143 
Republic of China and the United States, shall in-
clude— 
(A) an examination of emerging capabili-
ties relevant to misaligned or uncontrolled arti-
ficial intelligence, including automated artificial 
intelligence research, recursive self-improve-
ment, ability to deceive humans, agentic capa-
bilities, and other capabilities or processes that 
could undermine robust or trustworthy human 
oversight; 
(B) a review of research on AI misalign-
ment, alignment faking, deception, and other 
related areas in which artificial intelligence sys-
tems appear to act in ways that diverge from 
the intentions or values of their developers or in 
ways that diverge from United States values or 
interests; 
(C) an assessment of current capabilities 
within the United States Government to detect 
and monitor the threats described above, in-
cluding evaluations of the ability to identify 
early warning signs or imminent threats relat-
ing to recursive self-improvement, offensive 
cyber use, alignment faking, or other system 
misbehavior;
144 
(D) recommendations for improving the 
identification, mitigation, and response to risks 
from uncontrolled or misaligned artificial intel-
ligence systems, with particular attention to 
interagency coordination and collaboration with 
the private sector, academic institutions, and al-
lied governments; and 
(E) implications for the Department of De-
fense’s approach toward adopting or deploying 
advanced artificial intelligence. 
(8) Create materials and prepare plans to ad-
dress acute national security risks or crises involving 
advanced artificial intelligence, including risks from 
uncontrolled or misaligned advanced artificial intel-
ligence systems, which shall include— 
(A) developing and conducting unclassified 
and classified scenario exercises, wargames, ta-
bletop exercises, and other similar efforts to un-
derstand how advanced artificial intelligence ca-
pabilities could present acute national security 
risks or crises or pose a risk to existing oper-
ational plans of the Department of Defense; 
(B) developing preparedness plans detail-
ing governmental response strategies to sce-
narios described in subparagraph (A), including
145 
detailed information describing how the Depart-
ment of Defense would coordinate with relevant 
entities of the United States (such as advanced 
artificial intelligence developers, compute clus-
ter providers, and government officials) in the 
event of an acute national security risk or cri-
sis; and 
(C) identifying potential gaps in the De-
partment of Defense’s authorities, relationships, 
personnel, or other factors that could affect the 
Department’s ability to address scenarios de-
scribed in subparagraph (A) or execute strate-
gies described in subparagraph (B). 
(9) Develop potential strategies and rec-
ommendations to prevent adversaries from acquiring 
advanced artificial intelligence that would pose a 
grave national security threat if acquired or stolen. 
As part of this effort, the Secretary shall assess the 
potential of a hypothetical centralized, highly secure, 
Department of Defense-led project to securely de-
velop advanced artificial intelligence. This evaluation 
shall consider factors including the governance 
structure, cybersecurity and physical security proto-
cols, counterintelligence and antiespionage measures 
against the People’s Republic of China and other
146 
foreign adversaries, chain-of-command, size and lo-
cation of the project, resources and personnel re-
quired, contingency and emergency response plans, 
geopolitical considerations, and other elements to en-
sure that the project supports United States na-
tional security objectives. Additional strategies may 
include export controls, counterespionage measures, 
and approaches for protecting sensitive information 
relevant to national security or advanced artificial 
intelligence development and deployment. 
(10) 
Provide 
policy 
and 
resourcing 
rec-
ommendations to the Secretary of Defense, the 
President, and Congress relating to the topics cov-
ered by the Initiative. 
(d) REPORTS AND BRIEFINGS.— 
(1) INITIAL REPORT AND BRIEFING.—Not later 
than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act— 
(A) the Secretary of Defense shall submit 
to the Committees on Armed Services of the 
Senate and the House of Representatives a re-
port detailing the organizational structure, 
staffing requirements, and initial objectives of 
the Initiative; and
147 
(B) provide to the Committees a briefing 
on the matters set forth in the report. 
(2) ANNUAL
REPORTS
AND
BRIEFINGS.—Not 
later than 180 days after the submission of the ini-
tial report under paragraph (1), and every 180 days 
thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall— 
(A) submit to the Committees on Armed 
Services of the Senate and the House of Rep-
resentatives a report on the activities carried 
out under the Initiative since the date of the 
last report under this subsection, including any 
findings, assessments, and recommendations 
with respect to the national security implica-
tions of advanced artificial intelligence; and 
(B) provide to the Committees a briefing 
on the matters set forth in the report. 
(e) SUNSET.—The authority to carry out this section 
shall terminate 10 years after the date of the enactment 
of this Act. 
(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘artificial intelligence’’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 238(g) of the 
John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 115–232; 10 
U.S.C. note prec. 4061).
148 
(2) The term ‘‘advanced artificial intelligence’’ 
means artificial general intelligence and other ad-
vanced artificial intelligence systems at the frontier 
of performance, including systems that match or ex-
ceed human expert performance in key skills, tasks, 
or knowledge areas, such as in the areas of chemical, 
biological, radiological, and nuclear capabilities, 
cyber offense, model autonomy, persuasion, research 
and development, self-improvement, or military 
strategy. 
SEC. 236. JOINT RESERVE DETACHMENT OF THE DEFENSE 
INNOVATION UNIT. 
Section 1766(a) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘may establish’’ and inserting ‘‘shall 
establish and maintain’’. 
SEC. 237. DEVELOPMENT OF INTERNET ACCESS TECH-
NOLOGIES BY THE DEFENSE INNOVATION 
UNIT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Defense Inno-
vation Unit (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Unit’’) shall 
undertake efforts to support the development of low-cost, 
easily scalable, and rapidly deployable technologies to 
counter internet shutdowns or limitations on network ac-
cess abroad, particularly those imposed by adversary coun-
tries, to enable populations to overcome such restrictions.
149 
(b) OBJECTIVES.—In carrying out the responsibilities 
under subsection (a), the Director of the Unit shall 
prioritize the following objectives: 
(1) Identifying and supporting the development 
of technologies capable of overcoming internet black-
outs and network disruptions imposed by an adver-
sary country and facilitating internet and network 
access, including— 
(A) low Earth orbit satellite internet infra-
structure; 
(B) mesh networking solutions; 
(C) portable and deployable communication 
systems; and 
(D) virtual private networks. 
(2) Collaborating with industry, academia, and 
relevant stakeholders to accelerate the research, de-
velopment, and deployment of such technologies. 
(3) Conducting pilot programs and field experi-
ments to test the effectiveness and scalability of de-
veloped solutions in real-world settings. 
(4) Providing technical assistance and resources 
to partner organizations, governments, and non-
governmental entities engaged in efforts to expand 
internet access.
150 
(5) Identifying and evaluating off-the-shelf 
technologies that could be rapidly procured and de-
ployed to address internet access challenges in tar-
geted regions. 
(c) COLLABORATION WITH DEFENSE ACQUISITION 
UNIVERSITY.—The Director of the Unit shall collaborate 
with the head of the Defense Acquisition University to le-
verage expertise in acquisition processes and practices re-
lated to carrying out the objectives under subsection (b) 
with the aim of— 
(1) integrating best practices in defense acquisi-
tion into the research, development, and deployment 
processes of technologies developed by the Unit to 
facilitate internet access; 
(2) ensuring that technologies developed by the 
Unit align with acquisition priorities and strategies 
of the Department of Defense; 
(3) providing training and educational opportu-
nities for Unit personnel on acquisition principles, 
regulations, and procedures, with a focus on tech-
nology development for countering censorship and 
related restrictions; 
(4) fostering dialogue and exchange of knowl-
edge between acquisition professionals and innova-
tion specialists to enhance the effectiveness and effi-
151 
ciency of defense technology acquisition related to 
internet access technologies; and 
(5) collaborating on the development of acquisi-
tion strategies that prioritize the rapid acquisition 
and deployment of technologies aimed at countering 
censorship and restrictions on internet access. 
(d) REPORTING.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, and on an annual basis 
thereafter, the Director of the Unit shall submit to the 
Secretary of Defense and the congressional defense com-
mittees a report detailing the progress, challenges, and 
outcomes of the efforts undertaken pursuant to this sec-
tion. 
SEC. 238. LIMITATION ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS FOR RE-
ALIGNMENT OF THE RESEARCH, DEVELOP-
MENT, TEST, AND EVALUATION FUNCTION 
FOR ARMY AMMUNITION. 
(a) LIMITATION.—None of the funds authorized to 
be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available 
for fiscal year 2026 for the Department of Defense may 
be obligated or expended to realign the research, develop-
ment, test, and evaluation function for Army ammunition 
away from the current Joint Program Executive Office 
Armaments and Ammunition or Joint Capabilities Port-
folio Executive Ammunition construct until a period of
152 
180 days has elapsed following the date on which the re-
port required under subsection (b) is submitted to the con-
gressional defense committees. 
(b) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than November 
1, 2026, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the 
congressional defense committees a report that includes 
the following with respect to the proposed realignment of 
functions described in subsection (a): 
(1) An explanation of whether Army personnel, 
including contractors, would be required to relocate 
to a new location and if so an estimate of how many 
personnel would relocate and to what locations. 
(2) An explanation of whether the Army expects 
to build new facilities and infrastructure at new lo-
cations to accomplish the research, development, 
test, and evaluation function for Army ammunition 
and, if so, identification of— 
(A) what new facilities and infrastructure 
would have to be constructed; and 
(B) where such facilities and infrastructure 
would be constructed. 
(3) A detailed estimate of the costs of relo-
cating personnel and equipment and constructing 
new facilities and infrastructure.
153 
(4) A detailed explanation of the efficiencies, if 
any, that the Army expects to realize by realigning 
the research, development, test, and evaluation func-
tion for Army ammunition to Capabilities Portfolio 
Executive Fires. 
(5) In consultation with the with the Secretary 
of the Navy and the Secretary of the Air Force, a 
determination as to whether realigning the research, 
development, test, and evaluation function for Army 
ammunition to Capabilities Portfolio Executive Fires 
will hinder or impede the joint construct that Joint 
Program Executive Office Armaments and Ammuni-
tion has traditionally maintained with the Navy, Ma-
rine Corps, and Air Force. 
Subtitle C—Plans, Reports, and 
Other Matters 
SEC. 241. FEASIBILITY STUDY ON INCORPORATING MILI-
TARILY-RELEVANT 
APPLICATIONS 
OF 
EMERGING 
BIOTECHNOLOGY 
INTO 
WARGAMING EXERCISES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs 
of Staff shall conduct a review to determine the feasibility 
and advisability modifying the design of wargaming exer-
cises to ensure that such exercises incorporate militarily- 
relevant applications of emerging biotechnology.
154 
(b) ELEMENTS.—In conducting the review required 
under subsection (a), the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs 
of Staff shall take into account— 
(1) biotechnology-enabled enhancements that 
improve the cognitive and physical performance of 
warfighters; 
(2) biotechnology-enabled chemicals and mate-
rials intended to provide a strategic advantage on 
the battlefield; 
(3) adversaries’ use of biotechnology for mili-
tary purposes beyond traditional biological weapons; 
and 
(4) any other militarily-relevant applications of 
biotechnology determined appropriate by the Chair-
man. 
(c) CONSULTATION.—In conducting the review under 
subsection (a), the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 
shall consult with— 
(1) the commanders of the combatant com-
mands; and 
(2) other stakeholders within and outside the 
Department of Defense, as necessary, to identify re-
cent militarily-relevant advancements in the field of 
biotechnology that could potentially be incorporated 
into exercises.
155 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Chairman of the Joint 
Chiefs of Staff shall submit to the Committees on Armed 
Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives 
a report on the results of the review conducted under sub-
section (a). The report shall include— 
(1) a detailed summary of any recommended 
modifications to wargaming exercises; and 
(2) if applicable, a plan for regularly updating 
the design of such exercises to keep pace with ad-
vances in biotechnology. 
(e) WARGAMING EXERCISE DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘‘wargaming exercise’’ means a military ex-
ercise conducted to test or improve tactical expertise, and 
includes the Globally Integrated Wargames. 
SEC. 242. FEASIBILITY STUDY ON USE OF CLOUD LABORA-
TORIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
conduct a review to determine the feasibility and advis-
ability of using cloud laboratories at the Department of 
Defense to provide authorized researchers with access to 
high-quality experimental instrumentation and data collec-
tion for purposes of generating high-quality data.
156 
(b) ELEMENTS.—In conducting the review required 
under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall take 
into account— 
(1) best practices for cloud computing methods 
to safely store sensitive data, such as biological data; 
(2) considerations related to cybersecurity, bio-
security, research security, and data privacy; 
(3) estimated costs for the construction and 
sustainment of cloud laboratories; 
(4) estimated timelines for establishing cloud 
laboratories; and 
(5) consideration of how cloud laboratories can 
improve the quality and quantity of data to improve 
research and development of novel technologies. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the 
Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the 
results of the review conducted under subsection (a). 
(d) CLOUD LABORATORY DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘cloud laboratory’’ means a physical laboratory 
equipped with automation and data storage to conduct ex-
periments.
157 
SEC. 243. QUARTERLY REPORTS ON TERMINATION OF CRIT-
ICAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AWARDS. 
(a) REPORTS REQUIRED.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, and on a quar-
terly basis thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall sub-
mit to the congressional defense committees a report that 
includes the following: 
(1) With respect to the quarter preceding the 
date of the report, identification of each covered 
award that was terminated by the Department of de-
fense on the basis that the award no longer effec-
tuates the programs goals or agency priorities as 
provided under the Department of Defense Research 
and Development General Terms and Conditions 
(dated March 2025), or any related or successor 
guidance. 
(2) For each covered award identified under 
paragraph (1)— 
(A) an explanation of whether or not that 
award was meeting relevant objectives and re-
quirements; and 
(B) a justification for the termination of 
the award. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘covered award’’ means an award 
made by the Department of Defense relating to the
158 
research or development of any of the 14 critical 
technology areas. 
(2) The term ‘‘14 critical technology areas’’ 
means the critical technology areas described in the 
memorandum of the Under Secretary of Defense for 
Research and Engineering issued on February 1, 
2022, titled ‘‘USD(R&E) Technology Vision for an 
Era of Competition’’, or any successor guidance. 
SEC. 244. REPORT ON DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE MARKET 
RESEARCH OF CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY AND 
CAPABILITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of De-
fense, in coordination with the Under Secretary of Defense 
for Research and Engineering and the Under Secretary 
of Acquisition and Sustainment, shall submit to the con-
gressional defense committees a report that— 
(1) reviews and assesses the ability of the De-
partment of Defense to conduct effective and thor-
ough market research on critical existing and emerg-
ing defense technologies; and 
(2) makes recommendations for the improve-
ment of such market research capabilities. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The report under subsection (a) 
shall include the following:
160 
(5) An assessment of how the barriers described 
in paragraph (4) may be addressed to direct addi-
tional investment and speed development. 
(6) An assessment of current practices of accu-
mulating and storing market research data across 
the Department of Defense enterprise, from early- 
stage research and development efforts to mature 
commercial solutions. 
(7) Recommendations, with respect to each crit-
ical technology sector, for enhancing private sector 
participation, lowering barriers to entry for commer-
cial sector entities, decreasing capital costs required 
for development, and shortening internal Depart-
ment of Defense timelines for major acquisition deci-
sions. 
(8) Recommendations for the creation of stand-
ardized best practices for market research and com-
mercial sector due diligence within key innovation 
and acquisition organizations in the Department of 
Defense. 
(c) CONSULTATION.—In preparing the report under 
subsection (a) the Secretary shall seek input from relevant 
individuals and organizations in commercial industry and 
the venture capital sector.
161 
SEC. 245. REPORT ON LOW-COST UNDERSEA EFFECTORS. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) the Defense Innovation Unit’s (DIU) Low 
Cost Undersea Effectors Commercial Solutions 
Opening (CSO), which seeks to demonstrate afford-
able, mission-specific small and medium unmanned 
underwater vehicles (UUVs) capable of supporting 
subsea and seabed warfare, intelligence, surveillance, 
reconnaissance (ISR), and expeditionary warfare, of-
fers the potential to deliver kinetic effects, ISR, and 
expeditionary capabilities at low cost, with reduced 
training and logistics burdens, and in quantities suf-
ficient to enable distributed maritime operations; 
(2) the Low-Cost Undersea Effectors CSO 
should be fully funded and executed to its intended 
scope, with particular emphasis on transitioning via-
ble systems to scaled production rapidly; 
(3) the Secretary of the Navy should plan for 
and execute procurement of successful systems 
emerging from the Low-Cost Undersea Effectors 
CSO, including by leveraging Other Transaction Au-
thority, rapid acquisition authorities, and appro-
priate research, development, test, and evaluation 
(RDT&E) and procurement accounts; and
162 
(4) early adoption of commercially derived, low- 
cost unmanned underwater vehicles will complement, 
rather than compete with, traditional programs of 
record, and will enable novel operational concepts 
ensuring our national security edge in undersea war-
fare. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Navy, in 
coordination with DIU, shall provide a briefing to the con-
gressional defense committees on the Low-Cost Undersea 
Effectors CSO, including— 
(1) the funding plan and execution status for 
the Low-Cost Undersea Effectors CSO; 
(2) Navy plans to begin limited procurement of 
successful CSO awardees for operational experimen-
tation and fleet integration; 
(3) pathways for scaling production of low-cost 
UUVs; and 
(4) steps to ensure small business and non-tra-
ditional defense contractors remain central to future 
acquisition in this domain. 
SEC. 246. REPORT ON ELECTRONIC WARFARE CAPABILITY 
FOR UNMANNED SURFACE VESSELS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days from the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary
163 
of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition 
shall submit to the congressional defense committees an 
unclassified report on planned development of a 
configurable, low-cost, expendable electronic warfare capa-
bility to support unmanned surface vessel survivability. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required under sub-
section (a) shall include the following: 
(1) An assessment of currently available elec-
tronic warfare capabilities for unmanned surface 
vessels and limitations of current technology. 
(2) A determination of funding availability for 
fiscal years 2026 through 2030 by program element 
to support the rapid development of configurable 
low-cost electronic warfare capabilities for multi- 
class unmanned surface vessels. 
(3) A determination of funding availability from 
Public Law 119–21. 
(4) An assessment of current and future sat-
ellite radar detection capabilities in finding and 
tracking ocean-going unmanned surface vessels by 
any country determined by the Secretary of State to 
be a foreign adversary with such capabilities. 
(5) A list of possible technical requirements for 
a multi-class, affordable, low-power, and expendable 
electronic warfare system.
164 
(6) A rapid acquisition strategy for this capa-
bility. 
SEC. 247. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE BIOTECHNOLOGY 
STRATEGY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall, in coordination with the Under Secretary of Defense 
for Research and Engineering and the Under Secretary 
of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, submit to the 
Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Com-
mittee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives 
a strategy on the national security implications of emerg-
ing biotechnologies, including the future role that bio-
technology will play in defense, and means to improve in-
dustry, interagency, and international relationships in this 
sector. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The strategy required pursuant to 
subsection (a) shall include the following elements: 
(1) How the Department of Defense will de-
velop and expand a network of commercial facilities 
for the biomanufacture of products that are critical 
for defense needs. 
(2) Review and update of military specifications 
in order to better incorporate or substitute current 
products with biotechnology-based products.
165 
(3) Updated plans and policies for the Depart-
ment to enter into advance market commitments 
and offtake agreements for biotechnology products 
that have defense applications. 
(4) A description of how the Department could 
better incorporate military-relevant applications of 
emerging biotechnology into wargaming exercises, 
tabletop exercises, or other net assessment analyses. 
(5) The benefits and costs of issuing a research 
grand challenge, or a series of challenges, that focus 
on making biotechnology predictably engineerable 
and how the Department would implement such re-
search grand challenge, or challenges. 
(6) Development of a biotechnology regulation 
science and technology program within the Depart-
ment, including development of digital infrastructure 
to support simplified regulation and the development 
of biometrology tools. 
(7) Updated plans and policies for inter-govern-
mental support that the Department could provide 
in encouraging member countries of the North At-
lantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to aggregate de-
mand and pool purchasing power for biotechnology 
products.
166 
(8) Review of plans and guidance on how the 
Department can work to develop, integrate, and dis-
seminate biotechnology research initiatives across 
member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Or-
ganization, and how the Department might coordi-
nate with international stakeholders to utilize the 
combined research capabilities of such member coun-
tries to drive a biotechnology development approach. 
SEC. 248. PLAN TO SUPPORT ADVANCED MANUFACTURING 
AND 
MATERIALS 
FOR 
HYPERSONICS 
RE-
SEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. 
(a) PLAN REQUIRED.—The Under Secretary of De-
fense for Acquisition and Sustainment shall develop a plan 
for allocating up to $20,000,000 to develop a comprehen-
sive set of advanced manufacturing practices and ad-
vanced materials for hypersonics research and develop-
ment. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—At a minimum, the plan under sub-
section (a) shall— 
(1) address— 
(A) intelligence-optimized robotic forming; 
(B) additive and subtractive manufac-
turing methods;
167 
(C) precision joining (laser, e-beam, fric-
tion stir) for dissimilar metals and metal/CMC 
interfaces; and 
(D) advanced materials and processing; 
and 
(2) define qualification artifacts (process allow-
able, non-destructive inspection procedures, and dig-
ital-thread data standards) and pilot lines executed 
by consortia of primes, startups, and Federal labs, 
with TRL/MRL, cost, and lead-time objectives. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of De-
fense for Acquisition and Sustainment shall submit to the 
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the 
House of Representatives a report on the plan developed 
under subsection (a). 
SEC. 249. STRATEGY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF FRICTION 
STIR 
ADDITIVE 
MANUFACTURING 
TECH-
NOLOGIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary 
of Defense for Research and Engineering shall submit to 
the congressional defense committees a comprehensive re-
port outlining the strategy of the Department of Defense
168 
for the research, development, and deployment of friction 
stir additive manufacturing technologies. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required by subsection 
(a) shall include the following: 
(1) An assessment of the strategic importance 
of developing and deploying friction stir additive 
manufacturing technologies for national defense, in-
cluding their potential to enhance supply chain resil-
ience, manufacturing agility, and operational readi-
ness. 
(2) A detailed summary of current and planned 
Department of Defense programs and initiatives 
that are supporting the development, testing, or im-
plementation of friction stir additive manufacturing 
technologies. 
(3) An analysis of key areas of operational im-
pact of such technologies, including— 
(A) 
expeditionary 
manufacturing 
and 
sustainment capabilities; 
(B) deployable micro-factory systems for 
forward operating bases or contested environ-
ments; and 
(C) development of ultra-large-scale fric-
tion stir additive manufacturing techniques for 
critical defense infrastructure and platforms.
169 
SEC. 250. REPORT ON RESEARCH RELATING TO THE UPPER 
ATMOSPHERE AND NEAR-SPACE ENVIRON-
MENT. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) the upper atmosphere and near-space envi-
ronment are important to Air Force and Joint oper-
ations worldwide and the operational and threat en-
vironments that U.S. assets are likely to encounter; 
(2) research is needed to study atmospheric 
phenomenology and develop technologies for contin-
uous monitoring and detection of encroachment and 
adversarial effects in the atmosphere; 
(3) research on atmospheric signatures and dy-
namics in the upper atmosphere and the develop-
ment of predictive techniques to ensure observational 
and operational superiority would be beneficial for 
Air Force missions; and 
(4) the Secretary of the Air Force should con-
duct additional research in these areas. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, 
in consultation with the Secretary of the Air Force, shall 
submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Sen-
ate and the House of Representatives a report that in-
cludes the following:
170 
(1) An assessment of intelligence activities and 
other competitive activities undertaken by foreign 
nations with respect to the upper atmosphere and 
near-space environment. 
(2) A comprehensive strategy to address the 
upper atmosphere and near-space environment, 
which shall include requirements for high-altitude, 
long-duration, and heavy-lift propulsion systems and 
platforms. 
TITLE III—OPERATION AND 
MAINTENANCE 
Subtitle A—Authorization of 
Appropriations 
SEC. 301. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for 
fiscal year 2026 for the use of the Armed Forces and other 
activities and agencies of the Department of Defense for 
expenses, not otherwise provided for, for operation and 
maintenance, as specified in the funding table in section 
4301.
171 
Subtitle B—Energy and 
Environment 
SEC. 311. INCLUSION OF NUCLEAR ENERGY AND NUCLEAR 
TECHNOLOGIES IN ELIGIBLE INVESTMENTS 
MADE BY OFFICE OF STRATEGIC CAPITAL. 
Section 149(f)(2) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) 
by 
redesignating 
subparagraphs 
(U) 
through (GG) as subparagraphs (W) through (II), 
respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after subparagraph (T) the fol-
lowing new subparagraphs: 
‘‘(U) Nuclear energy. 
‘‘(V) Nuclear technologies.’’. 
SEC. 312. INCLUSION OF INFORMATION ABOUT PFAS INVES-
TIGATION AND REMEDIATION IN ANNUAL RE-
PORT ON DEFENSE ENVIRONMENTAL PRO-
GRAMS. 
Section 2711 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(6) Information on the costs associated with 
investigating 
and 
remediating 
per- 
and
172 
polyfluoroalkyl substances contamination, includ-
ing— 
‘‘(A) detailed information regarding the 
total potential total costs to the Department of 
investigating and remediating such contamina-
tion at all locations where investigation and re-
mediation is expected to be funded by the De-
partment; and 
‘‘(B) the cost assumption analysis required 
under subsection (d).’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(d) PFAS COST ASSUMPTION ANALYSIS.—The Sec-
retary shall carry out an annual cost assumption analysis 
with respect to the most important contributors to the 
costs to the Department of investigating and remediating 
per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances contamination that— 
‘‘(1) includes— 
‘‘(A) an assessment of any changes in reg-
ulatory standards, treatment technologies, and 
site prioritization that could affect future costs; 
‘‘(B) examples of how modifying assump-
tions about contamination extent, remediation 
timelines, or emerging disposal methods could 
affect projected costs; and
173 
‘‘(C) an identification of any funding 
shortfalls or other constraints that could affect 
the investigation and remediation of such con-
tamination; and 
‘‘(2) incorporates a risk and uncertainty anal-
ysis with respect to the effects of potential changes 
in the most important contributors to the costs to 
the Department of investigating and remediating 
per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances contamination, 
including— 
‘‘(A) variability in the extent of such con-
tamination based on ongoing site assessments, 
inspections, and investigations; 
‘‘(B) shifts in regulatory requirements that 
could alter investigation and remediation strate-
gies; and 
‘‘(C) advances in technologies for the treat-
ment and disposal such contamination that 
could reduce or increase long-term costs.’’. 
SEC. 313. MODIFICATION OF REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO 
REPLACEMENT OF FLUORINATED AQUEOUS 
FILM-FORMING FOAM. 
Section 322 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116–92; 10 U.S.C. 
2661 note prec.) is amended—
174 
(1) in subsection (b)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘October 1, 2023’’ and in-
serting ‘‘October 1, 2026’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘in excess of one part per 
billion of’’ and inserting ‘‘detectable’’; 
(2) in subsection (c)(1), by striking ‘‘October 1, 
2024’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2026’’; 
(3) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(d) EXEMPTIONS.—Subsections (b) and (c) shall not 
apply to firefighting foam for use— 
‘‘(1) onboard oceangoing vessels, including use 
in pier-side inspection, testing, and maintenance; 
‘‘(2) that is necessary to conduct testing to 
meet military specification qualification requirements 
and ensure quality standards of the inventory of the 
Department; 
‘‘(3) during research, development, test, and 
evaluation of fluorine-free fire-fighting agents; 
‘‘(4) on naval nuclear submarine propulsion 
plants; or 
‘‘(5) in tactical vehicles and equipment that is 
incompatible with fluorine-free fire-fighting agents.’’; 
and 
(4) in subsection (e)—
175 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) in the matter preceding subpara-
graph (A), by inserting ‘‘the limitation 
under subsection (b) or’’ before ‘‘the prohi-
bition’’; and 
(ii) in subparagraph (B)— 
(I) in clause (ii), by inserting ‘‘or 
to maintain military readiness’’ after 
‘‘safety’’; 
(II) by striking clause (iii) and 
redesignating clauses (iv) and (v) as 
clauses (iii) and (iv), respectively; and 
(III) in clause (iii), as so redesig-
nated, by striking ‘‘and does not re-
quire revision’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2)(C), by striking ‘‘Sec-
retary of Defense’’ and inserting ‘‘Under Sec-
retary 
of 
Defense 
for 
Acquisition 
and 
Sustainment’’.
176 
SEC. 314. PROVISION OF ALTERNATIVE DRINKING WATER 
TO CERTAIN COMMUNITIES WITH PRIVATE 
DRINKING WATER WELLS CONTAMINATED 
WITH PERFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES OR 
POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES. 
(a) REQUIREMENT.—Beginning on the date of the 
enactment of this Act, for each household that is located 
in a community with a private drinking water well in 
which contamination from a perfluoroalkyl substance, 
polyfluoroalkyl substance, or mixture thereof resulting 
from activities of the Department of Defense exceeds the 
maximum contaminant level for such substance or mix-
ture, respectively, and that has not received a permanent 
safe drinking water solution described in subsection (b), 
the Secretary of Defense shall provide to such household 
an alternative source of drinking water (which may include 
the provision of bottled water) until such time as— 
(1) the degree of cleanup of such contamination 
has at least attained such respective maximum con-
taminant level, consistent with section 121(d) of the 
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensa-
tion, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9621(d)); 
or 
(2) the Secretary provides such household with 
a permanent safe drinking water solution described 
in subsection (b).
177 
(b) PERMANENT SAFE DRINKING WATER SOLU-
TIONS DESCRIBED.—A permanent safe drinking water so-
lution described in this subsection is the connection of a 
household to a public water system, installation at a 
household of an onsite filtration system capable of treating 
the contamination specified in subsection (a), or provision 
to a household of another permanent alternative source 
of drinking water. 
(c) COORDINATION WITH EXISTING AUTHORITIES.— 
The Secretary of Defense shall carry out this section in 
a manner consistent with the Comprehensive Environ-
mental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 
1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) and any other authority 
under environmental law, including by coordinating efforts 
under subsection (a) with ongoing efforts to address con-
tamination under such authorities. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The terms ‘‘maximum contaminant level’’ 
and ‘‘public water system’’ have the meanings given 
those terms in section 1401 of the Safe Drinking 
Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300f). 
(2) The term ‘‘private drinking water well’’ 
means a drinking water well that is not a public 
water system and is not connected to a public water 
system.
178 
SEC. 315. RESPONSIBILITIES OF EXECUTIVE AGENT FOR IN-
STALLATION AND OPERATIONAL NUCLEAR 
ENERGY. 
(a) EXECUTIVE AGENT.—The Secretary of Defense, 
in coordination with the Secretary of the Army, the Under 
Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, the 
Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineer-
ing, and the Director of the Strategic Capabilities Office 
of the Department of Defense, shall ensure that, not later 
than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
there is designated an executive agent of the Department 
of Defense for installation and operational nuclear energy. 
(b) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The responsibilities of the 
executive agent specified in subsection (a) shall include the 
following: 
(1) In coordination with the commanders of the 
combatant commands and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 
assessing installation energy and operational energy 
needs, and establishing and maintaining require-
ments for the use of nuclear energy to meet such 
needs, for the purpose of furthering mission critical 
activities of the Department of Defense and enhanc-
ing national security. 
(2) Consulting with project developers and 
other experts from the commercial nuclear industry, 
potential private owners and operators of nuclear re-
179 
actors to be deployed at military installations, and 
other persons determined appropriate by the execu-
tive agent, to assess the technological capabilities, 
development status, costs, timelines, risks, and po-
tential need for design evolution of nuclear reactors 
to meet the needs of the Department of Defense re-
ferred to paragraph (1). 
(3) In coordination with the Secretary of En-
ergy, the Secretaries of the military departments, 
and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, assessing 
the technology readiness, licensability, deployability, 
operability, and maintainability of nuclear reactors 
with respect to potential deployment at military in-
stallations. 
(4) In coordination with the Secretary of De-
fense and the Secretaries of the military depart-
ments, integrating technical and project resources 
across the Department of Defense for the use of nu-
clear reactors to meet the needs of the Department 
of Defense referred to in paragraph (1), including by 
developing a plan to aggregate the demand for, and 
the acquisition and deployment of, nuclear reactors 
across military installations and military depart-
ments.
180 
(5) In coordination with the Secretary of En-
ergy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission— 
(A) evaluating the regulatory framework 
and other requirements applicable to the use of 
nuclear reactors to meet such needs; and 
(B) establishing training programs and 
plans relating to the acquisition and operation 
of nuclear reactors to meet such needs. 
(6) Identifying the timelines and resource re-
quirements necessary for the acquisition and oper-
ation of nuclear reactors to meet such needs, includ-
ing— 
(A) any support necessary from the na-
tional laboratories of the Department of En-
ergy; and 
(B) any funding necessary to carry out in-
terim pilot programs for the limited deployment 
of nuclear reactors until such timelines and re-
source requirements are met. 
(7) Including resource requirements identified 
pursuant to paragraph (6), and any other resource 
requirements necessary to carry out this subsection, 
in applicable planning, programming, budgeting, and 
execution processes of the Department of Defense, 
including by preparing, as applicable—
181 
(A) a program objective memorandum for 
any new resource so required; and 
(B) a budget justification for any new re-
source so required for inclusion in the budget 
materials submitted by the Secretary of De-
fense to Congress in support of the President’s 
annual budget request (submitted to Congress 
pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, United 
States Code). 
(8) Providing technical support for programs of 
the military departments relating to the deployment 
of nuclear reactors for installation energy resilience. 
(c) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than September 
30, 2026, and annually thereafter for a period of five 
years, the executive agent specified in subsection (a) shall 
submit to the Secretary of Defense and the congressional 
defense committees a report describing the actions taken 
to implement this section during the one-year period end-
ing on the date of the submission of such report. 
(d) PLAN FOR PROGRAM OF RECORD.— 
(1) SUBMISSION.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense, in coordination with the executive agent 
specified in subsection (a), shall submit to the con-
gressional defense committees a plan to establish a
182 
program of record of the Department of Defense for 
the use of nuclear energy to meet installation energy 
and operational energy needs. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The plan under paragraph (1) 
shall include the following: 
(A) An identification of requirements nec-
essary for the establishment of the program of 
record specified in such paragraph. 
(B) A budget estimate for such program of 
record through 2030 or through the conclusion 
of the five-year period following the first date 
on which a nuclear reactor is deployed at a 
military installation, whichever is later. 
(C) A summary of actions taken to imple-
ment the responsibilities under subsection (b) 
and information derived as a result of such ac-
tions. 
(D) Use cases for nuclear reactors, devel-
oped in coordination with the commanders of 
combatant commands with respect to installa-
tion and operational needs (including needs re-
lating to the electrification of operational en-
ergy, elimination of fuel supply vulnerabilities, 
military installation resilience, sustainment of
183 
military installations, enablement of multi-do-
main operations, and advanced weaponry). 
(E) An identification of the minimum po-
tential number of military installations at which 
nuclear reactors would be necessary to deploy in 
order to establish a cost-effective program, and 
projected dates by which such nuclear reactors 
would achieve initial operational capability. 
(F) An estimate of fuel requirements nec-
essary to support the deployment of various 
models of nuclear reactors at military installa-
tions, to inform future acquisition planning. 
(e) COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE DIRECTIVE.— 
The Secretary shall carry out this section in compliance 
with Directive 5101.1. 
(f) SUPPORT WITHIN DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.— 
In accordance with Directive 5101.1, the Secretary shall 
ensure that the military departments, the Defense Agen-
cies, and other elements of the Department of Defense 
provide the executive agent specified in subsection (a) with 
the appropriate support and resources needed to perform 
the roles, responsibilities, and authorities of the executive 
agent. 
(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section—
184 
(1) The term ‘‘Directive 5101.1’’ means De-
partment of Defense Directive 5101.1, or any suc-
cessor directive relating to the responsibilities of an 
executive agent of the Department of Defense. 
(2) The terms ‘‘energy resilience’’ and ‘‘military 
installation resilience’’ have the meanings given 
those terms in section 101 of title 10, United States 
Code. 
(3) The term ‘‘executive agent’’ has the mean-
ing given the term ‘‘DoD Executive Agent’’ in Direc-
tive 5101.1. 
(4) The term ‘‘operational energy’’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 2924 of title 10, 
United States Code. 
SEC. 316. ESTABLISHMENT OF ADVANCED NUCLEAR TECH-
NOLOGIES TRANSITION WORKING GROUP. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Defense shall establish a working group to be known as 
the ‘‘Advanced Nuclear Technologies Transition Working 
Group’’. 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The working group shall be com-
posed of the following members, or designees thereof: 
(1) The Secretary of Defense. 
(2) The Secretaries of the military departments.
185 
(3) The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. 
(4) The Under Secretary of Defense for Acqui-
sition and Sustainment. 
(5) The Under Secretary of Defense for Re-
search and Engineering. 
(6) The Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. 
(7) The Director of the Defense Innovation 
Unit. 
(8) The Director of the Strategic Capabilities 
Office. 
(9) The head of any other organizational entity 
of the Department of Defense the Chairperson de-
termines appropriate. 
(c) CHAIRPERSON.—The Secretary of Defense, or a 
designee thereof, shall serve as the Chairperson of the 
working group. 
(d) DUTIES.—The duties of the working group shall 
include the following: 
(1) Developing and implementing a strategy to 
accelerate the procurement and fielding of commer-
cially available advanced nuclear technologies using 
available authorities. 
(2) Identifying critical installation energy and 
operational energy needs of military installations 
and the combatant commands that may be ad-
186 
dressed through the use of advanced nuclear tech-
nologies, ensuring such needs are considered in rela-
tion to efforts and planned efforts of the Depart-
ment of Defense, and developing an accelerated 
pathway to leverage advanced nuclear technologies 
to address any gap in such needs. 
(3) Coordinating efforts among the members of 
the working group for the demonstration and transi-
tion of advanced nuclear technologies, including by 
increasing opportunities for collaboration between 
the Department of Defense and potential partners 
within the commercial nuclear industry with respect 
to research and development, testing and evaluation, 
and procurement activities relating to such tech-
nologies. 
(4) Coordinating with the heads of other rel-
evant Federal departments and agencies regarding 
the conduct of interagency activities and develop-
ment of best practices to address obstacles to the 
rapid fielding of advanced nuclear technologies, in-
cluding any such obstacle relating to workforce de-
velopment, regulatory frameworks, licensing require-
ments, access to fuel sources, safety or security 
standards, or decommissioning.
187 
(5) Establishing opportunities for engagement 
with developers of advanced nuclear technologies 
within the commercial nuclear industry to assess the 
availability (including, as applicable, the timeline for 
availability) of micro-reactor and small modular re-
actor capabilities for potential application to meet 
the needs of the Department of Defense. 
(e) MEETINGS.—The working group shall meet at the 
call of the Chairperson and not less frequently than quar-
terly. 
(f) BRIEFINGS AND REPORTS.— 
(1) INITIAL
BRIEFING.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Chairperson shall provide to the congressional de-
fense committees a briefing on the organization, 
plans, milestones, and activities of the working 
group. 
(2) ANNUAL
REPORT.—Not later than Sep-
tember 30, 2026, and annually thereafter until the 
date of termination under subsection (g), the Chair-
person shall submit to the congressional defense 
committees a report describing, with respect to the 
year preceding the date of submission of the report, 
the plans, milestones, and activities of the working 
group, including a description of the status during
188 
such year of any project relating to advanced nu-
clear technologies, any funding or other requirement 
associated with such a project, and any plan to tran-
sition a capability under such a project. 
(g) TERMINATION.—The working group shall termi-
nate on September 30, 2029. 
(h) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘micro-reactor’’ means an ad-
vanced nuclear reactor, as such term is defined in 
section 951(b)(1) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 
(42 U.S.C. 16271(b)(1)), with a rated capacity of 
less than 50 electrical megawatts. 
(2) The term ‘‘operational energy’’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 2924 of title 10, 
United States Code. 
(3) The term ‘‘small modular reactor’’ means 
an advanced nuclear reactor, as such term is defined 
in section 951(b)(1) of the Energy Policy Act of 
2005 (42 U.S.C. 16271(b)(1))— 
(A) with a rated capacity of less than 500 
electrical megawatts; and 
(B) that may be constructed and operated 
in combination with similar reactors at a single 
site.
189 
(4) The term ‘‘working group’’ means the work-
ing group established under subsection (a). 
SEC. 317. DEPARTMENT OF AIR FORCE PROGRAM OF 
RECORD FOR COMMERCIAL WEATHER DATA. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than September 30, 
2027, the Secretary of the Air Force shall establish a pro-
gram of record of the Department of the Air Force to— 
(1) acquire and use commercial weather data 
to— 
(A) support operational weather fore-
casting; and 
(B) enhance mission planning and execu-
tion in data-sparse and contested environments; 
(2) integrate such commercial weather data and 
related systems into meteorological and decision sup-
port frameworks of the Air Force; and 
(3) ensure resilience against adversarial ad-
vancements in space-based environmental moni-
toring. 
(b) SUBMISSION
TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 
March 1, 2026, the Secretary of the Air Force shall sub-
mit to the congressional defense committees, with respect 
to the program of record to be established under sub-
section (a), the following:
190 
(1) A transition plan for the adoption of such 
program of record, including projected costs and 
funding requirements over the period covered by the 
program objective memorandum process for fiscal 
years 2027 through 2031. 
(2) An acquisition strategy for such program of 
record, including an outline of potential middle tier 
of acquisition pathways or major capability acquisi-
tion pathways (as such term is defined in Depart-
ment of Defense Instruction 5000.85, titled ‘‘Major 
Capability Acquisition’’ and issued on August 6, 
2020 (or successor instruction)). 
(3) A budget justification for inclusion of such 
program of record in the budget materials submitted 
by the Secretary of Defense to Congress in support 
of the President’s annual budget request (submitted 
to Congress pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, 
United States Code) for fiscal year 2027, to secure 
sustained funding. 
SEC. 318. PILOT PROGRAM ON NAVY INSTALLATION NU-
CLEAR ENERGY. 
(a) PILOT PROGRAM REQUIRED.—Beginning not 
later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of 
this Act, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, 
Installations, and Environment shall carry out a ten-year
191 
pilot program at not fewer than two naval installations 
for the purpose of determining how small modular reactors 
or mobile reactors could be used— 
(1) to meet the installation energy needs of the 
Navy during the ten-year period beginning on the 
date of the enactment of this Act; and 
(2) to inform the development of concepts for 
the use of nuclear power facilities to support in-
creased energy security for Navy and Marine Corps 
installations. 
(b) INSTALLATION PRIORITIZATION.—In selecting 
naval installations for the pilot program required by sub-
section (a), the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for En-
ergy, Installations, and Environment shall prioritize an in-
stallation that— 
(1) has entered into, as of the date of the en-
actment of this Act, a memorandum of agreement 
with a private power provider or reactor technology 
vendor to explore the use of a small modular reactor 
or mobile reactor designed for standardized and 
scaleable production for installation energy require-
ments; and 
(2) contributes support to naval operations at 
mid-Atlantic region installations. 
(c) PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.—
192 
(1) AVAILABLE INFRASTRUCTURE.—The Assist-
ant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, 
and Environment may carry out the pilot program 
required by subsection (a) by assessing and making 
recommendations regarding how to make available 
the facilities of a Navy or Marine Corps program se-
lected for participation in the pilot program. 
(2) DATA CENTERS.—As part of the pilot pro-
gram, the Assistant Secretary shall evaluate and 
make recommendations regarding how to make 
available Navy or Marine Corps facilities to co-locate 
data centers with the assessed, representative small 
modular reactors or mobile reactors. 
(3) CONTRACTS.—The pilot program does not 
require the Secretary of the Navy to enter into any 
new contract, such as an energy savings perform-
ance contract. 
(d) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) ANNUAL
REPORT.—In each report sub-
mitted under section 2925 of title 10, United States 
Code, during the period beginning on the date that 
is one year after the date of enactment of this Act 
and ending on September 30, 2032, the Secretary of 
the Navy shall include, for the year covered by the 
report, each of the following:
193 
(A) A five-year funding plan for all Navy 
nuclear shore and installation power programs 
for the Navy, including nuclear efforts provided 
for in the context of the Navy Shore Energy 
Program and any identified funding shortfalls. 
(B) An identification of authorities re-
quired and remaining barriers to the provision 
of nuclear power from a military installation to 
civilian energy grids. 
(C) A review of lessons learned from re-
lated efforts conducted by the other military de-
partments, the Defense Innovation Unit, and 
any other entities the Secretary considers rel-
evant. 
(D) An analysis of efforts taken by the 
Navy to use nuclear power on Navy installa-
tions to support data center power demands. 
(E) Any other details the Secretary of the 
Navy considers relevant. 
(2) FINAL REPORT.—Upon conclusion of the 
pilot program, the Secretary of the Navy shall sub-
mit to the congressional defense committees a report 
that includes, or include in the report required under 
section 2925 of title 10, United States Code, for the
194 
fiscal year during which the pilot program concludes, 
the following: 
(A) An identification of the funding that 
would be required to convert the pilot program 
to a program of record. 
(B) An identification of all available fund-
ing provided in the budget of the Navy for the 
fiscal year during which the report is submitted 
for nuclear power at Navy and Marine Corps 
installations. 
(e) EARLY TERMINATION.—The Secretary of the 
Navy may terminate the pilot program before the expira-
tion of the five-year period referred to in subsection (a) 
if the Secretary provides notice of such early termination 
to the congressional defense committees. 
(f) MID-ATLANTIC
REGION
INSTALLATION
DE-
FINED.—The term ‘‘mid-Atlantic region installation’’ 
means any installation covered under the geographic pa-
rameters of the Navy Region Mid-Atlantic on the date of 
the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 319. PILOT PROGRAM TO INSTALL PROPANE-POW-
ERED GENERATORS AT A DOMESTIC DE-
FENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE FACILITY. 
(a) PROGRAM REQUIRED.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Assistant
195 
Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations and the En-
vironment shall carry out a pilot program under which the 
Assistant Secretary shall install propane-powered genera-
tors at an organic industrial base facility. Under the pilot 
program, such generators shall— 
(1) be used in tandem with an on-site microgrid 
in order to improve the resiliency and redundancy of 
power generation at the facility; and 
(2) be powered by conventional or renewable 
propane. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘microgrid’’ has the meaning 
given such term in section 641(b)(6) of the United 
States Energy Storage Competitiveness Act of 2007 
(42 U.S.C. 17231(b)(6)). 
(2) The term ‘‘propane’’ has the meaning given 
such term in section 3(6) of the Propane Education 
and Research Act of 1996 (15 U.S.C. 6402(6)). 
(c) TERMINATION.—The authority to carry out the 
pilot program under this section shall terminate on the 
date that is five years after the date of the enactment of 
this Act.
196 
SEC. 320. STRATEGY TO ACCELERATE REMEDIATION OF 
CONTAMINATION FROM PERFLUOROALKYL 
SUBSTANCES AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUB-
STANCES. 
(a) STRATEGY.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall submit to the congressional defense committees a 
strategy to accelerate the remediation efforts of the De-
partment of Defense with respect to contamination from 
perfluoroalkyl substances or polyfluoroalkyl substances, 
which shall include— 
(1) criteria of the Department for the 
prioritization of military installations and National 
Guard facilities with respect to which such efforts 
are planned or underway, based on relative risk to 
human health, demonstrated environmental impact, 
and proximity to any community affected, or at risk 
of being affected, by such contamination; 
(2) timelines for completing each phase of the 
cleanup process under CERCLA with respect to 
such contamination for each such military installa-
tion or National Guard facility; 
(3) a plan for deploying additional technologies, 
personnel, or other resources to reduce delays to 
such remediation efforts, including an identification 
of—
197 
(A) the number of laboratories accredited 
by the environmental laboratory accreditation 
program of the Department to test for the pres-
ence 
of 
perfluoroalkyl 
substances 
and 
polyfluoroalkyl substances; and 
(B) the number of laboratories in the proc-
ess of being so accredited; and 
(4) benchmarks for evaluating the performance 
of each military department or Defense Agency with 
respect to response efforts to address contamination 
from perfluoroalkyl substances and polyfluoroalkyl 
substances. 
(b) PUBLIC DASHBOARD.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall publish on a publicly accessible website of the De-
partment an online dashboard that provides information 
on the actions of the Department, including each military 
department, relating to contamination from perfluoroalkyl 
substances and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The dashboard 
shall be updated on a semiannual basis and shall include 
a summary of— 
(1) funding levels and expenditures relating to 
response efforts to address such contamination, 
dissagregated by each military installation or Na-
198 
tional Guard facility with respect to which such ef-
forts are planned or underway; 
(2) the status of response efforts to address 
such contamination under the applicable phase of 
the cleanup process under CERCLA, including the 
status of any interim removal actions, at each such 
site; 
(3) projected and actual timelines for the com-
pletion of remediation with respect to such contami-
nation at each such site; and 
(4) points of contact for community engage-
ment. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The terms ‘‘CERCLA’’, ‘‘National Guard 
facility’’, ‘‘removal’’, and ‘‘response’’ have the mean-
ings given those terms in section 2700 of title 10, 
United States Code. 
(2) The term ‘‘Defense Agency’’ has the mean-
ing given such term in section 101(a) of title 10, 
United States Code. 
SEC. 321. STUDY ON SMALL MODULAR NUCLEAR REAC-
TORS. 
(a) STUDY REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall conduct a comprehensive study on the feasibility, 
costs, and benefits of deploying small modular nuclear re-
199 
actors (in this section referred to as ‘‘SMRs’’) to provide 
secure, resilient, and reliable power for Department of De-
fense installations. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The study shall include the fol-
lowing: 
(1) An assessment of potential sites for SMR 
deployment at Department of Defense installations. 
(2) An evaluation of the benefits of SMR de-
ployment to mission readiness, energy resilience, and 
cost savings. 
(3) An analysis of regulatory, safety, and secu-
rity considerations related to SMR deployment. 
(4) A review of ongoing pilot projects and part-
nerships with the Department of Energy and private 
industry related to SMR deployment. 
(5) An assessment of how SMR deployment 
could enhance future military readiness and national 
security by mitigating emerging threats to energy in-
frastructure, including cyber, physical, and natural 
hazards. 
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Serv-
ices of the House of Representatives and the Senate a re-
200 
port on the findings of the study, including recommenda-
tions for future implementation of such findings. 
SEC. 322. COORDINATOR FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH DE-
FENSE COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY PFAS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Defense shall designate an official of the Department of 
Defense as the ‘‘Coordinator for Engagement with De-
fense Communities Affected by PFAS’’. 
(b) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The responsibilities of the 
Coordinator designated under subsection (a) are— 
(1) to improve the outreach, education, and 
communication efforts of the Department with re-
spect to current or former defense communities lo-
cated in the United States that have been affected 
by the contamination or leakage of perfluoroalkyl 
and polyfluoroalkyl substances (referred to in this 
section as ‘‘PFAS’’); and 
(2) to serve as a dedicated liaison between the 
Department and State and local governments, advo-
cacy organizations, and individual citizens in the 
current and former defense communities where the 
Department has ongoing or incomplete PFAS reme-
diation projects.
201 
(c) 
DEFINITION
OF
PERFLUOROALKYL
AND 
POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES.—For the purposes of 
this section, the terms ‘‘perfluoroalkyl substance’’ and 
‘‘polyfluoroalkyl substance’’ have the meanings given such 
terms in section 333(b) of the National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283; 
134 Stat. 3531; 10 U.S.C. 3062 note). 
SEC. 323. REVISING THE PROHIBITION ON CONTRACTS FOR 
PERFORMANCE OF FIREFIGHTING OR SECU-
RITY-GUARD FUNCTIONS. 
Section 2465 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (4), by inserting ‘‘or se-
curity-guard’’ after ‘‘firefighting’’ each place 
such term appears; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) An installation access control security 
guard contract to be carried out at an installation 
with less than 300 permanently assigned enlisted 
members in grades below E-7 and entitled to basic 
pay.’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(c) INAPPLICABILITY DURING WAR OR NATIONAL 
EMERGENCY.—The provisions of this section shall not
202 
apply during war or during a period of war or national 
emergency declared by the President or an Act of Con-
gress.’’. 
SEC. 324. ELIMINATION OF PREFERENCE FOR MOTOR VEHI-
CLES USING ELECTRIC OR HYBRID PROPUL-
SION 
SYSTEMS 
AND 
RELATED 
REQUIRE-
MENTS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 
Chapter 173 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in section 2911(e)— 
(A) by striking paragraph (4); 
(B) 
by 
redesignating 
paragraphs 
(5) 
through (9) as paragraphs (4) through (8), re-
spectively; 
(C) by striking paragraph (10); and 
(D) by redesignating paragraphs (11) 
through (15) as paragraphs (9) through (13), 
respectively; and 
(2) by striking section 2922g.
203 
Subtitle C—Logistics and 
Sustainment 
SEC. 331. EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION OF DEPOT 
WORKING CAPITAL FUNDS FOR UNSPECIFIED 
MINOR MILITARY CONSTRUCTION. 
Section 2208(u)(4) of title 10, United States Code, 
is amended by striking ‘‘September 30, 2025’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘September 30, 2027’’. 
SEC. 332. DESIGNATION OF SENIOR OFFICIALS RESPON-
SIBLE FOR INTEGRATION OF GLOBAL CON-
TESTED LOGISTICS POSTURE MANAGEMENT. 
(a) DESIGNATION OF SENIOR MILITARY DEPART-
MENT OFFICIALS.—Chapter 131 of title 10, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
section: 
‘‘§ 2229b. Responsibility for contested logistics pos-
ture management 
‘‘(a) DESIGNATION OF RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL.— 
The Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff shall designate the 
member or employee of the Joint Staff with primary re-
sponsibility for the core logistics capabilities of supply, 
maintenance operations, prepositioned stocks, deployment 
and distribution, health services support, engineering, lo-
gistics services, and operational contract to serve as the 
official within the Department with principal responsibility
204 
for the integration of global contested logistics posture 
management across the military departments. In carrying 
out such responsibility, such official shall coordinate with 
the senior military department officials designated under 
subsection (c). 
‘‘(b) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The official designated 
under subsection (a) shall coordinate and deconflict the 
activities of the military departments with respect to each 
of the following: 
‘‘(1) The locations of sites outside the conti-
nental United States at which stocks of supplies and 
equipment as well as the composition of those 
stocks. 
‘‘(2) The provision of adequate intra-theater sea 
and air capability to move material and personnel 
throughout the theater. 
‘‘(3) The monitoring and coordination of 
resourcing decisions by the military departments in 
support of operational plans and contingencies. 
‘‘(4) The identification of shortcomings in the 
provision of resources identified in paragraphs (2) 
and (3). 
‘‘(c) SENIOR MILITARY DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS.— 
(1) Each secretary of a military department shall des-
ignate, from among officials serving in the department,
205 
an official to have principal responsibility for contested lo-
gistics posture management for that department. 
‘‘(2) Each senior official designated under paragraph 
(1) shall be responsible for— 
‘‘(A) ensuring that the department concerned is 
adequately prepared to provide coordinated logistics 
support to the armed forces of that department in 
contested environments outside the continental 
United States, including by— 
‘‘(i) establishing or arranging for access to 
locations through which supplies and equipment 
can be provided to such forces; 
‘‘(ii) developing any necessary infrastruc-
ture; and 
‘‘(iii) to the extent feasible, prepositioning 
supplies and equipment at such locations; and 
‘‘(B) ensuring that the logistics capabilities de-
scribed in subparagraph (A) meet the requirements 
of the operational and contingency plans of such 
forces. 
‘‘(3) Each senior official designated under paragraph 
(1) may designate an official of the military department 
concerned to serve as a deputy to assist the senior official 
in carrying out the responsibilities under this section.
210 
SEC. 335. MODIFICATION TO ANNUAL REPORT ON NAVY 
SHIPYARD INFRASTRUCTURE OPTIMIZATION 
PROGRAM. 
Section 355(c)(2)(A) of the National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 117– 
81; 10 U.S.C. 8013 note) is amended by inserting ‘‘and 
the incorporation of digital infrastructure (including hard-
ware, software, and cloud storage) and platforms’’ before 
‘‘; and’’. 
SEC. 336. STRATEGY TO IMPROVE INFRASTRUCTURE OF 
CERTAIN DEPOTS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 
DEFENSE. 
Section 359 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116–92; 133 Stat. 
1323; 10 U.S.C. 2476 note) is amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (c); and 
(2) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as 
subsections (c) and (d), respectively. 
SEC. 337. PILOT PROGRAM FOR ARSENAL WORKLOAD 
SUSTAINMENT. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT
OF
PILOT
PROGRAM.—Not 
later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Defense shall establish a pilot pro-
gram to incentivize public-private partnerships at arsenals 
of the Department of the Army, to be known as the ‘‘Arse-
211 
nal Workload Sustainment Pilot Program’’ (in this section 
referred to as the ‘‘pilot program’’). 
(b) PRIORITIZATION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—In carrying out the pilot 
program, the Secretary shall prioritize the award of 
a contract to a non-public partner that will use a 
Government owned, Government controlled arsenal 
of the Department of the Army. 
(2) SELECTION.—The Secretary shall select to 
participate in the pilot program non-public partners 
that the Secretary determines demonstrate that the 
performance of any work under the pilot program 
shall be performed equally by employees of the De-
partment of Defense and the non-public partner. 
(c) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue 
regulations to implement subsection (b). 
(d) REPORT.— 
(1) SUBMISSION.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall submit to the congressional defense committees 
a report on the activities conducted under the pilot 
program, including a description of any operational 
challenges identified in the course of such conduct.
212 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The report under paragraph 
(1) shall include the following: 
(A) A breakout, by relevant budget ac-
count, of the workload achieved during the 
prior fiscal year at each Government owned, 
Government controlled arsenal of the Depart-
ment of the Army for which a contract was 
awarded under the pilot program, whether di-
rectly or pursuant to such contract. 
(B) An assessment of relevant budget ac-
counts where any such arsenal may be used to 
meet future procurement needs of the Depart-
ment of Defense, irrespective of cost. 
(C) An outlook of expected workload at 
each such arsenal during the period covered by 
the future-years defense program submitted to 
Congress under section 221 of title 10, United 
States Code. 
(D) The capital investments required to be 
made at each such arsenal to ensure compliance 
and operational capacity. 
(e) TERMINATION.—The authority to carry out the 
pilot program shall terminate on the date that is five years 
after the date of the establishment of the pilot program.
213 
(f) NON-PUBLIC PARTNER DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘‘non-public partner’’ means an entity, indi-
vidual, university, or nonprofit organization that is not 
part of the United States Government. 
SEC. 338. DEPOT-LEVEL MAINTENANCE COORDINATION IN 
MULTINATIONAL EXERCISES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Each year, the Secretary of the 
Air Force shall incorporate in at least one multinational 
exercise conducted in the area of operations of the United 
States Indo-Pacific Command— 
(1) 
depot-level 
maintenance, 
repair, 
and 
sustainment considerations, including binational or 
multinational planning sessions with covered nations 
on— 
(A) identifying opportunities to cooperate 
on depot-level maintenance and repair in ways 
that minimize transportation requirements in 
such area of operations and determining the au-
thorities necessary to deliver the necessary joint 
capabilities; 
(B) facilitating real-time coordination be-
tween the United States and covered nations to 
maintain munitions stock levels and resupply 
routes in the such area of operations;
214 
(C) mutual recognition of airworthiness 
and maintenance certification between the 
United States and covered nations; and 
(D) emergency tabletop exercises, such as 
when an aircraft of a covered nation breaks 
down on United States territory, and vice versa, 
in a contested logistics environment; and 
(2) 
coordination 
with 
the 
Air 
Force 
Sustainment Center, including the participation of 
representatives of— 
(A) the United States Indo-Pacific Com-
mand; 
(B) United States Air Force Pacific; 
(C) the United States Air Mobility Com-
mand; and 
(D) the Air Force Sustainment Center. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Air 
Force shall submit to Congress a report summarizing the 
lessons learned from carrying out an exercise in accord-
ance with subsection (a) with respect to the Republic of 
Korea and the Commonwealth of Australia. Such report 
shall include each of the following: 
(1) A list of candidate systems for co- 
sustainment with Korea and Australia.
215 
(2) A list of depot-level repair workload oppor-
tunities to undertake with Korea and Australia, in-
cluding testing equipment or line replaceable units. 
(3) Opportunities to incorporate Korean and 
Australian industry partners in depot-level mainte-
nance repair activities, including through public-pri-
vate partnerships. 
(4) An identification of any potential logistical 
challenges that could arise with the host country, in-
cluding with respect to workforce, housing, and loca-
tion of workload. 
(5) An identification of any potential impedi-
ments involving intellectual property or data rights 
between original equipment manufacturers and the 
Department of the Air Force or between the Depart-
ment of the Air Force and named partner countries. 
(6) An identification of any potential impedi-
ments related to the International Traffic in Arms 
Regulations and related statutes. 
(7) Any additional recommendations to Con-
gress that would ease the facilitation of depot-level 
maintenance repair partnerships with Korea and 
Australia, including changes to existing status of 
forces agreements.
216 
(8) An analysis of current maintenance and re-
pair capabilities and gaps in the organic industrial 
base of Korea and Australia. 
(9) An assessment of the types of maintenance 
and repair activities (depot-level, preventative, cor-
rective) that may be most appropriate for partner-
ship with Korea and Australia. 
(10) An assessment of how partnerships may 
contribute to allied contingency operations, inter-
operability, and regional posture resilience in the 
Indo-Pacific region. 
(11) A consideration of planning factors related 
to the evolving force generation models, future-gen-
eration aircraft programs, deployment schedules, 
statutory maintenance thresholds, and other relevant 
operational requirements of the Department of the 
Air Force. 
(c) COVERED NATION DEFINED.—In this section, the 
term ‘‘covered nation’’ means any of the following: 
(1) The Commonwealth of Australia. 
(2) Canada. 
(3) Japan. 
(4) New Zealand. 
(5) The Republic of Korea.
217 
(6) The United Kingdom of Great Britain and 
Northern Ireland. 
(7) Any other nation designated a covered na-
tion for the purposes of this section by the Secretary 
of the Air Force. 
SEC. 339. MAINTENANCE INSPECTION CAPABILITIES AND 
REQUIREMENTS. 
(a) REQUIREMENT.—Subject to the requirements of 
subsection (b), the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that 
when the Department of Defense conducts maintenance 
of aviation critical safety items and mission critical parts, 
such maintenance— 
(1) includes the use of a technical data require-
ment or organic or commercially available diagnostic 
tool, if such a requirement or tool is required and 
available; and 
(2) is not conducted solely through visual in-
spection unless— 
(A) no such requirement or tool is avail-
able; or 
(B) only a visual inspection is required 
under a technical data requirement. 
(b) SUSTAINMENT.—The Secretary shall ensure that 
the acquisition of appropriate technical data requirements 
and diagnostic tools for the conduct of maintenance of
218 
aviation critical safety items and mission critical parts are 
planned as part of the sustainment of the systems con-
taining such items and parts. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘aviation critical safety item’’ 
means any part, assembly, installation equipment, 
launch equipment, recovery equipment, or support 
equipment for an aircraft or aviation weapon system 
the failure, malfunction, or absence of which could 
cause— 
(A) a catastrophic or critical failure result-
ing in the loss of or serious damage to the air-
craft or weapon system; 
(B) an unacceptable risk of personal injury 
or loss of life; or 
(C) an uncommanded engine shutdown 
that jeopardizes safety. 
(2) The term ‘‘corrosion’’ means the deteriora-
tion of a material or its properties, including non- 
metallic materials, due to a reaction of that material 
with the chemical environment. 
(3) The term ‘‘diagnostic tool’’ means a non-de-
structive inspection tool capable of—
219 
(A) detecting corrosion, cracks, component 
damage, adhesion failure, and standard wear 
and tear; and 
(B) leveraging artificial intelligence and 
machine learning to build a predictive mainte-
nance database when necessary to improve 
maintainability. 
SEC. 340. JOINT STRIKE FIGHTER SUSTAINMENT. 
(a) REQUIREMENTS.—By not later than September 
30, 2028, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with 
the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of the Air 
Force, shall ensure that— 
(1) sufficient wartime spares, support equip-
ment, and depot level capabilities are projected to be 
available for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to— 
(A) sustain F-35 Joint Strike Fighter op-
erations for at least 90 days in the most stress-
ing operational plan required of each such Sec-
retary; and 
(B) meet the fleet wide minimum readiness 
targets established by each such Secretary; and 
(2) each F-35 Joint Strike Fighter contractor 
has provided to the Secretary of the Navy or the 
Secretary of the Air Force, as applicable, and such 
Secretary has validated as accurate, all information
220 
that is necessary for the Department of Defense to 
successfully complete the financial reporting and ac-
countability requirements for F-35 property, includ-
ing— 
(A) the incorporation of information relat-
ing to the management and reporting of Gov-
ernment property that has been provided for 
contractor performance, as defined and agreed 
upon in the contract entered into by the con-
tractor; and 
(B) the remediation of all material weak-
nesses of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Pro-
gram identified in the Department of Defense 
Agency Financial Report for Fiscal Year 2024 
that are within the control and responsibility of 
the contractor. 
(b) TREATMENT OF INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTS.—The 
information required under subsection (a)(2) may be pro-
vided on an individual contract basis. 
(c) WAIVER.—The Secretary may waive a require-
ment under subsection (a) if the Secretary— 
(1) determines that such waiver is in the na-
tional security interests of the United States; and 
(2) provides to the congressional defense com-
mittees notice of such determination, which shall in-
221 
clude an identification of the concern of the Sec-
retary, a remedial action plan, and a proposed 
timeline to meet the requirements of such sub-
section. 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than February 1, 2026, the 
Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary 
of the Navy and the Secretary of the Air Force, shall sub-
mit to the congressional defense committees a report on 
the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program that includes a de-
scription of each of the following: 
(1) The top scarce supply assets and plans to 
reach sustainable supply positions by not later than 
September 30, 2028. 
(2) The readiness condition of afloat and de-
ployment spares packages and efforts available to re-
fresh outdated supplies and spares. 
(3) The fiscal programming, by fiscal year, nec-
essary to reduce deficient parts and depot capabili-
ties to meet the joint strike fighter planning targets 
by not later than September 30, 2028. 
SEC. 341. MODERNIZATION OF ARMY ARSENALS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In order to accelerate the mod-
ernization of the organic industrial base of the Army and 
to expand capacity across the munitions industrial base
222 
to meet the munitions requirements of the Army, the Sec-
retary of the Army shall— 
(1) assess existing Army facilities, as well as ex-
isting environmental permits, security arrangements, 
and personnel, to identify facilities that could be 
used or modified for the production of munitions; 
and 
(2) in identifying facilities under paragraph (1), 
ensure that such facilities have enough property that 
is available and suitable for future industrial or 
technical development. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the Secretary should expedite the use or modi-
fication of Army facilities to the fullest extent possible in 
order to increase the rate of production of munitions. 
SEC. 342. LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS TO REDUCE THE 
NUMBER 
OF 
CIVILIAN 
PERSONNEL 
EM-
PLOYED AT PINE BLUFF ARSENAL, ARKAN-
SAS, BLUE GRASS ARMY DEPOT, KENTUCKY, 
AND RED RIVER ARMY DEPOT, TEXAS. 
None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by 
this Act or otherwise made available for the Department 
of Defense for fiscal year 2026 may be used to reduce 
the number of civilian personnel employed at the Pine 
Bluff Arsenal, Arkansas, Blue Grass Army Depot, Ken-
223 
tucky, Corpus Christi Army Depot, Texas, or Red River 
Army Depot, Texas, until the date on which the Secretary 
of the Army— 
(1) certifies to the congressional defense com-
mittees that such a reduction complies with— 
(A) civilian personnel reduction limitations 
required by section 2687 of title 10, United 
States Code; 
(B) the requirement under section 7532 of 
title 10, United States Code, to have supplies 
needed for the Department of the Army made 
in factories or arsenals owned by the United 
States; and 
(C) overall limitations on depot-level main-
tenance and repair workload that may be per-
formed by non-Federal Government personnel 
under a contract pursuant to section 2466 of 
title 10, United States Code; and 
(2) submits to the congressional defense com-
mittees a report that includes— 
(A) a detailed cost analysis associated with 
each of subparagraphs (A) through (C) of para-
graph (1); 
(B) detailed estimates of the costs that will 
be incurred if the Army moves the white phos-
224 
phorus ammunition mission away from Pine 
Bluff Arsenal, including the cost and time asso-
ciated with acquiring the necessary environ-
mental permits; and 
(C) current capability gaps within the 
Army that could be filled through the Army or-
ganic industrial base, including with respect to 
s-UAS, battery technology, and brushless mo-
tors. 
SEC. 343. CAPITAL EXPENDITURE WRITE-OFFS FOR DE-
PARTMENT OF DEFENSE DEPOTS AND ARSE-
NALS. 
With respect to any depot or arsenal of the Depart-
ment of Defense, the Secretary of Defense may write off 
any depreciated cost or debt associated with capital that 
does not generate revenue due to Government-directed 
mission changes. The Secretary may delegate the author-
ity under this section to the Secretary of a military depart-
ment. 
SEC. 344. AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH ADVANCED TECH-
NOLOGY CENTERS TO ENHANCE WORKFORCE 
TRAINING IN CERTAIN CRITICAL SKILLS. 
(a) AUTHORITY.—The Secretary of Defense may es-
tablish Advanced Technology Centers at community col-
leges with workforce programs that include a critical na-
225 
tional production facility. An Advanced Technology Center 
established under this subsection shall provide workforce 
training in covered critical skills. 
(b) COVERED CRITICAL SKILLS.—In this section, the 
term ‘‘covered critical skills’’ means any of the following: 
(1) Advanced composite material layup. 
(2) Advanced coatings applications. 
(3) Computer numerical control manufacturing. 
(4) Aircraft mechanical assembly and inte-
grated circuit development, including with respect to 
aircraft such as B-21 and F-35. 
(5) welding, pipefitting, and metal fabrication 
related to vessel construction, repair and mainte-
nance. 
Subtitle D—Organizational Matters 
SEC. 351. ESTABLISHMENT OF ARMY MUSEUM SYSTEM. 
Chapter 775 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 7715. Army museum system 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Army shall 
support a system of official Army museums within the 
United States Army Center of Military History. Such sys-
tem shall include the National Museum of the United 
States Army and may contain other museums honoring 
individual installations, units, and branches, as designated
226 
by the Secretary of the Army, that meet criteria estab-
lished under subsection (b). 
‘‘(b) CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION.—The Secretary of 
the Army shall establish criteria for designating museums 
of subsection (a) for inclusion in the Army museum sys-
tem. Such criteria shall include— 
‘‘(1) historical significance to Army operations, 
technology, or personnel; 
‘‘(2) public accessibility and educational out-
reach programs; and 
‘‘(3) alignment with the mission of the Army to 
preserve its heritage. 
‘‘(c) CRITERIA FOR CLOSURE.—The Secretary of the 
Army shall establish criteria for closing museums within 
the Army museum system. If the Secretary decides to 
close a museum in such system, the Secretary shall submit 
to Congress, not later than 90 days before the date on 
which the museum closes, notice that includes— 
‘‘(1) a plan for the preservation, storage, or al-
ternate display of historical collections contained in 
the museum; 
‘‘(2) how any issues relating to museum per-
sonnel will be resolved;
227 
‘‘(3) an identification of any efforts to maintain 
museum operations through public-private partner-
ships; and 
‘‘(4) an analysis of the cost to transport, con-
solidate, and preserve the historical collections con-
tained in the museum. 
‘‘(d) FUNDING AND SUPPORT.—Consistent with ap-
plicable law, the Secretary may enter into partnerships, 
including with nonprofit organizations, to enhance the fi-
nancial sustainability and public engagement of the muse-
ums in the Army museum system.’’. 
SEC. 352. AUTHORIZATION TO MAINTAIN A LIBRARY IN THE 
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY. 
Chapter 803 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 8030. Library 
‘‘(a) AUTHORIZATION.—The Secretary of the Navy 
may maintain in the Department of the Navy a library 
as a centralized institution dedicated to preserving, 
curating, and providing access to historical records, tech-
nical documents, and educational resources pertinent to 
the mission and heritage of the Navy. 
‘‘(b) MISSION.—The mission of a library maintained 
under this section shall include—
228 
‘‘(1) collecting and preserving naval historical 
records, manuscripts, artifacts, and publications; 
‘‘(2) supporting research, education, and train-
ing for historians, the general public, and personnel 
of the Department of the Navy; 
‘‘(3) enhancing the institutional knowledge and 
operational readiness of the Navy through access to 
technical, strategic, and doctrinal resources; and 
‘‘(4) promoting public understanding of the 
contributions of the Navy to national defense and 
maritime history.’’. 
SEC. 353. AUTHORIZATION TO MAINTAIN A NAVY ART GAL-
LERY. 
Chapter 803 of title 10, United States Code, as 
amended by section 352, is further amended by adding 
at the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 8030A. Art gallery 
‘‘(a) AUTHORIZATION.—The Secretary of the Navy 
may maintain an art gallery to preserve, display, and pro-
mote artwork related to the history, heritage, and oper-
ations of the United States Navy. 
‘‘(b) MISSION.—The mission of an art gallery main-
tained under subsection (a) shall include— 
‘‘(1) to collect and exhibit artworks, including 
paintings, drawings, and sculptures, that depict
229 
naval operations, personnel, and significant histor-
ical events; 
‘‘(2) to enhance the morale and welfare of Navy 
personnel by celebrating their service through artis-
tic representation; and 
‘‘(3) to educate the public and preserve the cul-
tural legacy of the Navy for future generations.’’. 
SEC. 354. ESTABLISHMENT OF UNITED STATES NAVY MU-
SEUM SYSTEM. 
Chapter 861 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 8617 the following new 
section: 
‘‘§ 8617A. United States Navy Museum System 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Navy shall 
support a system of official Navy museums, which shall 
collectively be known as the ‘United States Navy Museum 
System’. Such system shall include the following muse-
ums: 
‘‘(1) The National Museum of the United 
States Navy. 
‘‘(2) The United States Naval Academy Mu-
seum. 
‘‘(3) The Naval War College Museum. 
‘‘(4) The Submarine Force Museum. 
‘‘(5) The National Naval Aviation Museum.
230 
‘‘(6) USS Constitution Naval History and Her-
itage Command, Detachment Boston. 
‘‘(7) The United States Navy Seabee Museum. 
‘‘(8) The Puget Sound Navy Museum. 
‘‘(9) The Naval Undersea Museum. 
‘‘(10) The National Museum of the American 
Sailor. 
‘‘(11) The Hampton Roads Naval Museum. 
‘‘(12) Such other museums as may be des-
ignated by the Secretary of the Navy that meet cri-
teria established under subsection (b). 
‘‘(b) CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION.—The Secretary of 
the Navy shall establish criteria for designating museums 
other than museums identified in paragraphs (1) through 
(11) of subsection (a) for inclusion in the United States 
Navy Museum System. Such criteria shall include— 
‘‘(1) historical significance to naval operations, 
technology, or personnel; 
‘‘(2) public accessibility and educational out-
reach programs; and 
‘‘(3) alignment with the mission of the Navy to 
preserve its heritage. 
‘‘(c) FUNDING AND SUPPORT.—Consistent with ap-
plicable law, the Secretary may enter into partnerships, 
including with nonprofit organizations, to enhance the fi-
231 
nancial sustainability and public engagement of the muse-
ums in the United States Museum System.’’. 
SEC. 355. ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF 
THE NATIONAL GUARD. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Chapter 1 of title 32, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘§ 116. Center for the Study of the National Guard 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Defense, in 
coordination with the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, 
shall establish a center, to be known as the ‘Center for 
the Study of the National Guard’ at an appropriate aca-
demic institution that— 
‘‘(1) maintains an established relationship with 
the National Guard Bureau; 
‘‘(2) possesses a strong academic program in 
military history; and 
‘‘(3) is situated in proximity to a major Na-
tional Guard installation. 
‘‘(b) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Center for the Study 
of the National Guard shall— 
‘‘(1) serve as the principal repository for histor-
ical documents, oral histories, and other records re-
lated to the National Guard;
232 
‘‘(2) conduct research, analysis, and educational 
programs related to the history, evolution, and oper-
ational contributions of the National Guard; 
‘‘(3) facilitate outreach efforts to increase pub-
lic awareness of the role of the National Guard in 
national defense and domestic response operations; 
and 
‘‘(4) support the Department of Defense in 
shaping policy decisions and strategic planning re-
lated to National Guard operations carried out 
under titles 10 and 32, United States Code. 
‘‘(c) COLLABORATION AND SUPPORT.—The Chief of 
the National Guard Bureau may— 
‘‘(1) collaborate with the Center for the Study 
of the National Guard in the collection, preservation, 
and dissemination of National Guard history; 
‘‘(2) provide historical documents, records, and 
resources to support the research and archival ef-
forts of the Center; and 
‘‘(3) facilitate joint initiatives between the Na-
tional Guard Bureau and the Center to enhance his-
torical preservation, education, and public aware-
ness. 
‘‘(d) PUBLIC-PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIP.—The Sec-
retary of Defense shall seek to establish and maintain the
233 
Center for the Study of the National Guard as a public- 
private partnership to minimize costs to the Federal Gov-
ernment.’’. 
(b) DEADLINE
FOR ESTABLISHMENT.—The Sec-
retary of Defense shall establish the Center for the Study 
of the National Guard required under section 116 of title 
32, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), by 
not later than the date that is 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act. 
(c) CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING.—Not later than one 
year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense shall provide to the congressional defense com-
mittees a briefing that includes— 
(1) a description of the selection of the aca-
demic institution where the Center for the Study of 
the National Guard required under section 116 of 
title 32, United States Code, as added by subsection 
(a), is located; 
(2) an identification of the status of the estab-
lishment and initial operations of the Center; 
(3) a description of any ongoing efforts between 
the National Guard Bureau and the Center; and 
(4) the recommendations of the Secretary to en-
hance the preservation and study of National Guard 
history.
234 
SEC. 356. RECOGNITION OF CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE NA-
TIONAL NAVY UDT–SEAL MUSEUM IN FORT 
PIERCE, FLORIDA, AS A NATIONAL MEMO-
RIAL, NATIONAL MEMORIAL GARDEN, AND 
NATIONAL K9 MEMORIAL. 
The Secretary of the Navy shall recognize the Na-
tional Navy SEAL Museum Memorial, the Memorial Gar-
den and Living Beach, and the Naval Special Warfare K9 
Memorial of the National Navy UDT–SEAL Museum, lo-
cated at 3300 North Highway A1A, North Hutchinson Is-
land, in Fort Pierce, Florida, as a national memorial, na-
tional memorial garden, and national K9 memorial, re-
spectively, of the Navy SEALs. 
Subtitle E—Studies, Reports, and 
Briefings 
SEC. 361. ASSESSMENTS AND PLAN FOR INCREASING AC-
CESS TO NUTRITIOUS FOOD ON MILITARY IN-
STALLATIONS. 
(a) ASSESSMENTS.— 
(1) REQUIREMENT.—Chapter 23 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after 
section 488 the following new section: 
‘‘§ 489. Biennial assessments on nutrition standards 
of military departments 
‘‘On a biennial basis, the Secretary of Defense 
shall—
235 
‘‘(1) conduct an assessment of the nutrition 
standards of each military department, including by 
reviewing any nutrition program or related policy of 
that military department, and the extent to which 
such standards are reflected in the food options ac-
cessible to members of the armed forces at the mili-
tary installations of that military department; 
‘‘(2) submit a report containing the results of 
such assessment to the Committees on Armed Serv-
ices of the House of Representatives and the Senate; 
and 
‘‘(3) publish such report on a publicly available 
website of the Department of Defense.’’. 
(2) FIRST REPORT.—Not later than December 
1, 2026, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to 
the Committees on Armed Services of the House of 
Representatives and the Senate, and publish on a 
publicly available website of the Department of De-
fense, the first report required under section 489 of 
title 10, United States Code, as added by paragraph 
(1). 
(b) PLAN.— 
(1) REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Read-
236 
iness and the Under Secretary of Defense for Acqui-
sition and Sustainment, in coordination with the As-
sistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Re-
serve Affairs and such other entities as the Sec-
retary of Defense determines appropriate, shall 
jointly submit to the Committees on Armed Services 
of the House of Representatives and the Senate and 
publish on a publicly available website of the Depart-
ment of Defense a plan to increase access to nutri-
tious food on military installations, consistent with 
recommendations included in the report of the Gov-
ernment Accountability Office titled ‘‘DOD Food 
Program: Additional Actions Needed to Implement, 
Oversee, and Evaluate Nutrition Efforts for Service 
Members’’, and dated June 24, 2024 (GAO–24– 
106155). 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The plan under paragraph (1) 
shall include a strategy developed by the Assistant 
Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Af-
fairs for increasing nutritious menu options at 
venues that are located on military installations, 
offer food services to members of the Armed Forces, 
and are not funded with appropriated amounts (re-
ferred to in the report specified in such paragraph 
as ‘‘nonappropriated fund food venues’’).
237 
SEC. 362. QUARTERLY REPORTS ON MUNITIONS RESPONSE 
PROJECTS AT SITES FORMERLY USED BY 
THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after the 
last day of each fiscal quarter that begins after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, until the termination date 
specified in subsection (c), the Secretary of the Army, act-
ing through the Commanding General of the United 
States Army Corps of Engineers, shall submit to the con-
gressional defense committees a report on the status of 
munitions response projects at sites formerly used by the 
Department of Defense. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—Each report submitted under sub-
section (a) shall include, for the quarter covered by the 
report, the following information: 
(1) The number of new task order awards for 
munitions response projects at sites formerly used 
by the Department of Defense issued and the total 
dollar value of such awards. 
(2) The number of optional tasks exercised as 
part of such projects and the total dollar value of 
such exercised tasks. 
(3) The number of contract modifications or re-
quests for equitable adjustment issued as part of 
such projects and the total dollar value of such 
modifications and adjustments.
238 
(4) The number of task orders for such projects 
with expiring funds and the total value of any asso-
ciated deobligations. 
(5) The number of active munitions response 
projects at such sites and the contract phase of each 
project, including whether the project is in the reme-
dial investigation, feasibility study, proposed plan, or 
decision document or record of decision phase. 
(6) The number of active such projects placed 
on hold and, for each such project, a summary of 
the reason for the hold, including delays related to 
regulatory agencies, rights-of-entry issues, Federal 
land manager actions, or discrepancies in the num-
ber of subsurface anomalies between the statement 
of work and field conditions. 
(c) TERMINATION
DATE.—The termination date 
specified in this subsection is the date that is five years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 363. REPORT ON CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF DECLINING 
AIRCRAFT READINESS RATES. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than May 31, 
2026, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the 
Committees on Armed Services of the House of Represent-
atives and the Senate a report on the declining rates of 
aircraft readiness within the fleet of the Air Force (with
239 
an emphasis on fighter aircraft within such fleet) and fac-
tors contributing to that decline. Such report shall include, 
with respect to such aircraft, the following: 
(1) A review of mission capability rates over the 
five fiscal years preceding the date of the submission 
of the report, including an assessment of key factors 
contributing to any decline in such rates, such as 
maintenance backlogs, shortages in aircraft parts, or 
depot capacity constraints. 
(2) An analysis of the manner and extent to 
which reductions to the flying hours program of the 
Air Force or gaps in funding for weapon system 
sustainment activities may have contributed to lower 
sortie generation, increased aircraft downtime, and 
declining rates of aircraft readiness in general. 
(3) An assessment of how personnel and units 
of the Air Force communicate aircraft status for op-
erations and maintenance purposes, including any 
discrepancies between pilot debriefs, maintenance 
write-ups, and data recorded in the Defense Readi-
ness Reporting System of the Department of De-
fense. 
(4) An assessment of how high-tempo rotational 
deployments strain the availability of aircraft, accel-
240 
erate the degradation of aircraft, and affect the 
long-term readiness of the fleet. 
(5) An analysis of how low rates of aircraft 
readiness negatively affect the training and readi-
ness of new fighter pilots, including by limiting 
training opportunities, reducing instructor avail-
ability, and generating operational shortfalls. 
(6) Proposed actions to reverse the declining 
rates of aircraft readiness, improve the effectiveness 
of aircraft sustainment, and ensure more accurate 
readiness reporting, including any recommendations 
for relevant legislative actions. 
(b) FORM.—The report required by paragraph (1) 
shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include 
a classified annex. 
SEC. 364. DRIVER SIMULATORS IN MILITARY VEHICLES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
ings: 
(1) The report of the Government Account-
ability Office titled ‘‘Military Vehicles: Army and 
Marine Corps Should Take Additional Actions to 
Mitigate and Prevent Training Accidents’’ (GAO-21- 
361) stated, ‘‘Driver inattentiveness, lapses in super-
vision, and lack of training were among the most
241 
common causes of these accidents, according to GAO 
analysis of Army and Marine Corps data.’’ 
(2) Such report further determined that the 
Army and Marine Corps, ‘‘have not developed a well- 
defined process with performance criteria and meas-
urable standards to train their tactical vehicle driv-
ers from basic qualifications to proficiency in diverse 
driving conditions, such as driving at night or over 
varied terrain.’’ 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) acquisition program baseline budget re-
quests submitted in the budget submission of the 
President for manned military ground vehicles 
should include funding specifically allocated to the 
development, procurement, fielding, and sustainment 
of driver training simulators with sufficient fidelity 
to provide accurate visual, auditory, haptic, tactile, 
and vestibular stimulation to the trainee learning to 
operate the vehicle; and 
(2) driver training simulators should be— 
(A) incorporated into the lifecycle support 
for ground vehicles and should adequately simu-
late all of the environmental conditions in which 
drivers will be required to operate military
242 
ground vehicles in support of the tactical con-
cept of employment of those vehicles; 
(B) available for both initial entry level 
driver training and for periodic sustainment 
training of military vehicle drivers; and 
(C) available for each vehicle type in suffi-
cient enough numbers at each military installa-
tion to support driver training for the number 
of licensed drivers at the installation until such 
vehicle type is removed from service. 
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than March 
1, 2026, the Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of 
the Navy shall jointly submit to the congressional defense 
committees a report containing an assessment of fielded 
military vehicle programs for which no driver simulator 
has been fielded to support the vehicle fleet. Such report 
shall include an updated cost analysis requirement docu-
ment that includes necessary programming for driver sim-
ulators and a phasing plan for the procurement and field-
ing of driver simulators. 
SEC. 365. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE REPORT ON CRE-
ATINE SUPPLEMENTS IN MEALS READY-TO- 
EAT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of De-
243 
fense, in consultation with the Director of the Defense Lo-
gistics Agency, shall submit to the Committees on Armed 
Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives 
a report evaluating the feasibility, safety, and potential 
benefits of including creatine supplements in Meals Ready- 
to-Eat (MREs) for members of the Armed Forces. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required under sub-
section (a) shall include the following: 
(1) An assessment of the benefits and risks of 
creatine supplements, including any impact on the 
strength, muscle health, physical performance, injury 
prevention, recovery, and overall readiness of mem-
bers of the Armed Forces. 
(2) An evaluation of the logistical consider-
ations for including creatine supplements in MREs, 
including any implications for storage, distribution, 
shelf life, and cost. 
(3) Recommendations regarding the advisability 
and manner of including creatine supplements in 
MREs. 
SEC. 366. STUDY AND REPORT ON EFFECTS OF DEFENSE 
LOGISTICS AGENCY CLASS IX RECOVERY 
RATES ON MILITARY DEPOTS AND ARSENALS. 
(a) STUDY.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense,
244 
in coordination with the Director of the Defense Logistics 
Agency and each Secretary of a military department, shall 
conduct a study on— 
(1) the methodology used by Defense Logistics 
Agency to establish class IX recovery rates; and 
(2) the effects such rates have on the organic 
industrial base, with emphasis on military depots 
and arsenals. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The study required by subsection 
(a) shall address each of the following: 
(1) The methodology used by the Defense Lo-
gistics Agency to set recovery rates for class IX 
items for all customers. 
(2) How class IX recovery rates affect the cost 
structures, budgeting, and execution of workload at 
military depots and arsenals. 
(3) Any differences between the effects of recov-
ery rates on depot-level maintenance compared to 
other customers of the Defense Logistics Agency. 
(4) Any unintended consequences resulting 
from such cost recovery practices, including delays, 
cost overruns, or degraded readiness in depot and 
arsenal operations. 
(5) Recommendations for improving alignment 
between Defense Logistics Agency pricing policies
245 
and the sustainment, affordability, and readiness 
goals of military depots and arsenals. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 270 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall submit to the congressional defense committees a re-
port on the findings of the study required under sub-
section (a), which shall include the recommendations of 
the Secretary for any legislative or policy changes to ad-
dress the matters addressed by the study. 
SEC. 367. BRIEFING ON SUSTAINMENT AND FUNDING OF 
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY DIRECTED EN-
ERGY PROGRAMS OF RECORD. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this section, the Chief of Staff of the Army, in 
coordination with the head of Army Aviation and Missile 
Command, shall provide to the Committee on Armed Serv-
ices of the House of Representatives a briefing on the 
sustainment and funding plan for directed energy pro-
grams of record of the Department of the Army. Such 
briefing shall include an assessment of comparative cost 
efficiencies and operational advantages to— 
(1) support readiness; 
(2) reduce dependence on original equipment 
manufacturers; and
246 
(3) develop a workforce trained to address the 
requirements and safety aspects of directed energy 
technology. 
SEC. 368. REPORT ON REDUCING FREQUENCY OF PERMA-
NENT CHANGES OF STATION AND NAVAL VES-
SEL TO ONSHORE ROTATIONS. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than March 1, 
2026, the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and 
Readiness, in coordination with the Secretaries of the mili-
tary departments, shall submit to the congressional de-
fense committees a report on options to reduce the fre-
quency of permanent changes of station of members of the 
Armed Forces and the rotations of such members between 
assignments to naval vessels and onshore assignments 
(commonly referred to as ‘‘sea-shore rotations’’). 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report under subsection (a) 
shall include the following: 
(1) An analysis of the costs associated with the 
permanent changes of station and rotations specified 
in subsection (a), disaggregated by military depart-
ment and occupational specialty, over the five fiscal 
years preceding the date of the report. 
(2) An assessment of the potential cost savings 
of the Department of Defense to be realized through
247 
a reduction in the frequency of such permanent 
changes of station and rotations. 
(3) An evaluation of the effects of a reduction 
in such frequency on retention of members of the 
Armed Forces, employment for the spouses of such 
members, and education of the children of such 
members. 
(4) An identification of billets, duty stations, 
and communities with respect to which extended 
tour lengths or rotation adjustments would be oper-
ationally feasible while sustaining mission readiness 
and career progression requirements. 
(5) Recommendations for any legislative or pol-
icy changes necessary to conduct a pilot program 
for, or otherwise implement, extensions to tour 
lengths or rotation adjustments. 
SEC. 369. REPORT ON ENCROACHMENT MANAGEMENT RE-
LATED TO THE NEVADA TEST AND TRAINING 
RANGE. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit 
a report to the congressional defense committees— 
(1) outlining ongoing encroachment manage-
ment projects, landscape partnerships, and stake-
248 
holder engagements to ensure the long term viability 
of the Nevada Test and Training Range; and 
(2) that describes— 
(A) the resources needed for such projects, 
partnerships, and stakeholder engagements; 
(B) the specific issues of such encroach-
ment; 
(C) the coordination process between the 
Department of Defense, Department of Inte-
rior, Department of Energy, local community 
leaders, and the Committee on Foreign Invest-
ment in the United States regarding foreign 
land acquisitions; and 
(D) areas for Congressional engagement. 
SEC. 370. REPORT ON LOCAL COORDINATION EFFORTS TO 
ADDRESS CONTAMINATION CAUSED BY AC-
TIVITIES AT FORMER GEORGE AIR FORCE 
BASE. 
Not later than January 31, 2026, the Secretary of 
the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense 
committees a report on the efforts of the Department of 
the Air Force to coordinate with local officials to identify 
potential solutions for addressing the contamination 
caused by activities in connection with the former George 
Air Force Base. Such report shall include the following:
249 
(1) A description of ongoing and planned ef-
forts to address such contamination. 
(2) A description of opportunities for partner-
ship with Federal, State, and local entities with re-
spect to such efforts. 
(3) Plans of the Department to ensure that the 
responsibilities for the cleanup of such contamina-
tion is not shifted to affected communities and that 
such cleanup does not restrict economic develop-
ment. 
(4) An assessment of the estimated costs, 
timelines, and feasibility of each proposed solution 
for addressing such contamination. 
SEC. 370A. RESERVE MOBILIZATION EXERCISE. 
(a) INDO-PACIFIC MOBILIZATION
AND READINESS 
STUDY REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, 
in coordination with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of 
Staff and the Commander of United States Indo-Pacific 
Command, shall conduct a comprehensive joint mobiliza-
tion and sustainment readiness study (modeled on the 
1978 ‘‘Nifty Nugget’’ exercise) to assess the capability of 
the Armed Forces to respond to a high-intensity contin-
gency in the Indo-Pacific region.
250 
(b) ELEMENTS OF THE STUDY.—The study required 
under subsection (a) shall include the following: 
(1) An assessment of the ability to rapidly mo-
bilize, deploy, and sustain active and reserve compo-
nent forces in response to a conflict scenario involv-
ing the Taiwan Strait, South China Sea, or similar 
Indo-Pacific flashpoint. 
(2) 
An 
evaluation 
of 
strategic 
lift 
and 
sustainment capabilities across military departments, 
including maritime sealift, airlift, rail, road net-
works, and prepositioned stocks. 
(3) 
Identification 
of 
critical 
logistics 
vulnerabilities, mobilization bottlenecks, and com-
mand and control challenges. 
(4) Analysis of interagency coordination proce-
dures and integration with civilian emergency sup-
port capabilities. 
(5) An evaluation of joint and allied interoper-
ability, with particular attention to coordination 
mechanisms with Japan, Australia, the Philippines, 
and Taiwan. 
(c) CIVILIAN SKILLS INVENTORY OF THE RESERVE 
COMPONENT.—The Secretary of Defense, acting through 
the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readi-
ness, shall conduct a civilian skills inventory of the Re-
251 
serve Components of the Armed Forces to identify and 
assess the non-military qualifications and talents of re-
servists, including— 
(1) foreign language proficiency and cultural 
expertise; 
(2) advanced academic credentials, including 
master’s degrees, doctoral degrees, and scientific re-
search experience; 
(3) industrial and technical skills, including cy-
bersecurity, software development, engineering, lo-
gistics, manufacturing, and data science; 
(4) critical infrastructure and emergency re-
sponse expertise; and 
(5) private-sector leadership and innovation ex-
perience relevant to defense mobilization and 
sustainment. 
(d) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.—Not later than 
one year after the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense com-
mittees a report that includes— 
(1) the results, findings, and recommendations 
of the Indo-Pacific mobilization and readiness study 
required under subsection (a); 
(2) a summary of the civilian skills inventory of 
the Reserve Component, including recommendations
252 
for how such skills can be leveraged to support con-
tingency planning, civil-military integration, and 
surge operations; 
(3) a comparative analysis of best practices by 
each Armed Force with respect to— 
(A) mobilizing Reserve Component forces 
for wartime or emergency augmentation; 
(B) identifying, tracking, and utilizing ci-
vilian-acquired skills of reservists; and 
(C) 
executing 
logistical 
lift 
and 
sustainment operations, including Navy-led 
maritime port operations, Army-managed rail 
and overland transport, Air Force strategic air-
lift capacity, and Marine Corps expeditionary 
logistics; and 
(4) an estimate of— 
(A) the number of Reserve Component per-
sonnel likely to be available and required to re-
inforce forward-deployed active duty units dur-
ing the first 30, 60, and 90 days of a major 
Indo-Pacific contingency; and 
(B) the number of Reserve Component 
personnel required to support full-scale mobili-
zation and logistics surge operations within the 
United States, including domestic transpor-
253 
tation nodes, sustainment hubs, ports of embar-
kation, mobilization training centers, and other 
homeland support functions necessary to enable 
and sustain global operations. 
SEC. 370B. REPORT ON USE OF ULTRA-SHORT TAKEOFF 
AND LANDING AIRCRAFT FOR LAST MILE LO-
GISTICS AND DISASTER RESPONSE OPER-
ATIONS. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, in coordi-
nation with the Commander of United States Special Op-
erations Command, shall submit to the Committees on 
Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representa-
tives a report on the integration potential and value of 
ultra-short takeoff and landing aircraft. The report re-
quired under this section shall include— 
(1) an assessment of the comparative cost effi-
ciencies and operational advantages provided by 
ultra-short takeoff and landing aircraft in contested 
logistics and disaster response scenarios; 
(2) identification of critical capability gaps in 
last-mile or last-tactical-mile logistics where such 
aircraft could serve as a force multiplier; 
(3) an evaluation of specific mission sets and 
end users across the Indo-Pacific theater that could
254 
benefit from the deployment of such aircraft, espe-
cially mission sets related to homeland disaster re-
sponse, humanitarian relief, wildfire suppression, or 
emergency resupply; 
(4) options and timelines to accelerate the de-
velopment, testing, and integration of such aircraft 
into U.S. Air Force and U.S. Special Operations 
Command capability portfolios; and 
(5) an assessment of current testing and devel-
opment, the development of operational concept de-
velopment (CONOPS), and Tactics, Techniques, and 
Procedures (TTP) formulation for ultra-short take-
off and landing aircraft. 
Subtitle F—Other Matters 
SEC. 371. AUTHORITY TO EVACUATE FAMILY PETS AND 
CONTRACT WORKING DOGS DURING NON-
COMBATANT 
EVACUATIONS 
OF 
FOREIGN 
COUNTRIES. 
Section 2387 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in the section heading, by striking ‘‘: re-
quirement to transfer animals to 341st 
Training Squadron after service life’’;
255 
(2) in the heading for subsection (a), by strik-
ing ‘‘IN GENERAL’’ and inserting ‘‘REQUIREMENT 
TO TRANSFER’’; 
(3) by redesignating subsection (c) as sub-
section (d); and 
(4) by inserting after subsection (b) the fol-
lowing new subsection (c): 
‘‘(c) AUTHORITY TO EVACUATE.—(1) Subject to the 
limitations under paragraph (2), in the event of a situation 
during which the Department of Defense evacuates non-
combatants from a foreign country, the Secretary of De-
fense may enter into agreements with appropriate non-
profit entities under which such entities provide for the 
evacuation of— 
‘‘(A) the family pets of citizens of the United 
States who are evacuated by the Department; and 
‘‘(B) contract working dogs located in such 
country. 
‘‘(2) The limitations under this paragraph are as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(A) The Department of Defense is not respon-
sible for providing veterinary care for a family pet 
or contract working dog by reason of the evacuation 
of the pet or dog pursuant to paragraph (1).
256 
‘‘(B) The Secretary may not exercise the au-
thority under paragraph (1) if the exercise of such 
authority would result in a reduction in the number 
of individuals who would otherwise be evacuated.’’. 
SEC. 372. MANNED ROTARY WING AIRCRAFT SAFETY. 
Chapter 157 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 2653. Aircraft safety: requirements for highly traf-
ficked domestic airspace 
‘‘(a) LIMITATION ON OPERATION.—Notwithstanding 
section 1046 of the John S. McCain National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 115– 
232, 49 U.S.C. 40101 note), except as provided in sub-
section (b), the Secretary of a military department may 
not authorize any manned rotary wing aircraft of the De-
partment of Defense to operate a training mission in a 
highly trafficked domestic airspace unless such aircraft, 
while being operated, is actively providing warning to 
nearby commercial aircraft, in a manner compatible with 
the traffic alert and collision avoidance system of such 
commercial aircraft, of the proximity of the Department 
of Defense aircraft. 
‘‘(b) WAIVER AUTHORITY.—The Secretary of a mili-
tary department, with the concurrence of the Secretary of 
Transportation, may waive the limitation under subsection
257 
(a) with respect to the operation of an aircraft if the Sec-
retary determines that— 
‘‘(1) such waiver is in the national security in-
terests of the United States; and 
‘‘(2) a commercial aviation compatibility risk 
assessment has been conducted with respect to the 
operation of the aircraft pursuant to the waiver to 
mitigate the risk associated with such operation. 
‘‘(c) LIMITATION ON DELEGATION.—The Secretary 
of a military department may not delegate the waiver au-
thority under subsection (b) to an official whose rank is 
below a general or flag officer. 
‘‘(d) DEFINITION OF HIGHLY TRAFFICKED DOMES-
TIC AIRSPACE.—The term ‘highly trafficked domestic air-
space’ means— 
‘‘(1) the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area 
Special Flight Rules Area, as such term is defined 
in section 93.335 of title 14, Code of Federal Regu-
lations, or any successor regulation; or 
‘‘(2) an area surrounding class B, C, or D air-
space of a commercial service airport, as such term 
is defined in section 47102 of title 49.’’.
258 
SEC. 373. INCLUSION OF TERRITORIES IN CERTAIN INTER-
GOVERNMENTAL 
SUPPORT 
AGREEMENTS 
FOR INSTALLATION-SUPPORT SERVICES. 
Section 2679(f)(3) of title 10, United States Code, 
is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ before ‘‘the United States 
Virgin Islands’’; and 
(2) by inserting ‘‘the State of Yap of the Fed-
erated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of 
Palau,’’ after ‘‘Virgin Islands,’’. 
SEC. 374. TRANSPORTATION OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS BY 
FOREIGN AIR CARRIER. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding subsections (a) 
and (c) of section 40118 of title 49, United States Code, 
the Secretary of Defense is authorized to pay for the 
transportation by a foreign air carrier of Department of 
Defense personnel and any in-cabin or accompanying 
checked baggage or cargo if— 
(1) no air carrier holding a certificate under 
section 41102 of such title 49 is willing and able to 
transport up to 3 domestic animals accompanying 
such Federal personnel; and 
(2) the transportation is from a place— 
(A) outside the United States to a place in 
the United States;
259 
(B) in the United States to a place outside 
the United States; or 
(C) outside the United States to another 
place outside the United States. 
(b) LIMITATION.—An amount paid pursuant to sub-
section (a) for transportation by a foreign carrier may not 
be greater than the amount that would otherwise have 
been paid had the transportation been on an air carrier 
holding a certificate under section 41102 had that carrier 
been willing and able to provide such transportation. If 
the amount that would otherwise have been paid to such 
an air carrier is less than the cost of transportation on 
the applicable foreign carrier, the Department personnel 
may pay the difference of such amount. 
(c) DOMESTIC ANIMAL DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘domestic animal’’ means a dog or a cat. 
SEC. 375. ADJUSTMENT AND DIVERSIFICATION ASSIST-
ANCE FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS 
AFFECTED BY ARMY TRANSFORMATION INI-
TIATIVE. 
(a) PROVISION OF ASSISTANCE.—Beginning not later 
than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
subject to the availability of appropriations for such pur-
pose, the Secretary of Defense may provide adjustment 
and diversification assistance, pursuant to section 2391(b)
260 
of title 10, United States Code, to State and local govern-
ments affected by the actions taken under the Army 
Transformation Initiative with respect to— 
(1) Red River Army Depot, Texas; 
(2) Pine Bluff Arsenal, Arkansas; and 
(3) such other Army installations as are identi-
fied by the Secretary. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 60 days after the date 
of the enactment of the Act, the Secretary of Defense shall 
submit to the congressional defense committees a report 
that includes— 
(1) an identification of the amount of adjust-
ment and diversification assistance anticipated to be 
provided during fiscal year 2026 to State and local 
governments for each Army installation; and 
(2) an identification of options to address any 
capability gaps of the Army that could be filled 
through the Army organic industrial base. 
SEC. 376. AVAILABILITY OF MILK AT DINING FACILITIES ON 
MILITARY INSTALLATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
ensure that milk is available to members of the Armed 
Forces at dining facilities on military installations. 
(b) PROHIBITION.—The Secretary may not, to carry 
out this section, purchase milk from an entity owned or
261 
controlled by a foreign adversary, as determined by the 
Secretary of Commerce under section 7.4 of title 15, Code 
of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation). 
(c) DEFINITION OF MILK.—In this section, the term 
‘‘milk’’ has the meaning given such term in section 133.3 
of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor 
regulation) and includes fluid or powdered milk. 
SEC. 377. MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MILITARY WORKING 
DOG KENNELS AND FACILITIES. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF MINIMUM STANDARDS.— 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with 
the Secretary of each military department, veterinary ex-
perts, and military working dog program managers, shall 
establish and implement minimum standards for kennels 
and other facilities used to house military working dogs. 
Such minimum standards shall include each of the fol-
lowing: 
(1) Requirements for space and design to en-
sure each military working dog has sufficient space 
to stand, turn around, lie down comfortably, and en-
gage in natural behaviors. 
(2) Standards for environmental conditions to 
ensure adequate ventilation, temperature control, 
and protection from extreme weather conditions.
262 
(3) Standards for sanitation and hygiene to en-
sure kennels and other facilities can be easily 
cleaned and disinfected. 
(4) Requirements related to safety and security 
to prevent military working dogs from escaping and 
being injured and preventing access to kennels and 
other facilities by unauthorized individuals. 
(5) Standards for access to veterinary care to 
address the routine and emergency medical care 
needs of military working dogs, either at a military 
veterinary treatment facility or through sufficient 
on-site veterinary capabilities. 
(6) Requirements related to daily access to ex-
ercise areas. 
(7) Required annual inspections to ensure com-
pliance with such standards. 
(8) Such other standards and requirements as 
the Secretary of Defense determines are appropriate. 
(b) IMPLEMENTATION AND COMPLIANCE.— 
(1) EXISTING FACILITIES.— 
(A) ASSESSMENT.—Not later than one 
year after the date of the establishment of the 
standards required under subsection (a), the 
Secretary of Defense, acting through the Exec-
utive Agent for the Department of Defense
263 
Military Working Dog Program, shall ensure 
that each kennel and other facility used to 
house military working dogs under the jurisdic-
tion of the Department of Defense are assessed 
to determine the extent to which such kennels 
and facilities are in compliance with such stand-
ards. 
(B) MODIFICATION.—Not later than three 
years after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary, acting through the Execu-
tive Agent, shall ensure that each such kennel 
and facility is modified to the extent required to 
comply with such standards. 
(2) NEW
FACILITIES.—The Secretary, acting 
through the Executive Agent, shall ensure that any 
kennel or other facility used to house military work-
ing dogs under the jurisdiction of the Department 
that is constructed or renovated after the date of en-
actment of this Act is in compliance with such 
standards before such kennel or facility is used to 
house such a military working dog. 
(c) WAIVER AUTHORITY.—The Secretary of Defense 
may waive a specific requirement or standard developed 
under subsection (a), on a case-by-case basis, if the Sec-
retary determines that such a waiver is required to provide
264 
for a temporary deployment or exigent circumstances. The 
Secretary may not issue a waiver under this subsection 
unless the Secretary— 
(1) provides for the implementation of alter-
native measures to ensure the welfare of any dogs 
affected by the waiver; and 
(2) submits to the Committees on Armed Serv-
ices of the Senate and House of Representatives a 
report containing notice of the waiver, a justification 
for such waiver, and a description of the alternative 
measures provided under paragraph (1). 
SEC. 378. RESTROOM ACCESS AT MILITARY INSTALLATIONS 
FOR CERTAIN TRANSPORTATION SERVICE 
PROVIDERS. 
(a) RESTROOM ACCESS.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall take such steps as may be necessary to ensure that, 
with respect to each covered location, there is a rest-
room— 
(1) located at or in close proximity to the cov-
ered location; 
(2) to which any covered driver, while providing 
a transportation protective service involving the 
transport of sensitive cargo to or from the covered 
location on behalf of the Department of Defense, is 
authorized access;
265 
(3) that to the extent practicable, provides for 
privacy, hand washing, accessibility, and gender-spe-
cific needs; and 
(4) in the case of a portable restroom, that is 
vented and equipped with adequate lighting (which 
may be achieved through supplementation with a 
temporary lighting source, as necessary). 
(b) LOCATION.—The location of a restroom under 
subsection (a)(1) may not be a location to which access 
by the covered driver would result in— 
(1) a security risk, as determined by the Sec-
retary; 
(2) a health or safety risk to the covered driver; 
or 
(3) a violation of any other regulation or policy 
of the Department. 
(c) NOTIFICATION
OF NONCOMPLIANCE.—In car-
rying out subsection (a), the Secretary shall— 
(1) establish a process by which a covered driv-
er may provide to the Secretary timely notification 
of any covered location with respect to which access 
to a restroom is not provided consistent with such 
subsection; and 
(2) upon receiving such a notification, coordi-
nate with the commander of the military installation
266 
concerned or other appropriate officer or employee 
of the Department to ensure such access is provided. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The terms ‘‘arms, ammunition, and explo-
sives’’, ‘‘safe haven’’, ‘‘secure holding area’’, ‘‘secure 
holding location’’, and ‘‘transportation protective 
service’’ have the meanings given those terms in the 
publication of the Military Surface Deployment and 
Distribution Command of the Department of De-
fense issued October 4, 2024, and titled ‘‘Military 
Freight 
Traffic 
Unified 
Rules 
Publication-1 
(MFTURP-1)’’, or any successor thereto. 
(2) The term ‘‘commercial motor vehicle’’ has 
the meaning given that term in section 31101 of 
title 49, United States Code. 
(3) The term ‘‘covered driver’’ means an oper-
ator of a commercial motor vehicle— 
(A) authorized to provide a transportation 
protective service on behalf of the Department 
of Defense; and 
(B) subject to requirements for qualifica-
tions and maximum hours of service under sec-
tion 31502(b) of title 49, United States Code. 
(4) The term ‘‘covered location’’ means a safe 
haven, secure holding area, or secure holding loca-
267 
tion at a military installation or other facility of the 
Department of Defense. 
(5) The terms ‘‘facility’’ and ‘‘military installa-
tion’’ have the meanings given those terms in section 
2801(c) of title 10, United States Code. 
(6) The term ‘‘sensitive cargo’’ means— 
(A) arms, ammunition, and explosives; 
(B) classified material; or 
(C) any other cargo, or category thereof, 
the Secretary of Defense determines sensitive 
for purposes of this section. 
SEC. 379. REGULATIONS APPLICABLE TO WEARING OP-
TIONAL COMBAT BOOTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than two years after the 
date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of De-
fense shall issue regulations to prohibit any member of 
the Armed Forces from wearing optional combat boots as 
part of a required uniform unless the optional combat 
boots are entirely manufactured in the United States and 
entirely made of— 
(1) materials grown, reprocessed, reused, or 
produced in the United States; and 
(2) components that are manufactured entirely 
in the United States and entirely made of materials 
described in paragraph (1).
268 
(b) WAIVER.—The requirements of subsection (a) 
may be waived if a member of the Armed Forces provides 
a medical justification authorized by the commanding offi-
cer of such member to wear optional combat boots as part 
of a required uniform. 
(c) EXCEPTION.—The requirements of subsection (a) 
shall not apply to a member of the Armed Forces within 
a combat arms military occupational specialty who is in 
a deployed status. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘optional combat boots’’, with re-
spect to a member of the Armed Forces, means com-
bat boots not furnished to such member of the 
Armed Forces by the Secretary of Defense. 
(2) The term ‘‘required uniform’’ means a uni-
form a member of the Armed Forces is required to 
wear as a member of the Armed Forces. 
SEC. 380. INITIATIVE TO CONTROL SPREAD OF GREATER 
BANDED HORNET IN GUAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
enhance efforts to manage, control, and interdict the 
greater banded hornet on military installations in Guam. 
(b) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—The efforts required 
under subsection (a) shall include the following:
269 
(1) Carrying out science-based management 
and control programs to reduce the effect of the 
greater banded hornet on military installations and 
to prevent the introduction or spread of the greater 
banded hornet to areas where such hornet has not 
yet been established. 
(2) Providing support for interagency and inter-
governmental response efforts to control, interdict, 
monitor, and eradicate the greater banded hornet on 
military installations in Guam. 
(3) Pursuing chemical, biological, and other 
control techniques, technology transfer, and best 
practices to support management, control, interdic-
tion and, where possible, eradication of the greater 
banded hornet in Guam. 
(4) Establishing an early detection and rapid 
response mechanism to monitor and deploy coordi-
nated efforts if the greater banded hornet, or an 
other newly detected invasive alien species, is de-
tected at new sites on military installations in 
Guam. 
(5) Carrying out such other activities as the 
Secretary determines appropriate to manage, con-
trol, and interdict the greater banded hornet on mili-
tary installations in Guam.
270 
(c) ANNUAL BRIEFINGS.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually 
thereafter for each of the next three years, the Assistant 
Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Envi-
ronment shall provide to the Committees on Armed Serv-
ices of the House of Representatives and the Senate a 
briefing on the implementation of this section, which shall 
include detailed information about the efforts of the Sec-
retary to manage, control, and interdict the greater band-
ed hornet on military installations in Guam. 
SEC. 381. LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS FOR ARMY INI-
TIAL ENTRY ROTARY WING TRAINING. 
None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by 
this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2026 
for the Army may be obligated or expended for the Next 
Generation Initial Entry Rotary Wing training program 
(Flight School Next) at Fort Novosel, Alabama, until— 
(1) the Secretary of the Army submits to the 
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and 
the House of Representatives a business case anal-
ysis that includes an analysis of the Army initial 
entry rotary wing training currently provided at 
Fort Novosel, Alabama, and options for changing 
such training in order to increase the quality of the 
training, reduce costs, and gain efficiencies; and
271 
(2) the Secretary provides to the Committees on 
Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Rep-
resentatives a briefing on the business case analysis 
submitted under paragraph (1). 
SEC. 382. PROHIBITION ON DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE BAN 
OF CLEAN AGENT FIRE SUPPRESSION PROD-
UCTS. 
(a) PROHIBITION.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of law, the Secretary of Defense may not prohibit the 
use of a clean agent fire suppression product on the basis 
of the presence of a fluorine-carbon bond within such 
product if there is no covered alternative product and— 
(1) the use of the clean agent fire suppression 
product is required by an applicable Federal or 
State law or regulation; or 
(2) the Secretary determines failure to use the 
clean agent fire suppression product may cause— 
(A) a catastrophic or critical failure result-
ing in the loss of or serious damage to property; 
or 
(B) an unacceptable risk of personal injury 
or loss of life. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘clean agent fire suppression 
product’’ means a fire suppression product that in-
272 
volves an electrically nonconducting, volatile, or gas-
eous fire extinguishing agent that does not leave a 
residue upon evaporation. 
(2) The term ‘‘covered alternative product’’ 
means an alternative product— 
(A) the use of which is not prohibited by 
Federal or State law or regulation; 
(B) that is readily available in sufficient 
quantity and at a comparable cost to the prod-
uct it is intended to replace; and 
(C) that performs as well as or better than 
such product in a specific application. 
SEC. 383. INAPPLICABILITY OF RECOMMENDATIONS, PRO-
CEDURES, AND PLANS OF COMMISSION RE-
LATING TO ASSIGNING, MODIFYING, OR RE-
MOVING OF NAMES, SYMBOLS, DISPLAYS, 
MONUMENTS, AND PARAPHERNALIA TO AS-
SETS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
THAT COMMEMORATE THE CONFEDERATE 
STATES 
OF 
AMERICA 
TO 
CIVIL 
WORKS 
PROJECTS OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 
Notwithstanding subsection (a) of section 370 of the 
William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283; 
10 U.S.C. 113 note), any recommendation, procedure, or
273 
plan of the commission established under subsection (b) 
of such section shall not apply to a civil works project of 
the Department of Defense. 
SEC. 384. AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS FOR PROCUREMENT OF 
CERTAIN SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS UNDER 
INNOVATIVE 
READINESS 
TRAINING 
PRO-
GRAM. 
Funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act for 
fiscal year 2026 for operation and maintenance for the 
Innovative Readiness Training program established pursu-
ant to section 2012 of title 10, United States Code, may 
be obligated or expended to procure supplies and materials 
necessary for the completion of any training project ap-
proved under such section, provided that any such pro-
curement— 
(1) directly relates to the training objectives of 
the project; and 
(2) is accounted for in accordance with applica-
ble regulations of the Department of Defense. 
SEC. 385. FUNDING FOR FLIGHT HOURS FOR EXPEDI-
TIONARY COMBAT AVIATION BRIGADES. 
(a) INCREASE.—Notwithstanding the amounts set 
forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount au-
thorized to be appropriated in section 301 for Operation 
and Maintenance, Army Reserve, Aviation Assets Line
274 
050, as specified in the corresponding funding table in sec-
tion 4301, for flight hour funding for Expeditionary Com-
bat 
Aviation 
Brigades, 
is 
hereby 
increased 
by 
$35,000,000. 
(b) OFFSET.—Notwithstanding the amounts set forth 
in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized 
to be appropriated in section 301 for Operation and Main-
tenance, as specified in the corresponding funding table 
in section 4301 for Army-Servicewide Transportation, line 
390, is hereby reduced by $35,000,000. 
TITLE IV—MILITARY 
PERSONNEL AUTHORIZATIONS 
Subtitle A—Active Forces 
SEC. 401. END STRENGTHS FOR ACTIVE FORCES. 
The Armed Forces are authorized strengths for active 
duty personnel as of September 30, 2026, as follows: 
(1) The Army, 454,000. 
(2) The Navy, 344,600. 
(3) The Marine Corps, 172,300. 
(4) The Air Force, 321,500. 
(5) The Space Force, 10,400.
275 
Subtitle B—Reserve Forces 
SEC. 411. END STRENGTHS FOR SELECTED RESERVE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Armed Forces are authorized 
strengths for Selected Reserve personnel of the reserve 
components as of September 30, 2026, as follows: 
(1) The Army National Guard of the United 
States, 328,000. 
(2) The Army Reserve, 172,000. 
(3) The Navy Reserve, 57,500. 
(4) The Marine Corps Reserve, 33,600. 
(5) The Air National Guard of the United 
States, 106,300. 
(6) The Air Force Reserve, 67,500. 
(7) The Coast Guard Reserve, 8,500. 
(b) 
END
STRENGTH
REDUCTIONS.—The 
end 
strengths prescribed by subsection (a) for the Selected Re-
serve of any reserve component shall be proportionately 
reduced by— 
(1) the total authorized strength of units orga-
nized to serve as units of the Selected Reserve of 
such component which are on active duty (other 
than for training) at the end of the fiscal year; and 
(2) the total number of individual members not 
in units organized to serve as units of the Selected 
Reserve of such component who are on active duty
276 
(other than for training or for unsatisfactory partici-
pation in training) without their consent at the end 
of the fiscal year. 
(c) END STRENGTH INCREASES.—Whenever units or 
individual members of the Selected Reserve of any reserve 
component are released from active duty during any fiscal 
year, the end strength prescribed for such fiscal year for 
the Selected Reserve of such reserve component shall be 
increased proportionately by the total authorized strengths 
of such units and by the total number of such individual 
members. 
SEC. 412. END STRENGTHS FOR RESERVES ON ACTIVE 
DUTY IN SUPPORT OF THE RESERVES. 
Within the end strengths prescribed in section 
411(a), the reserve components of the Armed Forces are 
authorized, as of September 30, 2026, the following num-
ber of Reserves to be serving on full-time active duty or 
full-time duty, in the case of members of the National 
Guard, for the purpose of organizing, administering, re-
cruiting, instructing, or training the reserve components: 
(1) The Army National Guard of the United 
States, 30,845. 
(2) The Army Reserve, 16,511. 
(3) The Navy Reserve, 10,409. 
(4) The Marine Corps Reserve, 2,400.
277 
(5) The Air National Guard of the United 
States, 25,171. 
(6) The Air Force Reserve, 6,218. 
SEC. 413. END STRENGTHS FOR MILITARY TECHNICIANS 
(DUAL STATUS). 
The minimum number of military technicians (dual 
status) as of the last day of fiscal year 2026 for the re-
serve components of the Army and the Air Force (notwith-
standing section 129 of title 10, United States Code) shall 
be the following: 
(1) For the Army National Guard of the United 
States, 21,294. 
(2) For the Army Reserve, 6,258. 
(3) For the Air National Guard of the United 
States, 10,405. 
(4) For the Air Force Reserve, 6,455. 
SEC. 414. MAXIMUM NUMBER OF RESERVE PERSONNEL AU-
THORIZED TO BE ON ACTIVE DUTY FOR 
OPERATIONAL SUPPORT. 
During fiscal year 2026, the maximum number of 
members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces 
who may be serving at any time on full-time operational 
support duty under section 115(b) of title 10, United 
States Code, is the following:
278 
(1) The Army National Guard of the United 
States, 17,000. 
(2) The Army Reserve, 13,000. 
(3) The Navy Reserve, 6,200. 
(4) The Marine Corps Reserve, 3,000. 
(5) The Air National Guard of the United 
States, 16,000. 
(6) The Air Force Reserve, 14,000. 
SEC. 415. EXCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL GUARD 
PERFORMING CERTAIN DUTY FROM COUNT-
ING FOR ACTIVE-DUTY END STRENGTHS. 
Section 115(i) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(14) Members of the National Guard on active 
duty or full-time National Guard duty for the pur-
pose of supporting military intelligence operations 
under section 12301(d) of this title.’’. 
Subtitle C—Authorization of 
Appropriations; Reports 
SEC. 421. MILITARY PERSONNEL. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Funds 
are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 
2026 for the use of the Armed Forces and other activities 
and agencies of the Department of Defense for expenses,
279 
not otherwise provided for, for military personnel, as spec-
ified in the funding table in section 4401. 
(b) CONSTRUCTION OF AUTHORIZATION.—The au-
thorization of appropriations in the subsection (a) super-
sedes any other authorization of appropriations (definite 
or indefinite) for such purpose for fiscal year 2026. 
SEC. 422. STREAMLINING OF TOTAL FORCE REPORTING RE-
QUIREMENTS. 
(a) REPEAL
OF ANNUAL REPORT
ON MILITARY 
TECHNICIANS.—Section 115a of title 10, United States 
Code, is amended by striking subsection (g). 
(b) INCORPORATION
OF ANNUAL CIVILIAN PER-
SONNEL MANAGEMENT REPORT INTO ANNUAL DEFENSE 
MANPOWER PROFILE REPORT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Such section is further 
amended— 
(A) 
by 
redesignating 
subsections 
(d) 
through (f) as subsections (e) through (g), re-
spectively; and 
(B) by inserting after subsection (c) the 
following new subsection (d): 
‘‘(d)(1) The Secretary shall include in each report 
under subsection (a) a detailed discussion of the manage-
ment of the civilian workforce of the Department of De-
280 
fense. The discussion shall include the matter specified in 
paragraph (2) for the civilian workforce of— 
‘‘(A) the Office of the Secretary of Defense; 
‘‘(B) the Defense Agencies; 
‘‘(C) the Department of Defense Field Activi-
ties; and 
‘‘(D) the military departments.’’. 
(2) TRANSFER.—Paragraph (2) of section 
129(c) of such title— 
(A) is amended, in the matter preceding 
subparagraph (A)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘Each report under 
paragraph (1) shall contain’’ and inserting 
‘‘The matter to be included in each discus-
sion under paragraph (1)’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘under the jurisdiction 
of the official submitting the report,’’ and 
inserting ‘‘of each element of the Depart-
ment of Defense named in such paragraph, 
is’’; and 
(B) is transferred to section 115a and in-
serted at the end of subsection (d) of such sec-
tion, as added by paragraph (1) of this sub-
section.
281 
(3) CONFORMING
REPEAL
OF
REQUIREMENT 
FOR SEPARATE ANNUAL CIVILIAN PERSONNEL MAN-
AGEMENT
REPORT.—Section 129 of such title is 
amended by striking subsection (c). 
TITLE V—MILITARY PERSONNEL 
POLICY 
Subtitle A—Officer Policy 
SEC. 501. TREATMENT OF SPACE FORCE OFFICERS FOR 
PURPOSES OF LAWS RELATING TO AUTHOR-
IZED NUMBER AND DISTRIBUTION OF OFFI-
CERS IN GENERAL OFFICER GRADES. 
(a) DISTRIBUTION OF COMMISSIONED OFFICERS ON 
ACTIVE DUTY IN GENERAL OFFICER GRADES.—Section 
525 of title 10, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 
by inserting ‘‘or the Space Force officer list’’ 
after ‘‘officer on the active duty list’’; 
(B) in paragraph (5)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘officers in the grade of general’’ and in-
serting ‘‘officers on sustained duty orders 
in the grade of general’’; 
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
‘‘officers in a grade above’’ and inserting
283 
CERS ON ACTIVE DUTY.—Section 526 of such title is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in the subsection heading, by inserting 
‘‘AND OF THE SPACE FORCE’’ after ‘‘COMPO-
NENTS’’; 
(B) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘or of 
the Space Force’’ after ‘‘a reserve component’’; 
(C) in paragraph (2), by adding at the end 
the following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(D) The Secretary of the Air Force may au-
thorize not more than two of the general officers au-
thorized to serve in the Space Force under section 
20110 of this title to serve on active duty for a pe-
riod of at least 180 days and not longer than 365 
days.’’; and 
(D) in paragraph (3)(A), by inserting ‘‘(or 
a Space Force general officer in a space force 
active status on sustained duty)’’ after ‘‘a re-
serve component’’; and 
(2) in subsection (d)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘or’’ at the end of para-
graph (1); 
(B) by striking the period at the end of 
paragraph (2) and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and
284 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(3) a Space Force officer in the grade of brig-
adier general or above on orders to sustained duty 
during the 60-day period preceding the end of such 
orders.’’. 
(c) STRENGTH IN GRADE OF SPACE FORCE GEN-
ERAL OFFICERS IN SPACE FORCE ACTIVE STATUS NOT 
ON SUSTAINED DUTY.—Chapter 2003 of such title is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 20110. Strength in grade: Space Force general offi-
cers in Space Force active status not on 
sustained duty 
‘‘(a) AUTHORIZED
STRENGTH.—The authorized 
strength of general officers in the Space Force serving in 
space force active status not on sustained duty is five. 
‘‘(b) EXCLUSIONS.—The following Space Force gen-
eral officers shall not be counted for purposes of this sec-
tion: 
‘‘(1) Those counted under section 526 of this 
title. 
‘‘(2) Those serving in a joint duty assignment 
for purposes of chapter 38 of this title, except that 
the number of officers who shall not be counted 
under this paragraph may not exceed two.
285 
‘‘(c) PERMANENT GRADE.—A Space Force general 
officer may not be reduced in permanent grade because 
of a reduction in the number authorized under subsection 
(a). 
‘‘(d) TEMPORARY EXCLUSION.—The limitation of 
subsection (a) does not apply to an officer released from 
a joint duty assignment or other non-joint active duty as-
signment, but only during the 60-day period beginning on 
the date the officer departs the joint duty or other active 
duty assignment. The Secretary of Defense may authorize 
the Secretary of the Air Force to extend the 60-day period 
by an additional 120 days, except that not more than three 
Space Force officers may be covered by an extension under 
this subsection at the same time.’’. 
SEC. 502. REDISTRIBUTION OF GENERAL OFFICERS ON AC-
TIVE DUTY FROM THE AIR FORCE TO THE 
SPACE FORCE. 
Section 526(a) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘171’’ and in-
serting ‘‘168’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘21’’ and in-
serting ‘‘24’’.
286 
SEC. 503. AUTHORITY TO WAIVE PROHIBITION ON OFFI-
CERS SERVING ON SUCCESSIVE SELECTION 
BOARDS FOR BOARDS TO CONSIDER OFFI-
CERS FOR PROMOTION TO MAJOR GENERAL 
OR REAR ADMIRAL. 
Section 612(b) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ after ‘‘(b)’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(2) Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary 
of Defense, the Secretary of a military department may 
waive the limitation in paragraph (1) in the case of a selec-
tion board that will consider officers for recommendation 
for promotion to the grade of major general or rear admi-
ral if the Secretary of the military department determines 
that qualified officers on the active-duty list or Space 
Force officer list or otherwise authorized to serve on the 
board are not available in sufficient number to comprise 
that selection board.’’. 
SEC. 504. CHAPLAINS: CAREER FLEXIBILITY; DETAIL AS 
STUDENTS AT SCHOOLS FOR EDUCATION RE-
QUIRED FOR APPOINTMENT. 
(a) CAREER FLEXIBILITY FOR CHAPLAINS.—Sub-
section (a) of section 710 of title 10, United States Code, 
is amended—
287 
(1) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘Each Secretary’’; 
and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(2) If the Secretary of a military department carries 
out a program under paragraph (1), such Secretary shall, 
pursuant to this section, inactivate a member who com-
pletes a detail under section 2004c of this title upon such 
completion so such member may perform religious min-
istry that meets professional requirements for appoint-
ment as a chaplain in the military department con-
cerned.’’. 
(b) DETAIL AS STUDENTS AT SCHOOLS FOR EDU-
CATION REQUIRED FOR APPOINTMENT AS A CHAPLAIN.— 
Chapter 101 of title 10, United States Code, is amended 
by inserting after section 2004b the following new section 
2004c: 
‘‘§ 2004c. Detail as students at schools for education 
required for appointment as a chaplain: 
commissioned officers; certain enlisted 
members 
‘‘(a) DETAIL AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary of each 
military department may detail commissioned officers and 
enlisted members of the armed forces as students at ac-
credited colleges, universities, and schools of theology, lo-
288 
cated in the United States, for a period of training leading 
to a graduate degree that meets the educational require-
ments for appointment as a chaplain in the armed forces. 
No more than twenty officers and enlisted members from 
each military department may commence such training in 
any single fiscal year. 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBILITY FOR DETAIL.—To be eligible for 
detail under subsection (a), an officer or enlisted member 
must be a citizen of the United States and must— 
‘‘(1)(A) have served on active duty for a period 
of not less than two years nor more than five years 
and be an officer in the pay grade O–3 or below as 
of the time the training is to begin; or 
‘‘(B) have served on active duty for a period of 
not less than three years nor more than ten years 
and be an enlisted member in the pay grade E–4 or 
above as of the time the training is to begin; 
‘‘(2) in the case of an enlisted member, meet all 
requirements for acceptance of a commission as a 
commissioned officer in the armed forces; and 
‘‘(3) sign an agreement that unless sooner sepa-
rated the officer or enlisted member will— 
‘‘(A) complete the educational course of 
chaplaincy training; and
289 
‘‘(B) if the Secretary of the military de-
partment concerned carries out a program 
under section 710 of this title— 
‘‘(i) agree to be inactivated for a pe-
riod of not less than two years nor more 
than three years under subsection (a)(2) of 
such section title upon completion of a de-
tail under this section; and 
‘‘(ii) accept transfer or detail as a 
chaplain in the military department con-
cerned upon completion of the period de-
scribed in clause (i). 
‘‘(c) SERVICE OBLIGATION.—The agreement of an 
officer or enlisted member under subsection (b) shall pro-
vide that the officer or enlisted member shall serve on ac-
tive duty for two years for each year or part thereof of 
chaplaincy training completed under subsection (a), except 
that the agreement may authorize the officer or enlisted 
member to serve a portion of such service obligation on 
active duty and to complete the service obligation that re-
mains upon separation from active duty in the Selected 
Reserve, in which case the officer or enlisted member shall 
serve three years in the Selected Reserve for each year 
or part thereof of the chaplaincy training of such officer 
or enlisted member under subsection (a) for any service
290 
obligation that was not completed before separation from 
active duty. 
‘‘(d) SELECTION OF OFFICERS AND ENLISTED MEM-
BERS FOR DETAIL.—Officers and enlisted members de-
tailed for chaplaincy training under subsection (a) shall 
be selected on a competitive basis by the Secretary of the 
military department concerned. 
‘‘(e) RELATION OF SERVICE OBLIGATIONS TO OTHER 
SERVICE OBLIGATIONS.—Any service obligation incurred 
by an officer or enlisted member under an agreement en-
tered into under subsection (b) shall be in addition to any 
service obligation incurred by such officer or enlisted any 
other provision of law or agreement. 
‘‘(f) EXPENSES.—Expenses incident to the detail of 
officers and enlisted members under this section shall be 
paid from any funds appropriated for the military depart-
ment concerned. 
‘‘(g) FAILURE TO COMPLETE PROGRAM.—An officer 
or enlisted member who is dropped from a program of 
chaplaincy training to which detailed under subsection (a) 
for deficiency in conduct or studies, or for other reasons, 
may be required to— 
‘‘(1) perform active duty in an appropriate mili-
tary capacity in accordance with the active duty obli-
gation imposed by regulations issued by the Sec-
291 
retary of Defense, except that in no case shall an of-
ficer or enlisted member be required to serve on ac-
tive duty for any period in excess of one year for 
each year or part thereof he participated in the pro-
gram; or 
‘‘(2) repay the expenses incident to the detail of 
such officer or enlisted member and paid under sub-
section (f). 
‘‘(h) LIMITATION ON DETAILS.—No agreement de-
tailing an officer or enlisted member of the armed forces 
to a chaplaincy school may be entered into during any pe-
riod in which the President is authorized by law to induct 
persons into the armed forces involuntarily. Nothing in 
this subsection shall affect any agreement entered into 
during any period when the President is not authorized 
by law to so induct persons into the armed forces.’’. 
SEC. 505. RANKS OF JUDGE ADVOCATES GENERAL. 
(a) ARMY.—Section 7037(a) of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: ‘‘The Judge Advocate General, while so serving, 
has the grade of lieutenant general.’’. 
(b) NAVY.—Section 8088(b) of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: ‘‘The Judge Advocate General, while so serving,
292 
has the grade of vice admiral or lieutenant general, as ap-
propriate.’’. 
(c) AIR FORCE.—Section 9037(a) of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: ‘‘The Judge Advocate General, while so serving, 
has the grade of lieutenant general.’’. 
SEC. 506. PROCEDURES FOR SELECTION OF SPACE FORCE 
OFFICERS FOR PROMOTION TO MAJOR GEN-
ERAL. 
(a) SELECTION BOARDS.— 
(1) BOARDS TO RECOMMEND FOR PROMOTION 
TO MAJOR GENERAL OFFICERS WHO ARE EXCEP-
TIONALLY WELL QUALIFIED.—Subsection (a) of sec-
tion 20215 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(a) CRITERIA FOR RECOMMENDATION OF OFFICERS 
FOR PROMOTION.—(1) A selection board convened under 
section 20211 of this title to consider officers for pro-
motion to a grade below major general shall recommend 
for promotion to the next higher grade those officers con-
sidered by the board whom the board, giving due consider-
ation to the needs of the Space Force for officers with 
particular skills (as noted in the guidelines or information 
furnished the board under section 615(b) of this title),
293 
considers best qualified for promotion within each com-
petitive category considered by the board. 
‘‘(2) A selection board convened under section 20211 
of this title to consider officers for promotion to the grade 
of major general shall recommend for promotion to such 
grade those officers considered by the board whom the 
board considers exceptionally well qualified for pro-
motion.’’. 
(2) REQUIREMENT FOR MAJORITY ACTION BY 
BOARD MEMBERS.—Subsection (c)(3) of such section 
is amended by inserting after ‘‘best qualified for pro-
motion’’ the following: ‘‘(or, in the case of an officer 
recommended for promotion to the grade of major 
general, that the officer is exceptionally well quali-
fied for promotion)’’. 
(3) INAPPLICABILITY OF PROVISION RELATING 
TO PROMOTION LIST ORDER.—Subsection (g)(1) of 
such section is amended by adding at the end the 
following new sentence: ‘‘This subsection does not 
apply to a selection board convened to consider offi-
cer for recommendation to the grade of major gen-
eral.’’. 
(4) REPORTS OF SELECTION BOARDS.—Section 
20216(a)(2)) of such title is amended by inserting 
after ‘‘best qualified for promotion’’ the following:
294 
‘‘(or, in the case of officers recommended for pro-
motion to the grade of major general, that the offi-
cers are exceptionally well qualified for promotion)’’. 
(5) INAPPLICABILITY
OF
AUTHORITY
TO
AD-
JUST
PLACEMENT
OF
OFFICERS
IN
BOARD
RE-
PORT.—Section 20217 of such title is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘or 
major general’’; and 
(B) in the section heading, by striking the 
last three words. 
(b) PROMOTIONS TO MAJOR GENERAL.— 
(1) PROMOTIONS TO FILL VACANCIES.—Section 
20239 of such title is amended— 
(A) in subsection (b)(3), by striking ‘‘Ex-
cept as provided in subsections (e) and (f)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘Except as provided in subsections 
(d), (f), and (g)’’; 
(B) by redesignating subsections (d), (e), 
and (f) as subsections (e), (f), and (g), respec-
tively; and 
(C) by inserting after subsection (c) the 
following new subsection (d): 
‘‘(d) PROMOTION TO MAJOR GENERAL.— 
‘‘(1) CERTIFICATE OF ELIGIBILITY FOR PRO-
MOTION.—When the Senate gives it advice and con-
295 
sent to the promotion of an officer to the grade of 
major general, the Secretary of the Air Force shall 
issue to the officer a certificate of eligibility for pro-
motion, dated as of the date on which the Senate 
gave its advice and consent. 
‘‘(2) PROMOTION TO FILL VACANCY.—Officers 
who have a certificate of eligibility under paragraph 
(1) shall be promoted to fill vacancies as they occur 
in positions designated to carry the grade of major 
general. Such promotions shall be made in accord-
ance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of 
the Air Force, based upon the needs of the service. 
‘‘(3) DURATION
OF
CERTIFICATE
OF
ELIGI-
BILITY.—A certificate of eligibility issued under 
paragraph (1) expires at the end of the period begin-
ning on the date as of when the certificate of eligi-
bility was issued and ending on the first day of the 
eighteenth month following the month during which 
the certificate was so issued.’’. 
(2) REMOVAL FROM PROMOTION LIST.—Section 
20241 of such title is amended— 
(A) by redesignating subsections (d), (e), 
and (f) as subsections (e), (f), and (g), respec-
tively;
296 
(B) by inserting after subsection (c) the 
following new subsection (d): 
‘‘(d) REMOVAL UPON EXPIRATION OF CERTIFICATE 
OF ELIGIBILITY.—If an officer who has been issued a cer-
tificate of eligibility for promotion to the grade of major 
general under 20239(d) of this title is not appointed to 
such grade before the expiration of the certificate of eligi-
bility pursuant to such section, the officer’s name shall 
be removed from the promotion list.’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (1) of subsection (f), as 
so redesignated— 
(i) by striking ‘‘subsection (a), (b), or 
(c)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (a), (b), (c), 
or (d)’’; and 
(ii) by adding at the end the following 
new sentence: ‘‘The authority of the Sec-
retary of the Air Force under the pre-
ceding sentence does not apply in the case 
of such an officer who is promoted to the 
grade of major general following removal 
from a list under subsection (d).’’. 
(c) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
Title 10, United States Code, is amended as follows: 
(1) Section 615(a)(1) is amended by striking 
‘‘or 20211’’.
297 
(2) Section 20203 is amended by redesignating 
the second subsection (b) and subsections (c), (d), 
(e), and (f) as subsections (c), (d), (e), (f), and (g), 
respectively. 
(3) Section 20214 is amended by inserting be-
fore the period at the end the following: ‘‘convened 
under section 20211 of this title in the same manner 
as to selection boards convened under section 611 of 
this title’’. 
(4) Section 20215(g)(1) is amended by striking 
‘‘section 
624(a)(1)’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘section 
20239(a)(1)’’. 
(5) Section 20217(a) is amended by striking 
‘‘section 20215’’ and inserting ‘‘section 20216’’. 
(6) Section 20231 is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ‘‘sec-
tion 14101(a)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 20211’’; 
and 
(B) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ‘‘sec-
tion 20151’’ and inserting ‘‘section 20252’’. 
(7) Section 20239 is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a)(1), by striking 
‘‘modified’’ and inserting ‘‘adjusted’’; 
(B) in subsection (c)(1), by striking ‘‘sub-
section (f)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (g)’’.
298 
(8) Section 20241(c) is amended by striking 
‘‘section 20238(a)’’ in paragraphs (1) and (3) and 
inserting ‘‘section 20239(a)(1)’’. 
(9) Section 20251(a)(2) is amended by striking 
‘‘section 14201’’ and inserting ‘‘section 14101’’. 
SEC. 507. ESTABLISHMENT OF BLAST SAFETY OFFICER PO-
SITIONS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than September 30, 
2026, the Secretary of Defense shall establish blast safety 
officer positions in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air 
Force, and Space Force. 
(b) DUTIES.—Duties of a blast safety officer shall in-
clude the following, in accordance with standards estab-
lished pursuant to section 735 of the James M. Inhofe 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 
(Public Law 117–263; 10 U.S.C. 1071 note): 
(1) Monitoring and mitigating blast and over-
pressure exposure to members of such Armed Forces 
during live-fire or explosive exercises, including 
breaching exercises. A blast safety officer may order 
the cessation of such an exercise if exposure exceeds 
safe thresholds. 
(2) Briefing members of such Armed Forces, 
before an exercise, regarding the health risks of
299 
blast exposure and mitigation protocols (including 
minimum safe distances). 
(3) Overseeing the use of personal protective 
equipment and wearable sensors by such members 
during such an exercise. 
(4) Investigating blast overpressure incidents, 
reporting findings, and coordinating with health care 
providers to address risks to the health of affected 
members. 
(5) Maintaining blast overpressure exposure 
logs to support future mitigation. 
(6) Coordinating with range safety officers and 
personnel. 
(c) ASSIGNMENTS.—The Secretary of a military de-
partment concerned shall assign a blast safety officer to 
each special mission unit in each such Armed Force. 
(d) TRAINING; CERTIFICATION.—A blast safety offi-
cer shall receive training and maintain a certification in 
blast safety. 
SEC. 508. DESIGNATION OF AT LEAST ONE GENERAL OFFI-
CER OF THE MARINE CORPS RESERVE AS A 
JOINT QUALIFIED OFFICER. 
The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that at least 
one general officer of the Marine Corps Reserve is des-
ignated as a joint qualified officer.
300 
SEC. 509. MODIFICATION TO GRADE AND ALLOWANCES 
AVAILABLE TO ATTENDING PHYSICIAN TO 
THE CONGRESS. 
(a) GRADE.— 
(1) MODIFICATION.—Section 715 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by striking the first 
two sentences and inserting the following: ‘‘An offi-
cer serving as Attending Physician to the Congress, 
while so serving, holds the grade of colonel, or in the 
case of an officer of the Navy, captain.’’. 
(2) CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section 525 
of title 10, United States Code, is amended— 
(A) by striking subsection (f); and 
(B) by redesignating subsections (g) and 
(h) as subsections (f) and (g), respectively. 
(b) ALLOWANCES.—Section 302(a)(3) of title 37, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘An officer’’ and inserting ‘‘(A) 
Subject to subparagraph (B), an officer’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph: 
‘‘(B) This paragraph shall not apply to an officer 
serving as the Attending Physician to the Congress.’’.
301 
Subtitle B—Reserve Component 
Management 
SEC. 511. GRADES OF CERTAIN CHIEFS OF RESERVE COM-
PONENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
(1) 
CHIEF
OF
ARMY
RESERVE.—Section 
7038(b) of title 10, United States Code, is amended 
by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following 
new paragraph: 
‘‘(4) The Chief of Army Reserve, while so serving, 
holds the grade of lieutenant general.’’. 
(2) 
CHIEF
OF
NAVY
RESERVE.—Section 
8083(b) of such title is amended by striking para-
graph (4) and inserting the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(4) The Chief of Navy Reserve, while so serving, 
holds the grade of vice admiral.’’. 
(3) COMMANDER, MARINE FORCES RESERVE.— 
Section 8084(b) of such title is amended by striking 
paragraph (4) and inserting the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(4) The Commander, Marine Forces Reserve, while 
so serving, holds the grade of lieutenant general.’’. 
(4) CHIEF OF AIR FORCE RESERVE.—Section 
9038(b) of such title is amended by striking para-
302 
graph (4) and inserting the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(4) The Chief of Air Force Reserve, while so serving, 
holds the grade of lieutenant general.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
subsection (a) shall take effect on the day that is one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act and shall apply 
to appointments made on or after such day. 
SEC. 512. PILOT AUTHORITY FOR EXTENDED LENGTH OF 
ORDERS TO ACTIVE DUTY FOR PREPLANNED 
MISSIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE COMBATANT 
COMMANDS. 
Section 12304b of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (i) as subsection 
(j); 
(2) by inserting after subsection (h) the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(i) TEMPORARY AUTHORITY FOR EXTENDED ACTI-
VATION FOR MARINE CORPS.—(1) The Secretary of the 
Navy may exercise the authority under subsection (a) with 
respect to units of the Selected Reserve of the Marine 
Corps by substituting ‘545 consecutive days’ for ‘365 con-
secutive days’.
303 
‘‘(2) In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary of 
the Navy may not order a unit to active duty in direct 
support of an operation for more than 365 consecutive 
days. For purposes of this paragraph, direct support does 
not include training, exercises, or preparation activities 
prior to deployment to support an operation. 
‘‘(3) The authority under this subsection shall termi-
nate on December 31, 2030.’’; and 
(3) in subsection (j), as redesignated by para-
graph (1) of this section, by striking ‘‘section 
231(f)(2)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 231’’. 
SEC. 513. PROHIBITION ON CONSIDERATION OF AMOUNT 
OF TIME OF SERVICE IN ACTIVATION OF RE-
SERVE MEMBERS. 
Chapter 1209 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 12324. Reserves: prohibition on consideration of 
amount of time of service in the armed 
forces for purposes of activation 
‘‘(a) PROHIBITION.—In evaluating the suitability of 
a member of a reserve component to be ordered to active 
duty under any provision of law, the Secretary concerned 
may not consider— 
‘‘(1) the amount of time of service in the armed 
forces of such member;
304 
‘‘(2) the amount of time of service on active 
duty of such member; or 
‘‘(3) the amount of time of service on active 
duty by such member that would result in such 
member becoming eligible for retired pay or retainer 
pay under a purely military retirement system (other 
than the retirement system under chapter 1223 of 
this title). 
‘‘(b) INFORMATION
AVAILABLE
FOR
CONSIDER-
ATION.—In carrying out this section, the Secretary con-
cerned— 
‘‘(1) shall ensure that no information regarding 
the amount of time of service in the armed forces of 
a member or the age of such member is made avail-
able to any person evaluating such member for suit-
ability for active duty; and 
‘‘(2) may provide that information on relevant 
experience of a member, including the amount of 
time a member has performed duties relevant to the 
duty for which such member is being considered, is 
made available to a person evaluating such member 
for suitability for active duty.’’.
305 
SEC. 514. ACTIVE AND INACTIVE TRANSFERS OF OFFICERS 
OF THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD AND AIR 
FORCE NATIONAL GUARD. 
Section 303 of title 32, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
sections: 
‘‘(d)(1) Under regulations prescribed by the Sec-
retary of the Army, an officer of the Army National 
Guard— 
‘‘(A) who fills a vacancy in a federally recog-
nized unit of the Army National Guard may be 
transferred from the active Army National Guard to 
the inactive Army National Guard; or 
‘‘(B) transferred pursuant to paragraph (1) 
may be transferred from the inactive Army National 
Guard to the active Army National Guard to fill a 
vacancy described in such paragraph. 
‘‘(2) Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary 
of the Air Force, an officer of the Air Force National 
Guard— 
‘‘(A) who fills a vacancy in a federally recog-
nized unit of the Air Force National Guard may be 
transferred from the active Air Force National 
Guard to the inactive Air Force National Guard; or 
‘‘(B) transferred pursuant to paragraph (1) 
may be transferred from the inactive Air Force Na-
306 
tional Guard to the active Air Force National Guard 
to fill a vacancy described in such paragraph.’’. 
SEC. 515. NATIONAL GUARD: ACTIVE GUARD AND RESERVE 
DUTY IN RESPONSE TO A STATE DISASTER. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 3 of title 32, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 328 the 
following new section: 
‘‘§ 328A. Active Guard and Reserve duty: State dis-
aster response duty 
‘‘(a) AUTHORITY.—The chief executive of a State 
who has declared a emergency in such State due to a dis-
aster, may, with the consent of the Secretary of Defense, 
order a member of the National Guard of such State, who 
is performing Active Guard and Reserve duty pursuant to 
section 328 of this title, to perform duties in response to, 
or in preparation for, such disaster. Duty performed under 
this section shall be referred to as ‘State disaster response 
duty’. 
‘‘(b) REQUIREMENTS.—State disaster response duty 
performed pursuant to this section— 
‘‘(1) shall be on a reimbursable basis, in accord-
ance with subsection (c); 
‘‘(2) may be performed to the extent that the 
performance of such duty does not interfere with the 
performance of the member’s primary Active Guard
307 
and Reserve duties of organizing, administering, re-
cruiting, instructing, and training the reserve com-
ponents; and 
‘‘(3) shall not exceed a total of 14 days per 
member per calendar year, except that the Secretary 
of Defense may, if the chief executive so requests be-
fore the end of the 14th such day, authorize an ex-
tension of the duration of such duty, not to exceed 
an additional— 
‘‘(A) 7 days, if the Secretary determines 
that such extension is appropriate; and 
‘‘(B) 46 days if the Secretary determines 
that such duty is in support of the response to 
a catastrophic incident, as such term is defined 
in section 501 of the Homeland Security Act of 
2002 (6 U.S.C. 311). 
‘‘(c) REIMBURSEMENT.—(1) The Secretary of the 
military department concerned shall charge a State for the 
fully burdened costs of manpower for each day of State 
disaster response duty performed pursuant to this section. 
‘‘(2) Such charges shall be paid from the funds of 
the State of the requesting chief executive or from any 
other non-Federal funds.
308 
‘‘(3) Any amounts received by a Secretary of a mili-
tary department under this section shall be credited, at 
the discretion of the Secretary of Defense, to— 
‘‘(A) the appropriation, fund, or account used 
to pay such costs; or 
‘‘(B) an appropriation, fund, or account avail-
able for the purposes for which such costs were in-
curred. 
‘‘(4) If the State of the requesting chief executive is 
more than 90 days in arrears in reimbursing the Secretary 
of the military department concerned for State disaster 
response duty performed pursuant to this section, such 
duty may not be performed— 
‘‘(A) unless authorized by the Secretary of De-
fense; and 
‘‘(B) after the requesting chief executive obli-
gates funds for the amount in arrears. 
‘‘(d) LIMITATION OF LIABILITY.—While performing 
State disaster response duty under this section, a member 
of the National Guard is not an instrumentality of the 
United States with respect to any act or omission in car-
rying out such duty. The United States shall not be re-
sponsible for any claim or judgment arising from the use 
of a member of the National Guard under this section. 
‘‘(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
309 
‘‘(1) The term ‘Active Guard and Reserve duty’ 
has the meaning given such term in section 101 of 
title 10. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘State’ has the meaning given 
such term in section 901 of this title.’’. 
(b) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Defense shall prescribe regulations under section 328A of 
such title, as added by subsection (a). 
SEC. 516. FIREGUARD PROGRAM: PROGRAM OF RECORD; 
AUTHORIZATION. 
Section 510 of title 32, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘The Sec-
retary’’; 
(B) by inserting ‘‘of record’’ after ‘‘carry 
out a program’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(2) The FireGuard Program is authorized through 
December 31, 2031.’’. 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section:
310 
‘‘(c) ANNUAL BRIEFING.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the 
Senate and House of Representatives the first of five an-
nual briefings regarding the FireGuard Program. Such a 
briefing shall include, with regards to the year preceding 
the date of the briefing, the following elements: 
‘‘(1) The States (as such term is defined in sec-
tion 901 of this title), counties, municipalities, and 
Tribal governments that received information under 
the FireGuard Program. 
‘‘(2) A comparative analysis of a map of— 
‘‘(A) each wildfire, initially provided to an 
entity described in paragraph (1) through the 
FireGuard Program; and 
‘‘(B) the perimeter of such wildfire after 
containment. 
‘‘(3) An analysis of the time between the detec-
tion of a fire via raw satellite data and alerts being 
sent to local responders. 
‘‘(4) A review of efforts undertaken to integrate 
emerging satellite and aerial surveillance tech-
nologies from qualified private, nonprofit, and public 
sector sources.’’.
311 
SEC. 517. STUDY AND REPORT ON NATIONAL GUARD CAPA-
BILITIES IN CYBER INCIDENT RESPONSE. 
(a) STUDY REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Defense, in 
consultation with the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, 
the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the heads of 
other relevant federal agencies, shall conduct a com-
prehensive study to evaluate the capabilities and authori-
ties of the National Guard in responding to cyber incidents 
affecting national security. 
(b) ELEMENTS
OF STUDY.—The study required 
under subsection (a) shall include the following: 
(1) An assessment of the current roles and re-
sponsibilities of the National Guard in cyber incident 
response, including— 
(A) engagements under Federal authority, 
such as those pursuant to title 10, United 
States Code; and 
(B) deployments under State authority, 
initiated by Governors pursuant to title 32, 
United States Code, or State law. 
(2) An analysis of existing legal authorities gov-
erning the National Guard’s participation in cyber 
incident response, including any limitations or gaps 
in such authorities.
312 
(3) An evaluation of resource allocation for Na-
tional Guard cyber response capabilities, including 
personnel, equipment, and funding. 
(4) An assessment of training programs and 
needs for National Guard personnel to effectively re-
spond to cyber incidents, including joint training 
with Federal agencies and private sector entities. 
(5) A review of coordination mechanisms be-
tween the National Guard, Federal agencies (includ-
ing the Department of Defense, the Department of 
Homeland Security, and the Cybersecurity and In-
frastructure Security Agency), State governments, 
and private sector partners involved in cyber inci-
dent response. 
(6) Identification of challenges or barriers to 
enhancing the National Guard’s role in cyber inci-
dent response and recommendations to address such 
challenges. 
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall submit to the congressional 
defense committees the study required under sub-
section (a).
313 
(2) FORM.—The report shall be submitted in 
unclassified form but may include a classified annex 
if necessary. 
SEC. 518. REPORT ON EFFECT OF EQUIPMENT SHORTFALLS 
ON NATIONAL GUARD ABILITY TO ASSIST IN 
DISASTER RESPONSE. 
Chapter 9 of title 32, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 909. Report on effect of equipment availability to 
assist in disaster response 
‘‘Not later than March 31 of the next fiscal year, the 
Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Adminis-
trator of the Federal Emergency Management Adminis-
tration, shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Armed Services of the Senate a report with respect to each 
fiscal year on— 
‘‘(1) equipment shortfalls in the National 
Guard of each State; 
‘‘(2) the effect of such shortfalls in the ability 
of the National Guard of a State to provide assist-
ance or conduct operations related to disaster re-
sponse, including with respect to hurricanes; and
314 
‘‘(3) recommendations for addressing the short-
falls, including through modernization and preposi-
tion of equipment in disaster-prone States.’’. 
SEC. 519. ASSISTANCE FOR CERTAIN YOUTH AND CHARI-
TABLE ORGANIZATIONS. 
Section 508(d) of title 32, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraph (14) as para-
graph (17); and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (13) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(14) The Young Marines. 
‘‘(15) The Naval Sea Cadet Corps. 
‘‘(16) The United States Coast Guard Auxil-
iary.’’. 
SEC. 520. FEASIBILITY STUDY REGARDING FUNERAL HON-
ORS DUTY. 
(a) STUDY REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Defense, in 
consultation with the Under Secretary of Memorial Affairs 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs, shall conduct a 
feasibility study to— 
(1) determine how the Secretary can provide fu-
neral honors details under section 1491 of title 10, 
United States Code, without negatively affecting the
315 
ability of the National Guard Bureau to fulfil oper-
ational and mission requirements; 
(2) identify policies and practices that could 
prevent lapses in such provision; and 
(3) identify ways to fully compensate veterans 
service organizations for expenses incurred in assist-
ing the Secretary provide funeral honors details. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after comple-
tion, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional de-
fense committees a report containing the results of the 
study under this section. 
Subtitle C—General Service 
Authorities and Military Records 
SEC. 521. WOMEN’S INITIATIVE TEAMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 50 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘§ 996. Establishment of women’s initiative teams 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary concerned 
shall establish a women’s initiative team in each of the 
Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force 
to identify and address barriers, if any, to the service, re-
cruitment, retention, and advancement of women in those 
armed forces.
316 
‘‘(b) DUTIES.—Each women’s initiative team estab-
lished under subsection (a) shall— 
‘‘(1) identify and address issues, if any, that 
hinder service by women in the armed force in which 
such team is established; 
‘‘(2) support the recruitment and retention of 
women in such armed force; 
‘‘(3) recommend policy changes that support 
the needs of women members of such armed force; 
and 
‘‘(4) foster a sense of community. 
‘‘(c) COMPOSITION.—Each women’s initiative team 
established under subsection (a) shall be composed of 
members of the armed force in which such team is estab-
lished of a variety of ranks, backgrounds, and occupational 
specialities. 
‘‘(d) COLLABORATION.—A women’s initiative team 
established under subsection (a) shall work collaboratively 
with the leadership of the armed force in which such team 
is established and other stakeholders to carry out the du-
ties described in subsection (b).’’. 
(b) REPORTS.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter until 
the date that is five years after such date, the Secretary 
of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense com-
317 
mittees a report on the activities and progress of each 
women’s initiative team established under section 996 of 
title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a). 
Each report shall include the following: 
(1) A description of the structure, membership, 
and organizational alignment of each women’s initia-
tive team. 
(2) A summary of key activities and initiatives 
undertaken by each team. 
(3) An assessment of the impact of such activi-
ties on improving conditions for women, including 
measurable outcomes where available. 
(4) Recommendations for legislative or policy 
changes to further support the success of the teams. 
SEC. 522. INDIVIDUAL LONGITUDINAL EXPOSURE RECORD: 
CODIFICATION; EXPANSION. 
(a) EXPANSION.—Chapter 50 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘§ 996. Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall maintain a database that is a central portal for expo-
sure-related data that compiles, collates, presents, and 
provides available occupational and environmental expo-
sure information to support the needs of the Department
318 
of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Such 
database shall be referred to as the ‘Individual Longitu-
dinal Exposure Record’. 
‘‘(b) ELEMENTS.—The Individual Longitudinal Ex-
posure Record includes the following elements: 
‘‘(1) Service records of members of the armed 
forces. 
‘‘(2) All non-classified data available to the Sec-
retary regarding how, where, and when members of 
the armed forces have been exposed to various occu-
pational or environmental hazards. 
‘‘(3) Medical records of members relating to ex-
posures described in paragraph (2), including diag-
noses, treatment plans, and laboratory data. 
‘‘(c) SERVICE RECORDS.—If a member is a member 
described in paragraph (2) of subsection (b), the Secretary 
shall include the data described in such paragraph in the 
service record of such member. 
‘‘(d) DATA SHARING.—The Secretary shall provide 
access to information in the Individual Longitudinal Expo-
sure Record to the following: 
‘‘(1) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 
‘‘(2) The Director of the Defense Health Agen-
cy, for use by health care providers, epidemiologists, 
and researchers of the Department of Defense.
319 
‘‘(3) The Under Secretary for Health of the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs, for use by health care 
providers, epidemiologists, and researchers of such 
department. 
‘‘(4) The Under Secretary for Benefits of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs, for use by per-
sonnel of such department regarding compensation 
and benefits for service-connected disabilities or 
death. 
‘‘(e) ANNUAL REPORT.—(1) The Secretary of De-
fense shall submit, to the committees specified in para-
graph (2), an annual report regarding the Individual Lon-
gitudinal Exposure Record. 
‘‘(2) The committees specified in this paragraph are 
the following: 
‘‘(A) The Committee on Armed Services of the 
Senate. 
‘‘(B) The Committee on Armed Services of 
House of Representatives. 
‘‘(C) The Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 
Senate. 
‘‘(D) The Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the House of Representatives. 
‘‘(E) The Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate.
320 
‘‘(F) The Committee on Transportation and In-
frastructure of the House of Representatives.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 1171(b)(2) 
of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(2) The term ‘Individual Longitudinal Expo-
sure Record’ means the database maintained under 
section 996 of title 10.’’. 
SEC. 523. CODIFICATION OF ADDITIONAL BASIC BRANCHES 
OF THE ARMY. 
Section 7063(a) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (12), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and 
inserting a semicolon; 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (13) as para-
graph (24); and 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (12) the fol-
lowing new paragraphs: 
‘‘(13) Air Defense Artillery; 
‘‘(14) Aviation; 
‘‘(15) Cavalry Scout; 
‘‘(16) Psychological Operations; 
‘‘(17) Special Forces; 
‘‘(18) Civil Affairs; 
‘‘(19) Cyber;
321 
‘‘(20) Electronic Warfare; 
‘‘(21) Military Intelligence; 
‘‘(22) Public Affairs; 
‘‘(23) Army Music; and’’. 
SEC. 524. REQUIREMENT OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, RACIAL 
NEUTRALITY, AND EXCLUSIVE USE OF MERIT 
IN MILITARY PERSONNEL ACTIONS. 
(a) MERIT REQUIREMENT.—All Department of De-
fense military personnel actions, including accessions, pro-
motions, assignments, command selection, and military 
and civil schooling selection and training, shall be based 
exclusively on individual merit, fitness, capability, and per-
formance. 
(b) CONSIDERATION OF RACE PROHIBITED.—Con-
sideration of an individual’s race, ethnicity, or national or-
igin in any military personnel action is prohibited through-
out the Department of Defense. 
(c) LIMITED EXCEPTION FOR TASKING OF SPECIFIC 
MISSIONS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—This section shall not be 
construed to prohibit tasking for specific, unconven-
tional missions in foreign countries, where the an-
ticipated ground operating environment of indige-
nous populations may justify consideration of race,
322 
ethnicity, or national origin when tasking for the 
mission to optimize mission success. 
(2) COMBATANT
COMMANDER
APPROVAL
RE-
QUIRED.—Any tasking pursuant to the exception de-
scribed in paragraph (1) shall require the approval 
of the combatant commander concerned. 
(3) REPORTING REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 
60 days after a tasking pursuant to the exception 
described in paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense 
shall report the tasking to the Committees on Armed 
Services of the Senate and the House of Representa-
tives. The report shall describe— 
(A) the mission, including location and du-
ration; 
(B) the staffing of the mission; 
(C) the demographic factors warranting 
the tasking; 
(D) the number of personnel involved, in-
cluding their rank, position, and race, ethnicity, 
and national origin; and 
(E) the rationale for the tasking.
323 
SEC. 525. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS FOR 
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION. 
None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by 
this Act may be used for matters or programs relating 
to diversity, equity, and inclusion. 
SEC. 526. PROHIBITION OF NEW COVID–19 VACCINE MAN-
DATE 
FOR 
MEMBERS 
OF 
THE 
ARMED 
FORCES. 
The Secretary of Defense may not issue any COVID– 
19 vaccine mandate as a replacement for the mandate re-
scinded under section 525 of the James M. Inhofe Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 
(Public Law 117–263). 
SEC. 527. RECOMMENDATION WITH RESPECT TO THE RE-
TIRED RANK OF GENERAL JOHN D. LAVELLE. 
Not later than September 30, 2026, the Secretary of 
Defense shall submit to the President and the Senate a 
recommendation regarding the restoration of the retired 
rank of General John D. Lavelle to general. Such rec-
ommendation shall be— 
(1) based on— 
(A) recently declassified records; and 
(B) the most recent recommendation and 
directive of the Secretary of the Air Force that 
adopted and approved the findings, conclusions,
324 
and recommendations of the Air Force Board 
for Correction of Military Records; and 
(2) supported by the entirety of the record in 
the matter of General Lavelle. 
SEC. 528. REPORT ON MISSING MEMBERS FOUND DE-
CEASED. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Con-
gress a comprehensive report outlining how many of the 
members of the Armed Forces who were found deceased 
during the 10 years preceding such date of were des-
ignated absent without leave or on unauthorized absence 
instead of duty status whereabouts unknown. Such report 
shall include the following elements with regards to each 
such member: 
(1) Sex. 
(2) Age. 
(3) Home station. 
(4) Whether the member had previously re-
ported sexual assault, sexual abuse, or stalking. 
(5) Reasons for the applicable such designation. 
(6) Whether family or friends notified the mem-
ber’s commanding officer before such designation.
325 
SEC. 529. REPORT ON ADEQUACY OF REIMBURSEMENT FOR 
COSTS OF PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than September 
30, 2027, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the 
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the 
House of Representatives a report on the adequacy of re-
imbursements for expenses incurred by members of the 
Armed Forces undergoing a permanent change of station. 
(b) SURVEY REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In preparing the report re-
quired under subsection (a), the Secretary of De-
fense shall— 
(A) conduct a comprehensive survey of not 
fewer than 10,000 members of the Armed 
Forces who complete a permanent change of 
station during fiscal year 2025 or 2026 that— 
(i) collects detailed information on ac-
tual expenses incurred, both reimbursed 
and unreimbursed; 
(ii) includes options for members to 
upload receipts and documentation elec-
tronically, provided that such uploads are 
supplemental and optional; 
(iii) is designed to ensure statistical 
validity;
326 
(iv) achieves response rates sufficient 
to ensure representative samples from each 
military department and pay grade cat-
egory; and 
(v) includes questions regarding finan-
cial stress, debt incurrence, and impact on 
military retention decisions; 
(B) conduct follow-up surveys with a sub-
set of respondents to gather additional detail on 
specific cost categories; 
(C) survey military spouses separately re-
garding employment-related costs and career 
impacts of permanent changes of station; and 
(D) consult with military relief societies re-
garding financial assistance patterns and trends 
relating to permanent changes of station. 
(2) INAPPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN FEDERAL IN-
FORMATION
POLICY
REQUIREMENTS.—The surveys 
required under this subsection shall be carried out 
notwithstanding subchapter I of chapter 35 of title 
44, United States Code. 
(c) ELEMENTS.— 
(1) 
ANALYSIS
OF
REIMBURSEMENT
CAT-
EGORIES.—
327 
(A) ANALYSIS.—For each of the categories 
described in subparagraph (B), the report re-
quired by subsection (a) shall include— 
(i) an identification of all expenses in-
tended to be covered; 
(ii) an identification of related ex-
penses that are not covered; 
(iii) the average actual costs incurred 
by members of the Armed Forces for both 
covered and uncovered expenses, based on 
survey data from not fewer than 10,000 
permanent changes of station conducted 
during fiscal years 2025 and 2026, ac-
counting for peak and non-peak cycles; 
(iv) a comparison of actual costs to 
reimbursement amounts; 
(v) a justification for the inclusion or 
exclusion of specific expenses; and 
(vi) recommendations for modifica-
tions to coverage or reimbursement rates. 
(B) CATEGORIES.—The categories de-
scribed in this subparagraph are as follows: 
(i) Dislocation allowance. 
(ii) Temporary lodging expense and 
temporary lodging allowance.
328 
(iii) Per diem allowances. 
(iv) Monetary allowance in lieu of 
transportation. 
(v) Personally procured move reim-
bursements. 
(vi) Household goods shipment and 
storage entitlements. 
(vii) Dependent travel allowances. 
(viii) Pet transportation reimburse-
ment. 
(ix) Any other allowances or reim-
bursements related to permanent changes 
of station. 
(2) UNCOVERED EXPENSE ANALYSIS.—The re-
port required under subsection (a) shall include an 
examination of expenses commonly incurred but not 
reimbursed, including— 
(A) security deposits and advance rent 
payments; 
(B) utility and telecommunication connec-
tion and disconnection fees; 
(C) contract termination penalties; 
(D) State vehicle registration and driver’s 
license fees; 
(E) pet transportation costs;
329 
(F) temporary storage beyond authorized 
limits; 
(G) childcare registration for dependents; 
and 
(H) replacement of household items dam-
aged or unsuitable for new location. 
(3) FINANCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT.—The re-
port required under subsection (a) shall include an 
analysis of the financial impact of permanent 
changes of station on members of the Armed Forces, 
including— 
(A) average out-of-pocket expenses by pay 
grade; 
(B) percentage of members incurring debt 
due to expenses related to a permanent change 
of station; 
(C) impact on the emergency savings of 
members of the Armed Forces; and 
(D) utilization rates of military relief soci-
ety assistance for financial hardship relating to 
permanent changes of station. 
(4) METHODOLOGY
FOR
FUTURE
ADJUST-
MENTS.—The report required under subsection (a) 
shall include recommendations for establishing an 
annual review and adjustment process for reimburse-
330 
ments for costs relating to a permanent change of 
station that accounts for— 
(A) inflation and cost-of-living changes; 
(B) regional variations in moving costs, in-
cluding those related to status of forces agree-
ments, currency fluctuation, local housing mar-
kets, and pet importation or quarantine require-
ments; 
(C) changes in typical household composi-
tion and needs; and 
(D) emerging categories of relocation ex-
penses. 
(d) DISAGGREGATION REQUIREMENTS.—The report 
required by subsection (a) shall include all data 
disaggregated by— 
(1) permanent changes of station within the 
continental United States; 
(2) permanent changes of station from the con-
tinental United States to locations outside the conti-
nental United States; 
(3) permanent changes of station from locations 
outside the continental United States to the conti-
nental United States; 
(4) permanent changes of station between loca-
tions outside the continental United States;
331 
(5) pay grade of the members undergoing a 
permanent change of station; 
(6) family status of the member; 
(7) distance between the permanent station 
from which the member is transferring to the per-
manent station to which the member is transferring; 
(8) duty status of the member; 
(9) whether the member participates in the Ex-
ceptional Family Member Program; and 
(10) origin and destination installation. 
(e) DATA INTEGRATION.—The report shall, to the 
maximum extent practicable, incorporate and reconcile 
data from existing systems of the Department of Defense. 
(f) DATA PRIVACY AND CUSTODY.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall ensure that all data collected to carry out this 
section remains under the custody and control of the 
Department of Defense. 
(2) USE
OF
CONTRACTORS.—The Secretary 
shall prohibit any contractor supporting implementa-
tion of this section from use of data collected to 
carry out this section other than for purposes of this 
section, including with respect to use in artificial in-
telligence model training, commercial applications, or 
other derivative purposes.
332 
(g) INTERIM BRIEFING.—Not later than March 31, 
2027, the Secretary of Defense shall provide the Commit-
tees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of 
Representatives an interim briefing on preliminary find-
ings and anticipated recommendations of the report re-
quired under subsection (a). 
(h) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.— 
(1) PUBLICATION.—Not later than 30 days 
after submission of the report required under sub-
section (a), the Secretary of Defense shall make 
such report publicly available on a website of the 
Department of Defense. 
(2) ACCESSIBILITY.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall ensure that the report required under sub-
section (a) is easily accessible to members of the 
Armed Forces and the families of such members 
through prominent placement on appropriate De-
partment of Defense and military department 
websites.