H. R. 1735—375 
(b) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In accordance with paragraph (2), of the 
funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise 
made available for fiscal year 2016 for the rocket propulsion 
system required by section 1604 of the Carl Levin and Howard 
P. ‘‘Buck’’ McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2015, the Secretary of Defense may obligate or 
expend such funds only for the development of such system, 
and the necessary interfaces to, or integration of, the launch 
vehicle, to replace non-allied space launch engines by 2019 
as required by such section. 
(2) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—The funds specified in para-
graph (1)— 
(A) may be used for the integration of the rocket 
propulsion system covered by such paragraph with an 
existing or new launch vehicle; and 
(B) may not be used to develop or procure a new 
launch vehicle or related infrastructure. 
(c) 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 committee a briefing on— 
(1) the streamlined acquisition approach, requirements, and 
acquisition strategy required under subsection (c) of section 
1604 of the Carl Levin and Howard P. ‘‘Buck’’ McKeon National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015, as added by 
subsection (a); and 
(2) the plan for the development and fielding of a full- 
up rocket propulsion system pursuant to such section 1604. 
SEC. 1607. EXCEPTION TO THE PROHIBITION ON CONTRACTING WITH 
RUSSIAN SUPPLIERS OF ROCKET ENGINES FOR THE 
EVOLVED EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAM. 
Paragraph (1) of section 1608(c) of the Carl Levin and Howard 
P. ‘‘Buck’’ McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2015 (Public Law 113–291; 128 Stat. 3626; 10 U.S.C. 2271 
note) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The prohibition in subsection (a) shall 
not apply to any of the following: 
‘‘(A) The placement of orders or the exercise of options 
under the contract numbered FA8811–13–C–0003 and 
awarded on December 18, 2013. 
‘‘(B) Subject to paragraph (2), contracts awarded for 
the procurement of property or services for space launch 
activities that include the use of not more than a total 
of five rocket engines designed or manufactured in the 
Russian Federation that prior to February 1, 2014, were 
either fully paid for by the contractor or covered by a 
legally binding commitment of the contractor to fully pay 
for such rocket engines. 
‘‘(C) Contracts not covered under subparagraph (A) 
or (B) that are awarded for the procurement of property 
or services for space launch activities that include the 
use of not more than a total of four additional rocket 
engines designed or manufactured in the Russian Federa-
tion.’’.
H. R. 1735—376 
SEC. 1608. ACQUISITION STRATEGY FOR EVOLVED EXPENDABLE 
LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAM. 
(a) TREATMENT OF CERTAIN ARRANGEMENT.— 
(1) DISCONTINUATION.—The Secretary of the Air Force shall 
discontinue the evolved expendable launch vehicle launch capa-
bility arrangement, as structured as of the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, for— 
(A) existing contracts using rocket engines designed 
or manufactured in the Russian Federation by not later 
than December 31, 2019; and 
(B) existing contracts using domestic rocket engines 
by not later than December 31, 2020. 
(2) WAIVER.—The Secretary may waive paragraph (1) if 
the Secretary— 
(A) determines that such waiver is necessary for the 
national security interests of the United States; 
(B) notifies the congressional defense committees of 
such waiver; and 
(C) a period of 90 days has elapsed following the date 
of such notification. 
(b) CONSISTENT STANDARDS.—In accordance with section 2306a 
of title 10, United States Code, the Secretary shall— 
(1) apply consistent and appropriate standards to certified 
evolved expendable launch vehicle providers with respect to 
certified cost and pricing data; and 
(2) conduct the appropriate audits. 
(c) ACQUISITION STRATEGY.—In accordance with subsections (a) 
and (b) and section 2273 of title 10, United States Code, the Sec-
retary shall develop and carry out a 10-year phased acquisition 
strategy, including near and long term, for the evolved expendable 
launch vehicle program. 
(d) ELEMENTS.—The acquisition strategy under subsection (c) 
for the evolved expendable launch vehicle program shall— 
(1) provide the necessary— 
(A) stability in budgeting and acquisition of capabili-
ties; 
(B) flexibility to the Federal Government; and 
(C) procedures for fair competition; and 
(2) specifically take into account, as appropriate per com-
petition, the effect of— 
(A) contracts or agreements for launch services or 
launch capability entered into by the Department of 
Defense and the National Aeronautics and Space Adminis-
tration with certified evolved expendable launch vehicle 
providers; 
(B) the requirements of the Department of Defense, 
including with respect to launch capabilities and pricing 
data, that are met by such providers; 
(C) the cost of integrating a satellite onto a launch 
vehicle; and 
(D) any other matters the Secretary considers appro-
priate. 
(e) COMPETITION.—In awarding any contract for launch services 
in a national security space mission pursuant to a competitive 
acquisition, the evaluation shall account for the value of the evolved
H. R. 1735—377 
expendable launch vehicle launch capability arrangement per con-
tract line item numbers in the bid price of the offeror as appropriate 
per launch. 
(f) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the congres-
sional defense committees, the Permanent Select Committee on 
Intelligence of the House of Representatives, and the Select Com-
mittee on Intelligence of the Senate a report on the acquisition 
strategy developed under subsection (c). 
SEC. 1609. ALLOCATION OF FUNDING FOR EVOLVED EXPENDABLE 
LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAM. 
(a) CERTIFICATION
AND
JUSTIFICATION.—Together with the 
budget of the President submitted to Congress under section 1105(a) 
of title 31, United States Code, for each of fiscal years 2017, 2018, 
and 2019, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees— 
(1) a certification that the cost share between the Air 
Force and the National Reconnaissance Office for the evolved 
expendable launch vehicle launch capability program equitably 
reflects the appropriate allocation of funding for the Air Force 
and the National Reconnaissance Office, respectively, based 
on the launch schedule and national mission forecast; and 
(2) sufficient rationale to justify such cost share. 
(b) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DEFINED.—In 
this section, the term ‘‘appropriate congressional committees’’ 
means— 
(1) the congressional defense committees; 
(2) the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the 
House of Representatives; and 
(3) the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate. 
SEC. 1610. CONSOLIDATION OF ACQUISITION OF WIDEBAND SATELLITE 
COMMUNICATIONS. 
(a) PLAN.— 
(1) CONSOLIDATION.—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 plan 
for the consolidation, during the one-year period beginning 
on the date on which the plan is submitted, of the acquisition 
of wideband satellite communications necessary to meet the 
requirements of the Department of Defense for such commu-
nications, including with respect to military and commercial 
satellite communications. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The plan under paragraph (1) shall 
include— 
(A) an assessment of the management and overhead 
costs relating to the acquisition of commercial satellite 
communications services across the Department of Defense; 
(B) an estimate of— 
(i) the costs of implementing the consolidation of 
the acquisition of such services described in paragraph 
(1); and 
(ii) the projected savings of the consolidation; 
(C) the identification and designation of a single 
acquisition agent pursuant to paragraph (3)(A); and 
(D) the roles and responsibilities of officials of the 
Department, including pursuant to paragraph (3).
H. R. 1735—378 
(3) SINGLE ACQUISITION AGENT.— 
(A) Except as provided by subparagraph (B), under 
the plan under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense 
shall identify and designate a single senior official of the 
Department of Defense to procure wideband satellite 
communications necessary to meet the requirements of the 
Department of Defense for such communications, including 
with respect to military and commercial satellite commu-
nications. 
(B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), under the plan 
under paragraph (1), an official described in subparagraph 
(C) may carry out the procurement of commercial wideband 
satellite communications if the official determines that such 
procurement is required to meet an urgent need. 
(C) An official described in this subparagraph is any 
of the following: 
(i) A Secretary of a military department. 
(ii) The Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, 
Technology, and Logistics. 
(iii) The Chief Information Office of the Depart-
ment of Defense. 
(iv) A commander of a combatant command. 
(4) VALIDATION.—The Director of Cost Assessment and Pro-
gram Evaluation shall validate the assessment required by 
subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) and the estimates required 
by subparagraph (B) of such paragraph. 
(b) IMPLEMENTATION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Except as provided by paragraph (2), 
the Secretary of Defense shall complete the implementation 
of the plan under subsection (a) by not later than one year 
after the date on which the Secretary submits the plan under 
such paragraph. 
(2) WAIVER.—The Secretary may waive the implementation 
of the plan under subsection (a) if the Secretary— 
(A) determines that— 
(i) such implementation will require significant 
additional funding; or 
(ii) such waiver is in the interests of national secu-
rity; and 
(B) submits to the congressional defense committees 
notice of such waiver and the justifications for such waiver. 
SEC. 1611. ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES FOR WIDE-BAND COMMUNICA-
TIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall conduct an 
analysis of alternatives for a follow-on wide-band communications 
system to the Wideband Global SATCOM System that includes 
space, air, and ground layer communications capabilities of the 
Department of Defense. 
(b) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than March 31, 2017, the 
Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees 
a report on the analysis conducted under subsection (a). 
SEC. 1612. EXPANSION OF GOALS AND MODIFICATION OF PILOT PRO-
GRAM FOR ACQUISITION OF COMMERCIAL SATELLITE 
COMMUNICATION SERVICES. 
(a) CARRYING OUT OF PILOT PROGRAM.—Subsection (a) of sec-
tion 1605 of the Carl Levin and Howard P. ‘‘Buck’’ McKeon National