838 
‘‘(2) Not later than 5 days after the President sub-
mits to the Senate a nomination of an individual to occupy 
an office referred to in paragraph (1), such individual 
shall disclose, on a publicly accessible website of the De-
partment of Defense, a full a complete statement with re-
spect to— 
‘‘(A) the source, type, and amount or value of 
any funds received by such individual from the gov-
ernment of a foreign country, a foreign political 
party (as such terms are defined in section 1 of the 
Foreign Agent Registration Act of 1938 (22 U.S.C. 
611)), or a foreign governmental entity (as defined 
in section 1(m)(1)(B) of the State Department 
Basic Authorities Act (22 U.S.C. 2651a(m)(1)(B)) 
during the 5-year period immediately preceding such 
nomination; and 
‘‘(B) the source, duration, and type of any 
goods or services provided by, or performed on be-
half of or for the benefit of, a foreign government, 
foreign political party, or a foreign governmental en-
tity controlled by a foreign government during such 
5-year period. 
‘‘(3) Paragraph (2) shall not require any individual 
to include in such disclosure any information which is con-
sidered private, confidential, or privileged, as a result of
839 
an established professional or fiduciary relationship be-
tween such individual or any person.’’. 
SEC. 1109. EMPLOYMENT AND COMPENSATION OF CIVILIAN 
FACULTY MEMBERS AT INTER-AMERICAN DE-
FENSE COLLEGE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (c) of section 1595 of 
title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(9) The United States Element of the Inter- 
American Defense College.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Such section is 
further amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘institutions’’ 
and inserting ‘‘organizations’’; and 
(2) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking 
‘‘Institutions’’ and inserting ‘‘Organizations’’; 
and 
(B) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 
by striking ‘‘institutions’’ and inserting ‘‘orga-
nizations’’. 
SEC. 1110. SUPPLEMENTAL GUIDANCE FOR MCO COMPETI-
TIVE SERVICE POSITIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of De-
840 
fense, in coordination with the Director of the Office of 
Personnel Management and the Secretaries of the military 
departments, shall establish supplemental guidance for 
qualification standards for competitive service positions 
within the Department of Defense that are Mission Crit-
ical Occupations. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—Under the supplemental guid-
ance established under subsection (a), the Secretaries of 
the military departments may, with approval of the Sec-
retary of Defense, adopt or waive the requirements of the 
guidance. Any such adoption or waiver shall include a 
written justification, submitted to the Secretary of De-
fense, that such adoption or waiver (as the case may be) 
will improve competitive service employee recruitment and 
retention. 
(c) PLAN; BRIEFING.— 
(1) PLAN.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Defense, in coordination with the Director of the Of-
fice of Personnel Management, shall present a plan 
on implementation of this section to the congres-
sional defense committees 
(2) BRIEFING.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act and each year 
thereafter until the sunset date in subsection (d),
841 
the Secretary of Defense shall submit a briefing to 
the congressional defense committees on the imple-
mentation of this section. Such a briefing shall in-
clude the following: 
(A) The total amount of individuals af-
fected by the supplemental guidance. 
(B) If the supplemental guidance authority 
was adopted, the number of days required to 
change employee rates of pay compared to the 
number of days required to change such rates 
prior to adoption. 
(C) The impacts on competitive service em-
ployee retention and recruitment. 
(D) Any discrepancies in pay for competi-
tive service positions across Armed Forces and 
military installations as a result of such supple-
mental guidance. 
(d) SUNSET.—The supplemental guidance estab-
lished under this section shall terminate on December 31, 
2027. 
SEC. 1111. TREATMENT OF VETERANS WHO DID NOT REG-
ISTER FOR THE SELECTIVE SERVICE. 
Section 3328 of title 5, United States Code, is 
amended—
842 
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ‘‘(50 
U.S.C. App. 453)’’ and inserting ‘‘(50 U.S.C. 
3802)’’; 
(2) by redesignating subsection (b) as sub-
section (c); 
(3) by inserting after subsection (a) the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(b) Subsection (a) shall not apply to an individual— 
‘‘(1) who is a veteran; 
‘‘(2) who provides evidence of active-duty serv-
ice to the Executive agency in which the individual 
seeks an appointment; and 
‘‘(3) for whom the requirement to register 
under section 3 of the Military Selective Service Act 
(50 U.S.C. 3802) has terminated or is now inappli-
cable.’’; and 
(4) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(d) In this section, the terms ‘active duty’ and ‘vet-
eran’ have the meaning given those terms in section 101 
of title 38.’’.
843 
SEC. 1112. INCREASE IN MILITARY LEAVE ACCRUAL AND 
ACCUMULATION FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES. 
Section 6323(a)(1) of title 5, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘15 days’’ each place it appears and 
inserting ‘‘20 days’’. 
SEC. 1113. FLEXIBILITIES FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WHO 
ARE ARMED FORCES SPOUSES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 calendar days 
after receiving a request from a covered individual, the 
head of the agency or instrumentality of the Federal Gov-
ernment employing such covered individual shall— 
(1) to the extent practicable, authorize such 
covered individual to work remotely if the head de-
termines that the duties of such covered individual 
can be completed remotely; 
(2) reassign the covered individual to a position, 
for which the individual is qualified and of equal sta-
tus and base pay, in the agency or instrumentality 
in the commuting area of the new permanent duty 
location of the spouse of such covered individual; 
(3) authorize the covered individual to perform 
the duties of a different position of equal status and 
base pay in the agency or instrumentality for which 
the individual is qualified from an approved alter-
native worksite; or
844 
(4) in the case of a covered individual who is 
not authorized or able to be reassigned under para-
graphs (1), (2), or (3), upon the request of the cov-
ered individual, grant that individual leave without 
pay for up to six months. 
(b) WAIVER.—The Director of the Office of Per-
sonnel Management may grant an agency or instrumen-
tality of the Federal Government a waiver of subsection 
(a) if the Director certifies that the agency or instrumen-
tality has developed and will faithfully implement, imme-
diately upon receipt of the waiver, a substantially similar 
procedure that— 
(1) aims to increase the retention of covered in-
dividuals; 
(2) provides covered individuals an evaluation, 
upon the request of any such individual, on whether 
retention can be achieved, at a minimum, through 
remote work or reassignment, or both; 
(3) provides the covered individual, within 30 
days of the request of such individual, a date certain 
by which the agency will make a determination un-
less the date extended by mutual agreement of the 
agency and individual; 
(4) provides the application of subsection (a)(4) 
as an option the covered individual may choose; and
845 
(5) implements reporting requirements in sub-
section (d). 
(c) LEAVE WITHOUT PAY.—A position held by a cov-
ered individual who is granted leave without pay under 
this section shall not be considered encumbered and may 
be backfilled by a permanent employee. 
(d) REPORTS.— 
(1) AGENCY REPORTS TO OPM.—Not later than 
September 30 of the second full fiscal year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, and biennially 
thereafter for the following four years, the head of 
each agency or instrumentality of the Federal Gov-
ernment shall submit to the Director of the Office 
of Personnel Management— 
(A) a list of each request received by such 
head under subsection (a) during the imme-
diately preceding fiscal year; and 
(B) which action was taken by the head 
under such subsection with respect to such a re-
quest. 
(2) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than the 
first April 15 following the date on which the head 
of an agency or instrumentality submits the first re-
port under paragraph (1), and biennially thereafter 
for the following four years, the Director shall pro-
846 
vide a report to Congress detailing the information 
received under paragraph (1), sorted by agency or 
instrumentality. 
(e) REHIRING OF SEPARATED INDIVIDUALS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—An individual covered by 
subsection (a)(4) shall be covered by this subsection 
until the individual re-enters the Federal service. 
(2) REINSTATEMENT AUTHORITY.—The dura-
tion of the relocation orders of the spouse of an indi-
vidual covered by subsection (a)(4) shall not count 
against the three-year limit for reinstatement of 
non-career tenure individuals under section 315.401 
of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations (or any suc-
cessor regulation). 
(f) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This Act shall take effect 
180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, ex-
cept that the Director may, beginning on the date of the 
enactment of this Act, approve waivers pursuant to section 
2(b) if an agency or instrumentality of the Federal Gov-
ernment has in place on such date of enactment policies 
and procedures that would qualify for waiver under such 
section. 
(g) COVERED INDIVIDUAL DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘‘covered individual’’ means an individual—
847 
(1) who is the spouse of a member of the armed 
forces serving on active duty (as defined in section 
3330d of title 5, United States Code); 
(2) who is an employee of an agency or instru-
mentality of the Federal Government; 
(3) whose duties as such an employee do not in-
clude— 
(A) developing, refining, or implementing 
diversity, equity, and inclusion policies; 
(B) leading working groups or advisory 
councils developing measurements of diversity, 
equity, and inclusion performance or outcomes; 
or 
(C) creating or implementing education, 
training courses, or workshops on diversity, eq-
uity, and inclusion for military or civilian em-
ployees of the Federal Government; and 
(4) who relocates with the spouse of such indi-
vidual because such spouse, as such a member, re-
ceives a permanent change of station or similar re-
quirement to relocate. 
SEC. 1114. GAO REPORT ON HOME-BASED BUSINESSES AT 
REMOTE MILITARY INSTALLATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In order to address critical quality 
of life, morale, and welfare issues, not later than one year
848 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller 
General shall assess and submit a report to the Secretary 
of Defense on the following: 
(1) The average number of Home-Based Busi-
nesses operating at remote and isolated installations 
in the United States in comparison to Home-Based 
Businesses operating at other military installations. 
In carrying out this paragraph, the Comptroller 
General shall account for the differences in military 
population size. 
(2) The average rate of approval for new 
Home-Based Businesses at remote and isolated 
United States installations in comparison to new ap-
provals for new Home-Based Businesses operating 
at other military installations, by military service. 
(3) The average number of days required for a 
Home-Based Business application to be approved at 
remote and isolated United States installations in 
comparison to similar Home-Based Business appli-
cations (to the greatest extent practicable) at other 
military installations, by military service. 
(4) The effectiveness of each services’ utiliza-
tion and implementation of the Home-Based Busi-
ness program. 
(5) Any recommendations on—
849 
(A) additional incentives for military per-
sonnel, Department of Defense civilian employ-
ees, and their family members to establish 
Home-Based Businesses at remote and isolated 
installations to more effectively ensure that the 
quality-of-life services provided through the pro-
gram meet the mission of their applicable mili-
tary installation; 
(B) additional commercial products and 
services that are eligible to be provided through 
the Home-Based Businesses program; and 
(C) ways to simplify, streamline, and gen-
erally improve the approval and application 
process for Home-Based Business applications. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
(1) the term ‘‘effectiveness’’ means the capa-
bility 
of 
increasing 
the 
quality 
of 
life 
for 
servicemembers and their families residing on a mili-
tary installation; and 
(2) the term ‘‘military installation’’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 2801 of title 10, 
United States Code.
850 
SEC. 1115. EXPAND DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CIVILIAN 
EMPLOYMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 5 years after the 
date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of De-
fense shall ensure that, to the extent practicable, each 
commercial position in the Department of Defense or an 
element of the Department is— 
(1) filled by a civilian employee of the Depart-
ment; or 
(2) performed by a contractor of the Depart-
ment. 
(b) COMMERCIAL POSITION DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘‘commercial position’’ means a position the 
functions of which are determined by the Department of 
Defense to be commercial pursuant to Department of De-
fense Instruction 1100.22 (or any successor instruction). 
SEC. 1116. LIMITATION ON ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW DI-
VERSITY, 
EQUITY, 
AND 
INCLUSION 
POSI-
TIONS; HIRING FREEZE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Beginning on January 1, 2025, 
the Secretary of Defense may not— 
(1) establish any new positions within the De-
partment of Defense with responsibility for matters 
relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion; or 
(2) fill any vacancies in positions in the Depart-
ment with responsibility for such matters.
851 
(b) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion may be construed to prevent the Secretary from re-
ducing the number of positions relating to diversity, eq-
uity, and inclusion or from eliminating specific positions 
relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion. 
SEC. 1117. OMB EMPLOYMENT FORM REQUIREMENT FOR 
DOD CONTRACTORS. 
The Secretary shall require all individuals hired to 
Department of Defense contracts to use Declaration for 
Federal Employment Form OMB No. 3206-0812. 
SEC. 1118. SUFFICIENT FIREFIGHTER PERSONNEL COV-
ERED INSTALLATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
ensure that— 
(1) a minimum number of firefighter personnel 
are on duty at each covered installation to maintain 
optimum manning and optimum level of service to 
safeguard life and property at such covered installa-
tion; and 
(2) a risk assessment may not be used to limit 
the number of firefighter personnel at a covered in-
stallation. 
(b) COVERED INSTALLATION DEFINED.—The term 
‘‘covered installation’’ means a military installation under
852 
the jurisdiction of the Chief of Space Operations of the 
United States Space Force with a space launch facility. 
TITLE XII—MATTERS RELATING 
TO FOREIGN NATIONS 
Subtitle A—Assistance and 
Training 
SEC. 1201. MODIFICATION OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
STATE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM. 
Section 341(e)(1)(A) of title 10, United States Code, 
is amended by adding at the end before the semicolon the 
following: ‘‘, including costs incurred with respect to ac-
tivities beginning in one fiscal year and ending not later 
than the end of the first fiscal year thereafter’’. 
SEC. 1202. ASSESSMENT, MONITORING, AND EVALUATION 
OF PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES. 
Section 383(d)(1)(B) of title 10, United States Code, 
is amended by inserting ‘‘, including a description of chal-
lenges in executing the program,’’ after ‘‘lessons learned’’. 
SEC. 1203. MODIFICATION OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
SUPPORT TO STABILIZATION ACTIVITIES. 
Section 1210A of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116–92) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (b)(2)— 
(A) by striking subparagraph (C); and
853 
(B) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as 
subparagraph (C); 
(2) in subsection (c)(1), in the first sentence, by 
striking ‘‘or nonreimbursable’’; and 
(3) in subsection (g)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘USE OF FUNDS’’ and all 
that follows through ‘‘Amounts’’ and inserting 
‘‘USE OF FUNDS.—Amounts’’; and 
(B) by striking paragraph (2). 
SEC. 1204. EXTENSION AND MODIFICATION OF DEFENSE 
OPERATIONAL RESILIENCE INTERNATIONAL 
COOPERATION PILOT PROGRAM. 
Section 1212 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (10 U.S.C. 311 note) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘December 
31, 2025’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2027’’; 
(2) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘2025’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2027’’; and 
(3) in subsection (f), by striking ‘‘2025’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2027’’.
854 
SEC. 1205. REPORT ON COMPLIANCE BY THE DEPARTMENT 
OF DEFENSE WITH THE LIMITATION ON MILI-
TARY-TO-MILITARY EXCHANGE OR CONTACT 
WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CHINESE 
PEOPLE’S LIBERATION ARMY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall submit to Congress a report that describes compli-
ance by the Department of Defense with the limitation 
on military-to-military exchange or contact with represent-
atives of the People’s Liberation Army of the People’s Re-
public of China under section 1201 of the National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (10 U.S.C. 
168 note). 
(b) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The report re-
quired by subsection (a) shall include— 
(1) a description of measures the Department 
of Defense is taking to mitigate the risk of the Peo-
ple’s Liberation Army gaining indirect knowledge of 
United States Armed Forces’ equipment and oper-
ational tactics, techniques, and products through 
interaction with the militaries of United States allies 
and partners; and 
(2) an identification of any obstacles to ensur-
ing United States allies and partners are sufficiently 
aware of the risk described in paragraph (1) and on
855 
conducting the necessary follow-up and end-use 
monitoring to ensure compliance by such allies and 
partners. 
SEC. 1206. GENERAL THADDEUS KOSCIUSZKO MEMORIAL 
EXCHANGE PROGRAM FOR POLISH-AMER-
ICAN DEFENSE COOPERATION. 
(a) AUTHORITY.—The Commander of United States 
Army Special Operations Command shall seek to carry out 
a training program pursuant to section 322 of title 10, 
United States Code, between special operations forces 
under the jurisdiction of the Commander and special 
forces of the Polish Army. Such program shall be known 
as the ‘‘General Thaddeus Kosciuszko Memorial Exchange 
Program for Polish-American Defense Cooperation’’. 
(b) ELIGIBILITY.—Officers and enlisted members of 
such special operations forces may participate in the pro-
gram under this section. 
(c) PROGRESS REPORT.—Not later than 120 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Com-
mander shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services 
of the Senate and House of Representatives a report re-
garding progress of the Commander in carrying out the 
program under this section.
856 
SEC. 1207. REPORT ON COOPERATION BETWEEN THE NA-
TIONAL GUARD AND THE REPUBLIC OF 
INDIA. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than February 
15, 2024, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the 
appropriate congressional committees a report on the fea-
sibility and advisability of enhanced cooperation between 
the National Guard and the Republic of India. Such report 
shall include the following elements: 
(1) A description of the cooperation between the 
National Guard and India during the 10 preceding 
calendar years, including mutual visits, exercises, 
training, and equipment opportunities. 
(2) An evaluation of the feasibility and advis-
ability of enhancing cooperation between the Na-
tional Guard and India on a range of activities, in-
cluding— 
(A) disaster and emergency response; 
(B) cyber defense and communications se-
curity; 
(C) military medical cooperation; 
(D) mountain warfare; 
(E) jungle warfare; 
(F) counterinsurgency; 
(G) counterterrorism;
857 
(H) cultural exchange and education of 
members of the National Guard in Hindi; and 
(I) programs for National Guard advisors 
to assist in training the reserve components of 
the military forces of India. 
(3) Recommendations to enhance such coopera-
tion and improve interoperability, including through 
familiarization visits, cooperative training and exer-
cises, and co-deployments. 
(4) Identification of States that may serve as 
potential partners with India through a State part-
nership under section 341 of title 10, United States 
Code. 
(5) Any other matter the Secretary of Defense 
determines appropriate. 
(b) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMITTEES 
DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate con-
gressional committees’’ means— 
(1) the congressional defense committees; 
(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
Senate; 
(3) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives.
858 
Subtitle B—Matters Relating to the 
Near and Middle East 
SEC. 1211. EXTENSION AND MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY 
TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO COUNTER THE 
ISLAMIC STATE OF IRAQ AND SYRIA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (a) of section 1236 of 
the Carl Levin and Howard P. ‘‘Buck’’ McKeon National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public 
Law 113–291; 128 Stat. 3559) is amended in the matter 
preceding paragraph (1) by striking ‘‘December 31, 2024’’ 
and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2025’’. 
(b) FUNDING.—Subsection (g) of such section is 
amended by striking ‘‘fiscal year 2024, there are author-
ized to be appropriated $241,950,000’’ and inserting ‘‘fis-
cal year 2025, there are authorized to be appropriated 
$380,000,000.’’. 
(c) WAIVER AUTHORITY.—Subsection (o)(6) of such 
section is amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2024’’ and 
inserting ‘‘December 31, 2025’’. 
SEC. 1212. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE ASSIST-
ANCE TO VETTED SYRIAN GROUPS AND INDI-
VIDUALS. 
Section 1209 of the Carl Levin and Howard P. 
‘‘Buck’’ McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for
859 
Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113–291; 128 Stat. 3559) 
is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), in the matter preceding 
paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘December 31, 2024’’ 
and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2025’’; and 
(2) in subsection (l)(3)(E), by striking ‘‘Decem-
ber 31, 2024’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2025’’. 
SEC. 1213. EXTENSION AND MODIFICATION OF ANNUAL RE-
PORT ON MILITARY POWER OF IRAN. 
(a) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—Subsection (b) of 
section 1245 of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2010 (10 U.S.C. 113 note) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) in subparagraph (C), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end and inserting a semicolon; 
(B) in subparagraph (D), by striking the 
period at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; 
(C) by redesignating subparagraphs (B), 
(C), and (D), as subparagraphs (C), (D), and 
(E), respectively; and 
(D) by inserting after subparagraph (A) 
the following subparagraph: 
‘‘(B) any adjustments to the use of proxy 
forces by Iran;’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2)—
860 
(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘an 
analysis of’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘; 
and’’ at the end and inserting a semicolon; and 
(C) in subparagraph (D), by striking ‘‘; 
and’’ at the end and inserting ‘‘, including Ira-
nian anti-access or area denial and other mari-
time harassment capabilities; and’’; 
(3) in paragraph (3)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘Ira-
nian Revolutionary Guard’’ and inserting ‘‘Is-
lamic Revolutionary Guard’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (J), by striking the 
period at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; 
(C) by redesignating subparagraphs (E) 
through (J) as subparagraphs (F) through (K), 
respectively; and 
(D) by inserting after subparagraph (D) 
the following subparagraph: 
‘‘(E) the role of Iran in supporting, facili-
tating, directing, or conducting attacks on 
United States forces in the region;’’; 
(4) in paragraph (4)—
861 
(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘and 
storage sites;’’ and inserting ‘‘, storage, and 
production sites;’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (E), by inserting ‘‘an 
intermediate-range ballistic missile or’’ after 
‘‘develop and field’’; and 
(C) in subparagraph (F), by striking ‘‘; 
and’’ at the end and inserting ‘‘and the expor-
tation of Iranian drones to the Middle East and 
Europe; and’’; 
(5) in paragraph (12), by striking ‘‘(9)’’ and in-
serting ‘‘(12)’’; 
(6) by redesignating paragraphs (9) through 
(12) as paragraphs (10) through (13), respectively; 
(7) by inserting after paragraph (8) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(9) An assessment of the use of civilians by 
groups supported by Iran to shield military objec-
tives from attack, including groups such as— 
‘‘(A) Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis; 
and 
‘‘(B) the Special Groups in Iraq.’’; and 
(8) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(14) An assessment of the manner and extent 
to which the advances or improvements in the capa-
862 
bilities of Iran’s conventional and unconventional 
forces described in this section have affected Israel’s 
qualitative military edge during the preceding 
year.’’. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—Subsection (c) of such section is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2)(B)(i), by striking ‘‘Ira-
nian’’ and inserting ‘‘Islamic’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2)(B)(ii)(bb), by inserting 
‘‘or its regional interests’’ before the period at the 
end; and 
(3) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘capable of 
flights less than 500 kilometers.’’. 
(c) TERMINATION.—Subsection (d) of such section is 
amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2025’’ and inserting 
‘‘December 31, 2026’’. 
SEC. 1214. HELP ISRAEL RECOVER THE HOSTAGES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) There has been substantial and sustained 
cooperation between United States diplomatic, mili-
tary, and intelligence agencies and Israeli counter-
parts to help Israel release those taken hostage on 
the attacks of October 7th, 2023. 
(2) Multiple proposals for returning the hos-
tages and implementing a ceasefire have been devel-
863 
oped with the help of the United States and inter-
national partners and presented to both Israel and 
Hamas. 
(3) Hamas has impeded or outright rejected 
these proposals, refusing to release the hostages and 
extending the suffering of civilians on both sides of 
the border. 
(4) The global community, including the United 
States, must exert necessary pressure on Hamas 
leadership to accept a ceasefire proposal, release the 
hostages and relinquish governing control of Gaza. 
(5) It is imperative that the United States con-
tinues to work with international partners to release 
the remaining hostages, including 8 Americans. 
(b) BRIEFING.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after 
the date of the enactment of this section, the Sec-
retary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary 
of State and the Director of National Intelligence, 
shall provide a briefing to the congressional defense 
committees, the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee on Foreign 
Relations of the Senate, and the House and Senate 
Permanent Select Committees on Intelligence that 
contains an overview of United States diplomatic,
864 
military, and intelligence support for Israel as it 
works to release the hostages. 
(2) CONTENTS.—The briefing required under 
paragraph (1) shall contain the following, relating to 
supporting the release of the hostages: 
(A) An overview of United States military 
assistance to Israel. 
(B) How the United States military is as-
sisting the Israeli military on hostage rescue 
planning and recovery efforts. 
(C) Intelligence sharing in support of hos-
tage release. 
(D) United States personnel embedded or 
regularly liaising with Israel’s military, intel-
ligence, and diplomatic officials. 
(E) A description of how the United States 
is leveraging partner nations to assist with hos-
tage release efforts. 
(F) Any other forms of assistance provided 
the Secretary determines relevant to Israel’s ef-
forts to release the hostages. 
(3) FORM.—The briefing required under para-
graph (1) shall be provided in unclassified form, but 
may contain a classified annex.
865 
(c) HOSTAGES DEFINED.—In this section, the term 
‘‘hostages’’ means the individuals (alive or deceased) taken 
by Hamas from Israel during the attacks of October 7, 
2023, and the immediate aftermath, including Israelis, 
Americans, and citizens of other more than 22 other na-
tions. 
SEC. 1215. STATEMENT OF CONGRESS RELATING TO 
ISRAEL 
AND 
THE 
HOSTAGES 
HELD 
BY 
HAMAS. 
Congress— 
(1) declares that Israel is the United States’ 
greatest ally in the Middle East; and 
(2) demands the release of all hostages held 
captive by Hamas and their return to safety. 
SEC. 1216. KEY PARTNERS FOR MIDDLE EAST REGIONAL IN-
TEGRATION MILITARY SUBJECT MATTER EX-
PERT EXCHANGE PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense, using 
existing authorities, including section 311 of title 10, 
United States Code, as applicable, and in consultation 
with the head of any other Federal agency, as appropriate, 
shall design and implement a foreign military officer sub-
ject matter expert exchange program to be known as the 
‘‘ Middle East Regional Integration Military Subject Mat-
866 
ter Expert Exchange Program’’ (referred to in this section 
as the ‘‘exchange program’’). 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the exchange pro-
gram shall be to facilitate interaction, cultural exchange, 
and mutual learning of members of participating militaries 
in support of Middle East regional integration in order 
to deepen and expand such integration. 
(c) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) COMPOSITION.—The exchange program 
shall be composed of members of the armed forces 
of participating militaries in support of Middle East 
regional integration and members of the Armed 
Forces of the United States. 
(2) SUBJECT MATTER.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of De-
fense shall select exchange program participants 
with a wide range of experiences collectively 
covering the tactical, operational, and strategic 
levels. 
(B) PARTICIPANT PAY GRADE LEVELS.— 
The Secretary of Defense shall include in the 
exchange program participants at each of the 
following military pay grades, or equivalent for-
eign military pay grades: 
(i) E-7 through E-9.
867 
(ii) CW-3 through CW-5. 
(iii) O-3 through O-9. 
(iv) Such other pay grade levels at the 
discretion of the Secretary of Defense. 
(C) EXPERTISE.—A participant in the ex-
change program shall have expertise in one or 
more of the following subject matter areas: 
(i) Strategic doctrine. 
(ii) Defense planning. 
(iii) Civilian and military relations. 
(iv) Military law. 
(v) Public affairs. 
(vi) Civil affairs. 
(vii) Military budgeting and acquisi-
tion. 
(viii) Integrated air and missile de-
fense. 
(ix) 
Integrated 
maritime 
domain 
awareness and interdiction. 
(x) Cyber resilience and defense. 
(xi) Counterterrorism. 
(xii) Defense information sharing. 
(xiii) Any other subject matter area 
that the Secretary of Defense determines 
to be appropriate.
868 
(d) EXCHANGE PROGRAM CONTENT.—The exchange 
program— 
(1) shall include learning modalities and meth-
ods, as determined by the Exchange Program Coor-
dinator; 
(2) may include separate agendas and experi-
ences for participants in order to— 
(A) facilitate interaction on particular top-
ics; 
(B) cater to participant backgrounds or 
rank levels; or 
(C) achieve other pedagogical ends as de-
termined by the Exchange Program Coordi-
nator; and 
(3) may include discussion, comparison, and in-
formation regarding the development of— 
(A) defense doctrine; 
(B) exercise development; 
(C) budget planning; 
(D) military law and law of armed conflict; 
(E) military cooperation with civilian agen-
cies; 
(F) standard operating procedures; 
(G) operational plans and the operational 
art;
869 
(H) gaps and opportunities for improve-
ment in existing procedures and plans; 
(I) existing technical challenges; 
(J) emerging technical challenges; 
(K) the current and future threat environ-
ment; 
(L) trust and capacity for multilateral 
sharing of information; 
(M) additional mechanisms and ideas for 
integrated cooperation; 
(N) ways to promote the meaningful par-
ticipation of women in matters of peace and se-
curity; and 
(O) other content, as appropriate, devel-
oped to advance integration and tactical, oper-
ational, and strategic proficiency. 
(e) MEETINGS.—Participants in the exchange pro-
gram shall meet in-person not less frequently than quar-
terly. 
(f) EXCHANGE PROGRAM COORDINATOR.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall designate an Exchange Program Coordinator, 
who shall be assigned to a Department of Defense 
School, to oversee the exchange program.
870 
(2) DUTIES.—(2) The Exchange Program Co-
ordinator shall— 
(A) design the exchange program; 
(B) ensure that the exchange program 
complies with the requirements of this section; 
(C) provide to the Secretary of Defense re-
ports on developments, insights, and progress of 
the exchange program; and 
(D) notify the Secretary of Defense of any 
failures of the exchange program to comply 
with the in-person requirements of subsection 
(e). 
(3) NOTIFICATION
TO
CONGRESS.—Not later 
than 15 days after receiving a notification under 
paragraph (2)(D), the Secretary of Defense shall 
submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the 
Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the 
House of Representatives a report describing— 
(A) the reasons an in-person meeting did 
not occur during such quarter; and 
(B) any measures taken to ensure that an 
in-person meeting occurs during the following 
quarter. 
(g) REPORT.—
871 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually 
thereafter for 5 years, the Secretary of Defense shall 
submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the 
Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the 
House of Representatives a report that includes— 
(A) a summary of the activities of the ex-
change program during the prior year, includ-
ing— 
(i) the countries participating; 
(ii) the subject matter covered; 
(iii) 
developments, 
insights, 
and 
progress achieved through the program; 
and 
(iv) any new topics added to the ex-
change as well as a justification for adding 
the new topic; 
(B) an assessment of the effectiveness of 
the exchange program; and 
(C) recommendations on further improve-
ments to the exchange program. 
(2) FORM.—The report required by paragraph 
(1) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may 
include a classified annex. 
(h) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
872 
(1) DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SCHOOL.—The 
term ‘‘Department of Defense school’’ means any in-
stitution listed in section 1595(c) or section 2162(d) 
of title 10, United States Code. 
(2) PARTICIPATING MILITARIES IN SUPPORT OF 
MIDDLE EAST REGIONAL INTEGRATION.—The term 
‘‘participating militaries in support of Middle East 
regional integration’’ means military allies and part-
ner forces of the United States working to advance 
regional integration in the Middle East. 
SEC. 1217. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING ISRAEL. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) since 1948, Israel has been one of the 
strongest friends and allies of the United States; 
(2) Israel is a stable, democratic country in a 
region often marred by turmoil; 
(3) it is essential to the strategic interest of the 
United States to continue to offer security assistance 
and related support to Israel; and 
(4) such assistance and support is especially 
vital as Israel confronts a number of potential chal-
lenges at the present time, including continuing 
threats from Iran.
873 
SEC. 1218. STUDY AND REPORT ON INTERNATIONAL SECU-
RITY MEASURES ON THE BORDER BETWEEN 
GAZA AND EGYPT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense, in co-
ordination with the Secretary of State, shall conduct a 
study on steps that Israel, Egypt, and the United States 
can take to enhance international security measures on the 
border between Gaza and Egypt to ensure Hamas and 
other actors do not use tunnels or methods via the Medi-
terranean Sea to smuggle weapons and illicit goods. 
(b) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall submit 
to the appropriate congressional committees a report 
that contains the results of the study. 
(2) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The report 
required by this subsection shall include a descrip-
tion and map indicating existing tunnels on the bor-
der between Gaza and Egypt. 
(3) DEFINITION.—In this subsection, the term 
‘‘appropriate congressional committees’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Armed Services and 
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
of Representatives; and 
(B) the Committee on Armed Services and 
the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Sen-
ate.
874 
SEC. 1219. PROHIBITION ON PROVIDING FUNDING TO IRA-
NIAN ENTITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—None of the funds authorized to 
be appropriated to the Department of Defense or other-
wise made available by this Act may be made available, 
directly or indirectly, to— 
(1) the Government of Iran; 
(2) any person owned or controlled by the Gov-
ernment of Iran; 
(3) any person that is on the List of Specially 
Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons main-
tained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the 
Department of the Treasury and the property and 
interests in property of which are blocked pursuant 
to the International Emergency Economic Powers 
Act; or 
(4) any person owned or controlled by a person 
described in paragraph (3). 
(b) EXCEPTION FOR INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES.— 
The prohibition under subsection (a) shall not apply with 
respect to activities subject to the reporting requirements 
under title V of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 
U.S.C. 3091 et seq.) or any authorized intelligence activi-
ties of the United States.
875 
SEC. 1220. REPORT ON AGREEMENTS MADE BY THE UNITED 
STATES WITH THE TALIBAN. 
(a) CONGRESSIONAL
REVIEW
OF
AGREEMENTS 
MADE WITH THE TALIBAN.—The Secretary of State, in 
coordination with the Secretary of Defense and the Ad-
ministrator of the United States Agency for International 
Development, shall submit to the appropriate congres-
sional committees the following: 
(1) Any agreement made and entered into by 
the United States and the Taliban. Submission 
thereof shall occur not later than 30 days prior to 
entry absent notification to the appropriate congres-
sional committees, in which case submission thereof 
shall occur not later than 10 days prior to taking ef-
fect. 
(2) Any agreement made and entered into by 
third parties and the Taliban or notice of any such 
agreement. Submission of any such agreement or no-
tice thereof shall occur not later than 30 days after 
custody by the United States. 
(b) REPORT
ON PRIOR AGREEMENTS WITH
THE 
TALIBAN.—Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in coordina-
tion with the Secretary of Defense and the Administrator 
of the United States Agency for International Develop-
ment, shall submit to the appropriate congressional com-
876 
mittees any agreements made and entered into by the 
United States or third parties and the Taliban from Au-
gust 1, 2021, until such date of enactment. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) AGREEMENT.—The term ‘‘agreement’’ in-
cludes memoranda of understanding and other mani-
festations of mutual assent. 
(2) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means the congressional defense commit-
tees, the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
of Representatives, and the Committee on Foreign 
Relations of the Senate. 
(3) THIRD PARTIES.—The term ‘‘third parties’’ 
means organizations or entities in receipt of United 
States Government funding, including sub-recipients 
thereof. 
SEC. 1220A. MODIFICATION OF REPORT ON THE MILITARY 
CAPABILITIES OF IRAN AND RELATED AC-
TIVITIES. 
Section 1227 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 117–81) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)—
877 
(i) in subparagraph (A)— 
(I) by inserting ‘‘all branches of’’ 
before ‘‘the Islamic Revolutionary 
Guard Corps’’; and 
(II) by inserting ‘‘including’’ be-
fore ‘‘the Quds Force’’; and 
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by inserting 
‘‘, and technologies as described in the 
Missile Technology Control Regime’’ before 
‘‘, including’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A), by adding at 
the end before the period the following: ‘‘, 
and on the proliferation, procurement, and 
production networks of Iran’s drone pro-
gram’’; 
(ii) in subparagraph (F), by adding at 
the end before the period the following: ‘‘, 
and the effect of its expiration on these 
Iranian proliferation activities’’; 
(iii) in subparagraph (H)— 
(I) in clause (ii), by inserting ‘‘, 
and any of their precursors,’’ after 
‘‘narcotics’’;
878 
(II) in clause (iv), by inserting 
‘‘and the Ministry of Intelligence and 
Security (MOIS)’’ after ‘‘IRGC’’; and 
(III) in clause (v), by adding at 
the end before the period the fol-
lowing: ‘‘and MOIS’’; and 
(iv) in subparagraph (I)— 
(I) by inserting ‘‘and MOIS 
agents’’ after ‘‘operatives’’; and 
(II) by adding at the end before 
the period the following: ‘‘, including 
disinformation operations, recruitment 
of local assets, and targeting United 
States nationals and foreign dis-
sidents’’; and 
(2) in subsection (c)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘and annually thereafter 
for a period not to exceed 4 years’’ after 
‘‘2024’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘in June 2022’’ inserting 
‘‘on the day after the previous report was sub-
mitted’’.
879 
SEC. 1220B. BRIEFING ON IRANIAN SUPPORT FOR NON- 
STATE ACTORS IN NORTH AFRICA. 
(a) BRIEFING REQUIRED.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense shall provide the appropriate congressional 
committees a briefing on— 
(1) Iran’s material support for non-state actors 
in North Africa; 
(2) threats to the security of United States al-
lies in the region posed by this Iranian support; and 
(3) recommendations for actions the United 
States may take to deter Iran from providing this 
support. 
(b) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMITTEES 
DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate con-
gressional committees’’ means— 
(1) the Committees on Armed Services of the 
Senate and the House of Representatives; 
(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
Senate; and 
(3) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives.
880 
Subtitle C—Matters Relating to 
Syria 
SEC. 1221. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that the Department of 
Defense has executed robust and important defense of Al 
Tanf Garrison before and after the October 7, 2023, at-
tacks and has an effective strategy for defeating the Is-
lamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). 
SEC. 1222. STRATEGY TO PROTECT THE AL-TANF GARRI-
SON. 
(a) STRATEGY.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall develop strategy on protection United States 
and partner forces at Al-Tanf Garrison in Syria 
from the threat of Iran-backed militias, ISIS, the 
Russian Federation, and the Assad regime. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The strategy required by 
paragraph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) A description of the number of attacks 
by Iran-backed militias at Al-Tanf Garrison be-
ginning on October 7, 2023, and a description 
on how to prevent and deter future attacks. 
(B) A description of how the Department 
of Defense has assisted with private humani-
tarian assistance efforts through the Denton
881 
Humanitarian Assistance Program with respect 
to internally displaced persons at the Al- 
Rukban camp near the Al-Tanf Garrison and a 
plan with regard to how to continue and expand 
such efforts, as well as a plan for continued col-
laboration between Operation Inherent Resolve 
and nongovernmental organizations to continue 
to ensure the provision of essential aid and 
medical assistance for Syrian civilians at the Al- 
Rukban camp. 
(C) A description of the Assad regime’s po-
tential role in attacks on United States 
servicemembers by Iran-backed militias in Syria 
beginning on October 7, 2023, and a plan by 
the Department of Defense to prevent, deter, 
and degrade the Assad regime’s ability to assist 
with future attacks by Iran-backed militias on 
Al-Tanf Garrison. 
(D) A description of Russian violations of 
deconfliction agreements with the United States 
at the Al-Tanf Garrison and and a plan to ad-
dress such violations. 
(b) IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.—Not later than 60 
days after the date on which the Secretary of Defense de-
velops the strategy required by subsection (a), the Sec-
882 
retary shall submit to the congressional defense commit-
tees, or provide such committees a briefing on, a plan for 
implementing the strategy. 
(c) REPORT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the congressional defense com-
mittees a report that contains the strategy required 
by subsection (a). 
(2) FORM.—The report required by this sub-
section shall be submitted in an unclassified form, 
but may contain a classified annex. 
SEC. 1223. REPORT AND STRATEGY ON THE ASSAD RE-
GIME’S RELATIONSHIP WITH ISIS. 
(a) REPORT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense, in consultation with the head of 
the Defense Intelligence Agency, shall submit to the 
appropriate congressional committees a report de-
scribing the Assad regime’s cooperation, assistance, 
and association with ISIS. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para-
graph (1) shall include a description of the following:
883 
(A) How the Assad regime has focused its 
military efforts at rebel groups fighting ISIS 
and the extent to which such efforts helped the 
growth of ISIS and hindered operations against 
ISIS. 
(B) The extent to which Syrian intelligence 
may have worked with, assisted, facilitated, or 
tolerated ISIS operatives. 
(C) The release of jihadists from Syrian 
prisons by the Assad regime may have had on 
the rise of ISIS. 
(D) The extent to which the purchase by 
the Assad regime of oil, gas, wheat, and grain 
from ISIS through various intermediaries has 
added to ISIS’ revenue, and the role that allow-
ing Syrian banks to continue to function and 
provide financial services within ISIS-held terri-
tory had upon ISIS’ revenue. 
(E) The extent to which the Assad re-
gime’s cooperation, assistance, and association 
with ISIS has harmed Operation Inherent Re-
solve and other efforts by the Department of 
Defense to counter ISIS in Syria.
884 
(F) The extent to which the Assad re-
gime’s destructive policies may continue to pro-
vide for the resurgence of ISIS. 
(b) STRATEGY.—Not later than 180 days after the 
submission of the report required by subsection (a), the 
Secretary of Defense shall develop and submit to the ap-
propriate congressional committees a strategy on how to 
counter the Assad regime’s cooperation, assistance, and 
association with ISIS. 
(c) FORM.—The report required by subsection (a) 
and the strategy required by subsection (b) shall be sub-
mitted in an unclassified form, but may contain a classi-
fied annex. 
(d) IMPLEMENTATION PLAN REQUIRED.—Not later 
than 60 days after the date on which the Secretary devel-
ops the strategy required by subsection (b), the Secretary 
shall submit to the congressional defense committees, or 
provide such committees a briefing on, a plan for imple-
menting the strategy. 
SEC. 1224. STRATEGY TO COUNTER THE ASSAD REGIME’S 
SUPPORT AND COOPERATION WITH IRAN- 
BACKED MILITIAS IN SYRIA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of De-
fense, in consultation with the Secretary of State shall de-
885 
velop and submit to the appropriate congressional commit-
tees a strategy on the use of its existing authorities to 
disrupt and degrade threats to the national security of the 
United States caused by Iran-backed militias in Syria. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The strategy required by subsection 
(a) shall outline how the Department of Defense will— 
(1) leverages existing authorities to detect and 
monitor activities related to Iran-backed militias; 
(2) evaluate existing policies, procedures, proc-
esses, and resources of the Department to counter 
the threat of Iran-backed militias in Syria; 
(3) protect United States servicemembers from 
attacks from Iran-backed militias in Syria; 
(4) make the countering of Iran-backed militias 
in Syria, including the Assad regime’s support of 
such militias, a key policy objective in United States 
policy towards Syria; 
(5) provide a description of the Assad regime’s 
potential role in Iran-backed militia attacks against 
United States servicemembers, specifically attacks 
on or after October 7, 2023; 
(6) provide an assessment of the freedom of 
movement of Iranian proxies particularly between 
Abu Kamal and the deconfliction zone in eastern
886 
Syria and the operational implications of this move-
ment; 
(7) provide a description of the potential capa-
bility of Iran-backed militias to transport weapons 
and weapons systems from Syria into Lebanon and 
a plan to counter any such transfers; and 
(8) provide an assessment of the impact of 
Iran’s sectarian cleansing and demographic change 
project in Syria on Iran’s ability to sustain military 
threats to the United States and its allies and main-
tain support to Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. 
(c) FORM.—The strategy required by subsection (b) 
shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include 
a classified annex. 
SEC. 1225. REPORT AND STRATEGY ON RUSSIA’S SUPPORT 
FOR FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS 
IN SYRIA. 
(a) REPORT AND STRATEGY.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary 
of State, shall develop and submit to the appropriate 
congressional committees a report and strategy to 
utilize existing authorities to counter Russia’s sup-
887 
port of foreign terrorist organizations and specially 
designated global terrorists in Syria. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The report and strategy re-
quired by paragraph (1) shall include the following 
elements: 
(A) A description of past Russian support 
for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps 
(IRGC) in Syria and any current potential sup-
port, including military coordination between 
Russia and the IRGC, as well as any potential 
transfers of materiel or military supplies be-
tween Russia and the IRGC and the extent of 
coordination on efforts to evade United States 
sanctions. 
(B) A description of past Russian military 
cooperation with Hezbollah in Syria, including 
Russia’s provision of air support to Hezbollah 
in Syria during the period from 2013 through 
2018, as well as any potential ongoing support 
as well as a description of the extent of 
Hezbollah’s role training Russian forces and 
their affiliates on the use of Iranian-origin un-
manned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in Syria. 
(C) A description of any potential Russian 
military support for Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq (AAH),
888 
Harakat al-Nujaba (HAN) and Akram ‘Abbas 
al-Kabi, the Fatemiyoun Division, Zaynabiyoun 
Brigade, and Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS) 
and KSS leader Hashim Finyan Rahim al- 
Saraji. 
(D) A strategy of How the Department of 
Defense can utilize existing authorities to detect 
and monitor activities related to Russia’s mili-
tary support of terrorists in Syria, including 
how the Department can evaluate existing poli-
cies, procedures, processes, and resources that 
affect the ability of the Department to counter 
the threat of Russia’s support of terrorists in 
Syria. 
(E) An affirmation by the Department 
that countering Russia’s support of terrorists in 
Syria is a key policy objective in United States 
policy towards Syria. 
(F) A description of how Russia’s viola-
tions of the deconfliction agreement with the 
United States in Syria may have undermined 
efforts to combat ISIS in the region and helped 
destabilize the region and plans to address such 
violations.
889 
(b) FORM.—The report required by subsection (b) 
shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include 
a classified annex. 
(c) SCOPE.—The scope of the report required by sub-
section (b) shall include the period beginning on January 
1, 2014, and ending on the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
SEC. 1226. PROHIBITION OF RECOGNITION OF THE ASSAD 
REGIME. 
(a) STATEMENT OF POLICY.—It is the policy of the 
United States— 
(1) not to recognize or normalize relations with 
any government of Syria that is led by Bashar al- 
Assad due to the Assad regime’s ongoing crimes 
against the Syrian people; and 
(2) to actively oppose recognition or normaliza-
tion of relations by other governments with any gov-
ernment of Syria that is led by Bashar Al-Assad. 
(b) PROHIBITION.—In accordance with subsection 
(a), no Federal official or employee may take any action, 
and no Federal funds may be made available, to recognize 
or otherwise imply, in any manner, United States recogni-
tion of Bashar al-Assad or any government in Syria that 
is led by Bashar al-Assad.
890 
SEC. 1227. APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES 
DEFINED. 
In this subtitle, the term ‘‘appropriate congressional 
committees’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Armed Services and the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives; and 
(2) the Committee on Armed Services and the 
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate. 
Subtitle D—Other Matters 
SEC. 1231. PROHIBITION ON NEW START TREATY INFORMA-
TION SHARING. 
(a) PROHIBITION.—None of the funds authorized to 
be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available 
for fiscal year 2025 for the Department of Defense may 
be used to provide the Russian Federation with notifica-
tions, biannual data exchange, inspection activities, or tel-
emetric activities as required by the New START Treaty. 
(b) WAIVER.—The Secretary of Defense, with con-
currence from the Secretary of State, may waive the prohi-
bition in subsection (a) on a case-by-case basis if the Sec-
retary of Defense certifies to the appropriate congressional 
committees in writing, that— 
(1) it is in the national security interest of the 
United States to unilaterally provide notifications,
891 
biannual data exchange, inspection activities, or tele-
metric information to the Russian Federation; or 
(2) the Russian Federation is providing similar 
information to the United States as required by the 
New START Treaty. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
(1) the term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Armed Services and 
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
of Representatives; and 
(B) the Committee on Armed Services and 
the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Sen-
ate; and 
(2) the term ‘‘New START Treaty’’ means the 
Treaty between the United States of America and 
the Russian Federation on Measures for the Further 
Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive 
Arms, signed at Prague April 8, 2010, and entered 
into force February 5, 2011. 
SEC. 1232. ENSURING ISRAEL’S DEFENSE. 
(a) STATEMENT OF POLICY.—It is the policy of the 
United States to work with Israel to ensure adequate 
stocks of components and munitions to defend Israel 
against threats from Iran and Iranian military proxies,
892 
such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Palestinian Islamic 
Jihad. 
(b) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense, in 
consultation with the Secretary of State, shall, on a 
biannual basis, submit to the appropriate commit-
tees a report on the extent to which Israel is subject 
to aerial attacks described in paragraph (2) and that 
contains the matters described in paragraph (3). 
(2) AERIAL ATTACK DESCRIBED.—An aerial at-
tack described in this paragraph is an aerial attack, 
including a rocket or missile attack, that Israel 
counters by deploying or utilizing— 
(A) not less than 50 interceptors under its 
Iron Dome defense system; 
(B) its David’s Sling defense system; or 
(C) its Arrow defense system. 
(3) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The report 
required by paragraph (1) shall include a description 
of the following: 
(A) An identification of— 
(i) any components or munitions re-
quired for the replenishment of the defense 
systems described in subparagraph (A),
893 
(B), or (C) of paragraph (2) deployed or 
utilized to counter the attack; 
(ii) any requests made by the Govern-
ment of Israel to the Government of the 
United States for any such replenishment; 
(iii) the funding requirements for any 
such replenishment; 
(iv) the Government of the United 
States’ adjudication of any such requests 
from the Government of Israel; and 
(v) the time frame under which the 
United States can resupply the Israeli De-
fense Forces with such defense systems 
and the surge capacity after an incident. 
(B) A description of any other funding re-
quirements to support Israeli military oper-
ations in defense against Iran or any Iranian 
military proxies, including Hamas, Hezbollah, 
or the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. 
(C) A description of— 
(i) the current levels of stocks of com-
ponents and munitions that would be used 
for any such replenishment; 
(ii) the projected needs, including to 
address emergent requirements, with esti-
894 
mated costs and sources of such replenish-
ment; and 
(iii) the number of deployments of the 
defense system described in subparagraph 
(A), (B), or (C) of paragraph (2) and ex-
penditures of interceptors under the Iron 
Dome defense system within the reporting 
period. 
(4) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary of De-
fense, in consultation with the Secretary of State, 
shall seek to consult with the Secretary of Defense 
and Secretary of State’s counterpart in the Govern-
ment of Israel in preparing the report required by 
paragraph (1). 
(5) FORM.—The report required by paragraph 
(1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may 
contain a classified annex. 
(c) DEFINITION OF APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES.—In 
this section, the term ‘‘appropriate committees’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Armed Services and the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives; and 
(2) the Committee on Armed Services and the 
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.
895 
SEC. 1233. REQUIREMENT TO CONDUCT SUBTERRANEAN 
WARFARE MILITARY EXERCISES. 
(a) EXERCISES REQUIRED.—Beginning on January 
1 of the year that begins after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall require the 
United States Central Command or other relevant com-
mands, units, or organizations of the United States mili-
tary services, as the Secretary determines appropriate, to 
conduct military exercises that— 
(1) occur not fewer than once in a calendar 
year; 
(2) shall include invitations for the armed 
forces of Israel, provided that the Government of 
Israel consents to the participation of its forces in 
such exercises; 
(3) may include invitations for the armed forces 
of other allies and partners of the United States to 
take part in the exercises; 
(4) seek to enhance the interoperability and ef-
fectiveness of the United States military services, the 
armed forces of Israel, and the armed forces of other 
allies and partners of the United States in coalition 
operations; and 
(5) shall include, if available resources permit, 
the following activities—
896 
(A) practicing or simulating locating sub-
terranean tunnel entrances and exits; 
(B) practicing infiltrating and mapping 
subterranean tunnels; 
(C) practicing maneuvering within sub-
terranean tunnels of varying sizes; and 
(D) practicing neutralizing or demolishing 
subterranean tunnels. 
(b) SUNSET.—The requirements in subsection (a) 
shall terminate on December 31 of the year described in 
subsection (a). 
SEC. 1234. UNITED STATES-ISRAEL PTSD COLLABORATIVE 
RESEARCH. 
(a) GRANT PROGRAM FOR INCREASED COOPERATION 
ON POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER RESEARCH BE-
TWEEN UNITED STATES AND ISRAEL.— 
(1) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of 
Congress that the Secretary of Defense, acting 
through the Psychological Health and Traumatic 
Brain Injury Research Program, should seek to ex-
plore scientific collaboration between American aca-
demic institutions and nonprofit research entities, 
and Israeli institutions with expertise in researching, 
diagnosing, and treating post-traumatic stress dis-
order.
898 
(ii) is conducted by the eligible entity 
and an entity in Israel under a joint re-
search agreement; and 
(B) meet such other criteria that the Sec-
retary may establish. 
(5) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive a 
grant under this subsection, an eligible entity shall 
submit an application to the Secretary at such time, 
in such manner, and containing such commitments 
and information as the Secretary may require. 
(6) GIFT AUTHORITY.—The Secretary may ac-
cept, hold, and administer, any gift of money made 
on the condition that the gift be used for the pur-
pose of the grant program under this subsection. 
Such gifts of money accepted under this paragraph 
shall be deposited in the Treasury in the Depart-
ment of Defense General Gift Fund and shall be 
available, subject to appropriation, without fiscal 
year limitation. 
(7) REPORTS.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date on which an eligible entity completes a re-
search project using a grant under this subsection, 
the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that 
contains—
899 
(A) a description of how the eligible entity 
used the grant; and 
(B) an evaluation of the level of success of 
the research project. 
(b) TERMINATION.—The authority to award grants 
under subsection (a) shall terminate on the date that is 
7 years after the date on which the first such grant is 
awarded. 
SEC. 1235. UNITED STATES AND ISRAEL TRAUMA AND AM-
PUTEE REHABILITATION EDUCATION AND 
TRAINING PROGRAM WITH THE MEDICAL 
CORPS OF THE ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall es-
tablish an education and training program to be known 
as the ‘‘United States and Israel Trauma and Amputee 
Rehabilitation Education and Training Program’’ with ap-
propriate personnel of the Medical Corps of the Israel De-
fense Forces. 
(b) EDUCATION
AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES.—The 
United States and Israel Trauma and Amputee Rehabili-
tation Education and Training Program shall include the 
following activities: 
(1) Dialogue between personnel of the military 
health system and the Medical Corps of the Israel 
Defense Forces on best practices for general trauma
900 
care, with a focus on amputation and amputee care, 
including the following elements of amputee care: 
(A) Use of prosthetics. 
(B) Wound care. 
(C) Rehabilitative therapy. 
(D) Family counseling. 
(E) Mental health therapy. 
(2) Training activities for personnel of the mili-
tary health system and the Medical Corps of the 
Israel Defense Forces on trauma care, to include 
amputation and amputee care, including with a 
focus on surgical techniques for amputation and on 
providing post-amputation care. 
(3) Opportunities for personnel of the Medical 
Corps of the Israel Defense Forces to— 
(A) attend classes offered by personnel of 
the Center for the Intrepid of the Brooke Army 
Medical Center or any other military health sys-
tem facility on best practices for trauma and 
amputee rehabilitation; and 
(B) observe amputee rehabilitation treat-
ment methods administered by personnel of the 
Center for the Intrepid of the Brooke Army 
Medical Center or any other military health sys-
tem facility.
901 
(4) Any other educational activities that the Di-
rector, in coordination with appropriate officials 
from the Israel Defense Forces, determines relevant. 
SEC. 1236. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF 
THE IRON DOME SYSTEM. 
Congress supports the mission of the Department of 
Defense in helping Israel fend of attacks from Hamas by 
supporting the Iron Dome system. 
SEC. 1237. AUTHORITY TO BUILD CAPACITY OF FOREIGN 
SECURITY FORCES. 
Section 333(a) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(10) Counter-illegal, unreported, and unregu-
lated fishing operations.’’. 
SEC. 1238. REPORT ON TRAINING OF UKRAINIAN ARMED 
FORCES. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit 
to the congressional defense committees an unclassified re-
port on the presence of members of the Ukrainian armed 
forces within the geographic boundaries of the United 
States during and after fiscal year 2022. Such report shall 
also include the following information:
902 
(1) The total number of Ukrainian service 
members trained, including pilots, disaggregated by 
fiscal year. 
(2) The total number of funds expended to fur-
nish goods and services to Ukrainian service mem-
bers, disaggregated by fiscal year. 
(3) The specific goods and services provided to 
Ukrainian service members by the Department of 
Defense while in the United States. 
(4) The outcomes and any evaluation records of 
Ukrainian service members who completed such 
training. 
SEC. 1239. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON DEFENSE BY NATO 
MEMBER STATES. 
It is the sense of Congress that each North Atlantic 
Treaty Organization (NATO) member state should com-
mit to providing, at a minimum, 2 percent of its Gross 
Domestic Product (GDP) to defense to continue to ensure 
NATO’s military readiness. 
SEC. 1240. REPORT ON WAR IN UKRAINE. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit 
to Congress a report on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine 
that includes information on causalities, wounded, and 
materials or equipment losses for both sides of the conflict.
903 
SEC. 1241. INCLUSION OF SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES IN 
PLANNING AND STRATEGY RELATING TO THE 
ARCTIC REGION. 
(a) STRATEGY.— 
(1) REQUIREMENT.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Commander of the United States Special Operations 
Command, in consultation with the Secretary of De-
fense and the Commander of the United States 
Northern Command, shall develop and submit to the 
Committees on Armed Services of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Senate a Special Operations 
Forces Arctic Security Strategy, applicable across 
each component of the special operations forces and 
within each Armed Force (in this section referred to 
as the ‘‘strategy’’). 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—The strategy shall— 
(A) build upon the findings of the report 
under section 1090(a)(3) of the National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 
(Public Law 117–81; 10 U.S.C. 113 note) and 
the 2022 National Defense Strategy; 
(B) facilitate a consistent understanding of 
Arctic security priorities across the Department 
of Defense and a common understanding of the 
use and purpose of special operations forces for
904 
Arctic activities across the Armed Forces, com-
batant commands, and other relevant elements 
of the Department of Defense; and 
(C) promote greater use and prioritization 
of special operations forces capabilities, particu-
larly with respect to the special operations force 
of the Army, in Arctic security planning and co-
ordination with Indigenous populations and 
High North allies and partners. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The strategy shall include the fol-
lowing: 
(1) A plan for the leveraging of North Amer-
ican Indigenous Arctic populations, and the estab-
lishment of working definitions and parameters for 
cooperation with such populations in the following 
areas: 
(A) Intelligence, surveillance, and recon-
naissance gathering. 
(B) Improved Arctic training and oper-
ation tactics, techniques, and procedures. 
(C) Empowering local populations to create 
solutions to regional issues. 
(D) Building resilience against invasion 
and occupation and enhancing deterrence capa-
bilities.
905 
(E) Improving the capacity of allies and 
partners to build capabilities in the region that 
produce advantages against adversaries. 
(F) Building United States credibility for 
combat operations in the region. 
(G) Demonstrating United States commit-
ment to improving living standards in the re-
gion. 
(H) Any other area the of the Commander 
of the United States Special Operations Com-
mand determines appropriate. 
(2) A requirement that special operations forces 
achieve readiness with respect to not more than two 
Arctic environments. 
(3) With respect to terminology and working 
definitions of the Department— 
(A) a requirement that— 
(i) the use of the terms ‘‘Arctic-capa-
ble’’ and ‘‘Arctic-ready’’ may no longer be 
used in any document or other material 
produced by the Department of Defense 
that outlines Arctic strategies; 
(ii) the replacement terms ‘‘Arctic- 
trained’’ and ‘‘Arctic-proficient’’ shall be
906 
used in lieu of ‘‘Arctic-capable’’ and ‘‘Arc-
tic-ready’’, respectively; and 
(iii) the Department shall provide 
clear definitions and readiness require-
ments for each replacement term under 
clause (ii). 
(B) a review of terminology, and the use of 
such terminology, relating to military doctrinal 
readiness (such as the terms ‘‘trained’’ and 
‘‘proficient’’) in the Arctic context, to ensure 
that the Armed Forces meet operational expec-
tations and may fully partake in joint-training 
exercises with allies and partners of the United 
States. 
(4) A description of the conditions necessary to 
establish a standardized pathway for self-validation 
for each Armed Force that requires units to be Arc-
tic capable, with such standardized pathway being 
tailored to each Armed Force but consistent with re-
spect to shared terminology, an agreed upon list of 
Arctic environments, and agreed upon standards to 
become Arctic capable in each such environment. 
(5) A requirement that the Commander of the 
United States Special Operations Command, in con-
sultation with the Secretary of Defense and the
907 
Commander of the United States Northern Com-
mand, include in any future years plan for the Arc-
tic Security Initiative required under section 
1090(b)(2)(B) of the National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 117–81; 
10 U.S.C. 113 note) the following: 
(A) Updates on ongoing priorities for Arc-
tic objectives of the special operations forces. 
(B) Assessments of the integration of Arc-
tic operations of the special operations forces, 
including the use of Indigenous approaches to 
domain awareness. 
(C) A description of the activities and re-
sources needed for the special operations forces 
to obtain readiness in the Arctic region, includ-
ing manning, training, equipping, and funding 
requirements. 
(D) Any other matter the Commander of 
the United States Northern Command and the 
Secretary of Defense jointly determine appro-
priate. 
(6) A requirement that, on an annual basis, the 
Commander of the United States Special Operations 
Command submit to the Committees on Armed 
Services of the House of Representatives and the
908 
Senate a progress report (in unclassified form, but 
with the option of including a classified annex) on 
the implementation and use of the strategy, includ-
ing— 
(A) an assessment of the ability of the 
strategy to address new and ongoing concerns; 
(B) areas relating to the strategy in need 
of improvement, including any new funding nec-
essary; 
(C) use of the strategy across each Armed 
Force; and 
(D) an updated threat assessment with re-
spect to the Arctic region. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the term ‘‘special 
operations forces’’ means forces described under section 
167(j) of title 10, United States Code. 
SEC. 1242. REPORT ON ALLIED CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 
COMMON DEFENSE. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) section 1003 of the Department of Defense 
Authorization Act, 1985 (Public Law 98–525; 63 
Stat. 2241)— 
(A) expresses that due to threats that are 
ever-changing, Congress must be informed with
909 
respect to allied contributions to the common 
defense to properly assess the readiness of the 
United States and the countries described in 
subsection (b)(2) for threats; and 
(B) requires that the Secretary of Defense 
to submit to Congress an annual report on the 
contributions of allies to the common defense; 
(2) the threats facing the United States— 
(A) extend beyond the global war on ter-
ror; and 
(B) include near-peer threats; and 
(3) the President should seek from each coun-
try described in subsection (b)(2) acceptance of 
international security responsibilities and agree-
ments to make contributions to the common defense 
in accordance with the collective defense agreements 
or treaties to which such country is a party. 
(b) REPORTS ON ALLIED CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 
COMMON DEFENSE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than March 1 of 
each year, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination 
with the heads of other Federal agencies, as the Sec-
retary determines to be necessary, shall submit to 
the appropriate committees of Congress a report 
containing a description of—
910 
(A) the annual defense spending by each 
country described in paragraph (2), including 
available data on nominal budget figures and 
defense spending as a percentage of the gross 
domestic products of each such country for the 
fiscal year immediately preceding the fiscal year 
in which the report is submitted; 
(B) the activities of each such country to 
contribute to military or stability operations in 
which the Armed Forces of the United States 
are a participant or may be called upon in ac-
cordance with a cooperative defense agreement 
to which the United States is a party; 
(C) any limitations placed by any such 
country on the use of such contributions; and 
(D) any actions undertaken by the United 
States or by other countries to minimize such 
limitations. 
(2) COUNTRIES DESCRIBED.—The countries de-
scribed in this paragraph are the following: 
(A) Each member country of the North At-
lantic Treaty Organization. 
(B) Each member country of the Gulf Co-
operation Council.
911 
(C) Each country party to the Inter-Amer-
ican Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (Rio Trea-
ty), done at Rio de Janeiro September 2, 1947, 
and entered into force December 3, 1948 
(TIAS 1838). 
(D) Australia. 
(E) Japan. 
(F) New Zealand. 
(G) The Philippines. 
(H) South Korea. 
(I) Thailand. 
(3) FORM.—Each report under paragraph (1) 
shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may 
contain a classified annex. 
(4) AVAILABILITY.—A report submitted under 
paragraph (1) shall be made available on request to 
any Member of Congress. 
(c) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate commit-
tees of Congress’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Armed Services, the 
Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Committee 
on Appropriations of the Senate; and
912 
(2) the Committee on Armed Services, the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Committee 
on Appropriations of the House of Representatives. 
SEC. 1243. INCLUSION OF INFORMATION ON RELATIONSHIP 
BETWEEN CHINA AND IRAN IN CERTAIN DE-
PARTMENT OF DEFENSE ANNUAL REPORT. 
Section 1202(b) of the National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (Public Law 106–65; 10 
U.S.C. 113 note) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(9) Information on the burgeoning relationship 
between the People’s Republic of China and the Is-
lamic Republic of Iran.’’. 
SEC. 1244. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON INTERNATIONAL DE-
FENSE EXHIBITIONS. 
It is the sense of Congress that the Department of 
Defense and its agencies should not participate in the 
Eurosatory Exhibition in any way until the Secretary of 
Defense certifies to Congress that France and the Com-
missariat Ge´ne´ral des Expositions et Salons du GICAT 
(COGES) allow Israeli companies to fully participate in 
the Exhibition and are not using restrictions or the threat 
of restrictions on any party’s participation in the Exhi-
bition as a means of deterring Israel from defending itself.
913 
SEC. 1245. REPORT AND STRATEGY FOR UNITED STATES IN-
VOLVEMENT IN UKRAINE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the President, in coordi-
nation with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary 
of State, shall develop and submit to the appropriate con-
gressional committees a report that contains a strategy 
for United States involvement in Ukraine. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required by subsection 
(a) shall— 
(1) define the United States national interests 
at stake with respect to the conflict between the 
Russian Federation and Ukraine; 
(2) identify specific objectives the President be-
lieves must be achieved in Ukraine in order to pro-
tect the United States national interests defined in 
paragraph (1), and for each objective— 
(A) an estimate of the amount of time re-
quired to achieve the objective, with an expla-
nation; 
(B) benchmarks to be used by the Presi-
dent to determine whether an objective has been 
met, is in the progress of being met, or cannot 
be met in the time estimated to be required in 
subparagraph (A); and
914 
(C) estimates of the amount of resources, 
including United States personnel, materiel, 
and funding, required to achieve the objective; 
and 
(3) list the expected contribution for security 
assistance made by European member countries of 
the North Atlantic Treaty Organization within the 
next fiscal year. 
(c) FORM.—The report required by subsection (a) 
shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include 
a classified annex. 
(d) BRIEFING.—Not later than 45 days after the date 
of the submission of the report required by subsection (a), 
the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State shall 
provide to the appropriate congressional committees, and 
other Members of Congress that wish to participate, a 
briefing on the United States strategy with respect to 
Ukraine and plans for the implementation of such strat-
egy. 
(e) LIMITATION ON FUNDS.—None of the amounts 
authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available 
by this Act, the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2024, or the Ukraine Security Supplemental 
Appropriations Act, 2024 (division B of Public Law 118– 
50) may be made available for Ukraine until the report
915 
required by subsection (a) is submitted to the appropriate 
congressional committees and the briefing required by 
subsection (d) is held. 
(f) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate congres-
sional committees’’ means— 
(1) the congressional defense committees; and 
(2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Foreign Relations of the Senate. 
SEC. 1246. REPORT ON MULTILATERAL EXERCISES IN THE 
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN. 
(a) REPORT.— 
(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 a report on multilateral exercises 
in the eastern Mediterranean. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The report required under 
paragraph (1) shall contain the following elements: 
(A) An assessment of the effectiveness of 
multilateral military exercises hosted by United 
State allies and partners in the eastern Medi-
terranean in bolstering maritime energy secu-
rity and counterterrorism in the region.
916 
(B) Individual assessments of the potential 
benefits of including the following countries in 
future exercises and their readiness to partici-
pate based on interoperability: 
(i) Bahrain. 
(ii) Egypt. 
(iii) Jordan. 
(iv) United Arab Emirates 
(v) Saudi Arabia 
(b) FORM.—The report required under paragraph (1) 
shall be transmitted in an unclassified form and may con-
tain a classified annex. 
SEC. 1247. REPORT ON CERTAIN ASSISTANCE TO UKRAINE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Inspector General 
of the Department of Defense shall submit to Congress 
a report reconciling all United States assistance to 
Ukraine, including all normal and supplemental Ukraine 
appropriations and drawdowns, from January 1, 2022, 
through the date of such submission. The report shall spe-
cifically detail the countries, entities, and individuals who 
received such assistance. 
(b) ADDITIONAL ELEMENTS.—The report required 
under subsection (a) shall also detail the following:
917 
(1) All contracts awarded to third parties with 
enumerated amounts, including an identification of 
each such third party recipient and a specification of 
the amount awarded to each such third party. 
(2) The total of appropriated or authorized 
amounts that have been obligated or expended, as 
well as the total amounts of authorized or appro-
priated funds that have not been so obligated or ex-
pended. 
(c) FORM.—The report required under subsection (a) 
shall be submitted in unclassified form but may contain 
a classified annex. 
SEC. 1248. MILITARY COOPERATION WITH MOROCCO. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) The United States recognizes the 20th anni-
versary of the African Lion exercise hosted by Mo-
rocco, a key United States ally in Africa and the 
Middle East. 
(2) The African Lion exercise is United States 
Africa Command’s largest annual combined joint ex-
ercise. 
(3) African Lion builds and maintains inter-
operability with our African and North Atlantic 
Treaty Organization partners and improves our abil-
ity to meet security related challenges together to
918 
address the growing threats from nation states, pri-
vate military corporations, militias, non-state armed 
groups and violent extremist organizations, given the 
increasing presence of malign actors in Africa, in-
cluding the Iranian regime and its proxies, particu-
larly in North Africa and the Sahel. 
(b) STATEMENT OF POLICY.—It is the policy of the 
United States to— 
(1) support strengthening security cooperation 
with Morocco given increasing instability in Africa 
and the Middle East and provide for close coopera-
tion between the United States and Morocco in 
order to contribute to the region’s broader security; 
and 
(2) provide for the continuation of the African 
Lion exercise in future years will support the crucial 
efforts to address security challenges facing NATO’s 
southern flank. 
(c) REPORT.— 
(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 appropriate 
congressional committees a report detailing how the 
United States can improve its interoperability and 
cooperation with Morocco through the African Lion
919 
exercise to continue to address the growing threats 
in Africa, including the Iranian regime and its prox-
ies, particularly in North Africa and the Sahel. 
(2) DEFINITION.—In this subsection, the term 
‘‘appropriate congressional committees’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Armed Services and 
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
of Representatives; and 
(B) and the Committee on Armed Services 
and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
Senate. 
SEC. 1249. STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP ON DEFENSE INDUS-
TRIAL PRIORITIES BETWEEN THE UNITED 
STATES AND ISRAEL. 
The Secretary of Defense shall seek to establish a 
partnership between the Defense Innovation Unit of the 
Department of Defense and appropriate counterparts of 
Israel in order to— 
(1) enhance market opportunities for United 
States-based and Israeli-based defense technology 
companies; 
(2) bolster Israel’s defense industrial base; 
(3) harmonize global security posture through 
emerging technology;
920 
(4) counter Iran and Iran-aligned adversarial 
proxy group development of dual-use defense tech-
nologies; and 
(5) in coordination with appropriate counter-
part offices of the Israeli ministry of defense— 
(A) enable coordination on defense indus-
trial priorities; 
(B) streamline emerging defense tech-
nology research and development; 
(C) create more pathways to market for 
defense technology startups; and 
(D) collaborate on the development of 
dual-use defense capabilities through coordina-
tion. 
SEC. 1250. REPORT ON MILITARY ACTIVITIES OF THE RUS-
SIAN FEDERATION AND THE PEOPLE’S RE-
PUBLIC OF CHINA IN THE ARCTIC REGION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of De-
fense, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the 
Director of National Intelligence, shall submit to the ap-
propriate congressional committees a report on the fol-
lowing: 
(1) Any military activities of the Russian Fed-
eration in the Arctic region.
921 
(2) Any military activities of the People’s Re-
public of China in the Arctic region. 
(b) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The report under 
subsection (a) shall include, with respect to the Russian 
Federation or the People’s Republic of China, as applica-
ble, the following: 
(1) A description of military activities of such 
country in the Arctic region, including— 
(A) the placement of military infrastruc-
ture, equipment, or forces; 
(B) any exercises or other military activi-
ties; and 
(C) activities that are ostensibly non-mili-
tary in nature but are considered to have mili-
tary or other strategic implications. 
(2) An assessment of— 
(A) the intentions of such activities by 
each such country; 
(B) the extent to which such activities af-
fect or threaten the interests of the United 
States and allies in the Arctic region; and 
(C) any response to such activities by the 
United States or allies. 
(3) A description of future plans and require-
ments with respect to such activities.
922 
(4) A detailed description of the Russian Fed-
eration and the People’s Republic of China’s co-
operation in the Arctic region. 
(5) A description of how the Russian Federa-
tion’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 
2022, and the resulting damage to its military forces 
have impacted the Russian Federation’s posture, ac-
tivities, and policy in the Arctic region. 
(6) A description of how the Russian Federa-
tion’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 
2022, has impacted the People’s Republic of China’s 
posture, activity and policy in the Arctic region. 
(7) A description of how the United States and 
its allies in the Arctic region have adjusted their 
posture in response to any recent changes by the 
Russian Federation or the People’s Republic of 
China. 
(8) A description of the activities of the Arctic 
Council and other Arctic fora of which the United 
States is a member over the preceding 3-year period, 
including— 
(A) a description of how the U.S. Ambas-
sador-at-large for the Arctic region would en-
gage with the Arctic Council and other estab-
lished Arctic fora;
923 
(B) a description of the United States cur-
rent role in the Arctic Council and what steps 
are being taken to ensure that the involvement 
of the Russian Federation does not detract 
from continued engagement with regional part-
ners; 
(C) a detailing of all meetings, round ta-
bles, working groups, and other official activi-
ties of the Arctic Council and other Arctic fora, 
including a description of which such events in 
which the Russian Federation did and did not 
participate; and 
(D) a description of how the United States 
is utilizing current Arctic fora to develop and 
implement regional security strategies. 
(c) FORM.—Each report under subsection (a) shall 
be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classi-
fied annex. 
(d) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMITTEES 
DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate con-
gressional committees’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Armed Services, the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on 
Appropriations, and the Permanent Select Com-
924 
mittee on Intelligence of the House of Representa-
tives; and 
(2) the Committee on Armed Services, the 
Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on 
Appropriations, and the Select Committee on Intel-
ligence of the Senate. 
(e) ARCTIC REGION DEFINED.—In this section, the 
term ‘‘Arctic region’’ has the meaning given the term 
‘‘Arctic’’ in the Arctic Research and Policy Act (ARPA) 
of 1984 (Public Law 98–373). 
SEC. 1251. REPORT ON COOPERATIVE EFFORTS TO STOP 
UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a re-
port on the status of cooperation between the United 
States and Israel on efforts to counter threats by Iran in 
the form of unmanned aerial systems, including loitering 
munitions otherwise known as ‘‘suicide’’ or ‘‘kamikaze’’ 
drones. 
(b) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMITTEES 
DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate con-
gressional committees’’ means— 
(1) the congressional defense committees; 
(2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives; and
925 
(3) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
Senate. 
TITLE 
XIII—OTHER 
MATTERS 
RELATING TO FOREIGN NA-
TIONS 
Subtitle A—Matters Related to the 
Indo-Pacific Region 
SEC. 1301. EXTENSION AND MODIFICATION OF PACIFIC DE-
TERRENCE INITIATIVE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (c) of section 1251 of 
the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (10 U.S.C. 113 note) 
is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘the National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2024’’ and inserting ‘‘the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2025’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘fiscal year 2024’’ and inserting 
‘‘fiscal year 2025’’. 
(b) REPORT.—Subsection (d)(1) of such section is 
amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘fiscal 
years 2025 and 2026’’ and inserting ‘‘fiscal years 
2026 and 2027’’; and
926 
(2) in subparagraph (B), by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(viii) An identification of perform-
ance goals and measures to advance the 
lines of effort of the Initiative relative to 
the operational requirements of the Initia-
tive, determined in coordination with the 
Secretary of each military department.’’. 
(c) PLAN REQUIRED.—Subsection (e) of such section 
is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘fiscal years 2025 and 2026’’ 
and inserting ‘‘fiscal years 2026 and 2027’’; and 
(2) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(2) A detailed description of the progress 
made toward achieving the performance goals and 
measures 
identified 
pursuant 
to 
subsection 
(d)(1)(B)(viii).’’. 
SEC. 1302. MODIFICATION OF PUBLIC REPORTING OF CHI-
NESE MILITARY COMPANIES OPERATING IN 
THE UNITED STATES. 
Section 1260H(b) of the William M. (Mac) Thorn-
berry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2021 (10 U.S.C. 113 note) is amended—
927 
(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘and a jus-
tification for the identification of each such entity, 
in classified or unclassified form,’’ after ‘‘, in classi-
fied and unclassified forms,’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘and jus-
tification’’ after ‘‘list’’ each place it appears. 
SEC. 1303. MODIFICATIONS TO PUBLIC REPORTING OF CHI-
NESE MILITARY COMPANIES OPERATING IN 
THE UNITED STATES. 
(a) REPORTING
AND
PUBLICATION.—Subsection 
(b)(3) of section 1260H of the William M (Mac) Thorn-
berry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2021 (10 U.S.C. 113 note) is amended by striking ‘‘an 
ongoing basis’’ and inserting ‘‘at least an annual basis’’. 
(b) ADDITIONAL MATTERS.—Such section is amend-
ed— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (d) as sub-
section (e); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (c) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(d) REPORT AND OTHER ADDITIONAL MATTERS.— 
‘‘(1) REPORT.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than De-
cember 31, 2026, and biennially thereafter until 
December 31, 2031, the Secretary of Defense
928 
shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees a report on the status of Depart-
ment of Defense procurement restrictions on 
entities included in the list described in sub-
section (b)(1). 
‘‘(B) MATTERS
TO
BE
INCLUDED.—The 
report required by this paragraph shall include 
the following: 
‘‘(i) A list of entities included the list 
described 
in 
subsection 
(b)(1) 
likely 
present in the defense industrial base. 
‘‘(ii) Available unclassified data on the 
presence of entities included on the list de-
scribed in subsection (b)(1) in the defense 
industrial base. 
‘‘(iii) Updates on policies and proce-
dures implemented to enforce procurement 
restrictions on entities included the list de-
scribed in subsection (b)(1). 
‘‘(2) PROCEDURES
FOR
IMPLEMENTATION.— 
The Secretary of Defense shall establish such rea-
sonable procedures as are necessary to implement 
the provisions of this section, including for obtaining 
information from outside entities relevant to the list 
described in subsection (b)(1) and procedures for re-
929 
moval of entities from the list described in sub-
section (b)(1).’’. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—Paragraph (1) of subsection (e) 
of such section (as so redesignated) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(2) in subparagraph (B)— 
(A) in clause (i)(I) to read as follows: 
‘‘(I) directly or indirectly owned, con-
trolled, or beneficially owned by, or in an 
official or unofficial capacity acting as an 
agent of or on behalf of, the People’s Lib-
eration Army, Chinese military and para-
military elements, security forces, police, 
law enforcement, border control, the Peo-
ple’s Armed Police, the Ministry of State 
Security, or any other organization subor-
dinate to the Central Military Commission 
of the Chinese Communist Party; or’’; and 
(B) in clause (ii), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(C) includes wholly-owned or controlled 
subsidiaries and affiliates of an entity described 
in subparagraph (B).’’.
930 
SEC. 1304. ESTABLISHMENT OF INDO-PACIFIC MEDICAL 
READINESS PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than January 1, 
2026, the Secretary of Defense shall establish a 
medical readiness program (referred to in this sec-
tion as the ‘‘Program’’) to partner with countries in 
the Indo-Pacific region to gain access to foreign 
medical facilities during peacetime and wartime op-
erations and maintain military-wide strategies for 
medical readiness in the region. 
(2) ORGANIZATION.—The Secretary of Defense, 
in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Sec-
retaries of the military departments, the com-
manders of the combatant commands, and any other 
individual the Secretary of Defense considers appro-
priate, shall be responsible for and oversee the Pro-
gram. 
(3) OBJECTIVE.—The objective of the Program 
shall be to promote the medical readiness of the 
Armed Forces and the military forces of partner 
countries for missions during peacetime and wartime 
operations by— 
(A) reducing potential requirements for 
long distance medical evacuation to receive de-
finitive patient care;
931 
(B) increasing the medical capacity of the 
Department of Defense by expanding patient 
access to medical facilities across the Indo-Pa-
cific region where and when appropriate; 
(C) improving the standard of care 
through collaboration with foreign medical fa-
cilities to promote standardized medical proce-
dures, patient care, and policies; and 
(D) enhancing interoperability and inter-
changeability where feasible through shared pa-
tient record management techniques, medical 
equipment commonality, and coordination of 
medical care. 
(4) ACTIVITIES.—In carrying out the Program, 
the Secretary of Defense should seek to conduct the 
following activities— 
(A) assess and integrate current Depart-
ment of Defense medical capabilities and capac-
ities in the Indo-Pacific region into the Pro-
gram; 
(B) select an appropriate standard of ac-
creditation to utilize when evaluating foreign 
medical facilities;
932 
(C) coordinate with partner countries to 
identify and evaluate medical facilities for the 
Program; 
(D) establish agreements with foreign med-
ical facilities for potential use of the Program; 
(E) establish policies and procedures— 
(i) to reduce patient movement times 
in various countries in the Indo-Pacific re-
gion during peacetime and wartime oper-
ations; 
(ii) to standardize medical procedures, 
patient care, and policies; 
(iii) to securely share patient data 
with foreign countries when appropriate to 
do so, such as during a contingency; 
(iv) with respect to medical equipment 
commonality and interchangeability; and 
(v) with respect to the coordination of 
medical care; and 
(F) integrate the Program into operational 
plans of the combatant commands. 
(b) STRATEGY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than September 
30, 2025, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation
933 
with the Secretary of State, shall submit a strategy 
for the implementation of the Program to— 
(A) the Committee on Armed Services and 
the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Sen-
ate; and 
(B) the Committee on Armed Services and 
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
of Representatives. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The strategy required by 
paragraph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) A governance structure for the Pro-
gram, including— 
(i) the officials tasked to oversee the 
Program; 
(ii) the format of the governing body 
of the Program; 
(iii) the functions and duties of such 
governing body with respect to establishing 
and maintaining the Program; and 
(iv) mechanisms for coordinating with 
partner countries selected to participate in 
the Program. 
(B) With respect to the selection of part-
ner countries initially selected to participate in 
the Program—
934 
(i) an identification of each such 
country; 
(ii) the rationale for selecting each 
such country; and 
(iii) any other information the Sec-
retary considers appropriate. 
(C) A campaign of objectives for the first 
3 fiscal years of the Program, including— 
(i) a description of, and a rational for 
selecting, such objectives; 
(ii) an identification of milestones to-
ward achieving such objectives; and 
(iii) metrics for evaluating success in 
achieving such objectives. 
(D) A description of opportunities and po-
tential timelines for future Program expansion, 
as appropriate. 
(E) A list of additional authorities, appro-
priations, or other congressional support nec-
essary to ensure the success of the Program. 
(F) Any other information the Secretary 
considers appropriate. 
(3) FORM.—The strategy required by para-
graph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form but 
may include a classified annex.
935 
(c) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than September 
20, 2025, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation 
with the Secretary of State, shall submit a report on 
the Program to— 
(A) the congressional defense committees; 
(B) the Committee of Foreign Relations of 
the Senate; and 
(C) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of 
the House of Representatives. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—Each report required by para-
graph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) A narrative summary of activities con-
ducted as part of the Program during the pre-
ceding fiscal year. 
(B) Except in the case of the initial report, 
an assessment of progress toward the objectives 
established for the preceding fiscal year de-
scribed in the preceding report under this sub-
section using the metrics established in such re-
port. 
(C) A campaign of objectives for the 3 fis-
cal years following the date of submission of the 
report, including—
936 
(i) a description of, and a rational for 
selecting, such objectives; 
(ii) an identification of milestones to-
ward achieving such objectives; and 
(iii) metrics for evaluating success in 
achieving such objectives. 
(D) A description of opportunities and po-
tential timelines for future Program expansion, 
as appropriate. 
(E) Any other information the Under Sec-
retary considers appropriate. 
(3) FORM.—Each report required by paragraph 
(1) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may 
include a classified annex. 
SEC. 1305. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS TO PROMOTE A 
‘‘ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS’’ SOLUTION 
FOR TAIWAN. 
None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by 
this Act or otherwise made available for the Department 
of Defense fiscal year 2025 may be used to promote a 
‘‘one country, two systems’’ solution for Taiwan.
937 
SEC. 1306. MODIFICATION OF PROHIBITION ON PARTICIPA-
TION OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA 
IN RIM OF THE PACIFIC (RIMPAC) NAVAL EX-
ERCISES. 
Section 1259 of the John S. McCain National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (10 U.S.C. 
321 note) is amended by striking subsection (b). 
SEC. 1307. LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR PUBLIC RE-
PORTING OF CHINESE MILITARY COMPANIES 
OPERATING IN THE UNITED STATES. 
Section 1260H(b) of the William M. (Mac) Thorn-
berry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2021 (10 U.S.C. 113 note), as amended by section 1302, 
is further amended by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(4) LANGUAGE
REQUIREMENT.—The Sec-
retary shall make the list required under paragraph 
(1) in English and in Mandarin Chinese. If the 
name of a Chinese military company included on the 
list is referred to by the Government of China in a 
language other than English or Mandarin Chinese, 
the Secretary shall also include on the list the name 
of that company in that language.’’.
938 
SEC. 1308. MODIFICATION OF PROHIBITION ON PARTICIPA-
TION OF PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA IN 
RIM OF THE PACIFIC EXERCISES. 
Section 1259(a)(1) of the John S. McCain National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (10 
U.S.C. 321 note) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘and’’; 
(2) in subparagraph (D), by striking the period 
at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(E) held an internationally recognized 
free and fair presidential election.’’. 
Subtitle B—Matters Relating to 
South and East Asia 
SEC. 1311. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON SOUTH KOREA. 
It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of De-
fense should reinforce the United States alliance with the 
Republic of Korea in support of the shared objective of 
a peaceful and stable Korean Peninsula, including by— 
(1) maintaining the presence of approximately 
28,500 members of the United States Armed Forces 
deployed to the country, enhancing mutual defense 
industrial base cooperation; and 
(2) affirming the United States commitment to 
extended deterrence using the full range of United 
States defense capabilities, consistent with the Mu-
939 
tual Defense Treaty Between the United States and 
the Republic of Korea, signed at Washington, Octo-
ber 1, 1953. 
SEC. 1312. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON TAIWAN DEFENSE RE-
LATIONS. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) the United States’ one China policy, as 
guided by the Taiwan Relations Act (Public Law 
96–8; 22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.), the Three Commu-
niques between the United States and the People’s 
Republic of China, and the Six Assurances provided 
by the United States to Taiwan in July 1982, is the 
foundation for United States-Taiwan relations; 
(2) as set forth in the Taiwan Relations Act, 
the United States decision to establish diplomatic re-
lations with the People’s Republic of China rests 
upon the expectation that the future of Taiwan will 
be determined by peaceful means, and that any ef-
fort to determine the future of Taiwan by other than 
peaceful means, including boycotts and embargoes, 
is of grave concern to the United States; 
(3) the increasingly coercive and aggressive be-
havior of the People’s Republic of China toward Tai-
wan is contrary to the expectation of the peaceful 
resolution of the future of Taiwan;
940 
(4) as set forth in the Taiwan Relations Act, 
the capacity to resist any resort to force or other 
forms of coercion that would jeopardize the security, 
or the social or economic system, of the people on 
Taiwan should be maintained; 
(5) the United States should continue to sup-
port the development of capable, ready, and modern 
defense forces necessary for Taiwan to maintain suf-
ficient defensive capabilities, including by— 
(A) supporting acquisition by Taiwan of 
defense articles and services through foreign 
military sales, direct commercial sales, and in-
dustrial cooperation, with an emphasis on capa-
bilities that support an asymmetric strategy; 
(B) ensuring timely review of and response 
to requests of Taiwan for defense articles and 
services; 
(C) conducting practical training and mili-
tary exercises with Taiwan that enable Taiwan 
to maintain sufficient defensive capabilities, as 
described in the Taiwan Relations Act; 
(D) exchanges between defense officials 
and officers of the United States and Taiwan at 
the strategic, policy, and functional levels, con-
sistent with the Taiwan Travel Act (Public Law
941 
115–135; 132 Stat. 341), especially for the pur-
poses of— 
(i) enhancing cooperation on defense 
planning; 
(ii) improving the interoperability of 
the military forces of the United States 
and Taiwan; and 
(iii) improving the reserve force of 
Taiwan; 
(E) cooperating with Taiwan to improve its 
ability to employ military capabilities in asym-
metric ways, as described in the Taiwan Rela-
tions Act; and 
(F) expanding cooperation in humanitarian 
assistance and disaster relief; and 
(6) the United States should increase its sup-
port to a free and open society in the face of aggres-
sive efforts by the Government of the People’s Re-
public of China to curtail or influence the free exer-
cise of rights and democratic franchise. 
SEC. 1313. CONSIDERATION OF TAIWAN FOR ENHANCED 
DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE COOPERATION. 
(a) ENHANCED DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE CO-
OPERATION.—
942 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Consistent with the Taiwan 
Relations Act (22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.), the Sec-
retary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary 
of State and the head of any other relevant Federal 
department or agency, shall take measures to ensure 
that Taiwan is appropriately considered for en-
hanced defense industrial base cooperation activities 
aligned with the United States National Defense In-
dustrial Strategy to expand global defense produc-
tion, increase supply chain security and resilience, 
and meet the defense needs of Taiwan. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—Consideration for enhanced 
defense industrial base cooperation activities under 
paragraph (1) shall include the consideration of Tai-
wan for the following: 
(A) Eligibility for funding to initiate or fa-
cilitate cooperative research, development, test-
ing, or evaluation projects with the Department 
of Defense. 
(B) Eligibility to enter into a memo-
randum of understanding or other formal 
agreement with the Department of Defense for 
the purpose of conducting cooperative research 
and development projects on defense equipment 
and munitions, with a focus on enhancing the
943 
defense industry and supply chain resilience of 
Taiwan. 
(b) FEASIBILITY STUDY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense, in 
coordination with the Secretary of State, the Gov-
ernment of Taiwan, and representatives of the 
United States defense industry, shall conduct a 
study on the feasibility and advisability of entering 
into one or more defense industrial agreements with 
Taiwan. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The study required by para-
graph (1) shall— 
(A) evaluate the strategic benefits and im-
plications of entering into a defense industrial 
agreement with Taiwan, including with respect 
to— 
(i) long-term supply chain security 
and resilience; 
(ii) mutual supply of defense goods 
and services; 
(iii) supply of regional maintenance, 
repair, and overhaul capabilities and any 
other support capability the Secretary of 
Defense considers appropriate; and 
(iv) the promotion of interoperability;
944 
(B) account for the legal, economic, and 
defense policy aspects of a closer defense pro-
curement partnership between the United 
States and Taiwan; and 
(C) include a list of not fewer than five de-
fense capabilities— 
(i)(I) developed by, and produced in, 
Taiwan; and 
(II) that require expedited licenses for 
components produced in the United States; 
or 
(ii) developed by the United States 
but for which the United States defense in-
dustry cannot meet the demand of Taiwan 
on a timely basis so as to necessitate pro-
duction in Taiwan. 
(3) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense shall submit to the Committee on Armed 
Services of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Armed Services of the Senate a report 
on the results of the study conducted under para-
graph (1).
945 
SEC. 1314. MODIFICATION TO ANNUAL REPORT ON MILI-
TARY AND SECURITY DEVELOPMENTS IN-
VOLVING 
THE 
PEOPLE’S 
REPUBLIC 
OF 
CHINA. 
Section 1202(b) of the National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (10 U.S.C. 113 note) is 
amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraph (5) as para-
graph (6); and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (4) the fol-
lowing new paragraph (5): 
‘‘(5) The military and security developments 
concerning the Tibetan Plateau.’’. 
SEC. 1315. DESIGNATION OF OFFICIAL RESPONSIBLE FOR 
COORDINATION OF DEPARTMENT OF DE-
FENSE EFFORTS TO MONITOR PEOPLE’S LIB-
ERATION ARMY OVERSEAS BASING EFFORTS. 
(a) DESIGNATION.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall designate an official to be responsible for, in coordi-
nation with appropriate officials within the Department 
of Defense— 
(1) coordinating Department of Defense efforts 
to monitor the People’s Liberation Army’s network 
of overseas military bases and its global pursuit of 
military access agreements;
946 
(2) representing the Department of Defense in 
the interagency process on issues related to respon-
sibilities described in paragraph (1); and 
(3) consulting regularly with the congressional 
defense committees to keep such committees fully in-
formed on all matters relating to the responsibilities 
described in paragraph (1). 
(b) NOTIFICATION.—Not later than 30 days after the 
date on which the Secretary of Defense makes the des-
ignation under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit 
to the congressional defense committees a notification that 
includes the name of the individual so designated. 
(c) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than December 1, 
2025, and annually thereafter until December 1, 2030, the 
Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense com-
mittees a report detailing, for the period covered by the 
year prior to the report, matters relating to the efforts 
described in subsection (a). 
(1) FORM.—Each report submitted under this 
subsection shall be submitted in unclassified form, 
but may include a classified annex. 
(2) SUNSET.—This section shall cease to have 
effect on the date that is 5 years after the date of 
the enactment of this Act.
947 
SEC. 1316. REPORT ON PROHIBITION WITH RESPECT TO 
CERTAIN FEDERAL GRANTS TO ENSURE RE-
SEARCH SECURITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than April 1, 2025, the 
Secretary of Defense shall prepare and submit to the con-
gressional defense committees and the congressional intel-
ligence committees a report on the feasibility and effects 
of implementing the prohibition described in subsection 
(b) with respect to the provision of certain Federal re-
search grants by elements of the Department of Defense. 
(b) PROHIBITION DESCRIBED.—The prohibition de-
scribed in this subsection shall include the following ele-
ments: 
(1) PROHIBITION.—Except as provided under 
paragraph (2), the head of any element of the De-
partment of Defense may not award a Federal grant 
for research to any institution or person if the head 
of such element cannot verify that none of the indi-
viduals, institutions, or entities that partner with the 
grantee, formally or informally, are, as applicable— 
(A) individuals from institutions located in 
any country of concern; or 
(B) institutions or entities from or located 
in any country of concern. 
(2) WAIVERS.—The head of an element of the 
Department of Defense may, on a nondelegable basis
948 
except with respect to the deputy head of such ele-
ment, waive the prohibition under paragraph (1) on 
a case-by-case basis upon notification, not later than 
30 days after the date such waiver is granted, to 
each appropriate congressional committee of juris-
diction. 
(3) FORM.—The contents of a waiver reported 
under paragraph (2) may be reported in classified or 
unclassified form, as determined appropriate by the 
head of the element of the Department of Defense 
concerned. 
(c) COUNTRY OF CONCERN DEFINED.—For purposes 
of this section, the term ‘‘country of concern’’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 1(m)(1) of the State 
Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 
2651a(m)(1)). 
SEC. 1317. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS TO SUPPORT 
ENTERTAINMENT ENTITIES WHICH PRODUCE 
OR 
CO-PRODUCE 
FOR 
CHINESE 
PROPA-
GANDA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—None of the funds authorized to 
be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available 
for fiscal year 2025 may be made available to knowingly 
provide active and direct support to any entertainment
949 
company or project if the Secretary of Defense has demon-
strable evidence that— 
(1) the entertainment company has entered into 
or maintains an agreement for the purposes of pro-
duction or co-production of a project with a covered 
entity that has used, produced, or co-produced enter-
tainment content for propaganda purposes; or 
(2) the entertainment project is produced or co- 
produced with a covered entity that has used, pro-
duced, or co-produced entertainment content for 
propaganda purposes. 
(b) COVERED ENTITY.—In this section, the term 
‘‘covered entity’’ means any media entity owned by or con-
trolled by the Chinese Communist Party, the People’s Re-
public of China, or the People’s Liberation Army. 
(c) WAIVER.—The Secretary of Defense may waive 
the prohibition under subsection (a) if the Secretary sub-
mits to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate 
and House of Representatives a written certification that 
such a waiver is in the national interest of the United 
States. 
(d) POLICY REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Defense shall issue a policy that describes how the Depart-
ment of Defense shall update its processes to review re-
950 
quests to provide active or direct support to any entertain-
ment company or project to comply with the requirements 
of this section. 
SEC. 1318. INVITATION TO TAIWAN TO THE RIM OF THE PA-
CIFIC EXERCISE. 
The Secretary of Defense is directed to invite the 
naval forces of Taiwan to any Rim of the Pacific Exercise 
that is to take place following the date of enactment of 
this Act. 
SEC. 1319. REPORT ON FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPING AND 
DEPLOYING ASYMMETRIC NAVAL ASSETS IN 
DEFENSE OF TAIWAN. 
(a) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, 
in consultation with the heads of other relevant Federal 
departments and agencies, shall submit a classified report, 
along with an unclassified summary, to the appropriate 
congressional committees that contains an assessment 
of— 
(1) the feasibility of developing and deploying 
asymmetric naval assets for a potential defense of 
Taiwan; 
(2) whether Taiwan’s ability to deter, or in the 
alternative confront, a maritime invasion by the Peo-
ple’s Republic of China would be enhanced by de-
951 
ployment of small, high-speed, long-range (200 or 
more nautical miles), extreme-weather-capable, re-
duced-radar-signature boats with the capacity for 
launching missiles, addressing subsurface threats or 
delivering and recovering small troop units to coastal 
and littoral locations in the vicinity of the Taiwan 
Strait, and, if so, in what number and in what con-
figurations; 
(3) whether existing and planned Tuo Chiang 
class catamaran-hulled corvettes are naval assets ca-
pable of fully meeting the needs of an effective 
asymmetric naval defense strategy; and 
(4) the vulnerability of Taiwan’s existing larger- 
platform surface naval fleet, including Keelung-class 
destroyers, Cheung Kung-class frigates, Chi Yang- 
class frigates, Kang Ding-class frigates. 
(b) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMITTEES 
DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate con-
gressional committees’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Armed Services and the 
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; and 
(2) the Committee on Armed Services and the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives.
952 
SEC. 1320. REPORT ON IMPACT OF THE MALIGN INFLU-
ENCE OF CHINA AND RUSSIA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of De-
fense, in consultation with the heads of other Federal de-
partments and agencies as necessary, shall submit to the 
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the 
House of Representatives a report that includes a detailed 
assessment of the impact of the malign influence of China 
and Russia in Africa, South America, Central America, 
and the Caribbean on the national security and economic 
interests of the United States. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required by subsection 
(a) shall also include the following: 
(1) A detailed description of the— 
(A) current political, economic, and social 
stability of Africa, South America, Central 
America, and the Caribbean; 
(B) economic investments of Russia and 
China in Africa, South America, Central Amer-
ica, and the Caribbean, and the collateral condi-
tions; 
(C) impact of the presence of Russia and 
China in Africa, South America, Central Amer-
ica, and the Caribbean on democracy and diplo-
macy; and
953 
(D) use of private military companies by 
Russia and China to advance political, eco-
nomic, and military interests. 
(2) An assessment of the— 
(A) direct and indirect impacts of Russia 
and China’s presence in Africa, South America, 
Central America, and the Caribbean on the na-
tional and regional security interests of the 
United States; 
(B) current United States military and 
diplomatic strategies in response to the expan-
sion of Chinese and Russian influence in Africa, 
South America, Central America, and the Car-
ibbean; 
(C) assets and resources available to 
counter threats from Russia and China, and 
protect the security interests of the United 
States; and 
(D) United States military force posture in 
Africa, South America, Central America, and 
the Caribbean. 
(c) FORM OF REPORT.—The report required under 
subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form 
without any designation relating to dissemination control, 
but may include a classified annex.
954 
SEC. 1321. REPORT ON SUPPORT FOR TAIWAN’S MILITARY 
PREPAREDNESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, 
the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary 
of Defense, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Direc-
tor of National Intelligence, shall submit to the appro-
priate congressional committees a report on deterrence in 
the Taiwan Strait. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required by subsection 
(a) shall include the following: 
(1) An assessment on the feasibility of economic 
tools to deter the People’s Republic of China from 
conducting covered contingencies. 
(2) An assessment by the Secretary of State, in 
consultation with the Director of National Intel-
ligence, on how covered countries would likely re-
spond to various covered contingencies. 
(3) A description of the policy changes the Sec-
retary of State would recommend in response to cov-
ered contingencies. 
(4) A description of the messaging the Sec-
retary of State would employ to in response to cov-
ered contingencies.
955 
(c) FORM.—The report required by subsection (a) 
shall be submitted in classified form with an unclassified 
summary. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
(1) the term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the 
Committee on Armed Services, and the Com-
mittee on Financial Services of the House of 
Representatives; and 
(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations, 
the Committee on Armed Services, and the 
Committee on Banking of the Senate; 
(2) the term ‘‘covered contingencies’’ include— 
(A) a military strike or invasion of one or 
more of Taiwan’s off-shore islands, including 
Kinmen, Matsu, Wuciou, and Taiping Island; 
(B) a military strike against the Island of 
Taiwan or Penghu; 
(C) a commercial blockade of Taiwan in 
which international vessels are subjected to 
search or seizure by the People’s Liberation 
Army; 
(D) a major cyber-attack against the crit-
ical infrastructure of Taiwan; and
956 
(E) a seizure of one or several of Taiwan’s 
outlining islands or territorial claims; and 
(3) the term ‘‘covered countries’’ means Japan, 
the Republic of Korea, the Philippines, and Vietnam, 
and any other country the Secretary of State deter-
mines to be relevant. 
TITLE XIV—OTHER 
AUTHORIZATIONS 
Subtitle A—Military Programs 
SEC. 1401. WORKING CAPITAL FUNDS. 
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for 
fiscal year 2025 for the use of the Armed Forces and other 
activities and agencies of the Department of Defense for 
providing capital for working capital and revolving funds, 
as specified in the funding table in section 4501. 
SEC. 1402. CHEMICAL AGENTS AND MUNITIONS DESTRUC-
TION, DEFENSE. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Funds 
are hereby authorized to be appropriated for the Depart-
ment of Defense for fiscal year 2025 for expenses, not oth-
erwise provided for, for Chemical Agents and Munitions 
Destruction, Defense, as specified in the funding table in 
section 4501. 
(b) USE.—Amounts authorized to be appropriated 
under subsection (a) are authorized for—
957 
(1) the destruction of lethal chemical agents 
and munitions in accordance with section 1412 of 
the Department of Defense Authorization Act, 1986 
(50 U.S.C. 1521); and 
(2) the destruction of chemical warfare materiel 
of the United States that is not covered by section 
1412 of such Act. 
SEC. 1403. DRUG INTERDICTION AND COUNTER-DRUG AC-
TIVITIES, DEFENSE-WIDE. 
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for 
the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2025 for ex-
penses, not otherwise provided for, for Drug Interdiction 
and Counter-Drug Activities, Defense-wide, as specified in 
the funding table in section 4501. 
SEC. 1404. DEFENSE INSPECTOR GENERAL. 
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for 
the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2025 for ex-
penses, not otherwise provided for, for the Office of the 
Inspector General of the Department of Defense, as speci-
fied in the funding table in section 4501. 
SEC. 1405. DEFENSE HEALTH PROGRAM. 
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for 
fiscal year 2025 for the Defense Health Program for use 
of the Armed Forces and other activities and agencies of 
the Department of Defense for providing for the health
958 
of eligible beneficiaries, as specified in the funding table 
in section 4501. 
Subtitle B—National Defense 
Stockpile 
SEC. 1411. USE OF DOMESTIC SOURCES BY NATIONAL DE-
FENSE STOCKPILE. 
Section 15(a)(1) of the Strategic and Critical Mate-
rials Stock Piling Act (50 U.S.C. 98h-6(a)(1)) is amended 
by inserting ‘‘, to the maximum extent practicable’’ after 
‘‘stockpile’’. 
SEC. 1412. RESTORING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE STOCK-
PILE. 
(a) PLAN TO FULLY FUND EXISTING NATIONAL DE-
FENSE
STOCKPILE
REQUIREMENTS.—Not later than 
April 15, 2025, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to 
the congressional defense committees a plan that includes 
the following: 
(1) A identification of the strategic and critical 
materials for which there is a shortfall in the Na-
tional Defense Stockpile, as determined by the Sec-
retary, and the estimated cost of resolving such 
shortfalls. 
(2) A description of the effect of the shortfall 
identified under paragraph (1) on military systems 
and operations identified by the Secretary if the
959 
strategic and critical materials for which there is 
such a shortfall became unavailable; 
(3) A plan for resolving the shortfall identified 
under paragraph (1) and to avoid any future short-
fall in the National Defense Stockpile— 
(A) with respect to the military and indus-
trial needs of the United States during a na-
tional emergency, not later than December 31, 
2027; and 
(B) with respect to the essential civilian 
needs of the United States during a national 
emergency, not later than December 31, 2029. 
(4) A plan to prioritize the procurement of stra-
tegic and critical materials to resolve the shortfall 
identified under paragraph (1) which includes the 
procurement of the following: 
(A) Rare earth elements and critical min-
erals. 
(B) Energetic materials (as defined in sec-
tion 148 of title 10, United States Code). 
(C) Spare or replacement parts for weapon 
systems of the Department of Defense. 
(D) Materials for trusted and assured 
microelectronics for the Department of Defense.
960 
(5) A description of the additional funds that 
would be necessary to resolve the shortfall identified 
under paragraph (1) if the National Defense Stock-
pile was required to meet the national defense needs 
of the United States for a period of— 
(A) not less than two years during a na-
tional emergency; and 
(B) not less than three years during a na-
tional emergency. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) NATIONAL
EMERGENCY.—The term ‘‘na-
tional emergency’’ has the meaning given such term 
under section 12 of the Strategic and Critical Mate-
rials Stock Piling Act (50 U.S.C. 98h–3). 
(2) STRATEGIC
AND
CRITICAL
MATERIALS.— 
The term ‘‘strategic and critical materials’’ means 
materials determined pursuant to section 3(a) of the 
Strategic and Critical Materials Stock Piling Act (50 
U.S.C. 98b(a)) to be strategic and critical materials.
961 
SEC. 1413. CONSULTATIONS WITH RESPECT TO ENVIRON-
MENTAL REVIEW OF CERTAIN PROJECTS RE-
LATING TO AVAILABILITY OF STRATEGIC 
AND CRITICAL MATERIALS FOR ACQUISITION 
FOR NATIONAL DEFENSE STOCKPILE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In the case of a covered project 
that will result in an increase in the availability of stra-
tegic and critical materials for acquisition for the Stock-
pile, the Secretary shall consult with the head of any co-
operating agency or participating agency responsible for 
the environmental review for the project. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) FAST ACT
TERMS.—The terms ‘‘cooper-
ating agencies’’, ‘‘covered project’’, ‘‘environmental 
review’’, and ‘‘participating agency’’ have the mean-
ings given those terms section 41001 of the FAST 
Act (42 U.S.C. 4370m). 
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Defense. 
(3) STOCKPILE.—The term ‘‘Stockpile’’ means 
the National Defense Stockpile established under 
section 3 of the Strategic and Critical Materials 
Stock Piling Act (50 U.S.C. 98b). 
(4) STRATEGIC
AND
CRITICAL
MATERIALS.— 
The term ‘‘strategic and critical materials’’ means 
materials, including rare earth elements, that are
962 
necessary to meet national defense and national se-
curity requirements, including requirements relating 
to supply chain resiliency, and for the economic se-
curity of the United States. 
Subtitle C—Other Matters 
SEC. 1421. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITIES FOR FUNDING AND 
MANAGEMENT OF JOINT DEPARTMENT OF 
DEFENSE-DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS MEDICAL FACILITY DEMONSTRATION 
FUND 
FOR 
CAPTAIN 
JAMES 
A. 
LOVELL 
HEALTH CARE CENTER, ILLINOIS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1704(e) of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (Public 
Law 111–84; 123 Stat. 2573), as most recently amended 
by section 104 of division E of the Continuing Appropria-
tions and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 
(Public Law 117–180, 136 Stat. 2137), is amended by 
striking ‘‘September 30, 2024’’ and inserting ‘‘September 
30, 2025’’. 
(b) AUTHORITY FOR TRANSFER OF FUNDS.—Of the 
funds authorized to be appropriated for section 1405 and 
available for the Defense Health Program for operation 
and maintenance, $162,500,000 may be transferred by the 
Secretary of Defense to the Joint Department of Defense– 
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Dem-
963 
onstration Fund established by subsection (a)(1) of sec-
tion 1704 of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2010 (Public Law 111–84; 123 Stat. 2571). 
For purposes of subsection (a)(2) of such section 1704, 
any funds so transferred shall be treated as amounts au-
thorized and appropriated specifically for the purpose of 
such a transfer. 
(c) USE OF TRANSFERRED FUNDS.—For the pur-
poses of subsection (b) of such section 1704, facility oper-
ations for which funds transferred under subsection (b) 
of this section may be used are operations of the Captain 
James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center, consisting 
of the North Chicago Veterans Affairs Medical Center, the 
Navy Ambulatory Care Center, and supporting facilities 
designated as a combined Federal medical facility under 
an operational agreement covered by section 706 of the 
Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law 110–417; 122 Stat. 4500). 
SEC. 1422. ELIGIBILITY OF SPACE FORCE OFFICERS FOR 
MEMBERSHIP ON ARMED FORCES RETIRE-
MENT HOME ADVISORY COUNCIL. 
(a) SPACE FORCE CHIEF PERSONNEL OFFICER.— 
Section 1502(5) of the Armed Forces Retirement Home 
Act of 1991 (24 U.S.C. 401(5)) is amended—
964 
(1) in subparagraph (D), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(2) in subparagraph (E), by striking the period 
at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph: 
‘‘(F) the Deputy Chief of Space Operations 
for Human Capital of the Space Force.’’. 
(b) SPACE FORCE SENIOR NONCOMMISSIONED OFFI-
CER.—Section 1502(6) of such Act (24 U.S.C. 401(6)) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subpara-
graph: 
‘‘(F) The Chief Master Sergeant of the 
Space Force.’’. 
SEC. 1423. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR 
ARMED FORCES RETIREMENT HOME. 
There is hereby authorized to be appropriated for fis-
cal year 2025 from the Armed Forces Retirement Home 
Trust Fund the sum of $69,520,000 of which— 
(1) $68,520,000 is for operating expenses; and 
(2) $1,000,000 is for capital maintenance and 
construction.
965 
TITLE XV—CYBERSPACE- 
RELATED MATTERS 
Subtitle A—Cyber Operations 
SEC. 1501. AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT VOLUNTARY AND UN-
COMPENSATED SERVICES FROM CYBERSECU-
RITY EXPERTS. 
Section 167b(d) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(4) The Commander of the United States Cyber 
Command may accept voluntary and uncompensated serv-
ices from cybersecurity experts, notwithstanding the provi-
sions of section 1342 of title 31, and may delegate such 
authority to the chiefs of the armed forces.’’. 
SEC. 1502. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DE-
FENSE HACKATHON PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
enactment of this Act, the Chief Digital and Artificial In-
telligence Officer of the Department of Defense, in coordi-
nation with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and 
the Chief Information Officer of the Department of De-
fense, shall establish a program (to be known as the ‘‘De-
partment of Defense Hackathon Program’’) under which 
the commanders of combatant commands and the Secre-
966 
taries of the military departments shall carry out not 
fewer than four Hackathons each year. 
(b) PROGRAM MANAGEMENT.—The Chief Digital and 
Artificial Intelligence Officer of the Department of De-
fense shall develop and implement standards for carrying 
out Hackathons, provide supporting technical infrastruc-
ture to the host of each Hackathon, and determine the 
hosts each year under subsection (c)(1). 
(c) HOSTS.— 
(1)(A) Each year, two commanders of combat-
ant commands shall each carry out a Hackathon and 
two Secretaries of a military department shall each 
carry out a Hackathon, as determined by the Chief 
Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer of the De-
partment of Defense in accordance with this sub-
section. 
(B) The commanders of combatant commands 
and the Secretaries of military departments carrying 
out Hackathons pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall 
change each year. 
(C) Each host of a Hackathon shall— 
(i) provide to the participants invited to 
participate in such Hackathon a per diem al-
lowance in accordance with section 5702 of title
967 
5, United States Code, or section 452 of title 
37, United States Code, as applicable; and 
(ii) not later than 60 days after the com-
pletion of such Hackathon, make available to 
the Department of Defense a report on such 
Hackathon. 
(2) Any commander of a combatant command 
or Secretary of a military department may carry out 
a Hackathon in addition to the Hackathons required 
under paragraph (1). 
(d) HACKATHON OBJECTIVES.— 
(1) The host of each Hackathon shall establish 
objectives for the Hackathon that address a critical, 
technical challenge of the combatant command or 
military department of the host, as applicable, 
through the use of individuals with specialized and 
relevant skills, including data scientists, developers, 
software engineers, and other specialists as deter-
mined appropriate by the Chief Digital and Artificial 
Intelligence Officer of the Department of Defense or 
the host. 
(2) In addition to the objectives established by 
the host of a Hackathon under subparagraph (A), 
the objectives for each Hackathon shall include—
968 
(A) fostering innovation across the Depart-
ment of Defense, including in military depart-
ments and the combatant commands; and 
(B) creating repeatable processes enabling 
the commanders of combatant commands and 
the Secretaries of the military departments to 
more rapidly identify and develop solutions to 
critical, technical challenges across the Depart-
ment of Defense. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
(1) the term ‘‘Hackathon’’ means an event car-
ried out under the Program at which employees 
across the Department of Defense meet to collabo-
ratively attempt to develop functional software or 
hardware solutions during the event to solve a crit-
ical, technical challenge determined by the host; 
(2) the term ‘‘host’’, with respect to a 
Hackathon, means the commander of the combatant 
command or the Secretary of the military depart-
ment carrying out the Hackathon; 
(3) the term ‘‘military department’’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 101(a) of title 
10, United States Code; and 
(4) the term ‘‘Program’’ means the program es-
tablished under subsection (a).
969 
SEC. 1503. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INFORMATION NET-
WORK SUBORDINATE UNIFIED COMMAND. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall designate the Joint Force Headquarters-Department 
of Defense Information Network as a subordinate unified 
command under the United States Cyber Command. 
(b) DESIGNATION NOTICE.—On the date on which 
the Secretary of Defense makes the designation required 
by subsection (a), the Secretary shall issue to the Sec-
retary of each military department (as defined in section 
101(a) of title 10, United States Code), the Chairman of 
the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Under Secretaries of the De-
partment of Defense, the Chief of the National Guard Bu-
reau, the General Counsel of the Department of Defense, 
the Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, 
the Inspector General of the Department of Defense, the 
Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, the Chief In-
formation Officer of the Department of Defense, the As-
sistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs, the 
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and 
Low Intensity Conflict, the Chief Digital and Artificial In-
telligence Officer of the Department of Defense, the com-
mander of each combatant command, and the head of each 
Defense Agency and Department of Defense Field Activity
970 
(as such terms are defined, respectively, in section 101(a) 
of title 10, United States Code) a notice regarding— 
(1) the designation of the Joint Force Head-
quarters-Department of Defense Information Net-
work as a subordinate unified command under the 
United States Cyber Command; and 
(2) the mission of the Joint Force Head-
quarters-Department of Defense Information Net-
work as the lead organization for the network oper-
ations, security, and defense of the Department of 
Defense Information Network. 
SEC. 1504. ACCOUNTING OF CLOUD COMPUTING CAPABILI-
TIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than October 15, 2025, 
and every six months thereafter, the Chief Information Of-
fice of the Department, in coordination with the Chief 
Data and Artificial Intelligence Officer of the Department, 
shall provide to the congressional defense committees a re-
port listing the current and planned cloud elements of the 
Department and containing the roadmap required under 
subsection (b). 
(b) ACCOUNTING CONTENTS.—Each report under 
subsection (a) shall include for each current or planned 
cloud element of the Department a detailed roadmap that 
includes the following:
971 
(1) The dates for any planned or ongoing re-
placement, update, modification, or retirement of the 
cloud element, including— 
(A) specific dates for— 
(i) any planned or ongoing major up-
dates or upgrades of such cloud element; 
and 
(ii) the use of interim capabilities by 
or in place of such cloud element; and 
(B) dates for such other activities with re-
spect to such cloud element as determined ap-
propriate by the Chief Information Officer of 
the Department. 
(2) Relevant cost metrics for the cloud element, 
including the current program cost, cost-to-complete, 
and incremental costs. 
(3) The contracting method used, being used, 
or planned to be used, as applicable, to acquire the 
cloud element, and in the case of a contractor resell-
ing the cloud element of another entity to the De-
partment, from whom such contractor is obtaining 
such cloud element. 
(4) The element of the Department responsible 
for managing the cloud element, the users of such 
cloud element, and such other information regarding
972 
the management of such could element as the Chief 
Information Officer of the Department determines 
appropriate. 
(5) Relevant metrics regarding the interoper-
ability, accessibility, and usability of such cloud ele-
ment, as determined by Chief Information Officer of 
the Department. 
(6) An assessment of the compliance of the 
cloud element with the applicable information tech-
nology principles and standards of the Department. 
(7) An assessment of any unique attributes of 
the cloud element that may inhibit the introduction, 
replacement, update, modification, or retirement of 
such cloud element. 
(8) An assessment of the dependencies, if any, 
between the cloud element and the introduction, re-
placement, update, modification, and retirement of 
any other cloud element of the Department. 
(c) REPORT.—At the same time the budget of the 
President is submitted to Congress pursuant to section 
1105 of title 31, United States Code, for fiscal year 2027 
and for each fiscal year thereafter, the Secretary of De-
fense shall submit to Congress a report on any changes 
to the roadmap required under subsection (b), including,
973 
for each such change, a description and the detailed budg-
etary effects. 
(d) SUNSET.—This section shall terminate on De-
cember 31, 2030. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
(1) the term ‘‘cloud element’’ means a cloud 
computing capability, environment, architecture, or 
system; and 
(2) the term ‘‘Department’’ means the Depart-
ment of Defense. 
Subtitle B—Cybersecurity 
SEC. 1511. PROTECTIVE MEASURES FOR MOBILE DEVICES 
WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
carry out a detailed evaluation of the cybersecurity prod-
ucts and services for mobile devices to identify products 
and services that may improve the cybersecurity of mobile 
devices used by the Department of Defense, including 
mitigating the risk to the Department of Defense from 
cyber attacks against mobile devices. 
(b) CYBERSECURITY TECHNOLOGIES.—In carrying 
out the evaluation required under subsection (a), the Sec-
retary of Defense shall evaluate each of the following tech-
nologies:
974 
(1) Anonymizing-enabling technologies, includ-
ing dynamic selector rotation, un-linkable payment 
structures, and anonymous onboarding. 
(2) Network-enabled full content inspection. 
(3) Mobile-device case hardware solutions. 
(4) On-device virtual private networks. 
(5) Protected Domain Name Server infrastruc-
ture. 
(6) Extended coverage for mobile device end-
point detection. 
(7) Smishing, phishing, and business text or 
email compromise protection leveraging generative 
artificial intelligence. 
(8) Any other emerging or established tech-
nologies determined appropriate by the Secretary. 
(c) ELEMENTS.—In carrying out the evaluation re-
quired under subsection (a), for each technology described 
in subsection (b), the Secretary of Defense shall— 
(1) assess the efficacy and value of the cyberse-
curity provided by the technology for mobile devices; 
(2) assess the feasibility of scaling the tech-
nology across the entirety or components of the De-
partment of Defense, including the timeline for de-
ploying the technology across the entirety or compo-
nents of the Department of Defense; and
975 
(3) evaluate the ability of the Department of 
Defense to integrate the technology with the existing 
cybersecurity architecture of the Department of De-
fense. 
(d) 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 of the findings of the evaluation carried out under 
subsection (a), including a determination whether the De-
partment of Defense or any component thereof should pro-
cure or incorporate any of the technologies evaluated pur-
suant to subsection (b). 
SEC. 1512. STRATEGY TO IMPROVE THE USE OF AIR AND 
MISSILE DEFENSE PARTNER SHARING NET-
WORK 
CAPABILITIES 
WITH 
ALLIES 
AND 
PARTNERS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—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 improve cooperation with respect to air and 
missile defense efforts between the Department of Defense 
and allies and partners of the United States located in 
the Middle East. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The strategy submitted pursuant to 
subsection (a) shall include the following:
976 
(1) A summary of ongoing efforts to develop a 
joint air and missile defense partner-sharing network 
capability for allies and partners of the United 
States who are located in the Middle East. 
(2) A summary of challenges to the develop-
ment of such a joint partner-sharing network capa-
bility, including partner-nation actions or decisions. 
(3) Recommendations for actions that can be 
taken to address the challenges summarized pursu-
ant to paragraph (2). 
(4) Recommendations for applying lessons 
learned from air and missile attacks by the Islamic 
Republic of Iran and proxies of the Islamic Republic 
of Iran on United States forces and forces of allies 
and partners of the United States following October 
7, 2023, to the development of such a joint partner- 
sharing network capability. 
(5) An assessment of how such a joint partner- 
sharing network capability could— 
(A) demonstrate new tools, techniques, or 
methodologies for data-driven decision making, 
including capabilities powered by artificial intel-
ligence; 
(B) accelerate sharing of relevant data,
977 
data visualization, and data analysis imple-
mented through cryptographic data access con-
trols and enforcing existing data sharing re-
strictions across multiple security levels; and 
(C) leverage current activities in multi- 
cloud computing environments to reduce the re-
liance on solely hardware-based networking so-
lutions. 
(6) Recommendations for actions that can be 
taken to develop and integrate such a joint partner- 
sharing network capability with allies and partners 
of the United States in the Middle East, including 
identification of policy, resources, workforce, or 
other shortfalls. 
(7) Such other matters as the Secretary con-
siders relevant. 
(c) FORM.—The strategy required by subsection (a) 
shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include 
a classified annex. 
Subtitle C—Information 
Technology and Data Management 
SEC. 1521. USABILITY OF ANTIQUATED DATA FORMATS FOR 
MODERN OPERATIONS. 
(a) STRATEGY AND ROADMAP.—
978 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 270 days 
after the date of enactment of this act, the Secretary 
of Defense, in coordination with the Secretaries of 
the military departments, shall develop— 
(A) a strategy— 
(i) for the Department of Defense, in-
cluding each of the military departments, 
to implement and use modern data formats 
as the primary method of electronic com-
munication for command and control ac-
tivities and for weapon systems, including 
sensors associated with such weapon sys-
tems; and 
(ii) which accounts for specific needs 
of each military department with respect to 
such implementation and use of modern 
data formats; and 
(B) an associated five-year roadmap for 
such implementation. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The strategy and roadmap re-
quired under paragraph (1) shall include the fol-
lowing elements: 
(A) The activities of the Chief Digital and 
Artificial Intelligence Officer of the Department 
of Defense to increase and synchronize the use
979 
of modern data formats and modern data shar-
ing standards across the Department of De-
fense, including the Armed Forces in the De-
partment of Defense. 
(B) The activities of the military depart-
ments to increase the use of modern data for-
mats and modern data sharing standards for 
command and control systems, weapon systems, 
and sensors associated with such weapon sys-
tems. 
(C) An identification of barriers to the use 
of modern data formats and modern data shar-
ing standards within weapon systems and sen-
sors associated with such weapon systems 
across the Department of Defense, including 
the Armed Forces in the Department of De-
fense. 
(D) An identification of barriers to the use 
of modern data formats and modern data shar-
ing standards within command and control sys-
tems across the Department of Defense, includ-
ing the Armed Forces in the Department of De-
fense. 
(E) An identification of limitations on 
combined joint all-domain command and control
980 
capabilities resulting from the use of antiquated 
data formats, including— 
(i) the Extensible Markup Language 
file format; 
(ii) the JavaScript Object Notation 
data format; 
(iii) the Binary JavaScript Object No-
tation data format; and 
(iv) the Protocol Buffers data format. 
(3) SUBMISSION TO CONGRESS.—Upon comple-
tion of the strategy and roadmap required under 
this subsection, the Secretary of Defense shall sub-
mit to the Committees on Armed Services of the 
Senate and the House of Representatives such strat-
egy. 
(b) PILOT PROGRAMS.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 60 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act— 
(A) the Secretary of Defense shall estab-
lish a pilot program under which the Depart-
ment of Defense, other than the military de-
partments, shall use modern data formats to 
improve the usability and functionality of infor-
mation stored or produced in antiquated data
981 
formats, including by converting such informa-
tion to modern data formats; and 
(B) each Secretary of a military depart-
ment shall establish a pilot program under 
which such military department shall use mod-
ern data formats as described in subparagraph 
(A). 
(2) BRIEFING.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment, the Secretary of Defense and 
the Secretaries of the military departments shall 
each submit to the Committees on Armed Services 
of the Senate and the House of Representatives a 
briefing on the progress of the pilot program estab-
lished by such Secretary under this subsection, in-
cluding specific examples of the use of modern data 
formats under such pilot program to improve the 
usability and functionality of information stored or 
produced in antiquated data formats. 
(3) SUNSET.—Each pilot program established 
under this subsection shall terminate on the date 
that is three years after the date of the enactment 
of this Act. 
(c) MILITARY DEPARTMENT DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘‘military department’’ has the meaning
982 
given such term in section 101(a) of title 10, United 
States Code. 
SEC. 1522. MODERNIZATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DE-
FENSE’S AUTHORIZATION TO OPERATE PROC-
ESSES. 
(a) ACTIVE DIRECTORY
OF AUTHORIZING OFFI-
CIALS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 270 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense, acting through the Chief Informa-
tion Officer of the Department of Defense and in co-
ordination with the Chief Information Officers of the 
military departments, shall establish and regularly 
update a digital directory of all authorizing officials 
in the military departments. 
(2) 
CONTENTS.—The 
directory 
established 
under paragraph (1) shall include— 
(A) the most current contact information 
for such authorizing official; and 
(B) a list of each training required to per-
form the duties and responsibilities of an au-
thorizing official completed by such authorizing 
official. 
(b) PRESUMPTION OF RECIPROCAL SOFTWARE AC-
CREDITING STANDARDS.—
983 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 270 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Chief Information Officers of the military depart-
ments shall jointly develop and implement a policy 
and guidance— 
(A) requiring authorizing officials in the 
military departments to presume the cybersecu-
rity of a cloud-based platform, service, or appli-
cation that has already been accredited by an-
other authorizing official in a military depart-
ment for the same or similar purposes and the 
same classification level when determining 
whether to approve or deny a request for an 
Authorization to Operate for such cloud-based 
platform, service, or application; and 
(B) requiring authorizing officials in the 
military departments to consult with the cur-
rent or planned mission owners of a cloud-based 
platform, service, or application that will use 
such cloud-based platform, service, or applica-
tion pursuant to an Authorization to Operate 
for such cloud-based platform, service, or appli-
cation when such authorizing official is making 
a determination whether to approve or deny the 
request for such Authorization to Operate.
984 
(2) CRITERIA.—The policy and guidance re-
quired under paragraph (1) shall— 
(A) require each relevant authorizing offi-
cial in a military department who is making a 
determination to approve or deny a request for 
an Authorization to Operate for a cloud-based 
platform, service, or application to ensure that 
documentation containing all of the relevant de-
tails of the cybersecurity, accreditation, per-
formance, and operational capabilities of such 
cloud-based platform, service, or application is 
easily accessible and comprehensible to all rel-
evant stakeholders with respect to such request; 
and 
(B) require the development and imple-
mentation of a system for the digital sharing of 
the documentation described in subparagraph 
(A), including documenting the communication 
and acknowledgment of the uses of cloud-based 
platforms, services, and applications between 
mission owners and system owners of such 
cloud-based platforms, services, and applica-
tions. 
(3) APPLICABILITY.—The policy and guidance 
developed under this subsection shall apply with re-
986 
tion, but which is not a mission owner of such cloud- 
based platform, service, or application. 
SEC. 1523. ASSESSMENT OF INNOVATIVE DATA ANALYSIS 
AND 
INFORMATION 
TECHNOLOGY 
SOLU-
TIONS. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit 
to the congressional defense committees a report con-
taining the results of an assessment of the implementation 
by the Department of Defense of innovative data analysis 
and information technology solutions that could improve 
risk management, agility, and capabilities for strategic de-
fense purposes. 
Subtitle D—Reports and Other 
Matters 
SEC. 1531. MODIFICATION TO CERTIFICATION REQUIRE-
MENT REGARDING CONTRACTING FOR MILI-
TARY RECRUITING. 
Section 1555 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 137 Stat. 
581; 10 U.S.C. 503 note) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘does not’’ 
and all that follows and inserting the following: 
‘‘does not—
987 
‘‘(1) rate or rank news or information sources 
for the factual accuracy of their content; 
‘‘(2) provide ratings or opinions on news or in-
formation sources regarding misinformation, bias, 
adherence to journalistic standards, or ethics; or 
‘‘(3) acquire or use any service that provides 
any ratings, rankings, or opinions described in para-
graph (1) or (2) from any other individual or enti-
ty.’’; and 
(2) by striking subsection (c). 
SEC. 1532. REPORT ON TOTAL FORCE GENERATION FOR 
THE CYBERSPACE OPERATIONS FORCES. 
Section 1533(a) of the National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117–263; 10 
U.S.C. 167b note) is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(4) REPORT.—Not later than September 30, 
2024, the Secretary shall submit to congressional 
defense committees the study required in subsection 
(a) and any supporting analyses conducted by other 
entities, including federally funded research and de-
velopment centers.’’.
988 
SEC. 1533. ACCESS TO NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION 
AND MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS HOTLINE SYS-
TEM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Chief Information Officer 
shall, as soon as practicable, implement at each facility 
of the Department access to the universal telephone num-
ber for the national suicide prevention and mental health 
crisis hotline system described in section 251(e)(4) of the 
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 251(e)(4)). 
(b) REPORT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Chief Information Officer shall submit to the con-
gressional defense committees a report describing 
the resources required to implement the access de-
scribed in subsection (a) at each facility of the De-
partment. 
(2) CONTENTS.—The report required by para-
graph (1) shall include— 
(A) a timeline for the implementation of 
the 
access 
described 
in 
subsection 
(a), 
disaggregated by geographic location to the ex-
tent determined appropriate by the Chief Infor-
mation Officer; 
(B) a description of the actions required to 
implement such access at facilities of the De-
989 
partment located outside of the United States; 
and 
(C) an analysis of the feasibility and cost 
of automatically conveying dispatchable location 
information with each call to the universal tele-
phone number described in subsection (a) from 
a facility of the Department. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
(1) the term ‘‘Chief Information Officer’’ means 
the Chief Information Officer of the Department; 
(2) the term ‘‘Department’’ means the Depart-
ment of the Defense; and 
(3) the term ‘‘dispatchable information’’ means 
the street address of the calling party and additional 
information such as room number, floor number, or 
similar information necessary to adequately identify 
the location of the calling party. 
SEC. 1534. LIMITATION ON AVAILABILITY OF TRAVEL 
FUNDS. 
(a) LIMITS.— 
(1) OFFICE
OF
THE
SECRETARY
OF
DE-
FENSE.—Of the funds authorized to be appropriated 
by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal 
year 2025 for Operation and Maintenance, Defense- 
Wide, Office of the Secretary of Defense for travel,
990 
not more than 75 percent may be obligated or ex-
pended until— 
(A) the Secretary of Defense complies with 
the applicable requirements in section 1521 of 
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fis-
cal Year 2022 (10 U.S.C. 2224 note); and 
(B) the Secretary of Defense and each De-
partment employee comply with the congres-
sional reporting requirements that are applica-
ble to the Secretary or such Department em-
ployee, respectively, in— 
(i) sections 1636(c), 1644, and 1645 
of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116–92; 
133 Stat. 1720); 
(ii) sections 1720, 1736, and 1750 of 
the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2021 (Public Law 116–283; 134 Stat. 
4078); 
(iii) sections 1501, 1503, 1504, 1505, 
1510, and 1526 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 
(Public Law 117–81; 135 Stat. 2020); and
991 
(iv) sections 1504, 1506, 1507, and 
1509 of the James M. Inhofe National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2023 (Public Law 117–263; 136 Stat. 
2876). 
(2) MILITARY DEPARTMENTS.— 
(A) ARMY.—Of the funds authorized to be 
appropriated by this Act or otherwise made 
available for fiscal year 2025 for Operation and 
Maintenance, Army, for the official travel of the 
Secretary of the Army, not more than 75 per-
cent may be obligated or expended until the 
Secretary complies with the congressional re-
porting requirements applicable to the Sec-
retary in— 
(i) section 1505 of the National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2022 (10 U.S.C. 394 note); and 
(ii) section 1723 of the William M. 
(Mac) Thornberry National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (10 
U.S.C. 394 note). 
(B) NAVY.—Of the funds authorized to be 
appropriated by this Act or otherwise made 
available for fiscal year 2025 for Operation and
992 
Maintenance, Navy, for the official travel of the 
Secretary of the Navy, not more than 75 per-
cent may be obligated or expended until the 
Secretary complies with the congressional re-
porting requirements applicable to the Sec-
retary in— 
(i) section 1505 of the National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2022 (10 U.S.C. 394 note); and 
(ii) section 1723 of the William M. 
(Mac) Thornberry National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (10 
U.S.C. 394 note). 
(C) AIR FORCE.—Of the funds authorized 
to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise 
made available for Operation and Maintenance, 
Air Force, for the official travel of the Sec-
retary of the Air Force, not more than 75 per-
cent may be obligated or expended until the 
Secretary complies with the congressional re-
porting requirements applicable to the Sec-
retary in— 
(i) section 1505 of the National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2022 (10 U.S.C. 394 note); and
993 
(ii) section 1723 of the William M. 
(Mac) Thornberry National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (10 
U.S.C. 394 note). 
(3) COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENT.—For the pur-
poses of this subsection, with respect to the Sec-
retary of Defense, the Secretaries of the military de-
partments, and employees of the Department of De-
fense, compliance with a congressional reporting re-
quirement includes such submitting or otherwise 
providing, as applicable, each report, briefing, and 
other written material the Secretary of Defense, 
such Secretary of a military department, or such 
employee of the Department of Defense, as applica-
ble, is required to have submitted or otherwise pro-
vided under such unmet congressional reporting re-
quirement prior to the date of the enactment of this 
Act that has not been submitted or otherwise pro-
vided. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
(1) the term ‘‘congressional reporting require-
ment’’ means a requirement to submit or otherwise 
provide a report, briefing, or any other written mate-
rial or oral presentation to Congress or any congres-
sional committee;
994 
(2) the term ‘‘Department employee’’ means an 
employee of the Department of Defense, other than 
an employee in a military department; and 
(3) the term ‘‘military department’’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 101(a) of title 
10, United States Code. 
SEC. 1535. PROHIBITION ON DISESTABLISHMENT OR MERG-
ER OF OFFICER CAREER PATHS WITHIN THE 
CYBER BRANCH OF THE UNITED STATES 
ARMY. 
Beginning on and after the date of the enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary of the Army is prohibited from any 
actions to disestablish or merge the Cyber Warfare Officer 
and Cyber Electromagnetic Warfare Officer career paths 
within the Cyber Branch of the United States Army. 
SEC. 1536. INDEPENDENT EVALUATION REGARDING PO-
TENTIAL 
ESTABLISHMENT 
OF 
UNITED 
STATES CYBER FORCE. 
(a) AGREEMENT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall seek to enter into an agreement with the Na-
tional Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Med-
icine (in this section referred to as the ‘‘National 
Academies’’) for the National Academies to conduct
995 
the evaluation under subsection (b) and submit the 
report under subsection (e). 
(2) TIMING.—The Secretary shall seek to enter 
into the agreement described in paragraph (1) by 
not later than 60 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act. 
(b) EVALUATION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Under an agreement be-
tween the Secretary and the National Academies en-
tered into pursuant to subsection (a), the National 
Academies shall conduct an evaluation regarding the 
advisability of— 
(A) establishing a separate Armed Force in 
the Department of Defense dedicated to oper-
ations in the cyber domain (in this section re-
ferred to as the ‘‘United States Cyber Force’’); 
or 
(B) refining and further evolving the cur-
rent organizational approach for United States 
Cyber Command, which is based on the Special 
Operations Command model. 
(2) SCOPE.—The evaluation conducted pursu-
ant to paragraph (1) shall include consideration of— 
(A) the potential establishment of a United 
States Cyber Force as a separate Armed Force
996 
in the Department of Defense commensurate 
with the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, 
and Space Force, for the purpose of organizing, 
training, and equipping the personnel required 
to enable and conduct operations in the cyber 
domain through positions aligned to the United 
States Cyber Command and other unified com-
batant commands; 
(B) a United States Cyber Force able to 
devise and implement recruiting and retention 
policies specific to the range of skills and career 
fields required to enable and conduct cyber-
space operations, as determined by the United 
States Cyber Command and other unified com-
batant commands; 
(C) the performance and efficacy of the 
Armed Forces in the Department of Defense in 
satisfying the requirements of the current Force 
Generation Model to enable and conduct oper-
ations in the cyber domain through positions 
aligned to the United States Cyber Command 
and other unified combatant commands; 
(D) the historical performance and efficacy 
of the Armed Forces in the Department of De-
fense in devising and implementing recruitment
997 
and retention policies specific to the range of 
skills and career fields required to enable and 
conduct cyberspace operations, as determined 
by the United States Cyber Command and 
other unified combatant commands; 
(E) potential and recommended delinea-
tions of responsibility between the other Armed 
Forces in the Department of Defense and a 
United States Cyber Force with respect to net-
work management, resourcing, and operations; 
(F) potential and recommended delinea-
tions of responsibility with respect to orga-
nizing, training, and equipping members of the 
Cyberspace Operations Forces, not serving in 
positions aligned under the Cyber Mission 
Force, to the extent necessary to support net-
work management and operations; 
(G) views and perspectives of members of 
the Armed Forces in the Department of De-
fense, in each grade, serving in the Cyber Mis-
sion Force with experience in operational work 
roles (as defined by the Commander of the 
United States Cyber Command), and military 
and civilian leaders across the Department re-
garding the establishment of a Cyber Force;
998 
(H) the extent to which each of the other 
Armed Forces in the Department of Defense is 
formed towards, and organized around, oper-
ations within a given warfighting domain, and 
the potential applicability of such formation and 
organizing constructs to a United States Cyber 
Force with respect to the cyber domain; 
(I) findings from previous relevant assess-
ments, analyses, and studies conducted by the 
Secretary, the Comptroller General of the 
United States, or other entities determined rel-
evant by the National Academies on the estab-
lishment of a United States Cyber Force; 
(J) the organizing constructs for effective 
and operationally mature cyber forces of foreign 
countries, and the relevance of such constructs 
to the potential creation of a United States 
Cyber Force; 
(K) lessons learned from the creation of 
the United States Space Force that should be 
applied to the creation of a United States Cyber 
Force; 
(L) recommendations for approaches to the 
creation of a United States Cyber Force that
999 
would minimize disruptions to Department of 
Defense cyber operations; 
(M) the histories of the Armed Forces in 
the Department of Defense, including an anal-
ysis of the conditions that preceded the estab-
lishment of each new Armed Force in the De-
partment of Defense established since 1900; 
(N) a comparison between the potential 
service secretariat leadership structures for a 
United States Cyber Force, including but not 
limited to, establishing the United States Cyber 
Force within an existing military department; 
and 
(O) the cumulative potential costs and ef-
fects associated with the establishment for a 
United States Cyber Force. 
(3) CONSIDERATIONS.—The evaluation con-
ducted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include an 
evaluation how a potential United States Cyber 
Force dedicated to the cyber domain would compare 
in performance and efficacy to the current model 
with respect to the following functions: 
(A) Organizing, training, and equipping 
the size of a force necessary to satisfy existing
1000 
and projected requirements of the Department 
of Defense. 
(B) Harmonizing training requirements 
and programs in support of cyberspace oper-
ations. 
(C) Recruiting and retaining qualified offi-
cers and enlisted members of the Armed Forces 
in the Department of Defense at the levels nec-
essary to execute cyberspace operations. 
(D) Using reserve component forces in 
support of cyberspace operations. 
(E) Sustaining persistent force readiness. 
(F) Acquiring and providing cyber capa-
bilities in support of cyberspace operations. 
(G) Establishing pay parity among mem-
bers of the Armed Forces in the Department of 
Defense serving in and qualified for work roles 
in support of cyberspace operations. 
(H) Establishing pay parity among civil-
ians serving in and qualified for work roles in 
support of cyberspace operations. 
(I) Establishing advancement parity for 
members of the Armed Forces in the Depart-
ment of Defense serving in and qualified for 
work roles in support of cyberspace operations.
1001 
(J) Establishing advancement parity for ci-
vilians serving in and qualified for work roles in 
support of cyberspace operations. 
(K) Developing professional military edu-
cation content and curricula focused on the 
cyber domain. 
(L) Providing robust and unique legal sup-
port to current and future operations in the 
cyber domain. 
(M) Offering medical support to address 
unique psychological strains as a result of high 
operational tempo for cyberspace operations. 
(4) COMPARISON
TO
PRESENT
MODEL.—The 
evaluation required under subsection (b) shall in-
clude an analysis and consideration of how refining 
and further evolving the current organizational ap-
proach for United States Cyber Command, as pres-
ently modeled on United States Special Operations 
Command, may serve more optimally than a United 
States Cyber Force relative to each of the elements 
identified in paragraphs (2) and (3). 
(5) 
UNIFIED
COMBATANT
COMMAND
DE-
FINED.—In this subsection, the term ‘‘unified com-
batant command’’ has the meaning given such term 
in section 161(c) of title 10, United States Code.
1002 
(c) SUPPORT FROM FEDERALLY FUNDED RESEARCH 
AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Upon a request from the 
National Academies, the Secretary shall seek to 
enter into an agreement with a federally funded re-
search and development center described in para-
graph (2) under which such federally funded re-
search and development center shall support the Na-
tional Academies in conducting the evaluation under 
subsection (b). 
(2) FEDERALLY FUNDED RESEARCH AND DE-
VELOPMENT CENTER DESCRIBED.—A federally fund-
ed research and development center described in this 
paragraph is a federally funded research and devel-
opment center the staff of which includes subject 
matter experts with appropriate security clearances 
and expertise in— 
(A) cyber warfare; 
(B) personnel management; 
(C) military training processes; and 
(D) acquisition management. 
(d) ACCESS TO DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PER-
SONNEL, INFORMATION, AND RESOURCES.—Under an 
agreement entered into between the Secretary and the Na-
tional Academies under subsection (a)—
1004 
ernment (including the executive branch of the 
United States Government) may interfere, exert 
undue influence, or in any way seek to alter the 
findings of the National Academies specified in para-
graph (1) prior to the submission thereof under such 
paragraph. 
(3) FORM.—The report under paragraph (1) 
shall be submitted in an unclassified form, but may 
include a classified annex. 
SEC. 1537. OVERSIGHT AND REPORTING ON THE MISSION 
PARTNER ENVIRONMENT AND ASSOCIATED 
ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF 
DEFENSE. 
(a) BIANNUAL BRIEFINGS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than October 1, 
2025, and every six months thereafter until October 
1, 2030, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, the Vice 
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Chief In-
formation Officer of the Department of Defense, the 
head of the Information Security Risk Management 
Committee of the Department of Defense, the direc-
tor of the Mission Partner Capability Office, the Ex-
ecutive Agent for the Mission Partner Environment, 
and a senior military service representative for each 
of the Armed Forces shall provide to the congres-
1005 
sional defense committees a briefing on the Mission 
Partner Environment and related activities within 
the Department of Defense, including the mod-
ernization of the Mission Partner Environment. 
(2) COMBATANT
COMMANDS.—A senior rep-
resentative from each unified combatant command 
shall attend and participate in each briefing required 
by paragraph (1). 
(b) ELEMENTS.—Each briefing required by sub-
section (a) shall include the following: 
(1) A description of all efforts of the Depart-
ment of Defense for the Mission Partner Environ-
ment. 
(2) A description of the overall progress on im-
plementation and modernization of Mission Partner 
Environment across the entirety of the Department 
of Defense as of the date of the briefing and, for 
each such briefing after the first such briefing, the 
progress made on such implementation and mod-
ernization since the preceding briefing under such 
subsection. 
(3) An explanation of any changes in policy 
necessary to execute on Mission Partner Environ-
ment, including changes made during the period cov-
1006 
ered by the briefing and changes that are planned 
as of the time of the briefing. 
(4) An explanation of any changes to the gov-
ernance of the Mission Partner Environment within 
the Department of Defense, including changes made 
during the period covered by the briefing and 
changes that are planned as of the time of the brief-
ing. 
(5) A detailed programmatic table of the fund-
ing for the combined joint all-domain command and 
control efforts of the Office of the Secretary of De-
fense and the military departments, as set forth in 
the budget of the President most recently submitted 
to Congress under section 1105 of title 31, United 
States Code. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
(1) the terms ‘‘Defense Agency’’ and ‘‘military 
departments’’ have the meanings given such terms, 
respectively, in section 101(a) of title 10, United 
States Code; 
(2) the term ‘‘Mission Partner Environment’’ 
means the operating framework enabling command 
and control, information sharing, and the exchange 
of data between the Department of Defense and 
partners and allies of the United States partici-
1007 
pating in a military or other operation for the pur-
poses of planning and executing such operation 
through the use of common standards governance 
and procedures, including activities the Office of the 
Secretary of Defense, military departments, unified 
combatant commands (as defined in section 161 of 
title 10, United States Code), and Defense Agencies 
relating to the operation, modernization, implemen-
tation, or oversight of, or resourcing of networks or 
applications designed for such framework; and 
(3) the term ‘‘unified combatant command’’ has 
the meaning given such term in section 161 of title 
10, United States Code. 
SEC. 1538. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE USE OF LARGE LAN-
GUAGE MODELS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense, acting 
through the Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence Officer 
of the Department of Defense, shall coordinate and accel-
erate the adoption of large language models by the De-
partment of Defense by improving the access and quality 
of the existing structured and unstructured data of the 
Department to ensure such data is immediately ready to 
use in conjunction with machine learning applications 
being developed, tested, or in production by the Armed 
Forces.
1008 
(b) DUTIES OF CHIEF DATA AND ARTIFICIAL INTEL-
LIGENCE OFFICER.—The Chief Data and Artificial Intel-
ligence Officer shall–— 
(1) develop a list of large language model use 
cases for defense and intelligence applications, in-
cluding cases that have the potential to support per-
sonnel and manpower, operations, intelligence, logis-
tics, strategic planning, command and control, joint 
force development, and force structure, transform 
business processes, and improve non-mission capable 
rates; 
(2) develop and make available to the Secretary 
tooling to ingest and transform natural language, 
and other types of unstructured data, into formats 
compatible with commercially available large lan-
guage models; and 
(3) provide access to capabilities, such as data 
preparation, for elements within the Department of 
Defense that are necessary for use with large lan-
guage models. 
(c) CONTRACTING
AUTHORITIES
AND
LIMITA-
TIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Chief Data and Artifi-
cial Intelligence Officer may enter into contracts
1009 
with private-sector entities, as appropriate, to carry 
out the requirements of subsection (b)(2). 
(2) LIMITATION.—The Chief Data and Artifi-
cial Intelligence Officer may coordinate with other 
elements of the Department of Defense with con-
tracting authority as required to carry out the duties 
described in subsection (b). 
(d) SEMIANNUAL BRIEFINGS.—Not later than 120 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act and not 
less frequently than semiannually thereafter, the Chief 
Data and Artificial Intelligence Officer shall provide to the 
congressional defense committees a briefing on the imple-
mentation of this section. 
SEC. 1539. REPORT ON STATE NATIONAL GUARD CYBER 
UNITS. 
The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congres-
sional defense committees a report on the feasibility of es-
tablishing a cyber unit in every National Guard of a State 
to ensure the ability of a State to quickly respond to cyber- 
attacks in such State. 
SEC. 1540. REPORT ON USER ACTIVITY MONITORING PRO-
GRAMS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit 
to the congressional defense committees a report on user
1010 
activity monitoring programs of the Department of De-
fense. The report shall include— 
(1) a description of the implementation and en-
forcement of the requirements of section 1537 of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2024 (10 U.S.C. 2224 note; Public Law 118–31; 
137 Stat. 570); 
(2) a detailed description of the status of user 
activity monitoring on the Non-classified Internet 
Protocol Router Network; 
(3) a comprehensive accounting of the funds 
made available funds made available for user activity 
monitoring on the Non-classified Internet Protocol 
Router Network in fiscal years 2022, 2023, and 
2024; and 
(4) information on how any such user activity 
monitoring programs might deviate from the min-
imum standards outlined in— 
(A) the National Insider Threat Policy and 
Minimum Standards for Executive Branch In-
sider Threat Programs; 
(B) the Committee on National Security 
Systems Directive 504 (issued on February 4, 
2014, relating to the protection of national se-
curity systems from insider threats); or
1011 
(C) the Department of Defense Directive 
5205.16 (issued on September 30, 2014, relat-
ing to the insider threat program of the Depart-
ment of Defense). 
TITLE XVI—SPACE ACTIVITIES, 
STRATEGIC PROGRAMS, AND 
INTELLIGENCE MATTERS 
Subtitle A—Space Activities 
SEC. 1601. AUTHORITY TO BUILD CAPACITY FOR SPACE DO-
MAIN AWARENESS AND SPACE OPERATIONS. 
Section 333(a) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(10) Space domain awareness and defensive 
space operations.’’. 
SEC. 1602. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COMMERCIAL AUG-
MENTATION SPACE RESERVE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 963 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting before section 9532 
the following new section: 
‘‘§ 9531. Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense may 
establish and carry out a program to be known as the 
‘Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve’ program. 
Under the program, the Secretary may include in a con-
1012 
tract for the procurement of space products or services 
one or more provisions under which a qualified contractor 
agrees to provide additional space products or services to 
the Department of Defense on an as-needed basis under 
circumstances determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(b) AUTHORITY TO CONTRACT.—Subject to sub-
section (c), and the extent that funds are otherwise avail-
able for obligation, the Secretary may contract with any 
qualified contractor for space products or services in sup-
port of the Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve Pro-
gram as described in subsection (a). 
‘‘(c) SECURITY MEASURES.—In carrying out the pro-
gram under subsection (a), the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(1) ensure that each contract under, and 
qualified contractor participating in, the program 
complies with an applicable security measures, in-
cluding any security measures required under the 
National Industrial Security program (or any suc-
cessor to such program); and 
‘‘(2) may establish and implement such addi-
tional security measures as the Secretary considers 
appropriate to protect the national security interests 
of the United States. 
‘‘(d) COMMITMENT OF SPACE PRODUCTS OR SERV-
ICES AS A BUSINESS FACTOR.—The Secretary may, in de-
1013 
termining the quantity of business to be received under 
a space product or services contract under subsection (a), 
use as a factor the relative amount of space product or 
service committed to the Commercial Augmentation Space 
Reserve by the qualified contractor involved. 
‘‘(e) WAIVER OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF LAW.—In 
a time of war or national emergency, the Secretary may 
waive the requirements of chapter 271 of this title or the 
provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of section 1502 of 
title 41 with respect to a contract under subsection (a). 
‘‘(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘space products or services’ 
means commercial products and commercial services 
(as those terms are defined in section 2.101 of the 
Federal Acquisition Regulation) and noncommercial 
products and noncommercial services offered by 
commercial companies that operate to, through, or 
from space, including any required terrestrial 
ground, support, and network systems and associ-
ated services that can be used to support military 
functions and missions. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘citizen of the United States’ 
means— 
‘‘(A) an individual who is a citizen of the 
United States;
1014 
‘‘(B) a partnership each of whose partners 
is an individual who is citizen of the United 
States; or 
‘‘(C) a corporation or association organized 
under the laws of the United States or a State, 
the District of Columbia, or a territory or pos-
session of the United States. 
‘‘(3) The term ‘qualified contractor’ means a 
contractor that is a citizen of the United States. 
‘‘(4) The term ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary 
of Defense.’’. 
(b) STUDY AND REPORT.— 
(1) STUDY.—The Secretary of the Air Force, in 
coordination with the Secretary of Defense, shall 
seek to enter into an agreement with a federally 
funded research and development center to conduct 
a study on— 
(A) the availability and adequacy of com-
mercial insurance to protect the financial inter-
ests of contractors providing support services to 
space-related operations and activities of the 
Department of Defense, taking into account the 
risks that may be anticipated to arise from such 
support;
1015 
(B) the adequacy of any existing authori-
ties under Federal law that would enable the 
Federal Government to protect such interests in 
the event commercial space insurance is not 
available or not available on reasonable terms; 
and 
(C) potential options for Government-pro-
vided insurance similar to existing aviation and 
maritime insurance programs under titles 49 
and 46 of the United States Code, respectively. 
(2) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
the Air Force shall submit to the congressional de-
fense committees a report on the results of the study 
conducted under paragraph (1). 
SEC. 1603. MODIFICATIONS TO NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE 
LAUNCH PROGRAM. 
(a) EXTENSION
OF POLICY
ON CONTRACTS
FOR 
LAUNCH SERVICES.—Section 1601 of the National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 
117–81; 10 U.S.C. 2276 note) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘2024’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2029’’; and
1016 
(2) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘phase two 
contracts’’ and inserting ‘‘the National Security 
Space Launch program’’. 
(b) NOTIFICATION OF CHANGES IN PHASE THREE 
ACQUISITION STRATEGY.—Not later than seven days be-
fore implementing any modification to the final phase 
three acquisition strategy under the National Security 
Space Launch program, the Assistant Secretary of the Air 
Force for Space Acquisition and Integration shall submit 
to the appropriate congressional committees notice of the 
proposed modification together with an explanation of the 
reasons for such modification. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
(A) the congressional defense committees; 
and 
(B) the congressional intelligence commit-
tees (as defined in section 3 of the National Se-
curity Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003)). 
(2) The term ‘‘final phase three acquisition 
strategy’’ means the acquisition strategy for phase 
three of the National Security Space Launch pro-
gram, as approved by the Assistant Secretary of the
1017 
Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration on 
March 4, 2024. 
(3) The term ‘‘phase three’’ has the meaning 
given that term in section 1601(e) of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 
(Public Law 118–71; 10 U.S.C. 2276 note). 
SEC. 1604. MODIFICATIONS TO SPACE CONTRACTOR RE-
SPONSIBILITY WATCH LIST. 
Section 1612 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 115–91; 10 U.S.C. 
2271 note) is amended— 
(1) in the section heading, by striking ‘‘AIR 
FORCE’’; 
(2) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘Commander of the Air 
Force Space and Missile Systems Center’’ and 
inserting ‘‘Assistant Secretary of the Air Force 
for Space Acquisition and Integration’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘contracts’’ each place it 
appears and inserting ‘‘transactions’’; 
(3) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘Commander’’ and in-
serting ‘‘Assistant Secretary’’; and
1018 
(ii) by striking ‘‘a contract’’ and in-
serting ‘‘under a transaction’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) in the paragraph heading, by strik-
ing ‘‘COMMANDER’’ and inserting ‘‘ASSIST-
ANT SECRETARY’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘Commander’’ and in-
serting ‘‘Assistant Secretary’’; 
(4) in subsection (c)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘Commander’’ each place it 
appears and inserting ‘‘Assistant Secretary’’; 
(B) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) in the paragraph heading, by strik-
ing ‘‘CONTRACTS’’ and inserting ‘‘CON-
TRACTORS’’; 
(ii) by striking ‘‘award a contract to’’ 
and inserting ‘‘enter into a transaction 
with’’; and 
(iii) by striking ‘‘Air Force’’ and in-
serting ‘‘Space Force’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘a contract’’ and in-
serting ‘‘a transaction’’;
1019 
(ii) by striking ‘‘prime contract value’’ 
and inserting ‘‘overall value of the trans-
action’’; and 
(iii) by striking ‘‘Air Force Space and 
Missile Systems Center’’ and inserting 
‘‘Space Force’’; 
(5) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘Commander’’ 
and inserting ‘‘Assistant Secretary’’; and 
(6) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘contractor’ means any indi-
vidual or entity that enters into a transaction. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘transaction’ means a contract, 
grant, cooperative agreement, or other transaction.’’. 
SEC. 1605. ANNUAL BRIEFING ON COMMERCIAL SPACE 
STRATEGY OF THE SPACE FORCE. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that the strategy of 
the Space Force titled ‘‘U.S. Space Force Commercial 
Space Strategy’’ published in April 2024, indicates that 
the Space Force intends to focus future efforts and re-
sources on the following mission areas: 
(1) Satellite communications. 
(2) Space domain awareness. 
(3) Space access mobility and logistics.
1020 
(4) Tactical surveillance, reconnaissance, and 
tracking. 
(5) Space based environmental monitoring. 
(6) Cyberspace operations. 
(7) Command and control. 
(8) Positioning, navigation, and timing. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) the Space Force should continue to pursue 
partnerships with the commercial space industry of 
the United States to create a true hybrid architec-
ture that provides increased capabilities and resil-
ience; 
(2) in assessing the potential use of commercial 
solutions to support space domain awareness, the 
Chief of Space Operations should consider— 
(A) conducting— 
(i) dynamic rendezvous and proximity 
operations, cooperative and noncooperative 
non-earth imaging, and noncooperative 
rendezvous and proximity operations with 
resident space objects; and 
(ii) routine characterization, anomaly- 
resolution, and broad metric observations 
of resident space objects;
1021 
(B) entering into long term purchase ar-
rangements for data and services to support 
space domain awareness; and 
(C) functionally supporting an enterprise 
architecture for space command and control 
and space domain awareness; 
(3) in developing and fulfilling requirements re-
lating to space access mobility and logistics, the 
Chief of Space Operations should consider the use of 
commercial solutions such as— 
(A) geostationary commercial services for 
life extension, refueling, and end of life mission 
disposal; 
(B) orbital sustainment and mission exten-
sion capabilities; 
(C) maneuver services for unprepared cli-
ents in geostationary earth orbit; and 
(D) nontraditional concepts for dynamic 
space operations like electromechanical accel-
eration platforms; and 
(4) the Chief of Space Operations and the As-
sistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisi-
tion and Integration should continue to engage with 
the congressional defense committees on any 
changes to acquisition authorities that are needed to
1022 
better integrate commercial space capabilities within 
existing and future Government architectures. 
(c) BRIEFING REQUIRED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 10 days after 
the date on which the budget of the President for 
each of fiscal years 2026 through 2029 is submitted 
to Congress pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, 
United States Code, the Chief of Space Operations, 
in coordination with Assistant Secretary of the Air 
Force for Space Acquisition and Integration, shall 
provide to the congressional defense committees a 
briefing that includes the information described in 
paragraph (2) with respect to each mission area 
specified in subsection (a). 
(2) ELEMENTS.—Each briefing under para-
graph (1) shall include, with respect to each mission 
area specified in subsection (a) for the fiscal year 
concerned, the following: 
(A) Of the funds requested for the mission 
area, the percentage that are expected to be 
used to fulfill requirements through the provi-
sion of commercial solutions compared to the 
percentage that are expected to be used to ful-
fill such requirements through programs of 
record.
1023 
(B) A description of the requirements for 
each mission area and an explanation of wheth-
er and how the use of commercial solutions has 
been considered for fulfilling such requirements. 
(C) A description of any training or 
wargaming exercises that are expected to inte-
grate commercial solutions and include the par-
ticipation of providers of such solutions. 
(D) Any force designs of the Space 
Warfighting Analysis Center for which commer-
cial solutions were considered as part of a force 
design analysis from the previous fiscal year. 
(E) An update on the status of any efforts 
to integrate commercial systems into respective 
Government architecture. 
(F) With respect to the contracts entered 
into to support the mission area— 
(i) the number of such contracts; 
(ii) the types of contracts used; 
(iii) the length of time covered by 
such contracts; and 
(iv) the amount of funds committed 
under such contracts. 
(d) COMMERCIAL SOLUTIONS DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘‘commercial solutions’’ includes commercial
1024 
products, commercial services, and providers of such prod-
ucts and services. 
SEC. 1606. PILOT PROGRAM TO DEMONSTRATE HYBRID 
SPACE ARCHITECTURE. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) efforts that leverage commercial space sys-
tems, space systems of the United States Govern-
ment, and Government space systems of allies and 
partners of the United States, enhance resiliency 
and capabilities for data and communications paths 
for global national security and allied operations; 
(2) hybrid space architectures that leverage a 
mixture of the space assets described in paragraph 
(1) with dynamic operations across multiple con-
stellations are critical to modern warfighting and im-
plementing new warfighting concepts like joint all- 
domain command and control; 
(3) the integration of space and ground infra-
structure across secure cloud computing platforms to 
collect, move, and process data are critical first steps 
to establishing the foundation necessary to manage 
and control this future hybrid space architecture; 
(4) efforts that are ongoing within the Defense 
Innovation Unit and the Space Force are important
1025 
and foundational to both inform and align with 
other key Department of Defense-wide initiatives; 
and 
(5) alignment and integration with broader ef-
forts across the Department is essential. 
(b) PROGRAM REQUIRED.—Beginning in fiscal year 
2025, the Commander of the Space Systems Command 
of the Space Force shall carry out a pilot program to dem-
onstrate a hybrid space architecture. 
(c) REQUIREMENTS AND CONSIDERATIONS.—In car-
rying out the pilot program under subsection (b), the 
Commander the Space Systems Command shall include in 
the hybrid space architecture at least one military satellite 
communications system, such as the Wideband Global 
Satcom system or the Micro Geostationary Earth Orbit 
system. 
(d) BRIEFING.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary 
of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration 
shall provide to the congressional defense committees a 
briefing that includes— 
(1) a description of the hybrid space architec-
ture developed under the pilot program under sub-
section (b) and a summary of the results of the pro-
gram as of the date of the briefing; and
1026 
(2) a plan for supporting the transition of the 
hybrid space architecture efforts to a program of 
record within the Space Force and the Space Sys-
tems Command. 
(e) HYBRID SPACE ARCHITECTURE.—The term ‘‘hy-
brid space architecture’’ means network of integrated 
United States Government, allied Government, and com-
mercially owned and operated capabilities both for on-orbit 
constellations and ground systems. 
SEC. 1607. MIDDLE EAST INTEGRATED SPACE AND SAT-
ELLITE SECURITY ASSESSMENT. 
(a) ASSESSMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense, in 
consultation with the Secretary of State, shall con-
duct an assessment of space and satellite security 
for the purpose of identifying mechanisms, such as 
improved multilateral data sharing agreements, that 
may be implemented to better protect ally and part-
ner countries in the area of responsibility of the 
United States Central Command from hostile activi-
ties conducted by adversaries against space systems 
of the United States or such countries. 
(2) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The assess-
ment required by paragraph (1) shall include the fol-
lowing:
1027 
(A) An assessment of the threats posed to 
the United States and ally or partner countries 
in the area of responsibility of the United 
States Central Command by adversaries, includ-
ing Iran and its proxies, from conducting hos-
tile activities— 
(i) against space systems of the 
United States or such countries; and 
(ii) using capabilities originating from 
the space domain. 
(B) A description of progress made in— 
(i) advancing the integration of coun-
tries in the area of responsibility of the 
United States Central Command, including 
Israel, into existing multilateral space and 
satellite security partnerships; and 
(ii) establishing such partnerships 
with such countries. 
(C) A description of efforts among ally and 
partner countries in the area of responsibility of 
the United States Central Command to coordi-
nate intelligence, reconnaissance, and surveil-
lance capabilities and indicators and warnings 
with respect to the threats described in sub-
1028 
paragraph (A), and a description of factors lim-
iting the effectiveness of such efforts. 
(D) An assessment of current gaps in the 
ability of the Department of Defense to provide 
space situational awareness for allies and part-
ners in the area of responsibility of the United 
States Central Command. 
(E) A description of multilateral space sit-
uational awareness data-sharing agreements 
and an integrated space and satellite security 
architecture that would improve collective secu-
rity in the area of responsibility of the United 
States Central Command. 
(F) A description of current and planned 
efforts to engage ally and partner countries in 
the area of responsibility of the United States 
Central Command in establishing such a multi-
lateral space situational awareness data-sharing 
agreement and an integrated space and satellite 
security architecture. 
(G) A description of key challenges in 
achieving integrated space and satellite security 
described in paragraph (1) using the metrics 
identified in accordance with paragraph (3).
1029 
(H) Recommendations for development 
and the implementation of an integrated space 
and satellite security strategy based on such 
metrics. 
(I) A cost estimate of establishing an inte-
grated space and satellite security strategy, and 
an assessment of the resources that could be 
contributed by ally and partner countries of the 
United States to establish and strengthen such 
capabilities. 
(J) Other matters the Secretary of Defense 
considers relevant. 
(3) METRICS.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
identify and propose metrics to assess progress in 
the implementation of the assessment required by 
paragraph (1). 
(b) REPORT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a report on the results of 
the assessment conducted under subsection (a). 
(2) FORM OF REPORT.—The report required by 
paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified 
form but may include a classified annex.
1030 
(c) PROTECTION OF SENSITIVE INFORMATION.—Any 
activity carried out under this section shall be conducted 
in a manner that appropriately protects sensitive informa-
tion and the national security interests of the United 
States. 
(d) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate commit-
tees of Congress’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Armed Services, the 
Committee on Appropriations, and the Committee on 
Foreign Relations of the Senate; and 
(2) the Committee on Armed Services, the 
Committee on Appropriations, and the Committee on 
Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives. 
SEC. 1608. PLAN FOR IMPROVEMENT OF SPACE FORCE SAT-
ELLITE CONTROL NETWORK. 
(a) PLAN REQUIRED.—The Chief of Space Oper-
ations, in coordination with the Assistant Secretary of the 
Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration, shall pre-
pare a comprehensive plan for modernizing the satellite 
control network of the Space Force. The plan shall in-
clude— 
(1) the actions and resources needed to mod-
ernize and sustain a resilient, multi-mission, multi- 
orbit satellite control network for the Space Force;