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‘‘(d) LIMITATION ON APPOINTMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), the total number of students that the head 
of an agency may appoint under this section during 
a fiscal year may not exceed the number equal to 15 
percent of the number of students that the agency 
head appointed during the previous fiscal year to a 
position in the competitive service at the GS–11 level, 
or an equivalent level, or below. 
‘‘(2) EXCEPTIONS.—Under a regulation pre-
scribed under subsection (g), the Director may estab-
lish a lower limit on the number of students that may 
be appointed under paragraph (1) of this subsection 
during a fiscal year based on any factor the Director 
considers appropriate. 
‘‘(e) CONVERSION.—The head of an agency may, with-
out regard to any provision of chapter 33 or any other pro-
vision of law relating to the examination, certification, and 
appointment of individuals in the competitive service, con-
vert a student serving in an appointment under subsection 
(b) to a permanent appointment in the competitive service 
within the agency without further competition if the stu-
dent— 
‘‘(1) has completed the course of study leading to 
the baccalaureate or graduate degree;
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‘‘(2) has completed not less than 640 hours of 
current continuous employment in an appointment 
under subsection (b); and 
‘‘(3) meets the qualification standards for the po-
sition to which the student will be converted. 
‘‘(f) TERMINATION.—The head of an agency shall, 
without regard to any provision of chapter 35 or 75, termi-
nate the appointment of a student appointed under sub-
section (b) upon completion of the designated academic 
course of study unless the student is selected for conversion 
under subsection (e). 
‘‘(g) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this section, the Director shall issue 
interim regulations, with an opportunity for comment, for 
the administration of this section. 
‘‘(h) REPORTING.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than September 30 
of each of the first 3 fiscal years beginning after the 
date of enactment of this section, the head of an agen-
cy that makes an appointment under this section 
shall submit a report to— 
‘‘(A) Congress that assesses the impact of 
the use of the authority provided under this sec-
tion during the fiscal year in which the report 
is submitted; and
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‘‘(B) the Director that contains data that 
the Director considers necessary for the Director 
to assess the impact and effectiveness of the au-
thority described in subparagraph (A). 
‘‘(2) CONTENT.—The head of an agency shall in-
clude in each report under paragraph (1)— 
‘‘(A) the total number of individuals ap-
pointed by the agency under this section, as well 
as the number of such individuals who are— 
‘‘(i) minorities or members of other 
underrepresented groups; or 
‘‘(ii) veterans; 
‘‘(B) recruitment sources; 
‘‘(C) the total number of individuals ap-
pointed by the agency during the applicable fis-
cal year to a position in the competitive service 
at the GS–11 level, or an equivalent level, or 
below; and 
‘‘(D) any additional data specified by the 
Director. 
‘‘(i) SPECIAL PROVISION REGARDING THE DEPART-
MENT OF DEFENSE.— 
‘‘(1) AUTHORITY.—Nothing in this section shall 
preclude the Secretary of Defense from exercising any 
authority to appoint a post-secondary student under
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section 1106 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (10 U.S.C. note prec. 1580), 
or any applicable successor statute. 
‘‘(2) REGULATIONS.—Any regulations prescribed 
by the Director for the administration of this section 
shall not apply to the Department of Defense during 
the period ending on the date on which the appoint-
ment authority of the Secretary of Defense under sec-
tion 1106 of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2017 (10 U.S.C. note prec. 1580), or 
any applicable successor statute, terminates.’’. 
(b) TABLE OF SECTIONS AMENDMENT.—The table of 
sections for subchapter I of chapter 31 of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘3115. Expedited hiring authority for college graduates; competitive service. 
‘‘3116. Expedited hiring authority for post-secondary students; competitive serv-
ice.’’. 
SEC. 1123. INCREASE IN MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF VOLUNTARY 
SEPARATION INCENTIVE PAY AUTHORIZED 
FOR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3523 of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) 
in 
subsection 
(b)(3)(B), 
by 
striking 
‘‘$25,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$40,000 (as adjusted in ac-
cordance with subsection (c))’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section:
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† HR 5515 EAS 
‘‘(c)(1) On March 1 each year, the dollar amount spec-
ified in subsection (b)(3)(B) shall be adjusted by the amount 
determined by the Secretary of Labor to represent the per-
centage increase, if any, between the Consumer Price Index 
(all items; United States city average) published for Decem-
ber of the preceding year and that price index published 
for the December of the year before the preceding year. 
‘‘(2) A percentage increase under paragraph (1) shall 
be adjusted to the nearest one-tenth of one percent, and an 
amount determined under paragraph (1) shall be rounded 
to the nearest multiple of $1,000 (or, if midway between 
multiples of $1,000, to the next higher multiple of $1,000).’’. 
(b) DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE EMPLOYEES.—Section 
9902(f)(5) of such title is amended— 
(1) 
in 
subparagraph 
(A)(ii), 
by 
striking 
‘‘$25,000’’ and inserting ‘‘an amount determined by 
the Secretary, not to exceed $40,000 (as adjusted 
under subparagraph (D)’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(D)(i) On March 1 each year, the dollar amount spec-
ified in subparagraph (A)(ii) shall be adjusted by the 
amount determined by the Secretary of Labor to represent 
the percentage increase, if any, between the Consumer Price 
Index (all items; United States city average) published for
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† HR 5515 EAS 
December of the preceding year and that price index pub-
lished for the December of the year before the preceding year. 
‘‘(ii) A percentage increase under clause (i) shall be 
adjusted to the nearest one-tenth of one percent, and an 
amount determined under clause (i) shall be rounded to the 
nearest multiple of $1,000 (or, if midway between multiples 
of $1,000, to the next higher multiple of $1,000).’’. 
SEC. 1124. ONE-YEAR EXTENSION OF TEMPORARY AUTHOR-
ITY TO GRANT ALLOWANCES, BENEFITS, AND 
GRATUITIES TO CIVILIAN PERSONNEL ON OF-
FICIAL DUTY IN A COMBAT ZONE. 
Paragraph (2) of section 1603(a) of the Emergency 
Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global 
War on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, 2006 (Public Law 
109–234; 120 Stat. 443), as added by section 1102 of the 
Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law 110–417; 122 Stat. 4616) 
and most recently amended by section 1108 of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public 
Law 115–91), is further amended by striking ‘‘2019’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2020’’.
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SEC. 1125. ONE-YEAR EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO WAIVE 
ANNUAL LIMITATION ON PREMIUM PAY AND 
AGGREGATE LIMITATION ON PAY FOR FED-
ERAL CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES WORKING OVER-
SEAS. 
Subsection (a) of section 1101 of the Duncan Hunter 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 
(Public Law 110–417; 122 Stat. 4615), as most recently 
amended by section 1105 of the National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 115–91), is fur-
ther amended by striking ‘‘through 2018’’ and inserting 
‘‘through 2019’’. 
TITLE XII—MATTERS RELATING 
TO FOREIGN NATIONS 
Subtitle A—Assistance and 
Training 
SEC. 1201. CLARIFICATION OF AUTHORITY FOR USE OF AD-
VISORS AND TRAINERS FOR TRAINING OF 
PERSONNEL OF FOREIGN MINISTRIES WITH 
SECURITY MISSIONS UNDER DEFENSE INSTI-
TUTION CAPACITY BUILDING AUTHORITIES. 
Section 332(b) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘assign civil-
ian employees of the Department of Defense and 
members of the armed forces as advisors and train-
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† HR 5515 EAS 
ers’’ and inserting ‘‘provide advisors or trainers’’; 
and 
(2) in paragraph (2)(B)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘assigned’’ each place it ap-
pears (other than the last place) and inserting 
‘‘provided’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘assigned advisor or train-
er’’ and inserting ‘‘advisor or trainer so pro-
vided’’; and 
(C) by striking ‘‘each assignment’’ and in-
serting ‘‘each provision of such an advisor or 
trainer’’. 
SEC. 1202. MODIFICATION TO DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
STATE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM. 
Section 341(b)(2) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting ‘‘assistance’’ after ‘‘any’’. 
SEC. 1203. EXPANSION OF REGIONAL DEFENSE COMBATING 
TERRORISM FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM TO IN-
CLUDE IRREGULAR WARFARE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 345 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as 
subsections (c) and (d), respectively; 
(2) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the 
following new subsections (a) and (b):
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† HR 5515 EAS 
‘‘(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense 
may carry out a program under which the Secretary 
may pay any costs associated with the education and 
training of foreign military officers, ministry of de-
fense officials, or security officials at military or ci-
vilian educational institutions, regional centers, con-
ferences, seminars, or other training programs con-
ducted for purposes of regional defense in connection 
with either of the following: 
‘‘(A) Combating terrorism. 
‘‘(B) Irregular warfare. 
‘‘(2) COVERED COSTS.—Costs for which payment 
may be made under this section include the costs of 
transportation and travel and subsistence costs. 
‘‘(3) DESIGNATION.—The program authorized by 
this section shall be known as the ‘Regional Defense 
Combating Terrorism and Irregular Warfare Fellow-
ship Program’. 
‘‘(b) REGULATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The program authorized by 
subsection (a) shall be carried out under regulations 
prescribed by the Secretary of Defense. 
‘‘(2) ELEMENTS.—The regulations shall ensure 
that—
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‘‘(A) the Secretary of Defense and the Sec-
retary of State— 
‘‘(i) jointly develop and plan activities 
under the program that— 
‘‘(I) advance United States secu-
rity cooperation objectives; and 
‘‘(II) support theater security co-
operation planning of the combatant 
commands; and 
‘‘(ii) coordinate on the implementation 
of activities under the program; 
‘‘(B) each of the Secretary of Defense and 
the Secretary of State designates an individual 
at the lowest appropriate level of the Department 
of Defense or the Department of State, as appli-
cable, who shall be responsible for program co-
ordination; and 
‘‘(C) to the extent practicable, activities 
under the program are appropriately coordi-
nated with, and do not duplicate or conflict 
with, activities under International Military 
Education and Training (IMET) authorities. 
‘‘(3) SUBMITTAL TO CONGRESS.—Upon any up-
date of the regulations, the Secretary of Defense shall 
submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the
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† HR 5515 EAS 
Senate and the House of Representatives a copy of the 
regulations as so updated, together with a description 
of the update.’’; and 
(3) in paragraph (3) of subsection (d), as redes-
ignated by paragraph (1) of this subsection, by strik-
ing ‘‘in the global war on terrorism’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) HEADING AMENDMENT.—The heading of such 
section is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘§ 345. Regional Defense Combating Terrorism and Ir-
regular Warfare Fellowship Program’’. 
(2) TABLE OF SECTIONS AMENDMENT.—The table 
of sections at the beginning of subchapter V of chapter 
16 of such title is amended by striking the item relat-
ing to section 345 and inserting the following new 
item: 
‘‘345. Regional Defense Combating Terrorism and Irregular Warfare Fellowship 
Program.’’. 
SEC. 1204. EXTENSION AND MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY 
TO 
SUPPORT 
BORDER 
SECURITY 
OPER-
ATIONS OF CERTAIN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 
(a) EXPANSION OF AUTHORITY.—Paragraph (1) of 
subsection (a) of section 1226 of the National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (22 U.S.C. 2151 note) 
is amended to read as follows:
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† HR 5515 EAS 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense, 
with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, is au-
thorized to provide support on a reimbursement basis 
as follows: 
‘‘(A) To the Government of Jordan for pur-
poses of supporting and enhancing efforts of the 
armed forces of Jordan to increase security and 
sustain increased security along the border of 
Jordan with Syria and Iraq. 
‘‘(B) To the Government of Lebanon for 
purposes of supporting and enhancing efforts of 
the armed forces of Lebanon to increase security 
and sustain increased security along the border 
of Lebanon with Syria. 
‘‘(C) To the Government of Egypt for pur-
poses of supporting and enhancing efforts of the 
armed forces of Egypt to increase security and 
sustain increased security along the border of 
Egypt with Libya. 
‘‘(D) To the Government of Tunisia for pur-
poses of supporting and enhancing efforts of the 
armed forces of Tunisia to increase security and 
sustain increased security along the border of 
Tunisia with Libya.
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‘‘(E) To the Government of Oman for pur-
poses of supporting and enhancing efforts of the 
armed forces of Oman to increase security and 
sustain increased security along the border of 
Oman with Yemen. 
‘‘(F) To the Government of Pakistan for 
purposes of supporting and enhancing efforts of 
the armed forces of Pakistan to increase security 
and sustain increased security along the border 
of Pakistan with Afghanistan.’’. 
(b) CERTIFICATION.—Subsection (d) of such section is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(d) NOTICE
AND CERTIFICATION BEFORE EXER-
CISE.—Not later than 15 days before providing support 
under the authority of subsection (a) to a country that has 
not previously received such support, the Secretary of De-
fense, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall sub-
mit to the specified congressional committees a report 
that— 
‘‘(1) sets forth a full description of the support 
to be provided, including— 
‘‘(A) the purpose of such support; 
‘‘(B) the amount of support to be provided; 
and
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† HR 5515 EAS 
‘‘(C) the anticipated duration of the provi-
sion of such support; and 
‘‘(2) includes a certification that— 
‘‘(A) the recipient country has taken demon-
strable steps to increase security along the border 
specified for such country in subsection (a); and 
‘‘(B) the provision of such support is in the 
interest of United States national security.’’. 
(c) LIMITATION ON REIMBURSEMENT OF PAKISTAN.— 
Such section is further amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsections (e) and (f) as 
subsections (g) and (h), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (d) the following 
new subsection (e): 
‘‘(e) LIMITATION ON REIMBURSEMENT OF PAKISTAN 
PENDING CERTIFICATION.—No amount of reimbursement 
support under subsection (a)(1)(F) is authorized to be dis-
bursed to the Government of Pakistan unless the Secretary 
of Defense certifies to the congressional defense committees 
that the following conditions are met: 
‘‘(1) The military and security operations of 
Pakistan pertaining to border security and ancillary 
activities for which reimbursement is sought have 
been coordinated with United States military rep-
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† HR 5515 EAS 
resentatives in advance of the execution of such oper-
ations and activities. 
‘‘(2) The goals and desired outcomes of each such 
operation or activity have been established and agreed 
upon in advance by the United States and Pakistan. 
‘‘(3) A process exists to verify the achievement of 
the goals and desired outcomes established in accord-
ance with paragraph (2). 
‘‘(4) The Government of Pakistan is making an 
effort to actively coordinate with the Government of 
Afghanistan on issues relating to border security on 
the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.’’. 
(d) QUARTERLY REPORTS.—Such section is further 
amended by inserting after subsection (e), as so designated 
by subsection (c) of this section, the following new sub-
section (f): 
‘‘(f) QUARTERLY REPORTS.—Not later than 30 days 
after the end of each fiscal quarter, the Secretary of Defense 
shall submit to the specified congressional committees a re-
port on reimbursements pursuant to subsection (a) during 
the preceding fiscal quarter that includes— 
‘‘(1) an identification of each country reim-
bursed; 
‘‘(2) the date of each reimbursement;
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‘‘(3) a description of any partner nation border 
security efforts for which reimbursement was pro-
vided; 
‘‘(4) an assessment of the value of partner nation 
border security efforts for which reimbursement was 
provided; 
‘‘(5) the total amounts of reimbursement pro-
vided to each partner nation in the preceding four fis-
cal quarters; and 
‘‘(6) such other matters as the Secretary con-
siders appropriate.’’. 
(e) EXTENSION.—Subsection (h) of such section, as so 
redesignated, is amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2019’’ 
and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2021’’. 
SEC. 1205. LEGAL AND POLICY REVIEW OF ADVISE, ASSIST, 
AND ACCOMPANY MISSIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of 
Defense for Policy shall, in coordination with the General 
Counsel of the Department of Defense and the commanders 
of appropriate combatant commands, submit to the congres-
sional defense committees a report on a review, conducted 
for purposes of the report, of the legal and policy frame-
works associated with advise, assist, and accompany mis-
sions by United States military personnel.
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† HR 5515 EAS 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report and review required by 
subsection (a) shall include the following: 
(1) An analysis of the risks and benefits of 
United States military personnel conducting advise, 
assist, and accompany missions with foreign partner 
forces, and an assessment of the relation of such risks 
and benefits to United States security objectives. 
(2) A review of execute orders in order to ensure 
that such orders comply with United States law for 
the employment of United States military personnel 
and capabilities to advise, assist, and accompany for-
eign partner forces. 
(3) An assessment whether the legal and policy 
frameworks applicable to advise, assist, and accom-
pany missions by United States military personnel 
are adequately communicated to and understood at 
all levels of operational command. 
(4) An assessment whether approvals related to 
advise, assist, and accompany missions are taken at 
the appropriate level of command. 
(5) A definition, and policy guidance, for the ap-
propriate use in execute orders of each of the fol-
lowing: 
(A) Advise 
(B) Assist.
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† HR 5515 EAS 
(C) Accompany. 
(D) Collective self defense. 
(E) Last point of cover and conceal. 
(6) Any other matters the Under Secretary con-
siders appropriate. 
(c) FORM.—The report required by subsection (a) shall 
be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classi-
fied annex. 
SEC. 1206. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS RELATING TO DE-
FENSE SECURITY COOPERATION STATUTORY 
REORGANIZATION. 
(a) CHAPTER REFERENCES.—The following provisions 
of law are amended by striking ‘‘chapter 15’’ and inserting 
‘‘chapter 13’’: 
(1) Section 886(a)(5) of the Homeland Security 
Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 466(a)(5)). 
(2) Section 332(a)(1) of the Consolidated Farm 
and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1982(a)(1)). 
(3) Section 101(a)(13)(B) of title 10, United 
States Code. 
(4) Section 115(i)(6) of title 10, United States 
Code. 
(5) Section 12304(c)(1) of title 10, United States 
Code.
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† HR 5515 EAS 
‘Naval Small Craft Instruction and Technical Training 
School’ (in this section referred to as the ‘School’). 
‘‘(b) DESIGNATION OF EXECUTIVE AGENT.—The Sec-
retary of Defense shall designate the Secretary of a military 
department as the Department of Defense executive agent 
for carrying out the responsibilities of the Secretary of De-
fense under this section. 
‘‘(c) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the School shall be to 
provide to the military and other security forces of one or 
more friendly foreign countries education and training to 
increase professionalism, readiness, and respect for human 
rights through— 
‘‘(1) formal courses of instruction; and 
‘‘(2) mobile training teams for— 
‘‘(A) the operation, employment, mainte-
nance, and logistics of specialized equipment; 
‘‘(B) participation in— 
‘‘(i) joint exercises; or 
‘‘(ii) coalition or international mili-
tary operations; and 
‘‘(C) improved interoperability between— 
‘‘(i) the armed forces; and 
‘‘(ii) the military and other security 
forces of the one or more friendly foreign 
countries.
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† HR 5515 EAS 
‘‘(d) PERSONNEL ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE EDUCATION 
AND TRAINING.— 
‘‘(1) LIMITATION.—The Secretary of Defense 
may not provide education or training at the School 
to any personnel of a country that is prohibited from 
receiving such education or training under any other 
provision of law. 
‘‘(2) CONSULTATION
IN
SELECTION.—The Sec-
retary of Defense shall consult with the Secretary of 
State in the selection of foreign personnel to be pro-
vided education and training at the School. 
‘‘(e) FIXED COSTS.—The fixed costs of operation and 
maintenance of the School in a fiscal year may be paid 
from amounts made available for such fiscal year for oper-
ation and maintenance of the Department of Defense. 
‘‘(f) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than March 15 each 
year, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Sec-
retary of State, shall submit to the appropriate congres-
sional committees a detailed report on the activities and 
operating costs of the School during the preceding fiscal 
year.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of subchapter V of chapter 16 
of such title is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new item: 
‘‘351. Naval Small Craft Instruction and Technical Training School.’’.
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† HR 5515 EAS 
(b) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 60 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of De-
fense shall submit to the congressional defense committees 
a report that sets forth the following: 
(1) The budget requirements for the operation 
and sustainment of the Naval Small Craft Instruction 
and Technical Training School authorized by section 
351 of title 10, United States Code (as added by sub-
section (a)), during the period of the future-years de-
fense program submitted to Congress in fiscal year 
2019, including— 
(A) a description of the budget requirements 
relating to the School for— 
(i) Major Force Program–2; and 
(ii) Major Force Program–11; and 
(B) an identification of any other source of 
funding for the School. 
(2) The anticipated requirements for facilities for 
the School. 
(3) An identification of the Secretary of a mili-
tary department designated by the Secretary of De-
fense as executive agent for the School under sub-
section (b) of such section.
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† HR 5515 EAS 
(4) The anticipated military construction and 
facilities renovation requirements for the School dur-
ing such period. 
(5) Any other matter relating to the School that 
the Secretary of Defense considers appropriate. 
(c) LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in section 351 of title 
10, United States Code (as so added), may be con-
strued as authorizing the use of funds appropriated 
for the Department of Defense for any purpose de-
scribed in paragraph (2) unless specifically author-
ized by an Act of Congress other than that section or 
this Act. 
(2) PURPOSES.—The purposes described in this 
paragraph are the following: 
(A) The operation of a facility other than 
the Naval Small Craft Instruction and Technical 
Training School that is in operation as of the 
date of the enactment of this Act for the provi-
sion of education and training authorized to be 
provided by the School. 
(B) The construction or expansion of any 
facility of the School.
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† HR 5515 EAS 
Subtitle B—Matters Relating to 
Afghanistan and Pakistan 
SEC. 1211. AFGHANISTAN SECURITY FORCES FUND. 
(a) CONTINUATION OF PRIOR AUTHORITIES AND NO-
TICE AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.—Funds available 
to the Department of Defense for the Afghanistan Security 
Forces Fund for fiscal year 2019 shall be subject to the con-
ditions contained in— 
(1) subsections (b) through (f) of section 1513 of 
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2008 (Public Law 110–181; 122 Stat. 428), as 
most recently amended by section 1521(d)(2)(A) of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2017 (Public Law 114–328; 130 Stat. 2577); and 
(2) section 1521(d)(1) of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017. 
(b) USE OF FUNDS.—Section 1513(b)(1) of the Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 is 
amended by striking ‘‘security forces of Afghanistan’’ and 
inserting ‘‘security forces of the Ministry of Defense and 
the Ministry of the Interior of the Government of the Is-
lamic Republic of Afghanistan’’. 
(c) EQUIPMENT DISPOSITION.— 
(1) ACCEPTANCE OF CERTAIN EQUIPMENT.—Sub-
ject to paragraph (2), the Secretary of Defense may
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† HR 5515 EAS 
accept equipment that is procured using amounts au-
thorized to be appropriated for the Afghanistan Secu-
rity Forces Fund by this Act and is intended for 
transfer to the security forces of Afghanistan, but is 
not accepted by such security forces. 
(2) CONDITIONS
ON
ACCEPTANCE
OF
EQUIP-
MENT.—Before accepting any equipment under the 
authority provided by paragraph (1), the Commander 
of United States forces in Afghanistan shall make a 
determination that such equipment was procured for 
the purpose of meeting requirements of the security 
forces of Afghanistan, as agreed to by both the Gov-
ernment of Afghanistan and the Government of the 
United States, but is no longer required by such secu-
rity forces or was damaged before transfer to such se-
curity forces. 
(3) ELEMENTS OF DETERMINATION.—In making 
a determination under paragraph (2) regarding 
equipment, the Commander of United States forces in 
Afghanistan shall consider alternatives to the accept-
ance of such equipment by the Secretary. An expla-
nation of each determination, including the basis for 
the determination and the alternatives considered, 
shall be included in the relevant quarterly report re-
quired under paragraph (5).
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(4) TREATMENT AS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
STOCKS.—Equipment accepted under the authority 
provided by paragraph (1) may be treated as stocks 
of the Department of Defense upon notification to the 
congressional defense committees of such treatment. 
(5) QUARTERLY REPORTS ON EQUIPMENT DIS-
POSITION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act and 
every 90-day period thereafter during which the 
authority provided by paragraph (1) is exer-
cised, the Secretary shall submit to the congres-
sional defense committees a report describing the 
equipment accepted during the period covered by 
such report under the following: 
(i) This subsection. 
(ii) Section 1521(b) of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2017 (Public Law 114–328; 130 Stat. 
2575). 
(iii) Section 1531(b) of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2016 (Public Law 114–92; 129 Stat. 1088). 
(iv) Section 1532(b) of the Carl Levin 
and Howard P. ‘‘Buck’’ McKeon National
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† HR 5515 EAS 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2015 (Public Law 113–291; 128 Stat. 
3613). 
(v) Section 1531(d) of the National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2014 (Public Law 113–66; 127 Stat. 938; 
10 U.S.C. 2302 note). 
(B) ELEMENTS.—Each report under sub-
paragraph (A) shall include a list of all equip-
ment that was accepted during the period cov-
ered by such report and treated as stocks of the 
Department of Defense and copies of the deter-
minations made under paragraph (2), as re-
quired by paragraph (3). 
(d) SECURITY OF AFGHAN WOMEN.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Of the funds available to the 
Department of Defense for the Afghan Security Forces 
Fund for fiscal year 2019, it is the goal that 
$25,000,000, but in no event less than $10,000,000, 
shall be used for— 
(A) the recruitment, integration, retention, 
training, and treatment of women in the Afghan 
National Defense and Security Forces; and
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(B) the recruitment, training, and con-
tracting of female security personnel for future 
elections. 
(2) TYPES OF PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES.—Such 
programs and activities may include— 
(A) efforts to recruit women into the Afghan 
National Defense and Security Forces, including 
the special operations forces; 
(B) programs and activities of the Afghan 
Ministry of Defense Directorate of Human 
Rights and Gender Integration and the Afghan 
Ministry of Interior Office of Human Rights, 
Gender and Child Rights; 
(C) development and dissemination of gen-
der and human rights educational and training 
materials and programs within the Afghan Min-
istry of Defense and the Afghan Ministry of Inte-
rior; 
(D) efforts to address harassment and vio-
lence against women within the Afghan National 
Defense and Security Forces; 
(E) improvements to infrastructure that ad-
dress the requirements of women serving in the 
Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, 
including appropriate equipment for female se-
562 
† HR 5515 EAS 
curity and police forces, and transportation for 
policewomen to their station; 
(F) support for Afghanistan National Police 
Family Response Units; and 
(G) security provisions for high-profile fe-
male police and military officers. 
(e) ASSESSMENT OF AFGHANISTAN PROGRESS ON SE-
CURITY OBJECTIVES.— 
(1) ASSESSMENT
REQUIRED.—Not later than 
May 1, 2019, the Secretary of Defense shall, in con-
sultation with the Secretary of State, submit to the 
Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on 
Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee 
on Foreign Relations of the Senate an assessment de-
scribing the progress of the Government of the Islamic 
Republic of Afghanistan toward meeting shared secu-
rity objectives. In conducting such assessment, the 
Secretary of Defense shall consider each of the fol-
lowing: 
(A) The extent to which the Government of 
Afghanistan has taken steps toward increased ac-
countability and reducing corruption within the 
Ministries of Defense and Interior.
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(B) The extent to which the capability and 
capacity of the Afghan National Defense and Se-
curity Forces have improved as a result of Af-
ghanistan Security Forces Fund investment, in-
cluding through training. 
(C) The extent to which the Afghan Na-
tional Defense and Security Forces have been 
able to increase pressure on the Taliban, al- 
Qaeda, the Haqqani network, and other terrorist 
organizations, including by re-taking territory, 
defending territory, and disrupting attacks. 
(D) Whether or not the Government of Af-
ghanistan is ensuring that supplies, equipment, 
and weaponry supplied by the United States are 
appropriately distributed to security forces 
charged with fighting the Taliban and other ter-
rorist organizations. 
(E) The extent to which the Government of 
Afghanistan has designated the appropriate staff, 
prioritized the development of relevant processes, 
and provided or requested the allocation of re-
sources necessary to support a peace and rec-
onciliation process in Afghanistan. 
(F) Such other factors as the Secretaries 
consider appropriate.
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† HR 5515 EAS 
(2) WITHHOLDING OF ASSISTANCE FOR INSUFFI-
CIENT PROGRESS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—If the Secretary of De-
fense determines, in coordination with the Sec-
retary of State, pursuant to the assessment under 
paragraph (1) that the Government of Afghani-
stan has made insufficient progress, the Sec-
retary of Defense may withhold assistance for the 
Afghan National Defense and Security Forces 
until such time as the Secretary determines suffi-
cient progress has been made. 
(B) NOTICE
TO
CONGRESS.—If the Sec-
retary of Defense withholds assistance under sub-
paragraph (A), the Secretary shall, in coordina-
tion with the Secretary of State, provide notice 
to Congress not later than 30 days after making 
the decision to withhold such assistance. 
SEC. 1212. EXTENSION AND MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY 
FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF CERTAIN COALI-
TION NATIONS FOR SUPPORT PROVIDED TO 
UNITED STATES MILITARY OPERATIONS. 
(a) EXTENSION.—Subsection (a) of section 1233 of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 
(Public Law 110–181; 122 Stat. 393), as most recently 
amended by section 1212 of the National Defense Authoriza-
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† HR 5515 EAS 
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 115–91), is fur-
ther amended— 
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
striking ‘‘October 1, 2017, and ending on December 
31, 2018’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2018, and ending 
on December 31, 2019’’; and 
(2) by amending paragraph (2) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(2) Pakistan for certain activities meant to en-
hance the security situation in the Afghanistan-Paki-
stan border region pursuant to section 1226 of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2016 (22 U.S.C. 2151 note), as amended by the John 
S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2019.’’. 
(b) MODIFICATION TO LIMITATIONS.—Subsection (d) 
of such section is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) in the first sentence— 
(i) by striking ‘‘October 1, 2017, and 
ending on December 31, 2018’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘October 1, 2018, and ending on De-
cember 31, 2019’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘$900,000,000’’ and 
inserting ‘‘$350,000,000’’; and
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(B) by striking the second sentence; and 
(2) by striking paragraph (3). 
(c) REPEAL OF PROVISION RELATING TO REIMBURSE-
MENT TO PAKISTAN FOR SECURITY ENHANCEMENT ACTIVI-
TIES.—Such section is further amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (e); and 
(2) by redesignating subsections (f) through (h) 
as subsections (e) through (g), respectively. 
(d) NOTICE TO CONGRESS.—Paragraph (1) of sub-
section (e) of such section, as redesignated by subsection (c) 
of this section, is amended by striking the second sentence. 
SEC. 1213. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO TRANSFER DE-
FENSE ARTICLES AND PROVIDE DEFENSE 
SERVICES TO THE MILITARY AND SECURITY 
FORCES OF AFGHANISTAN. 
(a) EXTENSION.—Subsection (h) of section 1222 of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 
(Public Law 112–239; 126 Stat. 1992), as most recently 
amended by section 1211 of the National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 115–91), is fur-
ther amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2018’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘December 31, 2019’’. 
(b) EXCESS DEFENSE ARTICLES.—Subsection (i)(2) of 
such section, as so amended, is further amended by striking
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† HR 5515 EAS 
‘‘December 31, 2018’’ each place it appears and inserting 
‘‘December 31, 2019’’. 
SEC. 1214. MODIFICATION OF REPORTING REQUIREMENTS 
FOR SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISAS FOR AFGHAN 
ALLIES PROGRAM. 
Section 602 of the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009 
(8 U.S.C. 1101 note) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)— 
(A) by striking paragraph (10); 
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (11) 
through (16) as paragraphs (10) through (15), 
respectively; 
(C) in paragraph (11)(A), as so redesig-
nated, by striking ‘‘the National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2014’’ and inserting 
‘‘the John S. McCain National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2019’’; 
(D) in paragraph (12), as so redesignated, 
by striking ‘‘paragraph (12)(B)’’ and inserting 
‘‘paragraph (11)(B)’’; and 
(E) in paragraph (13), as so redesignated, 
in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by 
striking ‘‘a report to the’’ and all that follows 
through ‘‘House of Representatives’’ and insert-
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† HR 5515 EAS 
ing ‘‘a report to the appropriate committees of 
Congress’’; 
(2) by striking subsection (c); and 
(3) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection 
(c). 
Subtitle C—Matters Relating to 
Syria, Iraq, and Iran 
SEC. 1221. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE ASSIST-
ANCE TO COUNTER THE ISLAMIC STATE OF 
IRAQ AND SYRIA. 
(a) EXTENSION.—Subsection (a) of section 1236 of the 
Carl Levin and Howard P. ‘‘Buck’’ McKeon National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 
113–291; 128 Stat. 3558), as most recently amended by sec-
tion 1222 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fis-
cal Year 2018 (Public Law 115–91), is further amended 
by striking ‘‘December 31, 2019’’ and inserting ‘‘December 
31, 2020’’. 
(b) FUNDING.—Subsection (g) of such section 1236, as 
most recently so amended, is further amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘for the Department of Defense 
for Overseas Contingency Operations for fiscal year 
2018’’ and inserting ‘‘for the Department of Defense 
for Overseas Contingency Operations for fiscal year 
2019’’; and
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† HR 5515 EAS 
(2) by striking ‘‘$1,269,000,000’’ and inserting 
‘‘$850,000,000’’. 
(c) LIMITATION
OF USE
OF FISCAL YEAR 2019 
FUNDS.—Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated for 
fiscal year 2019 by this Act for activities under the author-
ity in section 1236 of the Carl Levin and Howard P. 
‘‘Buck’’ McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2015, as amended by this section, not more than 
$450,000,000 may be obligated or expended for such activi-
ties until the date on which the Secretary of Defense has 
submitted to the congressional defense committees each of 
the following: 
(1) The report on the United States strategy in 
Iraq required by the joint explanatory statement of 
the committee of the conference accompanying Con-
ference Report 115–404. 
(2) A report setting forth the following: 
(A) An explanation of the purpose of a con-
tinuing United States military presence in Iraq, 
including— 
(i) an explanation of the national secu-
rity objectives of the United States with re-
spect to Iraq; 
(ii) a detailed description of—
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† HR 5515 EAS 
(I) the size of a continuing United 
States military presence in Iraq; and 
(II) the roles and missions associ-
ated with a continuing United States 
military presence in Iraq; and 
(iii) a delineation of the responsibil-
ities in connection with a continuing 
United States military presence in Iraq 
of— 
(I) the Combined Joint Task 
Force Operation Inherent Resolve (or a 
successor task force); 
(II) the Office of Security Co-
operation in Iraq; and 
(III) other United States embassy- 
based military personnel. 
(B) An identification of the specific units of 
the Iraqi Security Forces to receive training and 
equipment or other support in fiscal year 2019. 
(C) A plan for ensuring that any vehicles 
and equipment provided to the Iraqi Security 
Forces pursuant to that authority are main-
tained in subsequent fiscal years using funds of 
Iraq.
571 
† HR 5515 EAS 
(D) An estimate, by fiscal year, of the fund-
ing anticipated to be required for support of the 
Iraqi Security Forces pursuant to that authority 
during the five fiscal years beginning with fiscal 
year 2020. 
(E) A detailed plan for the obligation and 
expenditure of the funds requested for fiscal year 
2019 for the Department of Defense for Oper-
ational Sustainment of the Iraqi Security 
Forces. 
(F) A plan for the transition to the Govern-
ment of Iraq of responsibility for funding for 
Operational Sustainment of the Iraqi Security 
Forces for fiscal years after fiscal year 2019. 
(G) A description of any actions carried out 
under this paragraph. 
SEC. 1222. EXTENSION AND MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY 
TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE VETTED 
SYRIAN OPPOSITION. 
(a) EXTENSION.—Section 1209(a) of the Carl Levin 
and Howard P. ‘‘Buck’’ McKeon National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113–291; 128 
Stat. 3559), as most recently amended by section 1221(a) 
of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2017 (Public Law 114–328; 130 Stat. 2485), is further
572 
† HR 5515 EAS 
amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2018’’ and inserting 
‘‘December 31, 2019’’. 
(b) LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS IN GENERAL.— 
(1) LIMITATION.—None of the funds authorized 
to be appropriated for fiscal year 2019 for the De-
partment of Defense may be obligated or expended for 
activities under the authority in section 1209 of the 
Carl Levin and Howard P. ‘‘Buck’’ McKeon National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015, as 
amended by subsection (a), until the later of the fol-
lowing: 
(A) The date on which the President sub-
mits the report on United States strategy in 
Syria required by section 1221 of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 
(Public Law 115–91). 
(B) The date that is 30 days after the date 
on which the Secretary of Defense submits the re-
port described in paragraph (2). 
(2) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
submit to the congressional defense committees a re-
port setting forth the following: 
(A) A detailed description of the internal se-
curity forces of the vetted Syrian opposition to
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† HR 5515 EAS 
be trained and equipped under such authority, 
including a description of their geographic loca-
tions, demographic profiles, political affiliations, 
current capabilities, and relation to the objec-
tives under the authority in section 1209 of the 
Carl Levin and Howard P. ‘‘Buck’’ McKeon Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2015, as amended by subsection (a). 
(B) A detailed description of planned capa-
bilities, including categories of equipment, in-
tended to be provided to the elements of the vet-
ted Syrian opposition under such authority. 
(C) A description of the planned level of en-
gagement by United States forces with the ele-
ments of the vetted Syrian opposition after such 
elements of the vetted Syrian opposition have 
been trained and equipped under such authority, 
including the oversight of equipment provided 
under such authority and the activities con-
ducted by such vetted Syrian opposition forces. 
(D) An explanation of the processes and 
mechanisms for local commanders of the vetted 
Syrian opposition to exercise command and con-
trol of the elements of the vetted Syrian opposi-
tion after such elements of the vetted Syrian op-
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† HR 5515 EAS 
position have been trained and equipped under 
such authority. 
(E) An explanation of complementary local 
governance and other stabilization activities in 
areas in which elements of the local internal se-
curity forces trained and equipped under such 
authority will be operating and the relation of 
such local governance and other stabilization ac-
tivities to the oversight of such security forces. 
(c) ADDITIONAL LIMITATIONS ON USE OF FUNDS DUR-
ING FISCAL YEAR 2019.— 
(1) CERTIFICATIONS IN CONNECTION WITH USE 
OF FUNDS.—Not later than 120 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, and every 120 days there-
after, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional 
defense committees a written certification on the fol-
lowing: 
(A) Whether, during the 120-day period 
ending on the date of the certification, demon-
strable progress was made— 
(i) to retake control of territory in 
Syria from the Islamic State of Iraq and 
Syria (ISIS); or 
(ii) to stabilize areas in Syria formerly 
held by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
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† HR 5515 EAS 
(B) Whether, during such period, the vetted 
Syrian opposition tasked with conducting local 
security operations that United States forces are 
training and equipping under the authority in 
section 1209 of the Carl Levin and Howard P. 
‘‘Buck’’ McKeon National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2015, as amended by sub-
section (a), were demographically representative 
of the local communities and serve local govern-
ance bodies that are similarly representative of 
the local communities. 
(C) Whether, during such period, the De-
partment of Defense took actions to mitigate any 
pause in offensive operations against the Islamic 
State of Iraq and Syria through the training, 
equipping, and assistance of the vetted Syrian 
opposition. 
(D) Whether, during such period, support 
provided under the authority referred to in sub-
paragraph (B) was consistent with United 
States standards regarding respect for human 
rights, rule of law, and support for stable and 
equitable governance. 
(E) Whether, during such period, members 
of the vetted Syrian opposition receiving support
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† HR 5515 EAS 
under the authority referred to in subparagraph 
(B) continued to demonstrate respect for human 
rights and rule of law, violations of human 
rights and rule of law by such members were ap-
propriately investigated, and the individuals re-
sponsible for such violations were appropriately 
held accountable. 
(2) LIMITATION.—If the Secretary does not make 
a certification by the deadline for submittal required 
for the certification under paragraph (1), or is unable 
in the certification to certify each of the matters spec-
ified in that paragraph, no support may be provided 
to the vetted Syrian opposition under the authority 
in section 1209 of the Carl Levin and Howard P. 
‘‘Buck’’ McKeon National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2015, as amended by subsection (a), 
during the period that— 
(A) begins on the deadline for submittal of 
the certification (if the certification is not made) 
or the date of the certification (if the certifi-
cation does not certify each of the matters), as 
applicable; and 
(B) ends on the date on which a certifi-
cation is submitted under paragraph (1) that 
certifies each of the matters.
577 
† HR 5515 EAS 
SEC. 1223. EXTENSION AND MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY 
TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS AND ACTIVITIES 
OF THE OFFICE OF SECURITY COOPERATION 
IN IRAQ. 
(a) EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY.—Subsection (f)(1) of 
section 1215 of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2012 (10 U.S.C. 113 note) is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘fiscal year 2018’’ and inserting ‘‘fiscal year 2019’’. 
(b) AMOUNT AVAILABLE.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Such section is further 
amended— 
(A) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘fiscal 
year 2018 may not exceed $42,000,000’’ and in-
serting ‘‘fiscal year 2019 may not exceed 
$45,300,000’’; and 
(B) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘fiscal 
year 2018’’ and inserting ‘‘fiscal year 2019’’. 
(2) LIMITATION OF USE OF FISCAL YEAR 2019 
FUNDS PENDING REPORTS.—Of the amount available 
for fiscal year 2019 for section 1215 of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012, as 
amended by this section, not more than an amount 
equal to 25 percent of such amount may be obligated 
or expended for the Office of Security Cooperation in 
Iraq until 30 days after the later of—
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† HR 5515 EAS 
(A) the date on which the report on the 
United States strategy on Iraq required by the 
joint explanatory statement of the committee of 
the conference accompanying Conference Report 
115–404 is submitted to the congressional defense 
committees; and 
(B) the date on which the report required 
under subsection (c) is submitted to the appro-
priate committees of Congress. 
(c) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Defense, in cooperation with the Secretary of State, 
shall submit to the appropriate committees of Con-
gress a report on the Office of Security Cooperation 
in Iraq. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para-
graph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) A description of the enduring planned 
size and missions of the Office of Security Co-
operation in Iraq after the cessation of major 
combat operations against the Islamic State of 
Iraq and Syria. 
(B) A description of the relationship be-
tween the Office of Security Cooperation in Iraq
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† HR 5515 EAS 
and any planned enduring presence of other 
United States forces in Iraq. 
(C) A detailed description of any activity to 
be conducted by the Office of Security Coopera-
tion in Iraq in fiscal year 2019. 
(D) A plan and timeline for the normaliza-
tion of the Office of Security Cooperation in Iraq 
to conform to other offices of security coopera-
tion, including the transition of funding from 
the Department of Defense to the Department of 
State by the beginning of fiscal year 2020. 
(E) Such other matters with respect to the 
Office of Security Cooperation in Iraq as the 
Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State 
consider appropriate. 
(d) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate committees 
of Congress’’ 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.
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† HR 5515 EAS 
SEC. 1224. SYRIA STUDY GROUP. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a working 
group to be known as the ‘‘Syria Study Group’’ (in this 
section referred to as the ‘‘Group’’). 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Group is to exam-
ine and make recommendations on the military and diplo-
matic strategy of the United States with respect to the con-
flict in Syria. 
(c) COMPOSITION.— 
(1) MEMBERSHIP.—The Group shall be composed 
of 12 members, who shall be appointed as follows: 
(A) One member appointed by the chair of 
the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate. 
(B) One member appointed by the ranking 
minority member of the Committee on Armed 
Services of the Senate. 
(C) One member appointed by the chair of 
the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Sen-
ate. 
(D) One member appointed by the ranking 
minority member of the Committee on Foreign 
Relations of the Senate. 
(E) One member appointed by the chair of 
the Committee on Armed Services of the House 
of Representatives.
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† HR 5515 EAS 
(F) One member appointed by the ranking 
minority member of the Committee on Armed 
Services of the House of Representatives. 
(G) One member appointed by the chair of 
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
of Representatives. 
(H) One member appointed by the ranking 
minority member of the Committee on Foreign 
Affairs of the House of Representatives. 
(I) One member appointed by the majority 
leader of the Senate. 
(J) One member appointed by the minority 
leader of the Senate. 
(K) One member appointed by the Speaker 
of the House of Representatives. 
(L) One member appointed by the minority 
leader of the House of Representatives. 
(2) CO-CHAIRS.— 
(A) Of the members of the Group, one co- 
chair shall be jointly designated by— 
(i) the chairs of the Committee on 
Armed Services and the Committee on For-
eign Relations of the Senate;
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† HR 5515 EAS 
(ii) the chairs of the Committee on 
Armed Services and the Committee on For-
eign Affairs of the House of Representatives; 
(iii) the majority leader of the Senate; 
and 
(iv) the Speaker of the House of Rep-
resentatives. 
(B) Of the members of the Group, one co- 
chair shall be jointly designated by— 
(i) the ranking minority members of 
the Committee on Armed Services and the 
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Sen-
ate; 
(ii) the ranking minority members of 
the Committee on Armed Services and the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
of Representatives; 
(iii) the minority leader of the Senate; 
and 
(iv) the minority leader of the House of 
Representatives. 
(3) PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT.—A member shall 
be appointed for the life of the Group.
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† HR 5515 EAS 
(4) VACANCIES.—Any vacancy in the Group 
shall be filled in the same manner as the original ap-
pointment. 
(d) DUTIES.— 
(1) REVIEW.—The Group shall conduct a review 
on the current United States military and diplomatic 
strategy with respect to the conflict in Syria that in-
cludes a review of current United States objectives in 
Syria and the desired end state in Syria. 
(2) ASSESSMENT AND RECOMMENDATIONS.—The 
Group shall— 
(A) conduct a comprehensive assessment of 
the current situation in Syria, the impact of 
such situation on neighboring countries, the re-
sulting regional and geopolitical threats to the 
United States, and current military, diplomatic, 
and political efforts to achieve a stable Syria; 
and 
(B) develop recommendations on the mili-
tary and diplomatic strategy of the United 
States with respect to the conflict in Syria. 
(e) COOPERATION
OF
UNITED
STATES
GOVERN-
MENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Group shall receive the 
full and timely cooperation of the Secretary of De-
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† HR 5515 EAS 
fense, the Secretary of State, and the Director of Na-
tional Intelligence in providing the Group with anal-
yses, briefings, and other information necessary for 
the discharge of the duties of the Group under sub-
section (d). 
(2) LIAISON.—The Secretary of Defense, the Sec-
retary of State, and the Director of National Intel-
ligence shall each designate at least one officer or em-
ployee of the Department of Defense, the Department 
of State, and the Office of the Director of National In-
telligence, respectively, to serve as a liaison to the 
Group. 
(3) FACILITATION.—The United States Institute 
of Peace shall take appropriate actions to facilitate 
the Group in the discharge of the duties of the Group 
under this section. 
(f) REPORTS.— 
(1) FINAL REPORT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than June 30, 
2019, the Group shall submit to the President, 
the Secretary of Defense, the Committee on 
Armed Services and the Committee on Foreign 
Relations of the Senate, the Committee on Armed 
Services and the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
of the House of Representatives, the majority and
585 
† HR 5515 EAS 
minority leaders of the Senate, the Speaker of the 
House of Representatives, and the minority lead-
er of the House of Representatives a report that 
sets forth the findings, conclusions, and rec-
ommendations of the Group under this section. 
(B) ELEMENTS.—The report required by 
subparagraph (A) shall include each of the fol-
lowing: 
(i) An assessment of the current secu-
rity, political, humanitarian, and economic 
situations in Syria. 
(ii) An assessment of the current par-
ticipation and objectives of the various ex-
ternal actors in Syria. 
(iii) An assessment of the consequences 
of continued conflict in Syria. 
(iv) Recommendations for a resolution 
to the conflict in Syria, including— 
(I) options for a gradual political 
transition to a post-Assad Syria; and 
(II) actions necessary for rec-
onciliation. 
(v) A roadmap for a United States and 
coalition strategy to reestablish security and 
governance 
in 
Syria, 
including 
rec-
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† HR 5515 EAS 
ommendations for the synchronization of 
stabilization, development, counterterrorism, 
and reconstruction efforts. 
(vi) Any other matter with respect to 
the conflict in Syria that the Group con-
siders to be appropriate. 
(2) INTERIM REPORT.—Not later than February 
1, 2019, the Group shall submit to the Committee on 
Armed Services and the Committee on Foreign Rela-
tions of the Senate, the Committee on Armed Services 
and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
of Representatives, the majority and minority leaders 
of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representa-
tives, and the minority leader of the House of Rep-
resentatives a report that describes the status of the 
review and assessment under subsection (d) and any 
interim recommendations developed by the Group as 
of the date of the briefing. 
(3) FORM OF REPORT.—The report submitted to 
Congress under paragraph (1) shall be submitted in 
unclassified form, but may include a classified annex. 
(g) TERMINATION.—The Group shall terminate on the 
date that is 180 days after the date on which the Group 
submits the report required by subsection (f)(1).
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† HR 5515 EAS 
SEC. 1225. MODIFICATION OF ANNUAL REPORT ON MILI-
TARY POWER OF IRAN. 
Section 1245(b) of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (10 U.S.C. 113 note) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (3)(B), by inserting ‘‘the 
Houthis,’’ after ‘‘Hamas,’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (7)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘the Russian Federation,’’ 
after ‘‘Pakistan,’’; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘trafficking or’’ before ‘‘de-
velopment’’. 
Subtitle D—Matters Relating to 
Europe and the Russian Federation 
SEC. 1231. EXTENSION OF LIMITATION ON MILITARY CO-
OPERATION BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES 
AND THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION. 
(a) EXTENSION.—Subsection (a) of section 1232 of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 
(Public Law 114–328; 130 Stat. 2488), as amended by sec-
tion 1231 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fis-
cal Year 2018 (Public Law 115–91), is further amended 
in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by striking ‘‘fiscal 
year 2017 or 2018’’ and inserting ‘‘fiscal year 2017, 2018, 
or 2019’’. 
(b) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Such section is further 
amended—
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(1) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection 
(f); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (d) the following 
new subsection (e): 
‘‘(e) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in subsection 
(a) shall be construed to limit bilateral military-to-military 
dialogue between the United States and the Russian Federa-
tion for the purpose of reducing the risk of conflict.’’. 
SEC. 1232. LIMITATION ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS RELAT-
ING TO SOVEREIGNTY OF THE RUSSIAN FED-
ERATION OVER CRIMEA. 
(a) LIMITATION.—None of the funds authorized to be 
appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for 
fiscal year 2019 for the Department of Defense may be obli-
gated or expended to implement any activity that recognizes 
the sovereignty of the Russian Federation over Crimea. 
(b) WAIVER.—The Secretary of Defense, with the con-
currence of the Secretary of State, may waive the limitation 
in subsection (a) if the Secretary of Defense— 
(1) determines that the waiver is in the national 
security interest of the United States; and 
(2) submits to the Committee on Armed Services 
and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate 
and the Committee on Armed Services and the Com-
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mittee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representa-
tives a notification of the waiver. 
SEC. 1233. EXTENSION OF UKRAINE SECURITY ASSISTANCE 
INITIATIVE. 
Section 1250 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (Public Law 114–92; 129 Stat. 
1068), as most recently amended by section 1234 of the Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Pub-
lic Law 115–91), is further amended— 
(1) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘for fiscal 
year 2018 pursuant to subsection (f)(3)’’ and in-
serting ‘‘for fiscal year 2019 pursuant to sub-
section (f)(4)’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘fiscal 
year 2018’’ and inserting ‘‘fiscal year 2019’’; 
(2) in subsection (f), by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(4) For fiscal year 2019, $200,000,000.’’; and 
(3) in subsection (h), by striking ‘‘December 31, 
2020’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2021’’. 
SEC. 1234. SENSE OF SENATE ON RELOCATION OF JOINT IN-
TELLIGENCE ANALYSIS COMPLEX. 
It is the sense of the Senate that, in consideration of 
any future plans regarding the relocation of the Joint Intel-
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ligence Analysis Complex of the United States European 
Command, the Secretary of Defense should maintain its ge-
ographic location within the United Kingdom and its col-
location with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
(NATO) Intelligence Fusion Center. 
SEC. 1235. SENSE OF SENATE ON ENHANCING DETERRENCE 
AGAINST RUSSIAN AGGRESSION IN EUROPE. 
(a) STATEMENT OF POLICY.—To protect the national 
security of the United States, it is the policy of the United 
States to pursue an integrated approach to strengthening 
the defense of allies and partners in Europe as part of a 
broader, long-term strategy backed by all elements of United 
States national power to deter and, if necessary, defeat Rus-
sian aggression. 
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that in order to strengthen the defense of allies and part-
ners in Europe, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination 
with the Secretary of State and in consultation with the 
commander of United States European Command, 
should— 
(1) prioritize the need for additional United 
States Army forward presence in Europe, especially 
increased forward-stationed combat enablers to en-
hance United States Army capability and capacity in 
areas such as—
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(A) long-range fires; 
(B) air and missile defense; 
(C) combat engineering; 
(D) logistics and sustainment; 
(E) warfighting headquarters elements; and 
(F) electronic warfare; 
(2) conduct a review of the balance of United 
States Army presence in Europe between rotationally 
deployed and forward-stationed forces, including an 
examination of transitioning the rotational presence 
of a United States Army armored brigade combat 
team (ABCT) in Europe to a forward-stationed 
ABCT, with consideration of— 
(A) the opportunity to more effectively sig-
nal the enduring commitment of the United 
States— 
(i) to assure allies and partners in Eu-
rope; and 
(ii) to deter Russian aggression; 
(B) the significant recurring fiscal costs of 
rotating heavy, equipment-intensive units; 
(C) the family readiness impacts of lengthy 
heel-to-toe rotational deployments; 
(D) the potential advantages of interoper-
ability and cultural proficiency that can be
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achieved by forward-stationed forces that have 
knowledge of local rules, regulations, culture, cus-
toms, geography, and counterpart military units 
and officials; 
(E) the potential tradeoffs between— 
(i) the training readiness and high 
operational tempo of rotational units; and 
(ii) the higher manning rates of for-
ward-stationed forces; and 
(F) the benefits of National Training Center 
rotations for rotationally deployed units as com-
pared to maximized use of United States Army 
training areas in Europe, including the Joint 
Multinational Readiness Center in Germany, by 
forward-stationed units in Europe; 
(3) consider options for mitigating personnel im-
pacts of heel-to-toe rotations of United States forces in 
Europe, including designation of Operation Atlantic 
Resolve as a named operation; 
(4) examine the merit and feasibility of main-
taining a continuous and enduring presence of at 
least one United States Army company in Estonia, 
Latvia, and Lithuania; 
(5) examine the merit and feasibility of increas-
ing the presence of United States special operations
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forces in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to deter ag-
gression, promote interoperability, build resilience 
through training activities focused on countering un-
conventional warfare strategies, and enable the North 
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to take collec-
tive action if required; 
(6) examine the merit and feasibility of 
prepositioning certain equipment and ammunition in 
Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania; 
(7) continue rotational deployments of United 
States forces to Romania and Bulgaria while taking 
full advantage of the training opportunities available 
at 
military 
locations 
such 
as 
Camp 
Mihail 
Kogalniceanu in Romania and Novo Selo Training 
Area in Bulgaria; 
(8) examine the implications of Russian mili-
tary activity in the Arctic region for United States 
military capability, capacity, and force posture; 
(9) conduct exercises focused on demonstrating 
the capability to flow United States forces from the 
continental United States and surge forces from cen-
tral to eastern Europe in a nonpermissive environ-
ment— 
(A) to test and improve strategic and oper-
ational logistics and transportation capabilities;
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(B) to identify capability gaps, capacity 
shortfalls, or other limiting factors in the execu-
tion of operational plans; and 
(C) to identify appropriate corrective ac-
tion; 
(10) consider incorporating cyber protection 
teams, to the extent practicable, with rotational forces 
in Europe with a focus on training United States 
and allied forces to operate against adversary cyber, 
electronic warfare, and information operations capa-
bilities; 
(11) support robust security assistance for 
Ukraine, including defensive lethal assistance, while 
promoting necessary defense institutional reforms; 
(12) support robust security assistance for Geor-
gia, including defensive lethal assistance, to strength-
en the defense capabilities and readiness of Georgia, 
and improve interoperability with NATO forces; 
(13) promote enhanced military-to-military en-
gagement between the United States and the mili-
taries of the countries of the Western Balkans to pro-
mote interoperability with NATO, civilian control of 
the military, procurement reforms, and regional secu-
rity cooperation;
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(14) develop and implement a comprehensive se-
curity cooperation strategy that rationalizes and 
prioritizes support for allies and partners in Europe, 
including Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Roma-
nia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia; 
(15) consider the merit and feasibility of a de-
fense lending initiative to support allies and partners 
in Europe, especially allies and partners that are 
most vulnerable to Russian aggression, to supplement 
and fill gaps in existing United States security assist-
ance and arms sales mechanisms; and 
(16) in NATO or through other multilateral for-
mats— 
(A) promote reforms to accelerate the speed 
of decision and deployability within NATO, in-
cluding delegation to the Secretary General and 
the 
Supreme 
Allied 
Commander 
Europe 
(SACEUR) of the authority to deploy the Very 
High Readiness Joint Task Force to any loca-
tion within the territory of NATO allies in re-
sponse to a security crisis; 
(B) promote a more robust NATO defense 
planning process that—
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(i) defines clear, stable chains-of-com-
mand responsible for the execution of grad-
uated response plans; 
(ii) generates realistic military re-
quirements; and 
(iii) provides a basis for assigning al-
lies specific responsibilities as force pro-
viders in contingency plans; 
(C) pursue planning agreements with allies 
and partners in Europe on rules of engagement 
and arrangements for command and control, ac-
cess, transit, and support in crisis situations, 
which occur prior to an invocation of Article 5 
of the Washington Treaty by the North Atlantic 
Council; 
(D) promote operational readiness of major 
combat units as a key element of alliance burden 
sharing alongside spending commitments made 
at the 2014 Wales Summit, including through— 
(i) the establishment of 30-day readi-
ness targets for NATO kinetic air squad-
rons, major naval combatants, and mecha-
nized maneuver battalions; 
(ii) emphasis on allies maintaining 
fully manned units, improving readiness of
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key logistics units, increasing lift capacity, 
and maintaining sufficient stocks of equip-
ment and munitions; and 
(iii) the conduct of NATO exercises 
with a focus on rapid mobilization and de-
ployment of allied forces; 
(E) explore transitioning the Baltic air po-
licing mission of NATO to a Baltic air defense 
mission that would— 
(i) be fully integrated with the Inte-
grated Air and Missile Defense of NATO 
and other regional short- and medium- 
range air defense systems; and 
(ii) include the participation of NATO 
and regional partners such as Sweden and 
Finland; and 
(F) support multilateral efforts to improve 
maritime domain awareness in the Baltic Sea, 
including— 
(i) integrating subsurface sensors and 
anti-submarine warfare platforms of NATO 
and other regional partners into a shared 
maritime domain awareness framework; 
(ii) coordinating the development, pro-
curement, and employment of aerial, sur-
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face, and subsurface unmanned vehicles as 
well as mobile air surveillance radars; 
(iii) expanding the scope of Sea Sur-
veillance 
Cooperation 
Baltic 
Sea 
(SUCBAS) information sharing to include 
sensitive or classified data with the goal of 
creating a common operating picture; and 
(iv) encouraging civil-military collabo-
ration on maritime domain awareness; 
(G) promote alignment of the Permanent 
Structured 
Cooperation, 
European 
Defense 
Fund, and Coordinated Annual Review on De-
fense of the European Union (EU) with the 
NATO defense planning process; 
(H) support NATO–EU cooperation to en-
sure that— 
(i) EU capability development is co-
herent, complementary, and interoperable 
with NATO; 
(ii) 
EU-generated 
capabilities 
are 
available to NATO; and 
(iii) EU defense activities are con-
ducted with appropriate transparency and 
participation of non-EU states;
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(I) support coordinated NATO and EU ac-
tions on expediting or waiving diplomatic clear-
ances for the movement of United States and al-
lied forces during contingencies; 
(J) support cooperative investment frame-
works that promote increased military mobility 
in Europe; 
(K) explore enhancing the role of NATO 
Force Integration Units to more centrally coordi-
nate exercises and training by de-conflicting 
training engagements, identifying opportunities 
for combined activities, and ensuring exercise de-
sign and delivery are responsive to the dynamic 
security environment; 
(L) support cooperative efforts to improve 
the cyber resiliency of commercial systems in 
Europe, especially port and rail infrastructure 
essential for military mobility; 
(M) support NATO procurement and train-
ing efforts to expand the use of secure and inter-
operable communications at the operational 
level, especially in the militaries of Estonia, Lat-
via, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria;
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(N) expand cooperation and joint planning 
with allies and partners on intelligence, surveil-
lance, and reconnaissance (ISR), including— 
(i) exercises related to border security 
and crisis command and control; and 
(ii) electronic warfare, anti-air, and 
anti-surface capabilities; 
(O) promote efforts to improve the capa-
bility and readiness of NATO Standing Mari-
time Groups; 
(P) encourage regular review and update of 
the Alliance Maritime Strategy of NATO to re-
flect the changing military balance in the Black 
Sea with a particular focus on ISR, cyber, elec-
tronic warfare, and anti-submarine warfare ca-
pabilities as well as defense of ports, airfields, 
military bases, and other critical infrastructure; 
(Q) explore increasing the frequency, scale, 
and scope of NATO and other multilateral exer-
cises in the Black Sea with the participation of 
Ukraine and Georgia; 
(R) promote integration of United States 
Marines in Norway with the United Kingdom- 
led Joint Expeditionary Force to increase multi-
lateral cooperation and interoperability between
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NATO and regional partners such as Sweden 
and Finland; 
(S) affirm support for the Open Door policy 
of NATO, including the eventual membership of 
Georgia in NATO; and 
(T) promote the contribution of sufficient 
resources by NATO allies for the Substantial 
NATO-Georgia Package, and encourage NATO 
allies to make full use of the NATO–Georgian 
Joint Training and Evaluation Center. 
SEC. 1236. TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS RELATED TO NATO 
SUPPORT AND PROCUREMENT ORGANIZA-
TION AND RELATED NATO AGREEMENTS. 
(a) TITLE 10, UNITED STATES CODE.—Section 2350d 
of title 10, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘NATO Support Organization’’ 
each place it appears and inserting ‘‘NATO Support 
and Procurement Organization’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘Support Partnership Agree-
ment’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘Support 
or Procurement Partnership Agreement’’; and 
(3) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ‘‘Support 
Partnership Agreements’’ and inserting ‘‘Support or 
Procurement Partnership Agreements’’.
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(b) ARMS EXPORT CONTROL ACT.—Section 21(e)(3) of 
the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2761(e)(3)) is 
amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A)— 
(A) in the matter preceding clause (i), by 
striking ‘‘North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
(NATO) Support Organization’’ and inserting 
‘‘North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) 
Support and Procurement Organization’’; and 
(B) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘support part-
nership agreement’’ and inserting ‘‘support or 
procurement partnership agreement’’; and 
(2) in subparagraph (C)(i), in the matter pre-
ceding subclause (I)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘ ‘weapon system partner-
ship agreement’ ’’ and inserting ‘‘ ‘support or 
procurement partnership agreement’ ’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘North Atlantic Treaty Or-
ganization (NATO) Support Organization’’ and 
inserting ‘‘North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
(NATO) Support and Procurement Organiza-
tion’’.
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SEC. 1237. REPORT ON SECURITY COOPERATION BETWEEN 
THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION AND CUBA, NICA-
RAGUA, AND VENEZUELA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Defense 
Intelligence Agency shall submit to the appropriate commit-
tees of Congress a report on security cooperation between 
the Russian Federation and each of the countries specified 
in subsection (b). 
(b) COUNTRIES.—The countries specified in this sub-
section are as follows: 
(1) Cuba. 
(2) Nicaragua. 
(3) Venezuela. 
(c) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The report required 
by subsection (a) shall include the following: 
(1) An assessment of bilateral security coopera-
tion between the Russian Federation and each coun-
try specified in subsection (b) that includes each of 
the following: 
(A) A list of Russian weapon systems or 
other military hardware or technology valued at 
not less than $1,000,000 provided to or pur-
chased by such country since January 1, 2007. 
(B) A description of the participation of the 
security forces of such country in training or ex-
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ercises with the security forces of the Russian 
Federation since January 1, 2007. 
(C) A description of any security coopera-
tion agreement between the Russian Federation 
and such country. 
(D) A description of any military or intel-
ligence infrastructure, facilities, and assets devel-
oped by the Russian Federation in each such 
country and any associated agreements or under-
standings between the Russian Federation and 
such country. 
(2) An assessment of security cooperation, spe-
cifically in an advisory role, among the countries 
specified in subsection (b). 
(d) FORM.—The report required by subsection (a) shall 
be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classi-
fied annex. 
(e) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES
OF CONGRESS DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate committees 
of Congress’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Armed Services, the Com-
mittee on Foreign Relations, and the Committee on 
Appropriations of the Senate; and
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(2) the Committee on Armed Services, the Com-
mittee on Foreign Affairs, and the Committee on Ap-
propriations of the House of Representatives. 
SEC. 1238. SENSE OF SENATE ON COUNTERING RUSSIAN 
MALIGN INFLUENCE. 
It is the sense of the Senate that the Secretary of De-
fense and the Secretary of State should— 
(1) urgently prioritize the completion of a com-
prehensive strategy to counter Russian malign influ-
ence; and 
(2) submit to Congress the report required by 
section 1239A(d) of the National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 115–91). 
Subtitle E—Matters Relating to the 
Indo-Pacific Region 
SEC. 1241. REDESIGNATION, EXPANSION, AND EXTENSION 
OF SOUTHEAST ASIA MARITIME SECURITY 
INITIATIVE. 
(a) REDESIGNATION AS INDO-PACIFIC MARITIME SE-
CURITY INITIATIVE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (a)(2) of section 
1263 of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2016 (10 U.S.C. 333 note) is amended by 
striking ‘‘the ‘Southeast Asia Maritime Security Ini-
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† HR 5515 EAS 
tiative’ ’’ and inserting ‘‘the ‘Indo-Pacific Maritime 
Security Initiative’ ’’. 
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The heading of 
such section is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 1263. INDO-PACIFIC MARITIME SECURITY INITIA-
TIVE.’’. 
(b) EXPANSION.— 
(1) EXPANSION OF REGION TO RECEIVE ASSIST-
ANCE AND TRAINING.—Subsection (a)(1) of such sec-
tion is amended by inserting ‘‘and the Indian Ocean’’ 
after ‘‘South China Sea’’ in the matter preceding sub-
paragraph (A). 
(2) RECIPIENT COUNTRIES OF ASSISTANCE AND 
TRAINING GENERALLY.—Subsection (b) of such section 
is amended— 
(A) in paragraph (2), by striking the 
comma at the end and inserting a period; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraphs: 
‘‘(6) Bangladesh. 
‘‘(7) Sri Lanka.’’. 
(3) COUNTRIES ELIGIBLE FOR PAYMENT OF CER-
TAIN INCREMENTAL EXPENSES.—Subsection (e)(2) of 
such section is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subparagraph:
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‘‘(D) India.’’. 
(c) EXTENSION.—Subsection (h) of such section is 
amended by striking ‘‘September 30, 2020’’ and inserting 
‘‘December 31, 2025’’. 
SEC. 1242. MODIFICATION OF ANNUAL REPORT ON MILI-
TARY AND SECURITY DEVELOPMENTS IN-
VOLVING THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA. 
Section 1202(b) of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (10 U.S.C. 113 note) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (6) through (16) 
and (17) through (23) as paragraphs (7) through (17) 
and (19) through (25), respectively; 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (5) the fol-
lowing new paragraph (6): 
‘‘(6) China’s overseas military basing and logis-
tics infrastructure.’’; 
(3) in paragraph (8), as so redesignated, by 
striking ‘‘including technology transfers and espio-
nage’’ in the first sentence and inserting ‘‘including 
investment, industrial espionage, cybertheft, aca-
demia, and other means of technology transfer’’; 
(4) by inserting after paragraph (17), as so re-
designated, the following new paragraph (18):
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‘‘(18) An assessment of relations between China 
and the Russian Federation with respect to security 
and military matters.’’; and 
(5) by adding at the end the following new para-
graphs: 
‘‘(26) The relationship between Chinese overseas 
investment, including initiatives such as the Belt and 
Road Initiative, and Chinese security and military 
strategy objectives. 
‘‘(27) Efforts by China to influence the media, 
cultural institutions, business, and academic and pol-
icy communities of the United States to be more fa-
vorable to its security and military strategy and ob-
jectives. 
‘‘(28) Efforts by China to monitor and influence, 
in support of its security and military strategy and 
objectives, the following: 
‘‘(A) Chinese citizens in the United States. 
‘‘(B) United States citizens of Chinese de-
scent.’’. 
SEC. 1243. SENSE OF SENATE ON TAIWAN. 
It is the sense of the Senate that— 
(1) the Taiwan Relations Act (22 U.S.C. 3301 et 
seq.) and the ‘‘Six Assurances’’ are both cornerstones 
of United States relations with Taiwan;
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(2) the United States should strengthen defense 
and security cooperation with Taiwan to support the 
development of capable, ready, and modern defense 
forces necessary for Taiwan to maintain a sufficient 
self-defense capability; 
(3) the United States should strongly support the 
acquisition by Taiwan of defensive weapons through 
foreign military sales, direct commercial sales, and 
industrial cooperation, with a particular emphasis on 
asymmetric warfare and undersea warfare capabili-
ties, consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act; 
(4) the United States should improve the predict-
ability of arms sales to Taiwan by ensuring timely 
review of and response to requests of Taiwan for de-
fense articles and defense services; 
(5) the Secretary of Defense should promote De-
partment of Defense policies concerning exchanges 
that enhance the security of Taiwan, including— 
(A) United States participation in appro-
priate Taiwan exercises, such as the annual Han 
Kuang exercise; 
(B) Taiwan participation in appropriate 
United States exercises; and 
(C) exchanges between senior defense offi-
cials and general officers of the United States
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and Taiwan consistent with the Taiwan Travel 
Act (Public Law 115–135); 
(6) the United States and Taiwan should expand 
cooperation in humanitarian assistance and disaster 
relief; and 
(7) the Secretary of Defense should consider sup-
porting the visit of a United States hospital ship to 
Taiwan as part of the annual ‘‘Pacific Partnership’’ 
mission in order to improve disaster response plan-
ning and preparedness as well as to strengthen co-
operation between the United States and Taiwan. 
SEC. 1244. REDESIGNATION AND MODIFICATION OF SENSE 
OF CONGRESS AND INITIATIVE FOR THE 
INDO-ASIA-PACIFIC REGION. 
(a) REDESIGNATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 1251 of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Pub-
lic Law 115–91) is amended by striking ‘‘Indo-Asia- 
Pacific’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘Indo- 
Pacific’’. 
(2) HEADING AMENDMENTS.— 
(A) SECTION
HEADING.—The heading of 
such section is amended to read as follows:
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‘‘SEC. 1251. SENSE OF CONGRESS AND INITIATIVE FOR THE 
INDO-PACIFIC REGION.’’. 
(B) SUBSECTION HEADINGS.—Such section 
is further amended in the headings of subsections 
(b) and (f) by striking ‘‘INDO-ASIA-PACIFIC’’ and 
inserting ‘‘INDO-PACIFIC’’. 
(b) MODIFICATION OF INITIATIVE.—Such section is 
further amended— 
(1) in subsection (c)— 
(A) by striking paragraphs (1) through (4) 
and inserting the following new paragraphs (1) 
through (4): 
‘‘(1) Activities to increase the rotational and for-
ward presence, improve the capabilities, and enhance 
the posture of the United States Armed Forces in the 
Indo-Pacific region— 
‘‘(A) consistent with the National Defense 
Strategy; and 
‘‘(B) to the extent required to minimize the 
risk of execution of the contingency plans of the 
Department of Defense. 
‘‘(2) Activities to improve military and defense 
infrastructure, logistics, and assured access in the 
Indo-Pacific region to enhance the responsiveness, 
survivability, and operational resilience of the United 
States Armed Forces in the Indo-Pacific region.
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‘‘(3) Activities to enhance the storage and pre- 
positioning in the Indo-Pacific region of equipment 
and munitions of the United States Armed Forces. 
‘‘(4) Bilateral and multilateral military train-
ing and exercises with allies and partner nations in 
the Indo-Pacific region.’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (5)— 
(i) in the matter preceding subpara-
graph (A), by striking ‘‘security capacity’’ 
and all that follows through ‘‘of allies’’ in 
subparagraph (B) and inserting ‘‘security 
capacity of allies’’; and 
(ii) 
by 
redesignating 
clauses 
(i) 
through (v) as subparagraphs (A) through 
(E), respectively, and indenting appro-
priately; 
(2) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘only’’; and 
(3) by amending subsection (e) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(e) FIVE-YEAR PLAN FOR THE INDO-PACIFIC STA-
BILITY INITIATIVE.— 
‘‘(1) PLAN REQUIRED.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than March 
1, 2019, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation 
with the Commander of the United States Pa-
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† HR 5515 EAS 
cific Command, shall submit to the congressional 
defense committees a future years plan on activi-
ties and resources of the Initiative. 
‘‘(B) APPLICABILITY.—The plan shall apply 
to the Initiative with respect to fiscal year 2020 
and at least the four succeeding fiscal years. 
‘‘(2) ELEMENTS.—The plan required under 
paragraph (1) shall include each of the following: 
‘‘(A) A description of the objectives of the 
Initiative. 
‘‘(B) A description of the manner in which 
such objectives support implementation of the 
National Defense Strategy and reduce the risk of 
execution of the contingency plans of the Depart-
ment of Defense by improving the operational re-
silience of United States forces in the Indo-Pa-
cific region. 
‘‘(C) An assessment of the resource require-
ments to achieve such objectives. 
‘‘(D) An assessment of any additional rota-
tional or permanently stationed United States 
forces in the Indo-Pacific region required to 
achieve such objectives. 
‘‘(E) An assessment of the logistics require-
ments, including force enablers, equipment, sup-
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plies, storage, and maintenance, to achieve such 
objectives. 
‘‘(F) An identification and assessment of re-
quired infrastructure investments to achieve such 
objectives, including potential infrastructure in-
vestments by host countries and new construction 
or upgrades of existing sites that would be fund-
ed by the United States. 
‘‘(G) An assessment of any new agreements, 
or changes to existing agreements, with other 
countries for assured access required to achieve 
such objectives. 
‘‘(H) An assessment of security cooperation 
investments required to achieve such objectives. 
‘‘(3) FORM.—The plan required under para-
graph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but 
may include a classified annex.’’. 
SEC. 1245. PROHIBITION ON PARTICIPATION OF THE PEO-
PLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA IN RIM OF THE PA-
CIFIC (RIMPAC) NAVAL EXERCISES. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Congress 
that— 
(1) the pace and militarization by the Govern-
ment of the People’s Republic of China of land rec-
lamation activities in the South China Sea is desta-
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bilizing the security of United States allies and part-
ners and threatening United States core interests; 
(2) these activities of the Government of the Peo-
ple’s Republic of China adversarially threaten the 
maritime security of the United States and our allies 
and partners; 
(3) no country that acts adversarially should be 
invited to multilateral exercises; and 
(4) the involvement of the Government of the 
People’s Republic of China in multilateral exercises 
should undergo reevaluation until such behavior 
changes. 
(b) CONDITIONS
FOR FUTURE PARTICIPATION
IN 
RIMPAC.—The Secretary of Defense shall not enable or fa-
cilitate the participation of the People’s Republic of China 
in any Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) naval exercise unless 
the Secretary certifies to the congressional defense commit-
tees that China has— 
(1) ceased all land reclamation activities in the 
South China Sea; 
(2) removed all weapons from its land reclama-
tion sites; and 
(3) established a consistent four-year track 
record of taking actions toward stabilizing the region.
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SEC. 1246. ASSESSMENT OF AND REPORT ON GEOPOLITICAL 
CONDITIONS IN THE INDO-PACIFIC REGION. 
(a) ASSESSMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Defense shall select and enter into an agreement with 
an entity independent of the Department of Defense 
to conduct an assessment of the geopolitical conditions 
in the Indo-Pacific region that are necessary for the 
successful implementation of the National Defense 
Strategy. 
(2) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The assessment 
required by paragraph (1) shall include a determina-
tion of the geopolitical conditions in the Indo-Pacific 
region, including any change in economic and polit-
ical relations, that are necessary to support United 
States military requirements for forward defense, ex-
tensive forward basing, and alliance formation and 
strengthening in such region. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 270 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the independent entity selected 
under subsection (a) shall submit to the appropriate com-
mittees of Congress a report on the results of the assessment 
conducted under that subsection. 
(c) DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SUPPORT.—The Sec-
retary shall provide the independent entity selected under
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subsection (a) with timely access to appropriate informa-
tion, data, resources, and analyses necessary for the inde-
pendent entity to conduct the assessment required by that 
subsection in a thorough and independent manner. 
(d) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate committees 
of Congress’’ 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. 
SEC. 1247. SENSE OF SENATE ON UNITED STATES-INDIA DE-
FENSE RELATIONSHIP. 
It is the sense the Senate that the United States should 
strengthen and enhance its major defense partnership with 
India and work toward mutual security objectives by— 
(1) expanding engagement in multilateral frame-
works, including the Quadrilateral Dialogue between 
the United States, India, Japan, and Australia, to 
promote regional security and defend shared values 
and common interests in the rules-based order; 
(2) exploring additional steps to implement the 
‘‘major defense partner’’ designation to better facili-
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tate military interoperability, information sharing, 
and appropriate technology transfers; 
(3) designating the responsible individual within 
the Department of Defense to facilitate the major de-
fense partnership with India, as required by section 
1292(a)(1)(B) of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 130 
Stat. 2559); 
(4) pursuing strategic initiatives to help develop 
India’s defense capabilities, including maritime secu-
rity capabilities; 
(5) improving cooperation on and coordination 
of humanitarian and disaster relief responses; 
(6) conducting additional joint exercises with 
India in the Persian Gulf, the Indian Ocean region, 
and the Western Pacific; and 
(7) furthering cooperative efforts to promote secu-
rity and stability in Afghanistan. 
SEC. 1248. SENSE OF SENATE ON STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE 
OF 
MAINTAINING 
COMMITMENTS 
UNDER 
COMPACTS OF FREE ASSOCIATION. 
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate makes the following find-
ings: 
(1) The Federated States of Micronesia, the Re-
public of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of
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† HR 5515 EAS 
Palau are sovereign countries in free association with 
the United States under the Compacts of Free Asso-
ciation (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Com-
pacts’’), which provide for the exclusive right of the 
United States Armed Forces to operate in the areas 
covered by the Compacts. 
(2) Such exclusive right allows the United States 
to curtail the potential expansion of foreign militaries 
into areas covered by the Compacts. 
(3) Under the Compacts, eligible citizens of the 
Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the 
Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau may— 
(A) reside, work, and study in the United 
States without a visa; and 
(B) serve in the United States Armed 
Forces. 
(4) An estimated 1⁄4 of the populations of the 
Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the 
Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau has relo-
cated to the United States. 
(5) Under the Compacts, the Federal Government 
is required to provide assistance to any affected juris-
diction in the United States to defray costs incurred 
by the affected jurisdiction for health, educational, so-
cial, or public safety services, or for infrastructure re-
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lating to such services, due to the residence in the af-
fected jurisdiction of citizens of the Federated States 
of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, 
and the Republic of Palau. 
(b) SENSE OF SENATE.—It is the sense of the Senate 
that maintaining the commitments of the United States 
under the Compacts is of vital strategic importance to the 
national security interests of the United States. 
SEC. 1249. SENSE OF SENATE ON UNITED STATES MILITARY 
FORCES ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA. 
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate makes the following find-
ings: 
(1) On June 25, 1950, the Democratic People’s 
Republic of Korea (DPRK), under the rule of Kim Il- 
sung, the grandfather of Kim Jong-un, launched a 
surprise attack against forces from the Republic of 
Korea (South Korea) and small contingent of United 
States forces, thus beginning the Korean War. 
(2) In June and July of 1950, the United Na-
tions Security Council adopted Resolutions 82, 83, 
and 84 calling for the Democratic People’s Republic 
of Korea to cease hostilities and withdraw, to rec-
ommend that United Nations member nations provide 
forces to repel the Democratic People’s Republic of 
Korea attack, and stating any forces provided should
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be unified under the command of the United States, 
respectively. 
(3) Fighting as part of a 1,000,000-strong, 22- 
nation United Nations force, 36,574 members of the 
United States Armed Forces and 137,899 members of 
the South Korean military lost their lives during the 
three years of armed hostilities and brutal conflict in 
the Korean War. 
(4) On July 27, 1953, the Democratic People’s 
Republic of Korea, Chinese People’s Volunteers, and 
the United Nations signed an armistice agreement 
ceasing all hostilities in Korea and establishing the 
Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). 
(5) Since 1953, lawfully-deployed United States 
and United Nations forces have remained alongside 
their South Korean counterparts, continuing to pro-
tect and defend South Korea and deter aggression 
from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. 
(6) As a lasting testament the blood and treasure 
lost during the Korean War and the strong and un-
wavering alliance built from the ashes of the conflict, 
the Korean War Memorial in Washington, District of 
Columbia, and the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul, 
South Korea, prominently display the following in-
scription: ‘‘Our Nation honors her Sons and Daugh-
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ters who answered the call to defend a Country they 
never knew and a people they never met.’’. 
(7) The United States maintains a robust, well- 
trained, and ready force of approximately 28,500 
members of the Armed Forces in South Korea, and 
the presence of the members of the Armed Forces in 
South Korea demonstrates the continued resolve and 
support of the United States for the enduring United 
States-South Korean Alliance. 
(8) On December 22, 2017, Kim Jong-un stated, 
‘‘The rapid development of [North Korea’s] nuclear 
force is now exerting big influence on the world polit-
ical structure and strategic environment.’’. 
(9) On January 1, 2018, Kim Jong-un stated 
‘‘The entire United States is within range of our nu-
clear weapons, and a nuclear button is always on my 
desk. This is reality, not a threat. This year we 
should focus on mass producing nuclear warheads 
and ballistic missiles for operational deployment.’’. 
(10) Despite 11 standalone United Nations Secu-
rity Council resolutions against the nuclear and bal-
listic missile programs of the Democratic People’s Re-
public of Korea, 8 of which passed during the rule of 
Kim Jong-un, the Democratic People’s Republic of 
Korea has continued to illegally and unlawfully pur-
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† HR 5515 EAS 
sue a long-range, nuclear capability meant to hold 
hostage the United States and threaten the security of 
the neighbors of the Democratic People’s Republic of 
Korea. 
(11) The 2017 National Security Strategy (NSS) 
states— 
(A) ‘‘Our alliance and friendship with 
South Korea, forged by the trials of history, is 
stronger than ever.’’; 
(B) ‘‘Allies and partners magnify our 
power . . . [and] together with our allies, part-
ners, and aspiring partners, the United States 
will pursue cooperation with reciprocity.’’; and 
(C) with respect to priority actions in the 
Indo-Pacific region, ‘‘We will redouble our com-
mitment to established alliances and partner-
ships, while expanding and deepening relation-
ships with new partners that share respect for 
sovereignty . . . and the rule of law.’’. 
(12) Secretary of Defense James Mattis stated, 
‘‘Winston Churchill noted that the only thing harder 
than fighting with allies is fighting without them. 
History proves that we are stronger when we stand 
united with others. Accordingly, our military will be
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designed, trained, and ready to fight alongside al-
lies.’’. 
(13) The 2018 National Defense Strategy (NDS) 
states, ‘‘Mutually beneficial alliances and partner-
ships are crucial to our strategy, providing a durable, 
asymmetric strategic advantage that no competitor or 
rival can match . . . [and the United States] will 
strengthen and evolve our alliances and partnerships 
into an extended network capable of deterring or deci-
sively acting to meet the shared challenges of our 
time.’’. 
(14) The unclassified summary of 2018 NDS, an 
11-page document, mentions the term ‘‘allies’’ or ‘‘al-
liances’’ over 50 times. 
(15) The 2018 NDS states, ‘‘China is a strategic 
competitor using predatory economics to intimidate 
its neighbors . . . [and] it is increasingly clear that 
China. . .want[s] to shape a world consistent with 
their authoritarian model—gaining veto authority 
over other nations’ economic, diplomatic, and security 
decisions.’’. 
(16) Foreign policy experts have long contended 
that the first priority of the People’s Republic of 
China on the Korean Peninsula is to ensure that the 
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea remains a
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buffer between China and the democratic South Korea 
and the United States forces deployed on the Korean 
Peninsula. 
(17) China continues to provide the Democratic 
People’s Republic of Korea with most of its food and 
energy supplies and, until recently, accounted for ap-
proximately 90 percent of the total trade volume of 
the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. 
(18) On June 30, 2017, President Donald 
Trump stated, ‘‘Our goal is peace, stability and pros-
perity for the region. But the United States will de-
fend itself, always will defend itself, always, and we 
will always defend our allies. As part of that commit-
ment, we are working together to ensure fair burden 
sharing and support of the United States military 
presence in Republic of Korea.’’. 
(19) South Korea already pays for approxi-
mately 50 percent of the total nonpersonal costs of the 
28,500 United States members of the Armed Forces on 
the Korean Peninsula, amounting to $887,500,000 in 
2018. 
(20) President Moon Jae-in has committed to in-
creasing the defense spending of South Korea during 
his term from the current level 2.4 percent of the gross
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domestic product to 2.9 percent of the gross domestic 
product. 
(21) News reports published in early May 2018 
have stated that President Trump asked the Secretary 
of Defense to provide him with options for removing 
United States troops from the Korean Peninsula. 
(22) National Security Advisor John Bolton re-
sponded, ‘‘The President has not asked the Pentagon 
to provide options for reducing American forces sta-
tioned in South Korea.’’. 
(23) A spokesman for the Secretary stated, ‘‘The 
president has not asked the Pentagon to provide op-
tions for reducing American forces stationed in South 
Korea. The Department of Defense’s mission in South 
Korea remains the same, and our force posture has 
not changed. The Department of Defense remains 
committed to supporting the maximum pressure cam-
paign, developing and maintaining military options 
for the President, and reinforcing our ironclad secu-
rity commitment with our allies. We all remain com-
mitted to complete, verifiable, and irreversible 
denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.’’. 
(b) SENSE OF SENATE.—It is the sense of the Senate 
that—
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(1) South Korea is a close friend and ally of the 
United States, and the United States-South Korea al-
liance is the linchpin of peace and security in the 
Indo-Pacific region; 
(2) the presence of United States military forces 
on the Korean Peninsula and across the Indo-Pacific 
region continues to play a critical role in safe-
guarding the peaceful and stable rules-based inter-
national order that benefits all countries; 
(3) South Korea has contributed heavily to its 
own defense and to the defense of the United States 
Armed Forces in South Korea, including by pro-
viding $10,000,000,000 of the $10,800,000,0000 Camp 
Humphreys project, which is 93 percent of the fund-
ing, to build and relocate United States military 
forces to a new base in South Korea; 
(4) United States military forces, pursuant to 
international law, are lawfully deployed on the Ko-
rean Peninsula; 
(5) the nuclear and ballistic missile programs of 
the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea are clear 
and consistent violations of international law; 
(6) the long-stated strategic objective of authori-
tarian states such as the People’s Republic of China, 
the Russian Federation, and the Democratic People’s
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Republic of Korea has been the significant removal of 
United States military forces from the Korean Penin-
sula; 
(7) the maximum pressure campaign of the 
Trump Administration, including an increase in eco-
nomic sanctions and diplomatic measures with 
United States allies and regional partners, has 
worked to bring Kim Jong-un to the negotiation table; 
and 
(8) the significant removal of United States 
military forces from the Korean Peninsula is a non- 
negotiable item as it relates to the complete, verifiable, 
and irreversible denuclearization of the Democratic 
People’s Republic of Korea. 
Subtitle F—Reports 
SEC. 1251. REPORT ON MILITARY AND COERCIVE ACTIVI-
TIES OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA 
IN SOUTH CHINA SEA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection 
(d), immediately after the commencement of any significant 
reclamation or militarization activity by the People’s Re-
public of China in the South China Sea, including any sig-
nificant military deployment or operation or infrastructure 
construction, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with 
the Secretary of State, shall submit to the congressional de-
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† HR 5515 EAS 
fense committees, and release to the public, a report on the 
military and coercive activities of China in the South 
China Sea in connection with such activity. 
(b) ELEMENTS OF REPORT TO PUBLIC.—Each report 
on a significant reclamation or militarization activity 
under subsection (a) shall include a short narrative on, and 
one or more corresponding images of, such significant rec-
lamation or militarization activity. 
(c) FORM.— 
(1) SUBMITTAL
TO
CONGRESS.—Any report 
under subsection (a) that is submitted to the congres-
sional defense committees shall be submitted in un-
classified form, but may include a classified annex. 
(2) RELEASE TO PUBLIC.—If a report under sub-
section (a) is released to the public, such report shall 
be so released in unclassified form. 
(d) WAIVER.— 
(1) RELEASE OF REPORT TO PUBLIC.—The Sec-
retary of Defense may waive the requirement in sub-
section (a) for the release to the public of a report on 
a significant reclamation or militarization activity if 
the Secretary determines that the release to the public 
of a report on such activity under that subsection in 
the form required by subsection (c)(2) would have an
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adverse effect on the national security interests of the 
United States. 
(2) NOTICE
TO
CONGRESS.—If the Secretary 
issues a waiver under paragraph (1) with respect to 
a report on an activity, not later than 48 hours after 
the Secretary issues such waiver, the Secretary shall 
submit to the congressional defense committees written 
notice of, and justification for, such waiver. 
SEC. 
1252. 
REPORT 
ON 
TERRORIST 
USE 
OF 
HUMAN 
SHIELDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense, in con-
sultation with the Secretary of State, shall provide a report 
on the use of human shields by terrorist groups to protect 
otherwise lawful targets from attack. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required by subsection (a) 
shall include the following: 
(1) A description of the lessons learned from the 
United States and its allies and partners in address-
ing the use of human shields by terrorist organiza-
tions such as Hamas, Hezbollah, the Islamic State of 
Iraq and Syria, Al Qaeda, and any other organiza-
tion as determined by the Secretary of Defense. 
(2) A description of a specific plan and actions 
being taken by the Department of Defense to incor-
porate the lessons learned as identified in paragraph
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† HR 5515 EAS 
(1) into Department of Defense operating guidance, 
relevant capabilities, and tactics, techniques, and pro-
cedures to deter, counter, and address the challenge 
posed by the use of human shields and hold account-
able terrorist organizations for the use of human 
shields. 
(c) SUBMITTAL OF THE REPORT.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall submit to the appropriate commit-
tees of Congress the report required in subsection (a). 
(d) FORM.—The report shall be submitted in unclassi-
fied form, but may include a classified annex. 
(e) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES
OF CONGRESS DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate committees 
of Congress’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Armed Services, the Com-
mittee on Foreign Relations, and the Committee on 
the Judiciary of the Senate; and 
(2) the Committee on Armed Services, the Com-
mittee on Foreign Affairs, and the Committee on the 
Judiciary of the House of Representatives. 
SEC. 1253. REPORT ON ARCTIC STRATEGIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army, 
the Secretary of the Navy, and the Secretary of the Air
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† HR 5515 EAS 
Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees 
a report on the strategy of the Army, the Navy and the 
Marine Corps, and the Air Force, respectively, for the Arctic 
region. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required by subsection (a) 
shall include the following: 
(1) A description of the specific means by which 
each Armed Force, including regular components, the 
National Guard, and the Reserves, will— 
(A) enhance the capability of the Armed 
Forces to defend the homeland and exercise sov-
ereignty; 
(B) strengthen deterrence at home and 
abroad; 
(C) strengthen alliances and partnerships; 
(D) preserve freedom of the seas in the Arc-
tic; 
(E) engage public, private, and inter-
national partners to improve domain awareness 
in the Arctic; 
(F) develop Department of Defense Arctic 
infrastructure and capabilities consistent with 
changing conditions and needs; 
(G) provide support to civil authorities, as 
directed;
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† HR 5515 EAS 
(H) partner with other departments, agen-
cies, and countries to support human and envi-
ronmental security; and 
(I) support international institutions that 
promote regional cooperation and the rule of 
law. 
(2) An analysis of the role of each Armed Force 
in the operational and contingency plans for the pro-
tection of United States national security interests in 
the Arctic region, including strategic national assets, 
United States citizens, territory, freedom of naviga-
tion, and economic and trade interests in the Arctic 
region, weighed against the missions described in the 
Arctic strategy. 
(3) A detailed description of near-term and long- 
term training, capability, and resource gaps that 
must be addressed to fully execute each mission de-
scribed in the Arctic strategy against an increasing 
threat environment. 
(4) A description of the Armed Force-specific in-
frastructure that may be needed to continue to accom-
plish each mission described in the Arctic strategy 
against an increasing threat environment, including 
a cost estimate and potential construction timeline for 
such infrastructure.
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(5) A description, by Armed Force, of the current 
and projected Arctic capabilities of the Russian Fed-
eration and the People’s Republic of China, and an 
analysis of current and future United States capabili-
ties that are required to comply with— 
(A) each mission described in the Arctic 
strategy; and 
(B) the strategic objectives in the National 
Defense Strategy. 
(6) With respect to each Armed Force— 
(A) an assessment of the level of cooperation 
between each Armed Force and other depart-
ments and agencies of the United States Govern-
ment (including the Department of Homeland 
Security and the National Security Agency), 
State and local governments, and Tribal entities; 
and 
(B) a plan for increased cooperation be-
tween the Armed Forces and such departments, 
agencies, and entities. 
(c) FORM.—The report required by subsection (a) shall 
be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classi-
fied annex.
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SEC. 1254. REPORT ON PERMANENT STATIONING OF 
UNITED STATES FORCES IN THE REPUBLIC 
OF POLAND. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than March 1, 2019, the 
Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of 
State, shall submit to the congressional defense committees 
a report on the feasibility and advisability of permanently 
stationing United States forces in the Republic of Poland. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required by subsection (a) 
shall include the following: 
(1) An assessment of the types of permanently 
stationed United States forces in Poland required to 
deter aggression by the Russian Federation and exe-
cute Department of Defense contingency plans, in-
cluding combat enabler units in capability areas such 
as— 
(A) combat engineering; 
(B) logistics and sustainment; 
(C) warfighting headquarters elements; 
(D) long-range fires; 
(E) air and missile defense; 
(F) intelligence, surveillance, and recon-
naissance; and 
(G) electronic warfare. 
(2) An assessment of the feasibility and advis-
ability of permanently stationing a United States
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Army brigade combat team in the Republic of Poland 
that includes the following: 
(A) An assessment whether a permanently 
stationed United States Army brigade combat 
team in Poland would enhance deterrence 
against Russian aggression in Eastern Europe. 
(B) An assessment of the actions the Rus-
sian Federation may take in response to a 
United States decision to permanently station a 
brigade combat team in Poland. 
(C) An assessment of the international po-
litical considerations of permanently stationing 
such a brigade combat team in Poland, includ-
ing within the North Atlantic Treaty Organiza-
tion (NATO). 
(D) An assessment whether a such a brigade 
combat team in Poland would support imple-
mentation of the National Defense Strategy. 
(E) A description and assessment of the 
manner in which such a brigade combat team in 
Poland would affect the ability of the Joint 
Force to execute Department of Defense contin-
gency plans in Europe. 
(F) A description and assessment of the 
manner in which such a brigade combat team in
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† HR 5515 EAS 
Poland would affect the ability of the Joint 
Force to respond to a crisis inside the territory 
of a North Atlantic Treaty Organization ally 
that occurs prior to the invocation of Article 5 
of the Washington Treaty by the North Atlantic 
Council. 
(G) An identification and assessment of— 
(i) potential locations in Poland for 
stationing such a brigade combat team; 
(ii) the logistics requirements, includ-
ing force enablers, equipment, supplies, stor-
age, and maintenance, that would be re-
quired to support such a brigade combat 
team in Poland; 
(iii) infrastructure investments by the 
United States and Poland, including new 
construction or upgrades of existing sites, 
that would be required to support such a 
brigade combat team in Poland; 
(iv) any new agreements, or changes to 
existing agreements, between the United 
States and Poland that would be required 
for a such a brigade combat team in Po-
land;
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† HR 5515 EAS 
(v) any changes to the posture or capa-
bilities of the Joint Force in Europe that 
would be required to support such a brigade 
combat team in Poland; and 
(vi) the timeline required to achieve the 
permanent stationing of such a brigade 
combat team in Poland. 
(H) An assessment of the willingness and 
ability of the Government of Poland to provide 
host nation support for such a brigade combat 
team. 
(I) An assessment whether future growth in 
United States Army end strength may be used to 
source additional forces for such a brigade com-
bat team in Poland. 
(c) FORM.—The report required by subsection (a) shall 
be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classi-
fied annex. 
SEC. 1254A. INEFFECTIVENESS OF SECTION 937. 
Section 937, relating to a Strategic Defense Fellows 
Program for the Department of Defense, shall have no force 
or effect. 
SEC. 1254B. JOHN S. MCCAIN STRATEGIC DEFENSE FEL-
LOWS PROGRAM. 
(a) FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.—
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† HR 5515 EAS 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Defense shall establish within the Department of De-
fense a civilian fellowship program designed to pro-
vide leadership development and the commencement of 
a career track toward senior leadership in the Depart-
ment. 
(2) DESIGNATION.—The fellowship program shall 
be known as the ‘‘John S. McCain Strategic Defense 
Fellows Program’’ (in this section referred to as the 
‘‘fellows program’’). 
(b) ELIGIBILITY.—An individual is eligible for par-
ticipation in the fellows program if the individual— 
(1) is a citizen of the United States or a lawful 
permanent resident of the United States in the year 
in which the individual applies for participation in 
the fellows program; and 
(2) either— 
(A) possesses a graduate degree from an ac-
credited institution of higher education in the 
United States that was awarded not later than 
two years before the date of the acceptance of the 
individual into the fellows program; or 
(B) will be awarded a graduate degree from 
an accredited institution of higher education in
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† HR 5515 EAS 
the United States not later than six months after 
the date of the acceptance of the individual into 
the fellows program. 
(c) APPLICATION.— 
(1) APPLICATION REQUIRED.—Each individual 
seeking to participate in the fellows program shall 
submit to the Secretary an application therefor at 
such time and in such manner as the Secretary shall 
specify. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—Each application of an indi-
vidual under this subsection shall include the fol-
lowing: 
(A) Transcripts of educational achievement 
at the undergraduate and graduate level. 
(B) A resume. 
(C) Proof of citizenship or lawful perma-
nent residence. 
(D) An endorsement from the applicant’s 
graduate institution of higher education. 
(E) An academic writing sample. 
(F) Letters of recommendation addressing 
the applicant’s character, academic ability, and 
any extracurricular activities.
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(G) A personal statement by the applicant 
explaining career areas of interest and motiva-
tions for service in the Department. 
(H) Such other information as the Sec-
retary considers appropriate. 
(d) SELECTION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Each year, the Secretary shall 
select participants in the fellows program from among 
applicants for the fellows program for such year who 
qualify for participation in the fellows program based 
on character, commitment to public service, academic 
achievement, extracurricular activities, and such 
other qualifications for participation in the fellows 
program as the Secretary considers appropriate. 
(2) NUMBER.—The number of individuals se-
lected to participate in the fellows program in any 
year may not exceed the numbers as follows: 
(A) Ten individuals from each geographic 
region of the United States as follows: 
(i) The Northeast. 
(ii) The Southeast. 
(iii) The Midwest. 
(iv) The Southwest. 
(v) The West. 
(B) Ten additional individuals.
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(3) BACKGROUND
INVESTIGATION.—An indi-
vidual selected to participate in the fellows program 
may not participate in the program unless the indi-
vidual successfully undergoes a background investiga-
tion applicable to the position to which the individual 
will be assigned under the fellows program and other-
wise meets such requirements applicable to assign-
ment to a sensitive position within the Department 
that the Secretary considers appropriate. 
(e) ASSIGNMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Each individual who partici-
pates in the fellows program shall be assigned to a po-
sition in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. 
(2) POSITION
REQUIREMENTS.—Each Under 
Secretary of Defense and each Director of a Defense 
Agency who reports directly to the Secretary shall 
submit to the Secretary each year the qualifications 
and skills to be demonstrated by participants in the 
fellows program to qualify for assignment under this 
subsection for service in a position of the office of such 
Under Secretary or Director. 
(3) ASSIGNMENT TO POSITIONS.—The Secretary 
shall each year assign participants in the fellows pro-
gram to positions in the offices of the Under Secre-
taries and Directors described in paragraph (2). In
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making such assignments, the Secretary shall seek to 
best match the qualifications and skills of partici-
pants in the fellows program with the requirements of 
positions available for assignment. Each participant 
so assigned shall serve as a special assistant to the 
Under Secretary or Director to whom assigned. 
(4) TERM.—The term of each assignment under 
the fellows program shall be one year. 
(5) PAY AND BENEFITS.—An individual assigned 
to a position under the fellows program shall be com-
pensated at the rate of compensation for employees at 
level GS–10 of the General Schedule, and shall be 
treated as an employee of the United States during 
the term of assignment, including for purposes of eli-
gibility for health care benefits and retirement bene-
fits available to employees of the United States. 
(6) EDUCATION LOAN REPAYMENT.—To the ex-
tent that funds are provided in advance in appro-
priations Acts, the Secretary may repay any loan of 
a participant in the fellows program if the loan is de-
scribed by subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of section 
16301(a)(1) of title 10, United States Code. Any re-
payment of loans under this paragraph shall be on a 
first-come, first-served basis. 
(f) CAREER DEVELOPMENT.—
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† HR 5515 EAS 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall ensure 
that participants in the fellows program— 
(A) receive opportunities and support ap-
propriate for the commencement of a career track 
within the Department leading toward a future 
position of senior leadership within the Depart-
ment, including ongoing mentorship support 
through appropriate personnel from entities 
within the Department such as the Defense Busi-
ness Board and the Defense Innovation Board; 
and 
(B) are provided appropriate opportunities 
for employment and advancement within the De-
partment upon successful completion of the fel-
lows program. 
(2) RESERVATION OF POSITIONS.—In carrying 
out paragraph (1)(B), the Secretary shall reserve for 
participants who successfully complete the fellows pro-
gram not fewer than 30 positions in the excepted serv-
ice within the Department that are suitable for the 
commencement of a career track toward senior leader-
ship within the Department. Any position so reserved 
shall not be subject to or covered by any reduction in 
headquarters personnel required under any other pro-
vision of law.
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† HR 5515 EAS 
(3) NONCOMPETITIVE APPOINTMENT.—Upon the 
successful completion of the assignment of a partici-
pant in the fellows program in a position pursuant 
to subsection (e), the Secretary may, without regard 
to the provisions of subchapter I of chapter 33 of title 
5, United States Code, appoint the participant to a 
position reserved pursuant to paragraph (2) if the 
Secretary determines that such appointment will con-
tribute to the development of highly qualified future 
senior leaders for the Department. 
(4) PUBLICATION OF SELECTION.—The Secretary 
shall publish on an Internet website of the Depart-
ment available to the public the names of the individ-
uals selected to participate in the fellows program. 
(g) OUTREACH.—The Secretary shall undertake appro-
priate outreach to inform potential participants in the fel-
lows program of the nature and benefits of participation 
in the fellows program. 
(h) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall carry out this 
section in accordance with such regulations as the Secretary 
may prescribe for purposes of this section. 
(i) FUNDING.—Of the amounts authorized to be appro-
priated for each fiscal year for the Department of Defense 
for operation and maintenance, Defense-wide, $10,000,000
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† HR 5515 EAS 
may be available to carry out the fellows program in such 
fiscal year. 
SEC. 1255. REPORTS ON NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES OF THE 
DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF KOREA. 
(a) BASELINE REPORT.—Not later than 60 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of De-
fense, in coordination with the Director of National Intel-
ligence, shall submit to the appropriate committees of Con-
gress a report on the status of the nuclear program of the 
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to establish a base-
line of progress for negotiations with the Democratic Peo-
ple’s Republic of Korea with respect to denuclearization. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required by subsection (a) 
shall include the following, to the extent known or suspected: 
(1) A description of the location, quantity, capa-
bility, and operational status of the nuclear weapons 
of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. 
(2) A description of the location of nuclear re-
search, development, production, and testing facilities 
of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, includ-
ing covert facilities. 
(3) A description of the location, quantity, capa-
bility, and operational status of the ballistic missiles 
of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
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(4) A description of the location of the ballistic 
missile manufacturing and assembly facilities of the 
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. 
(5) An assessment of any intelligence gaps with 
respect to the information required by this subsection 
and verification or inspection measures that may fill 
such gaps. 
(c) UPDATES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In the case of an agreement 
between the United States and the Democratic Peo-
ple’s Republic of Korea, not later than 60 days after 
the date on which the agreement is reached, and every 
90 days thereafter, the report required by subsection 
(a) shall be augmented by a written update. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—Each written update under 
paragraph (1) shall include the following for the pre-
ceding 90-day period: 
(A) A description of the number of nuclear 
weapons and ballistic missiles verifiably disman-
tled, destroyed, rendered permanently unusable, 
or transferred out of the Democratic People’s Re-
public of Korea. 
(B) An identification of the location of nu-
clear research, development, production, and test-
ing facilities in the Democratic People’s Republic
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† HR 5515 EAS 
of Korea identified and verifiably dismantled, 
destroyed, or rendered permanently unusable. 
(C) An identification of the location of bal-
listic missile manufacturing and assembly facili-
ties in the Democratic People’s Republic of 
Korea verifiably dismantled, destroyed, or ren-
dered permanently unusable. 
(D) A description of the number of nuclear 
weapons and ballistic missiles that remain in or 
under the control of the Democratic People’s Re-
public of Korea. 
(E) An assessment of the progress made in 
extending the breakout period required for the 
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to recon-
stitute its nuclear weapons program and build a 
nuclear weapon, as such progress relates to the 
information required by subparagraphs (A) 
through (D). 
(d) VERIFICATION ASSESSMENT REPORT.—Not later 
than 180 days after the date on which the report required 
by subsection (a) is submitted, and every 180 days there-
after, the written update required under paragraph (1) of 
subsection (c) shall include, in addition to the information 
required by subparagraphs (A) through (E) of that sub-
section, the following for the preceding 180-day period:
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(1) An assessment of the establishment of safe-
guards, other control mechanisms, and other assur-
ances secured from the Democratic People’s Republic 
of Korea to ensure the activities of the Democratic 
People’s Republic of Korea permitted under any 
agreement will not be used to further any nuclear-re-
lated military or nuclear explosive purpose, including 
research on or development of a nuclear explosive de-
vice. 
(2) An assessment of the capacity of the United 
States or an international organization, including the 
International Atomic Energy Agency, to effectively 
access and investigate suspicious sites in the Demo-
cratic People’s Republic of Korea or allegations of 
covert nuclear-related activities, including storage 
sites for nuclear weapons. 
(e) SUNSET.—The section shall cease to be effective on 
the date that is three years after the date of the enactment 
of this Act. 
(f) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES
OF CONGRESS DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate committees 
of Congress’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Armed Services, the Select 
Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on Foreign
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† HR 5515 EAS 
Relations, and the Committee on Appropriations of 
the Senate; and 
(2) the Committee on Armed Services, the Per-
manent Select Committee on Intelligence, the Com-
mittee on Foreign Affairs, and the Committee on Ap-
propriations of the House of Representatives. 
SEC. 1256. REPORT ON UNITED STATES MILITARY TRAINING 
OPPORTUNITIES WITH ALLIES AND PART-
NERS IN THE INDO-PACIFIC REGION. 
(a) SENSE OF SENATE.—It is the sense of the Senate 
that— 
(1) the Secretary of Defense, as part of strategic 
initiatives, should continue to place emphasis on and 
consider the benefits of United States military train-
ing exercises with allies in the Indo-Pacific region; 
(2) the Indo-Pacific region is— 
(A) a strategically important region; and 
(B) critical to the interests of the United 
States; 
(3) the relationship between the United States 
and allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region is 
essential for ensuring peace and security in the re-
gion;
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† HR 5515 EAS 
(4) interoperability between the United States 
and allies in the Indo-Pacific region increases readi-
ness and regional contingency response time; 
(5) the United States should focus on expanding 
training with other allied nations and partners in the 
Indo-Pacific region; 
(6) the United States, working within our frame-
work of alliances and partnerships, should seek to 
build the capacity and capability of our allies and 
partners in the Indo-Pacific region and to expand 
interoperability with them; and 
(7) the United States and its partners in the 
Indo-Pacific region should continue to work together 
to build the forces, infrastructure, relationships, and 
training needed to respond to search and rescue and 
humanitarian assistance needed in the whole of cata-
strophic natural disasters. 
(b) REPORT.— 
(1) 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 com-
mittees a report on future United States military 
training opportunities with allied and partner coun-
tries in the Indo-Pacific region.
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† HR 5515 EAS 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para-
graph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) A detailed description of— 
(i) current United States military ex-
ercises involving United States partners 
and allies in the Indo-Pacific region; 
(ii) the manner in which such exercises 
are intended to improve the capability and 
capacity of such partners and allies; and 
(iii) the interoperability of such part-
ners and allies with the United States 
Armed Forces. 
(B) An analysis of the potential to expand 
the size, scope, or makeup of such exercises to in-
clude— 
(i) additional forces and units of cur-
rent participants; 
(ii) additional capabilities or training; 
and 
(iii) other allies and partners in the 
Indo-Pacific region and other regions. 
(C) An identification of new United States 
military exercises that may be initiated in the 
Indo-Pacific region with—
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† HR 5515 EAS 
(i) security treaty allies such as 
Japan, South Korea, Australia, the Phil-
ippines, and Thailand; 
(ii) growing partners such as India, 
Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Zea-
land, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam; 
(iii) existing multilateral frameworks, 
such as the Association of Southeast Asian 
Nations (ASEAN); 
(iv) allies and partners outside the 
Indo-Pacific region; and 
(v) potential new allies or partners. 
(3) FORM.—The report required by paragraph 
(1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may 
include a classified annex. 
Subtitle G—Other Matters 
SEC. 1261. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITIES RELATING TO 
ACQUISITION AND CROSS-SERVICING AGREE-
MENTS. 
(a) PROHIBITIONS.—Section 2342 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection 
(f); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following 
new subsections (d) and (e):
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† HR 5515 EAS 
‘‘(d) The Secretary of may not use an agreement with 
any government of an organization described in subsection 
(a)(1) to facilitate the transfer of logistic support, supplies, 
and services to any country or organization with which the 
Secretary has not signed an agreement described in sub-
section (a)(2). 
‘‘(e) An agreement described in subsection (a)(2) may 
not provide or otherwise constitute a commitment for the 
introduction of the armed forces into hostilities.’’. 
(b) ANNUAL
REPORTS.—Such section is further 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(g) Not later than January 15 each year, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Con-
gress a report on acquisition and cross-servicing activities 
that sets forth, in detail, the following: 
‘‘(1) A list of agreements in effect pursuant to 
subsection (a)(1) during the preceding fiscal year. 
‘‘(2) The date on which each agreement listed 
under paragraph (1) was signed, and, in the case of 
an agreement with a country that is not a member 
of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the date 
on which the Secretary notified Congress pursuant to 
subsection (b)(2) of the designation of such country 
under subsection (a).
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† HR 5515 EAS 
‘‘(3) The total dollar amount and major cat-
egories of logistic support, supplies, and services pro-
vided during the preceding fiscal year under each 
such agreement. 
‘‘(4) The total dollar amount and major cat-
egories of reciprocal provisions of logistic support, 
supplies, and services received under each such agree-
ment. 
‘‘(5) With respect to the calendar year during 
which the report is submitted, an assessment of the 
following: 
‘‘(A) The anticipated logistic support, sup-
plies, and services requirements of the United 
States. 
‘‘(B) The anticipated requirements of other 
countries for United States logistic support, sup-
plies, and services.’’. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—Such section is further amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ‘‘the Com-
mittee on Armed Services’’ the first place it appears 
and all that follows through ‘‘the House of Represent-
atives’’ and inserting ‘‘the appropriate committees of 
Congress’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section:
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† HR 5515 EAS 
‘‘(h) In this section, the term ‘appropriate committees 
of Congress’ 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.’’. 
SEC. 1262. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR TRANSFER OF 
AMOUNTS FOR GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT CEN-
TER. 
Section 1287(e)(1) of the National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 130 
Stat. 2546; 22 U.S.C. 2656 note) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(2) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period 
at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph: 
‘‘(C) for fiscal year 2019 are less than 
$80,000,000, the Secretary of Defense is author-
ized to transfer, from amounts authorized to be 
appropriated by an Act authorizing funds for the 
Department of Defense for fiscal year 2019, to 
the Secretary of State an amount, not to exceed
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† HR 5515 EAS 
$60,000,000, to be available to carry out the 
functions of the Center for fiscal year 2019.’’. 
SEC. 1263. SENSE OF SENATE ON PURCHASE BY TURKEY OF 
S–400 AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM. 
It is the sense of the Senate that if the Republic of 
Turkey purchases the S–400 air defense system from the 
Russian Federation— 
(1) such purchase would constitute a significant 
transaction within the meaning of section 231(a) of 
the Countering Russian Influence in Europe and 
Eurasia Act of 2017 (title II of Public Law 115–44; 
22 U.S.C. 9525(a)); and 
(2) the President should faithfully execute that 
Act by imposing and applying sanctions under sec-
tion 235 of that Act (22 U.S.C. 9529) with respect to 
any individual or entity determined to have engaged 
in such significant transaction as if such person were 
a sanctioned person for purposes of such section 235. 
SEC. 1264. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SUPPORT FOR STA-
BILIZATION ACTIVITIES IN NATIONAL SECU-
RITY INTEREST OF THE UNITED STATES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense may, with 
the concurrence of the Secretary of State and in consulta-
tion with the Administrator of the United States Agency 
for International Development and the Director of the Office
658 
† HR 5515 EAS 
of Management and Budget, provide support for the sta-
bilization activities of other Federal agencies specified 
under subsection (c). 
(b) DESIGNATION OF FOREIGN AREAS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Amounts authorized to be pro-
vided pursuant to this section shall be available only 
for support for stabilization activities— 
(A) in a country specified in paragraph 
(2); and 
(B) that the Secretary of Defense, with the 
concurrence of the Secretary of State, has deter-
mined are in the national security interest of the 
United States. 
(2) SPECIFIED COUNTRIES.—The countries speci-
fied in this paragraph are as follows: 
(A) Iraq. 
(B) Syria. 
(C) Afghanistan. 
(D) Somalia. 
(c) SUPPORT TO OTHER AGENCIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Support may be provided for 
stabilization activities under subsection (a) to the De-
partment of State, the United States Agency for 
International Development, or other Federal agencies, 
on a reimbursable or nonreimbursable basis.
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† HR 5515 EAS 
(2) TYPE
OF
SUPPORT.—Support under sub-
section (a) may consist of— 
(A) logistic support, supplies, and services; 
and 
(B) equipment. 
(d) REQUIREMENT
FOR
A STABILIZATION STRAT-
EGY.— 
(1) LIMITATION.—With respect to any country 
specified in subsection (b)(2), no amount of support 
may be provided under subsection (a) until 15 days 
after the date on which the Secretary of Defense, with 
the concurrence of the Secretary of State, submits to 
the appropriate committees of Congress a detailed re-
port setting forth a stabilization strategy for such 
country. 
(2) ELEMENTS
OF
DETERMINATION.—The sta-
bilization strategy required by paragraph (1) shall set 
forth the following: 
(A) The United States interests in con-
ducting stabilization activities in the country 
specified in subsection (b)(2). 
(B) The key foreign partners and actors in 
such country.
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† HR 5515 EAS 
(C) The desired end states and objectives of 
the United States stabilization activities in such 
country. 
(D) The Department of Defense support in-
tended to be provided for the stabilization activi-
ties of other Federal agencies under section (a). 
(E) Any mechanism for civil-military co-
ordination regarding support for stabilization 
activities. 
(F) The mechanisms for monitoring and 
evaluating the effectiveness of Department of De-
fense support for United States stabilization ac-
tivities in the area. 
(e) REQUIREMENT FOR GUIDANCE.—No amount of 
support may be provided under subsection (a) until 30 days 
after the date on which the Secretary of Defense submits 
to the appropriate committees of Congress written guidance 
for the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation 
of support provided under that subsection. 
(f) REPORT.—The Secretary of Defense, with the con-
currence of the Secretary of State, shall submit to the appro-
priate committees of Congress on an annual basis a report 
that includes the following:
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† HR 5515 EAS 
(1) The identification of each foreign area within 
countries specified in subparagraph (b)(2) for which 
support to stabilization has occurred. 
(2) The total amount spent by the Department 
of Defense, broken out by recipient Federal agency 
and activity. 
(3) An assessment of the contribution of each ac-
tivity toward greater stability. 
(4) An articulation of any plans for continued 
Department of Defense support to stabilization in the 
specified foreign area in order to maintain or im-
prove stability. 
(5) Other matters as the Secretary considers to 
be appropriate. 
(g) USE OF FUNDS.— 
(1) SOURCE OF FUNDS.—Amounts for activities 
carried out under this section in a fiscal year shall 
be derived only from amounts authorized to be appro-
priated for such fiscal year for the Department of De-
fense for Operation and Maintenance, Defense-wide. 
(2) LIMITATION.—Not more than $25,000,000 in 
each fiscal year is authorized to be used to provide 
support under this section. 
(h) EXPIRATION.—The authority provided under this 
section may not be exercised after September 30, 2020.
662 
† HR 5515 EAS 
(i) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS.— 
The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Congress’’ 
means— 
(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) LOGISTIC SUPPORT, SUPPLIES, AND SERV-
ICES.—The term ‘‘logistic support, supplies, and serv-
ices’’ has the meaning given the term in section 
2350(1) of title 10 United States Code. 
SEC. 1265. ENHANCEMENT OF U.S.-ISRAEL DEFENSE CO-
OPERATION. 
(a) EXTENSION OF WAR RESERVES STOCKPILE AU-
THORITY.—Section 12001(d) of the Department of Defense 
Appropriations Act, 2005 (Public Law 108–287; 118 Stat. 
1011) is amended by striking ‘‘after September 30, 2018’’ 
and inserting ‘‘after September 30, 2023’’. 
(b) JOINT ASSESSMENT OF QUANTITY OF PRECISION 
GUIDED MUNITIONS FOR USE BY ISRAEL.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The President, acting through 
the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense,
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† HR 5515 EAS 
is authorized to conduct a joint assessment with the 
Government of Israel with respect to the matters de-
scribed in paragraph (2). 
(2) MATTERS
DESCRIBED.—The matters de-
scribed in this paragraph are the following: 
(A) The quantity and type of precision 
guided munitions that are necessary for Israel to 
combat Hezbollah in the event of a sustained 
armed 
confrontation 
between 
Israel 
and 
Hezbollah. 
(B) The quantity and type of precision 
guided munitions that are necessary for Israel in 
the event of a sustained armed confrontation 
with other armed groups and terrorist organiza-
tions such as Hamas. 
(C) The resources the Government of Israel 
plans to dedicate to acquire such precision guid-
ed munitions. 
(D) United States planning to assist Israel 
to prepare for sustained armed confrontations 
described in this subsection as well as the ability 
of the United States to resupply Israel in the 
event of confrontations described in subpara-
graphs (A) and (B), if any. 
(3) REPORT.—
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† HR 5515 EAS 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 15 days 
after the date on which the joint assessment au-
thorized under paragraph (1) is completed, the 
President shall submit to the appropriate con-
gressional committees a report that contains the 
joint assessment. 
(B) FORM.—The report required under sub-
paragraph (A) shall be submitted in classified 
form, but may contain an unclassified summary. 
(C) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT-
TEES
DEFINED.—In this paragraph, the term 
‘‘appropriate congressional committees’’ means— 
(i) the Committee on Foreign Relations 
and the Committee on Armed Services of the 
Senate; and 
(ii) the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
and the Committee on Armed Services of the 
House of Representatives. 
(c) MODIFICATION OF RAPID ACQUISITION AND DE-
PLOYMENT PROCEDURES.— 
(1) 
REQUIREMENT
TO
ESTABLISH
PROCE-
DURES.—Section 806(a) of the Bob Stump National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 (10 
U.S.C. 2302 note; Public Law 107–314) is amend-
ed—
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† HR 5515 EAS 
(A) in paragraph (1)(C), by striking ‘‘; 
and’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking the period 
at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(3) urgently needed to support production of 
precision guided munitions— 
‘‘(A) for the United States to meet require-
ments; or 
‘‘(B) to assist an ally of the United States 
under direct missile threat from— 
‘‘(i) an organization the Secretary of 
State has designated as a foreign terrorist 
organization pursuant to section 219 of the 
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1189); or 
‘‘(ii) a country the government of 
which the Secretary of State has deter-
mined, for purposes of section 6(j) of the 
Export Administration Act of 1979 (50 
U.S.C. 4605(j)) (as in effect pursuant to the 
International Emergency Economic Powers 
Act), section 620A of the Foreign Assistance 
Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2371), section 40 of
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† HR 5515 EAS 
the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 
2780), or any other provision of law, is a 
government that has repeatedly provided 
support for acts of international ter-
rorism.’’. 
(2) PRESCRIPTION OF PROCEDURES.—Not later 
than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Defense shall prescribe proce-
dures for the rapid acquisition and deployment of 
supplies and associated support services for purposes 
described in paragraph (3) of section 806(a) of the 
Bob Stump National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2003, as added by paragraph (1)(C). 
SEC. 1266. CERTIFICATIONS REGARDING ACTIONS BY SAUDI 
ARABIA IN YEMEN. 
(a) RESTRICTION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), if 
the Secretary of State is unable under subsection (c) 
or (d) to certify that the Government of Saudi Arabia 
is undertaking the effort, measures, and actions de-
scribed in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) of sub-
section (c), no Federal funds may be obligated or ex-
pended after the deadline for the applicable certifi-
cation to provide authorized in-flight refueling pursu-
ant to section 2342 of title 10, United States Code,
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† HR 5515 EAS 
or other applicable statutory authority, of Saudi or 
Saudi-led coalition non-United States aircraft con-
ducting missions in Yemen, other than missions re-
lated to— 
(A) al Qaeda, al Qaeda in the Arabian Pe-
ninsula (AQAP), or the Islamic State in Iraq 
and Syria (ISIS); 
(B) countering the transport, assembly, or 
employment of ballistic missiles or components 
in Yemen; 
(C) helping coalition aircraft return safely 
to base in emergency situations; 
(D) force protection of United States air-
craft, ships, or personnel; or 
(E) freedom of navigation for United States 
military and international commerce. 
(2) WAIVER.—The Secretary may waive the re-
striction in paragraph (1) with respect to a par-
ticular certification if the Secretary— 
(A) certifies to the appropriate committees 
of Congress that the waiver is in the national se-
curity interests of the United States; and 
(B) submits to the appropriate committees 
of Congress a report, in written and unclassified 
form, setting forth—
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† HR 5515 EAS 
(i) the effort in subsection (c)(1), meas-
ures in subsection (c)(2), or actions in sub-
sections (c)(3) or (c)(4), or combination 
thereof, about which the Secretary is unable 
to make the certification; 
(ii) a detailed explanation why the 
Secretary is unable to make the certification 
about such effort, measures, or actions; 
(iii) a description of the actions the 
Secretary is taking to encourage the Gov-
ernment of Saudi Arabia to undertake such 
effort, measures, or actions; and 
(iv) a detailed justification for the 
waiver. 
(b) REPORTING REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 30 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Presi-
dent or the President’s designee shall provide a briefing to 
the appropriate committees of Congress including, at a 
minimum— 
(1) a description of Saudi Arabia and the 
United Arab Emirates’ military and political objec-
tives in Yemen and whether United States assistance 
to the Saudi-led coalition has resulted in significant 
progress towards meeting those objectives;
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(2) a description of efforts by the Government of 
Saudi Arabia to avoid disproportionate harm to ci-
vilians and civilian objects in Yemen, and an assess-
ment of whether United States assistance to the 
Saudi-led coalition has led to a demonstrable decrease 
in civilians killed or injured by Saudi-led airstrikes 
and damage to civilian infrastructure; 
(3) an assessment of the United Nations 
Verification and Inspection Mechanism (UNVIM) in 
Yemen and an assessment of the need for existing sec-
ondary inspection and clearance processes and trans-
shipment requirements on humanitarian and com-
mercial vessels that have been cleared by UNVIM; 
(4) a description of the sources of external sup-
port for the Houthi forces, including financial assist-
ance, weapons transfers, operational planning, train-
ing, and advisory assistance; 
(5) an assessment of the applicability of United 
States and international sanctions to Houthi forces 
that have committed grave human rights abuses, ob-
structed international aid, and launched ballistic 
missiles into Saudi territory, and an assessment of 
the applicability of United States and international 
sanctions to individuals or entities providing the 
Houthi forces with material support; and
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(6) an assessment of the effect of the Saudi-led 
coalition’s military operations in Yemen on the efforts 
of the United States to defeat al Qaeda in the Ara-
bian Peninsula and the Islamic State of Iraq and the 
Levant. 
(c) INITIAL CERTIFICATION.—Not later than 30 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of State shall submit to the appropriate committees of Con-
gress a certification indicating whether the Government of 
Saudi Arabia is undertaking— 
(1) an urgent and good faith effort to support 
diplomatic efforts to end the civil war in Yemen; 
(2) appropriate measures to alleviate the human-
itarian crisis in Yemen by increasing access for Yem-
enis to food, fuel, medicine, and medical evacuation, 
including through the appropriate use of Yemen’s Red 
Sea ports, including the port of Hudaydah, the air-
port in Sana’a, and external border crossings with 
Saudi Arabia; 
(3) appropriate actions to reduce any unneces-
sary delays to shipments associated with secondary 
inspection and clearance processes other than the 
United Nations Verification and Inspections Mecha-
nism (UNVIM); and
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(4) demonstrable actions to reduce the risk of 
harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure result-
ing from its military operations in Yemen, including 
by— 
(A) complying with applicable agreements 
and laws regulating defense articles purchased or 
transferred from the United States; and 
(B) taking appropriate steps to avoid dis-
proportionate harm to civilians and civilian in-
frastructure. 
(d) SUBSEQUENT CERTIFICATIONS.—Not later than 
180 and 360 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a certification indicating whether 
the Government of Saudi Arabia is undertaking the effort, 
measures, and actions described in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), 
and (4) of subsection (c). 
(e) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section 
may be construed as authorizing the use of military force. 
(f) FORM OF CERTIFICATIONS.—The certifications re-
quired under subsections (c) and (d) shall be written, de-
tailed, and submitted in unclassified form. 
(g) STRATEGY REQUIRED.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense and
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the Administrator of the United States Agency for Inter-
national Development, shall submit to the appropriate com-
mittees of Congress an unclassified report listing United 
States objectives in Yemen and detailing a strategy to ac-
complish those objectives. The report shall be unclassified 
but may include a classified annex. 
(h) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate committees 
of Congress’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the 
Committee on Armed Services, and the Committee on 
Appropriations of the Senate; and 
(2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Com-
mittee on Armed Services, and the Committee on Ap-
propriations of the House of Representatives. 
SEC. 1267. SENSE OF SENATE ON SUPPORT FOR G5 SAHEL 
JOINT FORCE COUNTRIES. 
It is the sense of the Senate that the United States 
should— 
(1) work with partners and allies to disrupt vio-
lent extremist organizations in the Sahel region that 
threaten United States security interests; 
(2) enhance cooperation with G5 Sahel Joint 
Force countries, which are— 
(A) Burkina Faso;
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(B) Mali; 
(C) Mauritania; 
(D) Niger; and 
(E) Chad; 
(3) continue to support the efforts of each G5 
Sahel Joint Force country— 
(A) to improve security along the respective 
borders of each country through the cooperation 
and deployment of joint patrols to interdict the 
cross-border flows of illicit trafficking and vio-
lent extremist groups; 
(B) to address underlying sources of insta-
bility in each country through a whole-of-govern-
ment approach; and 
(C) to build and sustain in each country— 
(i) an effective, accountable govern-
ment; 
(ii) a capable and professional mili-
tary; and 
(iii) a healthy economy; and 
(4) ensure that any assistance of the United 
States to a G5 Sahel Joint Force country is under-
taken as a whole-of-government effort that balances all 
instruments of United States national power.
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SEC. 1268. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON BROADENING AND EX-
PANDING STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS AND 
ALLIES. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) the United States is an ally-rich country and 
our potential competitors, such as Russia, China, and 
North Korea, are ally-poor countries; 
(2) United States allies and partners are critical 
to defending peace and prosperity throughout the 
world; 
(3) the rules-based international order supported 
by the United States and its allies has ensured, and 
will continue to promote, an international system 
that benefits all nations; 
(4) throughout the world, the United States will 
continue to foster relationships with countries with 
like minds and beliefs; 
(5) as the United States manages multiple stra-
tegic challenges, the enduring strength of the United 
States remains in alliances such as the North Atlantic 
Treaty Organization, the Rio Treaty, and mutual de-
fense treaties with Japan, the Republic of Korea, Aus-
tralia, the Philippines, and Thailand; 
(6) the resolve of the United States remains as 
strong as ever to forge new alliances and partnerships 
with countries in order to jointly to work with one
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another on shared challenges in Europe, the Indo-Pa-
cific and throughout the world; 
(7) the United States will continue to invest in 
critical capabilities, build a force posture that de-
creases the vulnerabilities of the United States and 
increases resiliency, all of which will help reassure the 
allies and partners of the United States; 
(8) the United States will encourage allies and 
partners to be full and cooperative partners in their 
own defense and the defense of the free and open 
international order; and 
(9) the United States will continue to deepen 
and expand alliances, especially in the Indo-Pacific, 
and will take no ally for granted. 
SEC. 1269. REMOVAL OF TURKEY FROM THE F–35 PROGRAM. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) The Government of the Republic of Turkey 
continues to unlawfully and wrongfully detain An-
drew Brunson, a United States citizen, and continues 
to deny Mr. Brunson due process rights consistent 
with international norms. 
(2) The Government of the Republic of Turkey 
has wrongly charged Andrew Brunson with belonging 
to a terrorist organization and engaging in terrorist 
activities.
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(3) The Government of the Republic of Turkey, 
including the senior leadership of the government, 
bears direct responsibility for the health and safety of 
Andrew Brunson while he remains in the custody of 
the Government of the Republic of Turkey. 
(4) Congress will not tolerate any foreign govern-
ment’s efforts to use United States citizens for polit-
ical leverage. 
(5) President Erdogan, along with other senior 
officials of the Government of the Republic of Turkey, 
have publicly and repeatedly stated the intention of 
the Government of the Republic of Turkey to purchase 
the S–400 system from Russia, an act that is 
sanctionable under current United States law. 
(6) Any effort by the Government of the Republic 
of Turkey to further enhance their relationship with 
Russia will degrade the general security of the NATO 
alliance, and NATO member countries, and degrade 
interoperability of the alliance. 
(b) REPORT.—The Secretary of Defense shall submit 
to the appropriate congressional committees a plan to re-
move the Government of the Republic of Turkey from par-
ticipation in the F–35 program, to include industrial and 
military aspects of the program. The plan shall include:
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(1) steps required to unwind industrial partici-
pation of Turkish industry in the manufacturing and 
assembly of the F–35 program; 
(2) costs associated with replacing tooling and 
other manufacturing materials held by Turkish in-
dustry; 
(3) timelines associated with the removal of the 
Government of the Republic of Turkey and Turkish 
industry from participation in the F–35 program, so 
as to cause the least impact on the remaining inter-
national program partners; and 
(4) steps required to prohibit the transfer of any 
F–35 aircraft currently owned and operated, by the 
Government of the Republic of Turkey, from the terri-
tory of the United States. 
(c) LIMITATION ON THE TRANSFER OF THE F–35 TO 
TURKEY.—The Department of Defense may not transfer the 
title for any F–35 aircraft to the Government of the Repub-
lic of Turkey, until such time as the report identified in 
subsection (b) has been submitted. 
(d) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate congres-
sional committees’’ means— 
(1) the congressional defense committees; and
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(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives. 
SEC. 1270. INCREASE IN MINIMUM AMOUNT OF OBLIGA-
TIONS FROM THE SPECIAL DEFENSE ACQUISI-
TION FUND FOR PRECISION GUIDED MUNI-
TIONS. 
(a) INCREASE.—Section 114(c)(3) of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘20 percent’’ and in-
serting ‘‘25 percent’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by sub-
section (a) shall take effect on October 1, 2018, and shall 
apply with respect to fiscal years beginning on and after 
that date. 
TITLE XIII—COOPERATIVE 
THREAT REDUCTION 
SEC. 1301. SPECIFICATION OF COOPERATIVE THREAT RE-
DUCTION FUNDS. 
(a) FISCAL YEAR 2019 COOPERATIVE THREAT REDUC-
TION FUNDS DEFINED.—In this title, the term ‘‘fiscal year 
2019 Cooperative Threat Reduction funds’’ means the funds 
appropriated pursuant to the authorization of appropria-
tions in section 301 and made available by the funding 
table in section 4301 for the Department of Defense Cooper-
ative Threat Reduction Program established under section
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1321 of the Department of Defense Cooperative Threat Re-
duction Act (50 U.S.C. 3711). 
(b) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Funds appropriated 
pursuant to the authorization of appropriations in section 
301 and made available by the funding table in section 
4301 for the Department of Defense Cooperative Threat Re-
duction Program shall be available for obligation for fiscal 
years 2019, 2020, and 2021. 
SEC. 1302. FUNDING ALLOCATIONS. 
Of the $335,240,000 authorized to be appropriated to 
the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2019 in section 
301 and made available by the funding table in section 
4301 for the Department of Defense Cooperative Threat Re-
duction Program established under section 1321 of the De-
partment of Defense Cooperative Threat Reduction Act (50 
U.S.C. 3711), the following amounts may be obligated for 
the purposes specified: 
(1) For strategic offensive arms elimination, 
$2,823,000. 
(2) 
For 
chemical 
weapons 
destruction, 
$5,446,000. 
(3) For global nuclear security, $29,001,000. 
(4) 
For 
cooperative 
biological 
engagement, 
$197,585,000. 
(5) For proliferation prevention, $74,937,000.
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(6) For activities designated as Other Assess-
ments/Administrative Costs, $25,448,000. 
TITLE XIV—OTHER 
AUTHORIZATIONS 
Subtitle A—Military Programs 
SEC. 1401. WORKING CAPITAL FUNDS. 
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fis-
cal year 2019 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 Department 
of Defense for fiscal year 2019 for expenses, not otherwise 
provided for, for Chemical Agents and Munitions Destruc-
tion, Defense, as specified in the funding table in section 
4501. 
(b) USE.—Amounts authorized to be appropriated 
under subsection (a) are authorized for— 
(1) the destruction of lethal chemical agents and 
munitions in accordance with section 1412 of the De-
partment of Defense Authorization Act, 1986 (50 
U.S.C. 1521); and
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(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 2019 for expenses, 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 2019 for expenses, not 
otherwise provided for, for the Office of the Inspector Gen-
eral of the Department of Defense, as specified in the fund-
ing table in section 4501. 
SEC. 1405. DEFENSE HEALTH PROGRAM. 
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fis-
cal year 2019 for the Defense Health Program, as specified 
in the funding table in section 4501, for use of the Armed 
Forces and other activities and agencies of the Department 
of Defense in providing for the health of eligible bene-
ficiaries.
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(4) by striking subsections (d) through (g) and 
inserting the following new subsections (d) through 
(f): 
‘‘(d) ACQUISITION AUTHORITY.—The acquisition ac-
tivities of the Office shall be subject to the following: 
‘‘(1) The Secretary of the Air Force shall des-
ignate the acquisition executive of the Office, who 
shall provide streamlined acquisition authority for 
any project of the Office. 
‘‘(2) The Joint Capabilities Integration and De-
velopment System process shall not apply to any ac-
quisition by the Office. 
‘‘(3) The Joint Force Space Component of the 
United States Strategic Command shall establish, 
validate, and prioritize program requirements. 
‘‘(e) REQUIRED PROGRAM ELEMENT.— 
‘‘(1) The Secretary of the Air Force shall ensure, 
within budget program elements for space programs, 
that— 
‘‘(A) there are separate, dedicated program 
elements for unclassified and classified activities 
relating to space rapid capabilities; and 
‘‘(B) the Office executes the responsibilities 
of the Office through those program elements.
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mine which components should be formally designated 
as part of the intelligence community and any com-
ponents not so designated conform to relevant 
tradecraft standards. 
(3) A repeatable Department process for evalu-
ating the addition, transfer, or elimination of defense 
intelligence missions, roles, and functions, currently 
or to be performed by elements described in subsection 
(a)(1), which process shall include the following: 
(A) A justification for any proposed addi-
tion, transfer, or elimination of a mission, role, 
or function. 
(B) The identification of the elements in the 
Federal Government, if any, that currently per-
form the mission, role, or function concerned. 
(C) For any proposed addition of a mis-
sion, role, or function, an assessment of the most 
appropriate element of the Department to as-
sume it, taking into account current resource 
profiles, scope of existing responsibilities, pri-
mary customers, and infrastructure necessary to 
support the addition. 
(D) For any proposed addition of transfer 
of a mission, role, or function—