I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7275 
To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish a National Security Innovation 
Network, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 18, 2020 
Ms. SLOTKIN (for herself and Mr. MITCHELL) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish a National 
Security Innovation Network, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Security In-
novation Act’’. 
SEC. 2. NATIONAL SECURITY INNOVATION NETWORK. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Chapter 139 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 
2358b the following new section: 
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‘‘§ 2358c. National Security Innovation Network 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall establish a program office to be known as the ‘Na-
tional Security Innovation Network’ (referred to in this 
section as the ‘Network’). The Secretary shall establish 
the Network within the Office of the Under Secretary of 
Defense for Research and Engineering or within the office 
of another principal staff assistant to the Secretary. 
‘‘(b) HEAD OF NETWORK.—The head of the Network 
shall be an individual designated by the Secretary of De-
fense. 
‘‘(c) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The responsibilities of the 
Network shall be— 
‘‘(1) to maintain a network throughout the 
United States that connects the Department of De-
fense to academic institutions, commercial accelera-
tors and incubators, commercial innovation hubs, 
and nonprofit entities with missions and capabilities 
relating to national security innovation; 
‘‘(2) to expand the national security innovation 
base through integrated, project-based problem solv-
ing that leads to novel concept and solution develop-
ment for the Department and facilitates dual-use 
ventures with national security and commercial util-
ity; 
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within the Department through programs that com-
bine end users from the Department, students and 
faculty from academic institutions, and the early- 
stage venture community; 
‘‘(6) to establish physical locations throughout 
the United States through which the Network will 
connect with academic partners and private funding 
sources for the purposes of carrying out the respon-
sibilities described in paragraphs (1) through (5); 
and 
‘‘(7) to carry out such other activities as the 
Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the head 
of the Network, determines to be relevant to such 
responsibilities. 
‘‘(d) AUTHORITIES.—In carrying out this section, the 
Secretary of Defense may use the following authorities: 
‘‘(1) Section 1599g of title 10, United States 
Code, relating to public-private talent exchanges. 
‘‘(2) Section 2368 of such title, relating to Cen-
ters for Science, Technology, and Engineering Part-
nerships. 
‘‘(3) Section 2374a of such title, relating to 
prizes for advanced technology achievements. 
‘‘(4) Section 2521 of such title, relating to the 
Manufacturing Technology Program. 
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‘‘(5) Section 12 of the Stevenson-Wydler Tech-
nology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3710a) 
and section 6305 of title 31, United States Code, re-
lating to cooperative research and development 
agreements. 
‘‘(6) Such other authorities as the Secretary 
considers appropriate. 
‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$50,000,000 for fiscal year 2021 and each fiscal year 
thereafter.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 2358b the following new 
item: 
‘‘2358c. National Security Innovation Network.’’. 
SEC. 3. IMPLEMENTATION. 
(a) TRANSFERS FROM OTHER DOD ELEMENTS.— 
The Secretary of Defense may transfer to the National 
Security Innovation Network established under section 
2358c of title 10, United States Code (as added by sub-
section (a)), such personnel, resources, and functions of 
other organizations and elements of the Department of 
Defense as the Secretary considers appropriate to carry 
out such section. 
(b) PLAN REQUIRED.— 
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(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 plan for establishing the Na-
tional Security Innovation Network under section 
2358c of title 10, United States Code (as added by 
subsection (a)). 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The plan required under 
paragraph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) Plans for the funding, integration, and 
evaluation of the Network, including plans 
for— 
(i) future funding and administrative 
support of the Network; 
(ii) integration of the Network into 
the programming, planning, budgeting, 
and execution process of the Department 
of Defense; 
(iii) integration of the Network with 
the other programs and initiatives within 
the Department that have missions relat-
ing to innovation and outreach to the 
early-stage venture and academic commu-
nities; and 
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(iv) performance indicators by which 
the program will be assessed and evalu-
ated. 
(B) A description of any additional au-
thorities the Secretary may require to effec-
tively carry out section 2358c of title 10, 
United States Code (as added by subsection 
(a)). 
(C) Plans for any transfers the Secretary 
intends to carry out under subsection (a) of this 
section. 
Æ 
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