State Partnership Program Enhancement Act of 2015

To modify and extend the National Guard State Partnership Program. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the State Partnership Program Enhancement Act of 2015 2. Modification and extension of National Guard State Partnership Program (a) Authority Subsection (a)(1) of section 1205 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 ( Public Law 113–66 32 U.S.C. 107 (1) by striking whose primary functions include disaster response or emergency response, (2) by adding at the end before the period the following: to support the national interests and security cooperation goals and objectives of the United States as defined by the current and evolving national global strategic policies of the United States (b) Limitation Subsection (b) of such section is amended by striking whose primary functions include disaster response or emergency response (c) Regulations Such section, as so amended, is further amended by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following: (c) Regulations (1) Regulations (A) In general The Secretary of Defense, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, shall prescribe regulations to carry out this section. Such regulations shall establish procedures relating to planning, programming, budgeting, accounting procedures, and performance metrics to ensure— (i) appropriate use of funds to carry out this section; and (ii) expenditures of funds to carry out this section are accounted for and appropriate. (B) Consultation The Secretary of Defense, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, shall consult with the Chief of the National Guard Bureau on— (i) the development of and changes to regulations prescribed under subparagraph (A); and (ii) the development of the annual report under subsection (e). (2) Role of Chief of the National Guard Bureau The Chief of the National Guard Bureau shall— (A) establish, maintain, and update as appropriate a list of core competencies of the National Guard to support each program established under subsection (a), collectively and for each State and territory, and shall submit to the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State the list of core competencies of the National Guard and additional information needed to make use of such core competencies; and (B) designate a director for each State and territory who shall be responsible for the conduct of activities under a program established under subsection (a) for such State or territory and reporting on activities under the program. (3) Role of Secretary of Defense The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that regulations to carry out this section include planning, coordinating, and execution requirements with the relevant combatant commanders and that activities under a program established under subsection (a) meet the relevant theater security cooperation objectives. (4) Role of Secretary of State The Secretary of State shall ensure that the regulations to carry out this section include planning, coordinating, and execution requirements with the relevant chiefs of mission and that activities under a program established under subsection (a) meet the diplomatic objectives of the Department of State. . (d) National Guard State Partnership Program Fund Subsection (d) of such section is amended to read as follows: (d) National Guard State Partnership Program Fund (1) Establishment There is hereby established on the books of the Treasury the National Guard State Partnership Program Fund (in this subsection referred to as the Fund (2) Credits to Fund There shall be credited to the Fund the following: (A) Amounts authorized for and appropriated to the Fund. (B) Amounts that the Secretary of Defense transfers, in such amounts as provided in appropriations Acts, to the Fund from amounts authorized and appropriated to the Department of Defense, including amounts authorized to be appropriated for the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. (3) Use of amounts in Fund In such amounts as provided in appropriations Acts, the Secretary of Defense may use amounts in the Fund to— (A) for payment of costs incurred by the National Guard of a State or territory to conduct activities under a program established under subsection (a), including costs for personnel, training, operations, and equipment; and (B) for payment of incremental expenses of a foreign country to conduct activities under a program established under subsection (a). (4) Limitations (A) Active duty requirement Amounts shall not be available under paragraph (3) for the participation of a member of the National Guard of a State or territory in activities in a foreign country unless the member is on active duty in the Armed Forces at the time of such participation. (B) Incremental expenses The total amount of payments for incremental expenses of foreign countries as authorized under paragraph (3)(B) for activities under programs established under subsection (a) in any fiscal year may not exceed $10,000,000. . (e) Annual report Subsection (e) of such section is amended— (1) by striking (e) Reports and notifications (B) Matters to be included (e) Annual report (1) In general Not later than January 31 of each year following a fiscal year in which activities under a program established under subsection (a) are carried out, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of State, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on such activities under the program. (2) Matters to be included ; (2) by redesignating clauses (i) through (v) as subparagraphs (A) through (E), respectively; and (3) in paragraph (2) (as redesignated)— (A) in subparagraph (C) (as redesignated), by inserting or other government organizations and security forces (B) in subparagraph (D) (as redesignated), by adding at the end before the period the following: or chiefs of mission (C) in subparagraph (E) (as redesignated), by adding at the end before the period the following: or how the activities support the chief of mission with responsibilities for the country in which the activities occurred (D) by adding at the end the following: (F) A performance review of activities conducted during the previous year using metrics developed by the Chief of the National Guard Bureau. . (f) Definitions Subsection (g) of such section is amended— (1) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following: (2) Core competencies The term core competencies of the National Guard core competencies ; and (3) by adding at the end the following: (4) State The term State . (g) Termination Such section is further amended by striking subsection (i).

Summary: State Partnership Program Enhancement Act of 2015 Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 to revise and extend indefinitely the authority of the Department of Defense (DOD) to establish exchange programs for members of the National Guard under the National Guard State Partnership Program (SPP). (Currently, the authority is scheduled to terminate on September 30, 2016.) Authorizes DOD, with the concurrence of the Department of State, to establish such programs for exchanges of members of the National Guard of a state or territory and the military forces or security forces or other government organizations of a foreign country to support the national interests and security cooperation goals and objectives of the United States as defined by the current and evolving national global strategic policies of the United States. (Currently, the primary function of the SPP is disaster and emergency response.) Directs DOD, with the concurrence of the State Department, to establish procedures for SPP planning, programming, budgeting, accounting, and performance metrics. Requires the National Guard Bureau to: (1) maintain a list of core competencies of the National Guard to support SPP activities, and (2) designate a director for each state and territory. Requires DOD to coordinate SPP regulations with combatant commanders to ensure that program activities meet theater security cooperation objectives. Requires the State Department to coordinate such regulations with relevant chiefs of mission to meet diplomatic objectives. Establishes the National Guard State Partnership Program Fund in the Treasury, into which appropriated amounts shall be credited and transferred for program activity uses, including payment of costs for personnel, training, operations, and equipment.