unfortunately, it is not clear to the Committee that the Department is properly focusing, staffing, organizing, or resourcing these 

organizations, or fully exploring options to evolve requirements, 

budgeting, acquisition, and adoption processes to meet strategic intent. While the Committee’s direction to focus these efforts is detailed in the Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, DefenseWide section of this report, the added emphasis on agile adoption 

approaches across this non-traditional innovation fielding enterprise requires broader consideration across all accounts. Approaches to leveraging new sources of technology, capital, and talent could significantly accelerate affordable fielding of critical joint 

capabilities. However, to be successful, small teams of technologists, acquirers, and warfighters must be focused on rapidly 

fielding solutions at scale to operationally relevant problems. 

SPACE FORCE MISSION AREA BUDGET EXHIBIT

The Committee is aware of various proposals over the years to 

consolidate and align budgets into capability portfolios. The Committee recognizes that there may be potential benefits to an approach that more directly connects national security strategy and 

goals to the Department’s budget priorities, program plans, and ultimately to capabilities. Such an approach may also bring greater 

transparency and accuracy to the true total cost and resources 

needed to accomplish mission goals. While making an abrupt transition across the entire Department to a new budget structure 

would be unwieldy and unproductively disruptive, the development 

of a supplementary budget exhibit to be submitted along with the 

President’s budget request is a worthwhile trial to understand how 

the Department might implement a new approach based on organizing around specific mission areas. The Committee believes the 

Space Force is an appropriate starting point for this exercise because of its relatively small size compared to other Services. 

Therefore, the Committee directs the Secretary of the Air Force, 

in coordination with the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller), 

to prepare a supplementary budget exhibit for Space Force programs that organizes and aligns the existing budget lines for programs, projects, and activities into mission area expenditure centers, such as missile warning, satellite communications, and position, navigation, and timing. The supplementary budget exhibit 

should also include separate mission area expenditure centers for 

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pelling justification for the requested budget and military and civilian personnel needed for the mission, and an alignment of all the 

relevant individual program elements, without further consolidation from the traditional budget exhibits and activity groups of the 

various appropriations. The Committee notes that the budget exhibits for the Military Intelligence Program and the National Intelligence Program may serve as a potential model and starting point 

for consideration. To be clear, this is a supplementary budget exhibit, not a substitute for the budget documentation typically provided each year. 

The Committee directs the Secretary of the Air Force and Under 

Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) to submit a draft plan for the 

Space Force Mission Area Budget Exhibit to the House and Senate 

Appropriations Committees not later than September 1, 2023. The 

draft plan shall outline the structure of the exhibit, including defining each of the mission area expenditure centers, the data proposed 

to be included, and key personnel, such as identification of the program executive officer responsible for each mission area. The completed exhibit covering the entire Space Force budget request shall 

be submitted with the fiscal year 2025 President’s budget request. 

CYBER COMMAND BUDGET PRESENTATION

Under the enhanced budget control provided by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022, United States Cyber 

Command’s fiscal year 2024 budget request totals $2,837,377,000 

across the operation and maintenance, procurement, and research, 

development, test and evaluation appropriations. The Committee 

expects Cyber Command to provide the same level of detail regarding budget execution and acquisition program schedules that customarily are provided by the Services and defense agencies. The 

Committee directs the Commander, United States Cyber Command, to consult with the House and Senate Appropriations Committees on developing budget presentation materials, that shall be 

presented with the fiscal year 2025 President’s budget request, to 

preserve congressional oversight capacity and enhance communication between the Committees and the Command. 

CLIMATE CHANGE

The Committee recommendation includes a reduction of 

$714,840,000 for unjustified requests that seek to mitigate climate 

risk but do not improve combat capability or capacity. The Committee is dismayed that the budget request mischaracterizes requirements such as routine infrastructure and utilities upgrades, 

long-standing statutory compliance activities, combatant commander theater-setting efforts, and multilateral cold weather exercises as mitigating climate risk. This is a disingenuous practice 

that serves the Administration’s prerogative at the expense of clarity in the Department’s request and the Committee’s ability to perform oversight. 

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

The Committee is concerned that Department of Defense programs operating under the auspices of diversity, equity, and inclusion serve to divide the military along racial, ethnic, or gender 


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lines rather than unite servicemembers to provide for the common 

defense. Therefore, the Committee recommendation includes a reduction of $100,295,000 from the request for such activities. Further, the Committee is concerned by the propagation of the Department’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic 

Plan. The Committee continues its longstanding and bipartisan 

support of disability rights and is concerned that grouping accessibility with these divisive concepts may negatively impact people 

with disabilities, including disabled military veterans. 

CONGRESSIONAL LIAISON SUPPORT

The Committee relies heavily on the budget or appropriations liaison offices of the Secretary of Defense and the Service Secretaries 

to conduct its oversight responsibilities and make funding recommendations. These offices possess expertise and direct relationships to the financial management and comptroller organizations, 

which are essential to effective communication between the Department and the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. It is 

critical that the budget or appropriations liaison offices remain 

independent from the legislative liaison offices and retain the authority to respond directly and promptly with the information required by the Committee and its Members. 

The Committee notes that the Secretary of Defense has not submitted a report directed in the joint explanatory statement accompanying the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2021, 

which directed the Secretary to submit proposals and recommendations to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to 

strengthen the budget and appropriations liaison offices and improve coordination between the Department and the House and 

Senate Appropriations Committees. The Committee appreciates 

that the Department of the Air Force has, in consultation with the 

House and Senate Appropriations Committees, made improvements 

to their appropriations liaison office following this reporting requirement. However, the Committee assesses that additional proposals for improvement are needed, including from the Department 

and other Services. Therefore, the Committee directs the Secretary 

of Defense to submit this report not later than 60 days after the 

enactment of this Act. 

CYBERSECURITY RISKS FROM COMMERCIAL INFORMATION

TECHNOLOGY

The Committee is concerned by the cybersecurity risks to the 

United States government that stem from the purchase and use of 

commercial off-the-shelf information technology, particularly items 

from companies with connections to China’s military and cyber espionage programs. A 2018 Inspector General Report (DODIG– 

2019–106) found the Department of Defense purchased and used at 

least $33,000,000 of information technology items with commonly 

known cybersecurity risks and a 2023 Government Accountability 

Office report (GAO 23–105612) recommended the Department fully 

implement foundational practices for managing information and 

communications technology supply chain risks. 

However, the scope of the problem is certainly not limited to the 

Department of Defense. Accordingly, the Committee directs the 

Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Director of National 


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Intelligence, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Administrator of 

the General Services Administration, to submit a report to the congressional defense committees not later than 60 days after the enactment of this Act. The report shall contain an updated threat assessment of the risks posed using commercially available information technology, particularly relating to computers and printers 

from countries of concern and shall include an assessment of the 

scale of their use across all networks. The report shall also include 

recommendations and legislative proposals, as appropriate, to inform future efforts to mitigate these threats and vulnerabilities. 

The report shall be submitted in unclassified form but may be accompanied by a classified annex. 

SMALL BUSINESS

The Committee encourages the Secretary of Defense to contract 

with small businesses through multiple paths including the Office 

of Small Business Programs Mentor Prote ́ge ́ Program, APEX Accelerators, the Small Business Innovation Research Program, and the 

Small Business Technology Transfer Program. However, the Committee is concerned by the execution of the Department’s small 

business programs. Therefore, the Committee directs the Secretary 

of Defense to brief the congressional defense committees, not later 

than 120 days after the enactment of this Act, on the effectiveness 

of the Department’s agenda for these programs, including details 

on the prime and subcontractor base, the number of multiyear contracts awarded, the value of disbursements, due diligence processes 

to include mitigation to foreign influence risks, and the implementation of the new changes required under the Small Business Administration Reauthorization and Modernization Act of 2022. 

Further, the Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a quarterly report, beginning 45 days after the enactment of 

this Act, to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees on 

its efforts to work with minority and women-owned small businesses. The report shall adhere to the requirements outlined in 

House Report 117–388. 

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

The Committee finds it inexcusable that the Department of Defense has not submitted several reports directed by previous Acts. 

The Department’s timely and fulsome response is critical to the 

Committee’s oversight responsibilities. Therefore, the Committee 

recommendation includes a reduction of $1,000,000 from the immediate Office of the Secretary of Defense. 


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TITLE I 

MILITARY PERSONNEL 

The fiscal year 2024 Department of Defense military personnel 

budget request and the Committee recommendation are summarized in the table below: 


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MILITARY PERSONNEL OVERVIEW

The Committee recommendation provides $177,922,024,000 for 

the military personnel accounts, which fund military pay and allowances, recruitment and retention initiatives, and overall quality 

of life programs for active duty, National Guard, and reserve personnel. The recommendation provides an increase in basic pay for 

all military personnel by 5.2 percent, effective January 1, 2024, and 

additional targeted pay increases for certain enlisted grades. The 

Committee continues to encourage constructive evaluations of recruitment and retention programs, bonus and special pay incentives, and personnel benefit programs for fiscal year 2024. The 

Committee remains supportive of programs intended to enhance 

the morale and quality of life of military personnel and their families. 

SUMMARY OF END STRENGTH

The fiscal year 2024 President’s budget request includes an increase of 9,100 in total end strength for the active forces and an 

increase of 3,300 in total end strength for the Selected Reserve as 

compared to fiscal year 2023 projected levels. Further, the total end 

strength in the budget request includes a decrease of 13,344 personnel below the fiscal year 2023 authorized level. The following 

tables summarize the Committee recommendations for end 

strength levels, both in the aggregate and for each active and Selected Reserve component. 

OVERALL ACTIVE END STRENGTH

Fiscal year 2023 authorized .............................................................. 1,316,944 

Fiscal year 2024 budget request ....................................................... 1,305,400 

Fiscal year 2024 recommendation ..................................................... 1,305,400 

Compared with fiscal year 2023 ................................................. ¥11,544 

Compared with fiscal year 2024 budget request ...................... – – – 

OVERALL SELECTED RESERVE END STRENGTH

Fiscal year 2023 authorized .............................................................. 770,400 

Fiscal year 2024 budget request ....................................................... 768,600 

Fiscal year 2024 recommendation ..................................................... 768,600 

Compared with fiscal year 2023 ................................................. ¥1,800 

Compared with fiscal year 2024 budget request ...................... – – – 

SUMMARY OF MILITARY PERSONNEL END STRENGTH 

Fiscal year 2024 

Fiscal year 2023 

authorized 

Budget 

Request 

Committee 

Recommended 

Change from 

request 

Change from 

fiscal year 

2023 

Active Forces (End Strength) 

Army ............................................................. 452,000 452,000 452,000 – – – – – – 

Navy .............................................................. 354,000 347,000 347,000 – – – ¥7,000 

Marine Corps ................................................ 177,000 172,300 172,300 – – – ¥4,700 

Air Force ....................................................... 325,344 324,700 324,700 – – – ¥644 

Space Force .................................................. 8,600 9,400 9,400 – – – 800 

Total, Active Forces ............................. 1,316,944 1,305,400 1,305,400 – – – ¥11,544 

Guard and Reserve Forces (End Strength) 

Army Reserve ................................................ 177,000 174,800 174,800 – – – ¥2,200 

Navy Reserve ................................................ 57,000 57,200 57,200 – – – 200 

Marine Corps Reserve .................................. 33,000 33,600 33,600 – – – 600 


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SUMMARY OF MILITARY PERSONNEL END STRENGTH—Continued 

Fiscal year 2024 

Fiscal year 

2023 

authorized 

Budget 

Request 

Committee 

Recommended 

Change from 

request 

Change from 

fiscal year 

2023 

Air Force Reserve ......................................... 70,000 69,600 69,600 – – – ¥400 

Army National Guard .................................... 325,000 325,000 325,000 – – – 0 

Air National Guard ....................................... 108,400 108,400 108,400 – – – 0 

Total, Selected Reserve ....................... 770,400 768,600 768,600 – – – ¥1,800 

Total, Military Personnel ....................................... 2,087,344 2,074,000 2,074,000 – – – ¥13,344 

REPROGRAMMING GUIDANCE FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL ACCOUNTS

The Secretary of Defense is directed to submit the Base for Reprogramming (DD Form 1414) for each of the fiscal year 2024 appropriations accounts not later than 60 days after the enactment 

of this Act. The Secretary of Defense is prohibited from executing 

any reprogramming or transfer of funds for any purpose other than 

originally appropriated until the aforementioned report is submitted to the House and Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittees. 

The Secretary of Defense is directed to use the normal prior approval reprogramming procedures to transfer funds in the Services’ 

military personnel accounts between budget activities in excess of 

$15,000,000. 

MILITARY PERSONNEL SPECIAL INTEREST ITEMS

Items for which additional funds have been provided or have 

been specifically reduced as shown in the project level tables or in 

paragraphs using the phrase ‘‘only for’’ or ‘‘only to’’ in this report 

are congressional special interest items for the purpose of the Base 

for Reprogramming (DD Form 1414). Each of these items must be 

carried on the DD Form 1414 at the stated amount as specifically 

addressed in the Committee report. Below threshold 

reprogrammings may not be used to either restore or reduce funding from congressional special interest items as identified on the 

DD Form 1414. 

END STRENGTH

The Committee is concerned that the continuing decline in military end strength has adversely impacted the Department of Defense’s ability to execute the National Defense Strategy (NDS), 

which was developed at a time when the end strength of the activeduty Army and Marine Corps were 485,000 and 178,500 respectively. The fiscal year 2024 President’s budget requests end 

strengths of 452,000 for the Army, the same as in fiscal year 2023, 

and 172,300 for the Marine Corps. These end strengths are the 

lowest for either Service in over 60 years. In particular, the Committee is concerned that the Army end strength request is significantly below the optimal level of 540,000 to 550,000, as stated by 

senior Army leadership in congressional testimony two years ago. 

To assess the impact of declining end strength on the NDS, the 

Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to 

the House and Senate Appropriations Committees not later than 


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60 days after the enactment of this Act. The report shall detail the 

end strength required by Service and active and reserve components to execute the NDS. The report shall also describe the risks 

incurred if end strength falls below those levels. Information contained in this report may be provided with a classified annex. 

RECRUITMENT

The Committees notes that the inability of the Department of 

Defense to maintain sufficient end strength is directly attributable 

to the failure of recruitment efforts by the Services. Citing data 

from internally commissioned surveys, the Department and the 

Services reference external factors beyond their control as the primary reasons for this failure. The Committee is concerned, however, that the methodology used in these surveys may be inadequate in explaining the reluctance of youth to serve in the military. 

The Committee also notes that recent public polling suggests 

that factors over which the Department and Services do have control may play a larger role than these surveys indicate. One recent 

poll by the Military Family Advisory Network reported an 11.6 percent decline from 2019 to 2021 in the number of military and veteran respondents who would recommend military life to those considering it. This was followed by another poll by the Ronald Reagan 

Presidential Foundation and Institute that found that the number 

of Americans who have a great deal of confidence in the United 

States military as an institution plummeted from 70 percent in 

2018 to 48 percent in 2022. 

To better understand the reasons for the recruiting crisis, therefore, the Secretary of Defense shall seek to enter into a contract or 

other agreement with an independent entity not under the direction or control of the Secretary of Defense, which could include a 

nationally recognized analytics and advisory company that specializes in public polling, to conduct a survey of the demographics that 

have historically served as the primary recruiting base for the military. The survey should, at a minimum, identify these demographics by age, race, sex, and state, and assess any changes in 

propensity for military service within this group. The survey should 

attempt to determine the reasons for changes, if any, using polling 

and other data. The survey should also attempt to identify the percentage in this demographic who have, or had, immediate family 

members that served in the military, such as parents or siblings. 

The Secretary is directed not to restrict the topics or polling questions that the selected entity may choose to pursue in relation to 

this survey. The entity selected to conduct the survey shall submit 

the survey findings concurrently to the Secretary of Defense and 

the congressional defense committees not later than 120 days after 

the enactment of this Act. 

COVID–19 VACCINATION POLICY

The Committee assesses that the inability of the Department of 

Defense to reach end strength targets over the last two years was 

exacerbated by its mandatory COVID–19 vaccination policy. By the 

end of calendar year 2021, four months after the vaccine mandate 

went into effect, a total of 87 servicemembers had died from 


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COVID–19 out of a force of 2.1 million, an incidence rate of .005 

percent. During that same period, 310 military personnel died in 

accidents. Yet to address this perceived COVID–19 crisis in the 

military, the Department implemented a vaccination policy which 

compounded an already existing end strength and recruiting crisis. 

Not only did this policy unnecessarily reduce end strength through 

the involuntary separation of thousands of servicemembers, but as 

acknowledged by senior Marine Corps leadership in 2022, it also 

hurt recruiting. In fiscal year 2023, Congress intervened to overturn this policy through section 525 of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 

117–263). Now that the policy has been rescinded, the Committee 

expects the Secretary to implement guidance that requires the 

Services to offer reinstatement to servicemembers who were involuntarily separated based solely on the Department’s mandatory 

COVID–19 vaccination policy. 

‘‘EXTREMISM’’ IN THE MILITARY

The Committee is concerned that the Department of Defense’s 

excessive and unjustified focus on ‘‘extremism’’ is further eroding 

the confidence of the American people in the military and harming 

recruiting. The Department’s own data from January 2020 to February 2021 showed there were 87 ‘‘extremist-related’’ incidents 

across a force of 2.1 million, a .005 percent incidence rate. Yet the 

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff reported using 5,359,311 

hours on a force-wide stand down in 2021 focused on ‘‘extremism,’’ 

in addition to the Department standing up a Countering Extremist 

Activity Working Group that spent additional time and resources 

on an issue with an exceptionally rare incidence rate. The Department’s actions signaled to the public—and potential recruits—that 

‘‘extremism’’ is rampant in the military, which the Department’s 

own data show is inaccurate. The Committee notes that the Department already has sufficient resources and policies to address 

and mitigate the exceptionally rare incidents of ‘‘extremism’’ and 

views a continued focus on this issue as an unjustified use of taxpayer funds. The Committee urges the Secretary of Defense to instead prioritize the Department’s resources to address warfighting 

capabilities. 

RELEASE OF PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION

The Committee is extremely concerned by the Air Force’s improper release of Personally Identifiable Information between January 2021 and January 2023 to a politically aligned research group. 

This was a breach of trust with former servicemembers and could 

be perceived as the Department acting with political motivation. 

Therefore, the Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to the congressional defense committees, not later 

than 90 days after the enactment of this Act, on what steps are 

being taken across the Services to prevent a future breach of this 

nature. The Committee further directs the Secretary of the Air 

Force to submit to the congressional defense committees an update 

on the investigation into this matter, not later than 30 days after 

the enactment of this Act, and quarterly thereafter, until the investigation is complete. Finally, the Committee has included a general 


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provision in the Act to further strengthen the privacy of 

servicemembers and veterans. 

SUICIDE PREVENTION

The Committee remains concerned by the high rate of suicide 

among servicemembers. Therefore, in accordance with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommendations to address certain implementation gaps in the suicide prevention program (GAO– 

22–105888), the Committee directs the Service Secretaries to establish oversight mechanisms to ensure that all command and installation level suicide prevention program activities are implemented 

as required, to include those at remote overseas installations. To 

assess progress toward this goal, the Committee directs the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Service Secretaries, to 

submit a report, not later than 60 days after the enactment of this 

Act, that addresses the status of resolving the gaps identified by 

GAO. 

SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION

The Committee is very concerned by the continued increase in 

sexual assaults across the military and at the Service academies 

despite the increase in resources to implement the recommendations of the Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault in 

the Military. The inability to reduce the incidence rate of sexual assault may be indicative of disjointed efforts across the Department 

of Defense. On the one hand, the Department has pointed out in 

numerous briefings to Congress over the past few years that alcohol is one of the primary contributing factors to sexual assault. On 

the other hand, the Army last year considered a plan to remove alcohol restrictions in its barracks to create a ‘‘positive alcohol culture.’’ 

The Committee expects the Department to establish and adhere 

to a coordinated strategy across the Services and to execute programs based on definable metrics to determine which lines of effort 

are the most effective in addressing the scourge of sexual assault. 

In addition, the Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to the congressional defense committees, not later 

than 90 days after the enactment of this Act, on efforts to implement the reforms outlined in the Secretary’s memo dated March 

10, 2023, ‘‘Actions to Address and Prevent Sexual Assault at the 

Military Service Academies.’’ 

CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION

The Committee is concerned by the rising rate of child maltreatment across the Nation. The Committee understands that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommended improvements 

(GAO–20–110) to the Department of Defense’s tracking of, and response to, child abuse, including within Department of Defense 

Education Activity programs. The Committee directs the Secretary 

of Defense to procure, test, and evaluate a standardized curriculum 

for child abuse prevention education for use by the Family Advocacy Program and military installations with affiliated Department 


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of Defense Dependent Schools and Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools. 

BLENDED RETIREMENT SYSTEM

The Committee recognizes that fiscal year 2024 will mark the 

fifth anniversary of the Department of Defense’s implementation of 

the Blended Retirement System (BRS) and commends the Department for its efforts to ensure that servicemembers have proper access to financial security training. The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees on the status of BRS implementation not 

later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act. This report shall 

analyze any data collected on the impacts of current training modules and include quantifiable outcomes that assess the impact of 

the Department’s current financial security training from the year 

prior to implementation through fiscal year 2024. It shall also detail an action plan that outlines additional tools and resources 

needed by the Department to further increase positive outcomes in 

enhancing financial literacy training for servicemembers. 

PORTABILITY OF PROFESSIONAL LICENSES OF SERVICEMEMBERS AND

THEIR SPOUSES

Veterans Auto and Education Improvement Act of 2022, in addition to Public Law 117–333, provides licensure reciprocity across 

state lines for the spouses of military servicemembers under certain conditions. The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to 

issue guidance to all installation commanders, not later than 60 

days after the enactment of this Act, on how to educate 

servicemembers and their spouses on this reciprocity. 

MILITARY SPOUSE EMPLOYMENT

The Committee recognizes the need for comprehensive data to 

measure military spouse employment over time. Therefore, the 

Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to improve its assessment tools to better report on employment outcomes for this population. The Secretary shall submit a report to the congressional defense committees, not later than 180 days after the enactment of 

this Act, on the results of these efforts. 

MINORITY OUTREACH AND OFFICER ACCESSIONS

The Committee supports efforts to conduct effective outreach and 

recruiting programs focused on increasing officer accessions in minority communities and encourages the Secretary of Defense and 

the Service Secretaries to support such efforts. 

MILITARY PERSONNEL, ARMY 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 

Military Personnel, Army: 


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MILITARY PERSONNEL, NAVY 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 

Military Personnel, Navy: 


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MILITARY PERSONNEL, MARINE CORPS 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 

Military Personnel, Marine Corps: 


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MILITARY PERSONNEL, AIR FORCE 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 

Military Personnel, Air Force: 


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MILITARY PERSONNEL, SPACE FORCE 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 

Military Personnel, Space Force: 


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RESERVE PERSONNEL, ARMY 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Reserve Personnel, Army: 


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RESERVE PERSONNEL, NAVY 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Reserve Personnel, Navy: 


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RESERVE PERSONNEL, MARINE CORPS 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Reserve Personnel, Marine Corps: 


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RESERVE PERSONNEL, AIR FORCE 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Reserve Personnel, Air Force: 


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NATIONAL GUARD PERSONNEL, ARMY 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for National Guard Personnel, Army: 


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NATIONAL GUARD PERSONNEL, AIR FORCE 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for National Guard Personnel, Air Force: 


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(52) 

TITLE II 

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE 

The fiscal year 2024 Department of Defense operation and maintenance budget request and the Committee recommendation are 

summarized in the table below: 


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REPROGRAMMING GUIDANCE FOR OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

ACCOUNTS

The Secretary of Defense is directed to submit the Base for Reprogramming (DD Form 1414) for each of the fiscal year 2024 appropriation accounts not later than 60 days after the enactment of 

this Act. The Secretary of Defense is prohibited from executing any 

reprogramming or transfer of funds for any purpose other than 

originally appropriated until the aforementioned report is submitted to the House and Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittees. 

The Secretary of Defense is directed to use the normal prior approval reprogramming procedures to transfer funds in the Services’ 

operation and maintenance accounts between O–1 budget activities, or between sub-activity groups in the case of Operation and 

Maintenance, Defense-Wide, in excess of $15,000,000. In addition, 

the Secretary of Defense shall follow prior approval reprogramming 

procedures for transfers in excess of $15,000,000 out of the following readiness sub-activity groups: 

Army: 

Maneuver units 

Modular support brigades 

Land forces operations support 

Aviation assets 

Force readiness operations support 

Land forces depot maintenance 

Base operations support 

Facilities sustainment, restoration, and modernization 

Specialized skill training 

Flight training 

Navy: 

Mission and other flight operations 

Fleet air training 

Aircraft depot maintenance 

Mission and other ship operations 

Ship depot maintenance 

Combat support forces 

Facilities sustainment, restoration, and modernization 

Base operating support 

Marine Corps: 

Operational forces 

Field logistics 

Depot maintenance 

Facilities sustainment, restoration, and modernization 

Air Force: 

Primary combat forces 

Combat enhancement forces 

Depot purchase equipment maintenance 

Facilities sustainment, restoration, and modernization 

Contractor logistics support and system support 

Flying hour program 

Space Force: 

Global C3I and early warning 

Space operations 


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Contractor logistics support and system support 

Administration 

Air Force Reserve: 

Primary combat forces 

Air National Guard: 

Aircraft operations 

Additionally, the Secretary of Defense is directed to use normal 

prior approval reprogramming procedures when implementing 

transfers in excess of $15,000,000 into the following budget sub-activities: 

Operation and Maintenance, Air Force: 

Base support 

Operation and Maintenance, Army National Guard: 

Base operations support 

Facilities sustainment, restoration, and modernization 

Management and operational headquarters 

Operation and Maintenance, Air National Guard: 

Aircraft operations 

Contractor logistics support and systems support 

REPROGRAMMING GUIDANCE FOR SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND

The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a 

baseline report that shows the Special Operations Command’s operation and maintenance funding by sub-activity group for the fiscal 

year 2024 appropriation not later than 60 days after the enactment 

of this Act. The Secretary of Defense is further directed to submit 

quarterly execution reports to the congressional defense committees 

not later than 45 days after the end of each fiscal quarter that addresses the rationale for the realignment of any funds within and 

between budget sub-activities and the movement of any base funds 

used to support overseas contingency operations. Finally, the Secretary of Defense is directed to notify the congressional defense 

committees 30 days prior to the realignment of funds in excess of 

$15,000,000 between sub-activity groups. 

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE SPECIAL INTEREST ITEMS

Items for which additional funds have been provided or have 

been specifically reduced as shown in the project level tables or in 

paragraphs using the phrase ‘‘only for’’ or ‘‘only to’’ in this report 

are congressional special interest items for the purpose of the Base 

for Reprogramming (DD Form 1414). Each of these items must be 

carried on the DD Form 1414 at the stated amount as specifically 

addressed in this report. Below threshold reprogrammings may not 

be used to either restore or reduce funding from congressional special interest items as identified on the DD Form 1414. 

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE BUDGET EXECUTION DATA

The Secretary of Defense and Service Secretaries are directed to 

provide the congressional defense committees with quarterly budget execution data. Such data should be provided not later than 45 

days after the close of each quarter of the fiscal year and should 

be provided for each O–1 budget activity, activity group, and subVerDate Sep 11 2014 08:52 Jun 16, 2023 Jkt 051226 PO 00000 Frm 00055 Fmt 6604 Sfmt 6604 E:\HR\OC\A226.XXX A226

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activity group for each of the active, defense-wide, reserve, and National Guard components. For each O–1 budget activity, activity 

group, and sub-activity group, these reports should include the 

budget request and actual obligations amount, the distribution of 

unallocated congressional adjustments to the budget request, all 

adjustments made by the Department in establishing the Base for 

Reprogramming (DD Form 1414) report, all adjustments resulting 

from below threshold reprogrammings, and all adjustments resulting from prior approval reprogramming requests. 

RESTORING READINESS

The Committee recommendation includes additional readiness 

funds for each of the Services within the operation and maintenance accounts which shall only be used to improve military readiness, including providing for increased training and depot maintenance activities. None of the funding provided may be used for recruiting, marketing, or advertising programs. The additional funding is a congressional special interest item. The Committee directs 

the Secretary of Defense and the Service Secretaries to submit a 

detailed spend plan by sub-activity group to the House and Senate 

Appropriations Committees not less than 30 days prior to the obligation of these funds. 

FACILITIES SUSTAINMENT, RESTORATION AND MODERNIZATION

The Committee is deeply concerned by the state of Department 

of Defense facilities and infrastructure. In 2020, the Department 

reported a $137,000,000,000 backlog of deferred facility maintenance projects. This backlog directly impacts safety, quality of life 

for servicemembers, and readiness. The Committee is therefore disappointed to see that the fiscal year 2024 request included over 

$690,000,000 in facilities sustainment, restoration and modernization (FSRM) for projects related to climate change mitigation. This 

diversion of FSRM funds misguidedly prioritizes partisan spending 

priorities over the urgent needs of servicemembers. Therefore, the 

Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to 

the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, not later than 

90 days after the enactment of this Act, to certify that fiscal year 

2024 FSRM funds will only be used for the highest priority military 

requirements. This report will also provide a detailed plan to address the Department’s backlog of deferred maintenance and impacts of the continued backlog. 

ADVERSE IMPACT OF OFFSHORE WIND SITES

The Committee is concerned about potential adverse effects of 

offshore wind energy development on military readiness and training activities, including but not limited to training and range complexes in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. The Committee 

directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to the congressional defense committees, not later than 180 days after the enactment of this Act, on the adverse effects of such development proposals and the actions the Department is taking to ensure that operations and training are not negatively impacted. 


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MEALS READY-TO-EAT WAR RESERVE

The Committee recommendation supports the fiscal year 2024 

President’s budget request for meals ready-to-eat and reaffirms its 

support for the Defense Logistics Agency War Reserve stock objective of 5,000,000 cases. 

TRIBAL CONSULTATION

The Committee is disappointed that the Secretary of Defense has 

failed, for the past two fiscal years, to submit a report to the House 

and Senate Appropriations Committees outlining how the Department is upholding the Presidential Memorandum dated January 

26, 2021, regarding Tribal Consultation and Strengthening Nationto-Nation Relationships. The Committee once again directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees not later than 60 days after the enactment of this Act as required in House Report 117–388. 

INDIAN FINANCING ACT

The Committee recommendation includes funds for activities authorized in the Indian Financing Act of 1974 and directs the Secretary of Defense to obligate such funds not later than 90 days 

after the enactment of this Act. 

FINANCIAL AUDIT

It remains Congress’ intent to increase transparency and reduce 

poor management practices at the Department of Defense; therefore, not later than 180 days after the end of each fiscal year, the 

Secretary of Defense shall submit a report to the congressional defense committees, for each component that has not received an unqualified opinion, on the progress made and the significant outstanding challenges to achieve an unqualified opinion. 

Further, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently 

issued a report entitled, ‘‘DoD Needs to Improve System Oversight’’ 

(GAO–23–104539), which includes nine recommendations for the 

Department to address systemic deficiencies in Departmental financial and business systems. The Committee directs the Secretary 

of Defense to provide a briefing to the congressional defense committees, not later than 60 days after the enactment of this Act, on 

the Department’s plan to implement the GAO recommendations. 

IMPROPER PAYMENTS

The Committee is concerned by the volume of improper payments 

made by the Department of Defense. The Department’s fiscal year 

2022 agency financial report stated that it made over 

$2,000,000,000 in improper payments. It also indicated that civilian and military pay are susceptible to improper payments. Moreover, in fiscal year 2021, the Department’s Office of the Inspector 

General found the Department published unreliable, improper, and 

unknown payment estimates for all nine Department programs reporting estimates, including civilian and military pay. 

Therefore, the Committee directs the Comptroller General to provide a preliminary briefing to the congressional defense committees 


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not later than April 30, 2024, with a report to follow by a mutually 

agreed upon date, on the following: 

(1) how the Department calculates and reports its estimated improper payment rates; 

(2) amounts for civilian and military pay improper payments; 

(3) what steps the Department could take to strengthen the reliability of its calculation; 

(4) the extent to which the Department’s reported civilian and 

military pay improper payment rates differ by organization and 

what factors explain these differences; and 

(5) the extent to which Department is taking steps to prevent 

and reduce improper payments in these programs. 

ABILITYONE COMPLIANCE

The Committee notes that the AbilityOne program is a critical 

component of the defense industrial base. The Committee is concerned that a growing number of items suitable for AbilityOne production are not being procured in accordance with the Javits-Wagner-O’Day Act (41 U.S.C. 48). The Committee directs the Secretary 

of Defense to ensure compliance with existing mandatory source 

statutes. 

ADVERTISING

The Committee understands the federal government, as the largest advertiser in the United States, should work to ensure fair access to its advertising contracts for small, disadvantaged businesses and businesses owned by service-disabled veterans, minorities and women. The Committee directs each agency under jurisdiction of this Act to include the following information in its fiscal 

year 2025 budget justification: expenditures for fiscal year 2024 

and expected expenditures for fiscal year 2025 for all contracts for 

advertising services; contracts for the advertising services of socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses concerns 

(as defined in section 8(a)(4) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 

637 (a)(4)), and contracts for the advertising services of service-disabled veteran-, women-, and minority-owned businesses. 

CHILDCARE

The Committee notes the Department of Defense’s efforts to increase capacity at childcare development centers. The Committee 

directs the Secretary of Defense and Service Secretaries to brief the 

House and Senate Appropriations Committees, not later than 90 

days after the enactment of this Act, on the capacity of Department 

of Defense childcare development centers, challenges in hiring sufficient staff, and the Department’s plan to reduce wait time for dependents of servicemembers. 

DEFENSE COMMISSARIES

The Committee is concerned that the Defense Commissary Agency has not addressed Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommendations, to include an analysis of the accuracy of its overseas customer savings rate methodology (GAO–22–104728). The 

Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to provide a briefing to 


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the congressional defense committees, not later than 30 days after 

the enactment of this Act, on the progress toward implementation 

of the GAO report recommendations. 

FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

The Committee is concerned the Department of Defense is failing 

to ensure that food assistance programs are reaching military personnel and their families. Therefore, the Committee directs the 

Secretary of Defense to submit a report to the congressional defense committees, not later than 90 days after the enactment of 

this Act, on the Department’s food assistance programs. The report 

shall include any efforts to expand assistance, lessons learned from 

the Department of Veterans Affairs programs, and include an analysis on how the Department’s efforts will meet the needs of at-risk 

military personnel and their families. 

PER- AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES MITIGATION

Addressing the health effects of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) continues to be a priority for the Committee, particularly the impacts on servicemembers, their families, and local 

communities. The Committee appreciates that the Department of 

Defense and the Services have been testing drinking water and 

conducting site assessments and remedial investigations to fully 

understand the scope and impacts of PFAS migration. Further, the 

Committee understands that existing technologies, such as in situ 

treatment, have been evaluated and proven effective by the Environmental Protection Agency. The Committee is therefore disappointed that the Department has not begun to employ these 

technologies in lieu of costly and inefficient techniques. The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense and Service Secretaries to 

prioritize the utilization of proven PFAS groundwater and soil remediation and mitigation technologies that eliminate the PFAS 

risk to human health and the environment in the most cost-effective and energy-efficient manner. 

PER- AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES CLEANUP COST REPORTING

The Committee appreciates regular updates by the Per-and 

Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Task Force. To support the Department of Defense’s efforts, the Committee directs the Secretary 

of Defense to submit to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act, and 

semi-annually thereafter, a report on costs associated with investigating and cleaning up PFAS at sites with funding provided by 

either environmental restoration or operation and maintenance appropriations. The report shall provide, for each component and by 

installation name, the investigation and cleanup of PFAS, the actual obligations through the end of fiscal year 2021, the actual obligations in fiscal year 2022, the planned and actual obligations in 

fiscal year 2023, the planned obligations for fiscal year 2024, and 

the estimated cost after fiscal year 2024. 


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AQUEOUS FILM FORMING FOAM

Given the limited disposal options available to the Department 

of Defense for Aqueous Film Forming Foams (AFFF) waste and the 

potential benefits of complete, operational destruction technologies, 

the Committee recommendation includes $20,000,000 for the Defense Logistics Agency to execute an AFFF destruction pilot in support of the Deputy Assistant Secretaries of the Air Force and the 

Army. The pilot shall utilize existing scalable destruction technologies that have been verified as effective in the field, successful 

at destroying a variety of AFFF formulations, and capable of destroying Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) to the lowest 

detectable limits without any hazardous byproducts. Further, the 

Committee is encouraged by the Department’s recent approval of a 

military specification for a fire extinguishing agent free of harmful 

PFAS. The Committee urges the Secretary of Defense to expedite 

procurement and usage of this replacement agent throughout the 

Department. 

REMEDIATION OF FORMERLY USED DEFENSE SITES

The Committee notes 87 percent of contaminated formerly used 

defense sites are in the response complete stage as outlined by the 

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (Public Law 96–510). However, the Committee 

urges the Department of Defense and Army Corps of Engineers to 

complete assessments and inspections of the remaining sites, such 

as the Lincoln Titan 1 Missile Silo Complex, with all deliberate 

speed, and in the interests of transparency, to share the results 

and any remediation recommendations with the public. 

VIEQUES AND CULEBRA

The Committee remains concerned by the pace and scope of environmental restoration on the island municipalities of Vieques and 

Culebra in Puerto Rico. The Committee encourages the Secretaries 

of the Army and the Navy to work closely with the Environmental 

Protection Agency, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, 

and the Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Board to maximize 

public participation and transparency in the decontamination process in order to achieve a thorough decontamination result on both 

islands. 

The Committee is also concerned about public safety on the 

northwest peninsula of Culebra due to unexploded ordnance identified there by the Army. The Committee encourages the Secretary 

of the Army to exercise available authorities, including the authority clarified through the National Defense Authorization Act for 

Fiscal Year 2015, to decontaminate the northwest peninsula. Additionally, the Committee directs the Secretaries of the Army and 

Navy each to submit a report to the congressional defense committees, not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act, detailing all respective decontamination authorities and plans applicable 

to Vieques and Culebra, to include particular emphasis on the decontamination of the northwest peninsula of Culebra. 

The Committee also notes there are information gaps about the 

types and amounts of ordnance used on Vieques and Culebra, as 


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well as about potential links between the ordnance used and 

present threats to public health. The Committee directs the Secretaries of the Army and the Navy to submit a report to the congressional defense committees, not later than 60 days after the enactment of this Act, on previously released information related to the 

ordnance on the two islands. The Committee also urges the Secretaries to publish the relevant documents on the internet in a single 

location and in a user-friendly format. 

MARITIME CAPABILITIES IN POLAR REGIONS

The Committee notes that actions by the Russian Federation and 

the People’s Republic of China are introducing competition and tension into the polar regions. The Committee recognizes that 14 

U.S.C. 102 tasks the Coast Guard with maintenance and operation 

of United States icebreaking facilities and that this capability is integrated into the Tri-Service Maritime Strategy. To better understand the evolving national security threats in these regions, the 

Committee directs the Secretary of the Defense, in coordination 

with the Secretaries of the Navy and Homeland Security, to brief 

the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, not later than 

30 days after the enactment of this Act, on the Department of Defense’s current maritime polar capability and capacity and provide 

a threat-based assessment of future requirements in the regions. 

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, ARMY 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Operation and Maintenance, Army: 


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ULTRA-LIGHTWEIGHT CAMOUFLAGE NET SYSTEMS

The Committee is concerned by the Army’s recent disapproval of 

divestiture of legacy Ultra-Lightweight Camouflage Net Systems 

(ULCANS). Next generation ULCANS offer unparalleled protection 

for the warfighter, greatly enhancing survivability. Further, this 

policy reversal sends negative demand signals to the industrial 

base, decreasing readiness. The Committee encourages the Secretary of the Army to reconsider this decision given the negative 

effects it could have on soldier survivability and a fragile industrial 

base. 

MISSION TRAINING COMPLEXES

The Committee is concerned that the virtual training capabilities 

of the Army’s Mission Training Complexes (MTCs) are not sufficient to ensure the rapid deployment envisioned by the National 

Defense Strategy and encourages the Secretary of the Army to assess the capacity of MTCs to meet these mobilization requirements. 

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, NAVY 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Operation and Maintenance, Navy: 


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SHIP MAINTENANCE

The Committee directs the Secretary of the Navy to continue to 

submit quarterly reports to the congressional defense committees, 

beginning not later than 30 days after the enactment of this Act, 

regarding private contracted ship maintenance as directed in 

House Report 116–453 and to submit the annual report on ship 

maintenance required by section 1016 of Public Law 117–81 to the 

House and Senate Appropriations Committees in conjunction with 

its submission to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees. 

AIRFRAME MAINTENANCE

The Committee directs the Secretary of the Navy to continue to 

submit quarterly reports to the congressional defense committees, 

beginning not later than 30 days after the enactment of this Act, 

on the status of maintenance and repair work for each airframe. 

The report shall include the amount of funding budgeted for airframe maintenance in fiscal year 2024 and the prior three years, 

the original estimated amount of time expected for maintenance activities to be completed, any adjustments to the schedule, the reasons why any changes were necessary, the new expected timeframe 

for completion, and any additional costs involved. 

NAVAL AIR WEAPONS STATION CHINA LAKE

Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake continues to provide critical national defense functions while simultaneously rebuilding 

from a series of earthquakes in 2019. The Committee appreciates 

the Navy’s focused reconstruction efforts. The Secretary of the 

Navy is encouraged to continue to prioritize earthquake recovery 

efforts and to maintain communications with the local community. 

NAVAL STATION MAYPORT

The Committee is concerned that the tenuous future of the Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ships, and lack of a near-term small 

surface combatant replacement at Naval Station Mayport, is creating uncertainty for the installation and regional industrial base. 

The Committee notes the importance of Naval Station Mayport and 

recognizes that a lapse in capability could negatively impact fleet 

readiness for multiple combatant commanders. Therefore, the Committee directs the Secretary of the Navy to submit a report to the 

congressional defense committees, not later than 120 days after the 

enactment of this Act, with a 10-year strategic plan for Naval Station Mayport. This report shall include an assessment of current 

and future ship assignments and a plan to ensure continuity of 

mission. 

CONTRACT AIR SERVICES

The Committee notes the critical role that contract air services 

play in meeting the Navy’s annual adversary air training requirement. As the Navy completes its analysis of alternatives on red air, 

training, and proficiency, the Committee encourages the Secretary 

of the Navy to continue the robust and persistent use of contract 


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adversary air to augment organic assets and simulated technologies. 

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, MARINE CORPS 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Operation and Maintenance, Marine Corps: 


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OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, AIR FORCE 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Operation and Maintenance, Air Force: 


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PILOT SHORTFALL

Despite strong support from Congress, the Air Force continues to 

fail to meet its annual pilot training goal. The Committee is deeply 

concerned that an enduring pilot production shortfall, coupled with 

increased attrition of experienced pilots, will leave the Air Force 

unable to meet its National Defense Strategy responsibilities. Further, the Committee supports concepts such as remote simulator 

instruction to alleviate known pilot production constraints and encourages the Air Force to use all available authorities to meet its 

training goal. To ensure continued oversight of this critical issue, 

the Committee directs the Commander of Air Education and Training Command and the Deputy Chief of Staff of Operations at Air 

Force Headquarters to provide quarterly updates on efforts to address the pilot shortfall to the House and Senate Appropriations 

Committees beginning not later than 45 days after the enactment 

of this Act. 

REFUELING CAPABILITIES FOR ISRAEL

The Committee understands the Government of Israel intends to 

recapitalize its tanker aircraft fleet with the KC–46, with deliveries 

planned for 2025. Due to increased hostilities in the region, it is 

important that Israeli operators are expeditiously trained to use 

these new aircraft prior to their delivery. The Committee urges the 

Secretary of the Air Force to consider the training and operational 

benefits of deploying KC–46s to Israel to help train Israeli operators, support United States Central Command operations, and 

deter Iran’s malign activities in the region. 

AIRLIFT READINESS ACCOUNT

The Committee directs the Secretary of the Air Force, in coordination with the Commander, United States Transportation Command, to submit a report to the House and Senate Appropriations 

Committees, not later than 120 days after the enactment of this 

Act, that assesses the utility and suitability of the Airlift Readiness 

Account as a source of direct appropriations into the Transportation Working Capital Fund. The report shall include alternative 

budgetary processes that maintain stable rates and working capital 

solvency while reducing reliance on the Airlift Readiness Account. 

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, SPACE FORCE 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Operation and Maintenance, Space Force: 


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OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, DEFENSE-WIDE 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide: 


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DEFENSE HUMAN RESOURCES ACTIVITY

The Committee is increasingly concerned that the Defense 

Human Resources Activity (DHRA) may be performing functions 

that overlap with, or are duplicative of, functions implemented by 

other components of the Department of Defense. Therefore, the 

Committee directs the Comptroller General to conduct an assessment of the following: 

(1) the extent to which the Department’s Office of Performance 

Improvement is conducting periodic reviews of the defense agencies 

and field activities; 

(2) the extent to which the Department has assessed the efficiency and effectiveness of DHRA as part of these periodic reviews 

or through other assessments; 

(3) the common services performed by DHRA for the Department 

and what organizations or populations are the users of those services; 

(4) the extent to which there is duplication, overlap, or fragmentation in the services provided by DHRA and other agencies or 

field activities, or other offices and organizations such as the military departments; and 

(5) the extent to which effective oversight is provided to DHRA 

and its operations by the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel 

and Readiness. 

The Committee directs the Comptroller General to provide a preliminary briefing on the assessment to the congressional defense 

committees not later than April 30, 2024 with a report to follow by 

a mutually agreed upon date. 

FOURTH ESTATE HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

The Committee understands that multiple defense agencies and 

field activities currently provide human resource functions with 

varying quality of service. The Committee is concerned that the 

current dispersal of these functions is inefficient, contributes to hiring delays, and hinders the recruitment of talented professionals. 

The Committee therefore directs the Secretary of Defense to submit 

a report to the congressional defense committees, not later than 90 

days after the enactment of this Act, that assesses the efficiency 

and effectiveness of the current Fourth Estate human resources 

shared service providers and recommendations to improve such operations. 

RED HILL BULK FUEL STORAGE FACILITY

The Committee continues to closely monitor the Department of 

Defense’s defueling and dispersal actions at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel 

Storage Facility. The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense, 

in coordination with the Secretary of the Navy, to continue to take 

the necessary steps to safely decommission the facility, remediate 

the surrounding environment, assess and address the harm caused 

to the aquifer, work in conjunction with the State of Hawaii and 

the local community in these efforts, and build a more distributive 

fuel infrastructure for the Indo-Pacific. The Committee recommendation supports the $106,363,000 requested by the Department in fiscal year 2024 toward these efforts. 


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For efforts in Hawaii, the Committee directs the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of the Navy, to submit 

quarterly updates in the form of written reports, beginning not 

later than 45 days after the enactment of this Act, to the congressional defense committees on obligations, health care and health 

surveillance efforts for those impacted by contaminated drinking 

water, progress toward decommissioning the facility, and community engagement efforts. 

For efforts to move the fuel from Red Hill to other locations in 

the Indo-Pacific, the Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to 

submit quarterly updates, in the form of written reports, beginning 

not later than 45 days after the enactment of this Act, to the congressional defense committees on obligations, new locations of fuel 

previously stored in the facility, efforts to build new fuel storage locations, a summary of any planning and design efforts for potential 

projects to store bulk fuel in the region, and efforts to improve the 

survivability of existing and new fuel storage locations. Information 

contained in these reports may be provided with a classified annex. 

IMPACT AID ELIGIBILITY

The Committee strongly supports the Impact Aid and Impact Aid 

for Children with Disabilities programs. However, the Committee 

is concerned by possible discrepancies in how local education agencies eligible for both programs receive funding. The Committee directs the Director of the Department of Defense Education Activity 

to submit a report to the congressional defense committees, not 

later than 60 days after the enactment of this Act, that addresses 

any such inconsistencies. 

THUNDERDOME

The fiscal year 2024 President’s budget request proposes changes 

in funding for Department-wide cybersecurity programs and an increase in funds for activities related to Thunderdome, the Defense 

Information System Agency’s (DISA) prototype and initial implementation of enterprise-wide zero trust architecture. The request is 

premised on the phasing out of the Joint Regional Security Stacks 

and the near-term realignment of funds towards critical cybersecurity programs including Comply-to-Connect (C2C). DISA has indicated to the Committee that C2C is foundational to zero trust implementation for the Department of Defense by providing the ability to identify and control all endpoints, traditional and non-traditional, across the Department of Defense Information Network. As 

DISA transitions to a zero trust architecture and completes necessary testing and certification of Thunderdome capabilities, the 

Committee supports continuation of C2C to support the cybersecurity of the Department of Defense and the Services. The Committee 

directs the Director of DISA, in consultation with the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) with respect to funding, to submit 

a report to the congressional defense committees, not later than 30 

days after the submission of the fiscal year 2025 President’s budget 

request, on development, test, and validation activities related to 

Thunderdome. The report shall include plans for deployment of 

Thunderdome across the Services and defense agencies, an explanation of how capabilities deployed via C2C will integrate with and 


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enable the Thunderdome program, an assessment of the funding 

requirements for the Services and defense agencies to access and 

deploy Thunderdome capabilities provided by DISA, and the extent 

to which these funding requirements are included in the fiscal year 

2025 President’s budget request. 

INTERNET OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT

The Committee notes the progress made by Joint Force Headquarters-Department of Defense Information Network (JFHQ– 

DODIN) to improve enterprise-wide visibility into departmental 

networks through Internet Operations Management (IOM), a critical component of ongoing efforts to harden these networks. The 

Committee believes the additional network visibility this capability 

provides can significantly reduce risk if seamlessly integrated with 

state-of-the-art security orchestration and automation capability 

deployable in the Services’ and United States Cyber Command’s 

big data platforms. However, despite the need to expand this capability Department-wide, to date only 18 of 45 Department of Defense Areas of Operation have been provided access to this capability through the IOM program. The Committee recommends an 

additional $11,000,000 above the President’s budget request with 

the intent of funding DODIN-wide expansion of IOM by the end of 

fiscal year 2024. The Committee directs the Commander, JFHQ– 

DODIN, to submit a report to the congressional defense committees, not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act, on 

plans to fully deploy IOM capability Department-wide and integrate security orchestration and automation capability into the 

IOM program. The report shall include a summary of the deployment plan, milestones and associated timelines to complete the deployment plan, and a description of any additional resources needed to complete the deployment plan by the end of fiscal year 2024. 

IMPROVING CYBERSECURITY POSTURE

The Committee notes and commends the efforts of the Department of Defense and interagency partners to improve overall government cyber resilience through the practice of domain name system filtering. The Committee encourages the Secretary of Defense 

to leverage the Department’s test and proving ground capabilities 

to evaluate leading industry capabilities, including automated 

internet protocol filtering, and deep packet inspection based on 

real-time data that can detect and mitigate potential exfiltration 

from compromised hardware. 

CIVILIAN CYBER WORKFORCE

The Committee recognizes the challenge that the Department of 

Defense faces in hiring individuals with necessary security clearances for the cyber workforce. The Committee encourages the Secretary of Defense to find innovative solutions to improve the workforce, and notes the report on this matter provided by the Department in 2020. The Committee continues to believe the Department 

of Defense should collaborate with colleges and universities to recruit cyber-focused students during their junior or senior years, 

with the intent that upon graduation a student will have a comVerDate Sep 11 2014 08:52 Jun 16, 2023 Jkt 051226 PO 00000 Frm 00087 Fmt 6604 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\A226.XXX A226

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pleted security clearance. The Committee directs the Secretary of 

Defense to submit an update to the 2020 report to the congressional defense committees not later than 60 days after the enactment of this Act. 

QUARTERLY REPORTS ON GUANTANAMO BAY DETENTION FACILITY

The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to submit quarterly reports to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees 

on the current number of detainees at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility; their legal status; a description of all Department of 

Defense costs associated with the facility during the last two fiscal 

years by program, account, and activity; and the status of funds for 

the current fiscal year. 

ABBEY GATE

The Committee expects the Secretary of Defense and the Commander of United States Central Command to relentlessly pursue 

those individuals who planned and perpetrated the suicide bombing 

attack at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on August 26, 2021, to keep the congressional defense 

committees informed of efforts to hold those individuals to account, 

and to make as much of this information as possible available to 

the public. 

QUARTERLY BRIEFINGS ON DEPLOYMENTS OF UNITED STATES

ARMED FORCES

The Committee appreciates the Department of Defense’s quarterly briefings on the deployment of United States Armed Forces 

by geographic combatant command, which is important for congressional oversight, and directs that these briefings continue. 

FOREIGN BASES

The Act continues the requirement for the Secretary of Defense 

to notify the congressional defense committees of the opening or 

closing of foreign bases. The Committee is concerned by basing and 

funding decisions being made without consultation with Congress. 

Accordingly, the Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to 

keep the House and Senate Appropriations Committees apprised of 

any ongoing discussions with foreign governments that may lead to 

the opening or closing of a foreign base. 

DEFENSE SECURITY COOPERATION AGENCY PROGRAMS

The Secretary of Defense shall, not later than 30 days after the 

enactment of this Act, submit to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees a detailed spend plan for amounts made available for the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. The plan shall 

include amounts planned for each program listed in the budget justification documents and, for International Security Cooperation 

Programs, amounts provided in the prior two fiscal years and 

planned for fiscal year 2024 by combatant command, country, and 

authority. The plan shall only reflect amounts requested in the fiscal year 2024 budget justification materials as modified by fiscal 

year 2024 appropriations, and the Secretary of Defense shall notify 


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such Committees in writing not less than 15 days prior to obligating funds in a manner that would deviate from the plan. A similar document with requested amounts shall be provided to such 

Committees concurrent with the submission of the fiscal year 2025 

President’s budget request. 

The Committee recommendation includes $1,343,580,000 for 

International Security Cooperation Programs and directs that congressional notifications for these funds specify the fiscal year, 

whether funds support ongoing or new programs, and the duration 

and expected cost over the life of each program. The Committee 

recommendation includes $108,000,000 for Taiwan, which is twice 

the amount provided in fiscal year 2023. Such funds are provided 

for urgent and high priority defense articles and defense services 

that strengthen United States national security and increase Taiwan’s readiness and ability to deter aggression and defend itself, 

including coastal defense, command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR), and 

programs to promote regional interoperability. The Committee expects these programs to be integrated with other security assistance programs in a manner that complements rather than duplicates efforts and directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a spend 

plan to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees not later 

than 60 days after the enactment of this Act. The Committee also 

supports training programs for Taiwan, including through the National Guard State Partnership Program or similar programs, as 

well as strategic evaluations to improve Taiwan’s security cooperation programs. 

The Committee notes the urgency of maintaining an effective deterrent and directs the Secretary of Defense to prioritize the delivery of defense articles and defense services to Taiwan. The Committee also directs the Secretary of Defense to, not later than 45 

days after the date of the enactment of this Act, submit a report 

to the congressional defense committees describing urgent and high 

priority defense articles and defense services for fiscal year 2024 

and fiscal year 2025 and steps taken or planned by the Department 

of Defense to expedite the delivery of such articles and services. 

The Committee recommendation includes $32,000,000 for International Security Cooperation Programs for Mexico, including 

$20,220,000 above the request for programs to counter illicit 

fentanyl and synthetic opioids and the transnational criminal organizations, particularly the Sinaloa and Jalisco drug cartels, that 

have perpetrated the fentanyl crisis. The Committee recommendation also supports institutional capacity building programs for Mexico. The Committee supports the inclusion of Mexico in the National Guard State Partnership Program to enhance Mexico’s 

counterdrug efforts. 

The Committee notes the shared security challenges between 

Mexico and its Central and South American neighbors and believes 

these issues would receive greater attention if they were unified 

under United States Southern Command. Accordingly, the Act provides that United States Southern Command shall assume combatant command responsibility for activities related to Mexico not 

later than 180 days of the enactment of this Act. 


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The Committee recommendation supports programs to strengthen the relationship with the Colombian Armed Forces in support 

of shared security interests in the region. These programs support 

Colombian capabilities in the area of rotary wing transportation 

and maintenance; maritime interdiction; special operations force 

development; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; and institutional capacity to sustain their military. The Committee notes 

that Colombia has a National Guard State Partnership Program 

with the South Carolina National Guard. 

The Committee encourages the Secretary of Defense to focus institutional capacity building on fewer programs, on deeper and 

more sustainable results, and on countries that have complementary training and equipment programs. The Committee directs the 

Secretary of Defense to consult with the House and Senate Appropriations Committees on these issues not later than 45 days after 

the enactment of this Act. 

The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to consult with 

the House and Senate Appropriations Committees on amounts provided above the request for International Security Cooperation Programs for countries in United States Central Command not later 

than 30 days after the enactment of this Act. 

The Committee supports efforts to improve the Foreign Military 

Sales process, which is essential for United States partnerships 

and an important component of strategic competition. Accordingly, 

the Committee directs the Secretary of Defense, in coordination 

with the Secretary of State, to provide a briefing to the House and 

Senate Appropriations Committees, not later than 30 days after 

the enactment of this Act, on the results of the Foreign Military 

Sales process review and measures taken or planned to streamline 

performance. 

The Committee supports increased measures to ensure that security cooperation programs supported by this Act are strategic, address clearly defined goals and objectives, and are integrated with 

other programs. Accordingly, not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with 

the Secretary of State, shall submit to the congressional defense 

committees an integrated security cooperation strategy for Iraq, 

Uzbekistan, Indonesia, Ecuador, and Somalia. Each strategy shall 

include an overview of the security relationship between the United 

States and the country; a description of the goals, objectives, and 

milestones of security cooperation programs and initiatives supported by the Department of Defense and the Department of State; 

a description of how programs complement rather than duplicate 

one another; funding by account and program for fiscal year 2024 

and the prior two fiscal years; and a description of host country capabilities and financial contributions towards shared security goals. 

The Committee notes that international security cooperation programs funded under this heading are subject to 10 U.S.C. 362, 

which prohibits assistance for a unit of a foreign security force if 

the Secretary of Defense has credible information that the unit has 

committed a gross violation of human rights. The Committee also 

expects the Secretary of Defense to withhold assistance for a unit 

of a foreign security force if the Secretary has credible information 

that the unit has used United States military assistance against 


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United States personnel and directs the Secretary of Defense to inform the congressional defense committees of any such misuse. 

Further, the Committee is concerned about end-use monitoring of 

assistance provided under this heading and expects the Department of Defense to implement any outstanding Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommendations related to end-use monitoring, including GAO–23–105856, not later than 60 days after the 

enactment of this Act. 

The Committee remains interested in evaluations of security cooperation programs with Northern Triangle countries and expects 

the Secretary of Defense to keep the Committee apprised of any 

such evaluations. The Committee is also interested in Army Security Force Assistance Brigade deployments, and any congressional 

notification made pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 321 or 10 U.S.C. 333 

should include a description of the number of individuals deployed 

and their training; the amount, type, and purpose of the training 

and equipment to be provided to the recipient country’s security 

forces; the timeline and source of funds; and how the proposed program fits into the overall security cooperation goals of the brigade 

or country. 

The Committee directs that any notification for border security 

submitted to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees indicate the costs for reimbursement, by category, and the dates on 

which such costs were incurred by the partner country and submitted to the United States government. The Committee also supports programs to build partner capacity in the area of cybersecurity, including through the Institute for Security Governance and 

Regional Centers. 

The Committee notes the significant unobligated balances from 

prior year appropriations, and the recommendation includes a rescission of funds. The Committee directs that such funds are not 

derived from congressional priorities, including programs increased 

by fiscal year 2023 appropriations. The Secretary of Defense is directed to consult with the House and Senate Appropriations Committees with respect to such rescission not later than 30 days after 

the enactment of this Act. 

BURDEN-SHARING FOR UKRAINE

The Committee recommends a focus on burden-sharing for 

Ukraine and expects the Administration to work with other nations 

to do their fair share. Not later than 60 days after the enactment 

of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of State, shall submit a report to the congressional defense 

committees on commitments and contributions of defense articles 

and defense services made by foreign governments to Ukraine since 

the February 24, 2022, Russian invasion of Ukraine. The report 

shall include a brief description of each commitment and contribution, including the approximate value, by country and date; efforts 

to coordinate international commitments and contributions with 

United States security assistance; steps taken or planned by the 

Administration to increase international commitments and contributions; and any use of the contribution authority provided 

under Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide in Title II of Division M of the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations 


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Act, 2023. The report shall be submitted in unclassified form but 

may be accompanied by a classified annex. 

MANAGEMENT OF FUNDS FOR UKRAINE

The Committee requires enhanced oversight and accountability 

measures for funds appropriated for Ukraine and is concerned with 

Department of Defense financial management practices that have 

resulted in the improper accounting and overvaluation of billions of 

dollars of military equipment destined for Ukraine. If this error 

had been corrected earlier, it could have allowed the Department 

to send more equipment to Ukraine ahead of Ukraine’s counteroffensive. The Committee directs the Comptroller General of the 

United States to review the Department of Defense’s execution of 

presidential drawdown authority and related funding and notifications since the February 24, 2022, Russian invasion of Ukraine and 

to submit a report on its findings to the congressional defense committees not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act. 

EXCESS DEFENSE ARTICLES

The Committee directs the Comptroller General of the United 

States to review the Department of Defense excess defense articles 

program, which transfers excess defense equipment to foreign governments or international organizations. The review shall include 

the Department’s process for identifying available equipment and 

recipients; the extent to which the program is integrated with other 

security cooperation programs and priorities; the Department’s activities to monitor articles after they have been delivered; the disposition of significant articles five years after they have been transferred; and the overall effectiveness of the program. The Comptroller shall submit a report along with recommendations to the 

congressional defense committees not later than 120 days after the 

enactment of this Act. 

MILITARY INFORMATION SUPPORT OPERATIONS

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, included direction to 

the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Special Operations Low Intensity Conflict) to submit a spend plan to the congressional defense 

committees regarding Military Information Support Operations 

(MISO). The classified annex accompanying the explanatory statement to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, included additional direction considering the modified budget structure for appropriations for MISO. The Committee modifies those requirements 

and directs the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Special Operations 

Low Intensity Conflict) to submit a spend plan annually for the upcoming fiscal year, not later than 15 days upon submission of the 

budget request, and another report, not later than 30 days after 

the enactment of this Act. Both reports shall justify funding by 

combatant command to include narratives on how the funding 

maps to the main pillars of the National Defense Strategy. The enacted levels will serve as the baseline for reprogramming in accordance with section 8007 of this Act. Adjustments during the execution year shall be notified as part of the quarterly information operations briefings as directed within section 1631 of the National 


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Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116– 

92). All other annual reporting requirements are rescinded. 

COUNTER-ISIS TRAIN AND EQUIP FUND 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for the 

Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Fund: 

EXPLANATION OF PROJECT LEVEL ADJUSTMENTS 

[In thousands of dollars] 

Budget 

Request 

Committee 

Recommended 

Change from 

Request 

Iraq Train and Equip ...................................................................................... 241,950 241,950 0 

Syria Train and Equip ..................................................................................... 156,000 156,000 0 

TOTAL, COUNTER-ISIS TRAIN AND EQUIP FUND ..................................... 397,950 397,950 0 

The Committee recommendation continues support for the Iraqi 

Security Forces, Kurdish Peshmerga, and the Syrian Democratic 

Forces to participate in activities to counter the Islamic State of 

Iraq and Syria. The Committee directs that congressional notifications for funds provided under this heading include a description 

of the amount, type, and purpose of assistance to be funded, and 

the recipient of the assistance; the budget and implementation 

timeline, with anticipated delivery schedule for assistance; and a 

description of any material misuse of assistance since the last notification was submitted, along with a description of any remedies 

taken. 

The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to consult with 

the House and Senate Appropriations Committees prior to submitting any notification that includes fortification or construction for 

detention facilities or internally displaced persons camps. Such notifications shall include detailed information on the scope of proposed projects and on any contributions from foreign governments. 

The Committee notes the release of the Administration’s Al-Hol 

Action Plan for internally displaced persons camps in northern 

Syria. The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to develop 

timelines and milestones for Department of Defense-related activities under the plan and to brief the House and Senate Appropriations Committees on progress made not later than 60 days after 

the enactment of this Act. 

The Committee is concerned with the accountability of funds provided under this heading for stipend support in Syria. Therefore, 

the Act includes a provision making funds unavailable until the 

Secretary of Defense reports to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees that measures are in place to ensure accountability of these funds. The report shall include a detailed description of these measures as well as any changes adopted to address 

the findings and recommendations in Inspector General Report No. 

DODIG–2022–128. 

The Committee notes the significant unobligated balances from 

prior year appropriations and the recommendation includes a rescission of funds. The Committee directs that such funds are not 

derived from support planned for the Kurdish Peshmerga. The Secretary of Defense is directed to consult with the House and Senate 


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Appropriations Committees with respect to such rescission not 

later than 30 days after the enactment of this Act. 

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, ARMY RESERVE 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Operation and Maintenance, Army Reserve: 


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RESERVE COMPONENT MANDATORY TRAINING

The Committee is concerned that members of the reserve components face challenges in accessing mandatory military training 

from their home of record. The inability to quickly register for such 

courses impedes force readiness and misuses inactive duty training 

periods which could be devoted to mission critical tasks. The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to the 

House and Senate Appropriations Committees, not later than 120 

days after the enactment of this Act, on actions the Department of 

Defense will take to remove these barriers. 

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, NAVY RESERVE 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Operation and Maintenance, Navy Reserve: 


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OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, MARINE CORPS RESERVE 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Operation and Maintenance, Marine Corps Reserve: 


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OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, AIR FORCE RESERVE 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Operation and Maintenance, Air Force Reserve: 


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OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, ARMY NATIONAL GUARD 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Operation and Maintenance, Army National Guard: 


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VIRTUAL LANGUAGE TRAINING

The Committee notes that foreign language skills are instrumental in building and maintaining global alliances and partnerships and encourages the National Guard Bureau to continue its 

virtual language training program. The Committee further directs 

the Chief of the National Guard Bureau to submit a report to the 

congressional defense committees, not later than 180 days after the 

enactment of this Act, that includes the number of Guardsmen receiving virtual language training and level of proficiency achieved, 

a description of program marketing and sign-up procedures, a listing of classes and languages taught, a comparison of language 

training offered with current State Partnership Program participants, and funding programmed for National Guard language 

training through the future years defense program. 

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, AIR NATIONAL GUARD 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Operation and Maintenance, Air National Guard: 


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TACTICAL AIR CONTROL PARTY DIVESTITURE

The Committee is concerned about the Air Force’s potential divestiture of Tactical Air Control Party units from the Air National 

Guard prior to the completion of an evaluation by the Air Force. 

Therefore, the Committee directs the Secretary of the Air Force to 

refrain from taking any action to reduce the number of Tactical Air 

Control Party units in the Air National Guard until the Air Force, 

in consultation with the National Guard Bureau, has completed its 

evaluation. 

COMBAT READINESS TRAINING CENTERS

The Committee is concerned about reductions in the fiscal year 

2024 President’s budget request for operation of the Air National 

Guard’s four combat readiness training centers. The Committee 

notes the centers’ critical role in training airmen through robust 

joint aerial combat exercises against simulated near-peer threats. 

The Committee encourages the Secretary of the Air Force to provide adequate and consistent resources for the continuation of such 

training. 

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ARMED 

FORCES 

Fiscal year 2024 budget request ....................................................... $16,620,000 

Committee recommendation .............................................................. 16,620,000 

Change from budget request ............................................................. – – – 

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $16,620,000 for 

the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. 

ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION, ARMY 

Fiscal year 2024 budget request ....................................................... $198,760,000 

Committee recommendation .............................................................. 198,760,000 

Change from budget request ............................................................. – – – 

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $198,760,000 for 

Environmental Restoration, Army. 

ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION, NAVY 

Fiscal year 2024 budget request ....................................................... $335,240,000 

Committee recommendation .............................................................. 345,240,000 

Change from budget request ............................................................. +10,000,000 

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $345,240,000 for 

Environmental Restoration, Navy. 

ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION, AIR FORCE 

Fiscal year 2024 budget request ....................................................... $349,744,000 

Committee recommendation .............................................................. 359,744,000 

Change from budget request ............................................................. +10,000,000 

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $359,744,000 for 

Environmental Restoration, Air Force. 


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ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION, DEFENSE-WIDE 

Fiscal year 2024 budget request ....................................................... $8,965,000 

Committee recommendation .............................................................. 8,965,000 

Change from budget request ............................................................. – – – 

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $8,965,000 for 

Environmental Restoration, Defense-Wide. 

ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION, FORMERLY USED 

DEFENSE SITES 

Fiscal year 2024 budget request ....................................................... $232,806,000 

Committee recommendation .............................................................. 232,806,000 

Change from budget request ............................................................. – – – 

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $232,806,000 for 

Environmental Restoration, Formerly Used Defense Sites. The 

Committee expects the Secretary of Defense and the Service Secretaries to execute the Military Munitions Response Program in a 

manner consistent with the budget request. 

OVERSEAS HUMANITARIAN, DISASTER, AND CIVIC AID 

The Committee recommends the following appropriation for 

Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid: 

EXPLANATION OF PROJECT LEVEL ADJUSTMENTS 

[In thousands of dollars] 

Budget 

Request 

Committee 

Recommended 

Change from 

Request 

FOREIGN DISASTER RELIEF ............................................................................. 20,000 22,500 2,500 

Program increase ................................................................................... 2,500 

HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE ........................................................................... 79,900 100,000 20,100 

Program increase ................................................................................... 20,100 

HUMANITARIAN MINE ACTION PROGRAM ........................................................ 15,000 20,000 5,000 

Program increase ................................................................................... 5,000 

TOTAL, OVERSEAS HUMANITARIAN, DISASTER, AND CIVIC AID ..... 114,900 142,500 27,600 

The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a 

spend plan for Humanitarian Assistance and the Humanitarian 

Mine Action Program to the House and Senate Appropriations 

Committees not later than 45 days after the enactment of this Act. 

The plan shall include amounts planned for each combatant command, country, and program area, as well as a comparison to funding provided in the previous two fiscal years. Such information 

shall be included in the justification materials that accompany the 

fiscal year 2025 President’s budget request. 

The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to inform the 

House and Senate Appropriations Committees of any planned foreign disaster relief not later than 72 hours following a disaster declaration that involves a request for Department of Defense support. 

COOPERATIVE THREAT REDUCTION ACCOUNT 

The Committee recommends the following appropriation for the 

Cooperative Threat Reduction Account: 


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EXPLANATION OF PROJECT LEVEL ADJUSTMENTS 

[In thousands of dollars] 

Budget 

Request 

Committee 

Recommended 

Change from 

Request 

Strategic Offensive Arms Elimination ............................................................ 6,815 6,815 0 

Chemical Weapons Destruction ...................................................................... 16,400 16,400 0 

Global Nuclear Security .................................................................................. 19,406 19,406 0 

Biological Threat Reduction Program ............................................................. 228,030 228,030 0 

Proliferation Prevention Program .................................................................... 46,324 46,324 0 

Other Assessments/Admin Costs .................................................................... 34,024 34,024 0 

TOTAL, COOPERATIVE THREAT REDUCTION ACCOUNT ........................... 350,999 350,999 0 

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ACQUISITION WORKFORCE 

DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT 

Fiscal year 2024 budget request ....................................................... $54,977,000 

Committee recommendation .............................................................. 54,977,000 

Change from budget request ............................................................. – – – 

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $54,977,000 for 

the Department of Defense Acquisition Workforce Development Account. 


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TITLE III 

PROCUREMENT 

The fiscal year 2024 Department of Defense procurement budget 

request and the Committee recommendation are summarized in 

the table below: 


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REPROGRAMMING GUIDANCE FOR ACQUISITION ACCOUNTS

The Secretary of Defense is directed to continue to follow the reprogramming guidance as specified in the report accompanying the 

House version of the Department of Defense Appropriations bill for 

Fiscal Year 2008 (House Report 110–279). Specifically, the dollar 

threshold for reprogramming funds shall be $10,000,000 for procurement and research, development, test and evaluation. 

Also, the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) is directed to 

continue to provide the congressional defense committees quarterly, 

spreadsheet-based DD Form 1416 reports for Service and defensewide accounts in titles III and IV of this Act. Reports for titles III 

and IV shall comply with the guidance specified in the explanatory 

statement accompanying the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2006. The Department shall continue to follow the limitation that prior approval reprogramming actions are set at either 

the specified dollar threshold or 20 percent of the procurement or 

research, development, test and evaluation line, whichever is less. 

These thresholds are cumulative from the base for reprogramming 

value as modified by any adjustments. Therefore, if the combined 

value of transfers into or out of a procurement (P–1) or research, 

development, test and evaluation (R–1) line exceeds the identified 

threshold, the Secretary of Defense must submit a prior approval 

reprogramming to the congressional defense committees. In addition, guidelines on the application of prior approval reprogramming 

procedures for congressional special interest items are established 

elsewhere in this report. 

FUNDING INCREASES

The funding increases outlined in these tables shall be provided 

only for the specific purposes indicated in the tables. 

PROCUREMENT SPECIAL INTEREST ITEMS

Items for which additional funds have been recommended or 

items for which funding is specifically reduced as shown in the 

project level tables detailing recommended adjustments or in paragraphs using the phrase ‘‘only for’’ or ‘‘only to’’ in this report are 

congressional special interest items for the purpose of the Base for 

Reprogramming (DD Form 1414). Each of these items must be carried on the DD Form 1414 at the stated amount, as specifically addressed elsewhere in this report. 

MUNITIONS STOCK

The Committee remains concerned by the insufficient quantity 

and capability in the Department of Defense’s munitions inventory. 

While some of this is the result of support to Ukraine and supply 

chain challenges, it is not clear the industrial base is well-postured 

to meet the rising demand. The Committee encourages the Secretary of Defense to increase stockpiles of existing munitions and 

expedite the delivery of those in development. More importantly, 

the Committee encourages the Department to leverage non-traditional suppliers working in conjunction with the traditional defense 

industrial base to broaden the sources of components and materials 

to better posture the Nation in time of crisis. The Committee beVerDate Sep 11 2014 08:52 Jun 16, 2023 Jkt 051226 PO 00000 Frm 00112 Fmt 6604 Sfmt 6604 E:\HR\OC\A226.XXX A226

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lieves that broadening these sources creates resiliency in the supply chain and could be a catalyst for novel munitions to create new 

dilemmas for the adversary. Therefore, the Committee directs the 

Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, in coordination with Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and 

Sustainment, the Director of the Defense Innovation Unit, and the 

munitions program executive officers in the Services to submit a 

report to the congressional defense committees not later than 120 

days after the enactment of this Act. The report shall identify current and future munitions shortfalls, areas of greatest operational 

risk in the most pressing theaters, novel munitions employment 

approaches to create platform optionality and reduce integration 

cost, munitions that are currently being produced by non-traditional suppliers, potential sources of low-cost components through 

non-traditional suppliers, viable paths for system integration 

through non-traditional suppliers or relationships with traditional 

suppliers, and a strategy for leveraging a broader industrial base 

for expanding munitions capability and capacity. 

ROCKET MOTOR SUPPLY

The Committee is concerned about risk in the development and 

production capacity of rocket propulsion, particularly of solid rocket 

motors needed to build a critical munitions stockpile. The Committee supports efforts to increase the capacity of the existing supplier base, as well as initiatives to reduce vulnerability in the supply chain with a broader industrial base. Additionally, the Committee encourages the Department to use the authorities and resources of the Office of Manufacturing Capability Expansion and 

Investment Prioritization and other mechanisms to expand this industrial base. 

AIRCRAFT PROCUREMENT, ARMY 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Aircraft Procurement, Army: 


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CH–47 BLOCK II

The Committee continues to support the CH–47 Block II aircraft 

program and remains concerned by the Army’s continued lack of 

support for the program. While the Committee recognizes that the 

Army is investing in its modernization priorities, without a clear 

path to a new heavy lift platform, the F Block II program should 

be considered a priority. 

MISSILE PROCUREMENT, ARMY 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 

Missile Procurement, Army: 


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PROCUREMENT OF WEAPONS AND TRACKED COMBAT 

VEHICLES, ARMY 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Procurement of Weapons and Tracked Combat Vehicles, Army: 


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PROCUREMENT OF AMMUNITION, ARMY 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Procurement of Ammunition, Army: 


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OTHER PROCUREMENT, ARMY 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 

Other Procurement, Army: 


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AIRCRAFT PROCUREMENT, NAVY 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Aircraft Procurement, Navy: 


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F/A–18 SUPER HORNET AIRCRAFT

The Committee remains deeply concerned by the Navy’s continued strike fighter aircraft shortfall, which contravenes the legislative requirement of ten carrier air wings by 2025. The Navy 

projects it will not resolve this gap until 2031. To mitigate the impacts of the shortfall, the Department of Defense Appropriations 

Acts for 2022 and 2023 included a total of 20 additional F/A–18 

Super Hornet aircraft. The Committee is frustrated that the Navy 

has yet to put any of the aircraft on contract and is extremely troubled by the Navy’s failure to comply with congressional intent. The 

Committee expects the Secretary of the Navy to award these aircraft, as required by law, with appropriate expediency. 

NAVY ADVERSARY AIRCRAFT FOR TRAINING PURPOSES

The Committee notes the growing requirement for near-peer representative air-to-air training using aggressor aircraft with capabilities similar to that of advanced adversaries. The Committee remains supportive of ongoing efforts to increase capabilities of aircraft assigned to aggressor squadrons; however, the Committee remains concerned about the overuse of some legacy aircraft to carry 

out this mission in the long-term. To maintain strategic Navy Reserve air strike fighter and air aggressor capability, the Committee 

encourages the Secretary of the Navy to transition deployable F/A– 

18E/F aircraft considered for divestment, as available, from the Active Component to Navy Reserve aviation squadrons. 

WEAPONS PROCUREMENT, NAVY 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 

Weapons Procurement, Navy: 


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PROCUREMENT OF AMMUNITION, NAVY AND MARINE 

CORPS 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Procurement of Ammunition, Navy and Marine Corps: 


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SHIPBUILDING AND CONVERSION, NAVY 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 

Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy: 


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OTHER PROCUREMENT, NAVY 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 

Other Procurement, Navy: 


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PROCUREMENT, MARINE CORPS 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Procurement, Marine Corps: 


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AIRCRAFT PROCUREMENT, AIR FORCE 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Aircraft Procurement, Air Force: 


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F–22 SENSOR ENHANCEMENTS

The Committee strongly supports the increased investment in 

modernizing the F–22A, which is critical to executing the National 

Defense Strategy. In particular, the Committee finds that the Sensor Enhancement program is aligned with several key Operational 

Imperatives and is also fundamental to future air superiority. However, the Committee is deeply concerned by the program’s developmental delays and the lack of corresponding adjustments in the fiscal year 2024 President’s budget request, despite significant reprogramming actions in fiscal year 2023. Due to the pending Manufacturing Readiness Review and flight test demonstration, the 

Committee recommends a reduction of $434,997,000 to Sensor Enhancements Group B. The Committee urges the Secretary of the 

Air Force to keep the congressional defense committees informed 

on the outcomes of these tests and other developments so it can 

make informed future decisions. 

C–40 AIRCRAFT

While the Committee supports recent funding to upgrade certain 

aspects of the C–40, it is concerned about the aging fleet given the 

operational demands placed on the aircraft. The Committee also 

understands that there may be affordable inventory on the commercial airline market that could be converted at low cost to ensure aircraft availability for government senior leaders, including 

combatant commanders. Therefore, the Committee directs the Secretary of the Air Force to submit a report to the congressional defense committees, not later than 60 days after the enactment of 

this Act, that includes a market survey of available aircraft that 

could be modified for executive airlift, the total cost impact of such 

an action, and a recommendation on the future fleet size for the C– 

40 aircraft. 

REPAIRED AND REFURBISHED AEROSPACE BEARINGS

The Committee recognizes that the repair and refurbishment of 

aerospace bearings, which can generate cost savings for both fixed 

and rotary wing platforms, may produce similar service life and reliability when compared to new bearings. However, the Committee 

is concerned that the Department of Defense’s acquisition practices 

prevent domestic independent bearing repair service providers from 

openly participating in solicitations involving Original Equipment 

Manufacturers, which may have an adverse impact on the defense 

industrial base. Therefore, the Committee urges the Secretary of 

Defense to consider ways to improve participation by domestic 

bearing repair service providers. The Committee directs the Secretary of the Air Force to submit a report to the congressional defense committees, not later than 180 days after the enactment of 

this Act, detailing the actions taken to support these domestic independent bearing repair service providers. 

MISSILE PROCUREMENT, AIR FORCE 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 

Missile Procurement, Air Force: 


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PROCUREMENT OF AMMUNITION, AIR FORCE 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Procurement of Ammunition, Air Force: 


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OTHER PROCUREMENT, AIR FORCE 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 

Other Procurement, Air Force: 


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PROCUREMENT, SPACE FORCE 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Procurement, Space Force: 


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NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE LAUNCH

The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense and the Director 

of National Intelligence to utilize the Space Force launch enterprise 

phase 2 contract, until such time as a successor contract is in place, 

for National Security Space Launch class missions, unless they certify to the congressional defense and intelligence committees that 

commercial launch or delivery-on-orbit procurement for a designated mission is in the national security interest of the government and outline the rationale for such a determination. 

PROCUREMENT, DEFENSE-WIDE 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Procurement, Defense-Wide: 


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ACCELERATING THE PROCUREMENT AND FIELDING OF INNOVATIVE

TECHNOLOGIES

The joint explanatory statement accompanying the Department 

of Defense Appropriations Act, 2022, included $100,000,000 for the 

Agile Procurement Transition Pilot. The purpose of these funds is 

to transition technologies from pilot programs, prototype projects, 

and research projects to scale to capability, software, or service acquisitions. These funds are also to be used for the rapid procurement of commercially available technologies that can directly aid 

the warfighter. In its first year, the program funded ten different 

emerging technology companies to move from prototype to fielding, 

accelerating fielding by at least 12 months and in some cases as 

much as 48 months. In the second year, the program increased 

total funding by $50,000,000, with contract sizes doubling for many 

of the companies in the program to quickly scale capabilities for the 

warfighter. 

The Committee supports continued investment in this fund and 

notes that the fiscal year 2024 President’s budget request included 

$100,000,000 for this effort. Therefore, the Committee recommends 

a total of $300,000,000, an increase of $200,000,000 above the 

President’s budget request. Additionally, the Committee directs the 

Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering to brief 

the congressional defense committees, not later than 90 days after 

the enactment of this Act, on the capabilities being tested and the 

proposed path to scale innovative technologies, including successes 

and failures to date, as well as the use of all prior year funds. 

MUNITIONS STOCK DOMESTIC PRODUCTION OF TITANIUM SPONGE

The Committee remains concerned about the domestic industrial 

base reliance on foreign suppliers for critical defense materials, including titanium sponge. The Committee encourages the Secretary 

of Defense to enhance cooperative efforts with the United States titanium industry to explore opportunities for domestic sponge manufacturing through the Defense Production Act, and to identify resources necessary for the upgrade and modernization of idled 

United States sponge facilities to become commercially viable. 

CHINESE PLASTIC

The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is one of the largest global 

suppliers of plastics, which are essential to critical components for 

national security and defense. The Committee encourages the Secretary of Defense to take meaningful efforts to reduce dependency 

on plastics from the PRC. It is important to consider a multitude 

of alternative materials that could be produced and certified domestically. Therefore, the Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to the congressional defense committees 

not later than 180 days after the enactment of this Act. The report 

shall identify the progress the Department has made in utilizing 

alternatives to Chinese plastics and provide a quantitative and 

qualitative characterization of domestic national defense dependency on Chinese plastics. 


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DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT PURCHASES 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for the 

Defense Production Act Purchases: 

EXPLANATION OF PROJECT LEVEL ADJUSTMENTS 

[In thousands of dollars] 

Budget 

Request 

Committee 

Recommended 

Change from 

Request 

DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT PURCHASES 968,605 978,605 ¥350,000 

Execution risk ......................................................................................... ¥350,000 

TOTAL, DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT PURCHASES .......................... 968,605 618,605 ¥350,000 

NATIONAL GUARD AND RESERVE EQUIPMENT ACCOUNT 

Fiscal year 2024 budget request ....................................................... – – – 

Committee recommendation .............................................................. $1,000,000,000 

Change from budget request ............................................................. +1,000,000,000 

The Committee recommends $1,000,000,000 for the National 

Guard and Reserve Equipment Account. Of that amount, 

$312,000,000 is for the Army National Guard; $305,000,000 is for 

the Air National Guard; $155,000,000 is for the Army Reserve; 

$55,000,000 is for the Navy Reserve; $18,000,000 is for the Marine 

Corps Reserve; and $155,000,000 is for the Air Force Reserve to 

meet urgent equipment needs in the coming fiscal year. This funding will allow the National Guard and reserve components to procure high priority equipment used by these components for both 

their military missions and missions in support of State governors. 

The funding within this account is not to be used to procure equipment designated as high-density critical equipment, major weapon 

systems, aircraft, and other equipment central to a unit’s ability to 

perform its doctrinal mission. The funding within this account is 

not to be used to procure equipment purchased by the senior Service, to expand or accelerate current Service procurement plans, to 

purchase expendable items, or to purchase facilities or equipment 

for any requirement able to be satisfied elsewhere. 

The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to ensure that 

the National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account is executed by 

the Chiefs of the National Guard and reserve components with priority consideration given to the following items: acoustic hailing devices; crash-worthy, ballistically tolerant auxiliary fuel systems for 

UH–60 helicopters; degraded visual environment systems; improved thermal acoustic blanket; KC–135 aircraft emergency response refuel equipment kits; KC–135 aircrew ground cooling 

units; land surveying systems; lightweight, rapidly deployable, 

computer-based artillery call for fire training and simulation; litter 

stabilization systems; modular small arms ranges and small arms 

training simulators and tools; secure enterprise, emergency, and social communication; software defined radios; UH–72A/B mission 

equipment modernization; and upgraded commercial-off-the-shelf 

ground mapping for C–130 aircraft. 


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TITLE IV 

RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION 

The fiscal year 2024 Department of Defense research, development, test and evaluation budget request and the Committee recommendation are summarized in the table below: 


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REPROGRAMMING GUIDANCE FOR ACQUISITION ACCOUNTS

The Secretary of Defense is directed to continue to follow the reprogramming guidance as specified in the report accompanying the 

House version of the Department of Defense Appropriations bill for 

Fiscal Year 2008 (House Report 110–279). Specifically, the dollar 

threshold for reprogramming funds shall be $10,000,000 for procurement and research, development, test and evaluation. 

Also, the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) is directed to 

continue to provide the congressional defense committees quarterly, 

spreadsheet-based DD Form 1416 reports for Service and defensewide accounts in titles III and IV of this Act. Reports for titles III 

and IV shall comply with the guidance specified in the explanatory 

statement accompanying the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2006. The Department shall continue to follow the limitation that prior approval reprogramming actions are set at either 

the specified dollar threshold or 20 percent of the procurement or 

research, development, test and evaluation line, whichever is less. 

These thresholds are cumulative from the base for reprogramming 

value as modified by any adjustments. Therefore, if the combined 

value of transfers into or out of a procurement (P–1) or research, 

development, test and evaluation (R–1) line exceeds the identified 

threshold, the Secretary of Defense must submit a prior approval 

reprogramming to the congressional defense committees. In addition, guidelines on the application of prior approval reprogramming 

procedures for congressional special interest items are established 

elsewhere in this report. 

FUNDING INCREASES

The funding increases outlined in these tables shall be provided 

only for the specific purposes indicated in the tables. 

RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION SPECIAL INTEREST

ITEMS

Items for which additional funds have been recommended or 

items for which funding is specifically reduced as shown in the 

project level tables detailing recommended adjustments or in paragraphs using the phrase ‘‘only for’’ or ‘‘only to’’ in this report are 

congressional special interest items for the purpose of the Base for 

Reprogramming (DD Form 1414). Each of these items must be carried on the DD Form 1414 at the stated amount, as specifically addressed elsewhere in this report. 

COMMERCIAL CONTRACTING SOFTWARE

The Department of Defense procurement systems, including contract writing systems, are overly complicated, difficult to use, and 

do not leverage modern software found in the commercial marketplace which contributes to their inefficiencies. The Services continue to experience cost overruns and schedule delays as they attempt to update their systems. The Committee encourages the 

Service Secretaries to explore commercial solutions in order to 

identify efficiencies, improve quality, accelerate delivery times, and 

lower costs. 


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AUTONOMOUS MODELING AND SIMULATION

The Committee is keenly aware of the transformative potential 

of autonomous capabilities across the spectrum of warfare. However, the Committee assesses that the Department of Defense does 

not clearly characterize the full cost and utility of these systems. 

The Committee recommendation includes additional funding for 

the Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence Office to expand its capacity for virtual testing, evaluation, and simulation of autonomous 

platforms to ensure the development of a joint concept of operations. 

RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION, ARMY 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Army: 


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CYBERSPACE ELECTRO-MAGNETIC ACTIVITIES

Cyberspace Electro-Magnetic Activities (CEMA) exploit electronic 

warfare, cyber, and security capabilities to deliver information advantages in multi-domain operations. CEMA superiority will be 

critical in the next significant modern conflict. The Army appropriately invests in specialized CEMA research through several 

independent, program-associated lines of effort. However, the Army 

lacks a robust, centralized research line for advanced deep CEMA 

research for application broadly across Army platforms. As the 

Army pursues high priority modernization programs for integration 

through the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command 

System and Joint All-Domain Command and Control, dedicated 

CEMA research and development is critical. The Committee directs 

the Secretary of the Army to establish an additional research and 

development program element line in the fiscal year 2025 President’s budget request focused on broadly applicable advanced 

CEMA research. This line is not intended to consolidate or eliminate existing CEMA research, but rather to be additive and integrative in nature, unless the Secretary believes such consolidation 

becomes constructive. The Committee also directs the Secretary of 

the Army to brief the House and Senate Appropriations Committees on the Army’s plans and progress not later than 90 days after 

the enactment of this Act. 

CROWS–AHD

The Committee commends the Army for the successful implementation of the Acoustic Hailing Device (AHD) program which 

has provided military police and transportation security units with 

the ability to de-escalate dangerous situations, reduce both combatant and non-combatant casualties, and improve overall combat effectiveness across the full spectrum of conflict. Incorporating AHDs 

into existing Common Remotely Operated Weapon Stations 

(CROWS) is a logical extension of the current program and the 

Committee is encouraged by the progress that the Army has made 

in this effort. The Committee directs the Secretary of the Army to 

provide a briefing to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act, on 

the CROWS–AHD program with a focus on the acceleration of 

prototyping, testing, and fielding of this capability. 

RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION, NAVY 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy: 


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AUTOMATED TEST AND RE-TEST

The Committee remains supportive of the Navy’s use of Automated Test and Re-test (ATRT) technologies in support of several 

individual programs to improve the efficiency and quality of testing, analysis, and certification. ATRT is a critical, validated, and 

cost-effective technology that enables rapid insertion of capabilities 

to address emerging threats. However, the Committee is concerned 

that the Navy is not rapidly evaluating current and future acquisition programs for ATRT applicability. Therefore, the Committee 

recommendation includes a total of $120,000,000 to expand the use 

of ATRT technologies throughout the Navy enterprise. Further, the 

Committee again urges the Secretary of the Navy to budget for 

ATRT in future budget requests. 

LARGE DIAMETER UNMANNED UNDERSEA VEHICLES

The Committee recommendation includes $35,000,000 for the 

Navy to acquire commercially available large diameter unmanned 

undersea vehicle (LDUUV) test platforms, ancillary equipment, and 

support services that can rapidly integrate a broad range of payloads and sensors to serve as test beds for organizations and expedite the delivery of these capabilities to the fleet. The Secretary of 

the Navy should focus experimentation efforts on platforms that 

are commercially available, at a high technology readiness level, do 

not require submarines as host platforms to conduct operations, 

and possess mission-relevant range and endurance characteristics 

for the United States Indo-Pacific Command area of operations. 

Further, the platforms should be capable of operating at full ocean 

depth and be rapidly reconfigurable to enable a broad range of payload integration and fleet experimentation activities. 

RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION, AIR 

FORCE 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Air Force: 


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VANGUARDS

The Committee recognizes the valuable contributions made by 

the Department of the Air Force’s Science and Technology (S&T) 

community, in particular the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL). The 

Committee finds the Air Force has improved in its efforts to align 

fundamental research with urgent operational needs. The Air 

Force’s Vanguard programs, which share the Committee’s goals of 

rapid experimentation, problem identification, and fielding, have 

led to several programs of record that enable warfighting capabilities. However, the Committee has concerns with the current and 

future scope of the Vanguard programs. 

First, the time from operational need identification to fielding remains far too long given the modest advances in capability. Second, 

the Committee believes that the Air Force should focus its fiscal 

year 2024 efforts on the existing Vanguards and Vanguard Prospects. Due to the increase in the budget request for the Vanguards 

over the future years defense program, the Committee urges the 

Air Force to demonstrate how it can more rapidly transition current Vanguard Prospects to programs of record before it invests in 

the Pathfinders. Additionally, it is not clear that the Vanguards are 

sufficiently leveraging emerging technologies in the commercial 

sector. Lastly, the Committee is concerned that standard business 

operations in AFRL perpetuate the gap between the operators, 

acquirers, and the S&T workforce, limiting the military utility and 

speed of fielding. Understanding how AFRL is closing this gap is 

of key interest to the Committee. 

Therefore, the Committee recommends a reduction of 

$86,552,000 to the Vanguards and provides no funding for the 

Pathfinders. The Committee looks forward to continued updates on 

the fielding of the funded Vanguards and ways the Air Force is addressing the previously mentioned concerns. 

FIGHTER AIRCRAFT ENGINE DEVELOPMENT

In the fiscal year 2024 President’s budget request, the Air Force 

requested $254,685,000 for the F135 Engine Core Upgrade (ECU), 

$595,352,000 for the Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion (NGAP) 

program, and no additional funding for the Adaptive Engine Transition Program (AETP). The Committee recognizes that the independent cost assessment completed by the Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation found that fielding adaptive cycle 

engine technology on only the F–35A would drive unsustainable 

costs in future years for the Air Force. The Committee concurs with 

this finding and understands the Air Force has fully budgeted for 

ECU activities in fiscal year 2024 and the future years defense program. The Committee fully funds the request for F135 ECU to improve the F–35 engine program. 

Further, the Committee finds the business case analysis completed by the Joint Program Office and other analyses provided to 

the Committee to be incomplete in assessing whether the F135 engine will meet the expected thrust and thermal management capacity requirements. While the Committee assesses that the F135 engine may meet future needs with the planned upgrades, it also 

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craft is justified. NGAP, F135 ECU, and other programs that direct 

research to improve engine capabilities are required to ensure a robust industrial base and enable the Air Force’s fighter aircraft inventory during future conflict. The Committee supports increased 

funding for these programs in fiscal year 2024 but also believes 

that continuing the AETP program will mitigate risk for both 

adaptive cycle and future engine development programs. Therefore, the Committee recommendation provides $150,000,000 

to continue AETP in the Advanced Engine Development budget 

line to ensure coordinated design efforts with NGAP. The testing 

objectives for AETP shall align with funding provided in prior fiscal 

years and shall dually inform the enabling design for Next Generation Air Dominance capabilities. The Committee emphasizes that 

this increase is not intended to incentivize the Air Force, or any 

other Service, to create an alternative engine program for the F– 

35. Therefore, the Act includes a general provision that prohibits 

the use of funds to integrate an alternative engine on any F–35 aircraft. 

COLLABORATIVE COMBAT AIRCRAFT

The fiscal year 2024 President’s budget request includes $392,210,000 for Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). The Committee notes the significant growth projected for the program over 

the future years defense program. The Committee understands the 

proposed operational concepts of CCA and is encouraged by its codevelopment with the Next Generation Air Dominance program. 

The Committee notes with support the co-development efforts with 

allies and partners and believes these efforts should be continued 

and expanded where possible. While the Committee recommendation supports the funding request for fiscal year 2024, the Committee is concerned that CCA requires such a degree of concept refinement that it will unnecessarily delay the fielding of available 

technologies. The Committee looks forward to regular updates on 

CCA refinement and fielding, recognizing that the funds provided 

in fiscal year 2024 will, in part, be used for these purposes. 

The Committee directs the Secretary of the Air Force to submit 

to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, in coordination with the submission of the fiscal year 2025 President’s budget 

request, a detailed plan of how the Air Force intends to transition 

CCA concepts into an operational program of record, how it intends 

to mitigate developmental risk through the rapid fielding of existing technologies, what unit cost variances exist for attritable and 

expendable aircraft, ways to enhance co-development with allies 

and partners, how it is aligning autonomy or mitigating the lack 

thereof with its concept of operations, and a proposal for an acquisition strategy over the future years defense program. 

TANKER RECAPITALIZATION

The Air Force has revised its previous tanker recapitalization approach in favor of a reduced number of bridge aircraft and a more 

rapid transition to the Next Generation Air-Refueling System 

(NGAS). The Committee further notes that the fiscal year 2024 

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ment schedule. The Committee is concerned by the potential risk 

to tanker availability during the recapitalization, due to the aging 

nature of legacy aircraft in the fleet and the uncertain delivery 

date of NGAS, and the Committee reemphasizes its support of competition throughout all phases of tanker recapitalization. Therefore, 

the Committee directs the Secretary of the Air Force to submit a 

report to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, in coordination with the fiscal year 2025 President’s budget request, 

that includes a detailed 10-year schedule for the recapitalization of 

the tanker fleet, planned tanker aircraft divestitures over that 

same period, and a risk assessment of a reduced bridge tanker procurement prior to the delivery of NGAS. 

RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION, 

SPACE FORCE 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Space Force: 


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SPACE FORCE ACQUISITION

The fiscal year 2024 President’s budget request for the Space 

Force is $30,197,634,000, an increase of $3,907,806,000 or 15 percent over last year’s enacted level, continuing a trend of doubledigit growth over the past several years. The request also adds a 

total of $16,080,860,000 through fiscal year 2027 compared to last 

year’s projection over the same period. 

However, despite these significant increases, the budget request 

continues to include serious shortfalls and disconnects. The Space 

Force does not fully fund several core programs in the five-year 

budget projection, including the Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared ground program known as FORGE, the Deep Space 

Advanced Radar Capability site 1, and Global Positioning System 

(GPS) User Equipment Increment 2. None of these programs are 

new, and all are core capabilities the Space Force says it must 

have. As such, the Committee expects that these programs, and 

any others in a similar situation, will be fully funded in the future 

years defense program submitted with the fiscal year 2025 budget 

request. Moreover, the Space Force should not count on continued 

double-digit topline budget increases to address future funding 

shortfalls or reduce acquisition risk. 

In addition, the Committee remains very concerned about programs the Space Force has reported as its poorest performing acquisition programs, including the GPS Next Generation Operational Control Segment (OCX). According to the Government Accountability Office, the total cost for OCX has grown from 

$4,005,000,000 to $6,939,000,000, which is 73 percent growth over 

the original estimate. Further, OCX is nearly seven years late and 

not yet delivered. This is unacceptable and demands senior leader 

attention to ensure the program has the appropriate resources to 

complete OCX development and deliver the capability as soon as 

possible. The Committee remains concerned by other poor performing programs including Space Command and Control, Family 

of Advanced Beyond-line-of-site Terminals, Military GPS User 

Equipment Increment 1, and Enterprise Ground Services. 

The Committee supports efforts by Space Force acquisition leaders to improve management rigor and accountability for delivering 

programs on schedule and within budget, and to pay particular attention to corrective actions on poorly performing programs. The 

Committee expects more frequent and timely updates on troubled 

programs and directs the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for 

Space Acquisition and Integration to provide the House and Senate 

Appropriations Committees a detailed programmatic update at the 

beginning of each quarter of the fiscal year on the status of corrective actions for each of its poorest performing programs. 

NUCLEAR COMMAND, CONTROL, AND COMMUNICATIONS

The Space Force fiscal year 2024 President’s budget request proposes to cancel the third geosynchronous spacecraft (GEO–3) in the 

Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) program. 

The Next Generation OPIR program is a critical component of the 

Strategic Missile Warning and Nuclear Command, Control, and 

Communications (NC3) enterprise. The Committee is troubled by 


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the lack of analysis to support the proposal to cancel the GEO–3 

spacecraft, especially given its importance to the NC3 mission. The 

Committee understands the Space Force is pivoting to more resilient, proliferated space architectures, and strongly supports those 

initiatives. Yet the Department of Defense has not addressed how 

these new architectures will meet the NC3 mission needs, and if 

not, how the NC3 mission needs will be met after the Next Generation OPIR program. 

Therefore, the Committee directs the Commander, United States 

Strategic Command, as the lead for the NC3 Enterprise Center, in 

coordination with the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition 

and Sustainment, as the NC3 capability portfolio manager, and the 

Chief of Space Operations to submit a report to the congressional 

defense committees, not later than 90 days after the enactment of 

this Act, with an analysis and assessment of the impacts to the 

NC3 mission of eliminating the GEO–3 spacecraft. The report shall 

also address the feasibility of modifying or tailoring the NC3 community’s requirements and certification processes for future space 

systems that meets the needs and intent of the NC3 mission while 

taking into consideration the proliferation of spacecraft and diversity of orbits proposed in the Space Force’s plans. The Committee 

directs that the Space Force may not obligate more than 90 percent 

of the fiscal year 2024 funds appropriated for the Resilient Missile 

Warning-Missile Tracking Medium-Earth Orbit program (PE 

1206447SF) until the report is delivered to the congressional defense committees. 

Further, the Committee directs the Secretary of the Air Force to 

continue to provide quarterly briefings on the status of its missile 

warning-related programs including both the Next Generation 

OPIR program and the Resilient Missile Warning-Missile Tracking 

program as an integrated set of programs. 

RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION, 

DEFENSE-WIDE 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-Wide: 


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PEOPLE: THE NON-TRADITIONAL INNOVATION FIELDING ENTERPRISE

The Committee commends the Secretary of Defense on the announcement of a new Director of the Defense Innovation Unit 

(DIU) and elevation of the role reporting directly to the Secretary. 

Given mounting global security risks, the Department must do 

more to mobilize a broader industrial base. This DIU transition 

provides a timely milestone to deliberately create a hedge portfolio 

to these risks and focus and enable organizations capable of executing that hedge strategy. This portfolio is a hedge against growing and innate tactical and logistical risks to current weapon systems, as well as a hedge against industrial base risk, given lack of 

capacity and diversity. The development of non-traditional sources 

and non-traditional solutions are essential to this hedge, and it will 

require intentionally taking calculated risks to incentivize positive 

deliberate accelerated change. If properly executed, this hedge has 

the potential to reduce the taxpayer’s burden by leveraging private 

capital, expand America’s economic advantage by accelerating 

emerging technology, and broaden the pool of talent supporting national defense. 

Therefore, the Committee directs the Service Secretaries to provide a brief to the congressional defense committees, not later than 

60 days after the enactment of this Act, identifying one Servicelevel Non-traditional Innovation Fielding Enterprise (NIFE) lead, 

per Service, with proven competence in partnering with non-traditional industry and investors, and provide a plan that ensures the 

Service NIFE has proper leadership, multi-disciplinary and high 

performing staff, funding, authorities, reporting, and consolidated 

structures to avoid dilution of effort and confusion among stakeholders. Further, the Committee directs the DIU Director to submit 

a report to the congressional defense committees not later than 90 

days after the enactment of this Act. The report shall detail the organize, train, and equip support for DIU, to include staffing, hiring 

speed, physical and digital infrastructure, functional support, authorities, security, budgeting processes, and any other information 

deemed relevant. Further, the Committee directs the DIU Director 

to submit a report to the congressional defense committees, not 

later than 120 days after the enactment of this Act, providing similar details on the support for each Service NIFE. 

PORTFOLIO: DEFINING AND RESOURCING A HEDGE

The Committee recommendation includes $1,033,064,000, approximately one tenth of one percent of the fiscal year 2024 President’s budget request, to begin deliberately fielding a hedge portfolio within one to three years. This hedge portfolio of many smart, 

affordable, modular, and sustainable systems could include, but is 

not limited to, low-cost, light-logistics multi-domain drones, satellites, and munitions; agile communications, compute, and sensor 

nodes; and artificial intelligence agents and users. It could create 

asymmetric advantage to support combatant command operational 

challenges like contested logistics, electronic warfare, resilient communications, Joint All-Domain Command and Control, and weapon 

and platform capacity. The Committee directs execution of these 

funds by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), supported by Service 


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Non-traditional Innovation Fielding Enterprises (NIFEs), and in cooperation with the Joint Staff and combatant commands. These 

funds should mature fielding models like Task Force 59 and propagate acquisition models like AFWERX Prime to the joint community, accelerating military relevant technologies with external capital and talent by using the Department’s unique ability to reduce 

technical, regulatory, and financial risks in emerging technology 

sectors. Collaboration might be facilitated through an advisory 

board composed of those organizations as well as the Chief Digital 

and Artificial Intelligence Officer and the Director of the Office of 

Strategic Capital. Participation by Service laboratories and program executive offices is encouraged, and those organizations could 

compete for funding through the Service NIFE. Service funding 

execution targets should align to overall Service budget percentages, and projects should be focused on novel concepts of employment in support of the Joint Warfighting Concept. 

Further, the Committee directs the DIU Director, in coordination 

with the Joint Staff and Service NIFEs, to submit a report to the 

congressional defense committees not later than 90 days after the 

enactment of this Act. The report shall include an acquisition strategy and spend plan to field a hedge portfolio with ten candidate 

projects to the combatant commands, supported by service NIFEs. 

It shall also identify cost, schedule, performance, risk, and other 

potential authorities needed to accelerate fielding in one to three 

years. 

PROCESSES: SPEED, NEXUS, AND AGILE REQUIREMENTS

With a focus on speed, the Non-traditional Innovation Fielding 

Enterprise (NIFE) will bring together the nexus of best practices 

identified in the last several years of defense innovation. These 

designated Nexus fielding projects will begin with a problem statement and will iteratively mature requirements while developing 

software and hardware for fielding at scale within three years 

using small teams of warfighters, acquirers, and technologists. 

Some of these projects will come from Service and Joint Staff collaboration to compete for funding. Additionally, the Committee recommends $220,000,000 for the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to 

provide direct support to the combatant commands to accelerate 

fielding of capabilities from this hedge portfolio. In many instances 

early, yet operationally relevant, versions of this portfolio can be 

rapidly adopted for use by a combatant command, potentially by 

using service contracts. This approach could allow accelerated and 

agile requirements development, simultaneously driving concept innovation with technology innovation. It enables a structure for software and hardware acquisition refresh rates for deterrence in 

peacetime, but more importantly it builds the right team for rapid 

refresh rates that outpace the adversary in wartime. An agile approach of experiment, exercise, and deploy low-rate production, potentially as a service, allows developers refining the technology to 

work beside the operators refining the doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership, personnel, facilities, and policies for accelerated adoption. Finally, this model expedites acquisition decision 

cycles with earlier insights into cost, capability, and capacity, 

which is often difficult for emerging technologies. 


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In addition to any reports required by section 8056 of this Act, 

the Committee directs the DIU Director to submit a quarterly report for ongoing and new projects including project descriptions; 

milestones; risks; obligations and expenditures; planned acquisition 

and transition strategy; Service, combatant command, and interagency involvement; program estimated annual and total cost; current and future cost sharing options with other government organizations, investors, or industry; opportunities for building international partner capacity; and intended impact to United States 

and adversary operations plans with supporting operations analysis. 

PRACTICES: FLEXIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY

The metric for success is speed to fielding affordable, operationally relevant capability. Increased warfighter flexibility and better 

congressional oversight are possible using modern business practices. Of the recommended Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) funding, 

$649,785,000 is allocated to budget activity eight, the Software and 

Digital Technology Pilot, detailed in this Act for agile research, development, test and evaluation, procurement, production, modification, and operation and maintenance. To minimize the reporting 

burden, optimize insights, and accelerate decisions, the Committee 

directs the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer (CDAO), 

in coordination with the DIU Director, to submit a report to the 

congressional defense committees, not later than 60 days after the 

enactment of this Act, on a development, data, and deployment 

strategy of an appropriately secure web interface that can provide 

access to data described for DIU project reporting to the congressional defense committees. It will also have a modern workflow 

interface for rapid approval and archiving of decisions. Further, the 

effort will explore continuous metadata tagging for decisions and 

transactions to provide more timely and granular insights into the 

execution of budget activity eight funding to properly assess the 

value of expanding its use. The recommendation includes a program increase of $50,000,000 to CDAO in support of this management innovation pilot and other activities. The Committee directs 

the CDAO, in coordination with the DIU Director, to submit a report to the congressional defense committees not later than one 

year after the enactment of this Act. The report shall include 

progress on data sharing, metrics on the use of budget activity 

eight, recommendations on data interfaces, needed resources, and 

potential further use of budget activity eight. 

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

The Committee applauds the Department of Defense’s establishment of the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO) 

to create the foundation for analytics, data, and AI-enabled capabilities to be developed and fielded at scale. In many instances, the 

Committee recommends transfers to help drive a more integrated 

development of enterprise solutions. The Committee looks forward 

to seeing broad collaboration with CDAO across the Department to 

help accelerate digital transformation. However, unclear roles and 

responsibilities are a potential risk to this success. Therefore, the 

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cer, in coordination with the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, the Undersecretary of Defense for Research 

and Engineering, the Undersecretary of Defense (Comptroller), the 

Chief Information Officer, the Director of Operational Test and 

Evaluation, and the Director of the Defense Innovation Unit, to 

submit a report to the congressional defense committees not later 

than 120 days after the enactment of this Act. The report shall detail delineations and coordination to facilitate efficiency and expedited adoption of Joint All-Domain Command and Control, advanced digital business practices, due diligence for foreign influence 

among industry and academia seeking or receiving Department 

funding, metrics tracking to accelerate funding apportionment and 

distribution, analytics to support operations and investment decisions, and digital engineering and testing. 

Further, the Committee directs the Chief Information Officer to 

submit a report to the congressional defense committees, not later 

than 120 days after the enactment of this Act, detailing opportunities to streamline the Authority to Operate process to accelerate secure adoption of advance software. 

Finally, the Committee directs the Service Chiefs, in coordination 

with the Federal Aviation Administrator, to submit a report, not 

later than 120 days after the enactment of this Act, on a collaborative path to digital airworthiness and aircraft certification, as 

well as opportunities for resource sharing and reciprocity to create 

government efficiencies and accelerated safe adoption of advanced 

aircraft using digital practices. 

DIGITAL TOOLS FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT

The Committee is grateful for the leadership provided by the 

Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. The establishment of the Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve and the 

Pilot Program to Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies have been key drivers in advancing 

warfighting capabilities. While there have been great strides, opportunities remain to more effectively harness data and digital infrastructure to support defense science and technology (S&T) investment and drive rapid transition. Over the last several years 

there have been key trends that have broadened the number of 

participants in defense S&T. Commercial technologies with military applications have become widely available, and the Committee 

appreciates the efforts to put non-traditional companies on contract 

more rapidly. 

The result is a vast pool of technologies and technology providers, 

as well as many more warfighters directly engaged in technology 

adoption. The challenge is that in a very short time, the number 

of participants in the Department’s S&T activities has quickly 

grown. It was once easily managed by a small number of participants in a more hierarchical structure with the Service labs and 

the Office of the Secretary of Defense, but it has quickly expanded 

to include anyone in the Department who wants to start an innovation project and any start-up with a small business contract. Unfortunately, adoption of digital tools to harness the energy of this 

broad pool of innovation has not kept up, undermining transition 

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Therefore, the Committee directs the Under Secretary of Defense 

for Research and Engineering, in coordination with the Chief Data 

and Artificial Intelligence Officer and the Director of the Defense 

Innovation Unit, to submit a report to the congressional defense 

committees not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act. 

The report shall address cost, schedule, performance, and risk in 

developing and adopting a digital environment across the Department, at multiple classification levels, to identify and categorize defense technologies, technologists, acquirers, users, and companies 

in a way that minimizes redundant investment and maximizes collaboration for accelerated fielding. 

OFFICE OF STRATEGIC CAPITAL

The Committee commends the Secretary of Defense on the announcement of the new Office of Strategic Capital. It is essential 

that the United States deliberately expand the tools to effectively 

compete in the current global technology race. To that end, the 

Committee directs the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with 

the heads of other federal agencies, to submit a report to the congressional defense committees not later than 120 days after the enactment of this Act. The report shall address the successes since 

the establishment of the office, opportunities for additional strategic capital tools, and other needed resources or authorities that 

could drive greater impact. 

ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY

Advanced Air Mobility represents a critical sector in technological competition as it accelerates key capabilities in autonomy, 

advanced manufacturing, and novel propulsion. The Committee 

congratulates the Department of Defense on last year’s notable 

milestones in each Service in Advanced Air Mobility, but there is 

still risk of losing a competitive advantage in this sector. Therefore, 

the Committee directs the Secretary of Defense, in coordination 

with the Secretary of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administrator, and the Service Secretaries to submit a report to the congressional defense committees not later than 180 days after the enactment of this Act. The report shall address opportunities for joint 

and interagency collaboration to bolster the Advanced Air Mobility 

industrial base and accelerate fielding to support warfighting 

needs. The report shall describe efforts to ensure closer interagency 

collaboration on airworthiness, pilot, and safety standards; the potential for developing modular cargo standards for improved logistics interoperability; and alterations to Department of Defense Directive 4500.56 to create opportunities for early fielding and broad 

use of these aircraft in the National Capitol Region for logistics efficiencies. 

MICROREACTORS FOR NATURAL DISASTER RESPONSE EFFORTS

The Committee encourages the Under Secretary of Defense for 

Research and Engineering to coordinate with the Under Secretary, 

Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans of the Department of Homeland Security, and the Under Secretary of Energy for Infrastructure to develop a national strategy to utilize nuclear microreactors 


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currently under development by the Department of Defense for natural disaster response efforts. 

PER- AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES

The Committee recognizes that widely used Per- and 

Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) chemicals are the cause of significant health, environment, and safety concerns. However, the 

Committee recognizes the uses of PFAS in a range of materials 

that are components of weapons, communication, and aerospace 

systems. One such example is microelectronics, which currently require PFAS chemicals in the manufacturing process. The Committee is concerned there are no alternative sources, and directs 

the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to the congressional defense committees, not later than 120 days after the enactment of 

this Act, based on its PFAS critical uses report, to coordinate with 

relevant agencies, industry, and academia to research alternatives 

to these critical PFAS uses and submit that report. The plan shall 

include a scientific evaluation and review of key technical standards for PFAS critical materials to ensure that the standards are 

effective, accurately represent the desired performance outcomes, 

and ensure that viable PFAS-free alternatives are not artificially 

excluded. The Committee also encourages the Secretary of Defense 

to commission a study from the National Academies on PFAS essential uses and alternatives. 

BIOTECHNOLOGY MANUFACTURING INSTITUTES

The Committee recognizes potential opportunities to mitigate 

supply chain risks and to create affordable and novel new materials by using biomanufacturing. The Committee continues to support the development of a network of bioindustrial manufacturing 

facilities to conduct research and development to improve the ability of the industrial base to assess, validate, and scale new, innovative bioindustrial manufacturing processes for the production of 

chemicals, materials, and other products necessary to support national security, such as melanin used for hypersonics heat shielding. The Committee recommendation includes $100,000,000 for the 

Biotechnology Manufacturing Institutes and expects these efforts to 

be focused on warfighter needs and the defense industrial base. 

The Committee directs the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering to provide a briefing on this effort to the 

congressional defense committees not later than 120 days after the 

enactment of this Act. The brief shall contain details on the biomanufacturing strategic plan, a list of defense-specific technologies 

being targeted and addressed, and a complete funding profile of the 

effort. Additionally, the Committee directs the Under Secretary of 

Defense for Research and Engineering to submit a spend plan to 

the House and Senate Appropriations Committees not later than 

30 days prior to obligation of these funds. 

ALTERNATIVE BATTERY CHEMISTRY

The Committee is concerned by the dependence on offshore 

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ficient effort to reduce the growing risk to this critical supply 

chain. Therefore, the Committee directs the Deputy Secretary of 

Defense to provide a brief to the congressional defense committees, 

not later than 120 days after the enactment of this Act, on potential alternatives or advanced battery chemistries to address strategic vulnerabilities, an assessment of the security risk associated 

with the sourcing of raw and processed materials from outside the 

United States, and a Department-wide plan to address these 

vulnerabilities. 

OPERATIONAL TEST AND EVALUATION, DEFENSE 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 

Operational Test and Evaluation, Defense: 

EXPLANATION OF PROJECT LEVEL ADJUSTMENTS 

[In thousands of dollars] 

Budget 

Request 

Committee 

Recommended 

Change from 

Request 

OPERATIONAL TEST AND EVALUATION ............................................................. 169,544 139,544 ¥30,000 

Transfer to RDTE,DW line 124 ............................................................... ¥25,000 

Transfer to RDTE,DW line 130 ............................................................... ¥5,000 

LIVE FIRE TESTING .......................................................................................... 103,252 103,252 0 

OPERATIONAL TEST ACTIVITIES AND ANALYSIS ............................................... 58,693 42,648 ¥16,045 

Inadequate justification ......................................................................... ¥16,045 

TOTAL, OPERATIONAL TEST & EVALUATION, DEFENSE .................. 331,489 285,444 ¥46,045 


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TITLE V 

REVOLVING AND MANAGEMENT FUNDS 

DEFENSE WORKING CAPITAL FUNDS 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for the 

Defense Working Capital Funds accounts: 

EXPLANATION OF PROJECT LEVEL ADJUSTMENTS 

[In thousands of dollars] 

Budget 

Request 

Committee 

Recommended 

Change from 

Request 

WORKING CAPITAL FUND, ARMY ..................................................................... 29,213 29,213 0 

WORKING CAPITAL FUND, AIR FORCE ............................................................. 83,587 83,587 0 

WORKING CAPITAL FUND, DEFENSE-WIDE ....................................................... 114,667 106,367 ¥8,300 

Unjustified request ................................................................................ ¥8,300 

DEFENSE WORKING CAPITAL FUND, DECA ...................................................... 1,447,612 1,447,612 0 

TOTAL, DEFENSE WORKING CAPITAL FUNDS ................................. 1,675,079 1,666,779 ¥8,300 

NATIONAL DEFENSE STOCKPILE TRANSACTION FUND 

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $7,629,000 for 

the National Defense Stockpile Transaction Fund. 


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TITLE VI 

OTHER DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PROGRAMS 

DEFENSE HEALTH PROGRAM 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for the 

Defense Health Program: 


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REPROGRAMMING GUIDANCE FOR THE DEFENSE HEALTH PROGRAM

The Act includes a provision which caps the funds available for 

Private Sector Care under the TRICARE program subject to prior 

approval reprogramming procedures. The provision and accompanying report language should not be interpreted as limiting the 

amount of funds that may be transferred to the In-House Care 

budget sub-activity from other budget sub-activities within the Defense Health Program. In addition, funding for the In-House Care 

and Private Sector Care budget sub-activities are designated as 

congressional special interest items. Any transfer of funds in excess 

of $10,000,000 into or out of these sub-activities requires the Secretary of Defense to follow prior approval reprogramming procedures for operation and maintenance funds. 

The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to provide written notification to the congressional defense committees of cumulative transfers in excess of $10,000,000 out of the Private Sector 

Care budget sub-activity not later than 15 days after such a transfer. Furthermore, the Committee directs the Secretary of Defense 

to submit a report to the congressional defense committees, not 

later than 30 days after the enactment of this Act, that delineates 

transfers of funds, and the dates any transfers occurred, from the 

Private Sector Care budget sub-activity to any other budget sub-activity. 

Additionally, the Committee is increasingly concerned by the 

repurposing of Facilities Sustainment, Restoration and Modernization (FSRM) funding throughout the fiscal year. Deferring FSRM 

projects in favor of more immediate needs of the Defense Health 

Program may seem prudent at the time but comes with costly, severe, and enduring ramifications for servicemembers and beneficiaries. For this reason, the Committee directs the Secretary of 

Defense to provide written notification to the congressional defense 

committees of cumulative transfers in excess of $10,000,000 out of 

the Base Operations and Communications budget sub-activity not 

later than 15 days after such a transfer. 

The Committee further directs the Assistant Secretary of Defense 

for Health Affairs to provide quarterly briefings to the congressional defense committees, not later than 30 days after the end of 

each fiscal quarter, on budget execution data for all Defense Health 

Program budget activities, and to adequately reflect changes to the 

budget activities requested by the Services in future budget submissions. These reports shall also be provided to the Government 

Accountability Office. 

CARRYOVER

For fiscal year 2024, the Committee recommends one percent carryover authority for the operation and maintenance account of the 

Defense Health Program. The Committee directs the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs to submit a detailed spending 

plan for any fiscal year 2023 designated carryover funds to the congressional defense committees not less than 30 days prior to executing the carryover funds. 


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MEDICAL RESEARCH

Beginning in fiscal year 2023, most medical research conducted 

by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command will 

transition to the Defense Health Agency Research and Development organization. The Committee continues to monitor the transition of medical research assets and funding closely to ensure that 

core medical research funding is responsive to the needs of 

servicemembers. Additionally, the Committee recommendation for 

fiscal year 2024 includes $1,154,000,000 for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) to fund high-risk, 

high-reward medical research. The Committee directs the Assistant 

Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs to submit to the House and 

Senate Appropriations Committees a request for prior approval for 

any changes in management structure; functional alignment; or the 

two-tiered, peer-reviewed process proposed for the CDMRP program, not less than 30 days prior to any proposed changes taking 

place. 

Additionally, the Committee is aware of the use of agile contracting methods, such as other transaction agreements, that may 

help mitigate the impacts on medical readiness through public-private partnerships and encourages the Department to continue to 

leverage these mechanisms to ensure expeditious delivery of medical solutions. 

PEER–REVIEWED SPINAL CORD RESEARCH PROGRAM

The Committee commends the Department of Defense for its ongoing work to expand technologies for improving outcomes following spinal cord injury and for the creation of the clinical translation research award. Preclinical research shows great promise for 

creating neuroplasticity to promote recovery of function. The Committee encourages the Director of the Congressionally Directed 

Medical Research Programs to support neuroplasticity projects 

with clear scientific merit and direct relevance to military populations as part of the peer-reviewed spinal cord research program. 

PEER–REVIEWED CANCER RESEARCH PROGRAM

The Committee recommends $150,000,000 for the peer-reviewed 

breast cancer research program, $110,000,000 for the peer-reviewed 

prostate cancer research program, $45,000,000 for the peer-reviewed ovarian cancer research program, $50,000,000 for the peerreviewed kidney cancer research program, $25,000,000 for the peerreviewed lung cancer research program, $40,000,000 for the peerreviewed melanoma research program, $15,000,000 for the peer-reviewed pancreatic cancer research program, $17,500,000 for the 

peer-reviewed rare cancer research program, and $130,000,000 for 

the peer-reviewed cancer research program that would research 

cancers not addressed in the aforementioned programs currently 

executed by the Department of Defense. 

The funds provided in the peer-reviewed cancer research program are directed to be used to conduct research in the following 

areas: bladder cancer; blood cancers; brain cancer, including glioblastoma; colorectal cancer; endometrial cancer; esophageal cancer; 

germ cell cancers; liver cancer; lymphoma; metastatic cancers; 


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myeloma; neuroblastoma; pediatric brain tumors; pediatric, adolescent, and young adult cancers; sarcoma; stomach cancer; and thyroid cancer. The inclusion of the individual rare cancer research 

program shall not prohibit the peer-reviewed cancer research program from funding the previously mentioned cancers or cancer 

subtypes that may be rare by definition. 

The funds provided under the peer-reviewed cancer research program shall be used only for the purposes listed above. The Committee directs the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs 

to submit a report, not later than 180 days after the enactment of 

this Act, to the congressional defense committees on the status of 

the peer-reviewed cancer research program. For each research 

area, the report shall include the funding amount awarded, the 

progress of the research, and the relevance of the research to 

servicemembers and their families. 

The Committee commends the Department of Defense for ensuring that projects funded through the various peer-reviewed cancer 

research programs maintain a focus on issues of significance to 

military populations and the warfighter. This includes promoting 

collaborative research proposals between Department of Defense 

researchers and non-military research institutions. These collaborations leverage the knowledge, infrastructure, and access to clinical 

populations that the partners bring to the research effort. Additionally, promoting these collaborations provides a valuable recruitment and retention incentive for military medical and research personnel. The Committee encourages the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs to continue to emphasize the importance 

of these collaborations between military and non-military researchers throughout the peer-review process. 

METASTATIC CANCER RESEARCH

While existing research shows there is a genetic basis for susceptibility to metastatic cancer or resistance to metastasis, the Committee believes more research and data are required to develop a 

comprehensive understanding of this complex process. Clinical 

trials are an important aspect of that process, and a diverse representation of patients in clinical trials is integral to the development of medications and therapies that effectively treat disease. In 

fiscal year 2023, the Committee directed the Assistant Secretary of 

Defense for Health Affairs to provide an update on the progress of 

implementing outstanding recommendations from the April 2018 

Task Force Report to Congress on Metastatic Cancer and looks forward to the release of the report to continue to advance and support the work. The Committee encourages the Director of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs to continue to 

partner with outside experts and other federal agencies to implement the outstanding recommendation from the April 2018 Task 

Force Report to Congress on Metastatic Cancer concerning diverse 

enrollment in clinical trials. The Committee also encourages the 

Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs to implement the 

recommendations to inform patients about risk factors for metastasis, increase cancer patient awareness of healthcare resources, 

and create standardized survivorship care plans for patients with 

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comes for these patients. The Committee remains interested in 

areas where assistance from other federal agencies is required to 

fully implement the recommendations of the Task Force’s report. 

JOINT WARFIGHTER MEDICAL RESEARCH PROGRAM

The Committee recommendation includes $20,000,000 for the 

continuation of the joint warfighter medical research program. The 

funding shall be used to augment and accelerate high priority Department of Defense and Service medical requirements and to continue prior year initiatives that are close to achieving their objectives and yielding a benefit to military medicine. The funding shall 

not be used for new projects nor for basic research, and it shall be 

awarded at the discretion of the Secretary of Defense following a 

review of medical research and development gaps as well as 

unfinanced medical requirements of the Services. Further, the 

Committee directs the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health 

Affairs to submit a report, not later than 180 days after the enactment of this Act, to the congressional defense committees that lists 

the projects that receive funding. The report should include the 

funding amount awarded to each project, a thorough description of 

each project’s research, and the benefit the research will provide to 

the Department of Defense. 

COMBAT READINESS MEDICAL RESEARCH PROGRAM

The Committee recommendation includes $5,000,000 for the 

Combat Readiness Medical Research program. The program should 

focus on medical needs of the warfighter on the battlefield, specifically including research to improve care during the ‘‘golden hour’’ 

for servicemembers with life-threatening injuries, battlefield 

diagnostics, and medical threats and treatments for warfighters deployed around the world. 

The Committee expects the Assistant Secretary of Defense for 

Health Affairs to identify current gaps in medical planning and resources, consider medical capabilities that may mitigate fatalities, 

enhance battlefield diagnostics, and identify solutions for life 

threatening complications after battlefield injury. 

The funding in the Combat Readiness Medical Research program 

should be used for freeze dried plasma and platelets; purified 

exosomal product to treat battlefield orthopedic injuries; battlefield 

wound care technologies, including therapies and devices; dietary 

interventions and non-invasive brain stimulation in support of 

post-traumatic stress disorder; hydrocephalus research; hemorrhage field care; medical simulation technology; sleep disorders; 

eating disorders; Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; sarcoidosis; combat medical skills sustainment training; 

highly infectious disease treatment and transport; telemedicine; 

Valley Fever; antibiotic susceptibility test development; TBI biomarkers; blast sensor technology; and infectious diseases. 

Additionally, future contested environments and multi-domain 

operational scenarios will require new solutions and advanced 

blood products to care for casualties for prolonged periods of time. 

The Committee encourages the Director of the Defense Health 

Agency to explore the benefits of on-demand blood and other blood 


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solutions that could be used to address battlefield trauma in a safe, 

effective, and logistically feasible way. 

PEER–REVIEWED TOXIC EXPOSURES RESEARCH PROGRAM

The Committee is concerned by the number of known and unknown toxins servicemembers are exposed to as part of their military service. The Committee remains committed to veterans affected by Gulf War Illness and acknowledges a commonality between this community and others exposed to substances, including 

burn pit exposure, that result in multiple, diverse symptoms and 

health abnormalities. Therefore, the Committee recommends 

$30,000,000 for the peer-reviewed toxic exposures research program. The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs is directed to select research projects of clear scientific merit and direct 

relevance to military exposures to toxic substances, including toxic 

industrial chemicals, materials, metals, and minerals. The inclusion of the toxic exposures research program shall not prohibit research in any other congressionally directed research program that 

may be associated with conditions or health abnormalities linked 

to toxic exposures. 

As with other research programs, the Committee expects projects 

funded through the peer-reviewed toxic exposures research program to maintain a focus on issues of significance to military populations and the warfighter and that the program shall promote collaborative research proposals between Department of Defense researchers and non-military research institutions. 

NEXT–GENERATION VIRAL VECTORS

The Committee recognizes the importance of having robust vaccine platforms to mitigate disease non-battle injuries and preserve 

servicemember medical readiness. The Committee understands 

that next-generation vectors derived from rhabdoviruses offer 

promising opportunities to support servicemember health and readiness. Vaccine formulations based on rhabdoviral vectors are 

known to be stable and can offer lasting protection with a single 

dose. As such, the Committee encourages the Director of the Defense Health Agency (DHA) to explore the development of 

rhabdoviral vaccines. 

RAPID DEPLOYABLE SYNTHETIC VACCINE DEVELOPMENT

The Committee notes the significant advancements in vaccine development and the need to rapidly distribute countermeasures to 

combat infectious diseases and virus variants when required for 

the protection of military personnel worldwide. The Committee encourages the Director of the Defense Health Agency and Director 

of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs to continue exploring the research and development of low cost, single 

dose, and highly scalable synthetic peptide vaccines that allow for 

rapid deployment to military personnel. 

NUCLEAR MEDICINE

The Committee is encouraged by innovation in the field of nuclear medicine research and the potential of precision medicine 


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through the use of novel diagnostic imaging and targeted radiotherapy. To enhance the development of precision imaging and advanced targeted therapies while creating medical and economic efficiencies, the Committee encourages the Director of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs to include nuclear 

medicine imaging and related techniques in descriptions of funding 

opportunities, where relevant, to support early diagnosis, enhance 

treatment, and improve outcomes for servicemembers and their 

families. 

NOVEL STRATEGIES TO PREVENT INFECTION IN SEVERE FRACTURES

The Committee is aware of emerging research and techniques to 

mitigate infections in servicemembers who suffer from severe fractures, especially, those serving in special operations, airborne operations, air assault operations, military freefall operations, and 

mountain warfare operations. The Committee notes that preventing infections is critical to a servicemember’s recovery and return to duty, and therefore, the Committee directs the Assistant 

Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, in consultation with the 

Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, to provide a briefing to the congressional defense committees, not later 

than 180 days after the enactment of this Act, on the plan to utilize 

emerging research and techniques to prevent infection in 

servicemembers who suffer severe fractures. 

LONG COVID AND MYALGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS/CHRONIC FATIGUE

SYNDROME

The Committee continues to encourage the Secretary of Defense, 

through the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs and 

in conjunction with the Services’ Surgeons General, to conduct research on diagnostic testing, cures, and treatments of post-viral illness in military populations, specifically to address Long COVID 

and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/ 

CFS). 

MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES

The Committee understands servicemembers must often undergo 

orthopedic procedures and that musculoskeletal injuries account for 

a significant number of medical separations or retirements from 

military service. Given the importance of training for orthopedic 

procedures related to injuries to the knee, shoulder, and other extremities, the Committee encourages the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs to explore partnerships with medical professional societies that maintain best practices on arthroscopic surgery and techniques, and to ensure that military orthopedic health 

professionals are provided opportunities for related advanced surgical training. 

Further, the Committee notes additional research on the injury 

mitigation and performance needs of women who are at a high risk 

for sustaining musculoskeletal injuries could be beneficial for their 

health and retention. As such, the Committee urges the Director of 

the Defense Health Agency and Director of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs to support research into the 


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musculoskeletal issues faced by women serving in infantry and 

other combat roles. 

PEER–REVIEWED ARTHRITIS RESEARCH

The Committee is concerned by the detrimental impact of arthritis on servicemembers and notes its impact on retention. Therefore, 

the Committee recommendation includes $10,000,000 for the peerreviewed arthritis research program. Funding provided in the peerreviewed arthritis research program shall be used to conduct research on all forms of arthritis including osteoarthritis, 

posttraumatic arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Further, arthritis research shall not be provided for in other peer-reviewed research programs beginning in fiscal year 2024. The inclusion of the 

peer-reviewed arthritis research program shall not prohibit research in any other congressionally directed research program that 

may be associated with conditions or health abnormalities related 

to arthritis. 

CHIROPRACTIC CARE

The Committee believes that servicemembers can benefit from 

chiropractic care and encourages the Director of the Defense 

Health Agency to explore ways to expand access to chiropractic 

care across the Military Health System. 

ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS

The Committee continues to support the efforts the Department 

of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs have been undertaking with regard to electronic health records and the health 

record system. It is the Committee’s ongoing expectation that the 

Departments’ electronic health record systems will be interoperable 

with seamless compatibility. The Committee directs the Director of 

the Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization (FEHRM) program office to continue to submit quarterly reports on the progress 

of interoperability between the two Departments to the House and 

Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittees and the House and 

Senate Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittees. 

The Program Executive Officer of Defense Healthcare Management Systems (PEO DHMS), in conjunction with the Director of 

the FEHRM and the Director of the Defense Health Agency, is directed to submit quarterly reports to the congressional defense 

committees on the cost of the program, including any indirect costs 

funded outside of the DHMS Modernization Electronic Health 

Record program; and the schedule of the program, to include milestones, knowledge points, and acquisition timelines, and quarterly 

obligations. Further, the Committee directs the PEO DHMS to continue to brief the House and Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittees on a quarterly basis, coinciding with the report submission. 

The Department of Defense’s electronic health record system, 

MHS GENESIS, is expected to be fully deployed and enter 

sustainment in fiscal year 2024. The Committee expects the PEO 

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ing, and maintain support to users after each enhancement. Therefore, the Committee directs the PEO DHMS, within 60 days of enactment of this Act, to develop goals to improve user satisfaction, 

and begin measuring progress against those goals. The Committee 

directs the Comptroller General to continue quarterly performance 

reviews of MHS GENESIS with a focus on whether the program 

is meeting expected cost, schedule, scope, quality, and risk mitigation expectations, to include system enhancements, and expects the 

PEO DHMS will provide the Comptroller General regular and indepth access to the program to facilitate these reviews. 

MILITARY HEALTH SYSTEM REFORM: STRATEGY AND INTEGRATION

PLAN

The Committee remains concerned that reforms to the Military 

Health System (MHS), mandated by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, have been implemented in a manner that has resulted in a more fractured healthcare system for 

servicemembers and beneficiaries. Specifically, the Committee is 

concerned about continued issues in medical readiness, medical 

manpower, and access to care. In order to achieve a more unified 

medical enterprise and integrated healthcare system that best supports servicemembers and beneficiaries, the Committee directs the 

Secretary of Defense to develop a strategy to address deficiencies 

within the MHS enterprise and brief the congressional defense 

committees on the strategy not later than 180 days after the enactment of this Act. The strategy shall address MHS roles and responsibilities; operational and Military Treatment Facility staffing; Defense Health Agency organizational structure; the Services’ military medical manpower organizational structure; training and 

management of military and civilian medical personnel; the National Defense Strategy and Joint Medical Estimate; and 

resourcing requirements across the enterprise. The strategy should 

leverage insight from the MHS Executive Review. 

MILITARY MEDICAL MANPOWER

The Committee remains concerned that the Department’s handling of military medical billet reductions, in response to the reforms mandated by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, has negatively impacted access to quality healthcare 

services for servicemembers and beneficiaries. The Committee continues to direct the Services’ Surgeons General to submit vacancy 

rates by occupational code to the congressional defense committees 

on a monthly basis and further directs the Director of the Defense 

Health Agency (DHA) to submit vacancy rates among military and 

civilian medical personnel by location and specialty to the congressional defense committees on a quarterly basis. 

Further, the Committee is concerned by the understaffing of 

Military Treatment Facilities perpetuated by the current DHA 

market structure. In both rural and non-rural areas surrounding 

military installations, the restructuring of medical manpower and 

network inadequacies are negatively impacting regional access to 

care, particularly in areas deemed high risk and health shortage 

areas by the Department of Health and Human Services. Therefore, the Committee directs the Director of the DHA to submit a 


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report to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, not 

later than 60 days after the enactment of this Act, which shall provide recommendations on restructuring the DHA market structure, 

strengthening partnerships with community providers especially in 

rural areas, and reassigning personnel to address critical access to 

care issues in communities deemed high risk and health shortage 

areas. 

Additionally, the Committee acknowledges DHA’s difficulties in 

attracting and hiring qualified medical personnel, particularly 

nurses. The Committee believes that current hiring practices leave 

the Department at a disadvantage when recruiting personnel. The 

Committee directs the Director of the DHA to examine the hiring 

policies for nurses, related specifically to required professional experience, and provide a briefing to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, not later than 180 days after the enactment 

of this Act, describing potential solutions to this impediment and 

the feasibility of providing market directors greater hiring flexibility. 

MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND TRAINING

The Committee remains concerned about the shortage of current 

and prospective mental health care professionals, including social 

workers, clinical psychologists, and psychiatrists, for 

servicemembers and beneficiaries. To address the shortage across 

the Military Health System (MHS), the Committee urges the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, the Director of the 

Defense Health Agency, and the Services’ Surgeons General, to review the tools available to the Department of Defense to increase 

the number of mental health professionals it educates, trains, and 

hires. This review should consider how the Health Professions 

Scholarship Program and programming through Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) could be expanded 

to increase the number of mental health-related scholarships granted with the goal of increasing the pipeline of mental health providers. Further, the Committee encourages the Assistant Secretary 

of Defense for Health Affairs to revise regulations regarding employment of clinical psychologists to include those who graduate 

from programs accredited by the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System. 

Additionally, while professionals working in the MHS are accustomed to dealing with the special needs of those who have experienced combat, many civilian providers lack the clinical expertise to 

effectively treat many of these unique mental health conditions. 

The Committee encourages the Assistant Secretary of Defense for 

Health Affairs to leverage USUHS, in collaboration with leaders at 

the Department of Veterans Affairs, to develop a curriculum that 

could be accessed by civilian mental health students to broaden 

their knowledge, skills, and abilities that are necessary to evaluate 

and treat servicemembers, veterans, and military family members. 

NON–URGENT MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENTS

The Committee notes that many of the recommendations of the 

August 2020 Department of Defense Inspector General Evaluation 

of Access to Mental Health Care in the Department of Defense are 


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resolved but remain open or are pending further review. Therefore, 

the Committee directs the Director of the Defense Health Agency 

(DHA) to provide an updated briefing to the congressional defense 

committees, not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act, 

on the status of implementing the recommendations. In particular, 

the Committee is interested in DHA’s development of a standard 

definition and required elements for an initial non-urgent mental 

health assessment and a way to track whether the assessment is 

completed, in either a primary care or a specialty mental health 

clinic within the 7-day standard. The briefing shall also include resource requirements that may be necessary to accomplish implementation of the Inspector General’s recommendations. 

NATIONAL INTREPID CENTER OF EXCELLENCE

As servicemembers and veterans continue to face higher rates of 

brain trauma than the civilian population, it is imperative that 

agencies continue to collaborate to study neurological conditions. 

The Committee recognizes the high-quality mental health care and 

neurological research conducted at the Centers of Excellence for 

Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, and encourages 

the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs to leverage 

the tremendous efforts of the National Intrepid Center of Excellence to expand its work and share best practices with the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Committee also applauds the partnership across the Military Health System Centers of Excellence 

and encourages the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs to streamline and standardize operating procedures and collaboration guidelines across locations. 

PHARMACEUTICAL SUPPLY CHAIN

The Committee remains concerned with the Department of Defense’s reliance on foreign suppliers in the pharmaceutical supply 

chain. The Committee believes the Department should ensure 

medication supply stability for deploying units and servicemembers 

in the event of a contingency or supply chain disruption. Moreover, 

the Defense Health Agency (DHA) should understand the quantity 

of critical pharmaceuticals needed for routine operations at Military Treatment Facilities and develop a plan on allocating these resources in case of disruption. The Committee anticipates the Department’s response to House Report 117–118, which requires a report by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) on the feasibility and 

estimated cost of expanding the Warstopper program, as well as solutions to mitigate pharmaceutical supply chain shortages. The 

Committee encourages the Director of the DHA and the Director of 

DLA to continue collaboration on these issues and ensure domestic 

sourcing of ingredients and production of pharmaceuticals where 

deemed appropriate. 

COMMUNITY PHARMACIES

The Committee is concerned that military families may have lost 

benefits at certain community pharmacies as a result of the Department of Defense’s transition to the TRICARE 5th Generation 

Pharmacy Contract. Therefore, the Committee directs the Assistant 


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Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs to provide a briefing to the 

congressional defense committees, not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act, on the reimbursement model for community 

pharmacies, efforts to ensure that the TRICARE pharmacy contract 

does not reimburse rates to community pharmacies that are less 

than the cost of the medications, and a plan to ensure that community pharmacies are engaged and given the opportunity to participate in the TRICARE network. 

NATIONAL DISASTER MEDICAL SYSTEM PILOT AND JOINT CIVILIAN– 

MILITARY MEDICAL SURGE CAPACITY

The Committee notes a need for focus on medical capabilities and 

capacity required for the homeland defense mission. To address 

these gaps, Congress provided an additional $30,000,000 over fiscal 

years 2021 and 2022 to accelerate a pilot program on civilian and 

military partnerships to enhance interoperability and medical 

surge capability and capacity of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS). While the Committee recommendation includes 

$5,000,000 for the effort in fiscal year 2024, it expects the Department of Defense to adequately plan, program, and budget for the 

remaining aspects of the pilot. 

The Committee’s fiscal year 2024 recommendation also includes 

$28,480,000 for the third and final phase for a joint civilian-military modular surge capacity and capability to include an additional 

training function in partnership with the NDMS. As previously 

noted, the modular medical surge and training capacity should be 

adjacent to existing medical facilities; include laboratories, intensive care units, and x-rays; and leverage staff and services available in the adjacent medical facility. The medical surge and training capacity should allow for research and development of best 

practices for preparedness and response and include transportable 

clinical response functionality. 

SPACE FORCE HEALTH AND FITNESS PILOT

The Committee acknowledges the Space Force’s new health and 

fitness pilot, which will provide wearable fitness devices to 

servicemembers to track diet, exercise, and sleep, in lieu of annual 

physical fitness evaluations. The Committee encourages the Secretary of Defense and Service Secretaries to monitor this pilot and 

consider expansion as appropriate. 

HUMAN PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATION

The Committee continues to support the health, well-being, and 

performance of our servicemembers through human performance 

optimization (HPO) programs. The Committee believes further research in this area would contribute to the Services’ readiness requirements and therefore encourages collaboration across the Defense Health Agency, Services, and Defense Advanced Research 

Projects Agency, in partnership with universities and private entities, to share relevant research to enhance the operational purpose 

of HPO efforts. 


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CHEMICAL AGENTS AND MUNITIONS DESTRUCTION, 

DEFENSE 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 

Chemical Agents and Munitions Destruction, Defense: 

EXPLANATION OF PROJECT LEVEL ADJUSTMENTS 

[In thousands of dollars] 

Budget 

Request 

Committee 

Recommended 

Change from 

Request 

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE .................................................................. 89,284 89,284 0 

RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION ................................... 1,002,560 1,002,560 0 

TOTAL, CHEMICAL AGENTS AND MUNITIONS DESTRUCTION, 

DEFENSE ........................................................................................ 1,091,844 1,091,844 0 

DRUG INTERDICTION AND COUNTER-DRUG ACTIVITIES, 

DEFENSE 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 

Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities, Defense: 

EXPLANATION OF PROJECT LEVEL ADJUSTMENTS 

[In thousands of dollars] 

Budget 

Request 

Committee 

Recommended 

Change from 

Request 

COUNTER-NARCOTICS SUPPORT ................................................................. 643,848 693,848 50,000 

Program increase—enterprise-wide intelligence programs .............. 25,000 

Program increase—Project 5111: NORTHCOM Counternarcotics 

Mission Support ............................................................................. 15,000 

Program increase—Project 3309: Joint Interagency Task Force— 

West ............................................................................................... 10,000 

DRUG DEMAND REDUCTION PROGRAM ....................................................... 134,313 138,313 4,000 

Program increase—Young Marines ................................................... 4,000 

NATIONAL GUARD COUNTER-DRUG PROGRAM ............................................ 102,272 300,000 197,728 

Program increase ............................................................................... 167,728 

Program increase—equipment .......................................................... 30,000 

NATIONAL GUARD COUNTER-DRUG SCHOOLS ............................................. 5,993 30,000 24,007 

Program increase ............................................................................... 24,007 

TOTAL, DRUG INTERDICTION AND COUNTER-DRUG ACTIVITIES, 

DEFENSE ............................................................................... 886,426 1,162,161 275,735 

The Committee notes that over one hundred thousand Americans 

died from drug overdoses in 2022, mostly as a result of illicit 

fentanyl. The Committee believes the fentanyl crisis is a national 

security issue that demands a whole-of-government approach, and 

the Department of Defense has an important role to play. The 

Committee recommendation includes $693,848,000 for CounterNarcotics Support, including an additional $50,000,000 for programs to counter illicit fentanyl and synthetic opioids. The Secretary of Defense is directed to submit a spend plan for these additional funds to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees 

not later than 60 days after the enactment of this Act. 

The Committee recommendation supports the Department of Defense’s intelligence programs in support of law enforcement partner 

efforts to deter, disrupt, and defeat global drug-trafficking, illicit finance, and transnational organizations. Increased funding shall be 


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for programs to counter illicit fentanyl and synthetic opioids, and 

related transnational criminal organizations including programs 

that go after the finances of these organizations. The Secretary of 

Defense should prioritize this funding on procuring technologies to 

enhance the capabilities of these programs. Increases in personnel 

in the future years defense program should be considered only following the completion of a workforce assessment. 

The Committee recommendation includes an additional 

$15,000,000 to support Joint Task Force-North’s support for United 

States government efforts to undermine transnational criminal organizations responsible for the flow of illicit fentanyl and synthetic 

opioids into the United States. Funds should be used to establish 

a dedicated cell to provide intelligence analysis, counter threat finance analysis, and other support to interagency operations to 

crack down on illicit fentanyl and synthetic opioid precursors, pill 

presses, clandestine labs, and money laundering that facilitate cartel operations. The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the 

heads of other federal agencies, as appropriate, shall submit an implementation plan to the congressional defense committees not 

later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act. The Committee 

expects the Department of Defense to increase coordination with 

other agencies including the Drug Enforcement Agency and Customs and Border Protection. Funds should also be used for military 

working dog teams to support law enforcement efforts to disrupt 

the flow of illicit fentanyl and synthetic opioids at United States 

ports of entry. 

The Committee notes the model of the Joint Interagency Task 

Force–South (JIATF–S), which has conducted detection and monitoring operations to support law enforcement disruptions of drug 

trafficking in the Caribbean for decades. The Committee directs the 

Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the heads of other federal agencies, as appropriate, to submit a report to the congressional defense committees, not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act, on efforts to increase interagency coordination to 

counter illicit fentanyl and synthetic opioids production and trafficking to the United States. The report shall include an analysis 

of current mechanisms for coordinating interagency efforts and the 

feasibility of establishing a Department of Defense joint interagency task force for this purpose. 

The Committee recommendation includes an additional 

$10,000,000 for Joint Interagency Task Force–West’s support of 

United States government efforts to counter the smuggling of 

chemical precursors from Asia to the Western Hemisphere. 

The Committee recommendation includes $300,000,000 for the 

National Guard Counter-Drug Program, of which $30,000,000 is 

provided for equipment, including equipment to enhance the National Guard’s digital forensics capabilities. The recommendation 

also includes $30,000,000 for the National Guard Counterdrug 

Schools Program. 

The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to provide the 

following briefings to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees not later than 60 days after the enactment of this Act: 

(1) a briefing on current Administration strategies to counter illicit fentanyl and synthetic opioid production, including the StraVerDate Sep 11 2014 08:52 Jun 16, 2023 Jkt 051226 PO 00000 Frm 00269 Fmt 6604 Sfmt 6604 E:\HR\OC\A226.XXX A226

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tegic Implementation Plan to Commercially Disrupt the Illicit 

Fentanyl Supply Chain, and any Department of Defense activities 

and programs in support of these strategies; and 

(2) a briefing on the National Guard Governors State Plans Program as it relates to measures to counter the flow of illicit fentanyl 

and synthetic opioids into the United States, including a description of plans approved and denied by the Department during the 

previous year. 

The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to provide the 

following reports to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act: 

(1) a report on the performance, capacity, and throughput of each 

of the five counterdrug schools and an analysis of whether the current number of schools is meeting training demands; and 

(2) a report on commercial technologies that are available, in development, or that could be modified to detect or otherwise combat 

the flow of illicit fentanyl and synthetic opioids into the United 

States. 

The Secretary of Defense is directed to ensure that international 

programs requested and supported by this account do not duplicate 

programs funded by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency in 

the Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide account. Any congressional notification submitted pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 284 shall 

identify any resources within the Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide account that are allocated for similar or related purposes. 

The Secretary of Defense is directed to provide quarterly reports 

to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees on the use 

and status of funds provided under this heading, including information for each project as identified in the Project Definitions (PB 

47) budget exhibit of the fiscal year 2024 budget justification materials and other documentation supporting the fiscal year 2024 

President’s budget request. The report shall be submitted in unclassified form but may be accompanied by a classified annex. 

COMPTROLLER GENERAL REVIEW OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

INSTRUCTIONS

The Committee directs the Comptroller General of the United 

States to review Department of Defense Instruction 3000.14, 

Counterdrug and Counter-Transnational Organized Crime Policy, 

and Instruction 3100.01B National Guard Counterdrug Support 

Program, and examine whether such documents unduly limit the 

ability of the Department of Defense and National Guard Bureau 

to support counterdrug efforts under the law. The Comptroller General shall submit a report to the congressional defense committees 

not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act. 

OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL 

The Committee recommends the following appropriations for the 

Office of the Inspector General: 


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EXPLANATION OF PROJECT LEVEL ADJUSTMENTS 

[In thousands of dollars] 

Budget 

Request 

Committee 

Recommended 

Change from 

Request 

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE .................................................................. 520,867 501,131 ¥19,736 

Program decrease—civilian workforce .............................................. ¥4,000 

Program decrease .............................................................................. ¥15,736 

PROCUREMENT ............................................................................................ 1,098 1,098 0 

RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION ................................... 3,400 3,400 0 

TOTAL, OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL ........................... 525,365 505,629 ¥19,736 

END-USE MONITORING FOR UKRAINE

The Committee directs the Department of Defense Inspector 

General to review the efficacy of the Department of Defense enduse monitoring program for United States defense articles designated for Ukraine since the February 24, 2022, Russian invasion 

of Ukraine and to submit a report and recommendations to the congressional defense committees not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act. 


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TITLE VII 

RELATED AGENCIES 

NATIONAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE PROGRAMS 

The National Intelligence Program and the Military Intelligence 

Program budgets funded in this Act consist primarily of resources 

for the Director of National Intelligence, including the Intelligence 

Community Management staff, the Central Intelligence Agency 

(CIA), the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Reconnaissance Office, the National Security Agency, the National 

Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the intelligence services of the Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, and the CIA Retirement and Disability fund. 

CLASSIFIED ANNEX

Adjustments to classified programs are addressed in a separate, 

detailed, and comprehensive classified annex. The Intelligence 

Community, the Department of Defense, and other organizations 

are expected to fully comply with the recommendations and directions in the classified annex accompanying the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2024. 

CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY RETIREMENT AND 

DISABILITY SYSTEM FUND 

Fiscal year 2024 budget request ....................................................... $514,000,000 

Committee recommendation .............................................................. 514,000,000 

Change from budget request ............................................................. – – – 

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $514,000,000 for 

the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System 

Fund. This is a mandatory account. 

This appropriation provides payments of benefits to qualified 

beneficiaries in accordance with the Central Intelligence Agency 

Retirement Act of 1964 for Certain Employees (Public Law 88– 

643), as amended by Public Law 94–522. This statute authorized 

the establishment of the CIA Retirement and Disability System for 

certain employees and authorized the establishment and maintenance of a fund from which benefits would be paid to those beneficiaries. 

INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT ACCOUNT 

Fiscal year 2024 budget request ....................................................... $650,000,000 

Committee recommendation .............................................................. 608,820,000 

Change from budget request ............................................................. ¥41,180,000 

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $608,820,000 for 

the Intelligence Community Management Account. 


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TITLE VIII 

GENERAL PROVISIONS 

Title VIII of the accompanying bill includes 152 general provisions. A brief description of each general provision follows. 

Section 8001 prohibits the use of funds for publicity or propaganda purposes not authorized by Congress. 

Section 8002 provides for conditions and limitations on the payment of compensation to, or employment of, foreign nationals. 

Section 8003 limits the availability of funds. 

Section 8004 limits the obligation of funds during the last two 

months of the fiscal year. 

Section 8005 provides general transfer authority of funds to other 

military functions. 

Section 8006 provides that the tables titled ‘‘Explanation of 

Project Level Adjustments’’ shall be carried out in the manner provided by the tables to the same extent as if the tables were included in the text of this Act. 

Section 8007 provides for the establishment of a baseline for application of reprogramming and transfer authorities for the current 

fiscal year. 

Section 8008 provides for limitations on the use of transfer authority of working capital fund cash balances. 

Section 8009 prohibits the use of funds to initiate a special access 

program without prior notification to the congressional defense 

committees. 

Section 8010 provides limitations and conditions on the use of 

funds to initiate multiyear procurement contracts. 

Section 8011 provides for the use of funds for humanitarian and 

civic assistance costs. 

Section 8012 prohibits the use of funds to influence congressional 

action on any matters pending before the Congress. 

Section 8013 prohibits the use of funds to reduce the number of 

strategic delivery vehicles and launchers. 

Section 8014 provides for the transfer of funds for the Department of Defense Pilot Mentor-Protege Program. 

Section 8015 provides for the Department of Defense to purchase 

anchor and mooring chains manufactured only in the United 

States. 

Section 8016 prohibits funds for any non-appropriated activity of 

the Department of Defense that procures malt beverages and wine 

except under certain conditions. 

Section 8017 prohibits the use of funds to demilitarize or dispose 

of certain surplus firearms and small arms ammunition or ammunition components. 


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Section 8018 provides a limitation on funds being used for the relocation of any Department of Defense entity into or within the National Capital Region. 

Section 8019 provides for incentive payments authorized by section 504 of the Indian Financing Act of 1974 (25 U.S.C. 1544). 

Section 8020 provides for the conveyance, without consideration, 

of relocatable housing units that are excess to the needs of the Air 

Force. 

Section 8021 provides funds for the mitigation of environmental 

impacts on Indian lands resulting from Department of Defense activities. 

Section 8022 prohibits funds for the Defense Media Activity from 

being used for national or international political or psychological 

activities. 

Section 8023 has been amended and provides funding for the 

Civil Air Patrol Corporation. 

Section 8024 prohibits funds from being used to establish new 

Department of Defense Federally Funded Research and Development Centers. 

Section 8025 defines the congressional defense committees. 

Section 8026 defines the congressional intelligence committees. 

Section 8027 provides for competitions between private firms and 

Department of Defense depot maintenance activities. 

Section 8028 requires the Department of Defense to comply with 

the Buy American Act. 

Section 8029 provides for the Department of Defense to procure 

carbon, alloy, or armor steel plate melted and rolled only in the 

United States and Canada. 

Section 8030 provides for the revocation of blanket waivers of the 

Buy American Act. 

Section 8031 prohibits the use of funds for the procurement of 

ball and roller bearings other than those produced by a domestic 

source and of domestic origin. 

Section 8032 prohibits the use of funds to purchase supercomputers which are not manufactured in the United States. 

Section 8033 provides a waiver of Buy American provisions for 

certain cooperative programs. 

Section 8034 prohibits the use of funds for the purchase or manufacture of a United States flag unless such flags are treated as 

covered items under section 4862(b) of title 10 United States Code. 

Section 8035 provides for the availability of funds contained in 

the Department of Defense Overseas Military Facility Investment 

Recovery Account. 

Section 8036 provides authority to use operation and maintenance appropriations to purchase items having an investment item 

unit cost of not more than $350,000. 

Section 8037 has been amended and provides authority to use operation and maintenance appropriations for the Asia Pacific Regional Initiative Program. 

Section 8038 prohibits the sale of tobacco products in military resale outlets below the most competitive price in the local community. 

Section 8039 prohibits the use of Working Capital Funds to purchase specified investment items. 


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Section 8040 provides limitations on the availability of funds appropriated for the Central Intelligence Agency. 

Section 8041 places limitations on the use of funds made available in this Act to establish field operating agencies. 

Section 8042 places restrictions on converting to contractor performance an activity or function of the Department of Defense unless it meets certain guidelines. 

(RESCISSIONS)

Section 8043 provides for the rescission of $804,687,000 from the 

following programs: 

2022 Appropriations: 

Missile Procurement, Army: 

Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile System ............................ 9,093,000 

Procurement of Weapons and Tracked Combat Vehicles, 

Army: 

Assault Bridge (MOD) ......................................................... 1,900,000 

Other Procurement, Army: 

Disaster Incident Response Communications Terminal ... 1,600,000 

Husky Standoff Minefield Detection System ..................... 2,372,000 

Render Safe Sets, Kits, and Outfits ................................... 1,074,000 

Accessions Information Environment ................................. 39,635,000 

Aircraft Procurement, Navy: 

Common Ground Equipment .............................................. 1,428,000 

Weapons Procurement, Navy: 

Aerial Targets ....................................................................... 13,058,000 

Procurement of Ammunition, Navy and Marine Corps: 

Infantry Weapons Ammunition .......................................... 1,012,000 

Other Procurement, Navy: 

Underwater EOD Equipment ............................................. 2,975,000 

Cooperative Threat Reduction: 

Cooperative Threat Reduction ............................................ 75,000,000 

2023 Appropriations: 

Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide: 

DSCA Security Cooperation ................................................ 75,000,000 

Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Fund: 

Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Fund ................................. 50,000,000 

Other Procurement, Army: 

Disaster Incident Response Communications Terminal ... 4,066,000 

Aircraft Procurement, Navy: 

Marine Group 5 UAS Series ............................................... 10,033,000 

Weapons Procurement, Navy: 

Tomahawk ............................................................................ 40,000,000 

Aerial Targets ....................................................................... 13,139,000 

Other Procurement, Navy: 

LCS SUW Mission Modules ................................................ 1,550,000 

Procurement, Marine Corps: 

EOD Systems ........................................................................ 26,554,000 

Radio Systems ...................................................................... 128,750,000 

Other Procurement, Air Force: 

Classified Adjustment .......................................................... 45,000,000 

Procurement, Defense Wide: 

Mentor Prote ́ge ́ ..................................................................... 32,148,000 

Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Air Force: 

AC/HC/MC–130J .................................................................. 29,300,000 

No-Year Appropriations: 

Defense Working Capital Funds: 

Army Working Capital Fund .............................................. 100,000,000 

Navy Working Capital Fund ............................................... 100,000,000 

Section 8044 prohibits the use of funds to reduce authorized positions for military technicians (dual status) of the Army National 

Guard, Air National Guard, Army Reserve, and Air Force Reserve 


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unless such reductions are a direct result of a reduction in military 

force structure. 

Section 8045 prohibits funds for assistance to the Democratic 

People’s Republic of Korea unless specifically appropriated for that 

purpose. 

Section 8046 provides for reimbursement to the National Guard 

and reserve when members of the National Guard and reserve provide intelligence or counterintelligence support to the combatant 

commands, defense agencies, and joint intelligence activities. 

Section 8047 prohibits the transfer of Department of Defense and 

Central Intelligence Agency drug interdiction and counter-drug activities funds to other agencies except as specifically provided in an 

appropriations law. 

Section 8048 provides funding for Red Cross and United Services 

Organization grants. 

Section 8049 provides funds for the Small Business Innovation 

Research program and the Small Business Technology Transfer 

program. 

Section 8050 prohibits funds for contractor bonuses being paid 

due to business restructuring. 

Section 8051 provides transfer authority for the pay of military 

personnel in connection with support and services for eligible organizations and activities outside the Department of Defense. 

Section 8052 provides conditions for the use of equipment of the 

National Guard Distance Learning Project on a space-available, reimbursable basis. 

Section 8053 prohibits funds to retire C–40 aircraft, with certain 

exceptions. 

Section 8054 prohibits the use of funds to procure end-items for 

delivery to military forces for operational training, operational use 

or inventory requirements. 

Section 8055 prohibits funds for repairs or maintenance to military family housing units. 

Section 8056 provides obligation authority for new starts for defense innovation acceleration or rapid prototyping program demonstration projects only after notification to the congressional defense committees. 

Section 8057 requires a classified quarterly report on certain 

matters as directed in the classified annex accompanying this Act. 

Section 8058 provides for the use of National Guard personnel to 

support ground-based elements of the National Ballistic Missile Defense System. 

Section 8059 prohibits the use of funds to transfer certain ammunition. 

Section 8060 provides for a waiver by the Chief of the National 

Guard Bureau or his designee for all or part of consideration in 

cases of personal property leases of less than one year. 

Section 8061 provides for the transfer of funds made available in 

this Act under Operation and Maintenance, Army to other activities of the federal government for classified purposes. 

Section 8062 prohibits the use of funds to separate, or to consolidate from within, the National Intelligence Program budget from 

the Department of Defense budget. 


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Section 8063 provides the authority to transfer funding from operation and maintenance accounts for the Army, Navy, and Air 

Force to the central fund for Fisher Houses and Suites. 

Section 8064 provides grant authority for the construction and 

furnishing of additional Fisher Houses to meet the needs of military family members when confronted with the illness or hospitalization of an eligible military beneficiary. 

Section 8065 provides for the authority to transfer funding made 

available in this Act under Operation and Maintenance, Navy to 

the John C. Stennis Center for Public Service Development Trust 

Fund. 

Section 8066 prohibits the modification of command and control 

relationships to give Fleet Forces Command operational and administrative control of United States Navy forces assigned to the 

Pacific fleet. 

Section 8067 requires notification for the rapid acquisition and 

deployment of supplies and associated support services. 

Section 8068 provides funding and transfer authority for the 

Israeli Cooperative Programs. 

Section 8069 provides for the funding of prior year shipbuilding 

cost increases. 

Section 8070 provides authorization for funds for intelligence and 

intelligence related activities until the enactment of an Intelligence 

Authorization Act. 

Section 8071 prohibits funds to initiate a new start program 

without prior written notification. 

Section 8072 prohibits the use of funds for the research, development, test, evaluation, procurement, or deployment of nuclear 

armed interceptors of a missile defense system. 

Section 8073 has been amended and prohibits funds for the decommissioning of certain ships. 

Section 8074 provides limitations on the Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy appropriation. 

Section 8075 prohibits the use of funds to reduce or disestablish 

the operation of the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron of the 

Air Force Reserve. 

Section 8076 prohibits the use of funds from being used to transfer program authority relating to current tactical unmanned aerial 

vehicles from the Army and requires the Army to retain responsibility for and operational control of the MQ–1C Unmanned Aerial 

Vehicle. 

Section 8077 prohibits funds for the integration of foreign intelligence information unless the information has been lawfully collected and processed during conduct of authorized foreign intelligence activities. 

Section 8078 limits the availability of funding provided for the 

Office of the Director of National Intelligence beyond the current 

fiscal year, except for funds appropriated for research and technology. 

Section 8079 provides for the establishment of a baseline for application of reprogramming and transfer authorities for the Office 

of the Director of National Intelligence for the current fiscal year. 

Section 8080 provides for limitations on funding provided for the 

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penditure through a reprogramming or transfer of funds in accordance with the National Security Act of 1947. 

Section 8081 provides the Director of National Intelligence with 

general transfer authority, with certain limitations. 

Section 8082 places limitations on the reprogramming of funds 

from the Department of Defense Acquisition Workforce Development Account. 

Section 8083 prohibits funds for federal contracts in excess of $1,000,000 unless the contractor meets certain conditions. 

Section 8084 provides funds for transfer to the Joint Department 

of Defense-Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Demonstration Fund. 

Section 8085 prohibits the use of funds in contravention of the 

provisions of section 130h of title 10, United States Code. 

Section 8086 provides for the purchase of heavy and light armored vehicles for the physical security of personnel or for force 

protection purposes up to a limit of $450,000 per vehicle. 

Section 8087 authorizes the use of funds in the Shipbuilding and 

Conversion, Navy account to purchase two used auxiliary vessels 

for the National Defense Reserve Fleet. 

Section 8088 provides that any agency receiving funds made 

available in this Act shall post on a public website any report required to be submitted to Congress with certain exceptions. 

Section 8089 directs the Secretary of Defense to post grant 

awards on a public website in a searchable format. 

Section 8090 Section 8090 prohibits the use of funds by the National Security Agency for targeting United States persons under 

authorities granted in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. 

Section 8091 places restrictions on transfer amounts available to 

pay salaries for non-Department of Defense personnel. 

Section 8092 has been amended and provides that operation and 

maintenance funds may be used for any purposes related to the 

National Defense Reserve Fleet. 

Section 8093 prohibits the use of funds to award a new TAO 

Fleet Oiler or FFG Frigate program contract for the acquisition of 

certain components unless those components are manufactured in 

the United States. 

Section 8094 prohibits the use of funds for the development and 

design of certain future naval ships unless any contract specifies 

that all hull, mechanical, and electrical components are manufactured in the United States. 

Section 8095 prohibits certain transfers from the Department of 

Defense Acquisition Workforce Development Account. 

Section 8096 provides for the procurement of certain vehicles in 

the United States Central Command area, with limitations. 

Section 8097 prohibits the use of funds for gaming or entertainment that involves nude entertainers. 

Section 8098 prohibits the use of funds for information technology systems that do not have pornographic content filters. 

Section 8099 places restrictions on the use of funding for military 

parades. 

Section 8100 prohibits the use of funds to enter into a contract 

or provide a loan to any corporation that has any unpaid Federal 

tax liability. 


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Section 8101 provides funds for certain software pilot programs. 

Section 8102 prohibits the transfer of the National Reconnaissance Office to the Space Force. 

Section 8103 prohibits the use of funds in contravention of the 

United Nations Convention Against Torture. 

Section 8104 provides security assistance for Ukraine. 

Section 8105 prohibits funds to the Azov Battalion. 

Section 8106 provides for the obligation of funds in anticipation 

of receipt of contributions from the Government of Kuwait. 

Section 8107 provides funding for International Security Cooperation Programs. 

Section 8108 provides funding to reimburse certain countries for 

border security. 

Section 8109 prohibits the use of funds in contravention of the 

War Powers Resolution. 

Section 8110 prohibits the use of funds in violation of the Child 

Soldiers Prevention Act of 2008. 

Section 8111 prohibits funds for any member of the Taliban. 

Section 8112 provides that certain support to friendly foreign 

countries be made in accordance with section 8005 of this Act. 

Section 8113 prohibits the use of funds to enter into a contract 

with Rosoboronexport. 

Section 8114 provides funding to reimburse key cooperating nations for logistical, military, and other support. 

Section 8115 requires notification of the receipt of contributions 

from foreign governments and notification prior to obligating such 

funds. 

Section 8116 requires the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs to report 

on any unplanned activity or exercise. 

Section 8117 requires notification if a foreign base is opened or 

closed. 

Section 8118 prohibits the use of funds with respect to Iraq in 

contravention of the War Powers Resolution. 

Section 8119 prohibits the use of funds with respect to Syria in 

contravention of the War Powers Resolution. 

Section 8120 prohibits funds to establish permanent bases in 

Iraq or Afghanistan or United States control over Iraq or Syria oil 

resources. 

Section 8121 prohibits the use of funds under certain headings 

to procure or transfer man-portable air defense systems. 

Section 8122 provides security assistance to Jordan. 

Section 8123 requires the United States Southern Command to 

assume combatant command responsibility for activities related to 

Mexico. 

Section 8124 prohibits the use of funds to transfer, release, or assist in the transfer or release to or within the United States of certain detainees. 

Section 8125 prohibits the use of funds to transfer any individual 

detained at United States Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 

to the custody or control of the individual’s country of origin or any 

other foreign country. 

Section 8126 prohibits the use of funds to construct, acquire, or 

modify any facility in the United States to house any individual detained at United States Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. 


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Section 8127 prohibits the use of funds to carry out the closure 

of the United States Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. 

Section 8128 has been amended and reflects savings due to favorable foreign exchange rates. 

Section 8129 provides guidance on the implementation of the Policy for Assisted Reproductive Services for the Benefit of Seriously 

or Severely Ill/Injured Active Duty Service Members. 

Section 8130 prohibits the use of funds to support the Wuhan Institute of Virology, or any laboratory owned or controlled by the 

governments of foreign adversaries. 

Section 8131 prohibits the use of funds for any work to be performed by EcoHealth Alliance, Inc. in China on research supported 

by the Government of the People’s Republic of China. 

Section 8132 requires the Secretary of the Navy to provide pay 

and allowances to Lieutenant Ridge Alkonis. 

Section 8133 provides the authority for the Secretary of Defense 

to obligate funds to modify up to six F–35 aircraft to a test configuration. 

Section 8134 prohibits the use of funds to integrate an alternative engine on any F–35 aircraft. 

Section 8135 provides the authority to be used to enter into a 

contract for the CH–53K heavy lift helicopter program. 

Section 8136 directs the Secretary of Defense to allocate amounts 

made available from the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce 

Semiconductors (CHIPS) for America Defense Fund. 

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ALLOCATION OF FUNDS: CHIPS AND SCIENCE ACT FISCAL YEAR 2024 

[In thousands of dollars] 

Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-Wide Budget Activity 02, Applied Research: 

Microelectronics 

Commons ..................................................................................................................................................... 65,062,000 

Budget Activity 03, Advanced Technology Development: 

Microelectronics 

Commons ..................................................................................................................................................... 269,256,000 

Budget Activity 04, Advanced Technology Development: 

Microelectronics 

Commons ..................................................................................................................................................... 65,682,000 

Section 8137 enables the Office of Strategic Capital to use appropriated funds for loans and loan guarantees. 

Section 8138 provides funds to increase pay for certain enlisted 

grades. 

Section 8139 prohibits the use of funds to release certain information regarding a current or former member of the Armed Forces 

without their consent except in cases of law enforcement or Freedom of Information Act requests. 

Section 8140 prohibits the use of certain funds for United States 

Space Command until such time as the Secretary of the Air Force 

formally selects and publicly announces the permanent location of 

the United States Space Command Headquarters. 

Section 8141 prohibits funds to carry out section 554(a) of the 

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public 

Law 116–283). 

Section 8142 prohibits funds to implement, administer, apply, enforce, or carry out measures relating to the Department of Defense 


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diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility strategy, certain executive orders, and execute activities that promote or perpetuate divisive concepts related to race or sex. 

Section 8143 prohibits the use of funds to perform surgical procedures or hormone therapies for the purposes of gender affirming 

care. 

Section 8144 prohibits the use of funds to promote, host, facilitate, or support a drag queen story hour for children on United 

States military installations or for military recruiting programs 

that feature drag queens. 

Section 8145 prohibits the use of funds to recruit, hire, or promote any person who has been convicted of charges related to child 

pornography or other sexual misconduct. 

Section 8146 prohibits the use of funds for paid leave and travel 

or related expenses of a federal employee or their dependents for 

the purposes of obtaining an abortion or abortion-related services. 

Section 8147 prohibits the use of funds to finalize, implement, or 

promulgate the rule proposed by the Department of Defense on November 14, 2022, titled ‘‘Federal Acquisition Regulation: Disclosure 

of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate-Related Financial Risk.’’ 

Section 8148 prohibits funds to carry out any program, project, 

or activity that promotes or advances Critical Race Theory or any 

concept associated with Critical Race Theory. 

Section 8149 prohibits the use of funds to label communications 

by United States persons as misinformation, disinformation, or 

malinformation or to partner with or fund nonprofits or other organizations that pressure private companies to censor lawful and constitutionally protected speech. 

Section 8150 prohibits the use of funds to grant, renew, or maintain a security clearance for any individual listed as a signatory in 

the statement titled ‘‘Public Statement on the Hunter Biden 

Emails’’ dated October 19, 2020. 

Section 8151 prohibits funds to take any discriminatory action 

against a person, wholly or partially, on the basis that such person 

speaks, or acts, in accordance with a sincerely held religious belief, 

or moral conviction, that marriage is, or should be recognized as, 

a union of one man and one woman. 

Section 8152 establishes a spending reduction account. 


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