702 
(Public Law 114–92; 10 U.S.C. 4205 note) is 
amended by striking ‘‘and the Director of Cost 
Assessment and Program Evaluation’’. 
(AA) Section 907(a)(1) of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 
(Public Law 113–66; 10 U.S.C. 1564 note) is 
amended by striking ‘‘acting through the Direc-
tor of Cost Assessment and Program Evalua-
tion and’’. 
(BB) Section 836(a)(2) of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 
(Public Law 112–81; 22 U.S.C. 2767 note) is 
amended by striking ‘‘, the Assistant Secretary 
of Defense for Research and Engineering, and 
the Director of Cost Assessment and Program 
Evaluation of the Department of Defense’’ and 
inserting ‘‘and the Under Secretary of Defense 
for Research and Engineering’’. 
(CC) Section 201(d) of the Weapon Sys-
tems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009 (Public 
Law 111–23; 10 U.S.C. 181 note) is amended 
by striking ‘‘Director of Cost Assessment and 
Program Evaluation’’ and inserting ‘‘official 
designated under section 902(b) of the National
703 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2024’’. 
(DD) Section 3221 of the National Nu-
clear Security Administration Act (50 U.S.C. 
2411(e)) is amended— 
(i) by striking subsection (e); and 
(ii) by redesignating subsections (f) 
through (i) as subsections (e) through (h), 
respectively. 
(EE) Section 4217(c) of the Atomic En-
ergy Defense Act (50 U.S.C. 2537(c)) is 
amended by striking ‘‘acting through the Direc-
tor of Cost Assessment and Program Evalua-
tion and’’. 
(4) 
EFFECTIVE
DATE.—The 
repeals 
and 
amendments made by this subsection shall take ef-
fect on the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(b) IMPLEMENTATION.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act— 
(1) each duty or responsibility that remains as-
signed to the Director of Cost Assessment and Pro-
gram Evaluation of the Department of Defense shall 
be transferred to an officer or employee of the De-
partment of Defense designated by the Secretary of 
Defense, except that any officer or employee so des-
704 
ignated may not be an individual who served as the 
Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evalua-
tion before the date of the enactment of this Act; 
and 
(2) the personnel, functions, and assets of the 
Office of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation 
shall be transferred to such other organizations and 
elements of the Department as the Secretary con-
siders appropriate. 
(c) REFERENCES.—Any reference in any law, regula-
tion, guidance, instruction, or other document of the Fed-
eral Government to the Director of Cost Assessment and 
Program Evaluation of the Department of Defense shall 
be deemed to refer to the applicable officer or employee 
of the Department of Defense designated by the Secretary 
of Defense under subsection (b)(1). 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall submit to the congressional defense committees a re-
port that sets forth such recommendations for legislative 
action as the Secretary considers appropriate for modifica-
tions to law to carry out this section and the repeals and 
amendments made by this section.
705 
SEC. 903. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS TO CARRY OUT 
ELIMINATION OF POSITION OF CHIEF MAN-
AGEMENT OFFICER. 
(a) REMOVAL OF REFERENCES TO CHIEF MANAGE-
MENT OFFICER IN PROVISIONS OF LAW RELATING TO 
PRECEDENCE.—Chapter 4 of title 10, United States Code, 
is amended— 
(1) in section 133a(c)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘, the 
Deputy Secretary of Defense, and the Chief 
Management Officer of the Department of De-
fense’’ and inserting ‘‘and the Deputy Secretary 
of Defense’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘the 
Chief Management Officer,’’; 
(2) in section 133b(c)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘the 
Chief Management Officer of the Department 
of Defense,’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘the 
Chief Management Officer,’’; 
(3) in section 137a(d), by striking ‘‘the Chief 
Management Officer of the Department of De-
fense,’’; and
706 
(4) in section 138(d), by striking ‘‘the Chief 
Management Officer of the Department of De-
fense,’’. 
(b) ASSIGNMENT OF PERIODIC REVIEW OF DEFENSE 
AGENCIES AND DOD FIELD ACTIVITIES TO SECRETARY 
OF DEFENSE.—Section 192(c) of such title is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘the 
Chief Management Officer of the Department 
of Defense’’ and inserting ‘‘the Secretary of De-
fense’’; and 
(B) in subparagraphs (B) and (C), by 
striking ‘‘the Chief Management Officer’’ and 
inserting ‘‘the Secretary’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘the Chief 
Management Officer’’ each place it appears and in-
serting ‘‘the Secretary’’. 
(c) ASSIGNMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR FINAN-
CIAL
IMPROVEMENT
AND
AUDIT
REMEDIATION
TO 
UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (COMPTROLLER).—Sec-
tion 240b of such title is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ‘‘The Chief 
Management Officer of the Department of Defense 
shall, in consultation with the Under Secretary of 
Defense (Comptroller),’’ and inserting ‘‘The Under
707 
Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) shall, in con-
sultation with the Performance Improvement Officer 
of the Department of Defense,’’; and 
(2) in subsection (b)(1)(C)(ii), by striking ‘‘the 
Chief Management Officer’’ and inserting ‘‘the Per-
formance Improvement Officer’’. 
(d) REMOVAL OF CHIEF MANAGEMENT OFFICER AS 
RECIPIENT OF REPORTS OF AUDITS BY EXTERNAL AUDI-
TORS.—Section 240d(d)(1)(A) of such title is amended by 
striking ‘‘and the Chief Management Officer of the De-
partment of Defense’’. 
(e) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS TO PROVISIONS OF 
LAW RELATED TO FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT EX-
EMPTIONS.—Such title is further amended— 
(1) in section 130e— 
(A) by striking subsection (d); 
(B) by redesignating subsections (e) and 
(f) as subsections (d) and (e), respectively; and 
(C) in subsection (d), as so redesignated— 
(i) by striking ‘‘, or the Secretary’s 
designee,’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘, through the Office 
of the Director of Administration and 
Management’’; and 
(2) in section 2254a—
708 
(A) by striking subsection (c); 
(B) by redesignating subsection (d) as sub-
section (c); and 
(C) in subsection (c), as so redesignated— 
(i) by striking ‘‘, or the Secretary’s 
designee,’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘, through the Office 
of the Director of Administration and 
Management’’. 
(f) ASSIGNMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANNUAL 
REVIEW OF AGENCY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PORT-
FOLIO TO THE CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER.—Section 
11319(d)(4) of title 40, United States Code, is amended, 
in the second sentence, by striking ‘‘the Chief Manage-
ment Officer of the Department of Defense (or any suc-
cessor to such Officer), in consultation with the Chief In-
formation Officer, the Under Secretary of Defense for Ac-
quisition and Sustainment, and’’ and inserting ‘‘the Chief 
Information Officer of the Department of Defense, in con-
sultation with the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisi-
tion and Sustainment and’’. 
(g) REMOVAL OF CHIEF MANAGEMENT OFFICER AS 
REQUIRED COORDINATOR ON DEFENSE RESALE MAT-
TERS.—Section 631(a) of the National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116–92; 10
709 
U.S.C. 2481 note) is amended by striking ‘‘, in coordina-
tion with the Chief Management Officer of the Depart-
ment of Defense,’’. 
SEC. 904. ELIMINATION OF THE CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER 
OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 
(a) REPEAL OF POSITION.—Section 147 of title 10, 
United States Code, is repealed. 
(b) CONFORMING REPEAL.—Section 913 of the Wil-
liam M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283; 10 
U.S.C. 147 note) is repealed. 
(c) PROHIBITION ON ESTABLISHMENT OF SIMILAR 
POSITIONS.—No Federal funds may be obligated or ex-
pended to establish a position within the Department of 
Defense that is the same as or substantially similar to— 
(1) the position of Chief Diversity Officer, as 
described in section 147 of title 10, United States 
Code, as such section was in effect before the date 
of the enactment of this Act; or 
(2) the position of Senior Advisor for Diversity 
and Inclusion, as described in section 913(b) of the 
William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 
116–283; 10 U.S.C. 147 note), as such section was
710 
in effect before the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
(d) REPEAL OF INSPECTOR GENERAL OVERSIGHT OF 
DIVERSITY
AND INCLUSION
IN DEPARTMENT
OF DE-
FENSE.—Section 554 of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 
(Public Law 116–283; 10 U.S.C. 141 note) is repealed. 
(e) PROHIBITION ON ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW DI-
VERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION POSITIONS; HIRING 
FREEZE.—On or after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Defense may not— 
(1) establish any new positions within the De-
partment of Defense with responsibility for matters 
relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion; or 
(2) fill any vacancies in positions in the Depart-
ment with responsibility for such matters. 
Subtitle B—Other Department of 
Defense Organization and Man-
agement Matters 
SEC. 921. MODIFICATION OF ANALYSIS REQUIRED FOR RE-
DUCTIONS TO CIVILIAN WORKFORCE UNDER 
GENERAL POLICY FOR TOTAL FORCE MAN-
AGEMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 129a(b) of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
711 
following: ‘‘Such analysis shall be documented in writ-
ing.’’. 
(b) REVIEW AND REPORT.—Not later than March 1, 
2024, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall— 
(1) conduct a review of any written analysis 
prepared by the Secretary of Defense relating to the 
reduction of the civilian workforce of the Depart-
ment of Defense for purposes of section 129a(b) of 
title 10, United States Code (as amended by sub-
section (a)), and shall include as part of such review 
an assessment of whether the analysis prepared by 
the Secretary sufficiently addresses the readiness 
needs of the Department; and 
(2) submit to the congressional defense commit-
tees a report on the results of such review. 
SEC. 922. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS UNDER GENERAL 
POLICY FOR TOTAL FORCE MANAGEMENT. 
Section 129a of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsections (f) and (g) as 
subsection (h) and (i), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (e) the fol-
lowing new subsections:
712 
‘‘(f) DATA ANALYTICS.—(1) The Secretary of De-
fense shall develop data analytics to specifically identify 
the quantitative metrics and qualitative relationships of 
the sizing and composition of the civilian workforce of the 
Department of Defense. Such data analytics shall be docu-
mented in writing. 
‘‘(2) Not later than March 31 each year, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall provide to the congressional de-
fense committees a briefing on the analytics developed 
under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(g) ADDITIONAL PLANNING, PROGRAMING, AND 
BUDGETING REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall ensure that planning, programming, and budgeting 
reviews consider all components of the total force (includ-
ing a active and reserve military, civilian workforce, and 
contract support) in a holistic manner to avoid duplication 
and waste and ensure that risk, cost, and mission valida-
tion and prioritization considerations consistent with this 
section and the National Defense Strategy inform the 
sourcing and prioritization of requirements.’’. 
SEC. 923. ELIGIBILITY OF CHIEF OF THE NATIONAL GUARD 
BUREAU FOR APPOINTMENT AS CHAIRMAN 
OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF. 
Section 152(b)(1)(B) of title 10, United States Code, 
is amended by striking ‘‘the Commandant of the Marine
713 
Corps, or the Chief of Space Operations’’ and inserting 
‘‘the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Chief of 
Space Operations, or the Chief of the National Guard Bu-
reau’’. 
SEC. 924. COAST GUARD INPUT TO THE JOINT REQUIRE-
MENTS OVERSIGHT COUNCIL. 
Section 181(d) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(5) INPUT
FROM
COMMANDANT
OF
COAST 
GUARD.—The Council shall seek, and strongly con-
sider, the views of the Commandant of the Coast 
Guard regarding Coast Guard capabilities in support 
of national defense.’’. 
SEC. 925. CODIFICATION OF THE DEFENSE INNOVATION 
UNIT AND ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NON-
TRADITIONAL INNOVATION FIELDING ENTER-
PRISE. 
(a) 
CODIFICATION
OF
DEFENSE
INNOVATION 
UNIT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Chapter 303 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new section:
714 
‘‘§ 4127. Defense Innovation Unit 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the 
Department of Defense a Defense Innovation Unit (re-
ferred to in this section as the ‘Unit’). 
‘‘(b) DIRECTOR AND DEPUTY DIRECTOR.—There is 
a Director and a Deputy Director of the Unit, each of 
whom shall be appointed by the Secretary of Defense from 
among persons with substantial experience in innovation 
and commercial technology, as determined by the Sec-
retary. 
‘‘(c) AUTHORITY OF DIRECTOR.—The Director is the 
head of the Unit. The Director— 
‘‘(1) shall serve as a principal staff assistant to 
the Secretary on matters within the responsibility of 
the Unit; 
‘‘(2) shall report directly to the Secretary of 
Defense without intervening authority; and 
‘‘(3) may communicate views on matters within 
the responsibility of the Unit directly to the Sec-
retary without obtaining the approval or concurrence 
of any other official within the Department of De-
fense. 
‘‘(d) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Unit shall have the 
following responsibilities:
715 
‘‘(1) Seek out, identify, and support the devel-
opment of commercial technologies that have the po-
tential to be implemented within the Department. 
‘‘(2) Accelerate the adoption of commercial 
technologies within the Department of Defense to 
transform military capacity and capabilities. 
‘‘(3) Serve as the principal liaison between the 
Department of Defense and individuals and entities 
in the national security innovation base, including, 
entrepreneurs, startups, commercial technology com-
panies, and venture capital sources. 
‘‘(4) Carry out programs, projects, and other 
activities to strengthen the national security innova-
tion base. 
‘‘(5) Coordinate the activities of other organiza-
tions and elements of the Department of Defense on 
matters relating to commercial technologies, dual 
use technologies, and the innovation of such tech-
nologies. 
‘‘(6) Coordinate and oversee the nontraditional 
defense innovation fielding enterprise established 
under section 4063 of this title. 
‘‘(7) Carry out such other activities as the Sec-
retary of Defense determines appropriate.
716 
‘‘(e) SUPPORT FOR MULTI-STAKEHOLDER PARTNER-
SHIPS.— 
‘‘(1) The Director shall identify and support 
multi-stakeholder research and innovation partner-
ships that— 
‘‘(A) have the potential to generate tech-
nologies, processes, products, or other solutions 
that address national defense or security needs 
or otherwise benefit national defense or secu-
rity; and 
‘‘(B) have as an objective the technology 
transfer or commercialization the work product 
generated by the partnership. 
‘‘(2) Support provided by the Director to a 
multi-stakeholder research and innovation partner-
ship under this subsection may include providing re-
sources to the partnership, participating in the part-
nership, providing technical and technological advice 
and guidance to the partnership, suggesting and in-
troducing other participants for inclusion in the 
partnership, and providing the partnership with in-
sight into desired solutions for defense and security 
needs.
717 
‘‘(3) To be eligible to receive support under this 
subsection a multi-stakeholder research and innova-
tion partnership shall be composed of— 
‘‘(A) one or more universities, colleges, or 
other institutions of higher education with re-
search and innovation capability; 
‘‘(B) one or more non-profit organizations 
that provide policy, research, outreach, oper-
ations, organizational, management, testing, 
evaluation, technology transfer, legal, financial, 
or advocacy expertise; 
‘‘(C) one or more for-profit commercial en-
terprises that may be publicly or privately 
owned, early stage or mature, and incorporated 
or operating by another ownership structure; 
and 
‘‘(D) one or more departments or agencies 
of the Federal Government with expertise, oper-
ations, or resources related to the subject mat-
ter of the multi-stakeholder research and inno-
vation partnership. 
‘‘(4) The areas of research and development 
covered by a multi-stakeholder research and innova-
tion partnership under this subsection may in-
clude—
718 
‘‘(A) cybersecurity, quantum computing, or 
artificial intelligence; 
‘‘(B) geo-spatial imaging or geographic in-
formation systems; 
‘‘(C) aerodynamics, navigation, or wind re-
sistance management; 
‘‘(D) satellite operations, functionality, or 
utilization; 
‘‘(E) climate science or natural resource 
management; 
‘‘(F) clean energy generation, storage, dis-
tribution, and efficiency; 
‘‘(G) space-based operations, monitoring, 
and management; or 
‘‘(H) such other areas as the Director de-
termines appropriate. 
‘‘(5) On an annual basis, the Director shall 
submit to the Secretary of Defense a report on the 
activities, advances, outcomes, and work product of 
the multi-stakeholder research and innovation part-
nerships supported under this subsection.’’. 
(2) MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY TO CARRY 
OUT CERTAIN PROTOTYPE PROJECTS.—Section 4022 
of title 10, United States Code, is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a)—
719 
(i) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘the 
Director of the Defense Innovation Unit,’’ 
after 
‘‘Defense 
Advanced 
Research 
Projects Agency,’’; 
(ii) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting 
‘‘, the Defense Innovation Unit,’’ after 
‘‘Defense 
Advanced 
Research 
Projects 
Agency’’; and 
(iii) in paragraph (3), by inserting ‘‘, 
Defense Innovation Unit,’’ after ‘‘Defense 
Advanced Research Projects Agency’’; and 
(B) in subsection (e)(1)— 
(i) by redesignating subparagraphs 
(C) through (E) as subparagraphs (D) 
through (F), respectively; and 
(ii) by inserting after subparagraph 
(B) the following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(C) the Director of the Defense Innova-
tion Unit;’’. 
(3) MODIFICATION
OF
OTHER
TRANSACTION 
AUTHORITY.—Section 4021 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(A) in subsection (b), by inserting ‘‘, the 
Defense Innovation Unit,’’ after ‘‘Defense Ad-
vanced Research Projects Agency’’; and
720 
(B) in subsection (f), by striking ‘‘and the 
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’’ 
and inserting ‘‘, the Defense Innovation Unit, 
and the Defense Advanced Research Projects 
Agency’’. 
(4) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 1766 
of title 10, United States Code, is amended— 
(A) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘as de-
termined by the Under Secretary of Defense for 
Research and Engineering’’ and inserting ‘‘as 
determined by the Secretary of Defense’’; and 
(B) in subsection (c)(3), by striking ‘‘as di-
rected by the Under Secretary of Defense for 
Research and Engineering’’ and inserting ‘‘as 
directed by the Secretary of Defense’’. 
(b) ESTABLISHMENT OF NONTRADITIONAL INNOVA-
TION FIELDING ENTERPRISE.—Subchapter I of chapter 
303 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by insert-
ing after section 4062 the following new section: 
‘‘§ 4063. Nontraditional innovation fielding enterprise 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall designate within the Department of Defense a group 
of organizations to be known, collectively, as the ‘nontradi-
tional innovation fielding enterprise’ (referred to in this 
section as the ‘NIFE’). The purpose of the NIFE is to
721 
streamline coordination and minimize duplication of ef-
forts among elements of the Department of Defense on 
matters relating to the development, procurement, and 
fielding of nontraditional capabilities. 
‘‘(b) COMPOSITION.—The NIFE shall consist of— 
‘‘(1) the Defense Innovation Unit; and 
‘‘(2) each organization designated as a service- 
level NIFE lead under subsection (c). 
‘‘(c) 
DESIGNATION
OF
SERVICE-LEVEL
NIFE 
LEADS.— 
‘‘(1) Not later than 120 days after the effective 
date of this section, each Secretary of a military de-
partment, in consultation with the Director of the 
Defense Innovation Unit, shall designate a single or-
ganization within each armed force under the juris-
diction of such Secretary to serve as the lead organi-
zation within that armed force on matters within the 
responsibility of the NIFE. Each organization so 
designated shall be known as a ‘service-level NIFE 
lead’. 
‘‘(2) An organization designated under para-
graph (1) shall be an organization of an armed force 
that— 
‘‘(A) exists as of the effective date of this 
section; and
722 
‘‘(B) has a demonstrated ability to engage 
at scale with nontraditional defense contractors, 
as determined by the Secretary concerned. 
‘‘(d) LEADERSHIP.— 
‘‘(1) HEAD OF NIFE.—Subject to the authority, 
direction, and control of the Secretary of Defense, 
the Director of the Defense Innovation Unit shall 
serve as the head of the NIFE and, in such capac-
ity, shall be responsible for the overall oversight and 
coordination of the NIFE. 
‘‘(2) SERVICE-LEVEL LEADS.—Each head of an 
organization of an armed force designated as a serv-
ice-level NIFE lead under subsection (c) shall serve 
as the head of the NIFE within that armed force 
and, in such capacity, shall be responsible for the 
oversight and coordination of the activities of the 
NIFE within that armed force. 
‘‘(e) DUTIES.—The Director of the Defense Innova-
tion Unit shall carry out the following activities in support 
of the NIFE: 
‘‘(1) Coordinate with the Joint Staff and the 
commanders of the combatant commands to identify 
operational challenges that have the potential to be 
addressed through the use of nontraditional capabili-
723 
ties, including dual-use technologies, that are being 
developed and financed in the commercial sector. 
‘‘(2) Using funds made available to the Defense 
Innovation Unit for the activities of the NIFE— 
‘‘(A) select projects to be carried out by 
one or more of the service-level NIFE leads; 
‘‘(B) allocate funds to service-level NIFE 
leads to carry out such projects; and 
‘‘(C) monitor the execution of such 
projects by the service-level NIFE leads. 
‘‘(3) On a semiannual basis, submit to the Sec-
retary of Defense and the congressional defense 
committees a report on the progress of the projects 
described in paragraph (2). Each such report shall 
identify any gaps in resources or authorities that 
have the potential to disrupt the progress of such 
projects. 
‘‘(4) Serve as Chair of the NIFE Resource Ad-
visory Board under subsection (f). 
‘‘(5) Serve as the principal liaison between the 
Department of Defense, nontraditional defense con-
tractors, investors in nontraditional defense compa-
nies, and departments and agencies of the Federal 
Government pursing nontraditional capabilities simi-
lar to those pursued by the Department.
724 
‘‘(6) Lead engagement with industry, academia, 
and other non-government entities to develop— 
‘‘(A) domestic capacity with respect to in-
novative, commercial, and dual-use technologies 
and the use of nontraditional defense contrac-
tors; and 
‘‘(B) the capacity of international allies 
and partners of the United States with respect 
to such technologies and the use of such con-
tractors. 
‘‘(f) NIFE RESOURCE ADVISORY BOARD.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in 
the Department of Defense an advisory board to be 
known as the ‘NIFE Resource Advisory Board’ (re-
ferred to in this subsection as the ‘Board’). 
‘‘(2) MEMBERS.—The Board shall be composed 
of the following members— 
‘‘(A) The Director of the Defense Innova-
tion Unit. 
‘‘(B) The head of each service-level NIFE 
lead. 
‘‘(C) The Director of the Joint Staff. 
‘‘(D) The Chief Digital and Artificial Intel-
ligence Officer of the Department of Defense.
725 
‘‘(E) The Director of the Office of Stra-
tegic Capital of the Department of Defense. 
‘‘(3) CHAIR.—The Director of the Defense In-
novation Unit shall serve as Chair of the Board. 
‘‘(4) MEETINGS.—The Board shall meet annu-
ally and may meet more frequently at the call of the 
Chair. 
‘‘(5) RESPONSIBILITIES.—On an annual basis 
the Board shall— 
‘‘(A) identify not fewer than 10 objectives 
of the Department of Defense that have the po-
tential to be supported using nontraditional ca-
pabilities that are capable of being fielded at 
scale within a period of three years; and 
‘‘(B) for each objective identified under 
subparagraph (A)— 
‘‘(i) develop a specific set of require-
ments and a budget for the development 
and fielding of nontraditional capabilities 
to support such objective; and 
‘‘(ii) based on such budget and re-
quirements, solicit proposals from public 
and private sector entities for providing 
such capabilities.
726 
‘‘(6) NONAPPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN REQUIRE-
MENTS.—Section 1013(a)(2) of title 5 (relating to 
the termination of advisory committees) shall not 
apply to the Board. 
‘‘(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘nontraditional capability’ means 
a solution to an operational challenge that can sig-
nificantly leverage commercial innovation or external 
capital with minimal dependencies on fielded sys-
tems. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘nontraditional defense con-
tractor’ has the meaning given that term in section 
3014 of this title.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE AND IMPLEMENTATION.— 
(1) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made 
by subsections (a) and (b) shall take effect 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(2) IMPLEMENTATION.—Not later than the ef-
fective date specified in paragraph (1), the Secretary 
of Defense shall issue or modify any rules, regula-
tions, policies, or other guidance necessary to imple-
ment the amendments made by subsections (a) and 
(b). 
(d) MANPOWER SUFFICIENCY EVALUATION.—
727 
(1) EVALUATION.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall evaluate the staffing levels of the Defense In-
novation Unit as of the date of the enactment of this 
Act to determine if the Unit is sufficiently staffed to 
achieve the responsibilities of the Unit under sec-
tions 4063 and 4127 of title 10, United States Code, 
as added by subsections (a) and (b) of this section. 
(2) REPORT.—Not later than the effective date 
specified in subsection (c)(1), the Secretary of De-
fense shall submit to the Committees on Armed 
Services of the Senate and the House of Representa-
tives a report on the results of the evaluation under 
paragraph (1). The report shall include a plan— 
(A) to address any staffing shortfalls iden-
tified as a part of the assessment; and 
(B) for funding any activities necessary to 
address such shortfalls. 
SEC. 926. DESIGNATION OF EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DIS-
POSAL CORPS AS A BASIC BRANCH OF THE 
ARMY. 
(a) DESIGNATION
AS
BASIC
BRANCH.—Section 
7063(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (12), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end;
728 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (13) as para-
graph (14); and 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (12) the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
‘‘(13) Explosive Ordnance Disposal Corps; 
and’’. 
(b) ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS.—Chapter 707 
of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at 
the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 7085. Explosive Ordnance Disposal Corps: organi-
zation and functions 
‘‘(a) CHIEF OF CORPS.—There is a Chief of the Ex-
plosive Ordnance Disposal Corps of the Army. The Sec-
retary of the Army shall appoint the Chief from among 
general officers of the Army who are Explosive Ordnance 
Disposal qualified and are serving in the Logistics Corps 
as of the time of the appointment. The Secretary of the 
Army shall not assign any officer who has not served as 
an officer in the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Corps as 
the Chief of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Corps. 
‘‘(b) FUNCTIONS.—The Explosive Ordnance Disposal 
Corps shall, at a minimum, perform functions relating 
to— 
‘‘(1) the disposal of explosive ordnance and mu-
nitions management; and
729 
‘‘(2) ensuring the safety of explosives.’’. 
(c) CONFORMING REPEAL.—Section 582 of the Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 
(Public Law 115–91; 131 Stat. 1415) is repealed. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments and repeal 
made by subsections (a) through (c) shall take effect 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 927. REPEAL OF AUTHORITY TO APPOINT A NAVAL RE-
SEARCH ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 
Section 8024 of title 10, United States Code, is re-
pealed. 
SEC. 928. ELIGIBILITY OF MEMBERS OF SPACE FORCE FOR 
INSTRUCTION 
AT 
THE 
NAVAL 
POST-
GRADUATE SCHOOL. 
Section 8545 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ‘‘and Coast 
Guard’’ and inserting ‘‘Space Force, and Coast 
Guard’’; and 
(2) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘and Coast 
Guard’’ and inserting ‘‘Space Force, and Coast 
Guard’’.
730 
SEC. 929. MEMBERSHIP OF THE AIR FORCE RESERVE 
FORCES POLICY COMMITTEE. 
Section 10305(b) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘consists of’’ and inserting 
‘‘shall have voting members, who shall be’’ before 
‘‘officers’’; 
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through 
(3) as subparagraphs (A) through (C), respectively; 
(3) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘The committee’’; 
and 
(4) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(2)(A) The committee shall have four nonvoting 
members, who shall be the Chief Master Sergeants of the 
Air Force, the Air Force Reserve, the Air National Guard, 
and the Space Force. 
‘‘(B) A nonvoting member who cannot attend a meet-
ing of the committee may designate a member in the grade 
of E-8 or E-9 to attend in their stead.’’. 
SEC. 930. FRAMEWORK FOR CLASSIFICATION OF AUTONO-
MOUS CAPABILITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Chief Digital and 
Artificial Intelligence Officer of the Department of De-
fense, in consultation with the Under Secretary of Defense
731 
for Policy, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research 
and Engineering, the commanders of the combatant com-
mands, and the Secretaries of the military departments, 
shall establish a Department-wide classification frame-
work for autonomous capabilities. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the framework re-
quired under subsection (a) shall be to facilitate the devel-
opment of a common understanding within the Depart-
ment of Defense of autonomous capabilities and related 
operational requirements to better plan for, resource, and 
integrate appropriate autonomy-enabling hardware and 
software into current and future systems across the De-
partment. 
(c) AUTONOMY CLASSIFICATION FRAMEWORK.—At a 
minimum, the framework required under subsection (a) 
shall— 
(1) include multiple levels of increasingly com-
plex autonomous maneuver capability with a focus 
on classifying necessary levels of human supervision 
or control during operational use; 
(2) apply to current and future autonomous 
systems operating across land, air, maritime, and 
space domains; 
(3) include estimates of costs necessary to 
achieve specific levels of autonomous capability; and
732 
(4) include— 
(A) operational requirements including 
necessary levels of survivability in GPS- or com-
munications-denied environments; 
(B) specific operational or engagement sce-
narios; and 
(C) necessary levels of teaming with other 
autonomous systems. 
(d) PROGRESS REPORT.—Not later than 30 days 
after the establishment of the framework under subsection 
(a), the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer 
shall submit to the congressional defense committees a re-
port that includes a description of the framework and the 
specific methodologies, criteria, and operational require-
ments used to develop the classifications under the frame-
work. 
(e) REGULAR REASSESSMENT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not less frequently than 
once every two years, the Chief Digital and Artificial 
Intelligence Officer shall reassess and update the 
classification framework required under subsection 
(a) to ensure the framework incorporates recent de-
velopments in technology, standards, and operational 
requirements relating to autonomous capabilities.
733 
(2) BRIEFING.—Not later than 30 days of the 
completion of each reassessment under paragraph 
(1), the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Offi-
cer shall provide to the congressional defense com-
mittees a briefing on the results of the reassessment 
and any resulting revisions to the classification 
framework under subsection (a). 
(f) IMPLEMENTATION.—Not later than 90 days after 
the establishment of the framework under subsection (a), 
the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy shall issue in-
structions to the military departments to implement such 
framework by operationalizing the use of the framework 
in the planning and budgeting processes of individual pro-
gram offices. 
(g) PLAN FOR INTEGRATION OF AUTONOMOUS CAPA-
BILITIES INTO SYSTEMS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DE-
FENSE.— 
(1) PLAN REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer of 
the Department of Defense shall develop and imple-
ment a plan and procedures to standardize the plan-
ning, resourcing, and integration efforts with respect 
to autonomous capabilities for current and future 
systems across the Department.
734 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The plan required under 
paragraph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) A Department-wide assessment of the 
status of efforts to resource and integrate au-
tonomy software into current and future sys-
tems, including— 
(i) the identification of current and 
future systems across the Department 
which can be integrated with autonomy 
software to enable continuous operational 
capability of such systems in GPS- or com-
munications-denied environments, includ-
ing those systems identified in the report 
required by section 246 of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2022 (Public Law 117–81; 135 Stat. 
1622); and 
(ii) an assessment of gaps in— 
(I) program funding related to 
the acquisition of autonomy software; 
(II) acquisition processes, includ-
ing the planning, programming, budg-
eting, and execution process for ac-
quiring and integrating autonomy-en-
735 
abling capabilities across relevant pro-
grams of record; 
(III) training capabilities; 
(IV) 
testing, 
evaluation, 
verification, and validation capabilities 
in all environments, including virtual 
and real world environments; and 
(V) efforts to test, resource, and 
scale commercially available tech-
nologies. 
(B) A plan to address, to the maximum ex-
tent practicable, the gaps assessed in subpara-
graph (A), including— 
(i) updated procedures to plan for au-
tonomy software costs at the onset of the 
acquisition life cycle; 
(ii) plans to include in greater detail 
the projected autonomy software costs for 
applicable programs of record within pe-
riod covered by the Future Years Defense 
Program; and 
(iii) plans to standardize the acquisi-
tion of autonomy software for programs of 
record across the military departments in-
736 
cluding the use of the capability classifica-
tion framework under subsection (a). 
(3) CONSULTATION.—The Chief Digital and 
Artificial Intelligence Officer shall develop the plan 
under paragraph (1) in consultation with— 
(A) the Under Secretary of Defense for 
Acquisition and Sustainment; 
(B) the Joint Chiefs of Staff; 
(C) the senior acquisition executive of each 
military department; 
(D) the commanders of the combatant 
commands; and 
(E) such other organizations and elements 
of the Department of Defense as the Chief Dig-
ital and Artificial Intelligence Officer deter-
mines appropriate. 
(4) REPORT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days 
after the completion of the plan under para-
graph (1), the Chief Digital and Artificial Intel-
ligence Officer shall submit to the congressional 
defense committees a report that describes the 
specific elements of the plan.
737 
(B) FORM.—The report under subpara-
graph (A) shall be submitted in unclassified 
form but may contain a classified annex. 
SEC. 931. COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF FORCE DE-
SIGN MODERNIZATION EFFORTS OF THE MA-
RINE CORPS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall seek to enter into a contract with a federally funded 
research and development center to conduct an inde-
pendent review, assessment, and analysis of the mod-
ernization initiatives Marine Corps. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required under sub-
section (a) shall include the following elements: 
(1) An assessment of changes in the National 
Defense Strategy, Defense Planning Guidance, Joint 
Warfighting Concept, and other strategic documents 
and concepts that informed the force design mod-
ernization requirements of the Marine Corps. 
(2) An assessment of how the Marine Corps 
should be structured, organized, trained, equipped, 
and postured to meet the challenges of future com-
petition, crisis, and conflict. 
(3) An assessment of the ability of the defense 
innovation base and defense industrial base to de-
738 
velop and produce the technologies required to im-
plement the force design modernization of the Ma-
rine Corps on a timeline and at production rates suf-
ficient to sustain military operations. 
(4) An assessment of forward infrastructure, 
and 
the 
extent 
to 
which 
installations 
are 
operationalized to deter, compete, and prevail during 
conflict in support of the modernization of the Ma-
rine Corps. 
(5) An assessment of the current retention and 
recruiting environment and the ability of the Marine 
Corps to sustain manpower requirements necessary 
for operational requirements under title 10, United 
States Code. 
(6) The extent to which the modernization ini-
tiatives within the Marine Corps are nested within 
applicable joint warfighting concepts. 
(7) An assessment of whether the moderniza-
tion of the Marine Corps is consistent with the strat-
egy of integrated deterrence. 
(8) An assessment of the ability of the Marine 
Corps to generate required force elements for the 
Immediate Ready Force and the Contingency Ready 
Force.
739 
(9) The extent to which the modernized capa-
bilities of the Marine Corps can be integrated across 
the Joint Force, including warfighting concepts at 
the combatant command level. 
(10) The extent to which the modernization ef-
forts of the Marine Corps meet the requirements of 
current and future plans of combatant commanders 
and global force management operations. 
(11) The extent to which modeling and simula-
tion, experimentation, wargaming, and other analytic 
methods have supported the changes to the mod-
ernization initiatives of the Marine Corps. 
(12) An inventory of existing or planned invest-
ments associated with the modernization efforts of 
the Marine Corps, disaggregated by the following ca-
pability areas: 
(A) Command and Control. 
(B) Information. 
(C) Intelligence. 
(D) Fires. 
(E) Movement and Maneuver. 
(F) Protection. 
(G) Sustainment. 
(13) An assessment of how observations regard-
ing the invasion and defense of Ukraine affect the
740 
feasibility, advisability, and suitability of the mod-
ernization of the Marine Corps. 
(c) REPORT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 270 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall submit to the congressional 
defense committees a report on the results of the as-
sessment required under subsection (a). 
(2) FORM
OF
REPORT.—The report required 
under paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassi-
fied form, but may include a classified annex to the 
extent required to ensure that the report is accurate 
and complete. 
(d) EFFECT ON OTHER REQUIREMENTS.—Effective 
on the date of the submittal of the report under subsection 
(c)(1), the requirement to submit a briefing pursuant to 
section 1023 of the Joint Explanatory Statement accom-
panying the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117–263), shall 
cease to have force or effect. 
SEC. 932. ENHANCING DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE COORDI-
NATION OF GEOECONOMIC AFFAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall conduct a review of the planning, resourcing, and
741 
contributions of the Department of Defense to interagency 
efforts with respect to geoeconomic affairs. 
(b) DUTIES.—The review required under subsection 
(a) shall include the following: 
(1) A Department-wide assessment of capabili-
ties to— 
(A) assess geoeconomic competition be-
tween the United States and strategic competi-
tors; 
(B) identify methods to partner with gov-
ernments and key commercial entities; and 
(C) to support United States national in-
terests. 
(2) An assessment of any gaps in— 
(A) existing departmental commercial due 
diligence and commercial partnership processes 
and procedures to enable sustainable coopera-
tion with governmental and commercial entities 
within the United States and between the 
United States and trusted allies and partners 
for national defense purposes; 
(B) efforts by the combatant commands to 
develop and to coordinate expertise on how 
strategic competitors may use economic and
742 
supply chain strategies within the areas of re-
sponsibility of the combatant commands; 
(C) the contributions of the Department to 
the coordinated use of existing industrial base 
and supply chain tools, acquisition and budget 
authorities, industrial security oversight, tech-
nology transfer and export controls, cybersecu-
rity standards and oversight, and mergers and 
acquisition reviews to enhance innovation and 
industrial cooperation and to protect the de-
fense capabilities of the United States and its 
allies; and 
(D) the contributions of the Department to 
existing measures to safeguard the intellectual 
property and knowledge created from United 
States Government and private sector research 
and development funding while encouraging, 
where appropriate, the sharing of such knowl-
edge with trusted allies and partners. 
(3) A plan to address, to the maximum extent 
practicable, the gaps assessed under paragraph (2). 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 
to the congressional defense committees a report con-
taining—
743 
(1) the findings of the review required under 
subsection (a); 
(2) a list of gaps identified by the assessment 
required under subsection (b)(2); 
(3) for each identified gap, a description of the 
gap and an assessment of any legal authorities, 
budgeting and execution processes, or other issues 
the Secretary deems necessary to address the gap; 
(4) the plan required under subsection (b)(3); 
and 
(5) any other information the Secretary con-
siders appropriate. 
(d) DEFINITION OF GEOECONOMICS.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘‘geoeconomics’’ means the global inter-
action between competing national security and economic 
priorities comprising the various activities undertaken be-
tween governments, allies, competitors, producers, and 
consumers, including— 
(1) how economics, technological innovation, 
and geography affect the distribution of capabilities 
in the international system; and 
(2) how states use economic and technological 
instruments in pursuit of their strategic interests.
744 
SEC. 933. FUTURE FORCE DESIGN OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 
THE AIR FORCE. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the Sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) the Department of the Air Force has made 
significant progress in organizing, training, and 
equipping the Air Force and Space Force to address 
the needs of the Joint Force and align with the cur-
rent National Defense Strategy and National Mili-
tary Strategy; and 
(2) to be prepared to effectively deter and de-
feat a peer adversary, the Department must address 
force design requirements that will enable equipment 
modernization, organizational restructure, and ca-
pacity adjustments to meet the challenges presented 
by the People’s Republic of China. 
(b) FORCE DESIGN REQUIRED.—Not later than Au-
gust 31, 2024, the Secretary of the Air Force shall develop 
a force design for the Air Force and Space Force projected 
through 2050. 
(c) ELEMENTS.—The force design under subsection 
(b) shall address— 
(1) the concepts, capabilities, and structural 
elements (including size and form) of the Air Force 
and Space Force that are necessary to ensure those 
forces effectively execute their core functions
745 
through 2050 in support of the National Defense 
Strategy and the National Military Strategy; 
(2) force structure, including the development 
of capabilities (including platforms and systems) at 
the right level of capacity to address the challenges 
outlined by the National Defense Strategy and Na-
tional Military Strategy; 
(3) force composition, including recruitment 
and development of the human capital, effective dis-
tribution of forces in the total force and policies to 
increase career flexibility across the different compo-
nents; 
(4) organizational design, including develop-
ment of potential models to increase agility and 
operational effectiveness across the Air Force and 
Space Force; and 
(5) such other matters as the Secretary of the 
Air Force determines to be relevant. 
(d) INFORMATION TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 60 
days after completion of the force design required under 
subsection (b), the Secretary of the Air Force shall— 
(1) submit a summary of the force design to 
the congressional defense committees; and 
(2) provide to the congressional defense com-
mittees a briefing on the force design.
746 
SEC. 934. ADDITION OF COLLEGE OF INTERNATIONAL SE-
CURITY AFFAIRS TO NATIONAL DEFENSE 
UNIVERSITY. 
Section 2165(b) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraph (6) as para-
graph (7); and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (5) the fol-
lowing new paragraph (6): 
‘‘(6) The College of International Security Af-
fairs.’’. 
Subtitle C—Space National Guard 
SEC. 951. ESTABLISHMENT OF SPACE NATIONAL GUARD. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There is established a Space 
National Guard that is part of the organized militia 
of the several States and Territories, Puerto Rico, 
and the District of Columbia— 
(A) in which the Space Force operates or 
where there are significant space launch or mis-
sion control facilities; and 
(B) active and inactive. 
(2) RESERVE
COMPONENT.—There is estab-
lished a Space National Guard of the United States 
that is the reserve component of the United States
747 
Space Force all of whose members are members of 
the Space National Guard. 
(b) COMPOSITION.—The Space National Guard shall 
be composed of the Space National Guard forces of the 
several States and Territories, Puerto Rico and the Dis-
trict of Columbia— 
(1) in which the Space Force operates; and 
(2) active and inactive. 
SEC. 952. NO EFFECT ON MILITARY INSTALLATIONS. 
Nothing in this subtitle, or the amendments made by 
this subtitle, shall be construed to authorize or require the 
relocation of any facility, infrastructure, or military instal-
lation of the Space National Guard or Air National Guard. 
SEC. 953. IMPLEMENTATION OF SPACE NATIONAL GUARD. 
(a) REQUIREMENT.—Except as specifically provided 
by this subtitle, the Secretary of the Air Force and Chief 
of the National Guard Bureau shall implement this sub-
title, and the amendments made by this subtitle, not later 
than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
(b) BRIEFINGS.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, and annually for the 
five subsequent years, the Secretary of the Air Force, 
Chief of the Space Force and Chief of the National Guard 
Bureau shall jointly provide to the congressional defense
748 
committees a briefing on the status of the implementation 
of the Space National Guard pursuant to this subtitle and 
the amendments made by this subtitle. This briefing shall 
address the current missions, operations and activities, 
personnel requirements and status, and budget and fund-
ing requirements and status of the Space National Guard, 
and such other matters with respect to the implementation 
and operation of the Space National Guard as the Sec-
retary and the Chiefs jointly determine appropriate to 
keep Congress fully and currently informed on the status 
of the implementation of the Space National Guard. 
SEC. 954. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS AND CLARIFICA-
TION OF AUTHORITIES. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.— 
(1) TITLE 10, UNITED STATES CODE.—Title 10, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(A) in section 101(c)— 
(i) by redesignating paragraphs (6) 
and (7) as paragraphs (8) and (9), respec-
tively; and 
(ii) by inserting after paragraph (5) 
the following new paragraphs: 
‘‘(6) The term ‘Space National Guard’ means 
that part of the organized militia of the several
749 
States and territories, Puerto Rico, and the District 
Of Columbia, active and inactive, that— 
‘‘(A) is a space force; 
‘‘(B) is trained, and has its officers ap-
pointed under the sixteenth clause of section 8, 
article I of the Constitution; 
‘‘(C) is organized, armed, and equipped 
wholly or partly at Federal expense; and 
‘‘(D) is federally recognized. 
‘‘(7) The term ‘Space National Guard of the 
United States’ means the reserve component of the 
Space Force all of whose members are members of 
the Space National Guard.’’; and 
(B) in section 10101— 
(i) in the matter preceding paragraph 
(1), by inserting ‘‘the following’’ before the 
colon; and 
(ii) by adding at the end the following 
new paragraph: 
‘‘(8) The Space National Guard of the United 
States.’’. 
(2) TITLE 32, UNITED STATES CODE.—Section 
101 of title 32, United States Code is amended—
750 
(A) 
by 
redesignating 
paragraphs 
(8) 
through (19) as paragraphs (10) and (21), re-
spectively; and 
(B) by inserting after paragraph (7) the 
following new paragraphs: 
‘‘(8) The term ‘Space National Guard’ means 
that part of the organized militia of the several 
States and territories, Puerto Rico, and the District 
Of Columbia, in which the Space Force operates, ac-
tive and inactive, that— 
‘‘(A) is a space force; 
‘‘(B) is trained, and has its officers ap-
pointed under the sixteenth clause of section 8, 
article I of the Constitution; 
‘‘(C) is organized, armed, and equipped 
wholly or partly at Federal expense; and 
‘‘(D) is federally recognized. 
‘‘(9) The term ‘Space National Guard of the 
United States’ means the reserve component of the 
Space Force all of whose members are members of 
the Space National Guard.’’. 
(b) RESERVE COMPONENTS.—Chapter 1003 of title 
10, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by adding at the end the following new sec-
tions:
751 
‘‘§ 10115. Space National Guard of the United States: 
composition 
‘‘The Space National Guard of the United States is 
the reserve component of the Space Force that consists 
of— 
‘‘(1) federally recognized units and organiza-
tions of the Space National Guard; and 
‘‘(2) members of the Space National Guard who 
are also Reserves of the Space Force. 
‘‘§ 10116. Space National Guard: when a component of 
the Space Force 
‘‘The Space National Guard while in the service of 
the United States is a component of the Space Force. 
‘‘§ 10117. Space National Guard of the United States: 
status when not in Federal service 
‘‘When not on active duty, members of the Space Na-
tional Guard of the United States shall be administered, 
armed, equipped, and trained in their status as members 
of the Space National Guard.’’; and 
(2) in the table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter, by adding at the end the following new 
items: 
‘‘10115. Space National Guard of the United States: composition. 
‘‘10116. Space National Guard: when a component of the Space Force. 
‘‘10117. Space National Guard of the United States: status when not in Federal 
service.’’.
752 
TITLE X—GENERAL PROVISIONS 
Subtitle A—Financial Matters 
SEC. 1001. GENERAL TRANSFER AUTHORITY. 
(a) AUTHORITY TO TRANSFER AUTHORIZATIONS.— 
(1) AUTHORITY.—Upon determination by the 
Secretary of Defense that such action is necessary in 
the national interest, the Secretary may transfer 
amounts of authorizations made available to the De-
partment of Defense in this division for fiscal year 
2024 between any such authorizations for that fiscal 
year (or any subdivisions thereof). Amounts of au-
thorizations so transferred shall be merged with and 
be available for the same purposes as the authoriza-
tion to which transferred. 
(2) LIMITATION.—Except as provided in para-
graph (3), the total amount of authorizations that 
the Secretary may transfer under the authority of 
this section may not exceed $6,000,000,000. 
(3) EXCEPTION
FOR
TRANSFERS
BETWEEN 
MILITARY PERSONNEL AUTHORIZATIONS.—A trans-
fer of funds between military personnel authoriza-
tions under title IV shall not be counted toward the 
dollar limitation in paragraph (2). 
(b) LIMITATIONS.—The authority provided by sub-
section (a) to transfer authorizations—
753 
(1) may only be used to provide authority for 
items that have a higher priority than the items 
from which authority is transferred; and 
(2) may not be used to provide authority for an 
item that has been denied authorization by Con-
gress. 
(c) EFFECT
ON
AUTHORIZATION
AMOUNTS.—A 
transfer made from one account to another under the au-
thority of this section shall be deemed to increase the 
amount authorized for the account to which the amount 
is transferred by an amount equal to the amount trans-
ferred. 
(d) NOTICE
TO CONGRESS.—The Secretary shall 
promptly notify Congress of each transfer made under 
subsection (a). 
SEC. 1002. REQUIREMENT FOR A COVERED ARMED FORCE 
TO SUBMIT POSTURE STATEMENTS IN SUP-
PORT OF CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET PROC-
ESS. 
(a) FINDING.—Congress finds that since the mid- 
20th century, as a matter of custom, the Secretary of De-
fense and the chiefs of the Armed Forces have provided 
written annual posture statements outlining budget prior-
ities to Congress as a part of the annual budget process.
754 
(b) REQUIREMENT.—Prior to the annual budget 
hearings of the congressional defense committees for fiscal 
year 2025, and each subsequent fiscal year, the Secretary 
of Defense, the Secretary of each Military Department, 
and the chief of each covered Armed Force shall submit 
to the congressional defense committees a written posture 
statement in support of budget priorities. Each such pos-
ture statement shall include each of the following: 
(1) An identification of the budget priorities of 
the department or Armed Force. 
(2) An identification of strategic requirements 
to support the role of the Department or Armed 
Force in the national defense of the United States. 
(3) An explanation of how resources are being 
applied to the national defense roles and responsibil-
ities of the Department or Armed Force. 
(4) Programmatic matters related to the roles 
and responsibilities of the Department or Armed 
Force. 
(c) COVERED ARMED FORCE.—The term covered 
Armed Force means the following: 
(1) The Army. 
(2) The Navy. 
(3) The Marine Corps. 
(4) The Air Force.
755 
(5) The Space Force. 
SEC. 1003. ESTABLISHMENT OF A BLOCKCHAIN-DISTRIB-
UTED LEDGER TECHNOLOGIES-SMART CON-
TRACTS DEFENSE APPLICATIONS WORKING 
GROUP. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Defense shall establish a working group to be known as 
the ‘‘Blockchain-Distributed Ledger Technologies-Smart 
Contracts Defense Applications Working Group’’ (referred 
to in this section as the ‘‘Working Group’’). The Working 
Group shall identify potential applications for blockchain 
technology, smart contracts, or distributed ledger tech-
nologies in the processes of the Department of Defense. 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Working Group shall be 
composed of representatives of the following: 
(1) The elements of the Department of Defense 
as described in paragraphs (1) through (10) of sec-
tion 111(b) of title 10, United States Code. 
(2) The Office of Science and Technology Pol-
icy. 
(3) Relevant private sector entities. 
(4) Academic institutions. 
(c) RESOURCES.—The Working Group shall use Fed-
eral studies, reports, or other available resources to inform
756 
the use of blockchain technology, smart contracts, or dis-
tributed ledger technologies to improve efficiencies at the 
Department of Defense and efficiencies or functions of 
each of the Armed Forces. 
(d) POLICIES.—Not later than April 1, 2024, the 
Secretary of Defense shall issue policies for the activities 
of the Working Group. 
(e) SUPPORT.—The joint federation of capabilities es-
tablished under section 937 of the National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 (Public Law 113– 
66; 10 U.S.C. 2224) shall provide administrative support 
to the working group. 
(f) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion may be construed to allow the Secretary of Defense 
to provide any competitive advantage to any participant 
of the Working Group. 
(g) SUNSET.—This section and the Working Group 
established under this section shall terminate on Decem-
ber 31, 2028. 
SEC. 1004. DRUG INTERDICTION AND COUNTER-DRUG AC-
TIVITIES. 
(a) OFFICE OF NAVAL INTELLIGENCE MARITIME IN-
TELLIGENCE SUPPORT.—In section 4501 of division D, 
relating to Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities, 
increase the amount for Counter-Narcotics Support, line
757 
010, by $5,000,000 for Global Trader in the Office of 
Naval Intelligence Maritime Intelligence Support. 
(b) U.S. NORTHERN COMMAND MEXICO OFFICE OF 
DEFENSE COOPERATION.—In section 4501 of division D, 
relating to Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities, 
increase the amount for Counter-Narcotics Support, line 
010, by $5,000,000 for the U.S. Northern Command Mex-
ico Office of Defense Cooperation. 
(c) ADVANCED ANALYTICS
FOR GLOBAL THREAT 
NETWORK DISRUPTION.—In section 4501 of division D, 
relating to Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities, 
increase the amount for Counter-Narcotics Support, line 
010, by $5,000,000 for Advanced Analytics for Global 
Threat Network Disruption. 
(d) OPERATION
AND
MAINTENANCE
DEFENSE- 
WIDE.—In section 4301 of division D, relating to Oper-
ation and Maintenance Defense-Wide, reduce the amount 
for Office of the Secretary of Defense, line 490, by 
$15,000,000. 
SEC. 1005. REPORT ON PROGRESS AND CHALLENGES TO 
ACHIEVING AN UNQUALIFIED AUDIT OPIN-
ION. 
(a) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall submit to the congressional defense committees a re-
758 
port on the progress made by each component of the De-
partment of Defense that has not yet received an unquali-
fied audit opinion on the progress made and the signifi-
cant outstanding challenges toward achieving an unquali-
fied opinion. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required under sub-
section (a) shall include— 
(1) a ranking of each of the components that 
is under standalone audit or being audited as part 
of the Department of Defense consolidated audit 
that has yet to receive an unqualified audit opinion 
in order of how advanced each component is in 
achieving an unqualified audit opinion; 
(2) a detailed summary of the outstanding fi-
nancial, technological, and personnel requirements to 
enable each component to receive an unqualified 
audit opinion; 
(3) a detailed summary of the financial invest-
ments made during the fiscal year preceding the fis-
cal year during which the report is submitted in ef-
forts to modernize the business and financial ac-
counting systems of the Department; 
(4) a status update of the implementation of 
the Department of the recommendations of the 
Comptroller General included in the report titled
759 
‘‘DoD needs to Improve System Oversight’’ (GAO- 
23-104539); and 
(5) a summary of the strategy of the Depart-
ment to address shortfalls and potential future 
training and skills gaps in the financial accounting 
and oversight workforce. 
SEC. 1005A. AUDIT REQUIREMENT FOR DEPARTMENT OF 
DEFENSE COMPONENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—During fiscal year 2024, and dur-
ing each of the nine fiscal years thereafter, each compo-
nent of the Department of Defense shall be subject to an 
independent audit. Any such component that fails to be 
subject to such an audit during any fiscal year shall have 
1.5 percent of unobligated amounts available for the com-
ponent be cancelled and returned to the general fund of 
the Treasury for deficit reduction, except as provided in 
subsection (b). 
(b) EXCEPTIONS.—The following accounts are ex-
cluded from any reductions: 
(1) Military personnel, reserve personnel, and 
National Guard personnel accounts of the Depart-
ment of Defense. 
(2) The Defense Health Program account of 
the Department of Defense.
760 
SEC. 1005B. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SPENDING REDUC-
TIONS IN ABSENCE OF SUBMITTED FINAN-
CIAL STATEMENTS OR FAILURE TO ACHIEVE 
UNQUALIFIED OR QUALIFIED INDEPENDENT 
AUDIT OPINION. 
(a) APPLICABILITY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 
this section applies to the Department of Defense, 
including military departments and Defense Agen-
cies thereof. 
(2) SEPARATE
APPLICABILITY.—If a military 
department or Defense Agency is identified by the 
Director of the Office of Management and Budget as 
required to have its own audited financial statement 
under section 3515 of title 31, United States Code, 
that military department and Defense Agency shall 
be treated separately from the Department of De-
fense for purposes of application of this section. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The terms ‘‘financial statement’’ and ‘‘ex-
ternal independent auditor’’ have the meanings given 
those terms in section 3521(e) of title 31, United 
States Code. 
(3) The term ‘‘unqualified’’, with respect to the 
audit status of a financial statement, includes the 
characterizations clean and unmodified.
761 
(2) The term ‘‘qualified’’, with respect to the 
audit status of a financial statement, includes the 
characterization modified. 
(c) 
ADJUSTMENTS
FOR
FINANCIAL
ACCOUNT-
ABILITY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—On March 2 of each fiscal 
year, the discretionary budget authority available for 
the Department of Defense (or a military depart-
ment or Defense Agency covered by subsection 
(a)(2)) for such fiscal year shall be adjusted as pro-
vided in paragraph (2). 
(2) ADJUSTMENT.—If the Department of De-
fense (or a military department or Defense Agency 
covered by subsection (a)(2)) has not submitted a fi-
nancial statement for the previous fiscal year, or if 
such financial statement has not received either an 
unqualified or a qualified audit opinion by an inde-
pendent external auditor, the discretionary budget 
authority available for the Department of Defense, 
the military department, or the Defense Agency (as 
the case may be) shall be reduced by .5 percent, 
with the reduction applied proportionately to each 
account (other than an account listed in subsection 
(d) or an account for which a waiver is made under 
subsection (e)).
762 
(3) 
MINIMIZES
NATIONAL
SECURITY
EF-
FECTS.—Consistent with applicable laws, the Sec-
retary of Defense may make any reduction under 
paragraph (2) in a manner that minimizes any effect 
on national security. 
(4) DEFICIT REDUCTION.—An amount equal to 
the total amount of any reduction under paragraph 
(2) shall be retained in the general fund of the 
Treasury for the purposes of deficit reduction. 
(d) ACCOUNTS EXCLUDED.—The following accounts 
are excluded from any reductions referred to in subsection 
(c)(2): 
(1) Military personnel, reserve personnel, and 
National Guard personnel accounts of the Depart-
ment of Defense. 
(2) The Defense Health Program account of 
the Department of Defense. 
(e) WAIVER.—The President may waive subsection 
(c)(2) with respect to an account if the President certifies 
that applying the subsection to that account would harm 
national security or members of the Armed Forces who 
are deployed in combat zones. 
(f) REPORT.—Not later than 60 days after an adjust-
ment under subsection (c), the Director of the Office of 
Management and Budget shall submit to Congress a re-
763 
port describing the amount and account of each adjust-
ment. 
Subtitle B—Counterdrug Activities 
SEC. 1006. DRUG INTERDICTION AND COUNTER-DRUG AC-
TIVITIES. 
Section 112(a)(3) of title 32, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘$5,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$15,000’’. 
SEC. 1007. THREAT ANALYSIS REGARDING FENTANYL CRI-
SIS. 
(a) THREAT ANALYSIS.—The Secretary of Defense, 
in consultation with the Director of the Defense Threat 
Reduction Agency and Office of the Deputy Assistant Sec-
retary of Defense for Counternarcotics and Stabilization 
Policy, shall conduct a threat analysis of any potential 
threats the illicit fentanyl drug trade poses to the defense 
interests of the United States. The threat analysis shall 
contain the following: 
(1) An analysis of the illicit fentanyl drug 
trade, including the manufacture, distribution, and 
sale or trade, and trans-shipment of fentanyl and 
fentanyl-related substances. 
(2) An analysis of new or emerging techniques 
or technologies that are likely to affect the evolution 
of the illicit fentanyl drug trade.
764 
(3) An analysis of United States laws, executive 
orders, secretarial orders, and agency actions that 
are likely affecting the evolution of the illicit 
fentanyl drug trade over the Southern border of the 
United States. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than March 31, 2024, the 
Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional de-
fense committees a report that includes each of the fol-
lowing: 
(1) The threat analysis required under sub-
section (a), including any recommendations of the 
Secretary for any related actions. 
(2) Any actions the Department of Defense has 
taken in response to such threat analysis. 
(3) Any other matter the Secretary determines 
appropriate. 
SEC. 1008. REPORT ON ROLE OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
IN SUPPORTING NATIONAL EMERGENCY DEC-
LARATION COMBATING FENTANYL CRISIS. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) the declaration of a national emergency by 
the President to address the unusual and extraor-
dinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, 
and economy of the United States posed by inter-
765 
national drug trafficking is an appropriate whole-of- 
Government response to the problems posed by drug 
trafficking and, in particular, fentanyl; 
(2) the counternarcotics activities of the De-
partment of Defense encompass unique capabilities 
that are critical for the efforts of the United States 
Government to combat the trafficking of illegal 
drugs, including fentanyl; and 
(3) Department of Defense support for drug 
interdiction capacity and capability should be lever-
aged by Federal, State, local, and tribal law enforce-
ment agencies, as appropriate and as permitted by 
law, to gain intelligence and lessons learned, and to 
enhance collaboration and effectiveness. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall submit to the congressional defense committees a re-
port that includes the following: 
(1) A description of Department of Defense ac-
tivities in support of efforts to deal with the national 
emergency declared in Executive Order No. 14059 
on December 15, 2021. 
(2) An assessment of the resources and authori-
ties required to fully leverage the capabilities of the 
Department of Defense to best support efforts to ad-
766 
dress the threat posed by illicit drugs, including 
fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, that neces-
sitated the declaration of the national emergency in 
Executive Order No. 14059. 
SEC. 1009. DISRUPTION OF FENTANYL TRAFFICKING. 
(a) DEVELOPMENT OF STRATEGY.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense, with the concurrence of the Sec-
retary of State, and in coordination with the heads 
of such other Federal agencies as the Secretary con-
siders appropriate, shall develop and submit to the 
appropriate congressional committees a strategy to 
use existing authorities, including the authorities 
under section 124 of title 10, United States Code, 
as appropriate, to target, disrupt, or degrade threats 
to the national security of the United States caused 
or exacerbated by fentanyl trafficking. 
(2) CONTENTS.—The strategy required by 
paragraph (1) shall outline how the Secretary of De-
fense will— 
(A) leverage existing authorities regarding 
counterdrug and counter-transnational orga-
nized crime activities with a counter-fentanyl
767 
nexus to detect and monitor activities related to 
fentanyl trafficking; 
(B) leverage existing authorities to support 
operations to counter fentanyl trafficking car-
ried out by other Federal agencies, State, Trib-
al, and local law enforcement agencies, or for-
eign security forces; 
(C) coordinate efforts of the Department 
of Defense for the detection and monitoring of 
aerial and maritime traffic suspected of car-
rying fentanyl bound for the United States, in-
cluding efforts to unify the use of technology, 
surveillance, and related resources across air, 
land, and maritime domains to counter fentanyl 
trafficking, including with respect to data col-
lection, data processing, and integrating sensors 
across such domains; 
(D) provide Department of Defense-spe-
cific capabilities to support activities by the 
United States Government and foreign security 
forces to detect and monitor the trafficking of 
fentanyl and precursor chemicals used in 
fentanyl production, consistent with— 
(i) section 284(b)(10) of title 10, 
United States Code;
768 
(ii) all other requirements set forth in 
the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 
U.S.C. 2151 et 16 seq.); and 
(iii) the requirements set forth in the 
Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 
et seq.); 
(E) leverage existing counterdrug and 
counter-transnational organized crime programs 
of the Department to counter fentanyl traf-
ficking; 
(F) assess existing training programs of 
the Department to counter fentanyl trafficking, 
consistent with section 284(b) of title 10, 
United States Code; 
(G) assess existing training programs of 
the Department for foreign security forces to 
ensure 
the 
counterdrug 
and 
counter- 
transnational organized crime programs of the 
Department— 
(i) support operations to counter 
fentanyl trafficking; and 
(ii) build capacity to conduct fentanyl 
interdiction operations, consistent with sec-
tions 284(c) and 333 of title 10, United 
States Code;
769 
(H) use the North American Defense Min-
isterial and the bilateral defense working groups 
and bilateral military cooperation round tables 
with Canada and Mexico to increase domain 
awareness to detect and monitor fentanyl traf-
ficking; and 
(I) evaluate existing policies, procedures, 
processes, and resources that affect the ability 
of the Department to counter fentanyl traf-
ficking consistent with existing counterdrug and 
counter-transnational organized crime authori-
ties. 
(3) FORM.—The strategy required by para-
graph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, 
but may include a classified annex. 
(4) BRIEFING.—Not later than 60 days after 
the submission of the strategy required by para-
graph (1), the Secretary shall provide to the appro-
priate congressional committees a briefing on the 
strategy and plans for its implementation. 
(b) COOPERATION WITH MEXICO.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall seek to enhance cooperation with defense offi-
cials of the Government of Mexico to target, disrupt,
770 
and degrade transnational criminal organizations 
within Mexico that traffic fentanyl. 
(2) REPORT
ON
ENHANCED
SECURITY
CO-
OPERATION.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Defense, with the concur-
rence of the Secretary of State, shall submit to 
the appropriate congressional committees a re-
port on efforts to enhance cooperation with de-
fense officials of the Government of Mexico 
specified in paragraph (1). 
(B) CONTENTS.—The report required by 
subparagraph (A) shall include— 
(i) an assessment of the impact of the 
efforts to enhance cooperation described in 
paragraph (1) on targeting, disrupting, 
and degrading fentanyl trafficking; 
(ii) a description of limitations on 
such efforts, including limitations imposed 
by the Government of Mexico; 
(iii) recommendations by the Sec-
retary on actions to further improve co-
operation with defense officials of the Gov-
ernment of Mexico;
771 
(iv) recommendations by the Secretary 
on actions of the Department of Defense 
to further improve the capabilities of the 
Government of Mexico to target, disrupt, 
and degrade fentanyl trafficking; and 
(v) any other matter the Secretary 
considers relevant. 
(C) FORM.—The report required by sub-
paragraph (A) may be submitted in unclassified 
form, but shall include a classified annex. 
(c) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.— 
In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Armed Services of the 
Senate; 
(2) the Committee on Armed Services of the 
House of Representatives; 
(3) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives; 
(4) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
Senate; 
(5) the Committee on the Judiciary of the 
House of Representatives; and 
(6) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Sen-
ate.
772 
SEC. 1010. REPORT ON IRANIAN INVOLVEMENT IN RE-
GIONAL NARCOTICS TRADE. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the Middle East narcotics trade continues to 
evolve, including through expanding volumes and routes 
facilitating the sale, supply, or transfer of captagon and 
methamphetamines throughout the region. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, 
in coordination with the Secretary of State and the Direc-
tor of National Intelligence, shall submit to the congres-
sional defense committees, the Committee on Foreign Af-
fairs and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence 
in the House of Representatives, and the Committee on 
Foreign Relations and the Select Committee on Intel-
ligence in the Senate a report on Iranian involvement in 
the narcotics trade in the Middle East region. Such report 
shall include each of the following: 
(1) An assessment of any element of the Gov-
ernment of Iran, including the Islamic Revolutionary 
Guard Corps (in this section referred to as the 
‘‘IRGC’’) and any Iran-backed group operating in 
Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, or Yemen, that supports the 
sale, supply, or transfer of narcotics in the Middle 
East region.
773 
(2) An assessment of the benefits accrued from 
the sale, supply, and transfer of narcotics in the re-
gion by any element of the Government of Iran, in-
cluding the IRGC and any Iran-backed groups oper-
ating in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, or Yemen. 
(3) An assessment of all foreign terrorist orga-
nizations to or for which the IRGC, or any person 
owned or controlled by the IRGC, provides material 
support in the sale, supply, transfer, or production 
of captagon or other related narcotics or precursors 
in the Middle East and North Africa. 
(4) An assessment of activities conducted by 
the IRGC in Afghanistan related to the trade of 
methamphetamine or opiates, including synthetic 
opiates. 
(5) A detailed account of intercepted transfers 
involving the United States Fifth Fleet of narcotics 
from Iran or involving Iranian nationals or persons 
acting, or purporting to act, for or on behalf of the 
Government of Iran, including the IRGC. 
(c) FORM.—The report required under subsection (b) 
shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may contain 
a classified annex.
774 
Subtitle C—Naval Vessels and 
Shipyards 
SEC. 1011. MODIFICATIONS TO ANNUAL NAVAL VESSEL 
CONSTRUCTION PLAN. 
Section 231 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (2), by inserting before 
the period at the end the following: ‘‘, together 
with the views of the Chief of Naval Operations 
and Commandant of the Marine Corps on the 
budget’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(3) The unaltered assessment of the Chief of 
Naval Operations and the Commandant of the Ma-
rine Corps of the plan required under paragraph 
(1).’’; and 
(2) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the 
following new paragraphs: 
‘‘(3) In developing annual naval vessel construction 
plans for purposes of subsection (a)(1), the Secretary of 
the Navy shall take into consideration the most recent bi-
ennial report on shipbuilder training and the defense in-
dustrial base required by section 8693 of this title.
775 
‘‘(4) If the Secretary of the Navy includes more than 
one annual naval vessel construction plan for any fiscal 
year for purposes of subsection (a)(1), to the maximum 
extent practicable, the Secretary shall ensure that the first 
10 years of each such plan are consistent.’’. 
SEC. 1012. CRITICAL COMPONENTS OF NATIONAL SEA- 
BASED DETERRENCE VESSELS. 
Section 2218a(k)(3) of title 10, United States Code, 
is amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraphs: 
‘‘(P) Major bulkheads and tanks. 
‘‘(Q) All major pumps and motors. 
‘‘(R) Large vertical array. 
‘‘(S) Atmosphere control equipment. 
‘‘(T) Diesel systems and components. 
‘‘(U) Hydraulic valves and components. 
‘‘(V) Bearings. 
‘‘(W) Major air and blow valves and com-
ponents. 
‘‘(X) Decks and superstructure. 
‘‘(Y) Castings, forgings, and tank struc-
ture. 
‘‘(Z) Hatches and hull penetrators.’’.
776 
SEC. 1013. GRANTS FOR IMPROVEMENT OF NAVY SHIP RE-
PAIR OR ALTERATIONS CAPABILITY. 
Chapter 131 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 2218a the following 
new section: 
‘‘§ 2219. Grants for improvement of Navy ship repair 
or alterations capability 
‘‘(a) ASSISTANCE AUTHORIZED.—(1) Subject to the 
availability of appropriations, the Secretary of the Navy 
may make grants to an eligible entity for the purpose of 
carrying out— 
‘‘(A) a capital improvement project; or 
‘‘(B) a maritime training program designed to 
foster technical skills and operational productivity. 
‘‘(2) The amount of a grant under this section may 
not exceed 75 percent of the total cost of the project or 
program funded by the grant. 
‘‘(3) A grant provided under this section may not be 
used to construct buildings or other physical facilities, ex-
cept for piers, dry docks, and structures in support of 
piers and dry docks, or to acquire land. 
‘‘(4) The Secretary may not award a grant to an eli-
gible entity under this section unless the Secretary deter-
mines that—
777 
‘‘(A) the entity has access to sufficient non- 
Federal funding to meet the requirement under 
paragraph (2); 
‘‘(B) the entity has authority to carry out the 
proposed project; and 
‘‘(C) the project or program would improve— 
‘‘(i) efficiency, competitive operations, ca-
pability, or quality of United States Navy ship 
repair or alterations; or 
‘‘(ii) employee, or potential employee, skills 
and enhanced productivity related to United 
States Navy ship repair or alterations. 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible for a grant under 
this section, an entity shall— 
‘‘(1) be a shipyard or other entity that provides 
ship repair or alteration for non-nuclear ships; 
‘‘(2) submit an application, at such time, in 
such form, and containing such information and as-
surances as the Secretary may require, including a 
comprehensive description of— 
‘‘(A) the need for the project or program 
proposed to be funded under the grant; 
‘‘(B) the methodology to be used to imple-
ment the project or program; and
778 
‘‘(C) any existing programs or arrange-
ments that could be used to supplement or le-
verage a grant provided under this section; and 
‘‘(3) enter into an agreement with the Secretary 
under which the entity agrees— 
‘‘(A) to complete the project or program 
funded by the grant within a certain timeframe 
and without unreasonable delay and the Sec-
retary determines such project or program is 
likely to be completed within the timeframe pro-
vided in such agreement; 
‘‘(B) to return to the Secretary any 
amount of the grant that is— 
‘‘(i) not used by the grant recipient 
for the purpose for which the grant was 
awarded; or 
‘‘(ii) not obligated or expended within 
the timeframe provided in the agreement; 
‘‘(C) to maintain such records as the Sec-
retary may require and make such records 
available for review and audit by the Secretary; 
and 
‘‘(D) not to purchase any product or mate-
rial for the project or program using grant 
funds, including any commercially available off-
779 
the-shelf item, unless such product or material 
is— 
‘‘(i) an unmanufactured article, mate-
rial, or supply that has been mined or pro-
duced in the United States; or 
‘‘(ii) a manufactured article, material, 
or supply that has been manufactured in 
the United States substantially all from ar-
ticles, materials, or supplies mined, pro-
duced, or manufactured in the United 
States. 
‘‘(c) GUIDELINES.—The Secretary shall issue guide-
lines to establish appropriate accounting, reporting, and 
review procedures to ensure that— 
‘‘(1) amounts awarded as grants under this sec-
tion are used for the purposes for which such 
amounts were made available; and 
‘‘(2) an entity that receives a grant under this 
section complies with the terms of the agreement 
such entity enters into with the Secretary pursuant 
to subsection (b)(3). 
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘commercially available off-the- 
shelf item’—
780 
‘‘(A) means any item of supply (including 
construction material) that is— 
‘‘(i) a commercial item, as defined by 
section 2.101 of title 48, Code of Federal 
Regulations (as in effect on the date of the 
enactment of the National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2024); and 
‘‘(ii) sold in substantial quantities in 
the commercial marketplace; and 
‘‘(B) does not include bulk cargo, as de-
fined in section 40102(4) of title 46, such as 
agricultural products and petroleum products. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘product or material’, with re-
spect to a project or program— 
‘‘(A) means an article, material, or supply 
brought to the site where the project or pro-
gram is being carried out for incorporation into 
the project or program; and 
‘‘(B) includes an item brought to the site 
preassembled from articles, materials, or sup-
plies. 
‘‘(3) The term ‘United States’ includes the Dis-
trict of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto 
Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Amer-
ican Samoa, and the Virgin Islands.’’.
781 
SEC. 1014. REPEAL OF OBSOLETE PROVISION OF LAW RE-
GARDING VESSEL NOMENCLATURE. 
Section 8662 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (b); and 
(2) by redesignating subsection (c) as sub-
section (b). 
SEC. 1015. RESPONSIBILITY OF COMMANDANT OF THE MA-
RINE 
CORPS 
WITH 
RESPECT 
TO 
NAVAL 
FORCE BATTLESHIP ASSESSMENT AND RE-
QUIREMENT REPORTING. 
Section 8695(e) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in the subsection heading, by striking ‘‘AM-
PHIBIOUS WARFARE SHIPS’’ and inserting ‘‘RE-
SPONSIBILITIES
OF
COMMANDANT
OF
MARINE 
CORPS’’; and 
(2) by inserting before the period at the end the 
following: ‘‘and for naval vessels with the primary 
mission of transporting Marines’’. 
SEC. 1016. POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES ON SHIP-
BUILDING DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE. 
Section 1025(a) of the National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 115–91; 10 
U.S.C. 7291 note) is amended—
782 
(1) by striking ‘‘United States’’ and all that fol-
lows and inserting ‘‘United States—’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraphs: 
‘‘(1) to have available, as soon as practicable, 
not fewer than 355 battle force ships, comprised of 
the optimal mix of platforms, with funding subject 
to the availability of appropriations or other funds; 
and 
‘‘(2) that the United States shipbuilding de-
fense industrial base is fundamental to achieving the 
shipbuilding requirements of the Navy and con-
stitutes a unique national security imperative that 
requires sustainment and support by the Navy and 
Congress.’’. 
SEC. 1017. AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS FOR RETIREMENT OR 
INACTIVATION OF LANDING DOCK SHIPS AND 
GUIDED MISSILE CRUISERS. 
(a) LANDING DOCK SHIPS.—None of the funds au-
thorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made 
available for fiscal year 2024 for the Department of De-
fense may be obligated or expended to retire, prepare to 
retire, inactivate, or place in storage any of the following 
ships: 
(1) USS Germantown (LSD-42).
783 
(2) USS Gunston Hall (LSD-44). 
(3) USS Tortuga (LSD-46). 
(b) GUIDED MISSILE CRUISERS.—None of the funds 
authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise 
made available for fiscal year 2024 for the Department 
of Defense may be obligated or expended to retire, prepare 
to retire, inactivate, or place in storage— 
(1) the USS Shiloh (CG-67); 
(2) the USS Cowpens (CG-63); or 
(3) more than three other guided missile cruis-
ers. 
SEC. 1018. EXPEDITIONARY FAST TRANSPORT VESSELS. 
(a) PROHIBITION
ON REDUCED OPERATING STA-
TUS.—None of the funds authorized to be appropriated 
by this Act or otherwise made available for the Depart-
ment of Defense for fiscal year 2024 may be used to place 
an expeditionary fast transport vessel into a reduced oper-
ating status. 
(b) STRATEGY FOR USE.— 
(1) 
STRATEGY
AND
CONCEPT
OF
OPER-
ATIONS.—Not later than 180 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Chief of Naval Oper-
ations, in consultation with the Commander of 
United States Military Sealift Command, shall de-
velop and implement a strategy and concept of oper-
784 
ations for the use of expeditionary fast transport 
vessels in support of operational plans in the area of 
operations of United States Indo-Pacific Command. 
(2) REPORT.—Not later than 30 days after the 
development of the strategy and concept of oper-
ations required under paragraph (1), the Chief of 
Naval Operations shall submit to the congressional 
defense committees a report describing such strategy 
and concept of operations. 
SEC. 1019. GUAM SHIPYARD ASSESSMENT . 
(a) ASSESSMENT REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of the Navy shall submit to the congressional de-
fense committees an assessment of the ship building and 
repair capabilities located on Guam, as of the date of the 
enactment of this Act, and the feasibility of reestablishing 
the former Ship Repair Facility, Guam. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The assessment required under 
subsection (a) shall include each of the following: 
(1) A description of the capabilities to conduct 
shipbuilding and ship repair activities in Guam, as 
of the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(2) A description of any planned improvements 
to shipbuilding and ship repair infrastructure in 
Guam.
785 
(3) An evaluation of the feasibility of re-estab-
lishing a depot-level ship repair capability with dry- 
docking in Guam at the site of the former Ship Re-
pair Facility, Guam, including an identification of 
options for operating the ship repair capability 
through a public-private partnership. 
SEC. 1020. AUTHORITY TO USE INCREMENTAL FUNDING TO 
ENTER INTO A CONTRACT FOR THE ADVANCE 
PROCUREMENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF A 
SAN ANTONIO-CLASS AMPHIBIOUS SHIP. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Amounts authorized to be appro-
priated by this Act or otherwise made available for the 
Navy for Shipbuilding and Conversion for any of fiscal 
years 2023 through 2025 may be used by the Secretary 
of the Navy to enter into an incrementally funded contract 
for the advance procurement and construction of a San 
Antonio-class amphibious ship. 
(b) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—A contract entered 
into under subsection (a) shall provide that any obligation 
of the United States to make a payment under the con-
tract is subject to the availability of appropriations for 
that purpose, and that total liability to the Government 
for the termination of the contract shall be limited to the 
total amount of funding obligated at time of termination.
786 
SEC. 1021. AUTHORITY TO USE INCREMENTAL FUNDING TO 
ENTER INTO A CONTRACT FOR THE ADVANCE 
PROCUREMENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF A 
SUBMARINE TENDER. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Amounts authorized to be appro-
priated by this Act or otherwise made available for the 
Navy for Shipbuilding and Conversion for fiscal year 2024 
may be used by the Secretary of the Navy to enter into 
an incrementally funded contract for the advance procure-
ment and construction of a submarine tender. 
(b) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—A contract entered 
into under subsection (a) shall provide that any obligation 
of the United States to make a payment under the con-
tract is subject to the availability of appropriations for 
that purpose, and that total liability to the Government 
for the termination of the contract shall be limited to the 
total amount of funding obligated at time of termination. 
SEC. 1022. PLAN FOR EXTENDED PROHIBITION ON RETIRE-
MENT OF SHIPS. 
In the case of any ship or class of ship for which 
a provision of this Act limits the availability of funds au-
thorized to be appropriated for the purposes retiring, pre-
paring to retire, inactivating, or placing in storage any 
such ship, the Secretary of Defense shall include, with the 
Department of Defense materials submitted to Congress 
with the budget of the President for fiscal year 2025, a
787 
plan to resource and retain such ship or class of ships 
until— 
(1) the end of fiscal year 2027; or 
(2) the end of the expected service life of the 
ships. 
SEC. 1023. CONGRESSIONAL NOTIFICATION REGARDING 
PENDING RETIREMENT OF NAVAL VESSELS 
VIABLE FOR ARTIFICIAL REEFING. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the Secretary of the Navy should explore and 
solicit artificial reefing opportunities with appropriate en-
tities for any naval vessel planned for retirement before 
initiating any plans to dispose of the vessel. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days before the re-
tirement from the Naval Vessel Register of any naval ves-
sel that is a viable candidate for artificial reefing, the Sec-
retary of the Navy shall submit to the Committees on 
Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representa-
tives notice of the pending retirement of such vessel. 
SEC. 1024. QUARTERLY BRIEFINGS ON SUBMARINE READI-
NESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, and once every 90 days 
thereafter until September 30, 2026, the Secretary of the 
Navy shall provide to the congressional defense commit-
788 
tees quarterly briefings on SSN (attack) submarine class 
maintenance and readiness. 
(b) INFORMATION TO BE PROVIDED.—Each briefing 
under paragraph (1) shall include the following: 
(1) The original estimated amount of time ex-
pected for SSN (attack) submarine depot-level main-
tenance activities to be completed, any adjustments 
to the schedule, the reasons why any changes were 
necessary, and the new expected timeframe for com-
pletion and any additional costs involved, which 
shall— 
(A) by broken out by shipyard or private 
entity (by site), by name, and by type of sub-
marine; and 
(B) include any new efforts the Navy has 
taken to address the delays it continues to face. 
(2) Metrics for improvement and capacity of 
public and private shipyards that affect depot-level 
maintenance activities for SSN (attack) submarines, 
including— 
(A) trends in the amount of maintenance 
work performed compared to shipyard capacity; 
(B) an assessment of the adequacy of the 
workforce;
789 
(C) projections with respect to the avail-
ability of parts; and 
(D) major infrastructure requirements at 
each shipyard for the subsequent 30 years to 
sustain the authorized fleetwide SSN (attack) 
submarine readiness level. 
(3) Recommendations for legislative changes re-
quired with respect to policy or resources to ensure 
efficient and effective maintenance and operational 
readiness for the SSN (attack) class of submarine. 
SEC. 1025. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING NAMING A 
NAVAL VESSEL AFTER WILLIAM B. GOULD. 
It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of the 
Navy should name a commissioned naval vessel after for-
merly enslaved sailor and Civil War veteran, William B. 
Gould, to honor his strength of character and faithful 
service to our country. 
SEC. 1026. STUDY ON ALTERNATIVE VESSEL DESIGN FOR 
IMPROVED OPERATIONS AND SHOCK IMPACT 
MITIGATION ON SPECIAL OPERATIONS PER-
SONNEL HEALTH AND FATIGUE. 
(a) STUDY REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Defense, in 
cooperation with the Commander of the United States 
Special Operations Command, shall conduct an oper-
ational performance study on alternative vessels with M-
790 
shape hull designs for reduction of wave slap, mitigation 
of shock impact on special operations forces, and improved 
operational and cost efficiencies. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The study conducted under sub-
section (a) shall include the following: 
(1) Operational field testing of— 
(A) physical health and fatigue metrics of 
personnel as baseline for transport on existing 
vessels and a comparative assessment of per-
sonnel health and fatigue upon being trans-
ported on alternative vessels with M-shape hull 
designs; 
(B) increased sustained speeds; and 
(C) improved turn radius and stability for 
payload targeting. 
(2) A comparative cost assessment of the oper-
ation and maintenance of existing and M-shape hull 
vessels. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall submit to the congressional defense committees a re-
port containing the results of the study required under 
subsection (a).
791 
SEC. 1027. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING NAMING OF 
NAVAL VESSEL AFTER MAJOR JAMES CA-
PERS, JR.. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the Secretary of the Navy should name a vessel 
of the United States Navy the ‘‘U.S.S. Major James Ca-
pers Jr.’’ in honor of Major James Capers, Jr., for the 
acts of valor described in subsection (b). 
(b) ACTS OF VALOR DESCRIBED.—The acts of valor 
described in this subsection are the actions of James Ca-
pers, Jr., as a member of the Marine Corps, during the 
period of March 31 through April 3, 1967, during the 
Vietnam War, for which he was previously awarded the 
Silver Star. 
Subtitle D—Counterterrorism 
SEC. 1031. EXTENSION OF PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS 
FOR TRANSFER OR RELEASE OF INDIVID-
UALS DETAINED AT UNITED STATES NAVAL 
STATION, GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA, TO THE 
UNITED STATES. 
Section 1033 of the John S. McCain National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 
115–232; 132 Stat. 1953) is amended by striking ‘‘De-
cember 31, 2023’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2024’’.
792 
SEC. 1032. EXTENSION OF PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS 
TO CONSTRUCT OR MODIFY FACILITIES IN 
THE UNITED STATES TO HOUSE DETAINEES 
TRANSFERRED FROM UNITED STATES NAVAL 
STATION, GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA. 
Section 1034(a) of the John S. McCain National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 
115–232; 132 Stat. 1954) is amended by striking ‘‘De-
cember 31, 2023’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2024’’. 
SEC. 1033. EXTENSION OF PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS 
FOR TRANSFER OR RELEASE OF INDIVID-
UALS DETAINED AT UNITED STATES NAVAL 
STATION, GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA, TO CER-
TAIN COUNTRIES. 
Section 1035 of the John S. McCain National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 
115–232; 132 Stat. 1954) is amended by striking ‘‘De-
cember 31, 2023’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2024’’. 
SEC. 1034. EXTENSION OF PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS 
TO CLOSE OR RELINQUISH CONTROL OF 
UNITED STATES NAVAL STATION, GUANTA-
NAMO BAY, CUBA. 
Section 1036 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 115–91; 131 Stat. 
1551) is amended by striking ‘‘fiscal years 2018 through 
2023’’ and inserting ‘‘fiscal years 2018 through 2024’’.
793 
SEC. 1035. LIMITATION ON AUTHORITY OF ARMED FORCES 
TO 
DETAIN 
CITIZENS 
OF 
THE 
UNITED 
STATES. 
Section 1021(b) of the National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (Public Law 112–81; 10 
U.S.C. 801 note) is amended, in the matter preceding 
paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘, other than a citizen of the 
United States,’’ after ‘‘any person’’. 
Subtitle E—Miscellaneous 
Authorities and Limitations 
SEC. 1041. MODIFICATION TO DEFINITIONS OF CONFUCIUS 
INSTITUTE. 
(a) LIMITATION ON PROVISION OF FUNDS TO INSTI-
TUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—Paragraph (1) of sec-
tion 1062(d) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 
(Public Law 116–283; 10 U.S.C. 2241) is amended to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(1) CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE.—The term ‘Con-
fucius Institute’ means— 
‘‘(A) any program that receives funding 
from or has any operational ties to— 
‘‘(i) the Chinese International Edu-
cation Foundation; or 
‘‘(ii) the Center for Language Ex-
change Cooperation of the Ministry of
794 
Education of the People’s Republic of 
China; or 
‘‘(B) any cultural institute directly or indi-
rectly funded by the Government of the Peo-
ple’s Republic of China.’’. 
(b) PROHIBITION OF FUNDS FOR CHINESE LAN-
GUAGE INSTRUCTION.—Paragraph (2) of section 1091(d) 
of the of the John S. McCain National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 115–232; 132 
Stat. 1998) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(2) CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE.—The term ‘Con-
fucius Institute’ means— 
‘‘(A) any program that receives funding 
from or has any operational ties to— 
‘‘(i) the Chinese International Edu-
cation Foundation; or 
‘‘(ii) the Center for Language Ex-
change Cooperation of the Ministry of 
Education of the People’s Republic of 
China; or 
‘‘(B) any cultural institute directly or indi-
rectly funded by the Government of the Peo-
ple’s Republic of China.’’.
795 
SEC. 1042. LIMITATION ON PROVISION OF FUNDS TO INSTI-
TUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION HOSTING 
CONFUCIUS INSTITUTES. 
Section 1062(b) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 
(Public Law 116–283; 10 U.S.C. 2241 note) is further 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘ if the Secretary, after 
consultation with the National Academies of 
Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, deter-
mines such a waiver is appropriate.’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘if the institution of higher education pro-
vides to the Secretary—’’; and 
(B) and by adding at the end the following 
new subparagraphs: 
‘‘(A) a commitment that it will not host 
the Confucius Institute at any time after Sep-
tember 30, 2026; 
‘‘(B) a plan to close the Confucius Insti-
tute before such date; and 
‘‘(C) a justification for why the institution 
is unable to close the Confucius Institute imme-
diately.’’; 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (2) as para-
graph (3);
796 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol-
lowing new paragraph (2): 
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall issue a waiver under 
paragraph (1) on a case-by-case basis and may only 
issue such a waiver for a single year. An institution 
of higher education that receives a one-year waiver 
and seeks an additional waiver shall submit to the 
Secretary an application that includes— 
‘‘(A) the reason why an additional waiver 
is necessary; and 
‘‘(B) a description of the steps the institu-
tion has taken during the preceding year to en-
sure the Confucius Institute hosted by the insti-
tution is closed by not later than September 30, 
2026.’’; and 
(4) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(4) The authority to issue a waiver under 
paragraph (1) shall terminate on October 1, 2026, 
and any waiver issued under such paragraph shall 
not apply on or after such date.’’.
797 
SEC. 1043. MODIFICATION OF VETTING PROCEDURES AND 
MONITORING REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN 
MILITARY TRAINING. 
Section 1090 of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 
(Public Law 116–283; 10 U.S.C. 113 note) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (e) as sub-
section (f); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (d) the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(e) TREATMENT OF NATO MEMBER NATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraphs (2) 
and (3), the Secretary of Defense may exempt the 
nationals of a member nation of the North Atlantic 
Treaty Organization from the requirements applica-
ble to covered individuals under this section. 
‘‘(2) PROCESS
REQUIRED.—The Secretary of 
Defense shall establish a process for granting ex-
emptions under this section. Such process shall— 
‘‘(A) include— 
‘‘(i) an identification of existing vet-
ting procedures and security measures that 
are functionally equivalent to Department 
of Defense standards for eligibility for 
physical access to Department installations 
and facilities in the United States; or
798 
‘‘(ii) the establishment of alternative 
procedures and measures applicable to 
such member nations that are functionally 
equivalent to such Department of Defense 
standards; and 
‘‘(B) include such other measures as the 
Secretary determines appropriate. 
‘‘(3) NOTIFICATION TO CONGRESS.—Not later 
than 30 days before granting an exemption under 
paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense shall submit 
to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate 
and the House of Representatives notification of the 
Secretary’s intent to grant such an exemption.’’. 
SEC. 1044. LIMITATION ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS UNTIL 
DELIVERY OF REPORT ON NEXT GENERA-
TION TACTICAL COMMUNICATIONS. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Com-
mander of United States Special Operations Command 
shall submit to the congressional defense committees a re-
port on reported issues with the AN/PRC–163 radio that 
includes the following: 
(1) A history of all issues with the AN/PRC– 
163 radio reported 30 days before the date of sub-
mission of such report, and the steps taken by the
799 
Commander and the manufacturer of such radio to 
remedy such reported issues. 
(2) A summary and description of all such re-
ported issues that have not been remedied as of the 
date of submission of such report that have been 
identified through consultation with users in the 
field at the tactical level and recently redeployed op-
erators of such radio throughout the Command. 
(3) A plan, developed in consultation with the 
manufacturer of such radio, to address and mitigate 
all identified issues with the radio by 2025. 
(b) LIMITATION OF FUNDS.—Of the funds author-
ized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made 
available for fiscal year 2024 for the United States Special 
Operations Command for procurement of Next Generation 
Tactical Communications, not more than 75 percent may 
be obligated or expended until the Commander of United 
States Special Operations Command submits to the con-
gressional defense committees the report require under 
subsection (a).
800 
SEC. 1045. LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS RELATED TO 
MILITARY RELIGIOUS FREEDOM FOUNDA-
TION. 
None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by 
this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2024 
for the Department of Defense may be used— 
(1) to communicate with the Military Religious 
Freedom Foundation, its leadership, or its founder; 
or 
(2) to take any action or make any decision as 
a result of any claim, objection, or protest made by 
the Military Religious Freedom Foundation without 
the authority of the Secretary of Defense. 
SEC. 1046. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS FOR ADVISORY 
COMMITTEES RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL, 
SOCIAL, AND GOVERNANCE ASPECTS. 
(a) PROHIBITION.—None of the funds authorized to 
be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available 
for the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2024 may 
be used— 
(1) to establish in the Department of Defense 
an advisory committee related to environmental, so-
cial, and governance aspects; or 
(2) for the Defense Advisory Committee on Di-
versity and Inclusion or any successor committee. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
801 
(1) The term ‘‘environmental’’ includes any-
thing related to— 
(A) emissions of greenhouse gases, includ-
ing— 
(i) carbon dioxide; 
(ii) methane; 
(iii) nitrous oxide; 
(iv) nitrogen trifluoride; 
(v) hydrofluorocarbons; 
(vi) perfluorocarbons; and 
(vii) sulfur hexafluoride; 
(B) climate change; and 
(C) environmental justice. 
(2) The term ‘‘governance’’ means how a pri-
vate entity is run, including the structure and com-
position of the entity based on race, color, national 
origin, or sex and how compensation is made. 
(3) The term ‘‘social’’ includes anything related 
to— 
(A) race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual 
orientation, or socioeconomic standards; 
(B) ideologies that oppose equal protection 
of the law or support discrimination on the 
basis of race, color, national origin, or sex; and
802 
(C) critical race theory, social justice, or 
similar ideologies. 
SEC. 1047. SECURITY CLEARANCE REINSTATEMENT FOR 
RECENTLY SEPARATED MEMBERS OF THE 
ARMED FORCES AND CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES 
OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 
(a) PRE-EMPLOYMENT REVIEWS.—Except as pro-
vided in subsection (b), the Secretary of Defense shall— 
(1) during the one-year period following the 
date of the separation of any covered individual from 
the Armed Forces or the Department of Defense (as 
the case may be)— 
(A) waive the requirement for a reinstate-
ment review prior to the commencement of 
post-service employment by such individual in a 
civilian position requiring an equivalent level of 
security clearance as the security clearance held 
by such individual as of the date of the separa-
tion; and 
(B) deem the security clearance of such in-
dividual valid and eligible for immediate use for 
post-service employment in such civilian posi-
tion; and 
(2) during the 2-year period following the con-
clusion of the period specified in paragraph (1), with
803 
respect to a covered individual occupying or seeking 
to occupy a civilian position described in such para-
graph, shall complete the reinstatement review for 
such individual by not later than 180 days after the 
date of the initiation of such review. 
(b) EXCEPTIONS.—Subsection (a) shall not apply 
with respect to a covered individual who— 
(1) in the case of a former member of the 
Armed Forces, separated from the Armed Forces 
under other than honorable circumstances; 
(2) is otherwise under review or suspension by 
the Director of the Defense Counterintelligence and 
Security Agency; or 
(3) is unable to demonstrate that a security 
clearance at an equivalent level as the security clear-
ance held by such individual as of the date of the 
separation of the individual from the Armed Forces 
or Department of Defense (as the case may be) is 
required for post-service employment in a civilian po-
sition. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘covered individual’’ means a 
former member of the Armed Forces or a former ci-
vilian employee of the Department of Defense.
804 
(2) The term ‘‘reinstatement review’’ means a 
review for the reinstatement of a security clearance. 
SEC. 1048. PROHIBITION ON DISPLAY OF UNAPPROVED 
FLAGS. 
(a) PROHIBITION.—No member of the Armed Forces 
or civilian employee of the Department of Defense may 
display a flag other than an approved flag in any work 
place, common access area, or public area of the Depart-
ment of Defense. 
(b) APPROVED FLAG.—In this section, the term ‘‘ap-
proved flag’’ means any of the following: 
(1) The American flag. 
(2) The flag of a State or of the District of Co-
lumbia. 
(3) A military service flag. 
(4) A General Officer flag. 
(5) A Presidentially-appointed Senate-confirmed 
civilian flag. 
(6) A Senior Executive Service and Military de-
partment specific flag. 
(7) A POW/MIA flag. 
(8) The flags of another country that is an ally 
or partner of the United States or for official pro-
tocol purposes.
805 
(9) The flag of an organization in which the 
United States is a member. 
(10) A ceremonial, command, unit, or branch 
flag or guidon. 
SEC. 1049. AVAILABILITY OF EXCESS DEPARTMENT OF DE-
FENSE CONTROLLED PROPERTY FOR TRANS-
FER TO FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES. 
Section 2576a(e) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through 
(4) as subparagraphs (A) through (D); 
(2) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘The Secretary’’; 
and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall make available for transfer 
under this section all excess controlled property of the De-
partment of Defense, other than the types of property re-
ferred to in subparagraphs (A) through (D) of paragraph 
(1).’’. 
SEC. 1050. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS TO IMPLEMENT 
CERTAIN EXECUTIVE ORDERS. 
None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by 
this Act or otherwise made available for the Department
806 
of Defense for fiscal year 2024 may be used to implement 
any of the following executive orders: 
(1) Executive Order No. 13990, relating to 
Protecting Public Health and the Environment and 
Restoring Science To Tackle the Climate Crisis. 
(2) Executive Order No. 14008, relating to 
Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. 
(3) Section 6 of Executive Order No. 14013, re-
lating to Rebuilding and Enhancing Programs To 
Resettle Refugees and Planning for the Impact of 
Climate Change on Migration. 
(4) Executive Order No. 14030, relating to Cli-
mate-Related Financial Risk. 
(5) Executive Order No. 14057, relating to 
Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs 
Through Federal Sustainability. 
(6) Executive Order No. 14082, relating to Im-
plementation of the Energy and Infrastructure Pro-
visions of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. 
(7) Executive Order No. 14096, relating to Re-
vitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environ-
mental Justice for All.
807 
Subtitle F—Studies and Reports 
SEC. 1061. ANNUAL REPORT ON UNFUNDED PRIORITIES OF 
DEFENSE POW/MIA ACCOUNTING AGENCY. 
Chapter 9 of title 10, United States Code, is amended 
by inserting after section 222d the following new section: 
‘‘§ 222e. Unfunded priorities of Defense POW/MIA Ac-
counting Agency: annual report 
‘‘(a) REPORTS.—Not later than 10 days after the 
date on which the budget of the President for a fiscal year 
is submitted to Congress pursuant to section 1105 of title 
31, the Director of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting 
Agency shall submit to the Secretary of Defense and the 
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and to the congres-
sional defense committees, a report on the unfunded prior-
ities of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. 
‘‘(b) ELEMENTS.—(1) Each report under subsection 
(a) shall specify, for each unfunded priority covered by 
such report, the following: 
‘‘(A) A summary description of such priority, 
including the objectives to be achieved if such pri-
ority is funded (whether in whole or in part). 
‘‘(B) The additional amount of funds rec-
ommended in connection with the objectives under 
subparagraph (A).
808 
‘‘(C) Account information with respect to such 
priority, including the following (as applicable): 
‘‘(i) Line Item Number for applicable pro-
curement accounts. 
‘‘(ii) Program Element number for applica-
ble research, development, test, and evaluation 
accounts. 
‘‘(iii) Sub-activity group for applicable op-
eration and maintenance accounts. 
‘‘(2) Each report under subsection (a) shall present 
the unfunded priorities covered by such report in order 
of urgency of priority. 
‘‘(c) UNFUNDED PRIORITY DEFINED.— In this sec-
tion, the term ‘unfunded priority’, in the case of a fiscal 
year, means a program, activity, or mission requirement 
of the POW/MIA Accounting Agency that— 
‘‘(1) is not funded in the budget of the Presi-
dent for the fiscal year as submitted to Congress 
pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, United States 
Code; 
‘‘(2) is necessary to fulfill a requirement associ-
ated with an operational or contingency plan of a 
combatant command or other validated requirement; 
and
809 
‘‘(3) would have been recommended for funding 
through the budget referred to in paragraph (1) by 
the Director of the POW/MIA Accounting Agency in 
connection with the budget if additional resources 
had been available for the budget to fund the pro-
gram, activity, or mission requirement.’’. 
SEC. 1062. QUARTERLY BRIEFINGS ON JOINT ALL DOMAIN 
COMMAND AND CONTROL EFFORT. 
Section 1076(a) of the National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283; 134 
Stat. 3866) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘October 1, 2024’’ and inserting 
‘‘October 1, 2028, the Deputy Secretary of De-
fense’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘the Chief Information Officer 
of the Department of Defense,’’. 
SEC. 1063. EXTENSION OF REQUIREMENT TO SUBMIT A RE-
PORT ON DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SUP-
PORT FOR DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SE-
CURITY AT THE INTERNATIONAL BORDERS 
OF THE UNITED STATES. 
Section 1014(d)(3) of the National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 
10 U.S.C. 271 note) is amended by striking ‘‘December 
31, 2024’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2025’’.
810 
SEC. 1064. AIR FORCE PLAN FOR MAINTAINING PRO-
FICIENT AIRCREWS IN CERTAIN MISSION 
AREAS. 
(a) PLAN REQUIRED.— The Secretary of the Air 
Force shall develop a plan, and the associated actions and 
milestones for implementing the plan, to designate, equip, 
and train the number of combat air forces aviation units 
(in this section referred to as ‘‘CAF units’’), equipped with 
fixed-wing or rotorcraft assets, that are required in order 
to maintain proficient aircrew skills in accordance with the 
Core Mission Essential Task List and Designed Oper-
ational Capability Statement of each such unit in the fol-
lowing mission areas: 
(1) Close air support. 
(2) Forward air controller–airborne. 
(3) Combat search and rescue. 
(b) REPORT.—The Secretary of the Air Force shall 
submit to the congressional defense committees a report 
on the plan required under subsection (a). Such report 
shall include the following information: 
(1) The number of CAF units required to meet 
steady-state, contingency, and wartime mission re-
quirements for each mission area referred to in sub-
section (a).
811 
(2) The number of proficient aircrews each unit 
must maintain in order to be qualified and current 
in each such mission area. 
(3) The number of CAF units and aircrew per-
sonnel that, as of the date of the enactment of this 
Act, are trained and equipped to meet steady-state, 
contingency, and wartime mission requirements for 
each such mission area. 
(4) The location of any CAF unit and associ-
ated aircraft that have been designated to be pro-
ficient in such mission areas. 
(5) The minimum quantity of initial training 
and continuation training sorties and events aircrews 
will be required to achieve monthly and yearly to be 
qualified as proficient, current, and experienced in 
such mission areas. 
(6) Any other information, data, or analyses the 
Secretary determines relevant. 
(c) LIMITATION.—The Secretary of the Air Force 
may not reduce the total inventory of the Air Force of 
A-10 aircraft below 218 until the date that is 180 days 
after the date on which the Secretary submits the report 
required under subsection (b).
812 
(d) DEFINITION OF PROFICIENT.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘proficient’’, with respect to an aircrew, means 
that such aircrew— 
(1) has thorough knowledge but occasionally 
may make an error of omission or commission; 
(2) is able to operate in a complex, fluid envi-
ronment and is able to handle most contingencies 
and unusual circumstances; and 
(3) is prepared for mission tasking on the first 
sortie in a theater of operations. 
SEC. 1065. ASSESSMENT AND STRATEGY RELATING TO 
RANGE 
CAPABILITY 
AND 
CAPACITY 
FOR 
JOINT ALL-DOMAIN OPERATIONS. 
(a) REPORTS REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, and not less fre-
quently than once every three years thereafter until June 
1, 2037, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the con-
gressional defense committees a report containing an as-
sessment of the Department of Defense range capability 
and capacity in Florida. 
(b) CONTENTS OF REPORTS.—Each report submitted 
under subsection (a) shall include each of the following: 
(1) The amount and types of testing activities 
conducted at ranges in Florida.
813 
(2) The capabilities and capacity available at 
ranges in Florida that are not available elsewhere in 
the United States. 
(3) The capacity of such ranges to be used for 
additional testing activities. 
(4) An evaluation of the possibility of using 
such ranges for the testing activities of other Fed-
eral agencies and private-sector entities in the 
United States. 
(5) An evaluation of the capacity of ranges in 
Florida to be used to develop and train for current 
and future realistic, Joint All-Domain Operations 
exercises. 
(6) An assessment of Joint All-Domain Oper-
ations training shortfalls at domestic military instal-
lations generally. 
(7) An analysis of the use or potential use of 
Florida ranges as sites for a large-scale, operation-
ally relevant, live-fire campaign-level Joint All-Do-
main Operations training exercises based on conflict 
in the South China Sea first island chain. 
(8) An analysis of the national security implica-
tions of a changing Military Mission Line. 
(9) A review of Department of Defense engage-
ment with the State and local governments in Flor-
814 
ida to maintain and expand Department of Defense 
ranges in Florida. 
(10) A review of Department of Defense en-
gagement in the Military Aviation and Installation 
Assurance Siting Clearinghouse, Sentinel Land-
scapes of Florida, and entities assessing existing and 
future sea lanes for compatibility with future range 
requirements. 
(c) STRATEGY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than November 1, 
2024, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the 
congressional defense committees a strategy to en-
sure range capability to develop Joint All-Domain 
Operations capabilities and training environments 
based on the results of the assessments conducted 
under subsection (a). Such strategy shall include— 
(A) a plan to establish and field require-
ments for the development and testing of 
emerging technologies that require a Joint All- 
Domain Operations range capability in Florida; 
(B) a plan to acquire and field infrastruc-
ture, technology, and human capital required to 
develop Joint All-Domain Operations capabili-
ties and training environments in Florida;
815 
(C) an identification of investments nec-
essary to ensure the ranges in Florida will meet 
mission-driven, all-domain requirements of the 
future; and 
(D) 
an 
analysis, 
determination, 
and 
prioritization of legislative action required to 
ensure the Department of Defense maintains 
range capability and capacity for future all-do-
main test and training in Florida. 
(2) COORDINATION.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall develop the strategy required under paragraph 
(1) in coordination with the Joint Requirements 
Oversight Council, the Test Resource Management 
Center, the Director of Operational Test an Evalua-
tion of the Department of Defense, and the Under 
Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. 
(3) INCORPORATION.—The Secretary of De-
fense shall incorporate the strategy required by 
paragraph (1) into any existing capability of the De-
partment of Defense for development and test strat-
egies. 
(d) INTERIM BRIEFING.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense shall provide to the congressional defense com-
mittees a briefing on—
816 
(1) the first assessment of the Secretary under 
subsection (a); and 
(2) the strategy required under subsection (c). 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘Joint All-Domain Operations’’ 
means operations comprised of air, land, maritime, 
cyberspace, and space domains, including operations 
with respect to the electromagnetic spectrum, and 
actions by the joint force in multiple domains inte-
grated in planning and synchronized in execution at 
the speed and scale needed to gain advantage and 
accomplish the mission. 
(2) The term ‘‘Military Mission Line’’ means 
the north-south line at 86°41′ W. longitude. 
(f) FORM OF REPORTS AND STRATEGY.— Each re-
port required under subsection (a) and the strategy re-
quired under subsection (c) shall be submitted in unclassi-
fied form that does not require safeguarding or dissemina-
tion controls, and may include a classified annex. 
SEC. 1066. REPORT ON DEFENSE OF DEPARTMENT OF DE-
FENSE FACILITIES AND FORCES IN EURO-
PEAN AND INDO-PACIFIC REGIONS FROM 
MISSILE AND AIR ATTACK. 
(a) STUDY.—The Secretary of Defense shall conduct 
a study to determine whether the Department of Defense
817 
has sufficient forces, systems, and capabilities to defend 
Department of Defense military facilities and deployed 
forces in the European and Indo-Pacific regions from 
hypersonic-, ballistic-, cruise-missile and air attack, or to 
otherwise defeat such attacks. 
(b) REPORT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than June 30, 
2024, the Secretary shall submit to the congres-
sional defense committees a report on the findings of 
the study required by subsection (a). Such report 
shall include a specific and detailed plan for ensur-
ing the ability of the Department of Defense to de-
fend Department of Defense military facilities and 
deployed forces in the European and Indo-Pacific re-
gions from hypersonic-, ballistic-, cruise-missile and 
air attack through 2030. 
(2) FORM OF REPORT.—The report required by 
this subsection shall be submitted in unclassified 
form, but may include a classified annex. 
(3) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—Not later than 14 
days after the date of the submission of the report 
required by paragraph (1), the Secretary shall make 
an unclassified summary of the report available to 
the public on an appropriate internet website of the 
Department of Defense.
818 
SEC. 1067. INDEPENDENT STUDY ON NAVAL MINE WAR-
FARE. 
(a) STUDY REQUIRED.—Not later than 60 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
the Navy shall seek to enter into an agreement with a fed-
erally funded research and development center to conduct 
an independent study of the mine warfare capabilities of 
the Navy. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The study under subsection (a) 
shall include an assessment and comprehensive review 
of— 
(1) the offensive and defensive mine warfare ca-
pabilities of the Navy; and 
(2) the offensive mine inventories of Navy as of 
the date of study. 
(c) RESULTS.—Following the completion of the study 
under subsection (a), the federally funded research and 
development center that conducts the study shall submit 
to the Secretary of Defense a report on the results of the 
study. The report shall include— 
(1) a summary of the research and other activi-
ties carried out as part of the study; and 
(2) considerations and recommendations to im-
prove the mine warfare capabilities of the Navy, in-
cluding recommendations for any legislation that 
may be needed for such purpose.
819 
(d) SUBMITTAL TO CONGRESS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than December 31, 
2024, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the 
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and 
the House of Representatives— 
(A) an unaltered copy of the results of the 
study, as submitted to the Secretary under sub-
section (c); and 
(B) the written responses of the Secretary 
and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 
to such results. 
(2) FORM.—The submission under paragraph 
(1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may 
include a classified annex. 
SEC. 1068. REPORT ON ESTABLISHMENT OF JOINT FORCE 
HEADQUARTERS IN INDO-PACIFIC REGION. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense, in consultation with the Commander of the 
United States Indo-Pacific Command, shall submit to the 
congressional defense committees a report on the progress 
of the implementation plan required under section 1087 
of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117–363; 10 U.S.C. 
161 note).
820 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required under sub-
section (a) shall include the following elements: 
(1) A description of the personnel, supporting 
infrastructure, and operational chain of command 
relationships associated with the joint force head-
quarters that is required to be established by section 
1087 of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 
117–363; 10 U.S.C. 161 note). 
(2) An evaluation of the personnel, supporting 
infrastructure, and operational chain of command 
relationships that would be required to support the 
potential establishment of an additional fully 
equipped and persistent joint force headquarters or 
joint task force that would be responsible for the 
operational employment of forces in the Western Pa-
cific. 
(3) An identification of the appropriate rank for 
the commander required to lead the efforts described 
in paragraphs (1) and (2) and the feasibility of 
using an existing component commander to lead 
these efforts. 
(4) An analysis of how the Department’s plan 
for Joint Task Force Micronesia aligns with the re-
quirements described in paragraphs (1), (2), and
821 
(3), and in section 1087 of the James M. Inhofe Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2023 (Public Law 117–363; 10 U.S.C. 161 note). 
(5) An analysis of the advisability of estab-
lishing an additional joint task force or joint force 
headquarters responsible for the operational employ-
ment of forces in the Western Pacific. 
(c) FORM.—The report required under subsection (a) 
shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include 
a classified annex. 
SEC. 1069. ANNUAL BRIEFINGS ON IMPLEMENTATION OF 
FORCE DESIGN 2030. 
(a) BRIEFINGS REQUIRED.—Not later than March 
31, 2024, and annually thereafter through March 31, 
2030, the Commandant of the Marine Corps shall provide 
to the congressional defense committees a briefing on the 
programmatic choices made to implement Force Design 
2030, including new developmental and fielded capabilities 
and capabilities and capacity divested to accelerate the im-
plementation of Force Design 2030. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—Each briefing provided under sub-
section (a) shall include— 
(1) an assessment of changes in the national 
defense strategy under section 113(g) of title 10, 
United States Code, defense planning guidance, the
822 
Joint Warfighting Concept (and associated Concept 
Required Capabilities), and other planning processes 
that informed Force Design 2030; 
(2) an inventory and assessment of exercises 
and experiments related to Force Design 2030 be-
ginning in fiscal year 2020, including— 
(A) an identification of any capabilities 
that were involved in such exercises and experi-
ments; and 
(B) the extent to which such exercises and 
experiments validated or militated against pro-
posed capability investments; 
(3) an inventory of divestments of capability or 
capacity, whether force structure or equipment, 
starting in fiscal year 2020, including— 
(A) a timeline of the progress of each di-
vestment; 
(B) the type of force structure or equip-
ment divested or reduced; 
(C) the percentage of force structure of 
equipment divested or reduced, including any 
equipment entered into inventory management 
or other form of storage; 
(D) the rationale and context behind such 
divestment; and
823 
(E) an identification of whether such di-
vestment affects the ability of the Marine Corps 
to meet the requirements of the Global Force 
Management process and the operational plans, 
including— 
(i) an explanation of how the Marine 
Corps plans to mitigate the loss of such ca-
pability or capacity if the divestment af-
fects the ability of the Marine Corps to 
meet the requirements of the Global Force 
Management process and the operational 
plans, including through new investments, 
additional joint planning and training, or 
other methods; and 
(ii) an assessment of the actual and 
projected recruitment and retention per-
centages of the Marine Corps, starting in 
fiscal year 2020; 
(4) an inventory of extant or planned invest-
ments as a part of Force Design 2030, broken down 
by capability areas including— 
(A) integrated air and missile defense; 
(B) littoral mobility and maneuver; 
(C) sea denial; 
(D) recon and counter-recon forces;
824 
(E) the amphibious warfare ship and mari-
time mobility requirements the Marine Corps 
submitted to the Department of the Navy in 
support of the Marine Corps organization and 
concepts under Force Design 2030 and its stat-
utory requirements, including an explicit state-
ment of— 
(i) the planning assumptions about 
the readiness of amphibious warfare ships 
and maritime mobility platforms in devel-
oping the requirements; and 
(ii) whether the Navy’s 30-year ship-
building plan of and budget for the fiscal 
year covered by the briefing meet the am-
phibious ship requirements of the Navy; 
(5) for each capability included in the inventory 
under paragraph (4)— 
(A) the name; 
(B) the purpose and context; 
(C) an identification of the capability being 
replaced, if applicable; 
(D) the date of initial operational capa-
bility; 
(E) the date of full operational capability;
825 
(F) the number of deliveries of units by 
year; and 
(G) the approved acquisition objective or 
similar inventory objective; 
(6) an assessment of how the capability invest-
ments identified in the inventory under paragraph 
(4) contribute to joint force efficacy in new ways, in-
cluding through support of other military depart-
ments; 
(7) an assessment of the ability of the Marine 
Corps to generate required force elements for the 
immediate ready force and the contingency ready 
force over the two fiscal years preceding the year 
during which the briefing is provided and the ex-
pected ability to generate such force elements 
through fiscal year 2030; 
(8) an assessment of Marine Corps force struc-
ture and readiness of marine expeditionary units 
compared to availability of amphibious ships com-
prising an amphibious ready group over the two fis-
cal years preceding the year during which the brief-
ing is provided and the expected availability of such 
ships through fiscal year 2030; 
(9) an assessment by the Marine Corps of its 
compliance with the statutory organization pre-
826 
scribed in section 8063 of title 10, United States 
Code, specifically ‘‘The Marine Corps, within the 
Department of the Navy, shall be so organized as to 
include not less than three combat divisions and 
three air wings, and such other land combat, avia-
tion, and other services as may be organic therein.’’; 
and 
(10) an assessment by the Marine Corps of its 
compliance with the statutory functions prescribed 
in section 8063 of title 10, United States Code, spe-
cifically ‘‘The Marine Corps shall be organized, 
trained, and equipped to provide fleet marine forces 
of combined arms, together with supporting air com-
ponents, for service with the fleet in the seizure or 
defense of advanced naval bases and for the conduct 
of such land operations as may be essential to the 
prosecution of a naval campaign.’’. 
SEC. 1070. PLAN FOR TAIWAN NONCOMBATANT EVACU-
ATION OPERATIONS. 
(a) PLAN.—The Secretary of Defense, with the con-
currence of the Secretary of State, shall maintain a suffi-
cient evacuation plan that is suitable for execution as a 
noncombatant evacuation operations plan or any other 
evacuation mission conducted by the Department of De-
fense from Taiwan.
827 
(b) ANNUAL REVIEW AND UPDATE.—On an annual 
basis, the Secretary of Defense shall— 
(1) review the plan required under subsection 
(a)and update such plan as the Secretary determines 
necessary; and 
(2) submit to Congress certification that the 
plan is either sufficient or needs to be updated. 
(c) CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFINGS.—Not later than 
180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and 
quarterly thereafter, the Assistant Secretary of Defense 
for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities shall provide to the 
Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on For-
eign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Armed 
Services and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives an unclassified and classified 
briefing on the plan required under subsection (a). 
SEC. 1071. FEASIBILITY STUDY ON ESTABLISHMENT OF 
INDO-PACIFIC MARITIME GOVERNANCE CEN-
TER OF EXCELLENCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense, in co-
ordination with the Commandant of the Coast Guard and 
the Secretary of State, shall conduct a feasibility study 
on establishing an Indo-Pacific Maritime Governance Cen-
ter of Excellence focused on building partner capacity for
828 
maritime governance. Such study shall include an evalua-
tion of each of the following: 
(1) The strategic importance of the Indo-Pacific 
region in terms of maritime security and governance. 
(2) The existing maritime governance frame-
works and institutions in the Indo-Pacific region. 
(3) The potential contributions and benefits of 
establishing a dedicated center for promoting mari-
time governance in the Indo-Pacific region. 
(4) The potential roles, responsibilities, and or-
ganizational structure of the center. 
(5) The required resources, funding, and per-
sonnel necessary to establish and sustain the center. 
(6) The potential partnerships and collabora-
tions with regional and international stakeholders, 
including allied and partner nations, non-govern-
mental organizations, and academic institutions. 
(7) The legal and regulatory considerations, in-
cluding any necessary agreements or frameworks 
with other entities to establish and operate the cen-
ter. 
(8) Any other relevant factors the Secretary de-
termines necessary for the successful implementation 
of the center.
829 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 
to the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee 
on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee 
on Armed Services and Committee on Foreign Affairs of 
the House of Representatives a report on the study re-
quired under subsection (a). 
SEC. 1072. REPORT ON AIRBORNE INTELLIGENCE, SUR-
VEILLANCE, 
AND 
RECONNAISSANCE 
RE-
QUIREMENTS WITHIN THE AREA OF OPER-
ATIONS OF UNITED STATES AFRICA COM-
MAND. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Commander of the 
United States Africa Command shall submit to the Com-
mittees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of 
Representatives a report that includes a description of the 
needs for airborne intelligence, surveillance, and recon-
naissance within the area of operations of the United 
States Africa Command. 
(b) MATTERS FOR INCLUSION.—The report required 
by subsection (a) shall include the following: 
(1) An accounting of the intelligence, surveil-
lance, and reconnaissance requirements requested by
830 
the United States Africa Command in the last three 
years. 
(2) An assessment of the rate at which such in-
telligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance require-
ments were fulfilled. 
(3) A determination of intelligence, surveillance, 
and reconnaissance shortfalls of the United States 
Africa Command. 
(4) A determination of unfilled intelligence, sur-
veillance, and reconnaissance requirements based on 
such intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance 
shortfalls. 
(5) An analysis of current commercial intel-
ligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities 
and the capacity of such capabilities to fulfill such 
intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance short-
falls. 
(c) FORM.—The report required by subsection (a) 
shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may contain 
a classified annex if such annex is provided separately 
from the unclassified report. 
SEC. 1073. REPORT ON INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDU-
CATION THAT HOST CONFUCIUS INSTITUTES. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary
831 
of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense com-
mittees a report identifying each institution of higher edu-
cation that— 
(1) received funds from the Department of De-
fense in the period of one year preceding the date 
of the report; and 
(2) hosted a Confucius Institute at the time 
such funds were received. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘Confucius Institute’’ means a 
cultural institute directly or indirectly funded by the 
Government of the People’s Republic of China. 
(2) The term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ 
has the meaning given such term in section 102 of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1002). 
SEC. 1074. PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION ABOUT 
COST OF UNITED STATES OVERSEAS MILI-
TARY FOOTPRINT. 
Section 1090 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328) is amend-
ed by adding at the end the following new subsections: 
‘‘(c) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.—For fiscal year 
2024 and each subsequent fiscal year, the Secretary of De-
fense, in consultation with the Commissioner of the Inter-
832 
nal Revenue Service and the Director of the Bureau of 
Economic Analysis, shall post on the public Internet 
website of the Department of Defense the costs to each 
United States taxpayer of the overseas military footprint 
of the United States, including— 
‘‘(1) the costs of building, maintaining, staffing 
and operating all overseas military bases and instal-
lations; 
‘‘(2) the personnel costs, including compensa-
tion, housing and health care, for all members of the 
Armed Forces deployed overseas at any point 
throughout the fiscal year; 
‘‘(3) the costs paid to contractors providing 
goods and services in support of overseas military 
bases, installations, and operations; 
‘‘(4) the costs of conducting all overseas mili-
tary operations, including operations conducted by 
United States Armed Forces, operations conducted 
using unmanned weapons systems, covert operations, 
and operations undertaken by, with, and through 
partner forces; 
‘‘(5) the costs of all overseas military exercises 
involving United States Armed Forces; and
833 
‘‘(6) the costs of all military training and as-
sistance provided by the United States to overseas 
partner forces. 
‘‘(d) DISPLAY OF INFORMATION.—The information 
required to be posted under subsections (a) and (c) shall— 
‘‘(1) be posted directly on the website of the 
Department of Defense, in an accessible and clear 
format; 
‘‘(2) include corresponding documentation as 
links or attachments; and— 
‘‘(3) include, for each overseas operation— 
‘‘(A) both the total cost to each taxpayer, 
and the cost to each taxpayer for each fiscal 
year, of conducting the overseas operation; 
‘‘(B) a list of countries where the overseas 
operations have taken place; and 
‘‘(C) for each such country, both the total 
cost to each taxpayer, and the cost to each tax-
payer for each fiscal year, of conducting the 
overseas operations in that country.’’. 
SEC. 1075. REPORT ON FOOD PURCHASING BY THE DE-
PARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 
Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the 
Committees on Armed Services of the House of Represent-
834 
atives and the Senate and make publicly available on the 
website of the Department of Defense a report on the total 
amount spent by the Department of Defense on the fol-
lowing for each of fiscal years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 
and 2022: 
(1) The total amount spent on food service op-
erations worldwide for all military personnel, con-
tractors and families, including all food service pro-
vided at all facilities such as combat operations, 
military posts, medical facilities, all vessels (air, 
land, sea), all entertainment and hosting operations 
such as officer’s clubs and other such facilities, and 
all food programs provided to other U.S. depart-
ments, such as the USDA-DoD Fresh Fruit and 
Vegetable Program. The amount can be aggregated 
per each such category. 
(2) The amount of total spending per the 25 
largest food service contractors or operators. Such 
amount shall include per the top 10 following cat-
egories of food, such as meat and poultry; seafood; 
eggs; dairy products; produce (fruits, vegetables, 
nuts); grains and legumes; processed and packaged 
foods. The percentage of all food purchased that is 
an American product, pursuant to section 4862 of
835 
title 10, United States Code (or, the total dollar vol-
ume in that particular category). 
(3) The amount, by dollar volume, of third 
party certified and verified foods (such as USDA 
Organic, Equitable Food Initiative, Fair Trade Cer-
tified, and other categories determined to be appro-
priate by the Secretary). The amount, by dollar vol-
ume, of contracts for food service, food or food prod-
ucts, from women, minority and veteran owned busi-
nesses. 
SEC. 1076. STUDY AND REPORT ON POTENTIAL INCLUSION 
OF BLACK BOX DATA RECORDERS IN TAC-
TICAL VEHICLES. 
(a) STUDY.—The Comptroller General of the United 
States shall conduct a study to evaluate the feasability and 
advisability of equipping all tactical vehicles of the Armed 
Forces with black box data recorders. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall 
submit to the congressional defense committees a report 
on the results of the study conducted under subsection (a). 
SEC. 1077. ASSESSMENT OF UNDERSEA CABLE REPAIR CON-
TINGENCIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of De-
836 
fense, in coordination with the Federal Communications 
Commission and other relevant agencies, shall submit to 
Congress an assessment on the ability and preparedness 
of the USNS Zeus and the Cable Security Fleet to repair 
transoceanic submarine fiber optic cables that may be 
damaged or cut by adversaries. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The assessment under subsection 
(a) shall include— 
(1) a description of preparedness to address a 
situation in which the cables of partner nations in 
both the Pacific and Atlantic ocean are damaged or 
severed at or around the same time; 
(2) a determination as to how long it would 
take for the Cable Security Fleet in coordination 
with partner nations to repair such cables; and 
(3) the options available to provide connectivity 
in an emergency or crisis caused by or related to the 
damaging or severing of such cables. 
SEC. 1078. ANNUAL REPORT ON OVERSIGHT OF FRAUD, 
WASTE, AND ABUSE. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—The Inspector General of 
the Department of Defense shall submit to Congress a de-
tailed annual report containing— 
(1) a description of the budget of the Depart-
ment of Defense, the total amount and dollar value
837 
of oversight investigations into fraud waste and 
abuse conducted by the Department of Defense Of-
fice of Inspector General, and the total amount and 
dollar value of oversight investigations into fraud, 
waste, and abuse conducted by the Offices of Inspec-
tor General of each of the military departments; 
(2) statistical tables showing— 
(A) the total number and dollar value of 
oversight investigation completed and pending, 
set forth separately by type of oversight inves-
tigation; 
(B) the priority given to each type of over-
sight investigation; 
(C) the length of time taken for each type 
of oversight investigation, both from the date of 
receipt of a qualified incurred cost submission 
and from the date the oversight investigation 
begins; 
(D) the aggregate cost of performing over-
sight investigations, set forth separately by type 
of oversight investigation; and 
(E) the total number and dollar value of 
oversight investigations that are pending for a 
period longer than one year as of the end of the 
fiscal year covered by the report, and the fiscal
838 
year in which the qualified submission was re-
ceived, set forth separately by type of oversight 
investigation; 
(3) a summary of any recommendations of ac-
tions or resources needed to improve the oversight 
investigation process; and 
(4) any other matters the Inspector General 
considers appropriate. 
(b) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—Each report submitted 
under subsection (a) shall be made publicly available. 
SEC. 1079. ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LOW- 
COST ANTI-SHIP WEAPONS IN THE INDO-PA-
CIFIC. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall di-
rect the Commander of United States Indo-Pacific Com-
mand to carry out the assessment described in subsection 
(b) not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act. This assessment will be completed in coordina-
tion with the service chiefs associated with the systems 
specified in subsection (b)(1), to assess the feasibility, ef-
fectiveness, and value of developing low-cost anti-ship 
weapons to help prevent or deter conflict in the Indo-Pa-
cific. 
(b) ASSESSMENT DESCRIBED.—The assessment de-
scribed in this subsection includes the following:
839 
(1) A determination of the appropriate balance 
of air, ground, and maritime long range highly sur-
vivable anti-ship cruise missiles (including the Long 
Range Anti-Ship Missile and Maritime Strike Toma-
hawk), ground-based short range highly survivable 
cruise missiles (including the Harpoon, Joint Strike 
Missile, and Naval Strike Missile), and potential 
lower-cost, less-capable anti-ship weapons to identify 
operational challenges that— 
(A) addresses the large number of un-
armed or less technologically sophisticated or 
survivable maritime craft that will likely be uti-
lized to support a large-scale amphibious as-
sault; and 
(B) assesses the ability of the United 
States to achieve sufficient munitions capacity 
with the existing inventory of weapons systems 
options. 
(2) An identification of any appropriate weapon 
system programs that could be developed or manipu-
lated to achieve a lower cost, effective anti-ship 
weapon system for use against less technologically 
sophisticated or survivable maritime targets, and ex-
amine how to—
840 
(A) leverage the innovative weapons devel-
opment that the services and the private sector 
industry have undertaken to address unique 
challenges in providing weapons systems, train-
ing, and other support to Ukraine; 
(B) utilize existing programs and systems 
to minimize delivery time and development 
costs; and 
(C) insulate or mitigate the effect on muni-
tions supply chains that are already under du-
ress. 
(3) An identification of support exercises and 
other initiatives to highlight and refine low-cost anti- 
ship weapons development. 
(c) BRIEFING.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall provide a briefing to the congressional defense com-
mittees on the assessment described in subsection (b). 
SEC. 1080. REPORT ON PACIFIC ISLANDS SECURITY STRAT-
EGY. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall— 
(1) develop a comprehensive Pacific Islands se-
curity strategy; and
841 
(2) submit to the congressional defense commit-
tees a report on such strategy. 
SEC. 1080A. PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF REPORTS. 
(a) REQUIREMENTS
FOR WITHHOLDING CERTAIN 
REPORTS.—Section 122a(b)(2)(D) of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking the period at the end and insert-
ing ‘‘and the Secretary—’’; 
(2) by adding at the end the following new 
clauses: 
‘‘(i) gives public notice that the report will 
be withheld pursuant to such determination; 
and 
‘‘(ii) submits to the congressional defense 
committees the reason for the determination 
that the information should not be made avail-
able to the public.’’. 
(b) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense com-
mittees, and make publicly available on an appropriate 
website of the Department of Defense, a report on the im-
plementation of section 122a of title 10, United States 
Code, as amended by subsection (a). Such report shall ad-
dress—
842 
(1) the procedures under which members of the 
public may request a covered report under sub-
section (a)(2) of such section 122a; and 
(2) the procedures and criteria under which the 
Secretary determines that a report that would other-
wise be a covered report should not be made publicly 
available pursuant to subsection (b)(2)(D) of such 
section, as amended by subsection (a). 
SEC. 1080B. REPORT ON PRIVATE MILITARY COMPANIES 
THAT ARE A CONCERN TO UNITED STATES 
NATIONAL SECURITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall submit to the congressional defense committees a re-
port on all private military companies the Secretary deter-
mines are a concern to the national security of the United 
States. Such report shall include each of the following, for 
each private military company covered by the report: 
(1) The number of personnel employed by the 
company. 
(2) Any country or region where the company 
is known to be operating. 
(3) An identification of any entity that has pro-
vided funding to the company and the amount of 
such funding.
843 
(4) Any illicit conduct in which the company is 
known to have engaged. 
(5) Any conflicts the company has had with the 
United States Armed Forces. 
(6) Such other information as the Secretary de-
termines appropriate. 
(b) FORM OF REPORT.—The report required by sub-
section (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but 
may include a classified annex. 
(c) PRIVATE MILITARY COMPANY DEFINED.—In this 
section, the term ‘‘private military company’’ means a 
business that offers specialized services related to war, 
conflict, and security, including combat operations, stra-
tegic planning, intelligence collection, operation and 
logistical support, training, procurement, and mainte-
nance. 
SEC. 1080C. STUDY ON CERTAIN GRANTS AWARDED UNDER 
DEFENSE 
COMMUNITY 
INFRASTRUCTURE 
PILOT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
carry out a study on grants awarded under the defense 
community infrastructure pilot program established under 
section 2391(d) of title 10, United States Code for sup-
porting investments in child care options in areas in close 
proximity to military installations.
844 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall 
submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the House 
of Representatives and the Senate a report that includes— 
(1) an accounting of all grants awarded under 
such pilot program to support investments in child 
care options in areas in close proximity to military 
installations; 
(2) a list of best practices learned from grants 
awarded before the date of the enactment of this Act 
under such pilot program for investments in child 
care facilities; 
(3) a description of barriers, if any, that inhibit 
the Secretary from awarding, on a more frequent 
basis, grants described in paragraph (1); and 
(4) recommendations of the Secretary with re-
spect to ensuring grants awarded under such pilot 
program are used to address shortages in child care 
options for military families. 
(c) MILITARY INSTALLATION DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘‘military installation’’ has the meaning 
given such term in section 2801 of title 10, United States 
Code.
845 
SEC. 1080D. REPORT ON RECAPITALIZATION OF NAVY C-130 
AIRCRAFT. 
Not later than February 1, 2024, the Secretary of 
the Navy, in coordination with the Chief of the Navy Re-
serve, shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services 
of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on— 
(1) the status of recapitalization of C-130 air-
craft by 2030, as stated in the 2022 Navigation 
Plan of the Chief of Naval Operations; and 
(2) the effects of such recapitalization on con-
tested logistics and intra-theater airlift capacity. 
SEC. 1080E. ASSESSMENT OF SUICIDE RISK AT MILITARY 
INSTALLATIONS. 
(a) PROCEDURE.—The Secretary of Defense, acting 
through the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and 
Readiness and in collaboration with the Defense Suicide 
Prevention Office. shall establish a procedure for assessing 
suicide risk at military installations. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall submit to the congressional defense committees a re-
port on the strategy and procedure for assessing suicide 
risk at military installations.
846 
SEC. 1080F. ANNUAL REPORTS ON ACTIVITIES RELATING 
TO UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS. 
(a) REPORTS REQUIRED.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, and on an 
annual basis thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall 
submit to the congressional defense committees a report 
on incidents involving unmanned aerial systems and re-
lated training exercises. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—Each report under subsection (a) 
shall include, with respect to the period of one year pre-
ceding the date of the report— 
(1) a summary any actions taken to respond to 
real-world incidents involving unmanned aerial sys-
tems; 
(2) a description of any training exercises con-
ducted to test, evaluate, and refine procedures to de-
fend against unmanned aerial systems; and 
(3) a comprehensive evaluation of the processes 
and procedures used for designing and conducting 
such exercises, including an explanation of whether 
such exercises incorporate— 
(A) live flown evaluations in representative 
scenarios; 
(B) minimal use of ‘‘white cards’’, simu-
lated effects, and advanced notice to executing 
personnel; and
847 
(C) a rotating sample of locations to im-
prove personnel training. 
SEC. 1080G. GAO REVIEW AND REPORT ON BIOLOGICAL 
WEAPONS EXPERIMENTS ON AND IN RELA-
TION TO TICKS, TICK-BORNE DISEASE. 
(a) REVIEW.—The Comptroller General of the United 
States shall conduct a review of research conducted during 
the period beginning on January 1, 1945, and ending on 
December 31, 1970, by the Department of Defense, in-
cluding by the Department of Defense in consultation with 
the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Agri-
culture, or any other Federal agency on— 
(1) the use of ticks as hosts or delivery mecha-
nisms for biological warfare agents, including experi-
ments involving Spirochaetales and Rickettsiales; 
and 
(2) any efforts to improve the effectiveness and 
viability of Spirochaetales and Rickettsiales as bio-
logical weapons through combination with other dis-
eases or viruses. 
(b) LOCATION OF RESEARCH.—In conducting the re-
view under subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall 
review research conducted at facilities located inside 
United States and facilities located outside the United 
States, including laboratories and field work locations.
848 
(c) REVIEW OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATION.—In con-
ducting the review under subsection (a), the Comptroller 
General shall review any relevant classified information. 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than 18 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 
shall submit to Congress a report, which shall be sub-
mitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified 
annex, that includes the following: 
(1) the scope of any research described in sub-
section (a); and 
(2) whether any ticks used in such research 
were released outside of any facility (including any 
ticks that were released unintentionally); and 
(3) whether any records related to such re-
search were destroyed, and whether such destruction 
was intentional or unintentional. 
SEC. 1080H. REPORT ON BASIC UNDERWATER DEMOLITION/ 
SEAL TRAINING PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the 
Navy shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services 
of the Senate and House or Representatives a report on 
the Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training program 
(in this section referred to as ‘‘BUD/S’’) during the period 
beginning on the date of the induction of BUDS Class
849 
319 and ending on the date of completion of the most re-
cently completed BUD/S class as of the date of the enact-
ment of this Act. Such report shall include— 
(1) the standards, metrics, training doctrine, 
purposes, and administration of BUD/S; 
(2) the standards and practices governing med-
ical care provide to candidates undergoing BUD/S 
training; 
(3) the standards and qualifications informing 
the selection of instructors for BUD/S; 
(4) the training pathway for candidates prior to 
induction for BUD/S; 
(5) any changes governing training and screen-
ing for candidates prior to induction; 
(6) any changes regarding the composition, 
qualifications, and conduct of the instructor cadre at 
BUD/S; 
(7) the policies regarding civilian participation 
in BUD/S, such as retired Navy personnel; 
(8) any changes to policies regarding retired ci-
vilian personnel participating in BUD/S instruction; 
(9) all instances of candidates who died, or suf-
fered serious injury necessitating separation from 
the Navy during BUD/S;
850 
(10) policies set forth governing standard oper-
ating procedures in the case of the death of a can-
didate at BUD/S; 
(11) accountability actions related to incidents 
that resulted in the death or serious injury of BUD/ 
S candidates; and 
(12) corrective actions implemented after the 
death or serious injury of BUD/S candidates. 
(b) ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENT.—The Secretary of 
the Navy shall submit, with the report required under sub-
section (a) accompanying documents outlining the stand-
ards of conduct, training doctrine, instructor qualification, 
and medical care, used by Naval Special Warfare Com-
mand to inform the training standards and provide oper-
ational direction to BUD/S. 
SEC. 1080I. REPORT ON UNMANNED TRAFFIC MANAGE-
MENT SYSTEMS AT MILITARY BASES AND IN-
STALLATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees 
a report that includes— 
(1) a detailed description of the threat of aerial 
drones and unmanned aircraft to United States na-
tional security; and
851 
(2) an assessment of the unmanned traffic 
management systems of every military base and in-
stallation (within and outside the United States) to 
determine whether the base or installation is ade-
quately equipped to detect, disable, and disarm hos-
tile or unidentified unmanned aerial systems. 
(b) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMITTEES 
DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate con-
gressional committees’’ means the following: 
(1) The Committee on Armed Services, the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation, and the Committee on Foreign Relations of 
the Senate. 
(2) The Committee on Armed Services, the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Committee 
on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House 
of Representatives. 
SEC. 1080J. BRIEFING ON JOINT EXERCISES WITH TAIWAN. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress to strongly support the conduct of wargames, table-
top exercises, and operational exercises with the armed 
forces of Taiwan, as such wargames and exercises are an 
effective way to build operational expertise and create a 
force capable of deterring an adversary.
852 
(b) BRIEFING.—Not later than 90 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall provide to the congressional defense committees a 
briefing on the schedule of exercises between the United 
States Navy and Air Force and their Taiwanese counter-
parts. 
SEC. 1080K. REPORT AND TRANSMISSION OF DOCUMENTS 
ON WITHDRAWAL OF UNITED STATES ARMED 
FORCES FROM AFGHANISTAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall submit to the congressional defense committees a re-
port on certain Department of Defense actions during the 
withdrawal of the United States Armed Forces withdrawal 
from Afghanistan and the subsequent noncombatant evac-
uation operations. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report described in subsection 
(a) shall include the following elements: 
(1) A discussion of the strategy that led to the 
withdrawal of the United States Armed Forces from 
Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, including— 
(A) the anticipated effect of withdrawal on 
potential operations in the final phase of the 
overall withdrawal of the United States Armed 
Forces and persons from Afghanistan;
853 
(B) the extent to which considerations of 
the timing of such withdrawal were incor-
porated into such strategy in light of— 
(i) the impending collapse of the Af-
ghan National Army; and 
(ii) the potential need for noncombat-
ant evacuation operations to evacuate citi-
zens and lawful permanent residents of the 
United States and individuals potentially 
eligible for special immigrant visas; 
(C) a description of how such strategy in-
cluded plans for contingencies arising from 
operational constraints at the Hamid Karzai 
International Airport; and 
(D) a description of how such strategy ac-
counted for the risk of jailed ISIS–K fighters, 
or any other combatants or terrorists, being re-
leased from Bagram. 
(2) A summary of the information known about 
the Abbey Gate suicide-bomber, including a descrip-
tion of what was known before the withdrawal of 
United States Armed Forces from Afghanistan and 
what is known now, including information on— 
(A) the suicide bomber;
854 
(B) known threats to Hamid Karzai Inter-
national Airport and actions taken to mitigate 
or respond to the threat; and 
(C) actions taken to retaliate for the bomb-
ing. 
(3) In consultation with the Secretary of State, 
an analysis of persons not employed by the United 
States Government who were evacuated in the airlift 
from Hamid Karzai International Airport, includ-
ing— 
(A) the number of such persons; 
(B) the percentage of such persons whose 
biometrics were recorded; 
(C) the percentage of such persons who 
were checked against appropriate databases and 
terror watch lists; 
(D) a description of the vetting process for 
such persons, including the percentage of such 
persons who had legitimate and accurate gov-
ernment documentation and the process by 
which such documentation was verified; 
(E) a description of the procedures applied 
to such persons who failed entry vetting cri-
teria, including—
855 
(i) how many such persons are no 
longer under United States or partner gov-
ernment supervision; 
(ii) where such persons have been 
housed since the evacuation; and 
(iii) plans for the future care, release, 
or incarceration of such persons; and 
(F) a description of the procedures for in-
dividuals who passed vetting procedures, includ-
ing— 
(i) the number of such persons who 
have been brought to the United States; 
and 
(ii) rhe number of such persons await-
ing resettlement and plans for resettlement 
of such persons. 
(c) FORM.—The report required under subsection (a) 
shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include 
a classified annex. 
(d) PUBLICATION.—The report described in sub-
section (a) shall be published on a publicly available De-
partment of Defense internet website. 
(e) TRANSMISSION OF DOCUMENTS.—Not later than 
180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense and the Secretary of State shall trans-
856 
mit to the congressional defense committees, the Com-
mittee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate 
copies of all documents (including all records, communica-
tions, correspondence (including email), messages (includ-
ing text and instant messages), transcripts, summaries, 
agendas, written agreements, notes, memoranda, diplo-
matic cables, reports, legal opinions, analytical products, 
briefing materials, intelligence assessments, white papers, 
nonpapers, meeting readouts, and other materials, regard-
less of electronic or physical format), both classified and 
unclassified, in the possession of the Secretary of Defense 
or the Secretary of State that refer or relate to— 
(1) the decision to withdraw the Armed Forces 
from Bagram Airfield, including the decision to 
withdraw without notifying the Afghan Government; 
(2) the decision to rely on Hamid Karzai Inter-
national Airport for operations following the with-
drawal from Bagram Airfield; 
(3) the transfer, and potential escape, of pris-
oners held at Bagram Airfield; 
(4) the Abbey Gate suicide-bomber, including 
referring and relating to actions taken to mitigate or 
respond to the threat to operations at Hamid Karzai
857 
International Airport and actions taken to retaliate 
for the bombing; 
(5) the consequences of air lifting large num-
bers of persons with unknown backgrounds and in-
tentions out of Afghanistan; and 
(6) 
communications 
with 
nongovernmental 
groups of United States persons attempting to ex-
tract persons from Afghanistan, including those that 
refer or relate to— 
(A) the lists of persons delivered to the De-
partment of State by Operation Pineapple Ex-
press; 
(B) attempts by United States Government 
personal to prevent or assist such groups in the 
movement of persons within, into, or out of Af-
ghanistan, including between Kabul and Mazar- 
i-Sharif, between Kabul and the borders of Af-
ghanistan, between Kabul and to airstrips in 
neighboring countries, and within Kabul to the 
Hamid Karzai International Airport; 
(C) any monetary support the United 
States Government considered offering; and 
(D) whether there were intelligence or sur-
veillance activities directed at those groups, and 
the purpose and extent of such activities.
858 
Subtitle G—Other Matters 
SEC. 1081. NAVY CONSIDERATION OF COAST GUARD VIEWS 
ON MATTERS DIRECTLY CONCERNING COAST 
GUARD CAPABILITIES. 
Chapter 803 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 8029. Consideration of Coast Guard views on mat-
ters directly concerning Coast Guard ca-
pabilities 
‘‘The Secretary of the Navy shall ensure that the 
views of the Commandant of the Coast Guard are given 
appropriate consideration before a major decision is made 
by an element of the Department of the Navy on a matter 
that directly concerns any capability of the Coast Guard 
in support of national defense.’’. 
SEC. 1082. DEVELOPMENT OF COMMERCIAL INTEGRATION 
CELLS ACTION PLAN WITHIN CERTAIN COM-
BATANT COMMANDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than March 1, 2024, the 
Commander of the United States Africa Command, the 
Commander of the United States European Command, the 
Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, 
the Commander of the United States Northern Command, 
and the Commander of the United States Southern Com-
mand shall each develop an action plan that includes—
859 
(1) the potential establishment of a commercial 
integration cell within their respective combatant 
command for the purpose of closely integrating pub-
lic and private entities with capabilities relevant to 
the area of operation of such combatant command; 
and 
(2) the potential establishment of a chief tech-
nology officer position within their respective com-
batant command, who would— 
(A) oversee such commercial integration 
cell; and 
(B) report directly to the commander of 
the applicable combatant command. 
(b) BRIEFING.—Not later than 30 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, each commander of a com-
batant command referred to in subsection (a) shall provide 
to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and 
the House of Representatives a briefing on the feasibility, 
costs, and benefits of establishing a commercial integra-
tion cell. 
SEC. 1083. REQUIREMENT TO UPDATE WARFIGHTING RE-
QUIREMENTS FOR CONFRONTING RUSSIA IN 
EUROPE. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that—
860 
(1) European warfighting requirements should 
reflect the most current state of affairs regarding 
assessed adversary capabilities, capacity, and intent; 
and 
(2) maintaining up-to-date plans and assump-
tions is essential to— 
(A) identifying and properly scoping global 
threats; and 
(B) the ability of the Department of De-
fense to counter such threats to secure the de-
fense and national security interests of the 
United States. 
(b) REQUIREMENT.— The Secretary of Defense shall 
update the warfighting requirements of the Department 
of Defense for confronting Russia in Europe. 
(c) BRIEFING.—Not later than 30 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall provide 
to the congressional defense committees a briefing on the 
requirements updated under subsection (b). 
SEC. 1084. UPDATE TO STRATEGIC PLAN ON DEPARTMENT 
OF DEFENSE COMBATING TRAFFICKING IN 
PERSONS PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than June 1, 2024, the 
Secretary of Defense shall provide to the Committee on 
Armed Services of the House of Representatives a briefing
861 
on an updated strategic plan for the combating trafficking 
in persons program of the Department of Defense. 
(b) ELEMENTS
OF PLAN.—The updated strategic 
plan required under subsection (a) shall include each of 
the following: 
(1) An assessment of the efforts of the Depart-
ment of Defense to combat trafficking in persons in 
areas with high populations of members of the 
United States Armed Forces, including in overseas 
locations. 
(2) A review of the coordination of efforts of 
the Department to combat trafficking in persons 
across the military departments in areas where mul-
tiple military departments operate bases. 
(3) Recommendations for improved cooperation 
with local communities and relevant Federal, State, 
and local law enforcement agencies in addressing 
trafficking in persons. 
(4) A review of new methods and concepts for 
combating trafficking in persons that the Depart-
ment has implemented since the previous strategic 
plan. 
(5) A description of plans of the Department to 
adapt innovative approaches, and integrate new 
technologies.
862 
(6) An analysis of Department capabilities to 
combat child sexual abuse and exploitation in areas 
with high populations of members of the United 
States Armed Forces, including overseas locations. 
(7) Recommendations for programs to educate 
members of the United States Armed Forces on how 
to identify and report instances of child sexual abuse 
and exploitation, both online and in-person, to the 
appropriate law enforcement agency. 
SEC. 1085. GUIDANCE FOR USE OF UNMANNED AIRCRAFT 
SYSTEMS BY NATIONAL GUARD. 
(a) NEW GUIDANCE REQUIRED.—Not later than 90 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall issue new guidance on the use of 
unmanned aircraft systems by the National Guard for cov-
ered activities. 
(b) BRIEFING.—Not later than 60 days after the date 
on which the Secretary issues the new guidance under sub-
section (a), the Secretary shall provide to the Committee 
on Armed Services of the House of Representatives. Such 
briefing shall include— 
(1) an explanation of whether the new guidance 
is more restrictive than guidance on the use of other 
types of aircraft for covered activities; and
863 
(2) if the new guidance is more restrictive, an 
explanation for the reasons why such guidance is 
more restrictive. 
(c) COVERED ACTIVITIES DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘covered activities’’ means any of the following: 
(1) Emergency operations. 
(2) Search and rescue operations. 
(3) Defense support to civil authorities. 
(4) Support provided under section 502(f) of 
title 32, United States Code. 
SEC. 1086. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING DEFENSE 
PRESENCE IN THE INDO-PACIFIC REGION. 
It is the sense of Congress that the Department of 
Defense should maintain sufficient force posture and ca-
pabilities in the area of operations of the United States 
Indo-Pacific Command and that the Indo-Pacific is a joint 
theater of operations that requires joint coordination 
among all service branches in order to meet the challenges 
of the region. 
SEC. 1087. COMPLIANCE WITH GAO RECOMMENDATIONS 
ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. 
Not later than one year after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall certify 
to the congressional defense committees that the Deputy 
Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Chief Dig-
864 
ital and AI Officer and the Joint Artificial Intelligence 
Center, has finalized and issued guidance and agreements 
to improve collaboration to better manage fragmentation 
among entities involved in artificial intelligence across the 
Department, as recommended by the Government Ac-
countability Office in GAO Report 23-106089, including 
guidance and agreements that define the roles and respon-
sibilities of the military departments and other organiza-
tions of the Department which collaborate on artificial in-
telligence activities. 
SEC. 1088. PROCESS FOR CARRYING OUT DEMILITARIZA-
TION AND DISPOSITION OF MAJOR END 
ITEMS. 
Not later than one year after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall certify 
to the congressional defense committees that the Under 
Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment 
has— 
(1) established a process to review and reconcile 
inconsistent demilitarization codes and document 
changes in such codes; and 
(2) developed guidance for the armed forces for 
the disposition of major end items, including how to 
assess potential risks to national security, avoid un-
865 
necessary destruction, and optimize monetary re-
turns to the government. 
SEC. 1089. DESIGNATION OF SINGLE ENTITY TO OVERSEE 
IMPLEMENTATION OF PREDICTIVE MAINTE-
NANCE PROCEDURES. 
Not later than one year after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall certify 
to the congressional defense committees that the Secretary 
has designated a single entity within each of the armed 
forces to oversee the implementation of predictive mainte-
nance procedures, and that the Secretary has provided 
such entity with sufficient authority and resources to carry 
out the responsibility. 
SEC. 1090. DECLASSIFICATION OF CERTAIN REPORTS OF 
UNIDENTIFIED AERIAL PHENOMENA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall declassify any Department of Defense documents 
and other Department of Defense records relating to pub-
licly known sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena 
that do not reveal sources, methods, or otherwise com-
promise the national security of the United States. 
(b) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘publicly 
known sighting of unidentified aerial phenomena’’ means 
a sighting of an of an unidentified aerial phenomenon
866 
about which there is information available in the public 
domain prior to the declassification of documents and 
records required under subsection (a), but does not include 
United States Government information that was an unau-
thorized public disclosure. 
(c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion shall require the Secretary of Defense to declassify 
any information that the Secretary does not already have 
the authority to declassify under Executive Order No. 
13526, or any successor order. 
SEC. 1091. AUTHORIZATION TO USE NONELECTRIC VEHI-
CLES AT YUMA PROVING GROUND. 
The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that members 
of the Armed Forces and civilian employees of the Depart-
ment of Defense assigned to the Yuma Proving Ground 
are authorized to use nonelectric vehicles in the perform-
ance of their duties. 
SEC. 1092. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING SUPPORT FOR 
ENERGY FUNCTIONAL SPECIALIST CIVIL AF-
FAIRS OFFICER PROGRAM. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
ings: 
(1) These officers assist on the analysis, assess-
ment and planning for the civilian production and
867 
distribution of energy resources before, during and 
after conflicts to meet global energy requirements. 
(2) A memorandum of understanding has been 
established with academia to lead and support the 
training program, enabling these officers to provide 
the needed technical expertise to evaluate, establish, 
maintain, or rehabilitate energy production and dis-
tribution systems. 
(3) Academic partnerships can double as a plat-
form for strategic outreach to organizations in the 
wider military and energy sectors. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) the establishment of Energy Functional 
Specialist Civil Affairs Officers in the Army is en-
couraging; and 
(2) the Secretary of Defense should continue to 
support and fully fund the existing Energy Func-
tional Specialist Civil Affairs Officer program and 
its academic partnership and assess opportunities to 
expand the program to other Armed Forces and 
across the combatant commands.
868 
SEC. 1093. SMART SLEEPERS AND BASSINETS AT MILITARY 
EXCHANGES. 
Subchapter I of chapter 147 of title 10, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
section: 
‘‘§ 2486. Smart sleepers and bassinets at military ex-
changes 
‘‘The Secretary of Defense shall sell, or make avail-
able for rent, sleepers and bassinets with up-to-date sleep 
technology through military exchanges.’’. 
SEC. 1094. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING REMOVAL OF 
PRIESTS FROM WALTER REED MEDICAL HOS-
PITAL. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) the provision of pastoral care by priests and 
religious leaders is vital for the spiritual and emo-
tional well-being of military personnel and their fam-
ilies; 
(2) Department of Defense medical facilities, 
including Walter Reed Medical Hospital, play a crit-
ical role in providing healthcare services to the mili-
tary community; 
(3) recent reports indicate that priests pro-
viding pastoral care at Walter Reed Medical Hos-
pital were unexpectedly removed, disrupting the
869 
availability of spiritual support for patients and their 
families; 
(4) the sudden removal of priests from Walter 
Reed Medical Hospital raises concerns about the ef-
fect on the religious and spiritual needs of patients 
during their healing process; 
(5) priests offer invaluable guidance, comfort, 
and solace, and their presence is essential for indi-
viduals facing physical and emotional challenges; 
and 
(6) the Department of Defense should inves-
tigate the circumstances surrounding the removal of 
priests from Walter Reed Medical Hospital and to 
take appropriate measures to ensure that patients 
have access to pastoral care services without inter-
ruption. 
SEC. 1095. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON RARE EARTH MAGNET 
SUPPLY CHAIN. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) rare earth magnets power critical tech-
nologies and national security systems, from mis-
siles, sensors, and jets to advanced energy tech-
nologies and consumer electronics;
870 
(2) a robust domestic supply of rare earth ele-
ments and critical materials would support a strong 
and durable national defense posture; and 
(3) as the Office of the Under Secretary of De-
fense for Acquisition and Sustainment fulfills its re-
sponsibilities related to the development of secure, 
reliable, and domestically-sourced critical and stra-
tegic materials, Congress encourages the Secretary 
of Defense to continue supporting projects that on-
shore domestic extraction, processing, and manufac-
turing capabilities of the domestic supply chain of 
rare earth permanent magnets essential to defense 
and national security applications. 
SEC. 1096. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING USE OF MQ-9 
REAPER IN AREA OF OPERATIONS OF UNITED 
STATES INDO-PACIFIC COMMAND. 
It is the sense of Congress that the MQ-9 Reaper 
should be used to the greatest extent possible in the area 
of operations of the United States Indo-Pacific Command. 
SEC. 1097. OVERSIGHT REQUIREMENTS FOR FINANCIAL IM-
PROVEMENT 
AND 
AUDIT 
REMEDIATION 
PLAN. 
Section 240b(b) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended—
871 
(1) in paragraph (1)(A), by inserting ‘‘, the 
Committee on Oversight and Accountability of the 
House of Representatives, and the Committee on 
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the 
Senate’’ after ‘‘congressional defense committees’’; 
and 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) by amending the paragraph heading to 
read as follows: ‘‘BRIEFINGS’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraph: 
‘‘(C) Not later than June 30, 2024, and annu-
ally thereafter, the Under Secretary of Defense 
(Comptroller) shall provide to the Committee on 
Oversight and Accountability of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Homeland Secu-
rity and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a brief-
ing on the status of the corrective action plan. Such 
briefing shall include an assessment of the progress 
of the Secretary of Defense in achieving an unquali-
fied audit opinion as described in subsection 
(a)(2)(iv)’’.
872 
SEC. 1098. AUTHORITY TO INCLUDE FUNDING REQUESTS 
FOR THE CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL DE-
FENSE PROGRAM IN BUDGET ACCOUNTS OF 
MILITARY DEPARTMENTS. 
Section 1701(d)(2) of the National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 1994 (50 U.S.C. 1522(d)(2)) 
is amended by striking ‘‘may not be included in the budget 
accounts’’ and inserting ‘‘may be included in the budget 
accounts’’. 
SEC. 1099. REPORT ON MILITARY REQUIREMENTS IN THE 
EVENT OF A CHINESE ATTACK OF TAIWAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
submit to the congressional defense committees a report 
on current and future military posture, logistics, mainte-
nance, and sustainment requirements to bolster the capac-
ity of the United States to resist force in the event of a 
Chinese attack and attempted invasion of Taiwan. Such 
report shall include an assessment of the requirements for 
all scenarios, including protracted combat in a contested 
environment (such as anti-access, area denial), and an 
evaluation of how to best enable a dispersed, distributed 
force in the Indo-Pacific region. 
(b) FORM OF REPORT.—The report required by sub-
section (a) shall be submitted in classified form.
873 
SEC. 1099A. REPORT ON OBSTACLES TO MISSION OF DE-
FENSE POW/MIA ACCOUNTING AGENCY. 
The Director of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting 
Agency shall submit to Congress a report that includes— 
(1) a description of the most significant obsta-
cles, if any, to the mission of the Defense POW/MIA 
Accounting Agency to recover and identify the re-
mains of members of the Armed Forces missing in 
action; and 
(2) recommendations of such Director relating 
to legislative or administrative actions to resolve 
such obstacles. 
SEC. 1099B. PROTECTION OF IDEOLOGICAL FREEDOM. 
Section 2001 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(c) PROTECTION OF IDEOLOGICAL FREEDOM.—(1) 
No employee of the Department of Defense or of a mili-
tary department, including any member of the armed 
forces, may compel, teach, instruct, or train any member 
of the armed forces, whether serving on active duty, serv-
ing in a reserve component, attending a military service 
academy, or attending a course conducted by a military 
department pursuant to a Reserve Officer Corps Training 
program, to believe any of the politically-based concepts 
referred to in paragraph (4).
874 
‘‘(2) No employee of the Department of Defense or 
of a military department, including any member of the 
armed forces may be compelled to declare a belief in, or 
adherence to, or participate in training or education of any 
kind that promotes any of the politically-based concepts 
referred to in paragraph (4) a condition of recruitment, 
retention, promotion, transfer, assignment, or other favor-
able personnel action. 
‘‘(3) The Department of Defense and the military de-
partments may not promote race-based or ideological con-
cepts that promote the differential treatment of any indi-
vidual or groups of individuals based on race, color, sex, 
or national origin, including any of politically-based con-
cepts referred to in paragraph (4). 
‘‘(4) A politically-based concept referred to in this 
paragraph is any of the following: 
‘‘(A) Members of one race, color, sex, or na-
tional origin are morally superior to members of an-
other race, color, sex, or national origin. 
‘‘(B) An individual, by virtue of his or her race, 
color, sex, or national origin, is inherently racist, 
sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or uncon-
sciously. 
‘‘(C) An individual’s moral character or status 
as either privileged or oppressed is necessarily deter-
875 
mined by his or her race, color, sex, or national ori-
gin. 
‘‘(D) Members of one race, color, sex, or na-
tional origin cannot and should not attempt to treat 
others without respect to race, color, sex, or national 
origin. 
‘‘(E) An individual, by virtue of his or her race, 
color, sex, or national origin, bears responsibility for, 
or should be discriminated against or receive adverse 
treatment because of, actions committed in the past 
by other members of the same race, color, sex, or 
national origin. 
‘‘(F) An individual, by virtue of his or her race, 
color, sex, or national origin, should be discriminated 
against or receive adverse treatment to achieve di-
versity, equity, or inclusion. 
‘‘(G) An individual should feel discomfort, guilt, 
anguish, or any other form of psychological distress 
on account of his or her race, color, sex, or national 
origin. 
‘‘(H) Such virtues as merit, excellence, hard 
work, fairness, neutrality, objectivity, and racial 
colorblindness are racist or sexist, or were created by 
members of a particular race, color, sex, or national
876 
origin to oppress members of another race, color, 
sex, or national origin. 
‘‘(5) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as 
compelling any individual to believe or refrain from believ-
ing in any politically-based concept referred to in para-
graph (4) in their private and personal capacity.’’. 
SEC. 1099C. PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF AFGHANISTAN WAR 
RECORDS. 
The Secretary of Defense shall expeditiously disclose 
to the public all records relating to the war in Afghani-
stan. 
TITLE XI—CIVILIAN PERSONNEL 
MATTERS 
SEC. 1101. AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH EXCEPTED SERVICE 
POSITIONS FOR ARMY LAW ENFORCEMENT 
ACTIVITIES. 
Chapter 747 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 7378. Army law enforcement activity recruitment 
and retention 
‘‘(a) GENERAL AUTHORITY.— 
‘‘(1) Consistent with paragraph (2), and with-
out regard to the provisions of any other law relat-
ing to the appointment, number, classification, or
877 
compensation of employees, the Secretary of Defense 
may— 
‘‘(A) establish, as positions in the excepted 
service, such qualified positions in Army Law 
Enforcement Activities as the Secretary deter-
mines necessary to carry out the investigative 
responsibilities of such activities; 
‘‘(B) appoint an individual to a qualified 
position (after taking into consideration the 
availability of preference eligibles for appoint-
ment to the position); and 
‘‘(C) subject to subsections (b) and (c), fix 
the compensation of an individual in a qualified 
position. 
‘‘(2) The authority of the Secretary under this 
section may not be used until on or after the date 
that each requirement of section 548 of the James 
M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117–263) has been 
met. 
‘‘(b) BASIC PAY.—The Secretary shall— 
‘‘(1) consistent with section 5341 of title 5, 
adopt such provisions of that title to provide for pre-
vailing rate systems of basic pay; and
878 
‘‘(2) apply those provisions for purposes of es-
tablishing rates of basic pay for qualified positions. 
‘‘(c) ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION, INCENTIVES, AND 
ALLOWANCES.— 
‘‘(1) The Secretary may provide employees in 
qualified positions compensation (in addition to basic 
pay), including benefits, incentives, and allowances, 
consistent with, and not in excess of the level au-
thorized for, comparable positions authorized by title 
5. 
‘‘(2) An employee in a qualified position whose 
rate of basic pay is fixed under subsection (b)(1) 
shall be eligible for an allowance under section 5941 
of title 5 on the same basis and to the same extent 
as if the employee was an employee covered by such 
section, including eligibility conditions, allowance 
rates, and all other terms and conditions in law or 
regulation. 
‘‘(d) IMPLEMENTATION PLAN REQUIRED.—The au-
thority granted in subsection (a) shall become effective 90 
days after the date on which the Secretary provides to the 
congressional defense committees a plan for implementa-
tion of such authority. The plan shall include the fol-
lowing:
879 
‘‘(1) An assessment of the current scope of the 
positions covered by the authority. 
‘‘(2) A plan for the use of the authority. 
‘‘(3) Other matters as appropriate. 
‘‘(e) REQUIRED REGULATIONS.—The Secretary, in 
coordination with the Director of the Office of Personnel 
Management, shall prescribe regulations for the adminis-
tration of this section. 
‘‘(f) PROBATIONARY PERIOD.—The probationary pe-
riod for all employees hired under the authority estab-
lished in this section shall be one year. 
‘‘(g) INCUMBENTS OF EXISTING COMPETITIVE SERV-
ICE POSITIONS.— 
‘‘(1) An individual occupying a position on the 
date of the enactment of this section that is selected 
to be converted to a position in the excepted service 
under this section shall have the right to refuse such 
conversion. 
‘‘(2) After the date on which an individual who 
refuses a conversion under paragraph (1) stops serv-
ing in the position selected to be converted, the posi-
tion may be converted to a position in the excepted 
service. 
‘‘(h) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
880 
‘‘(1) The term ‘Army Law Enforcement Activi-
ties’ means the Army Criminal Investigation Com-
mand (or any successor organization) and any other 
Department of Army organization engaged primarily 
in law enforcement, security, or investigative respon-
sibilities as designated by the Secretary of Defense. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘excepted service’ has the mean-
ing given that term in section 2103 of title 5. 
‘‘(3) The term ‘preference eligible’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 2108 of title 5. 
‘‘(4) The term ‘qualified position’ means a posi-
tion, designated by the Secretary for the purpose of 
this section, in which the individual occupying such 
position performs, manages, or supervises functions 
that execute law enforcement, security, or investiga-
tive responsibilities.’’. 
SEC. 1102. AUTHORIZATION TO PAY A LIVING QUARTERS 
ALLOWANCE 
FOR 
DEPARTMENT 
OF 
THE 
NAVY CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES ASSIGNED TO 
PERMANENT 
DUTY 
IN 
GUAM 
FOR 
PER-
FORMING WORK, OR SUPPORTING WORK 
BEING PERFORMED, ABOARD OR DOCKSIDE, 
OF U.S. NAVAL VESSELS. 
(a) ALLOWANCE.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of law, when Government owned or rented quarters
881 
are not otherwise provided without charge to a covered 
employee, the Secretary of the Navy may grant to a cov-
ered employee one or more of the following allowances: 
(1) A living quarters allowance for rent, heat, 
light, fuel, gas, electricity, and water. The Secretary 
is authorized to pay such allowance by reimburse-
ment or by advance payments without regard to sec-
tion 3324(a) and (b) of title 31, United States Code. 
(2) Under unusual circumstances, as deter-
mined by the Secretary, payment or reimbursement 
for extraordinary, necessary, and reasonable ex-
penses, not otherwise compensated for, incurred in 
initial repairs, alterations, and improvements to the 
privately leased residence in Guam of a covered em-
ployee— 
(A) the expenses are administratively ap-
proved in advance; and 
(B) the duration and terms of the lease 
justify payment of the expenses by the Govern-
ment. 
(b) COVERED EMPLOYEE DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘covered employee’’ means any civilian employee 
of the Department of the Navy who is assigned to perma-
nent duty in Guam for performing work or supporting
882 
work being performed, aboard or dockside, of U.S. naval 
vessels. 
SEC. 1103. CONSOLIDATION OF DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITIES 
FOR CANDIDATES WITH SPECIFIED DEGREES 
AT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY REINVEN-
TION LABORATORIES. 
Section 4091 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ‘‘bachelor’s 
degree’’ and inserting ‘‘bachelor’s or advanced de-
gree’’; 
(2) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking 
‘‘CALENDAR
YEAR’’ and inserting ‘‘FISCAL 
YEAR’’; 
(B) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 
by striking ‘‘calendar year’’ and inserting ‘‘fis-
cal year’’; 
(C) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘6 per-
cent’’ and inserting ‘‘11 percent’’; and 
(D) in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3), by 
striking ‘‘the fiscal year last ending before the 
start of such calendar year’’ and inserting ‘‘the 
preceding fiscal year’’; 
(3) by striking subsection (f); and
883 
(4) by redesignating subsection (g) as sub-
section (f). 
SEC. 1104. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY FOR CERTAIN PER-
SONNEL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 
Section 9905(a) of title 5, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
inserting ‘‘, 3307,’’ after ‘‘3303’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraphs: 
‘‘(12) Any position in support of aircraft oper-
ations for which the Secretary determines there is a 
critical hiring need or shortage of candidates. 
‘‘(13) Any position in support of the safety of 
the public, law enforcement, or first response for 
which the Secretary determines there is a critical 
hiring need or shortage of candidates.’’. 
SEC. 1105. ONE-YEAR EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO WAIVE 
ANNUAL LIMITATION ON PREMIUM PAY AND 
AGGREGATE LIMITATION ON PAY FOR FED-
ERAL CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES WORKING OVER-
SEAS. 
Subsection (a) of section 1101 of the Duncan Hunter 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 
(Public Law 110-417; 122 Stat. 4615), as most recently
884 
amended by section 1102 of the James M. Inhofe National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public 
Law 117–263), is further amended by striking ‘‘through 
2023’’ and inserting ‘‘through 2024’’. 
SEC. 1106. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO GRANT COMPETI-
TIVE STATUS TO EMPLOYEES OF INSPEC-
TORS GENERAL FOR OVERSEAS CONTIN-
GENCY OPERATIONS. 
Section 419(d)(5)(B) of title 5, United States Code, 
is amended by striking ‘‘2 years’’ and inserting ‘‘5 years’’. 
SEC. 1107. EXTENSION OF DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY FOR 
DOMESTIC 
INDUSTRIAL 
BASE 
FACILITIES 
AND MAJOR RANGE AND TEST FACILITIES 
BASE. 
(a) EXTENSION.—Section 1125(a) of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public 
Law 114–328) is amended by striking ‘‘2025’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘2035’’. 
(b) BRIEFING.—Section 1102(b) of the National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 
115–91) is amended by striking ‘‘2025’’ and inserting 
‘‘2035’’.
885 
SEC. 1108. WAIVER OF LIMITATION ON APPOINTMENT OF 
RECENTLY RETIRED MEMBERS OF ARMED 
FORCES TO DOD COMPETITIVE SERVICE PO-
SITIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3326 of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) in the section heading, by inserting ‘‘cer-
tain’’ before ‘‘positions’’; and 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘the civil service’’ and in-
serting ‘‘the excepted service or the Senior Ex-
ecutive Service’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘for the 
purpose’’ and all that follows through ‘‘Manage-
ment’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of subchapter I of chapter 33 of such 
title is amended in the item relating to section 3326 by 
inserting ‘‘certain’’ before ‘‘positions’’. 
SEC. 1109. EXCLUSION OF NONAPPROPRIATED FUND EM-
PLOYEES FROM LIMITATIONS ON DUAL PAY. 
Section 5531(2) of title 5, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘Government corporation and’’ and 
inserting ‘‘Government corporation, but excluding’’.
886 
SEC. 1110. ONE-YEAR EXTENSION OF TEMPORARY AUTHOR-
ITY TO GRANT ALLOWANCES, BENEFITS, AND 
GRATUITIES TO CIVILIAN PERSONNEL ON OF-
FICIAL DUTY IN A COMBAT ZONE. 
Paragraph (2) of section 1603(a) of the Emergency 
Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global 
War on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, 2006 (Public 
Law 109–234; 120 Stat. 443), as added by section 1102 
of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law 110–417; 122 Stat. 
4616) and as most recently amended by section 1103 of 
the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117–263), is further 
amended by striking ‘‘2024’’ and inserting ‘‘2025’’. 
SEC. 1111. SUPPORT UNITED STATES STRATEGIC COM-
MAND AND UNITED STATES SPACE COMMAND 
ENTERPRISES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 81 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section:
887 
‘‘SEC. 1599k. APPLICATION OF ACQUISITION DEMONSTRA-
TION PROJECT TO DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR 
FORCE EMPLOYEES ASSIGNED TO SUPPORT 
UNITED STATES STRATEGIC COMMAND AND 
UNITED STATES SPACE COMMAND ENTER-
PRISES. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—For the purposes of the dem-
onstration project, the Secretary of Defense may apply the 
provisions of section 1762 of this title, including any regu-
lations, procedures, waivers, or guidance implementing 
such section, to an employee of the Department of the Air 
Force assigned to support the United States Strategic 
Command or United States Space Command, or a joint 
subordinate component command or center, as if the em-
ployee was a member of the acquisition workforce. 
‘‘(b) NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS.—For the purposes 
of section 1762(c) of this title, participating employees are 
deemed not to be persons who may participate in the dem-
onstration project. 
‘‘(c) TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY; CONVERSION.— 
Subsections (g) and (h) of section 1762 of this title shall 
apply to the authority under this section and to partici-
pating employees, respectively. 
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: