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(b) FUNDING.—Subsection (d) of such section, as redes-
ignated by subsection (a)(1) of this section, is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘up to $5,000,000’’ and inserting 
‘‘up to $10,000,000’’; and 
(2) by inserting before the period the following: 
‘‘, including payment of costs of participation in such 
programs as authorized by subsection (c)’’. 
(c) TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.—Paragraph (3) of sub-
section (f) of such section, as so redesignated, is amended 
by striking ‘‘section 167(i)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 167(j)’’. 
SEC. 567. EXPANSION OF PERIOD OF AVAILABILITY OF MILI-
TARY ONESOURCE PROGRAM FOR RETIRED 
AND DISCHARGED MEMBERS OF THE ARMED 
FORCES AND THEIR IMMEDIATE FAMILIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Under regulations prescribed by the 
Secretary of Defense, the period of eligibility for the Mili-
tary OneSource program of the Department of Defense of 
an eligible individual retired, discharged, or otherwise re-
leased from the Armed Forces, and for the eligible imme-
diate family members of such an individual, shall be the 
one-year period beginning on the date of the retirement, dis-
charge, or release, as applicable, of such individual. 
(b) INFORMATION TO FAMILIES.—The Secretary shall, 
in such manner as the Secretary considers appropriate, in-
form military families and families of veterans of the
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Armed Forces of the wide range of benefits available through 
the Military OneSource program. 
SEC. 568. EXPANSION OF AUTHORITY FOR NONCOMPETI-
TIVE APPOINTMENTS OF MILITARY SPOUSES 
BY FEDERAL AGENCIES. 
(a) EXPANSION TO INCLUDE ALL SPOUSES OF MEM-
BERS OF THE ARMED FORCES ON ACTIVE DUTY.—Section 
3330d of title 5, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by striking paragraphs (3), (4), and 
(5); and 
(B) by redesignating paragraph (6) as 
paragraph (3); 
(2) by striking subsections (b) and (c) and in-
serting the following new subsection (b): 
‘‘(b) APPOINTMENT AUTHORITY.—The head of an 
agency may appoint noncompetitively— 
‘‘(1) a spouse of a member of the Armed Forces 
on active duty; or 
‘‘(2) a spouse of a disabled or deceased member 
of the Armed Forces.’’; 
(3) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection 
(c); and
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† HR 5515 PAP
(4) in subsection (c), as so redesignated, by strik-
ing ‘‘subsection (a)(6)’’ in paragraph (1) and insert-
ing ‘‘subsection (a)(3)’’. 
(b) HEADING AMENDMENT.—The heading of such sec-
tion is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘§ 3330d. Appointment of military spouses’’. 
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 
the beginning of chapter 33 of such title is amended by 
striking the item relating to section 3330d and inserting 
the following new item: 
‘‘3330d. Appointment of military spouses.’’. 
SEC. 569. IMPROVEMENT OF MY CAREER ADVANCEMENT AC-
COUNT PROGRAM FOR MILITARY SPOUSES. 
(a) OUTREACH ON AVAILABILITY OF PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
take appropriate actions to ensure that military 
spouses who are eligible for participation in the My 
Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) program of 
the Department of Defense are, to the extent prac-
ticable, made aware of the program. 
(2) COMPTROLLER GENERAL REPORT.—Not later 
than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of 
the Senate and the House of Representatives a report 
setting forth such recommendations as the Comp-
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† HR 5515 PAP
troller General considers appropriate regarding the 
following: 
(A) Mechanisms to increase awareness of 
the My Career Advancement Account program 
among military spouses who are eligible to par-
ticipate in the program. 
(B) Mechanisms to increase participation 
in the My Career Advancement Account program 
among military spouses who are eligible to par-
ticipate in the program. 
(b) TRAINING
FOR INSTALLATION CAREER COUN-
SELORS ON PROGRAM.—The Secretaries of the military de-
partments shall take appropriate actions to ensure that ca-
reer counselors at military installations receive appropriate 
training and current information on eligibility for and use 
of benefits under the My Career Advancement Account pro-
gram, including financial assistance to cover costs associ-
ated with professional recertification, portability of occupa-
tional licenses, professional credential exams, and other 
mechanisms in connection with the portability of profes-
sional licenses.
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† HR 5515 PAP
SEC. 570. ACCESS TO MILITARY INSTALLATIONS FOR CER-
TAIN SURVIVING SPOUSES AND OTHER NEXT 
OF KIN OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES 
WHO DIE WHILE ON ACTIVE DUTY OR CER-
TAIN RESERVE DUTY. 
(a) 
PROCEDURES
FOR
ACCESS
OF
SURVIVING 
SPOUSES REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Defense, acting 
jointly with the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall es-
tablish procedures by which an eligible surviving spouse 
may obtain unescorted access, as appropriate, to military 
installations in order to receive benefits to which the eligible 
surviving spouse may be entitled by law or policy. 
(b) ELIGIBLE SURVIVING SPOUSE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In this section, the term ‘‘eli-
gible surviving spouse’’ means an individual who— 
(A) is a surviving spouse of a member of the 
Armed Forces who dies while serving— 
(i) on active duty; or 
(ii) on such reserve duty as the Sec-
retary of Defense and the Secretary of 
Homeland Security may jointly specify for 
purposes of this section; and 
(B) has guardianship of one or more de-
pendent children of such member. 
(2) STATUS NOT EFFECTED BY REMARRIAGE.— 
An individual is an eligible surviving spouse for pur-
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† HR 5515 PAP
poses of this section without regard to whether the in-
dividual remarries after the death of the member con-
cerned. 
(c) PROCEDURES FOR ACCESS OF NEXT OF KIN AU-
THORIZED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense, act-
ing jointly with the Secretary of Homeland Security, 
may establish procedures by which the next of kin of 
a deceased member of the Armed Forces, in addition 
to an eligible surviving spouse, may obtain access to 
military installations for such purposes and under 
such conditions as the Secretaries jointly consider ap-
propriate. 
(2) NEXT OF KIN.—If the Secretaries establish 
procedures pursuant to paragraph (1), the Secretaries 
shall jointly specify the individuals who shall con-
stitute next of kin for purposes of such procedures. 
(d) CONSIDERATIONS.—Any procedures established 
under this section shall— 
(1) be applied consistently across the Depart-
ment of Defense and the Department of Homeland Se-
curity, including all components of the Departments; 
(2) minimize any administrative burden on a 
surviving spouse or dependent child, including 
through the elimination of any requirement for a sur-
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† HR 5515 PAP
viving spouse to apply as a personal agent for contin-
ued access to military installations in accompani-
ment of a dependent child; 
(3) take into account measures required to en-
sure the security of military installations, including 
purpose and eligibility for access and renewal perio-
dicity; and 
(4) take into account such other factors as the 
Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of Homeland 
Security considers appropriate. 
(e) DEADLINE.—The procedures required by subsection 
(a) shall be established by the date that is not later than 
one year after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 571. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE MILITARY FAMILY 
READINESS COUNCIL MATTERS. 
(a) MEMBER MATTERS.— 
(1) MEMBERSHIP.—Paragraph (1)(B) of sub-
section (b) of section 1781a of title 10, United States 
Code, is amended— 
(A) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘a member of 
the armed force to be represented’’ and inserting 
‘‘a member or civilian employee of the armed 
force to be represented’’; and 
(B) by striking clause (ii) and inserting the 
following new clause (ii):
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† HR 5515 PAP
‘‘(ii) One representative, who shall be a 
member or civilian employee of the National 
Guard Bureau, to represent both the Army 
National Guard and the Air National 
Guard.’’. 
(2) TERMS.—Paragraph (2) of such subsection is 
amended— 
(A) in subparagraph (A)— 
(i) in the first sentence, by striking 
‘‘clauses (i) and (iii) of’’; and 
(ii) by striking the second sentence; 
and 
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘three 
years’’ and inserting ‘‘two years’’. 
(b) DUTIES.—Subsection (d) of such section is amend-
ed— 
(1) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘military fam-
ily readiness by the Department of Defense’’ and in-
serting ‘‘military family readiness programs and ac-
tivities of the Department of Defense’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(4) To make recommendations to the Secretary 
of Defense to improve collaboration, awareness, and 
promotion of accurate and timely military family
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† HR 5515 PAP
readiness information and support services by policy 
makers, service providers, and targeted beneficiaries.’’. 
(c) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Subsection (e) of such section 
is amended by striking ‘‘February 1’’ and inserting ‘‘July 
1’’. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The amendments made by 
this section shall take effect on the date of the enact-
ment of this Act. 
(2) APPLICABILITY OF MEMBERSHIP AND TERM 
AMENDMENTS.—The amendments made by subsection 
(a) shall apply to members of the Department of De-
fense Military Family Readiness Council appointed 
after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 572. MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMS FOR MILITARY IN-
STALLATIONS ON CHILD ABUSE AND OTHER 
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. 
(a) MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMS REQUIRED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Under regulations prescribed 
by each Secretary concerned, there shall be established 
and maintained for each military installation, except 
as provided in paragraph (2), one or more multidisci-
plinary teams on child abuse and other domestic vio-
lence for the purposes specified in subsection (b).
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(2) SINGLE
TEAM
FOR
PROXIMATE
INSTALLA-
TIONS.—A single multidiscipinary team described in 
paragraph (1) may be established and maintained 
under this subsection for two or more military instal-
lations in proximity with one another if the Secretary 
concerned determines, in consultation with the Sec-
retary of Defense, that a single team for such installa-
tions suffices to carry out the purposes of such teams 
under subsection (b) for such installations. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of each multidisci-
plinary team maintained pursuant to subsection (a) shall 
be as follows: 
(1) To provide for the sharing of information 
among such team and other appropriate personnel on 
the installation or installations concerned regarding 
the progress of investigations into and resolutions of 
incidents of child abuse and other domestic violence 
involving members of the Armed Forces stationed at 
or otherwise assigned to the installation or installa-
tions. 
(2) To provide for and enhance collaborative ef-
forts among such team and other appropriate per-
sonnel of the installation or installations regarding 
investigations into and resolutions of such incidents.
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† HR 5515 PAP
(3) To enhance the social services available to 
military families at the installation or installations 
in connection with such incidents, including through 
the enhancement of cooperation among specialists and 
other personnel providing such services to such mili-
tary families in connection with such incidents 
(4) To carry out such other duties regarding the 
response to child abuse and other domestic violence at 
the installation or installations as the Secretary con-
cerned considers appropriate for such purposes. 
(c) PERSONNEL.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Each multidisciplinary team 
maintained pursuant to subsection (a) shall be com-
posed of the following: 
(A) One or more judge advocates. 
(B) Appropriate personnel of one or more 
military criminal investigation services. 
(C) Appropriate mental health profes-
sionals. 
(D) Appropriate medical personnel. 
(E) Family advocacy case workers. 
(F) Such other personnel as the Secretary 
or Secretaries concerned consider appropriate. 
(2) EXPERTISE AND TRAINING.—Any individual 
assigned to a multidisciplinary team shall possess
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† HR 5515 PAP
such expertise, and shall undertake such training as 
is required to maintain such expertise, as the Sec-
retary concerned shall specify for purposes of this sec-
tion in order to ensure that members of the team re-
main appropriately qualified to carry out the pur-
poses of the team under this section. The training and 
expertise so specified shall include training and ex-
pertise on special victims’ crimes, including child 
abuse and other domestic violence. 
(d) COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION WITH NON- 
MILITARY RESOURCES.— 
(1) USE OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES SERVING IN-
STALLATIONS.—In providing under this section for a 
multidisciplinary team for a military installation or 
installations that benefit from services or resources on 
child abuse or other domestic violence that are pro-
vided by civilian entities in the vicinity of the instal-
lation or installations, the Secretary concerned may 
take the availability of such services or resources to 
the installation or installations into account in pro-
viding for the composition and duties of the team. 
(2) BEST PRACTICES.—The Secretaries concerned 
shall take appropriate actions to ensure that multi-
disciplinary teams maintained pursuant to subsection 
(a) remain fully and currently apprised of best prac-
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† HR 5515 PAP
tices in the civilian sector on investigations into and 
resolutions of incidents of child abuse and other do-
mestic violence and on the social services provided in 
connection with such incidents. 
(3) COLLABORATION.—In providing for the en-
hancement of social services available to military 
families in accordance with subsection (b)(3), the Sec-
retaries concerned shall permit, facilitate, and encour-
age multidisciplinary teams to collaborate with ap-
propriate civilian agencies in the vicinity of the mili-
tary installations concerned with regard to avail-
ability, provision, and use of such services to and by 
such families. 
(e) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than March 1 of 
each of 2020 through 2022, each Secretary concerned shall 
submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate 
and the House of Representatives a report on the activities 
of multidisciplinary teams maintained pursuant to sub-
section (a) under the jurisdiction of such Secretary during 
the preceding year. Each report shall set forth, for the pe-
riod covered by such report, the following: 
(1) A summary description of the activities of 
the multidisciplinary teams concerned, including the 
number and composition of such teams, the recurring
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† HR 5515 PAP
activities of such teams, and any notable achieve-
ments of such teams. 
(2) A description of any impediments to the ef-
fectiveness of such teams. 
(3) Such recommendations for legislative or ad-
ministrative action as such Secretary considers ap-
propriate in order to improve the effectiveness of such 
teams. 
(4) Such other matters with respect to such 
teams as such Secretary considers appropriate. 
(f) SECRETARY CONCERNED.— 
(1) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘Sec-
retary concerned’’ has the meaning given that term in 
section 101(a)(9) of title 10, United States Code. 
(2) USAGE WITH RESPECT TO MULTIPLE INSTAL-
LATIONS.—For purposes of this section, any reference 
to ‘‘Secretary concerned’’ with respect to a single mul-
tidisciplinary team established and maintained pur-
suant to subsection (a) for two or more military in-
stallations that are under the jurisdiction of different 
Secretaries concerned, shall be deemed to refer to each 
Secretary concerned who has jurisdiction of such an 
installation, acting jointly.
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† HR 5515 PAP
SEC. 573. PROVISIONAL OR INTERIM CLEARANCES TO PRO-
VIDE CHILDCARE SERVICES AT MILITARY 
CHILDCARE CENTERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall im-
plement a policy to permit the issuance on a provisional 
or interim basis of clearances for the provision of childcare 
services at military childcare centers. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The policy required by subsection (a) 
shall provide for the following: 
(1) Any clearance issued under the policy shall 
be temporary and contingent upon the satisfaction of 
such requirements for the issuance of a clearance on 
a permanent basis as the Secretary considers appro-
priate. 
(2) Any individual issued a clearance on a pro-
visional or interim basis under the policy shall be 
subject to such supervision in the provision of 
childcare services using such clearance as the Sec-
retary considers appropriate. 
(c) CLEARANCE DEFINED.—In this section, the term 
‘‘clearance’’, with respect to an individual and the provi-
sion of childcare services, means the formal approval of the 
individual, after appropriate background checks and other 
review, to provide childcare services to children at a mili-
tary childcare center of the Department of Defense.
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† HR 5515 PAP
SEC. 574. PILOT PROGRAM ON PREVENTION OF CHILD 
ABUSE AND TRAINING ON SAFE CHILDCARE 
PRACTICES AMONG MILITARY FAMILIES. 
(a) PILOT PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall, acting through the Defense Health Agency, 
carry out a pilot program on universal home visits 
for purposes of providing eligible covered beneficiaries 
and their families training on safe childcare practices 
aimed at reducing child abuse and fatalities due to 
abuse and neglect, assessments of risk factors for child 
abuse, and connections with community resources to 
meet identified needs. 
(2) SCOPE.—The pilot program shall be designed 
to facilitate connections between covered beneficiaries 
and their families and community resources (includ-
ing existing resources provided by the Armed Forces). 
The pilot program, including the practices covered by 
training pursuant to the pilot program, shall conform 
to evidence-based scientific criteria, including criteria 
available through publications in peer-reviewed sci-
entific journals. 
(3) ELEMENTS.—The pilot program shall in-
clude the following: 
(A) Between one and three home visits, and 
not more than seven other contacts, except in un-
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† HR 5515 PAP
usual cases (such as deployments), with such 
home visits by a team led by a nurse, whenever 
practicable, to provide screening, community re-
source referral, and training to eligible covered 
beneficiaries and their families on the following: 
(i) 
General 
maternal 
and 
infant 
health. 
(ii) Safe sleeping environments. 
(iii) Feeding and bathing. 
(iv) Adequate supervision. 
(v) Common hazards. 
(vi) Self-care. 
(vii) Recognition of post-partum de-
pression, substance abuse, and domestic vio-
lence in a mother or her partner and com-
munity violence. 
(viii) Skills for management of infant 
crying. 
(ix) Other positive parenting skills and 
practices. 
(x) The importance of participating in 
ongoing healthcare for an infant and in on-
going healthcare for post-partum depression. 
(xi) Finding, qualifying for, and par-
ticipating in available community resources
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† HR 5515 PAP
with respect to infant care, childcare, and 
parenting support. 
(xii) Planning for parenting or guard-
ianship of children during deployment. 
(xiii) Such other matters as the Sec-
retary considers appropriate. 
(B) If a parent is deployed at the time of 
birth— 
(i) the first home visit pursuant to sub-
paragraph (A) shall, to the extent prac-
ticable, incorporate both parents, in person 
with the local parent and by electronic 
means (such as Skype or FaceTime) with 
the deployed parent; and 
(ii) another such home visit shall be 
conducted upon the return of the parent 
from deployment, and shall include both 
parents. 
(C) An electronic directory of community 
resources available to eligible covered bene-
ficiaries and their families in order to assist 
teams described in subparagraph (A) in con-
necting beneficiaries and families with such re-
sources.
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† HR 5515 PAP
(D) An electronic integrated data system 
to— 
(i) support teams in referring bene-
ficiaries to the services and resources to be 
offered under subsection (c)(3) and track 
beneficiary usage; 
(ii) track interactions between teams 
described in subparagraph (A) and eligible 
beneficiaries and their families; and 
(iii) otherwise evaluate the implemen-
tation and effectiveness of the pilot pro-
gram. 
(b) MANDATORY PARTICIPATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), the Secretary shall require all eligible cov-
ered beneficiaries at each installation at which the 
pilot program is being conducted to be contacted by 
the pilot program under this section. 
(2) EXCEPTION.—The Secretary shall encourage 
participation by both parents of a child in the pilot 
program, but participation by one parent shall be 
sufficient to meet the requirement under paragraph 
(1). 
(c) AVAILABLE SERVICES AND RESOURCES.—
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† HR 5515 PAP
(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the pilot pro-
gram under this section, the Secretary shall offer serv-
ices and resources to an eligible covered beneficiary 
based on the particular needs of the beneficiary and 
the beneficiary’s family. 
(2) VOLUNTARY
PARTICIPATION.—Participation 
by an eligible covered beneficiary and family in any 
service or resource offered under paragraph (1) shall 
be at the election of the beneficiary. 
(3) ASSESSMENT OF ELIGIBLE COVERED BENE-
FICIARIES.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the pilot 
program, the Secretary shall conduct, or attempt 
to conduct, an assessment of every eligible cov-
ered beneficiary and beneficiary family partici-
pating in the pilot program, regardless of risk 
factors, to determine which services and resources 
to offer such beneficiary and family under para-
graph (1). 
(B) PARTICULAR
NEEDS.—In conducting 
an assessment of an eligible covered beneficiary 
and family under subparagraph (A), the Sec-
retary shall assess their needs and eligibility for 
particular services and resources and connect the 
beneficiary and family to services and resources
243 
† HR 5515 PAP
for which they have a need and are eligible, ei-
ther within the Department of Defense or else-
where. 
(d) INVOLVEMENT OF MEDICAL STAFF.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall ensure 
that the pilot program under this section is conducted 
by licensed medical staff of the Department of Defense 
and not family advocacy staff. 
(2) HOME VISITS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall en-
sure that the pilot program includes the fol-
lowing: 
(i) An initial contact made prenatally 
(except when not possible, in which case the 
contact shall occur as soon after birth as 
possible) by a team described in subsection 
(a)(3)(A), which shall include screening for 
the matters specified in that subsection. 
(ii) Home visits by a nurse or other li-
censed medical professional trained in the 
practices covered by the program at the 
birth of a child, which visits shall follow a 
research-based structured clinical protocol 
and include use of the electronic integrated 
data described in subsection (a)(3)(D).
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† HR 5515 PAP
(B) TIMING
OF
VISITS.—The first visits 
under subparagraph (A)(ii) shall occur between 
two and five weeks after hospital discharge with 
appropriate follow-up generally accomplished 
within two home visits. 
(C) DURATION
OF
VISITS.—Visits under 
this paragraph shall have a duration between 90 
minutes and 2 hours. 
(D) FINAL VISIT.—Not later than 45 days 
after the last visit conducted by a nurse under 
subparagraph (A)(ii) with respect to an eligible 
covered beneficiary, appropriate staff shall fol-
low-up with the beneficiary and the beneficiary’s 
family to assess if they are using the services rec-
ommended under subsection (c). 
(e) IMPLEMENTATION ASSESSMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall carry out 
not fewer than five implementation assessments in ac-
cordance with this subsection in order to assess the ef-
fectiveness of the elements and requirements of the 
pilot program. 
(2) SCHEDULE.—The implementation assessment 
required by this subsection shall be completed by not 
later than two years after the date of the enactment 
of this Act.
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† HR 5515 PAP
(3) LOCATIONS.—The implementation assess-
ments shall be carried out at not less than five mili-
tary installations selected by the Secretary for pur-
poses of this subsection. In selecting such installa-
tions, the Secretary shall select installations rep-
resenting a range of circumstances, including instal-
lations in an urban location and a rural location, in-
stallations with a large population and with a small 
population, installations currently experiencing high 
incidence of child abuse, neglect, or both and low inci-
dence of child abuse, neglect, or both, installations 
with a hospital or clinic and without a hospital or 
clinic, joint installations, and installations serving 
only one Armed Force. 
(4) ASSESSMENT.—In carrying out the imple-
mentation assessments, the Secretary shall seek to ob-
tain an assessment of each of the following: 
(A) The ability of nurses or other licensed 
medical professionals to contact families eligible 
for participation in the pilot program. 
(B) The extent to which families eligible for 
participation in the program actually partici-
pate in the pilot program.
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† HR 5515 PAP
(C) The ability of medical personnel to ad-
here to the clinical protocols of the pilot pro-
gram. 
(D) The extent to which families partici-
pating in the pilot program are being connected 
to services and resources under the pilot pro-
gram. 
(E) The extent to which families partici-
pating in the pilot program are using services 
and resources under the pilot program. 
(f) REPORTS.— 
(1) INITIAL REPORT.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Serv-
ices of the Senate and the House of Representatives a 
report on the pilot program to be carried out pursu-
ant to this section. The report shall include a com-
prehensive description of each implementation assess-
ment to be carried out pursuant to subsection (e), in-
cluding— 
(A) the installation at which such imple-
mentation assessment is being carried out; 
(B) a justification for the selection of such 
installation for purposes of subsection (e); and
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† HR 5515 PAP
(C) the elements and requirements of the 
pilot program being carried out through such 
implementation assessment, including strategy 
and metrics for evaluating effectiveness. 
(2) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than 180 days 
after the completion of the pilot program, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the committees specified in 
paragraph (1) a report on the pilot program. The re-
port shall include the following: 
(A) A comprehensive description and assess-
ment of each of the implementation assessments 
under subsection (e). 
(B) A comprehensive description and assess-
ment of the pilot program. 
(C) Such recommendations for legislative or 
administrative action as the Secretary considers 
appropriate in light of pilot program, including 
recommendations for modifications of the pilot 
program or extension of the pilot program on an 
permanent basis at additional locations. 
(g) IMPLEMENTATION DEFENSE-WIDE.—If the Sec-
retary determines as a result of the pilot program that any 
element of the pilot program is effective, the Secretary shall 
take appropriate actions to implement the pilot program
248 
† HR 5515 PAP
as a program throughout and across the military installa-
tions of the Department. 
(h) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘community’’, with respect to a 
military installation, means the catchment area for 
community services of the installation, including serv-
ices provided on the installation and services provided 
by State, county, and local jurisdictions in which the 
installation is located or in the vicinity of the instal-
lation. 
(2) The term ‘‘eligible covered beneficiary’’ 
means a covered beneficiary (as that term is defined 
in section 1072 of title 10, United States Code) who 
obtains pre-natal and obstetrical care in a military 
medical treatment facility in connection with a birth 
covered by the pilot program. 
SEC. 575. PILOT PROGRAM ON PARTICIPATION OF MILITARY 
SPOUSES IN TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PRO-
GRAM ACTIVITIES. 
(a) PILOT PROGRAM REQUIRED.—The Secretary of 
Defense shall carry out a pilot program to assess the 
feasability and advisability of permitting military spouses 
to participate in activities under the Transition Assistance 
Program (TAP) under section 1144 of title 10, United 
States Code, on military installations.
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† HR 5515 PAP
(b) LOCATIONS.—The Secretary shall carry out the 
pilot program at not fewer than five military installations 
selected by the Secretary for purposes of the pilot program. 
(c) DURATION.—The Secretary shall carry out the 
pilot program during the five-year period beginning on the 
date of the enactment of this Act. 
(d) PARTICIPATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Under the pilot program, the 
spouse of a member of the Armed Forces assigned to 
a military installation at which the pilot program is 
carried out who is participating in activities under 
the Transition Assistance Program may participate 
in such activities under the Program as the spouse 
considers appropriate, regardless of whether the mem-
ber is also participating in such activities at the time 
of the spouse’s participation. 
(2) ADEQUATE FACILITIES.—The Secretary shall 
ensure that the facilities for the carrying out of ac-
tivities under the Transition Assistance Program at 
each installation at which the pilot program is car-
ried out are adequate to permit the participation in 
such activities of any spouse of a member of the 
Armed Forces at the installation who seeks to partici-
pate in such activities. 
(e) REPORTS.—
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(1) INITIAL REPORT.—Not later than six months 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Serv-
ices of the Senate and the House of Representatives a 
report on the pilot program, including a comprehen-
sive description of the pilot program. 
(2) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than six months 
after the completion of the pilot program, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Serv-
ices of the Senate and the House of Representatives a 
report on the pilot program. The report shall include 
the following: 
(A) A comprehensive description of the pilot 
program, including the installations at which the 
pilot program was carried out and the rates of 
participation of military spouses in activities 
under the Transition Assistance Program pursu-
ant to the pilot program. 
(B) Such recommendations for extension or 
expansion of the pilot program, including mak-
ing the pilot program permanent, as the Sec-
retary considers appropriate in light of the pilot 
program.
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SEC. 576. SMALL BUSINESS ACTIVITIES OF MILITARY 
SPOUSES ON MILITARY INSTALLATIONS IN 
THE UNITED STATES. 
(a) ASSESSMENT OF SMALL BUSINESS ACTIVITIES.— 
The Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report 
setting forth an assessment of the feasibility and advis-
ability of permitting military spouses to engage in small 
business activities on military installations in the United 
States and in partnership with commissaries, exchange 
stores, and other morale, welfare, and recreation facilities 
of the Armed Forces in the United States. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The assessment shall— 
(1) take into account the usage by military 
spouses of installation facilities, utilities, and other 
resources in the conduct of small business activities on 
military installations in the United States and such 
other matters in connection with the conduct of such 
business activities by military spouses as the Sec-
retary considers appropriate; and 
(2) seek to identify mechanisms to ensure that 
costs and fees associated with the usage by military 
spouses of such facilities, utilities, and other resources 
in connection with such business activities does not 
meaningfully curtail or eliminate the opportunity for 
military spouses to profit reasonably from such busi-
ness activities.
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Subtitle G—Decorations and 
Awards 
SEC. 581. AUTHORIZATION FOR AWARD OF THE DISTIN-
GUISHED SERVICE CROSS FOR JUSTIN T. 
GALLEGOS FOR ACTS OF VALOR DURING OP-
ERATION ENDURING FREEDOM. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION.—Notwithstanding the time limi-
tations specified in section 3744 of title 10, United States 
Code, or any other time limitation with respect to the 
awarding of certain medals to persons who served in the 
Armed Forces, the Secretary of the Army may award the 
Distinguished Service Cross under section 3742 of such title 
to Justin T. Gallegos for the acts of valor during Operation 
Enduring Freedom described in subsection (b). 
(b) ACTION DESCRIBED.—The acts of valor referred to 
in subsection (a) are the actions of Justin T. Gallegos on 
October 3, 2009, while serving in the grade of Staff Sergeant 
in Afghanistan while serving with B Troop, 3d Squadron, 
61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th In-
fantry Division. 
SEC. 582. AWARD OF MEDALS OR OTHER COMMENDATIONS 
TO HANDLERS OF MILITARY WORKING DOGS. 
(a) PROGRAM OF AWARD REQUIRED.—Each Secretary 
of a military department shall carry out a program to pro-
vide for the award of one or more medals or other com-
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mendations to handlers of military working dogs under the 
jurisdiction of such Secretary to recognize valor or meri-
torious achievement by such handlers and dogs. 
(b) MEDALS AND COMMENDATIONS.—Any medal or 
commendation awarded pursuant to a program under sub-
section (a) shall be of such design, and include such ele-
ments, as the Secretary of the military department con-
cerned shall specify. 
(c) PRESENTATION AND ACCEPTANCE.—Any medal or 
commendation awarded pursuant to a program under sub-
section (a) may be presented to and accepted by the handler 
concerned on behalf of the handler and the military working 
dog concerned. 
(d) REGULATIONS.—Medals and commendations shall 
be awarded under programs under subsection (a) in accord-
ance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense 
for purposes of this section. 
Subtitle H—Other Matters 
SEC. 591. AUTHORITY TO AWARD DAMAGED PERSONAL PRO-
TECTIVE EQUIPMENT TO MEMBERS SEPA-
RATING FROM THE ARMED FORCES AND VET-
ERANS AS MEMENTOS OF MILITARY SERVICE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 152 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following 
new section:
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‘‘§ 2568a. Damaged personal protective equipment: 
award to members separating from the 
armed forces and veterans 
‘‘The Secretary of a military department may award 
to a member of the armed forces under the jurisdiction of 
the Secretary who is separating from the armed forces, and 
to any veteran formerly under the jurisdiction of the Sec-
retary, demilitarizied personal protective equipment (PPE) 
of the member or veteran that was damaged in combat or 
otherwise during the deployment of the member or veteran. 
The award of equipment under this section shall be without 
cost to the member or veteran concerned.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 
the beginning of chapter 152 of such title is amended by 
adding at the end the following new item: 
‘‘2568a. Damaged personal protective equipment: award to members separating 
from the armed forces and veterans.’’. 
SEC. 592. STANDARDIZATION OF FREQUENCY OF ACADEMY 
VISITS OF THE AIR FORCE ACADEMY BOARD 
OF VISITORS WITH ACADEMY VISITS OF 
BOARDS OF OTHER MILITARY SERVICE ACAD-
EMIES. 
Section 9355 of title 10, United States Code, is amend-
ed by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following 
new subsection:
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‘‘(d) The Board shall visit the Academy annually. 
With the approval of the Secretary of the Air Force, the 
Board or its members may make other visits to the Academy 
in connection with the duties of the Board or to consult 
with the Superintendent of the Academy. Board members 
shall have access to the Academy grounds and the cadets, 
faculty, staff, and other personnel of the Academy for the 
purposes of the duties of the Board.’’. 
SEC. 593. REDESIGNATION OF THE COMMANDANT OF THE 
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE INSTITUTE OF 
TECHNOLOGY AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE 
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE INSTITUTE OF 
TECHNOLOGY. 
(a) REDESIGNATION.—Section 9314b(a) of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection heading, by striking ‘‘COM-
MANDANT’’ and inserting ‘‘PRESIDENT’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘Commandant’’ each place it ap-
pears and inserting ‘‘President’’; and 
(3) in the heading of paragraph (3), by striking 
‘‘COMMANDANT’’ and inserting ‘‘PRESIDENT’’. 
(b) REFERENCES.—Any reference in any law, regula-
tion, map, document, paper, or other record of the United 
States to the Commandant of the United States Air Force 
Institute of Technology shall be deemed to be a reference
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to the President of the United States Air Force Institute 
of Technology. 
SEC. 594. LIMITATION ON JUSTIFICATIONS ENTERED BY 
MILITARY RECRUITERS FOR ENLISTMENT OR 
ACCESSION 
OF 
INDIVIDUALS 
INTO 
THE 
ARMED FORCES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In any case in which a database 
or system maintained by an Armed Force regarding the 
reasons why individuals elect to enlist or access into the 
Armed Force provides for military recruiters to select 
among pre-specified options for reasons for such election, 
military recruiters entering data into such database or sys-
tem may select only among such pre-specified options as 
reasons for the enlistment or accession of any particular 
individual. 
(b) MILITARY RECRUITER DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘military recruiter’’ means a person who as the 
duty to recruit persons into the Armed Forces for military 
service. 
SEC. 595. NATIONAL COMMISSION ON MILITARY, NATIONAL, 
AND PUBLIC SERVICE MATTERS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 551(c) of the National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 
114–328; 130 Stat. 2130) is amended—
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(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting after ‘‘United 
States Code)’’ the following: ‘‘or active status (as that 
term is defined in subsection (d)(4) of such section)’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘ ‘national service’ ’’ and in-
serting ‘‘ ‘public service’ ’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘or State Government’’ and 
inserting ‘‘, State, Tribal, or local government’’; 
(3) in paragraph (3)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘ ‘public service’ ’’ and in-
serting ‘‘ ‘national service’ ’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘employment’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘participation’’; and 
(4) by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(4) The term ‘establishment date’ means Sep-
tember 19, 2017.’’. 
(b) EXCEPTION TO PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT.— 
Section 555(e) of that Act (130 Stat. 2134) is amended by 
adding at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(4) PAPERWORK
REDUCTION
ACT.—For pur-
poses of developing its recommendations, the informa-
tion collection of the Commission may be treated as 
a pilot project under section 3505(a) of title 44, 
United States Code. In addition, the Commission
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shall not be subject to the requirements of section 
3506(c)(2)(A) of such title.’’. 
SEC. 596. BURIAL OF UNCLAIMED REMAINS OF INMATES AT 
THE UNITED STATES DISCIPLINARY BAR-
RACKS 
CEMETERY, 
FORT 
LEAVENWORTH, 
KANSAS. 
Section 985 of title 10, United States Code, is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘A person who 
is ineligible’’ in the matter preceding paragraph (1) 
and inserting ‘‘Except as provided in subsection (c), 
a person who is ineligible’’; 
(2) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection 
(d); and 
(3) by inserting after subsection (b) the following 
new subsection (c): 
‘‘(c) UNCLAIMED
REMAINS
OF
MILITARY
PRIS-
ONERS.—Subsection (b) shall not preclude the burial at the 
United States Disciplinary Barracks Cemetery at Fort 
Leavenworth, Kansas, of a military prisoner, including a 
military prisoner who is a person described in section 
2411(b) of title 38, who dies while in custody of a military 
department and whose remains are not claimed by the per-
son authorized to direct disposition of the remains or by 
other persons legally authorized to dispose of the remains.’’.
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SEC. 597. SPACE-AVAILABLE TRAVEL ON DEPARTMENT OF 
DEFENSE AIRCRAFT FOR VETERANS WITH 
SERVICE-CONNECTED 
DISABILITIES 
RATED 
AS TOTAL. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (c) of section 2641b of 
title 10, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as 
paragraphs (5) and (6), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the fol-
lowing new paragraph (4): 
‘‘(4) Subject to subsection (f), veterans with a 
permanent 
service-connected 
disability 
rated 
as 
total.’’. 
(b) CONDITIONS AND LIMITATIONS.—Such section is 
further amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection 
(g); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (e) the following 
new subsection (f): 
‘‘(f) VETERANS WITH SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABIL-
ITIES RATED AS TOTAL.—(1) Travel may not be provided 
under this section to a veteran eligible for travel pursuant 
to subsection (c)(4) in priority over any member eligible 
for travel under subsection (c)(1) or any dependent of such 
a member eligible for travel under this section.
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‘‘(2) The authority in subsection (c)(4) may not be 
construed as affecting or in any way imposing on the De-
partment of Defense, any armed force, or any commercial 
company with which they contract an obligation or expecta-
tion that they will retrofit or alter, in any way, military 
aircraft or commercial aircraft, or related equipment or fa-
cilities, used or leased by the Department or such armed 
force to accommodate passengers provided travel under such 
authority on account of disability. 
‘‘(3) The authority in subsection (c)(4) may not be 
construed as preempting the authority of a flight com-
mander to determine who boards the aircraft and any other 
matters in connection with safe operation of the aircraft.’’. 
TITLE VI—COMPENSATION AND 
OTHER PERSONNEL BENEFITS 
Subtitle A—Pay and Allowances 
SEC. 601. FISCAL YEAR 2019 INCREASE IN MILITARY BASIC 
PAY. 
(a) WAIVER OF SECTION 1009 ADJUSTMENT.—The ad-
justment to become effective during fiscal year 2019 re-
quired by section 1009 of title 37, United States Code, in 
the rates of monthly basic pay authorized members of the 
uniformed services shall not be made.
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(b) INCREASE IN BASIC PAY.—Effective on January 
1, 2019, the rates of monthly basic pay for members of the 
uniformed services are increased by 2.6 percent. 
SEC. 602. REPEAL OF AUTHORITY FOR PAYMENT OF PER-
SONAL MONEY ALLOWANCES TO NAVY OFFI-
CERS SERVING IN CERTAIN POSITIONS. 
(a) REPEAL.—Section 414 of title 37, United States 
Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (b); and 
(2) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection 
(b). 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by sub-
section (a) shall take effect on December 31, 2018, and shall 
apply with respect to personal money allowances payable 
under section 414 of title 37, United States Code, for years 
beginning after that date. 
SEC. 603. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PROPOSAL FOR A PAY 
TABLE 
FOR 
MEMBERS 
OF 
THE 
ARMED 
FORCES USING STEPS IN GRADE BASED ON 
TIME IN GRADE RATHER THAN TIME IN SERV-
ICE. 
(a) PROPOSAL REQUIRED.—Not later than 120 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense commit-
tees a report setting forth a proposal for a pay table for
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members of the Armed Forces that uses steps in grade for 
each pay grade based on time of service within such pay 
grade rather than on time of service in the Armed Forces 
as a whole. 
(b) COMPTROLLER GENERAL ASSESSMENT.—Not later 
than April 1, 2019, the Comptroller General of the United 
States shall submit to the congressional defense committees 
a report setting forth an assessment by the Comptroller 
General of the proposed pay table required pursuant to sub-
section (a), including an assessment of the effects of using 
the proposed pay table, rather than the current pay table 
for members of the Armed Forces, on recruitment and reten-
tion of members of the Armed Forces as a whole and on 
recruitment and retention of members of the Armed Forces 
with particular sets of skills (including cyber and other 
technical skills). 
SEC. 604. FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR LESSORS UNDER THE 
MILITARY HOUSING PRIVATIZATION INITIA-
TIVE DURING 2019. 
(a) SUPPORT AUTHORIZED.—Subject to subsection (c), 
for each month during 2019, the Secretary of Defense may 
pay to a lessor of covered housing up to 2 percent of the 
amount calculated under section 403(b)(3)(A)(i) of title 37, 
United States Code, for the area in which the covered hous-
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† HR 5515 PAP
ing exists for each member to whom such lessor leases cov-
ered housing for such month. 
(b) COVERED HOUSING.—In this section, the term 
‘‘covered housing’’ means a unit of housing— 
(1) acquired or constructed under the alternative 
authority of subchapter IV of chapter 169 of title 10, 
United States Code (known as the Military Housing 
Privatization Initiative); 
(2) that is leased to a member of a uniformed 
service who resides in such unit; and 
(3) for which the lessor charges such member rent 
that equals or exceeds the amount calculated under 
section 403(b)(3)(A) of title 37, United States Code. 
(c) SUPPORT
CONTINGENT
ON
NOTICE
TO
CON-
GRESS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may not make 
payments to a lessor for particular covered housing in 
2019 authorized by subsection (a) until the Secretary 
submits to the Committees on Armed Services of the 
Senate and the House of Representatives a notice on 
such payments. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The notice on payments to a 
lessor for particular covered housing in 2019 for pur-
poses of paragraph (1) shall include the following:
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(A) A documented request from the lessor 
for additional funding in connection with such 
housing and endorsed by the commander of the 
military installation concerned. 
(B) A description of the formula to be used 
by the Secretary to calculate the amount of such 
payments. 
(C) A description of the current financial 
condition of the lessor in connection with such 
housing, including the following: 
(i) The current debt coverage ratio of 
the lessor for such housing. 
(ii) An assessment of the lessor’s abil-
ity to fund future sustainment costs for such 
housing in the absence of payments as de-
scribed in subsection (a). 
(iii) An assessment of whether any 
earnings for the lessor from other covered 
housing, if any, can offset predicted short-
falls in funding for such housing. 
(D) An assessment of the effects, if any, of 
recent reductions in basic allowance for housing 
on the financial viability of such housing for the 
lessor.
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(E) A plan to ensure the long-term finan-
cial stability of such housing. 
(F) A recommendation whether the contract 
between the lessor and government for such hous-
ing area should be retained without modifica-
tion, or modified, to ensure long-term financial 
viability of such housing. 
SEC. 605. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY OF PRESIDENT TO 
DETERMINE ALTERNATIVE PAY ADJUSTMENT 
IN ANNUAL BASIC PAY OF MEMBERS OF THE 
UNIFORMED SERVICES. 
(a) MODIFICATION.—Section 1009(e) of title 37, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘or serious eco-
nomic conditions affecting the general welfare’’; 
(2) by striking paragraph (2); and 
(3) by redesignating paragraph (3) as para-
graph (2). 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by sub-
section (a) shall take effect on the date of the enactment 
of this Act, and— 
(1) if the date of the enactment of this Act occurs 
before September 1 of a year, shall apply with respect 
to plans for alternative pay adjustments for any year 
beginning after such year; and
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(2) if the date of the enactment of this Act occurs 
after August 31 of a year, shall apply with respect to 
plans for alternative pay adjustments for any year 
beginning after the year following such year. 
SEC. 606. ELIGIBILITY OF RESERVE COMPONENT MEMBERS 
FOR HIGH-DEPLOYMENT ALLOWANCE FOR 
LENGTHY OR NUMEROUS DEPLOYMENTS AND 
FREQUENT MOBILIZATIONS. 
Section 436(a)(2)(C)(ii) of title 37, United States 
Code, is amended by inserting after ‘‘under’’ the first place 
it appears the following: ‘‘section 12304b of title 10 or’’. 
SEC. 607. ELIGIBILITY OF RESERVE COMPONENT MEMBERS 
FOR NONREDUCTION IN PAY WHILE SERVING 
IN THE UNIFORMED SERVICES OR NATIONAL 
GUARD. 
Section 5538(a) of title 5, United States Code, is 
amended in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by insert-
ing after ‘‘under’’ the following: ‘‘section 12304b of title 10 
or’’.
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SEC. 608. TEMPORARY ADJUSTMENT IN RATE OF BASIC AL-
LOWANCE FOR HOUSING FOLLOWING IDENTI-
FICATION 
OF 
SIGNIFICANT 
UNDERDETER-
MINATION OF CIVILIAN HOUSING COSTS FOR 
HOUSING AREAS. 
Section 403(b) of title 37, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(8)(A) Under the authority of this paragraph, the 
Secretary of Defense may prescribe a temporary adjustment 
in the current rates of basic allowance for housing for a 
military housing area or portion of a military housing area 
if the Secretary determines that the actual costs of adequate 
housing for civilians in that military housing area or por-
tion thereof differ from such current rates of basic allowance 
for housing by an amount in excess of 20 percent of such 
current rates of basic allowance for housing. 
‘‘(B) Any temporary increase in rates of basic allow-
ance for housing under this paragraph shall remain in ef-
fect only until the next annual adjustment in rates of basic 
allowance for housing under this subsection by law. 
‘‘(C) This paragraph shall cease to be effective on De-
cember 31, 2019.’’.
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Subtitle B—Bonuses and Special 
and Incentive Pays 
SEC. 611. ONE-YEAR EXTENSION OF CERTAIN EXPIRING 
BONUS AND SPECIAL PAY AUTHORITIES. 
(a) AUTHORITIES RELATING TO TITLE 37 CONSOLI-
DATED SPECIAL PAY, INCENTIVE PAY, AND BONUS AU-
THORITIES.—The following sections of title 37, United 
States Code, are amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2018’’ 
and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2019’’: 
(1) Section 331(h), relating to general bonus au-
thority for enlisted members. 
(2) Section 332(g), relating to general bonus au-
thority for officers. 
(3) Section 334(i), relating to special aviation 
incentive pay and bonus authorities for officers. 
(4) Section 335(k), relating to special bonus and 
incentive pay authorities for officers in health profes-
sions. 
(5) Section 336(g), relating to contracting bonus 
for cadets and midshipmen enrolled in the Senior Re-
serve Officers’ Training Corps. 
(6) Section 351(h), relating to hazardous duty 
pay. 
(7) Section 352(g), relating to assignment pay or 
special duty pay.
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(8) Section 353(i), relating to skill incentive pay 
or proficiency bonus. 
(9) Section 355(h), relating to retention incen-
tives for members qualified in critical military skills 
or assigned to high priority units. 
(b) AUTHORITIES RELATING TO RESERVE FORCES.— 
Section 910(g) of title 37, United States Code, relating to 
income replacement payments for reserve component mem-
bers experiencing extended and frequent mobilization for ac-
tive duty service, is amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 
2018’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2019’’. 
(c) TITLE 10 AUTHORITIES RELATING TO HEALTH 
CARE PROFESSIONALS.—The following sections of title 10, 
United States Code, are amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 
2018’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2019’’: 
(1) Section 2130a(a)(1), relating to nurse officer 
candidate accession program. 
(2) Section 16302(d), relating to repayment of 
education loans for certain health professionals who 
serve in the Selected Reserve. 
(d) AUTHORITIES
RELATING
TO
NUCLEAR
OFFI-
CERS.—Section 333(i) of title 37, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2018’’ and inserting 
‘‘December 31, 2019’’.
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(e) AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE TEMPORARY INCREASE IN 
RATES
OF BASIC ALLOWANCE
FOR HOUSING.—Section 
403(b)(7)(E) of title 37, United States Code, is amended 
by striking ‘‘December 31, 2018’’ and inserting ‘‘December 
31, 2019’’. 
Subtitle C—Disability Pay, Retired 
Pay, and Survivor Benefits 
SEC. 621. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS IN CALCULATION AND 
PUBLICATION OF SPECIAL SURVIVOR INDEM-
NITY ALLOWANCE COST OF LIVING ADJUST-
MENTS. 
(a) MONTHS
FOR WHICH ADJUSTMENT APPLICA-
BLE.—Paragraph (2) of section 1450(m) of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (I), by striking ‘‘December’’ 
and inserting ‘‘November’’; and 
(2) in subparagraph (J), by striking ‘‘for months 
during any calendar year after 2018’’ and inserting 
‘‘for months after November 2018’’. 
(b) COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT.—Paragraph (6) of 
such section is amended— 
(1) in the paragraph heading, by striking 
‘‘AFTER 2018’’ and inserting ‘‘AFTER NOVEMBER 2018’’; 
and
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(2) by striking subparagraphs (A) and (B) and 
inserting the following new subparagraphs: 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Whenever retired pay is 
increased for a month under section 1401a of 
this title (or any other provision of law), the 
amount of the allowance payable under para-
graph (1) for that month shall also be increased. 
‘‘(B) AMOUNT OF INCREASE.—With respect 
to an eligible survivor of a member of the uni-
formed services, the increase for a month shall 
be— 
‘‘(i) the amount payable pursuant to 
paragraph (2) for months during the pre-
ceding 12-month period; plus 
‘‘(ii) an amount equal to a percentage 
of the amount determined pursuant to 
clause (i), which percentage is the percent-
age by which the retired pay of the member 
would have increased for the month, as de-
scribed in subparagraph (A), if the member 
was alive (and otherwise entitled to such 
pay). 
‘‘(C) 
ROUNDING
DOWN.—The 
monthly 
amount of an allowance payable under this sub-
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† HR 5515 PAP
section, if not a multiple of $1, shall be rounded 
to the next lower multiple of $1. 
‘‘(D) PUBLIC NOTICE ON AMOUNT OF AL-
LOWANCE
PAYABLE.—Whenever an increase in 
the amount of the allowance payable under para-
graph (1) is made pursuant to this paragraph, 
the Secretary of Defense shall publish the amount 
of the allowance so payable by reason of such in-
crease, including the months for which payable.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this 
section shall take effect on December 1, 2018. 
Subtitle D—Other Matters 
SEC. 631. RATES OF PER DIEM FOR LONG-TERM TEM-
PORARY DUTY ASSIGNMENTS. 
(a) REPORT ON COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF NOVEM-
BER 2014 CHANGE OF POLICY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed 
Services of the Senate and the House of Representa-
tives a report setting forth an analysis, conducted by 
the Secretary for purposes of the report, of the costs 
and benefits of the change in policy of the Depart-
ment of Defense on rates of per diem for long-term 
temporary duty assignments that took effect on No-
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† HR 5515 PAP
vember 1, 2014. The study shall be consistent with the 
principles and requirements of Office of Management 
and Budget Circular A–94. 
(2) ELEMENT
ASSESSING
COST-BENEFIT.—The 
report under paragraph (1) shall specify, in par-
ticular, whether or not the benefits of the change in 
policy described in that paragraph have outweighed 
and will continue to outweigh the costs of the change 
of policy. 
(b) CONTINGENT REVERSION TO PRIOR POLICY.— 
(1) LACK OF REPORT.—If the report required by 
subsection (a)(1) is not submitted to the committees 
of Congress referred to in that subsection by the con-
tingency date, effective as of the contingency date, the 
policy of the Department on rates of per diem for 
long-term temporary duty assignments shall be the 
policy as in effect as of October 31, 2014. 
(2) FINDING
OF
COSTS
OUTWEIGHING
BENE-
FITS.—If the specification in the report as required 
by subsection (a)(2) is that the benefits of the change 
in policy described in subsection (a)(1) have not out-
weighed or will not continue to outweigh the costs of 
the change of policy, effective as of the date of the re-
port, the policy of the Department on rates of per
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† HR 5515 PAP
diem for long-term temporary duty assignments shall 
be the policy as in effect as of October 31, 2014. 
(3) CONTINGENCY DATE DEFINED.—In this sub-
section, the term ‘‘contingency date’’ means the date 
that is 120 days after the date of the enactment of 
this Act. 
SEC. 632. PROHIBITION ON PER DIEM ALLOWANCE REDUC-
TIONS BASED ON THE DURATION OF TEM-
PORARY DUTY ASSIGNMENT OR CIVILIAN 
TRAVEL. 
(a) MEMBERS.—Section 474(d)(3) of title 37, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following 
new sentence: ‘‘The Secretary of a military department 
shall not alter the amount of the per diem allowance, or 
the maximum amount of reimbursement, for a locality 
based on the duration of the temporary duty assignment 
in the locality of a member of the armed forces under the 
jurisdiction of the Secretary.’’. 
(b) CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES.—Section 5702(a)(2) of title 
5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following new sentence: ‘‘The Secretary of Defense shall 
not alter the amount of the per diem allowance, or the max-
imum amount of reimbursement, for a locality based on the 
duration of the travel in the locality of an employee of the 
Department.’’.
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(c) REPEALS.— 
(1) EXISTING POLICY AND REGULATIONS.—The 
policy, and any regulations issued pursuant to such 
policy, implemented by the Secretary of Defense on 
November 1, 2014, with respect to reductions in per 
diem allowances based on duration of temporary duty 
assignment or civilian travel shall have no force or ef-
fect. 
(2) ATTEMPTED STATUTORY FIX.—Section 672 of 
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 37 U.S.C. 474 note; 
130 Stat. 2178) is repealed. 
TITLE VII—HEALTH CARE 
PROVISIONS 
Subtitle A—TRICARE and Other 
Health Care Benefits 
SEC. 701. CONSOLIDATION OF COST-SHARING REQUIRE-
MENTS 
UNDER 
TRICARE 
SELECT 
AND 
TRICARE PRIME. 
(a) TRICARE SELECT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Section 1075 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(A) in subsection (c), by striking para-
graphs (1) and (2) and inserting the following 
new paragraphs:
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‘‘(1) With respect to beneficiaries in the active- 
duty family member category or the retired category 
other than beneficiaries described in paragraph 
(2)(B), the cost-sharing requirements shall be cal-
culated pursuant to subsection (d)(1). 
‘‘(2)(A) With respect to beneficiaries described in 
subparagraph (B) in the active-duty family member 
category or the retired category, the cost-sharing re-
quirements shall be calculated as if the beneficiary 
were enrolled in TRICARE Extra or TRICARE 
Standard as if TRICARE Extra or TRICARE 
Standard, as the case may be, were still being carried 
out by the Secretary. 
‘‘(B) Beneficiaries described in this subpara-
graph are the following beneficiaries: 
‘‘(i) Retired members and the family mem-
bers of such retired members covered by section 
1086(c)(1) of this title by reason of being retired 
under chapter 61 of this title or being a depend-
ent of such a retired member. 
‘‘(ii) 
Survivors 
covered 
by 
section 
1086(c)(2) of this title.’’; 
(B) by striking subsection (e); and
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(C) by redesignating subsections (f), (g), 
and (h) as subsections (e), (f), and (g), respec-
tively. 
(2) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Subsection 
(d)(2) of such section is amended by striking ‘‘, and 
the amounts specified under paragraphs (1) and (2) 
of subsection (e),’’. 
(b) TRICARE PRIME.—Section 1075a(a) of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(2) With respect to beneficiaries in the active- 
duty family member category or the retired category 
(as described in section 1075(b)(1) of this title) other 
than beneficiaries described in paragraph (3)(B), the 
cost-sharing requirements shall be calculated pursuant 
to subsection (b)(1).’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (3), by striking subparagraph 
(B) and inserting the following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(B) Beneficiaries described in this subpara-
graph are the following beneficiaries: 
‘‘(i) Retired members and the family mem-
bers of such retired members covered by section 
1086(c)(1) of this title by reason of being retired
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under chapter 61 of this title or being a depend-
ent of such a retired member. 
‘‘(ii) 
Survivors 
covered 
by 
section 
1086(c)(2) of this title.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this 
section shall take effect on January 1, 2019. 
SEC. 702. ADMINISTRATION OF TRICARE DENTAL PLANS 
THROUGH THE FEDERAL EMPLOYEES DEN-
TAL INSURANCE PROGRAM. 
(a) ELIGIBILITY
OF
ADDITIONAL
BENEFICIARIES 
UNDER THE FEDERAL EMPLOYEES DENTAL INSURANCE 
PROGRAM.—Section 8951(8) of title 5, United States Code, 
is amended by striking ‘‘1076c’’ and inserting ‘‘1076a or 
1076c’’. 
(b) ADMINISTRATION OF TRICARE DENTAL PLANS.— 
Subsection (b) of section 1076a of title 10, United States 
Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(b) ADMINISTRATION OF PLANS.—The plans estab-
lished under this section shall be administered by the Sec-
retary of Defense through an agreement with the Director 
of the Office of Personnel Management to allow persons de-
scribed in subsection (a) to enroll in an insurance plan 
under chapter 89A of title 5, in accordance with terms pre-
scribed by the Secretary, including terms, to the extent 
practical, as defined by the Director through regulation,
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consistent with subsection (d) and, to the extent practicable 
in relation to such chapter 89A, other provisions of this sec-
tion.’’. 
(c) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by this 
section shall apply with respect to the first contract year 
for chapter 89A of title 5, United States Code, that begins 
on or after January 1, 2022. 
(d) TRANSITION.—To ensure the successful transition 
of programs, in carrying out the TRICARE dental program 
under section 1076a of title 10, United States Code, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall ensure that the contractor for such 
program provides claims information under such program 
to carriers providing dental coverage under chapter 89A of 
title 5, United States Code. 
SEC. 703. CONTRACEPTION COVERAGE PARITY UNDER THE 
TRICARE PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1074d(b)(3) of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting before the pe-
riod at the end the following: ‘‘(including all methods of 
contraception approved by the Food and Drug Administra-
tion, contraceptive care (including with respect to insertion, 
removal, and follow up), sterilization procedures, and pa-
tient education and counseling in connection therewith)’’. 
(b) PROHIBITION
ON COST-SHARING
FOR CERTAIN 
SERVICES.—
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(1) TRICARE SELECT.—Section 1075(c) of such 
title is amended by adding at the end the following 
new paragraph: 
‘‘(4) For all beneficiaries under this section, 
there is no cost-sharing for any method of contracep-
tion provided by a network provider.’’. 
(2) TRICARE PRIME.—Section 1075a(b) of such 
title is amended by adding at the end the following 
new paragraph: 
‘‘(5) For all beneficiaries under this section, there is 
no cost-sharing for any method of contraception provided 
by a network provider.’’. 
(3) PHARMACY
BENEFITS
PROGRAM.—Section 
1074g(a)(6) of such title is amended by adding at the 
end the following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(D) Notwithstanding subparagraphs (A) and (B), 
there is no cost-sharing for any prescription contraceptive 
on the uniform formulary provided by a network retail 
pharmacy provider or the mail order pharmacy program.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this 
section shall take effect on January 1, 2020. 
SEC. 704. PILOT PROGRAM ON OPIOID MANAGEMENT IN 
THE MILITARY HEALTH SYSTEM. 
(a) PILOT PROGRAM.—
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(1) IN GENERAL.—Beginning not later than 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Director of the Defense Health Agency shall imple-
ment a comprehensive pilot program to minimize 
early opioid exposure in beneficiaries under the 
TRICARE program and to prevent progression to 
misuse or abuse of opioid medications. 
(2) OPIOID
SAFETY
ACROSS
CONTINUUM
OF 
CARE.—The pilot program shall include elements to 
maximize opioid safety across the entire continuum of 
care consisting of patient, physician or dentist, and 
pharmacist. 
(b) ELEMENTS OF PILOT PROGRAM.—The pilot pro-
gram shall include the following: 
(1) Identification of potential opioid misuse or 
abuse in pharmacies of military treatment facilities, 
retail network pharmacies, and the home delivery 
pharmacy and transmission of alerts regarding such 
potential mistreatment to opioid prescribing physi-
cians or dentists. 
(2) Direct engagement with, education for, and 
management of beneficiaries under the TRICARE 
program to help such beneficiaries avoid opioid mis-
use or abuse.
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(3) Provision of in-home disposal kits to deacti-
vate excess opioids and prevent unauthorized use. 
(4) Proactive outreach by specialist pharmacists 
to such beneficiaries when identifying potential 
opioid misuse or abuse. 
(5) Monitoring of such beneficiaries through the 
use of predictive analytics to identify the potential for 
abuse and addiction before such beneficiaries begin an 
opioid prescription. 
(6) Detection of fraud, waste, and abuse. 
(c) REPORT ON PILOT PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days be-
fore completion of the pilot program, the Secretary of 
Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed 
Services of the Senate and the House of Representa-
tives a report that describes the conduct of the pilot 
program. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para-
graph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) A description of the pilot program, in-
cluding outcome measures developed to determine 
the overall effectiveness of the pilot program. 
(B) A description of the ability of the pilot 
program to identify opioid misuse and abuse 
among beneficiaries under the TRICARE pro-
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gram in each pharmacy venue of the pharmacy 
program of the military health system. 
(C) A description of the impact of the use 
of predictive analytics to monitor such bene-
ficiaries to identify the potential for opioid abuse 
and addiction before such beneficiaries begin an 
opioid prescription. 
(D) A description of any reduction in the 
misuse or abuse of opioid medications among 
such beneficiaries as a result of the pilot pro-
gram. 
(d) DURATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), the Director shall carry out the pilot pro-
gram for a period of not more than three years. 
(2) EXPANSION.—The Director may implement 
the pilot program on a permanent basis if the Direc-
tor determines that the pilot program successfully re-
duces early opioid exposure in beneficiaries under the 
TRICARE program and prevents progression to mis-
use or abuse of opioid medications. 
(e) TRICARE PROGRAM DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘TRICARE program’’ has the meaning given that 
term in section 1072 of title 10, United States Code.
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SEC. 705. PILOT PROGRAM ON TREATMENT OF MEMBERS OF 
THE ARMED FORCES FOR POST-TRAUMATIC 
STRESS DISORDER RELATED TO MILITARY 
SEXUAL TRAUMA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense may 
carry out a pilot program to assess the feasibility and ad-
visability of using intensive outpatient programs to treat 
members of the Armed Forces suffering from post-traumatic 
stress disorder resulting from military sexual trauma, in-
cluding treatment for substance abuse, depression, and other 
issues related to such conditions. 
(b) DISCHARGE THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS.—The pilot 
program authorized by subsection (a) shall be carried out 
through partnerships with public, private, and non-profit 
health care organizations and institutions that— 
(1) provide health care to members of the Armed 
Forces; 
(2) provide evidence-based treatment for psycho-
logical and neurological conditions that are common 
among members of the Armed Forces, including post- 
traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, 
substance abuse, and depression; 
(3) provide health care, support, and other bene-
fits to family members of members of the Armed 
Forces; and
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(4) provide health care under the TRICARE pro-
gram (as that term is defined in section 1072 of title 
10, United States Code). 
(c) PROGRAM ACTIVITIES.—Each organization or in-
stitution that participates in a partnership under the pilot 
program authorized by subsection (a) shall— 
(1) carry out intensive outpatient programs of 
short duration to treat members of the Armed Forces 
suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder resulting 
from military sexual trauma, including treatment for 
substance abuse, depression, and other issues related 
to such conditions; 
(2) use evidence-based and evidence-informed 
treatment strategies in carrying out such programs; 
(3) share clinical and outreach best practices 
with other organizations and institutions partici-
pating in the pilot program; and 
(4) annually assess outcomes for members of the 
Armed Forces individually and among the organiza-
tions and institutions participating in the pilot pro-
gram with respect to the treatment of conditions de-
scribed in paragraph (1). 
(d) EVALUATION METRICS.—Before commencement of 
the pilot program, the Secretary shall establish metrics to
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be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot program 
and the activities under the pilot program. 
(e) REPORTS.— 
(1) INITIAL REPORT.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Serv-
ices of the Senate and the House of Representatives a 
report on the pilot program authorized by subsection 
(a). The report shall include a description of the pilot 
program and such other matters on the pilot program 
as the Secretary considers appropriate. 
(2) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than 180 days 
after the cessation of the pilot program under sub-
section (f), the Secretary shall submit to the commit-
tees of Congress referred to in paragraph (1) a report 
on the pilot program. The report shall include the fol-
lowing: 
(A) A description of the pilot program, in-
cluding the partnership under the pilot program 
as described in subsection (b). 
(B) An assessment of the effectiveness of the 
pilot program and the activities under the pilot 
program. 
(C) Such recommendations for legislative or 
administrative action as the Secretary considers
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† HR 5515 PAP
appropriate in light of the pilot program, in-
cluding recommendations for extension or mak-
ing permanent the authority for the pilot pro-
gram. 
(f) TERMINATION.—The Secretary may not carry out 
the pilot program authorized by subsection (a) after the date 
that is three years after the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
Subtitle B—Health Care 
Administration 
SEC. 711. IMPROVEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION OF DEFENSE 
HEALTH AGENCY AND MILITARY MEDICAL 
TREATMENT FACILITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (a) of section 1073c of 
title 10, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as 
paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol-
lowing new paragraph (2): 
‘‘(2) In addition to the responsibilities set forth in 
paragraph (1), the Director of the Defense Health Agency 
shall have the authority— 
‘‘(A) to direct, control, and serve as the primary 
rater of the performance of commanders or directors 
of military medical treatment facilities;
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‘‘(B) to direct and control any intermediary or-
ganizations between the Defense Health Agency and 
military medical treatment facilities; 
‘‘(C) to determine the scope of medical care pro-
vided at each military medical treatment facility to 
meet the military personnel readiness requirements of 
the senior military operational commander of the 
military installation; 
‘‘(D) to determine total workforce requirements 
at each military medical treatment facility; 
‘‘(E) to direct joint manning at military med-
ical treatment facilities and intermediary organiza-
tions; 
‘‘(F) to establish training and skills sustainment 
venues for military medical personnel; 
‘‘(G) to address personnel staffing shortages at 
military medical treatment facilities; and 
‘‘(H) to approve service nominations for com-
manders or directors of military medical treatment 
facilities.’’. 
(b) 
COMBAT
SUPPORT
RESPONSIBILITIES.—Sub-
section (d)(2) of such section is amended by adding at the 
end the following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(C) Ensuring that the Defense Health Agency 
meets the military personnel readiness requirements
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of the senior military operational commanders of the 
military installations.’’. 
SEC. 712. ORGANIZATIONAL FRAMEWORK OF THE MILITARY 
HEALTHCARE SYSTEM TO SUPPORT MEDICAL 
REQUIREMENTS OF THE COMBATANT COM-
MANDS. 
(a) ORGANIZATIONAL FRAMEWORK REQUIRED.—The 
Secretary of Defense shall, acting through the Director of 
the Defense Health Agency, implement an organizational 
framework for the military healthcare system that most ef-
fectively implements chapter 55 of title 10, United States 
Code, in a manner that maximizes interoperability and 
fully integrates medical capabilities of the Armed Forces 
in order to enhance joint military medical operations in 
support of requirements of the combatant commands. 
(b) IMPLEMENTATION.— 
(1) COMMENCEMENT.—Implementation of the or-
ganizational framework required by subsection (a) 
shall commence not later than October 1, 2018. 
(2) PHASED IMPLEMENTATION.—Implementation 
of the organizational framework may occur in phases, 
as considered appropriate by the Director. 
(3) COMPLETION.—The organizational frame-
work shall be fully implemented by not later than Oc-
tober 1, 2020.
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(4) 
COMPLIANCE
WITH
CERTAIN
REQUIRE-
MENTS.—The organizational framework, as imple-
mented, shall comply with all requirements of section 
1073c of title 10, United States Code, except for the 
October 1, 2018, implementation date specified in 
such section. 
(c) HEALTH-READINESS REGIONS
IN CONUS RE-
QUIRED.—The organizational framework required by sub-
section (a) shall meet the requirements as follows: 
(1) HEALTH-READINESS REGIONS.—There shall 
be not more than three health-readiness regions estab-
lished in the continental United States. 
(2) LEADER.—Each region under paragraph (1) 
shall be led by a commander or director who is a 
member of the Armed Forces serving in a grade not 
higher than major general or rear admiral and who 
shall be— 
(A) selected by the Director from among 
members of the Armed Forces recommended by 
the military departments for service in such po-
sition; and 
(B) under the authority, direction, and con-
trol of the Director while serving in such posi-
tion. 
(3) REGIONAL HUBS.—
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(A) IN GENERAL.—Each region under para-
graph (1) shall include a major military medical 
center designated by the Director to serve as the 
regional hub for the provision of specialized med-
ical services in such region. 
(B) CAPABILITIES.—A major medical center 
may not be designated as a regional hub unless 
the center— 
(i) includes one or more large graduate 
medical education training platforms; and 
(ii) provides, at a minimum, role 4 
medical care. 
(C) LOCATION.—Any major medical center 
designated as a regional hub of a region shall be 
geographically located so as to maximize the sup-
port provided by uniformed medical resources in 
the region to the combatant commands. In desig-
nating major medical centers as a regional hub, 
the Director shall give consideration to the col-
location of such centers with major aerial debar-
kation points of patients in the medical evacu-
ation system of the United States Transportation 
Command. 
(D) MAJOR HEALTH CARE DELIVERY PLAT-
FORM.—A major medical center designated as a
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regional hub of a region shall serve as the major 
health care delivery platform for the provision of 
complex specialized medical care in the region, 
whether through patient referrals from other 
military medical treatment facilities in the re-
gion or through referrals from other regions in 
the case of certain specialized medical services 
(such as treatment for severe burns) which may 
only be available at a military medical treat-
ment facility within the region. 
(4) ADDITIONAL MILITARY MEDICAL CENTERS.— 
Consistent with section 1073d of title 10, United 
States Code, each region under paragraph (1) may 
include one or more additional military medical cen-
ters, whether established or maintained by the Direc-
tor for purposes of this section, in order to serve loca-
tions in the region, if any, as follows: 
(A) Locations with large beneficiary popu-
lations. 
(B) Locations that serve as the primary 
readiness platforms of the Armed Forces. 
(5) PATIENT REFERRALS AND COORDINATION.— 
The Director shall ensure effective and efficient med-
ical care referrals and coordination among military 
medical treatment facilities in each region under
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paragraph (1), and among local or regional high-per-
forming health systems in the region, through local or 
regional partnerships with institutional or individual 
civilian providers. 
(d) HEALTH-READINESS
REGIONS
OCONUS RE-
QUIRED.—The organizational framework required by sub-
section (a) shall meet the requirements as follows: 
(1) HEALTH-READINESS REGIONS.—There shall 
be established not more than two health-readiness re-
gions outside the continental United States— 
(A) to enhance joint military medical oper-
ations in support of the requirements of the com-
batant commands in such region or regions, with 
a specific focus on existing and future contin-
gency and operational plans; 
(B) to ensure the provision of high-quality 
healthcare services to beneficiaries; and 
(C) to improve the interoperability of 
healthcare delivery systems in regions (whether 
under this subsection, subsection (c), or both). 
(2) PATIENT REFERRALS AND COORDINATION.— 
The Director shall ensure effective and efficient med-
ical care referrals and coordination among military 
medical treatment facilities in any region under
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paragraph (1), and among local or regional high-per-
forming health systems in such region. 
(e) PLANNING AND COORDINATION.— 
(1) SUSTAINMENT OF CLINICAL COMPETENCIES 
AND STAFFING.—The Director shall— 
(A) provide in each health-readiness region 
under this section healthcare delivery venues for 
uniformed medical and dental personnel to ob-
tain operational clinical competencies; and 
(B) coordinate with the military depart-
ments to ensure that staffing at military medical 
treatment facilities in each region supports read-
iness requirements for members of the Armed 
Forces and military medical personnel. 
(2) OVERSIGHT
AND
ALLOCATION
OF
RE-
SOURCES.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall, con-
sistent with section 193 of title 10, United States 
Code, coordinate with the Chairman of the Joint 
Chiefs of Staff, through the Joint Staff Surgeon, 
to conduct oversight and direct resources to sup-
port requirements related to readiness or oper-
ational medicine support that are validated by 
the Joint Staff.
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(B) SUPPLY
AND
DEMAND
FOR
MEDICAL 
SERVICES.—Based on operational medical force 
readiness requirements of the combatant com-
mands validated by the Joint Staff, the Director 
shall— 
(i) validate supply and demand re-
quirements for medical and dental services 
at each military medical treatment facility; 
(ii) in coordination with the oper-
ational medical force readiness organiza-
tions required by subsection (f)(1), provide 
currency workload for uniformed medical 
and dental personnel at each facility to 
maintain skills proficiency; and 
(iii) if workload is insufficient to meet 
requirements, identify alternative training 
and clinical practice sites for uniformed 
medical and dental personnel, and establish 
military-civilian training partnerships, to 
provide such workload. 
(f) OPERATIONAL MEDICAL FORCE READINESS ORGA-
NIZATIONS OF THE ARMED FORCES.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than October 1, 
2019, the Secretary of Defense shall, acting through 
the Secretary of the military department concerned,
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establish in each military department an operational 
medical force readiness organization in accordance 
with this subsection. 
(2) LEADER.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Each operational med-
ical force readiness organization established 
under paragraph (1) shall be led by the Surgeon 
General of an Armed Force. 
(B) CONSTRUCTION OF DUTIES.—The duties 
of a Surgeon General under this paragraph as 
leader of an operational medical force readiness 
organization are in addition to the duties of such 
Surgeon General under section 3036, 5137, or 
8036 of title 10, United States Code, as applica-
ble. 
(3) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The responsibilities of 
an operational medical force readiness organization 
are limited to the responsibilities as follows: 
(A) To recruit, organize, train, and equip 
uniformed medical and dental personnel of the 
military department concerned. 
(B) To assign uniformed medical and den-
tal personnel of the military department con-
cerned to military medical treatment facilities 
for training activities specific to such military
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† HR 5515 PAP
department and for operational and training 
missions, during which assignment such per-
sonnel shall be under the operational control of 
the commander or director of the military med-
ical treatment facility concerned, subject to the 
authority, direction, and control of the Director. 
(C) To ensure the readiness for operational 
deployment of medical and dental personnel and 
deployable medical or dental teams or units of 
the Armed Force or Armed Forces concerned. 
(D) To provide logistical support for oper-
ational deployment of medical and dental per-
sonnel and deployable medical or dental teams 
or units of the Armed Force or Armed Forces 
concerned. 
(E) To oversee the mobilization and demobi-
lization in connection with operational deploy-
ment of medical and dental personnel of the 
Armed Force or Armed Forces concerned. 
(F) To carry out operational medical and 
dental force development for the military depart-
ment concerned. 
(G) In coordination with the Secretary con-
cerned, to ensure that the operational medical 
force readiness organizations of the Armed
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Forces support the medical and dental readiness 
responsibilities of the Director and the Secretary 
concerned. 
(4) MEDICAL FORCE REQUIREMENTS OF COMBAT-
ANT COMMANDS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Each operational med-
ical force readiness organization shall ensure 
that the uniformed medical and dental personnel 
serving in the military department concerned re-
ceive training and clinical practice opportunities 
necessary to ensure that such personnel are capa-
ble of meeting the operational medical force re-
quirements of the combatant commands applica-
ble to such personnel. Such training and practice 
opportunities shall be provided through pro-
grams and activities of the Defense Health Agen-
cy and by such other mechanisms as the Sec-
retary shall designate for purposes of this para-
graph. 
(B) REQUIREMENTS.—The commanders of 
the combatant commands shall apprise oper-
ational medical force readiness organizations of 
the operational medical force requirements of the 
combatant commands through the Joint Staff.
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(5) NO COMMAND AUTHORITY.—An operational 
medical force readiness organization established under 
paragraph (1) shall have no command authority. 
(g) DISESTABLISHMENT OF SUPERSEDED MEDICAL 
ORGANIZATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than the date on 
which the Secretary of Defense establishes an oper-
ational medical force readiness organization within a 
military department pursuant to subsection (f), the 
Secretary of Defense shall, acting through the Sec-
retary of such military department concerned, dises-
tablish the following: 
(A) In the case of the Army, the Army Med-
ical Command, and any associated subordinate 
command or organization. 
(B) In the case of the Navy, the Bureau of 
Medicine and Surgery of the Navy, and any as-
sociated subordinate command or organization. 
(C) In the case of the Air Force, the Air 
Force Medical Service, and any associated subor-
dinate command or organization. 
(2) TRANSFER
OF
PERSONNEL
AUTHORIZA-
TIONS.—Any personnel authorization of a command 
or organization disestablished pursuant to paragraph 
(1) as of the date of disestablishment may be trans-
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† HR 5515 PAP
ferred by the Secretary to the Defense Health Agency 
or any other organization of the Department of De-
fense considered appropriate by the Secretary, includ-
ing an operational medical force readiness organiza-
tion under subsection (f). 
SEC. 713. STREAMLINING OF TRICARE PRIME BENEFICIARY 
REFERRAL PROCESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
streamline the process under section 1095f of title 10, 
United States Code, by which beneficiaries enrolled in 
TRICARE Prime are referred to the civilian provider net-
work for inpatient or outpatient care under the TRICARE 
program. 
(b) OBJECTIVES.—In carrying out the requirement in 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall meet the following objec-
tives: 
(1) The referral process shall model best industry 
practices for referrals from primary care managers to 
specialty care providers. 
(2) The process shall strictly limit administra-
tive requirements for enrolled beneficiaries, relying 
instead on communications among providers and care 
coordinators to arrange appointments within applica-
ble access to care scheduling time standards.
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(3) Beneficiary preferences for communications 
relating to appointment referrals using state-of-the- 
art information technology shall be used to expedite 
the process. 
(4) There shall be effective and efficient processes 
to determine the availability of appointments at mili-
tary medical treatment facilities and, when unavail-
able, to make prompt referrals to network providers 
under the TRICARE program. 
(5) There shall be no right-of-first refusal re-
quirement under the process. 
(c) DEADLINE FOR IMPLEMENTATION.—The require-
ment in subsection (a) shall be implemented for referrals 
under TRICARE Prime in calendar year 2019. 
(d) EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT.—After 2019, the 
Secretary shall— 
(1) evaluate the process described in subsection 
(a) not less often annually; and 
(2) make appropriate improvements to the proc-
ess in light of such evaluation. 
(e) 
DEFINITIONS.—In 
this 
section, 
the 
terms 
‘‘TRICARE program’’ and ‘‘TRICARE Prime’’ have the 
meaning given such terms in section 1072 of title 10, 
United States Code.
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SEC. 714. SHARING OF INFORMATION WITH STATE PRE-
SCRIPTION DRUG MONITORING PROGRAMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1074g of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsections (g) and (h) as 
subsections (h) and (i), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (f) the following 
new subsection (g): 
‘‘(g) SHARING OF INFORMATION WITH STATE PRE-
SCRIPTION DRUG MONITORING PROGRAMS.—(1) The Sec-
retary of Defense shall establish and maintain a program 
(to be known as the ‘Military Health System Prescription 
Drug Monitoring Program’) in accordance with this sub-
section. The program shall include a special emphasis on 
drugs provided through facilities of the uniformed services. 
‘‘(2) The program shall be— 
‘‘(A) comparable to prescription drug monitoring 
programs operated by States, including such pro-
grams approved by the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services under section 399O of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280g–3); and 
‘‘(B) applicable to designated controlled sub-
stance prescriptions under the pharmacy benefits pro-
gram. 
‘‘(3)(A) The Secretary shall establish appropriate pro-
cedures for the bi-directional sharing of patient-specific in-
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formation regarding prescriptions for designated controlled 
substances between the program and State prescription 
drug monitoring programs. 
‘‘(B) The purpose of sharing of information under this 
paragraph shall be to prevent misuse and diversion of 
opioid medications and other designated controlled sub-
stances. 
‘‘(C) Any disclosure of patient-specific information by 
the Secretary under this paragraph is an authorized disclo-
sure for purposes of the health information privacy regula-
tions promulgated under the Health Insurance Portability 
and Accountability Act of 1996 (Public Law 104–191). 
‘‘(4)(A) Any procedures developed pursuant to para-
graph (3)(A) shall include appropriate safeguards, as deter-
mined by the Secretary, concerning cyber security of De-
partment of Defense systems and operational security of De-
partment personnel. 
‘‘(B) To the extent the Secretary considers appropriate, 
the program may be treated as comparable to a State pro-
gram for purposes of bi-directional sharing of controlled 
substance prescription information. 
‘‘(5) For purposes of this subsection, any reference to 
a program operated by a State includes any program oper-
ated by a county, municipality, or other subdivision within 
that State.’’.
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(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 1079(q) of 
such title is amended by striking ‘‘section 1074g(g)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘section 1074g(h)’’. 
SEC. 715. IMPROVEMENT OF REIMBURSEMENT BY DEPART-
MENT OF DEFENSE OF ENTITIES CARRYING 
OUT STATE VACCINATION PROGRAMS IN CON-
NECTION WITH VACCINES PROVIDED TO COV-
ERED BENEFICIARIES UNDER THE TRICARE 
PROGRAM. 
Section 719(a) of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 10 U.S.C. 
1074g note) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘for the cost of 
vaccines provided to covered beneficiaries through 
such program’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘to 
purchase vaccines provided’’ and inserting ‘‘in 
making vaccines available’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘to 
provide vaccines’’ and all that follows through 
the period at the end and inserting ‘‘with respect 
to a State vaccination program may not exceed 
the amount the Department would reimburse an 
entity for making vaccines available to the num-
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ber of covered beneficiaries who reside in the 
State concerned.’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraph: 
‘‘(C) INAPPLICABILITY
OF
LIMITATION.— 
Subparagraph (B) shall not apply to amounts 
assessed by entities that provide independent 
verification that the assessments of such entities 
are below the costs of the private sector in mak-
ing vaccines available.’’. 
Subtitle C—Reports and Other 
Matters 
SEC. 721. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR JOINT DEPART-
MENT OF DEFENSE-DEPARTMENT OF VET-
ERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL FACILITY DEM-
ONSTRATION FUND. 
Section 1704(e) of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (Public Law 111–84; 123 Stat. 
2573), as amended by section 722 of the Carl Levin and 
Howard P. ‘‘Buck’’ McKeon National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113–291), sec-
tion 723 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fis-
cal Year 2016 (Public Law 114–92), section 741(a) of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 
(Public Law 114–328), and section 719 of the National De-
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fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 
115–91), is further amended by striking ‘‘September 30, 
2019’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2020’’. 
SEC. 722. INCREASE IN NUMBER OF APPOINTED MEMBERS 
OF THE HENRY M. JACKSON FOUNDATION 
FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF MILITARY MEDI-
CINE. 
Section 178(c)(1)(C) of title 10, United States Code, 
is amended by striking ‘‘four members’’ and inserting ‘‘six 
members’’. 
SEC. 723. CESSATION OF REQUIREMENT FOR MENTAL 
HEALTH ASSESSMENT OF MEMBERS AFTER 
REDEPLOYMENT FROM A CONTINGENCY OP-
ERATION UPON DISCHARGE OR RELEASE 
FROM THE ARMED FORCES. 
Section 1074m of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(1)(C), by striking ‘‘Once’’ 
and inserting ‘‘Subject to subsection (d), once’’; and 
(2) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘subsection 
(a)(1)(D)’’ and inserting ‘‘subparagraph (C) or (D) of 
subsection (a)(1)’’.
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SEC. 724. PILOT PROGRAM ON EARNING BY SPECIAL OPER-
ATIONS FORCES MEDICS OF CREDITS TO-
WARDS A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT DEGREE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary of Defense 
for Health Affairs shall conduct a pilot program to assess 
the feasibility and advisability of partnerships between spe-
cial operations forces and institutions of higher education, 
and health care systems if determined appropriate by the 
Assistant Secretary for purposes of the pilot program, 
through which special operations forces medics earn credit 
toward the master’s degree of physician assistant for mili-
tary operational work and training performed by the med-
ics. 
(b) DURATION.—The Assistant Secretary shall conduct 
the pilot program for a period not to exceed five years. 
(c) CLINICAL TRAINING.—Partnerships under sub-
section (a) shall permit medics participating in the pilot 
program to conduct clinical training at medical facilities 
of the Department of Defense and the civilian sector. 
(d) EVALUATION.—The evaluation of work and train-
ing performed by medics for which credits are earned under 
the pilot program shall comply with civilian clinical eval-
uation standards applicable to the awarding of master’s de-
grees of physician assistant. 
(e) REPORTS.—
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(1) INITIAL REPORT.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on 
Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Rep-
resentative a report that shall include the following: 
(A) A comprehensive framework for the 
military education to be provided to special op-
erations forces medics under the pilot program, 
including courses of instruction at institutions of 
higher education and any health care systems 
participating in the pilot program. 
(B) Metrics to be used to assess the effective-
ness of the pilot program. 
(C) A description of the mechanisms to be 
used by the Department, medics, or both to cover 
the costs of education received by medics under 
the pilot program through institutions of higher 
education or health care systems, including pay-
ment by the Department in return for a military 
service commitment, tuition or other educational 
assistance by the Department, use by medics of 
post-9/11 
educational 
assistance 
available 
through the Department of Veterans Affairs, and 
any other mechanisms the Secretary considers 
appropriate for purposes of the pilot program.
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(2) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than 180 days 
after completion of the pilot program, the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of 
the Senate and the House of Representatives a final 
report on the pilot program. The report shall include 
the following: 
(A) An evaluation of the pilot program 
using the metrics of assessment set forth pursu-
ant to paragraph (1)(B). 
(B) An assessment of the utility of the fund-
ing mechanisms set forth pursuant to paragraph 
(1)(C). 
(C) An assessment of the effects of the pilot 
program on recruitment and retention of medics 
for special operations forces. 
(D) An assessment of the feasibility and ad-
visability of extending one or more authorities 
for joint professional military education under 
chapter 107 of title 10, United States Code, to 
warrant officers or enlisted personnel, and if the 
Secretary considers the extension of any such au-
thorities feasible and advisable, recommendations 
for legislative or administrative action to so ex-
tend such authorities.
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(f) CONSTRUCTION OF AUTHORITIES.—Nothing in this 
section may be construed to— 
(1) authorize an officer or employee of the Fed-
eral Government to create, endorse, or otherwise 
incentivize a particular curriculum or degree track; 
or 
(2) require, direct, review, or control a State or 
educational institution, or the instructional content, 
curriculum, and related activities of a State or edu-
cational institution. 
SEC. 725. PILOT PROGRAM ON PARTNERSHIPS WITH CIVIL-
IAN ORGANIZATIONS FOR SPECIALIZED MED-
ICAL TRAINING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
carry out a pilot program to assess the feasibility and ad-
visability of establishing partnerships with public, private, 
and non-profit organizations and institutions to provide 
short-term specialized medical training to advance the med-
ical skills and capabilities of military medical providers. 
(b) DURATION.—The Secretary may carry out the 
pilot program under subsection (a) for a period of not more 
than three years. 
(c) EVALUATION METRICS.—Before commencing the 
pilot program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall es-
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tablish metrics to be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the 
pilot program. 
(d) REPORTS.— 
(1) INITIAL REPORT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
before the commencement of the pilot program 
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit 
to the Committees on Armed Services of the Sen-
ate and the House of Representatives a report on 
the pilot program. 
(B) ELEMENTS.—The report required by 
subparagraph (A) shall include a description of 
the pilot program, the evaluation metrics estab-
lished under subsection (c), and such other mat-
ters relating to the pilot program as the Sec-
retary considers appropriate. 
(2) FINAL REPORT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the completion of the pilot program under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the 
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and 
the House of Representatives a report on the 
pilot program. 
(B) ELEMENTS.—The report required by 
subparagraph (A) shall include the following:
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(i) A description of the pilot program, 
including the partnerships established under 
the pilot program as described in subsection 
(a). 
(ii) An assessment of the effectiveness 
of the pilot program. 
(iii) Such recommendations for legisla-
tive or administrative action as the Sec-
retary considers appropriate in light of the 
pilot program, including recommendations 
for extending or making permanent the au-
thority for the pilot program. 
(e) FUNDING.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The amount authorized to be 
appropriated for fiscal year 2019 for the Department 
of Defense for the Defense Health Program for edu-
cation and training shall be increased by $2,500,000. 
(2) AVAILABILITY.—The amount of the increase 
of the authorization under paragraph (1) shall be 
available to carry out this section and shall remain 
available for obligation until the completion of the 
pilot program under this section.
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SEC. 726. REGISTRY OF INDIVIDUALS EXPOSED TO PER- 
AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES ON 
MILITARY INSTALLATIONS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF REGISTRY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall— 
(A) establish and maintain a registry for el-
igible individuals who may have been exposed to 
per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (in this sec-
tion referred to as ‘‘PFAS’’) due to the environ-
mental release of aqueous film-forming foam (in 
this section referred to as ‘‘AFFF’’) on military 
installations to meet the requirements of military 
specification MIL–F–24385F; 
(B) include any information in such reg-
istry that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs deter-
mines necessary to ascertain and monitor the 
health effects of the exposure of members of the 
Armed Forces to PFAS associated with AFFF; 
(C) develop a public information campaign 
to inform eligible individuals about the registry, 
including how to register and the benefits of reg-
istering; and 
(D) periodically notify eligible individuals 
of significant developments in the study and
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treatment of conditions associated with exposure 
to PFAS. 
(2) COORDINATION.—The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall coordinate with the Secretary of Defense 
in carrying out paragraph (1). 
(b) REPORTS.— 
(1) INITIAL REPORT.—Not later than two years 
after the date on which the registry under subsection 
(a) is established, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall submit to Congress an initial report containing 
the following: 
(A) An assessment of the effectiveness of ac-
tions taken by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
and the Secretary of Defense to collect and main-
tain information on the health effects of exposure 
to PFAS. 
(B) Recommendations to improve the collec-
tion and maintenance of such information. 
(C) Using established and previously pub-
lished epidemiological studies, recommendations 
regarding the most effective and prudent means 
of addressing the medical needs of eligible indi-
viduals with respect to exposure to PFAS. 
(2) FOLLOW-UP
REPORT.—Not later than five 
years after submitting the initial report under para-
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† HR 5515 PAP
graph (1), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall sub-
mit to Congress a follow-up report containing the fol-
lowing: 
(A) An update to the initial report sub-
mitted under paragraph (1). 
(B) An assessment of whether and to what 
degree the content of the registry established 
under subsection (a) is current and scientifically 
up-to-date. 
(3) INDEPENDENT SCIENTIFIC ORGANIZATION.— 
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall enter into an 
agreement with an independent scientific organiza-
tion to prepare the reports under paragraphs (1) and 
(2). 
(c) RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL EXPOSURES 
TO BE INCLUDED.—Not later than five years after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, and every five years thereafter, 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the 
Secretary of Defense and the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency, shall submit to Congress rec-
ommendations for additional chemicals with respect to 
which individuals exposed to such chemicals should be in-
cluded in the registry established under subsection (a). 
(d) ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘eligible individual’’ means any individual who,
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on or after a date specified by the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs through regulations, served or is serving in the 
Armed Forces at a military installation where AFFF was 
used or at another location of the Department of Defense 
where AFFF was used. 
SEC. 727. INCLUSION OF GAMBLING DISORDER IN HEALTH 
ASSESSMENTS FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED 
FORCES AND RELATED RESEARCH EFFORTS. 
(a) ANNUAL PERIODIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT.—The 
Secretary of Defense shall incorporate medical screening 
questions specific to gambling disorder into the Annual 
Periodic Health Assessment conducted by the Department 
of Defense for members of the Armed Forces. 
(b) RESEARCH EFFORTS.—The Secretary shall incor-
porate into ongoing research efforts of the Department ques-
tions on gambling disorder, as appropriate, including by 
restoring such questions into the Health Related Behaviors 
Survey of Active Duty Military Personnel and the Health 
Related Behaviors Survey of Reserve Component Personnel. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than two years after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
the congressional defense committees a report on efforts un-
dertaken pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) and the find-
ings of the assessments and surveys described in those sub-
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sections with respect to the prevalence of gambling disorder 
among members of the Armed Forces. 
SEC. 728. COMPTROLLER GENERAL REVIEW OF DEFENSE 
HEALTH AGENCY OVERSIGHT OF TRICARE 
MANAGED CARE SUPPORT CONTRACTORS. 
(a) REVIEW.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the 
United States shall submit to the congressional defense com-
mittees a review of the oversight conducted by the Defense 
Health Agency with respect to the transition of managed 
care support contractors for the TRICARE program. 
(b) MATTERS
INCLUDED.—The review conducted 
under subsection (a) shall include the following: 
(1) The extent to which the Defense Health Agen-
cy provided guidance and oversight to the outgoing 
and incoming managed care support contractors dur-
ing the transition period prior to the start of health 
care delivery. 
(2) The extent to which there were any issues 
with health care delivery, and if so— 
(A) the effect, if any, of the guidance and 
oversight by the Defense Health Agency during 
the transition period on those issues; and
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† HR 5515 PAP
(B) the solutions of the Defense Health 
Agency for remediating any deficiencies of man-
aged care support contractors. 
(3) The extent to which the Defense Health Agen-
cy has reviewed any lessons learned from prior tran-
sitions and incorporated those lessons into the current 
transition. 
(c) ONGOING REQUIREMENT.—The Comptroller Gen-
eral shall review any transition of managed care support 
contractors for the TRICARE program occurring after the 
date of the review under subsection (a) and submit to the 
congressional defense committees a similar review for each 
such transition. 
(d) TRICARE PROGRAM DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘TRICARE program’’ has the meaning given that 
term in section 1072 of title 10, United States Code. 
TITLE VIII—ACQUISITION POL-
ICY, ACQUISITION MANAGE-
MENT, AND RELATED MAT-
TERS 
Subtitle A—Acquisition Policy and 
Management 
SEC. 801. PERMANENT SUPPLY CHAIN RISK MANAGEMENT 
AUTHORITY. 
(a) PERMANENT EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY.—
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† HR 5515 PAP
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Chapter 137 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following new section: 
‘‘§ 2339a. Requirements for information relating to 
supply chain risk 
‘‘(a) AUTHORITY.—Subject to subsection (b), the head 
of a covered agency may— 
‘‘(1) carry out a covered procurement action; 
and 
‘‘(2) limit, notwithstanding any other provision 
of law, in whole or in part, the disclosure of informa-
tion relating to the basis for carrying out a covered 
procurement action. 
‘‘(b) DETERMINATION AND NOTIFICATION.—The head 
of a covered agency may exercise the authority provided in 
subsection (a) only after— 
‘‘(1) obtaining a joint recommendation by the 
Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and 
Sustainment and the Chief Information Officer of the 
Department of Defense, on the basis of a risk assess-
ment by the Under Secretary of Defense for Intel-
ligence, that there is a significant supply chain risk 
to a covered system; 
‘‘(2) making a determination in writing, in un-
classified or classified form, with the concurrence of
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† HR 5515 PAP
the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and 
Sustainment, that— 
‘‘(A) use of the authority in subsection 
(a)(1) is necessary to protect national security 
by reducing supply chain risk; 
‘‘(B) less intrusive measures are not reason-
ably available to reduce such supply chain risk; 
and 
‘‘(C) in a case where the head of the covered 
agency plans to limit disclosure of information 
under subsection (a)(2), the risk to national se-
curity due to the disclosure of such information 
outweighs the risk due to not disclosing such in-
formation; and 
‘‘(3) providing a classified or unclassified notice 
of the determination made under paragraph (2) to the 
appropriate congressional committees, which notice 
shall include— 
‘‘(A) the information required by section 
2304(f)(3) of this title; 
‘‘(B) the joint recommendation by the 
Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and 
Sustainment and the Chief Information Officer 
of the Department of Defense as specified in 
paragraph (1);
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† HR 5515 PAP
‘‘(C) a summary of the risk assessment by 
the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence 
that serves as the basis for the joint recommenda-
tion specified in paragraph (1); and 
‘‘(D) a summary of the basis for the deter-
mination, including a discussion of less intrusive 
measures that were considered and why they 
were not reasonably available to reduce supply 
chain risk. 
‘‘(c) DELEGATION.—The head of a covered agency may 
not delegate the authority provided in subsection (a) or the 
responsibility to make a determination under subsection (b) 
to an official below the level of the service acquisition execu-
tive for the agency concerned. 
‘‘(d) LIMITATION ON DISCLOSURE.—If the head of a 
covered agency has exercised the authority provided in sub-
section (a)(2) to limit disclosure of information— 
‘‘(1) no action undertaken by the agency head 
under such authority shall be subject to review in a 
bid protest before the Government Accountability Of-
fice or in any Federal court; and 
‘‘(2) the agency head shall— 
‘‘(A) notify appropriate parties of a covered 
procurement action and the basis for such action
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† HR 5515 PAP
only to the extent necessary to effectuate the cov-
ered procurement action; 
‘‘(B) notify other Department of Defense 
components or other Federal agencies responsible 
for procurements that may be subject to the same 
or similar supply chain risk, in a manner and 
to the extent consistent with the requirements of 
national security; and 
‘‘(C) ensure the confidentiality of any such 
notifications. 
‘‘(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) HEAD OF A COVERED AGENCY.—The term 
‘head of a covered agency’ means each of the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(A) The Secretary of Defense. 
‘‘(B) The Secretary of the Army. 
‘‘(C) The Secretary of the Navy. 
‘‘(D) The Secretary of the Air Force. 
‘‘(2) COVERED
PROCUREMENT
ACTION.—The 
term ‘covered procurement action’ means any of the 
following actions, if the action takes place in the 
course of conducting a covered procurement: 
‘‘(A) The exclusion of a source that fails to 
meet qualification standards established in ac-
cordance with the requirements of section 2319 of
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this title for the purpose of reducing supply 
chain risk in the acquisition of covered systems. 
‘‘(B) The exclusion of a source that fails to 
achieve an acceptable rating with regard to an 
evaluation factor providing for the consideration 
of supply chain risk in the evaluation of pro-
posals for the award of a contract or the issuance 
of a task or delivery order. 
‘‘(C) The decision to withhold consent for a 
contractor to subcontract with a particular 
source or to direct a contractor for a covered sys-
tem to exclude a particular source from consider-
ation for a subcontract under the contract. 
‘‘(3) COVERED PROCUREMENT.—The term ‘cov-
ered procurement’ means— 
‘‘(A) a source selection for a covered system 
or a covered item of supply involving either a 
performance specification, as provided in section 
2305(a)(1)(C)(ii) of this title, or an evaluation 
factor, as provided in section 2305(a)(2)(A) of 
this title, relating to supply chain risk; 
‘‘(B) the consideration of proposals for and 
issuance of a task or delivery order for a covered 
system or a covered item of supply, as provided 
in section 2304c(d)(3) of this title, where the task
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† HR 5515 PAP
or delivery order contract concerned includes a 
contract clause establishing a requirement relat-
ing to supply chain risk; or 
‘‘(C) any contract action involving a con-
tract for a covered system or a covered item of 
supply where such contract includes a clause es-
tablishing requirements relating to supply chain 
risk. 
‘‘(4) SUPPLY
CHAIN
RISK.—The term ‘supply 
chain risk’ means the risk that an adversary may 
sabotage, maliciously introduce unwanted function, or 
otherwise subvert the design, integrity, manufac-
turing, production, distribution, installation, oper-
ation, or maintenance of a covered system so as to 
surveil, deny, disrupt, or otherwise degrade the func-
tion, use, or operation of such system. 
‘‘(5) COVERED SYSTEM.—The term ‘covered sys-
tem’ means a national security system, as that term 
is defined in section 3542(b) of title 44. 
‘‘(6) COVERED ITEM OF SUPPLY.—The term ‘cov-
ered item of supply’ means an item of information 
technology (as that term is defined in section 11101 
of title 40) that is purchased for inclusion in a cov-
ered system, and the loss of integrity of which could 
result in a supply chain risk for a covered system.
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‘‘(7) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘appropriate congressional commit-
tees’ means— 
‘‘(A) in the case of a covered system in-
cluded in the National Intelligence Program or 
the Military Intelligence Program, the Select 
Committee on Intelligence of the Senate, the Per-
manent Select Committee on Intelligence of the 
House of Representatives, and the congressional 
defense committees; and 
‘‘(B) in the case of a covered system not oth-
erwise included in subparagraph (A), the con-
gressional defense committees.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended by 
inserting after the item relating to section 2339 the 
following new item: 
‘‘2339a. Requirements for information relating to supply chain risk.’’. 
(b) REPEAL
OF
OBSOLETE
AUTHORITY.—Section 
806(g) of the Ike Skelton National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2011 (Public Law 111–383; 10 U.S.C. 
2304 note) is hereby repealed. 
SEC. 802. COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE MARKET RESEARCH. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (e) of section 2431a of 
title 10, United States code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new paragraph:
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‘‘(10) The term ‘market research’ includes— 
‘‘(A) government market research directly 
with prospective vendors, including— 
‘‘(i) contacting knowledgeable individ-
uals in government and industry regarding 
market capabilities to meet requirements; 
‘‘(ii) reviewing the results of recent 
market research undertaken to meet similar 
or identical requirements; 
‘‘(iii) publishing formal requests for 
information in appropriate technical or sci-
entific journals or business publications; 
‘‘(iv) querying the governmentwide 
database of contracts and other procurement 
instruments intended for use by multiple 
agencies; 
‘‘(v) participating in interactive, on- 
line communication among industry, acqui-
sition personnel, and customers; 
‘‘(vi) obtaining source lists of similar 
items from other contracting activities or 
agencies, 
trade 
associations, 
or 
other 
sources; 
‘‘(vii) reviewing catalogs and other 
generally available product literature pub-
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† HR 5515 PAP
lished by manufacturers, distributors, and 
dealers or available online; 
‘‘(viii) conducting interchange meet-
ings or holding presolicitation conferences 
to involve potential offerors early in the ac-
quisition process; and 
‘‘(ix) ensuring that any conflicts of in-
terest presented by vendors providing gov-
ernment capability statements are both dis-
closed and mitigated; and 
‘‘(B) commercially available third-party 
market research.’’. 
(b) REVIEW.—Not later than 120 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of Defense 
for Acquisition and Sustainment, in consultation with the 
Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, 
shall review the guidance of the Department of Defense with 
regard to those portions of the Federal Acquisition Regula-
tion regarding commercially available market research, in-
cluding sections 10.001(a)(2)(vi) and 10.002(b). The review 
shall, at a minimum— 
(1) assess the impact that conducting market re-
search has on the Department’s resources; and 
(2) ensure that commercially available market 
research is considered among other sources of research,
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as appropriate, and reviewed prior to developing new 
requirements documents for an acquisition by the De-
partment. 
SEC. 803. COMPTROLLER GENERAL ASSESSMENT OF ACQUI-
SITION PROGRAMS AND RELATED INITIA-
TIVES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 131 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following 
new section: 
‘‘§ 2229b. Comptroller General assessment on acquisi-
tion programs and initiatives 
‘‘(a) ASSESSMENT REQUIRED.—The Comptroller Gen-
eral of the United States shall submit to the congressional 
defense committees an annual assessment of selected acquisi-
tion programs and initiatives of the Department of Defense 
by March 30th of each year, beginning in 2020. 
‘‘(b) ANALYSES TO BE INCLUDED.—The assessment re-
quired under subsection (a) shall include— 
‘‘(1) a macro analysis of how well acquisition 
programs and initiatives are performing and reasons 
for that performance; 
‘‘(2) a summary of organizational and legislative 
changes and emerging assessment methodologies since 
the last assessment, and a discussion of the implica-
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tions for execution and oversight of programs and ini-
tiatives; and 
‘‘(3) specific analyses of individual acquisition 
programs and initiatives. 
‘‘(c) ACQUISITION PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES TO BE 
CONSIDERED.—The assessment required under subsection 
(a) shall consider the following programs and initiatives: 
‘‘(1) Selected weapon systems, as determined ap-
propriate by the Comptroller General. 
‘‘(2) Selected information technology systems and 
initiatives, including defense business systems, net-
works, and software-intensive systems, as determined 
appropriate by the Comptroller General. 
‘‘(3) Selected prototyping and rapid fielding ac-
tivities and initiatives, as determined appropriate by 
the Comptroller General.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 
the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after 
the item relating to section 2229a the following new item: 
‘‘2229b. Comptroller General assessment on acquisition programs and related ini-
tiatives.’’. 
(c) REPEAL OF SUPERSEDED AUTHORITY.—Section 
883(d) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2016 (Public Law 114–92; 10 U.S.C. 2222 note) is 
amended by striking paragraph (1).
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Subtitle B—Amendments to General 
Contracting Authorities, Proce-
dures, and Limitations 
SEC. 811. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CONTRACTING DIS-
PUTE MATTERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall 
carry out a study of the frequency and effects of bid protests 
involving the same contract award or proposed award that 
have been filed at both the Government Accountability Of-
fice and the United States Court of Federal Claims. The 
study shall cover Department of Defense contracts and in-
clude, at a minimum— 
(1) the number of protests that have been filed 
with both tribunals and results; 
(2) the number of such protests where the tribu-
nals differed in denying or sustaining the action; 
(3) the length of time, in average time and me-
dian time— 
(A) from initial filing at the Government 
Accountability Office to decision in the United 
States Court of Federal Claims; 
(B) from filing with each tribunal to deci-
sion by such tribunal;
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(C) from the time at which the basis of the 
protest is known to the time of filing in each tri-
bunal; and 
(D) in the case of an appeal from a decision 
of the United States Court of Federal Claims, 
from the date of the initial filing of the appeal 
to decision in the appeal; 
(4) the number of protests where performance 
was stayed or enjoined and for how long; 
(5) if performance was stayed or enjoined, 
whether the requirement was obtained in the interim 
through another vehicle or in-house, or whether dur-
ing the period of the stay or enjoining the require-
ment went unfulfilled; 
(6) separately for each tribunal, the number of 
protests where performance was stayed or enjoined 
and monetary damages were awarded, which shall in-
clude for how long performance was stayed or en-
joined and the amount of monetary damages; 
(7) whether the protestor was a large or small 
business; and 
(8) whether the protestor was the incumbent in 
a prior contract for the same or similar product or 
service.
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(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall sub-
mit to the congressional defense committees, the Committee 
on the Judiciary of the Senate, and the Committee on the 
Judiciary of the House of Representatives a report on the 
results of the study, along with related recommendations for 
improving the expediency of the bid protest process. In pre-
paring the report, the Secretary shall consult with the At-
torney General of the United States, the Comptroller Gen-
eral of the United States, and the United States Court of 
Federal Claims. 
(c) ONGOING DATA COLLECTION.—Not later than 270 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense shall establish and continuously maintain a data 
repository to collect on an ongoing basis the information 
described in subsection (a) and any additional relevant bid 
protest data the Secretary determines necessary and appro-
priate to allow the Department of Defense, the Government 
Accountability Office, and the United States Court of Fed-
eral Claims to assess and review bid protests over time. 
(d) ESTABLISHMENT OF EXPEDITED PROCESS FOR 
SMALL VALUE CONTRACTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than December 1, 
2019, the Secretary of Defense shall develop a plan 
and schedule for an expedited bid protest process for
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Department of Defense contracts with a value of less 
than $100,000. 
(2) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out paragraph 
(1), the Secretary of Defense may consult with the 
Government Accountability Office and the United 
States Court of Federal Claims to the extent such en-
tities may establish a similar process at their election. 
(3) REPORT.—Not later than May 1, 2019, the 
Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional 
defense committees a report on the plan and schedule 
for implementation of the expedited bid protest proc-
ess, which shall include a request for any additional 
authorities the Secretary determines appropriate for 
such efforts. 
SEC. 812. CONTINUATION OF TECHNICAL DATA RIGHTS 
DURING CHALLENGES. 
(a) EXERCISE OF RIGHTS IN TECHNICAL DATA BE-
FORE FINAL DISPOSITION
OF
A CHALLENGE.—Section 
2321(i) of title 10, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in the subsection heading, by inserting 
‘‘PRIOR TO AND’’ after ‘‘RIGHTS AND LIABILITY’’; 
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as 
paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively; and 
(3) by inserting before paragraph (3), as so re-
designated, the following new paragraphs:
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‘‘(1) Upon issuance of a challenge to a use or release 
restriction asserted by a contractor or subcontractor under 
the contract made pursuant to subsection (d) or made under 
procedures established by the Department of Defense for 
challenges to asserted use or release restrictions in connec-
tion with noncommercial computer software, and until 
final disposition of such a challenge, the Department of De-
fense may exercise rights in the technical data or non-
commercial computer software rights consistent with the 
grounds identified in the challenge pursuant to subsection 
(d)(3), (or the grounds identified under corresponding De-
partment of Defense procedures in the case of noncommer-
cial computer software) in order to meet Department of De-
fense mission requirements. 
‘‘(2) In the event that the challenge made by the gov-
ernment is not sustained upon final disposition, the con-
tractor or subcontractor shall have only a right to damages 
against the United States if the United States was found 
to have not acted in good faith and as otherwise provided 
by law arising from the exercise of rights described in para-
graph (1) during the time period described in such para-
graph.’’. 
(b) REVISION OF THE DEFENSE FEDERAL ACQUISI-
TION REGULATION SUPPLEMENT.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary
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of Defense shall revise the Defense Federal Acquisition Reg-
ulation Supplement, by interim or final rule, to implement 
the amendments made by subsection (a). 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by sub-
section (a) and the revision required by subsection (b) shall 
become effective on the date of publication of the interim 
or final rule (whichever is earlier) required by subsection 
(b) and shall apply to solicitations issued by Department 
of Defense contracting activities after that date unless the 
senior procurement executive of the agency concerned grants 
a waiver on a case-by-case basis. 
(d) GUIDANCE ON TECHNICAL DATA RIGHT NEGOTIA-
TION.—The Secretary of Defense shall develop policies on 
the negotiation of technical data rights for noncommercial 
software that reflects the Department of Defense’s needs for 
technical data rights in the event of a protest or replacement 
of incumbent contractor to meet defense requirements in the 
most cost effective manner. 
SEC. 813. INCREASED MICRO-PURCHASE THRESHOLD. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 2338 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘Notwithstanding sub-
section (a) of section 1902 of title 41, the micro-purchase 
threshold for the Department of Defense for purposes of such 
section is $5,000’’ and inserting ‘‘The micro-purchase 
threshold for the Department of Defense is $10,000’’.
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(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 1902(a)(1) of 
title 41, United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘sec-
tions 2338 and 2339 of title 10 and’’. 
(c) REPEAL OF OBSOLETE AUTHORITY.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Section 2339 of title 10, 
United States Code, is repealed. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of chapter 137 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by striking the item 
relating to section 2339. 
SEC. 814. MODIFICATION OF LIMITATIONS ON SINGLE 
SOURCE TASK OR DELIVERY ORDER CON-
TRACTS. 
Section 2304a(d)(3)(A) of title 10, United States Code, 
is amended by striking ‘‘reasonably perform the work’’ and 
inserting ‘‘efficiently perform the work’’. 
SEC. 815. PRELIMINARY COST ANALYSIS REQUIREMENT 
FOR EXERCISE OF MULTIYEAR CONTRACT AU-
THORITY. 
Section 2306b(i)(2)(B) of title 10, United States Code, 
is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘made after the completion of a 
cost analysis’’ and inserting ‘‘supported by a prelimi-
nary cost analysis’’; and
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(2) by striking ‘‘for the purpose of section 
2334(e)(1) of this title, and that the analysis supports 
those preliminary findings’’. 
SEC. 816. INCLUSION OF BEST AVAILABLE INFORMATION 
REGARDING PAST PERFORMANCE OF SUB-
CONTRACTORS AND JOINT VENTURE PART-
NERS. 
(a) REQUIREMENTS
FOR PERFORMANCE
OF SUB-
CONTRACTORS AND JOINT VENTURE PARTNERS.—Not later 
than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Federal 
Acquisition Regulatory Council and the Administrator for 
Federal Procurement Policy, shall develop policies for the 
Department of Defense to ensure the best information re-
garding past performance of certain subcontractors and 
joint venture partners is available when awarding Depart-
ment of Defense contracts. The policies shall include pro-
posed revisions to the Defense Federal Acquisition Regula-
tion Supplement as follows: 
(1) Required performance evaluations, as part of 
a government-wide evaluation reporting tool, for first- 
tier subcontractors performing a portion of the con-
tract valued at not less than 20 percent of the value 
of the prime contract, provided—
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(A) the information included in rating the 
subcontractor is not inconsistent with the infor-
mation included in the rating for the prime con-
tractor; 
(B) the subcontractor evaluation is con-
ducted consistent with the provisions of section 
42.15 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation; 
(C) negative evaluations of a subcontractor 
in no way obviate the prime contractor’s respon-
sibility for successful completion of the contract 
and management of its subcontractors; and 
(D) that in the judgment of the contracting 
officer, the overall execution of the work is im-
pacted by the performance of the subcontractor 
or subcontractors. 
(2) Required performance evaluations, as part of 
a government-wide evaluation reporting tool, of indi-
vidual partners of joint venture-awarded, to ensure 
that past performance on joint venture projects is 
considered in future awards to individual joint ven-
ture partners, provided— 
(A) at a minimum, the rating for joint ven-
tures includes an identification that allows the 
evaluation to be retrieved for each partner of the 
joint venture;
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(B) each partner, through the joint venture, 
is given the same opportunity to submit com-
ments, rebutting statements, or additional infor-
mation, consistent with the provisions of section 
42.15 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation; and 
(C) the rating clearly identifies the respon-
sibilities of joint venture partners for discrete 
elements of the work where the partners are not 
jointly and severally responsible for the project. 
(3) Processes to request exceptions from the an-
nual evaluation requirement under section 42.1502(a) 
of the Federal Acquisition Regulation where submis-
sion of the annual evaluations would not provide the 
best representation of the performance of a contractor, 
including subcontractors and joint venture partners, 
including— 
(A) where no severable element of the work 
has been completed; 
(B) where the contracting officer determines 
that— 
(i) an insubstantial portion of the con-
tract work has been completed in the pre-
ceding year; and 
(ii) the lack of performance is at non- 
fault to the contractor; or
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(C) where the contracting officer determines 
that there is an issue in dispute which, until re-
solved, would likely cause the annual rating to 
inaccurately reflect the past performance of the 
contractor. 
(b) REPORT
ON CONTRACTOR PERFORMANCE AP-
PEALS.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to 
the defense committees a report on contractor and subcon-
tractor past performance evaluations and appeals, includ-
ing— 
(1) data on the number of performance evalua-
tion appeals filed by contractors and subcontractors 
within the previous five years; 
(2) the frequency that an appeal was successful 
and the performance evaluation was changed favor-
ably for the contractor; 
(3) the time it takes for an appeal to make its 
way through the process from filing to adjudication; 
and 
(4) what impact the appeals process has on the 
tracking of information in the performance database 
system and consideration of contractor and subcon-
tractor performance on future contracts.
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(c) AGENCY PROGRESS ON PERFORMANCE EVALUA-
TIONS.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall develop a 
scorecard that compares the timeliness, completeness, and 
accuracy of contractor performance evaluations among the 
Department’s components. This scorecard shall be reported 
annually to Congress and made publicly available not later 
than December 31 for the prior fiscal year until 2024. 
(d) CONGRESSIONAL
ACCESS
TO
PERFORMANCE 
DATA.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—At the written request of a 
Chairman or Ranking Member of one of the appro-
priate congressional committees, the Secretary of De-
fense shall make all contractor performance evalua-
tions available through electronic access to data sys-
tems or in another manner specified by the request for 
designated staff members of the appropriate congres-
sional committees. 
(2) 
APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—In this subsection, the term ‘‘appropriate con-
gressional committees’’ means— 
(A) the congressional defense committees; 
(B) the Committee on Homeland Security 
and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; and
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(C) the Committee on Oversight and Gov-
ernment Reform of the House of Representatives. 
SEC. 817. MODIFICATION OF CRITERIA FOR WAIVERS OF RE-
QUIREMENT FOR CERTIFIED COST AND PRICE 
DATA. 
Section 817(b)(2) of the Bob Stump National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 (Public Law 107– 
314; 10 U.S.C. 2306a note) is amended by striking ‘‘; and’’ 
and inserting ‘‘; or’’. 
SEC. 818. SUBCONTRACTING PRICE AND APPROVED PUR-
CHASING SYSTEMS. 
(a) AMENDMENT.—Section 893 of the Ike Skelton Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 (Pub-
lic Law 111–383; 10 U.S.C. 2302 note) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (g), by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(5) The term ‘approved purchasing system’ has 
the meaning given the term in section 44.101 of the 
Federal Acquisition Regulation (or any similar regu-
lation).’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(i) CONSENT TO SUBCONTRACT.—If the contractor on 
a Department of Defense contract requiring a contracting 
officer’s written consent prior to the contractor entering
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into a subcontract has an approved purchasing system, the 
contracting officer may not withhold such consent without 
the written approval of the program manager.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING REGULATIONS.—Not later than 120 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall revise the Defense Federal Acquisi-
tion Regulation Supplement to conform with the amend-
ments to section 893 of the Ike Skelton National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 (Public Law 111– 
383; 10 U.S.C. 2302 note) made by this section. 
SEC. 819. COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES 
REPORT ON PROGRESS PAYMENT FINANCING 
OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CONTRACTS. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller 
General of the United States shall submit to the congres-
sional defense committees a report on the results of an anal-
ysis, conducted by the Comptroller General, of the effects 
of current financing levels of Department of Defense con-
tracts on contractors of the Department and the budgets of 
the Department. 
(b) ELEMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The report required by sub-
section (a) shall include an analysis and assessment
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of the impact of the matters specified in paragraph 
(2), for both government and business, on— 
(A) the relationship between financing 
amounts and contractor profit; and 
(B) the willingness of contractors to pursue 
contracts with the Department. 
(2) COVERED MATTERS.—The matters specified 
in this paragraph are each of the following under De-
partment contracts: 
(A) Past changes to progress payment rates 
and conditions. 
(B) Progress payment rates and limitations 
on progressing for undefinitized contract actions. 
SEC. 820. AUTHORIZATION TO LIMIT FOREIGN ACCESS TO 
TECHNOLOGY THROUGH CONTRACTS. 
The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and En-
gineering, or a designee of the Under Secretary, may in-
clude in the terms of any contract that the Under Secretary 
enters into a provision that— 
(1) limits access by select persons or organiza-
tions to technology that is the subject of the contract 
under terms defined by the Under Secretary, includ-
ing by limiting such access to specific periods of time; 
and
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(2) if the person or organization violates the re-
quirement described in paragraph (1), the Under Sec-
retary may require the person or organization to for-
feit intellectual property rights associated with the 
contract. 
SEC. 821. BRIEFING REQUIREMENT ON SERVICES CON-
TRACTS. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, and every 180 days thereafter until the require-
ments of section 2329(b) of title 10, United States Code, 
are met, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and 
Sustainment shall brief the congressional defense commit-
tees on the progress of Department of Defense efforts to meet 
the requirements of such section, including relevant infor-
mation on the methodology and implementation plans for 
future compliance. 
SEC. 822. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON AWARDING OF CON-
TRACTS TO RESPONSIBLE COMPANIES THAT 
PRIMARILY 
EMPLOY 
AMERICAN 
WORKERS 
AND DO NOT ACTIVELY TRANSFER AMERICAN 
JOBS TO POTENTIAL ADVERSARIES. 
It is the sense of Congress that the Department of De-
fense should award contracts to responsible companies that 
primarily employ United States workers or are partners
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in the national technology and industrial base and do not 
actively transfer United States jobs to potential adversaries. 
Subtitle C—Provisions Relating to 
Major Defense Acquisition Pro-
grams 
SEC. 831. PROGRAM COST, FIELDING, AND PERFORMANCE 
GOALS IN PLANNING MAJOR ACQUISITION 
PROGRAMS. 
Section 2448a of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘Secretary of Defense’’ and 
inserting ‘‘designated milestone decision author-
ity for the major defense acquisition program’’; 
and 
(B) by striking ‘‘the milestone decision au-
thority for the major defense acquisition pro-
gram approves a program that’’ and inserting 
‘‘the program’’; and 
(2) by striking subsection (b).
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SEC. 832. IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS OF 
THE INDEPENDENT STUDY ON CONSIDER-
ATION OF SUSTAINMENT IN WEAPONS SYS-
TEMS LIFE CYCLE. 
(a) IMPLEMENTATION REQUIRED.—Not later than 18 
months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall, except as provided under subsection 
(b), commence implementation of each recommendation 
submitted as part of the independent assessment produced 
under section 844 of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 130 Stat. 
2290). 
(b) EXCEPTIONS.— 
(1) DELAYED IMPLEMENTATION.—The Secretary 
of Defense may commence implementation of a rec-
ommendation described under subsection (a) later 
than the date required under such subsection if the 
Secretary provides the congressional defense commit-
tees with a specific justification for the delay in im-
plementation of such recommendation. 
(2) NONIMPLEMENTATION.—The Secretary of De-
fense may opt not to implement a recommendation 
described under subsection (a) if the Secretary pro-
vides to the congressional defense committees— 
(A) the reasons for the decision not to im-
plement the recommendation; and
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(B) a summary of the alternative actions 
the Secretary plans to take to address the pur-
poses underlying the recommendation. 
(c) IMPLEMENTATION PLANS.—For each recommenda-
tion that the Secretary is implementing, or that the Sec-
retary plans to implement, the Secretary shall submit to 
the congressional defense committees— 
(1) a summary of actions that have been taken 
to implement the recommendation; and 
(2) a schedule, with specific milestones, for com-
pleting the implementation of the recommendation. 
SEC. 833. PILOT PROGRAM TO ACCELERATE MAJOR WEAP-
ONS SYSTEM PROGRAMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall es-
tablish a pilot program to reform and accelerate the con-
tracting and pricing processes associated with contracts in 
excess of $50,000,000 by— 
(1) basing price reasonableness determinations 
on actual cost and pricing data for purchases of the 
same or similar products for the Department of De-
fense; and 
(2) reducing the cost and pricing data to be sub-
mitted in accordance with section 2306a of title 10, 
United States Code.
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(b) SUNSET.—The authority to carry out the pilot pro-
gram under this section shall expire on January 2, 2021. 
Subtitle D—Provisions Relating to 
Acquisition Workforce 
SEC. 841. PERMANENT AUTHORITY FOR DEMONSTRATION 
PROJECTS RELATING TO ACQUISITION PER-
SONNEL MANAGEMENT POLICIES AND PRO-
CEDURES. 
(a) PERMANENT AUTHORITY.—Section 1762 of title 
10, United States Code, is amended by striking subsections 
(g) and (h). 
(b) SCOPE OF AUTHORITY.—Subsection (a) of such sec-
tion is amended by striking ‘‘COMMENCEMENT.—’’ and all 
that follows through ‘‘a demonstration project,’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense may carry 
out demonstration projects’’. 
SEC. 842. ESTABLISHMENT OF INTEGRATED REVIEW TEAM 
ON DEFENSE ACQUISITION INDUSTRY-GOV-
ERNMENT EXCHANGE. 
(a) STUDY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Defense shall direct the Defense Business Board to 
convene an integrated review team (in this section re-
ferred to as the ‘‘exchange team’’) to undertake a
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study on facilitating the exchange of defense industry 
personnel on term assignments within the Depart-
ment of Defense. 
(2) MEMBER PARTICIPATION.— 
(A) 
DEFENSE
BUSINESS
BOARD.—The 
Chairman of the Defense Business Board shall 
select six members from the membership of the 
Board to participate on the exchange team, in-
cluding one member to lead the team. 
(B) DEFENSE
INNOVATION
BOARD.—The 
Chairman of the Defense Innovation Board shall 
select five appropriate members from the mem-
bership of their Board to participate on the ex-
change team. 
(C) DEFENSE SCIENCE BOARD.—The Chair-
man of the Defense Science Board shall select 
five appropriate members from the membership 
of their Board to participate on the exchange 
team. 
(D) REQUIRED EXPERIENCE.—The Chair-
men referred to in subparagraphs (a) through 
(C) shall ensure that members have significant 
legislative or regulatory expertise and reflect di-
verse experiences in the public and private sec-
tor.
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(3) SCOPE.—The study conducted pursuant to 
paragraph (1) shall— 
(A) review legal, ethical, and financial dis-
closure requirements for industry-government ex-
changes; 
(B) review existing or previous industry- 
government exchange programs such as the De-
partment of State’s Franklin Fellows Program 
and the Information Technology Exchange Pro-
gram; 
(C) review how the military departments 
address legal, ethical, and financial requirements 
for members of the reserve components who also 
maintain civilian employment in the defense in-
dustry; 
(D) produce specific and detailed rec-
ommendations for any legislation, including the 
amendment or repeal of regulations, as well as 
non-legislative approaches, that the members of 
the exchange team conducting the study deter-
mine necessary to— 
(i) reduce barriers to industry-govern-
ment exchange to encourage the flow of ac-
quisition best practices;
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(ii) ensure continuing financial and 
ethical integrity; and 
(iii) protect the best interests of the De-
partment of Defense; and 
(E) produce such additional recommenda-
tions for legislation as the members consider ap-
propriate. 
(4) ACCESS TO INFORMATION.—The Secretary of 
Defense shall provide the exchange team with timely 
access to appropriate information, data, resources, 
and analysis so that the exchange team may conduct 
a thorough and independent analysis as required 
under this subsection. 
(b) BRIEFING.—Not later than December 31, 2018, the 
exchange team shall provide an interim briefing to the con-
gressional defense committees on the study conducted under 
subsection (a) 
(c) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than March 1, 2019, 
the exchange team shall submit a final report on the study 
to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and 
Sustainment and the congressional defense committees. 
SEC. 843. EXCHANGE PROGRAM FOR ACQUISITION WORK-
FORCE EMPLOYEES. 
(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary of De-
fense shall establish an exchange program under which the
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Under 
Secretary 
of 
Defense 
for 
Acquisition 
and 
Sustainment shall arrange for the temporary assignment 
of civilian personnel in the Department of Defense acquisi-
tion workforce. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the exchange pro-
gram established pursuant to subsection (a) are— 
(1) to familiarize personnel from the acquisition 
workforce with the equities, priorities, processes, cul-
ture, and workforce of the acquisition-related defense 
agencies; 
(2) to enable participants in the exchange pro-
gram to return the expertise gained through their ex-
changes to their original organizations; and 
(3) to improve communication between and inte-
gration of the organizations that support the policy, 
implementation, and oversight of defense acquisition 
through lasting relationships. 
(c) PARTICIPANTS.— 
(1) NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS.—The Under Sec-
retary shall select not less than 10 and no more than 
20 participants per year for participation in the ex-
change program established under subsection (a). 
(2) CRITERIA FOR SELECTION.—The Under Sec-
retary shall select participants for the exchange pro-
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gram established under subsection (a) from among 
mid-career employees and based on— 
(A) the qualifications and desire to partici-
pate in the program of the employee; and 
(B) the technical needs and capacities of the 
acquisition workforce, as applicable. 
(d) TERMS.—Exchanges pursuant to the exchange pro-
gram established under subsection (a) shall be for terms of 
one to two years, as determined and negotiated by the 
Under Secretary. The terms may begin and end on a rolling 
basis. 
(e) GUIDANCE AND IMPLEMENTATION.— 
(1) GUIDANCE.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary 
shall develop and submit to the congressional defense 
committees interim guidance on the form and con-
tours of the exchange program established under sub-
section (a). 
(2) IMPLEMENTATION.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under 
Secretary shall implement the guidance developed 
under paragraph (1).
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Subtitle E—Provisions Relating to 
Commercial Items 
SEC. 851. REPORT ON COMMERCIAL ITEM PROCUREMENT 
REFORM. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than March 1, 
2020, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, in 
consultation with members of the Defense Business Board 
as appropriate, shall submit to the Committees on Armed 
Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a 
report on reforms for commercial item procurement. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required under subsection 
(a) shall include the following elements: 
(1) A review of recommendations by the inde-
pendent panel created under section 809 of the Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 
(Public Law 114–92; 112 Public Law 889) pertaining 
to commercial items. 
(2) A review of commercial item provisions from 
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2016 (Public Law 114–92), the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 
114–328), the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 115–91), and other rel-
evant legislation.
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(3) An analysis of the extent to which the De-
partment of Defense should treat commercial service 
contracts and commercial products in a similar man-
ner. 
(4) Such other matters with respect to commer-
cial item procurement as the Assistant Secretary con-
siders appropriate. 
Subtitle F—Industrial Base Matters 
SEC. 861. NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND INDUSTRIAL BASE 
APPLICATION PROCESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 148 of 
title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 2509. National technology and industrial base ap-
plication process 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall ad-
minister a national technology and industrial base applica-
tion process. 
‘‘(b) ELEMENTS.—The application process required 
under subsection (a) shall include the following elements: 
‘‘(1) The Secretary shall designate an official 
within the Office of the Secretary of Defense respon-
sible for administration of the national technology 
and industrial base application process and associ-
ated policy.
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‘‘(2) A person or organization that meets the def-
inition of national technology and industrial base 
under section 2500(1) of this title shall have the op-
portunity to apply for an item to be covered under 
the national technology and industrial base. The ap-
plication shall include, at a minimum, the following 
information: 
‘‘(A) Information demonstrating the appli-
cant meets such definition. 
‘‘(B) The section or sections of this chapter, 
related to the national technology and industrial 
base, that the applicant seeks to modify. 
‘‘(C) The applicant’s proposed modifications 
to the section or sections identified under sub-
paragraph (B). 
‘‘(D) For each item the applicant seeks to 
include in the national technology and indus-
trial base, the applicant shall include the fol-
lowing information: 
‘‘(i) The extent to which such item has 
commercial applications. 
‘‘(ii) The number of such items to be 
procured by current programs of record. 
‘‘(iii) The criticality of such item to a 
military unit’s mission accomplishment.
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‘‘(iv) The estimated cost and other con-
siderations of reconstituting the manufac-
turing capability of such item, if not main-
tained in the national technology and in-
dustrial base. 
‘‘(v) National security regulations or 
restrictions imposed on such item that may 
not be imposed on a non-national tech-
nology and industrial base competitor. 
‘‘(vi) 
Non-national 
security-related 
Federal, State, and local government regu-
lations imposed on such item that may not 
be imposed on a non-national technology 
and industrial base competitor. 
‘‘(vii) The extent to which such item is 
fielded in current programs of record. 
‘‘(viii) The extent to which cost and 
pricing data for such item has been deemed 
fair and reasonable. 
‘‘(c) CONSIDERATION OF APPLICATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) RESPONSIBILITY
OF
DESIGNATED
OFFI-
CIAL.—The official designated pursuant to subsection 
(b)(1) shall be responsible for providing complete ap-
plications submitted pursuant to this subsection to the 
appropriate component acquisition executive for con-
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(B) an evidence-based plan for enhancing 
the defense industrial base through the efforts of 
the consortium; 
(C) the investments the consortium proposes 
and the strategy of the consortium to address 
gaps in the defense industrial base; 
(D) a description of the outcome-based 
metrics, benchmarks, and milestones that will 
track and the evaluation methods that will be 
used to gauge performance of the consortium; 
(E) how the initiatives will complement de-
fense manufacturing institutes; and 
(F) such other matters as the Secretary con-
siders appropriate. 
(c) FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Under the Program, the Sec-
retary of Defense may award financial or technical 
assistance to a member of a consortium designated as 
a defense manufacturing community under the Pro-
gram as appropriate for purposes of the Program. 
(2) USE OF FUNDS.—A recipient of financial or 
technical assistance under the Program may use such 
financial or technical assistance to support an invest-
ment that will improve the defense industrial base.
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(3) 
INVESTMENTS
SUPPORTED.—Investments 
supported under this subsection may include activi-
ties not already provided for by defense manufac-
turing institutes on— 
(A) infrastructure; 
(B) access to capital; 
(C) promotion of exports and foreign direct 
investment; 
(D) equipment or facility upgrades; 
(E) workforce training, retraining, or re-
cruitment and retention, including that of 
women and underrepresented minorities; 
(F) energy or process efficiency; 
(G) business incubators; 
(H) site preparation; 
(I) advanced research and commercializa-
tion, including with Federal laboratories and de-
pots; 
(J) supply chain development; and 
(K) small business assistance. 
(d) RECEIPT
OF TRANSFERRED FUNDS.—The Sec-
retary of Defense may accept amounts transferred to the 
Secretary from the head of another agency or a State or 
local governmental organization to carry out this section.