1077 
(C) concepts of operation and tactics, tech-
niques, and procedures to improve Taiwan’s 
self-defense capabilities; and 
(D) helping Taiwan to meet its needs re-
lating to energy security, cyber defense of its 
critical infrastructure, resilience of its commu-
nications systems, defense against malign influ-
ence and information operations, and stock-
piling of critical munitions and other appro-
priate defense articles. 
SEC. 1310F. INVITATION TO TAIWAN TO THE RIM OF THE 
PACIFIC EXERCISE. 
Not later than 30 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall extend 
an invitation to the naval forces of Taiwan to fully partici-
pate in the Rim of the Pacific exercise conducted in 2024. 
SEC. 1310G. REPORT ON FEASIBILITY OF PROVIDING AS-
SISTANCE TO TAIWAN IN DEVELOPING AN 
ASYMMETRIC NAVAL SELF-DEFENSE CAPA-
BILITY. 
(a) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, 
in consultation with the heads of other relevant Federal 
departments and agencies, shall submit a classified report, 
along with an unclassified summary, to the appropriate
1078 
congressional committees that contains an assessment 
of— 
(1) the feasibility of providing assistance to 
Taiwan in developing an asymmetric naval self-de-
fense capability; 
(2) whether Taiwan’s self-defense capability 
would be enhanced by small, high-speed, long-range 
(200 or more nautical miles), extreme-weather-capa-
ble, reduced-radar-signature boats with the capacity 
for launching missiles, addressing subsurface threats 
or delivering and recovering small troop units to 
coastal and littoral locations in the vicinity of the 
Taiwan Strait, and, if so, in what number and in 
what configurations; 
(3) whether existing and planned Tuo Chiang 
class catamaran-hulled corvettes are naval assets ca-
pable of contributing to an effective asymmetric 
naval self-defense strategy; and 
(4) the effectiveness of Taiwan’s existing larger- 
platform surface naval fleet, including Keelung-class 
destroyers, Cheung Kung-class frigates, Chi Yang- 
class frigates, and Kang Ding-class frigates for self- 
defense; and
1079 
(b) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMITTEES 
DEFINED.—For purposes of subsection (a), the term ‘‘ap-
propriate congressional committees’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Armed Services and the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives; and 
(2) the Committee on Armed Services and the 
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate. 
SEC. 1310H. STUDY ON DETERMINATION OF DEFENSE 
NEEDS OF TAIWAN. 
(a) STUDY.—The Secretary of Defense, in collabora-
tion with the Commander of the United States Indo-Pa-
cific Command, shall conduct a study on the defense needs 
of Taiwan and the potential loan and lease of defense arti-
cles to the Government of Taiwan. Such study shall ad-
dress the following: 
(1) An initial assessment of the defense articles 
that are appropriate for such loan or lease. 
(2) An assessment of any supply chain or other 
logistical challenges associated with the loan or lease 
of defense articles identified pursuant to paragraph 
(1). 
(3) A discussion of expected timeframes for the 
provision to the Government of Taiwan of defense
1080 
articles identified pursuant to paragraph (1), includ-
ing— 
(A) expected timelines for the delivery of 
such defense articles; and 
(B) expected timelines for the full integra-
tion of such defense articles by the military of 
Taiwan, such that the military of Taiwan is 
able to effectively use defense articles so deliv-
ered in the event of a conflict with the People’s 
Republic of China. 
(4) Such other matters as the Secretary may 
consider appropriate. 
(b) REPORT.— 
(1) SUBMISSION.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense, in collaboration with the Commander of 
the United States Indo-Pacific Command, shall sub-
mit to Congress a report containing the findings of 
the study under subsection (a). 
(2) FORM.—The report under paragraph (1) 
shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may in-
clude a classified annex. 
(c) DEFENSE ARTICLE DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘defense article’’ has the meaning given that
1081 
term in section 47 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 
U.S.C. 2794). 
SEC. 1310I. LIMITATION ON CERTAIN MAPS. 
None of the funds authorized to by appropriated by 
this Act may be used to create, procure, or display any 
map that depicts Taiwan, Kinmen, Matsu, Penghu, 
Wuciou, Green Island, or Orchid Island as part of the ter-
ritory of the People’s Republic of China. 
SEC. 1310J. LIMITATION ON FUNDS. 
None of the funds authorized to be appropriated or 
otherwise made available by this Act may be used to pro-
mote a ‘‘one country, two systems’’ solution for Taiwan. 
SEC. 1310K. LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS WITH RESPECT 
TO TAIWAN MILITARY OFFICERS. 
None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by 
this Act or otherwise made available to the Department 
of Defense may be used to forbid active duty military offi-
cers of Taiwan from wearing their uniforms during visits 
to the United States. 
SEC. 1310L. OVERSIGHT OF TAIWAN ENHANCED RESIL-
IENCE ACT. 
(a) OVERSIGHT OF TAIWAN SECURITY PROGRAMS.— 
Section 5502 of the James M. Inhofe National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117– 
263; 136 Stat. 2395; 22 U.S.C. 3351) is amended—
1082 
(1) in subsection (e)(2)(A), by inserting ‘‘not 
later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2024 and’’ before ‘‘not less than annually’’; and 
(2) in subsection (f)(2)— 
(A) in subparagraph (L), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(B) in subparagraph (M), by striking the 
period at the end and inserting a semicolon; 
and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(N) a description of actions taken to es-
tablish or expand a comprehensive training pro-
gram with Taiwan pursuant to section 5504; 
‘‘(O) a description of actions taken to es-
tablish a joint consultative mechanism with ap-
propriate officials of Taiwan, and the multi-year 
plan to provide for the acquisition of appro-
priate defensive capabilities by Taiwan, pursu-
ant to section 5506 ; and 
‘‘(P) the list compiled pursuant to section 
5507(a), and a description of actions taken pur-
suant to sections 5507(b) and 5507(c).’’. 
(b) OVERSIGHT OF REGIONAL CONTINGENCY STOCK-
PILE FOR TAIWAN.—Section 5503 of the James M. Inhofe
1083 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 
(Public Law 117–263; 136 Stat. 2395) is amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(e) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS DE-
FINED.—In subsection (d), the term ‘‘appropriate commit-
tees of Congress’’ means— 
‘‘(1) the congressional defense committees; and 
‘‘(2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Foreign Relations of the Senate.’’. 
SEC. 1310M. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON DEFENSE INTEL-
LIGENCE SHARING BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC 
OF KOREA, JAPAN, AND TAIWAN. 
It is the sense of the Congress that defense intel-
ligence sharing between the United States and the Repub-
lic of Korea, Japan, and Taiwan, is crucial for identifying 
and countering the malign activities of the People’s Re-
public of China and the Democratic People’s Republic of 
Korea, that threaten the interests of the United States, 
our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region. 
SEC. 1310N. REPORT ON DEFENSE SUPPORT FOR TAIWAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of De-
fense, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall 
submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report
1084 
containing an evaluation of the Foreign Military Sales 
(FMS) processes across all military services for the provi-
sion of defense articles, defense services, and training to 
Taiwan pursuant to the Taiwan Relations Act (22 U.S.C. 
3301 et seq.). 
(b) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—Such report shall 
contain the following: 
(1) A description of price and availability data 
with respect to the provision of defense articles, de-
fense services, and training requested by Taiwan 
during the 2-year period preceding the report. 
(2) A description of timelines from price and 
availability data requested to price and availability 
data provided to Taiwan of articles, services, and 
training described in paragraph (1), including an 
identification of the specific service lead associated 
with the provision of such articles, services, and 
training. 
(3) A description of when articles, services, and 
training described in paragraph (1) were provided to 
the Department of State for FMS authorization. 
(4) An evaluation of military training activities 
conducted with Taiwan during the 2-year period pre-
ceding the report, including—
1085 
(A) the objectives of such training activi-
ties; 
(B) funding authority, unless national 
funds were applied; and 
(C) an evaluation of the effectiveness of 
such training activities, including the strengths 
and weaknesses in Taiwan’s capacity to absorb 
the training provided. 
(5) A description of the articles, services, and 
training described in paragraph (1) planned to be 
provided to Taiwan during the 1-year period after 
the period covered by the report. 
(6) A description of the timeframe from De-
partment of State authorization to Taiwan signature 
on the Letter of Offer and Acceptance of articles, 
services, and training described in paragraph (1) 
and information on delays in concluding a Letter of 
Offer and Acceptance. 
(7) A description of timelines the Department 
of Defense took to work with United States industry 
in entering into contracts associated articles, serv-
ices, and training described in paragraph (1), includ-
ing a description of the average timeframes for Let-
ters of Offer and Acceptance.
1086 
(8) A description of the timeliness of Depart-
ment of Defense components’ reporting of deliveries 
articles, services, and training described in para-
graph (1). 
(c) FORM.—The report required by subsection (a) 
may include a classified annex. 
(d) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate commit-
tees of Congress’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Armed Services and the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives; and 
(2) the Committee on Armed Services and the 
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate. 
Subtitle B—Matters Relating to 
China 
SEC. 1311. MODIFICATIONS TO PUBLIC REPORTING OF CHI-
NESE MILITARY COMPANIES OPERATING IN 
THE UNITED STATES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (c) of section 1260H 
of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (10 U.S.C. 113 note) 
is amended by adding at the end the following sentence: 
‘‘The Secretary of Defense shall also consider information 
related to a Chinese military company operating directly
1087 
or indirectly in the United States or any of its territories 
and possessions that is provided jointly by the chair and 
ranking member of any of the congressional defense com-
mittees in making such determinations.’’. 
(b) INCLUSION
IN ANNUAL REPORT.—Subsection 
(b)(1) of such section 1260H is amended— 
(1) by striking the period at the end and insert-
ing a semicolon; 
(2) by striking ‘‘as applicable, an explanation’’ 
and inserting the following: ‘‘as applicable— 
‘‘(A) an explanation’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(B) an identification of each entity in-
cluded in the list pursuant to information pro-
vided by the chair and ranking member of a 
congressional defense committee and considered 
in accordance with subsection (c); and 
‘‘(C) with respect to each entity considered 
for inclusion in the list pursuant to such infor-
mation, and with respect to which the Secretary 
of Defense determined that the entity did not 
meet the criteria for inclusion, a justification 
for such determination.’’.
1088 
SEC. 1312. MODIFICATION TO ANNUAL REPORT ON MILI-
TARY AND SECURITY DEVELOPMENTS IN-
VOLVING 
THE 
PEOPLE’S 
REPUBLIC 
OF 
CHINA. 
Section 1202(b)(3)(C) of the National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (10 U.S.C. 113 note) 
is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(C) Relations between— 
‘‘(i) the People’s Republic of China 
and the Russian Federation, including les-
sons learned by the People’s Republic of 
China from the Russian Federation, with 
respect to security and military matters, 
including— 
‘‘(I) China’s support for Russia’s 
invasion of Ukraine; and 
‘‘(II) any arms or related mate-
riel, or dual-use goods, services, or 
technology that China sells or other-
wise exports to the Russian Federa-
tion for use in weapons systems in 
Ukraine; and 
‘‘(ii) the People’s Republic of China 
and Iran, with respect to security and mili-
tary matters.’’.
1089 
SEC. 1313. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS FOR WORK 
PERFORMED BY ECOHEALTH ALLIANCE, INC., 
IN CHINA ON RESEARCH SUPPORTED BY THE 
GOVERNMENT OF CHINA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided under sub-
section (b), none of the funds authorized to be appro-
priated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal 
year 2024 for the Department of Defense may be used 
to fund any work to be performed by EcoHealth Alliance, 
Inc., in China on research supported by the government 
of China, including to provide any grants for such pur-
pose. 
(b) WAIVER.—The Secretary of Defense may waive 
the prohibition under subsection (a) if the Secretary deter-
mines that such a waiver is in the national security inter-
ests of the United States and, not later than 14 days after 
granting such a waiver, submits to the congressional de-
fense committees and the Committee on Energy and Com-
merce of the House of Representatives a detailed justifica-
tion for the waiver, including— 
(1) an identification of the Department of De-
fense entity obligating or expending the funds; 
(2) an identification of the amount of such 
funds; 
(3) an identification of the intended purpose of 
such funds;
1090 
(4) an identification of the recipient or prospec-
tive recipient of such funds (including any third- 
party entity recipient, as applicable); 
(5) an explanation for how the waiver is in the 
national security interests of the United States; and 
(6) any other information the Secretary deter-
mines appropriate. 
SEC. 1314. STUDY AND REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF 
NAVAL BLOCKADES OF SHIPMENTS OF FOS-
SIL FUELS TO CHINA IN EVENT OF ARMED 
CONFLICT. 
(a) STUDY AND REPORT.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense shall submit to Congress a report that contains 
the findings of a study on the feasibility of implementing 
one or more naval blockades of shipments of fossil fuels 
to China in the event of an armed conflict between the 
United States and China. Such report shall include— 
(1) a description of— 
(A) the requirements for such a blockade 
to effectively block such shipments; 
(B) methods China could use to ship fossil 
fuels using air and land routes after such a 
blockade is implemented; and
1091 
(C) for each waterway specified in clauses 
(i) through (iv) of paragraph (2)(A), how such 
a blockade would be implemented in such wa-
terway; and 
(2) an assessment of— 
(A) the suitability of strategic waterways 
in the proximity of China as a location for such 
a blockade, including— 
(i) the Strait of Malacca; 
(ii) the Taiwan Strait; 
(iii) the Sunda Strait; 
(iv) the South China Sea; and 
(v) the East China Sea; and 
(B) the capability of China to satisfy needs 
for fossil fuels in China after such a blockade 
is implemented through methods that include— 
(i) the use of existing stockpiles of 
fossil fuels; 
(ii) the rationing of fossil fuels; and 
(iii) the reliance on existing or 
planned cross-border oil and gas pipelines 
to ship fossil fuels. 
(b) FORM.—The report required under subsection (a) 
shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include 
a classified annex.
1092 
SEC. 1315. INDEPENDENT STUDY ON DEFENSE BUDGET OF 
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA. 
(a) INDEPENDENT STUDY REQUIRED.—Not later 
than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Defense shall seek to enter into an agree-
ment with an entity independent of the Department of De-
fense under which such entity shall conduct a study of 
the defense budget of the People’s Republic of China. 
(b) ESTIMATE.—The independent study conducted 
under subsection (a) shall include an estimate, based on 
open-source intelligence, of the amount of defense spend-
ing of the People’s Republic of China. Such estimate 
shall— 
(1) be generated in a methodologically sound 
way that— 
(A) avoids reliance on the aggregate spend-
ing amounts announced annually by the Peo-
ple’s Republic of China; and 
(B) employs the most accurate available 
purchasing power parity exchange rates; 
(2) be presented in a form that may be com-
pared against the defense spending of the United 
States; 
(3) exclude any spending related to veterans’ 
benefits; and
1093 
(4) include an estimate of the amounts of de-
fense spending of the People’s Republic of China 
disaggregated by functional defense categories of 
spending, including— 
(A) procurement from domestic and for-
eign sources; 
(B) operations and maintenance; 
(C) pay and benefits; 
(D) military construction; and 
(E) research, development, test, and eval-
uation. 
(c) ADDITIONAL ESTIMATE
ON OMITTED SPEND-
ING.—The independent study conducted under subsection 
(a) shall include, in addition to the estimate under sub-
section (b), an estimate the magnitude of omitted spend-
ing from the official People’s Republic of China defense 
budget information. 
(d) SUBMISSION TO SECRETARY OF DEFENSE.— 
(1) SUBMISSION.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the entity that 
conducts the study under subsection (a) shall submit 
to the Secretary of Defense a report containing the 
findings of such study.
1094 
(2) FORM.—The report under paragraph (1) 
shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may in-
clude a classified annex. 
(e) SUBMISSION TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 30 
days after the date on which the Secretary receives the 
report under subsection (d), the Secretary shall submit to 
the congressional defense committees such report (without 
change), together with any comments of the Secretary 
with respect to such report. 
SEC. 1316. DETERMINATION ON INVOLVEMENT OF THE PRC 
IN THE MEXICAN FENTANYL TRADE. 
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall certify to the 
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the 
House of Representatives whether officials in the Govern-
ment of the People’s Republic of China assisted in, or ap-
proved with knowledge of the recipient, the transportation 
of pill presses, fentanyl products, or fentanyl precursors 
to 1 or more Mexican drug cartels. 
SEC. 1317. INCLUSION OF INFORMATION ON EMERGING 
TECHNOLOGICAL 
DEVELOPMENTS 
IN 
AN-
NUAL CHINA MILITARY POWER REPORT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—As part of each annual report 
submitted under section 1202 of the National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (Public Law 106–
1095 
65; 10 U.S.C. 113 note)(commonly referred to as the 
‘‘China Military Power report’’), the Secretary of Defense, 
in consultation with the heads of such other Federal de-
partments and agencies as the Secretary of Defense may 
determine appropriate, shall include a component on 
emerging technological developments involving the Peo-
ple’s Republic of China. 
(b) MATTERS.—Each report component referred to 
in subsection (a) shall include an identification and assess-
ment of at least five fields of critical or emerging tech-
nologies in which the People’s Liberation Army is in-
vested, or for which there are Military-Civil Fusion Devel-
opment Strategy programs of the People’s Republic of 
China, including the following: 
(1) A brief summary of each such identified 
field and its relevance to the military power and na-
tional security of the People’s Republic of China. 
(2) The implications for the national security of 
the United States as a result of the leadership or 
dominance by the People’s Republic of China in each 
such identified field and associated supply chains. 
(3) The identification of at least 10 entities 
domiciled in, controlled by, or directed by the Peo-
ple’s Republic of China (including any subsidiaries 
of such entity), involved in each such identified field,
1096 
and an assessment of, with respect to each such en-
tity, the following: 
(A) Whether the entity has procured com-
ponents from any known United States sup-
pliers. 
(B) Whether any United States technology 
imported by the entity is controlled under 
United States regulations. 
(C) Whether United States capital is in-
vested in the entity, either through known di-
rect investment or passive investment flows. 
(D) Whether the entity has any connection 
to the People’s Liberation Army, the Military- 
Civil Fusion program of the People’s Republic 
of China, or any other state-sponsored initia-
tives of the People’s Republic of China to sup-
port the development of national champions. 
(c) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate congres-
sional committees’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Armed Services of the 
House of Representatives; and 
(2) the Committee on Armed Services of the 
Senate.
1097 
SEC. 1318. REPORT ON RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE PRC 
AND IRAN. 
Section 1202(b) of the National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (10 U.S.C. 113 note) is 
amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraph (14) as para-
graph (15); and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (13) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(14) Developments on the burgeoning relation-
ship between the People’s Republic of China and the 
Islamic Republic of Iran.’’. 
SEC. 1319. REPORT ON MILITARY ACTIVITIES OF THE RUS-
SIAN FEDERATION AND THE PEOPLE’S RE-
PUBLIC OF CHINA IN THE ARCTIC REGION. 
Section 1238 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116–92) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (a), in the matter preceding 
paragraph (1) by striking ‘‘this Act’’ and inserting 
‘‘the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2024’’; 
(2) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(4) A description of the two countries’ growing 
cooperation, since the Russian Federation’s full-scale
1098 
invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, is being 
implemented in the Arctic region. 
‘‘(5) A description of how the Russian Federa-
tion’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 
2022, including the implementation of U.S. and al-
lied sanctions and potential diversion of Russian re-
sources to the war effort, has impacted the Russian 
Federation’s posture, activity and policy in the Arc-
tic region. 
‘‘(6) A description of how the Russian Federa-
tion’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 
2022, including the implementation of U.S. and al-
lied sanctions on the Russian Federation, has im-
pacted the People’s Republic of China’s posture, ac-
tivity and policy in the Arctic region. 
‘‘(7) A description of how the United States 
and its allies in the Arctic region have adjusted their 
posture in response to any changes by the Russian 
Federation since the beginning of the Russian Fed-
eration’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 
24, 2022.’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(e) ARCTIC REGION DEFINED.—In this section, the 
term ‘Arctic region’ has the meaning given the term ‘Arc-
1099 
tic’ in the Arctic Research and Policy Act (ARPA) of 1984 
(Public Law 98–373).’’. 
SEC. 1320. REPORT ON ACTIVITY OF THE PEOPLE’S LIBERA-
TION 
ARMY, 
THE 
CHINESE 
COMMUNIST 
PARTY AND GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE’S 
REPUBLIC OF CHINA IN CAMBODIA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall sub-
mit to the congressional committees specified in subsection 
(c) a report assessing— 
(1) the involvement of the Government of the 
People’s Republic of China (PRC), the Chinese 
Communist Party (CCP) or the People’s Liberation 
Army (PLA) (used herewith to include the People’s 
Liberation Army Navy) in upgrading existing facili-
ties or constructing new facilities at Ream Naval 
Base and Dara Sakor Airport in Cambodia; 
(2) any actual or projected benefits, including 
any enhancement of the power projection capabilities 
of the PLA, that the Government of the PRC, the 
CCP or the PLA may accrue as a result of such up-
grades or construction; 
(3) the impact that the presence of the PLA in 
Cambodia may have on the interests, allies, and 
partners of the United States in the region;
1100 
(4) any efforts undertaken by the United States 
Government to convey to the Government of Cam-
bodia the concerns relating to the presence of the 
PLA and the Government of the PRC in Cambodia 
and the impact that presence could have on security 
in the South China Sea and the Indo-Pacific region 
more broadly and on adherence to the Constitution 
of Cambodia; 
(5) the impact the presence of the PLA in 
Cambodia, as well as closer government-to-govern-
ment ties between Cambodia and the Government of 
the PRC, including through investments under the 
Belt and Road Initiative, has had on the deteriora-
tion of democracy and human rights inside Cam-
bodia; 
(6) any party-to-party training, coordination or 
other links between the CCP and the Cambodian 
People’s Party; and 
(7) any other ongoing activities by the PLA or 
any other security services of the Government of the 
PRC in Cambodia. 
(b) FORM.—The report required by subsection (a) 
shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include 
a classified annex.
1101 
(c) CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES SPECIFIED.—The 
congressional committees specified in this subsection 
are— 
(1) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the 
Committee on Armed Services, and the Select Com-
mittee on Intelligence of the Senate; and 
(2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the 
Committee on Armed Services, and the Permanent 
Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of 
Representatives. 
SEC. 1321. REPORT ON CHINESE PRESENCE IN AFRICA. 
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the 
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the 
House of Representatives a report on the threat posed by 
the People’s Republic of China with respect to— 
(1) China’s commercial sea lines of communica-
tion, particularly those linking China to the African 
Atlantic ports; 
(2) increasing Chinese military presence on the 
African continent; 
(3) displacing United States influence in the 
Southern Atlantic; and 
(4) asserting China’s status as gaining influ-
ence and threats posed to strategic maritime routes.
1102 
TITLE XIV—OTHER 
AUTHORIZATIONS 
Subtitle A—Military Programs 
SEC. 1401. WORKING CAPITAL FUNDS. 
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for 
fiscal year 2024 for the use of the Armed Forces and other 
activities and agencies of the Department of Defense for 
providing capital for working capital and revolving funds, 
as specified in the funding table in section 4501. 
SEC. 1402. CHEMICAL AGENTS AND MUNITIONS DESTRUC-
TION, DEFENSE. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Funds 
are hereby authorized to be appropriated for the Depart-
ment of Defense for fiscal year 2024 for expenses, not oth-
erwise provided for, for Chemical Agents and Munitions 
Destruction, Defense, as specified in the funding table in 
section 4501. 
(b) USE.—Amounts authorized to be appropriated 
under subsection (a) are authorized for— 
(1) the destruction of lethal chemical agents 
and munitions in accordance with section 1412 of 
the Department of Defense Authorization Act, 1986 
(50 U.S.C. 1521); and
1103 
(2) the destruction of chemical warfare materiel 
of the United States that is not covered by section 
1412 of such Act. 
SEC. 1403. DRUG INTERDICTION AND COUNTER-DRUG AC-
TIVITIES, DEFENSE-WIDE. 
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for 
the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2024 for ex-
penses, not otherwise provided for, for Drug Interdiction 
and Counter-Drug Activities, Defense-wide, as specified in 
the funding table in section 4501. 
SEC. 1404. DEFENSE INSPECTOR GENERAL. 
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for 
the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2024 for ex-
penses, not otherwise provided for, for the Office of the 
Inspector General of the Department of Defense, as speci-
fied in the funding table in section 4501. 
SEC. 1405. DEFENSE HEALTH PROGRAM. 
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for 
fiscal year 2024 for the Defense Health Program for use 
of the Armed Forces and other activities and agencies of 
the Department of Defense for providing for the health 
of eligible beneficiaries, as specified in the funding table 
in section 4501.
1104 
Subtitle B—Other Matters 
SEC. 1411. EXPANSION OF NATIONAL DEFENSE STOCKPILE 
REQUIREMENTS FOR ERA OF GREAT POWER 
COMPETITION. 
(a) DECLARATION OF PURPOSES.—Section 2 of the 
Strategic and Critical Materials Stock Piling Act (50 
U.S.C. 98a) is amended by adding at the end the following 
new subsection: 
‘‘(d) The quantities of strategic and critical materials 
stockpiled under this Act should be sufficient— 
‘‘(1) during the period beginning on January 1, 
2025, and ending on December 31, 2027, to meet 
the national defense needs of the United States for 
a period of not less than two years during a national 
emergency necessitating the total mobilization of the 
economy of the United States for a sustained con-
ventional global war of indefinite duration; and 
‘‘(2) on and after January 1, 2028, to meet the 
national defense needs of the United States, for a 
period of not less than three years during a national 
emergency described in paragraph (1).’’. 
(b) NATIONAL
EMERGENCY
PLANNING
ASSUMP-
TIONS.—Section 14(b) of the Strategic and Critical Mate-
rials Stock Piling Act (50 U.S.C. 98h–5(b)) is amended—
1105 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through 
(7) as subparagraphs (A) through (G), respectively; 
(2) by designating the matter preceding sub-
paragraph (A), as redesignated by paragraph (1), as 
paragraph (1); 
(3) in paragraph (1), as designated by para-
graph (2), by striking the second sentence; and 
(4) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), the Sec-
retary shall base the national emergency planning 
assumptions on— 
‘‘(A) during the period beginning on Janu-
ary 1, 2025, and ending on December 31, 2027, 
a military conflict scenario requiring the total 
mobilization of the economy of the United 
States for a sustained conventional global war 
for a period of not less than two years; and 
‘‘(B) on and after January 1, 2028, a mili-
tary conflict scenario requiring the total mobili-
zation of the economy of the United States for 
a sustained conventional global war for a period 
of not less than three years.’’.
1106 
SEC. 1412. MEMBERSHIP OF COAST GUARD ON STRATEGIC 
MATERIALS PROTECTION BOARD. 
Section 10(b) of the Strategic and Critical Materials 
Stock Piling Act (50 U.S.C. 98h-1(b)) is amended by add-
ing at the end the following: 
‘‘(6) A senior official of the Coast Guard, as 
designated by the Secretary of the agency or depart-
ment in which the Coast Guard operates, only with 
respect to matters of the Board relating to the Coast 
Guard.’’. 
SEC. 1413. AUTHORITY FOR TRANSFER OF FUNDS TO JOINT 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE-DEPARTMENT OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL FACILITY DEM-
ONSTRATION FUND FOR CAPTAIN JAMES A. 
LOVELL HEALTH CARE CENTER, ILLINOIS. 
(a) AUTHORITY FOR TRANSFER OF FUNDS.—Of the 
funds authorized to be appropriated for section 1405 and 
available for the Defense Health Program for operation 
and maintenance, $172,000,000 may be transferred by the 
Secretary of Defense to the Joint Department of Defense– 
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Dem-
onstration Fund established by subsection (a)(1) of sec-
tion 1704 of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2010 (Public Law 111–84; 123 Stat. 2571). 
For purposes of subsection (a)(2) of such section 1704, 
any funds so transferred shall be treated as amounts au-
1107 
thorized and appropriated specifically for the purpose of 
such a transfer. 
(b) USE OF TRANSFERRED FUNDS.—For the pur-
poses of subsection (b) of such section 1704, facility oper-
ations for which funds transferred under subsection (a) 
may be used are operations of the Captain James A. 
Lovell Federal Health Care Center, consisting of the 
North Chicago Veterans Affairs Medical Center, the Navy 
Ambulatory Care Center, and supporting facilities des-
ignated as a combined Federal medical facility under an 
operational agreement covered by section 706 of the Dun-
can Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2009 (Public Law 110–417; 122 Stat. 4500). 
SEC. 1414. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR 
ARMED FORCES RETIREMENT HOME. 
There is hereby authorized to be appropriated for fis-
cal year 2024 from the Armed Forces Retirement Home 
Trust Fund the sum of $77,000,000 of which— 
(1) $68,060,000 is for operating expenses; and 
(2) $8,940,000 is for capital maintenance and 
construction. 
SEC. 1415. CRITICAL MINERAL INDEPENDENCE. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
1108 
(1) 
APPROPRIATE
COMMITTEES
OF
CON-
GRESS.—The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Con-
gress’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Armed Services of 
the Senate; and 
(B) the Committee on Armed Services of 
the House of Representatives. 
(2) COVERED
COUNTRY.—The term ‘‘covered 
country’’ means— 
(A) a covered nation (as defined in section 
4872(d) of title 10, United States Code); and 
(B) any other country determined by the 
Secretary of Defense to be a geostrategic com-
petitor or adversary of the United States for 
purposes of this section. 
(3) CRITICAL
MINERAL.—The term ‘‘critical 
mineral’’ means a critical mineral (as defined in sec-
tion 7002(a) of the Energy Act of 2020 (30 U.S.C. 
1606(a))) that the Secretary of Defense determines 
to be important to the national security of the 
United States for purposes of this section. 
(4) SHORTFALL MATERIAL.—The term ‘‘short-
fall material’’ means materials determined to be in 
shortfall in the most recent report on stockpile re-
quirements submitted to Congress under subsection
1109 
(a) of section 14 of the Strategic and Critical Mate-
rials Stock Piling Act (50 U.S.C. 98h–5) and in-
cluded in the most recent briefing required by sub-
section (f) of such section. 
(b) STATEMENT OF POLICY.—It is the policy of the 
United States— 
(1) to expand mining and processing of critical 
minerals, including rare earth elements, in the 
United States and in countries that are allies or 
partners of the United States to meet the needs of 
the United States defense sector so that the Depart-
ment of Defense will achieve critical mineral supply 
chain independence from covered countries, includ-
ing the People’s Republic of China, the Russian 
Federation, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the 
Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea; and 
(2) that the Department of Defense will pro-
cure critical minerals and products made using sup-
ply chains involving critical minerals that are not 
mined or processed in or by covered countries. 
(c) STRATEGY TO ACHIEVE CRITICAL MINERAL SUP-
PLY CHAIN INDEPENDENCE FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF 
DEFENSE.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
1110 
Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and 
Sustainment shall submit to the appropriate commit-
tees of Congress a strategy to develop supply chains 
for the Department of Defense that are not depend-
ent on mining or processing of critical minerals in 
or by covered countries, in order to achieve critical 
mineral supply chain independence from covered 
countries for the Department by 2035. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The strategy required by 
paragraph (1) shall— 
(A) 
identify 
and 
assess 
significant 
vulnerabilities in the supply chains of contrac-
tors and subcontractors of the Department of 
Defense involving critical minerals that are 
mined or processed in or by covered countries; 
(B) identify and recommend changes to 
the acquisition laws, regulations, and policies of 
the Department of Defense to ensure contrac-
tors and subcontractors of the Department use 
supply chains involving critical minerals that 
are not mined or processed in or by covered 
countries to the greatest extent practicable; 
(C) evaluate the utility and desirability of 
leveraging the process for acquiring shortfall 
materials for the National Defense Stockpile
1111 
under the Strategic and Critical Materials 
Stock Piling Act (50 U.S.C. 98 et seq.) to 
strengthen mining and processing capacity for 
critical minerals in the United States and in 
countries that are allies or partners of the 
United States; 
(D) identify areas of potential engagement 
and partnership with the governments of coun-
tries that are allies or partners of the United 
States to jointly reduce dependence on critical 
minerals mined or processed in or by covered 
countries; 
(E) identify and recommend other policy 
changes that may be needed to achieve critical 
mineral supply chain independence from cov-
ered countries for the Department; 
(F) identify and recommend measures to 
streamline authorities and policies with respect 
to critical minerals and supply chains for crit-
ical minerals; and 
(G) prioritize the recommendations made 
in the strategy to achieve critical mineral supply 
chain independence from covered countries for 
the Department, taking into consideration eco-
nomic costs and varying degrees of vulnerability
1112 
posed to the national security of the United 
States by reliance on different types of critical 
minerals. 
(3) FORM
OF
STRATEGY.—The strategy re-
quired by paragraph (1) shall be submitted in classi-
fied form but shall include an unclassified summary. 
TITLE XV—CYBERSPACE- 
RELATED MATTERS 
Subtitle A—Cyber Matters 
SEC. 1501. HARMONIZATION AND CLARIFICATION OF STRA-
TEGIC CYBERSECURITY PROGRAM AND RE-
LATED MATTERS. 
(a) HARMONIZATION AND CLARIFICATION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Chapter 19 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after 
section 391a the following new section: 
‘‘§ 391b. Strategic Cybersecurity Program 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—(1) There is a program to be 
known as the ‘Strategic Cybersecurity Program’ (in this 
section referred to as the ‘Program’) to ensure the ability 
of the Department of Defense to conduct the most critical 
military missions of the Department. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary of Defense shall designate a prin-
cipal staff assistant from within the Office of the Sec-
retary of Defense whose office shall serve as the office of
1113 
primary responsibility for the Program, providing policy, 
direction, and oversight regarding the execution of the re-
sponsibilities of the program manager selected pursuant 
to subsection (c)(1). 
‘‘(b) MEMBERSHIP.—In addition to the office of pri-
mary responsibility for the Program under subsection 
(a)(2) and the program manager selected pursuant to sub-
section (c)(1), membership in the Program shall include 
the following: 
‘‘(1) The Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of 
Staff. 
‘‘(2) The Commanders of the United States 
Cyber Command, United States European Com-
mand, United States Indo-Pacific Command, United 
States Northern Command, United States Strategic 
Command, United States Space Command, United 
States Transportation Command. 
‘‘(3) The Under Secretary of Defense for Ac-
quisition and Sustainment. 
‘‘(4) The Under Secretary of Defense for Pol-
icy. 
‘‘(5) The Chief Information Officer of the De-
partment of Defense. 
‘‘(6) The chief information officers of the mili-
tary departments.
1114 
‘‘(7) The Principal Cyber Advisor of the De-
partment of Defense. 
‘‘(8) The Principal Cyber Advisors of the mili-
tary departments. 
‘‘(9) Each senior official identified pursuant to 
subsection (i) of section 1647 of the National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (Pub-
lic Law 114–92; 129 Stat. 1118). 
‘‘(c) PROGRAM OFFICE.—(1) There is in the Cyberse-
curity Directorate of the National Security Agency a pro-
gram office to support the Program by identifying threats 
to, vulnerabilities in, and remediations for, the missions 
and mission elements specified in subsection (d)(1). Such 
program office shall be headed by a program manager se-
lected by the Director of the National Security Agency. 
‘‘(2) The Chief Information Officer of the Depart-
ment of Defense, in exercising authority, direction, and 
control over the Cybersecurity Directorate of the National 
Security Agency, shall ensure that the program office 
under paragraph (1) is responsive to the requirements and 
direction of the program manager selected pursuant to 
such paragraph. 
‘‘(3) The Secretary may augment the personnel as-
signed to the program office under paragraph (1) by as-
signing personnel as appropriate from among members of
1115 
any covered armed force (including the reserve compo-
nents thereof), civilian employees of the Department of 
Defense (including the Defense Intelligence Agency), and 
personnel of the research laboratories of the Department 
of Defense, who have particular expertise in the areas of 
responsibility referred to in subsection (d). 
‘‘(d) DESIGNATION OF MISSION ELEMENTS OF PRO-
GRAM.—(1) The Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, 
the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and 
Sustainment, and the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs 
of Staff shall identify and designate for inclusion in the 
Program all of the systems, critical infrastructure, kill 
chains, and processes, including systems and components 
in development, that comprise the following military mis-
sions of the Department of Defense: 
‘‘(A) Nuclear deterrence and strike. 
‘‘(B) Select long-range conventional strike mis-
sions germane to the warfighting plans of the United 
States European Command and the United States 
Indo-Pacific Command. 
‘‘(C) Offensive cyber operations. 
‘‘(D) Homeland missile defense. 
‘‘(2) The Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 
shall coordinate the identification and prioritization of the 
missions and mission components, and the development
1116 
and approval of requirements relating to the cybersecurity 
of the missions and mission components, of the Program. 
‘‘(e) ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF HEAD OF 
OFFICE OF PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY.—In addition to 
providing policy, direction, and oversight as specified in 
subsection (a)(2), the head of the office of primary respon-
sibility for the Program designated under such subsection 
shall be responsible for overseeing and providing direction 
on any covered statutory requirement that is ongoing, re-
current (including on an annual basis), or unfulfilled, in-
cluding by— 
‘‘(1) reviewing any materials required to be 
submitted to Congress under the covered statutory 
requirement prior to such submission; and 
‘‘(2) ensuring such submissions occur by the 
applicable deadline under the covered statutory re-
quirement. 
‘‘(f) RESPONSIBILITIES OF PROGRAM MANAGER.— 
The program manager selected pursuant to subsection 
(c)(1) shall be responsible for the following: 
‘‘(1) Conducting end-to-end vulnerability assess-
ments of the missions of the Program and the con-
stituent systems, infrastructure, kill chains, and 
processes thereof.
1117 
‘‘(2) Prioritizing and facilitating the remedi-
ation of identified vulnerabilities in such constituent 
systems, infrastructure, kill chains, and processes. 
‘‘(3) Conducting, prior to the Milestone B ap-
proval for any proposed such system or infrastruc-
ture germane to the missions of the Program, appro-
priate reviews of the acquisition and system engi-
neering plans for that proposed system or infrastruc-
ture, in accordance with the policy and guidance of 
the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and 
Sustainment regarding the components of such re-
views and the range of systems and infrastructure to 
be reviewed. 
‘‘(4) Advising the Secretaries of the military de-
partments, the commanders of the combatant com-
mands, and the Joint Staff on the vulnerabilities 
and cyberattack vectors that pose substantial risk to 
the missions of the Program and their constituent 
systems, critical infrastructure, kill chains, or proc-
esses. 
‘‘(5) Ensuring that the Program builds upon 
(including through the provision of oversight and di-
rection by the head of the office of primary responsi-
bility for the Program pursuant to subsection (e), as 
applicable), and does not duplicate, other efforts of
1118 
the Department of Defense relating to cybersecurity, 
including the following: 
‘‘(A) The evaluation of cyber vulnerabilities 
of major weapon systems of the Department of 
Defense required under section 1647 of the Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2016 (Public Law 114–92; 129 Stat. 
1118). 
‘‘(B) 
The 
evaluation 
of 
cyber 
vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure of the 
Department of Defense required under section 
1650 of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 10 
U.S.C. 2224 note). 
‘‘(C) The activities of the cyber protection 
teams of the Department of Defense. 
‘‘(g) RESPONSIBILITIES
OF SECRETARY
OF DE-
FENSE.—The Secretary of Defense shall define and issue 
guidance on the roles and responsibilities for components 
of the Department of Defense other than those specified 
in this section with respect to the Program, including— 
‘‘(1) the roles and responsibilities of the acqui-
sition and sustainment organizations of the military 
departments in supporting and implementing reme-
dial actions;
1119 
‘‘(2) the alignment of Cyber Protection Teams 
with the prioritized missions of the Program; 
‘‘(3) the role of the Director of Operational 
Test and Evaluation in conducting periodic assess-
ments, including through red teams, of the cyberse-
curity of missions in the Program; and 
‘‘(4) the role of the Principal Cyber Adviser in 
coordinating and monitoring the execution of the 
Program. 
‘‘(h) ANNUAL REPORTING.—Not later than Decem-
ber 31 of each year, the head of the office of primary re-
sponsibility for the Program, in coordination with the ap-
propriate members of the Program under subsection (b), 
shall submit to the congressional defense committees an 
annual report on the efforts carried out pursuant to this 
section or any covered provision of law, including with re-
spect to such efforts concerning— 
‘‘(1) the evaluation of cyber vulnerabilities of 
each major weapon system of the Department of De-
fense and related mitigation activities under section 
1647 of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2016 (Public Law 114–92; 129 Stat. 
1118); 
‘‘(2) the evaluation of cyber vulnerabilities of 
the critical infrastructure of the Department of De-
1120 
fense under section 1650 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 
114–328; 10 U.S.C. 2224 note); 
‘‘(3) operational technology and the mapping of 
mission-relevant terrain in cyberspace under 1505 of 
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2022 (Public Law 117–81; 10 U.S.C. 394 
note); 
‘‘(4) the assessments of the vulnerabilities to 
and mission risks presented by radio-frequency en-
abled cyber attacks with respect to the operational 
technology embedded in weapons systems, aircraft, 
ships, ground vehicles, space systems, sensors, and 
datalink networks of the Department of Defense 
under section 1559 of the National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2023; and 
‘‘(5) the work of the Program in general, in-
cluding information relating to staffing and accom-
plishments. 
‘‘(i) ANNUAL BUDGET DISPLAY.—(1) On an annual 
basis for each fiscal year, concurrently with the submission 
of the budget of the President for that fiscal year under 
section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, the head 
of the office of primary responsibility for the Program, 
in coordination with the appropriate members of the Pro-
1121 
gram under subsection (b), shall submit to the congres-
sional defense committees a consolidated budget justifica-
tion display that covers all programs and activities associ-
ated with this section and any covered provision of law, 
including with respect to the matters listed in subsection 
(h). 
‘‘(2) Each display under paragraph (1) shall be sub-
mitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified 
annex. 
‘‘(j) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘covered armed force’ means the 
Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Space 
Force. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘covered statutory requirement’ 
means a requirement under any covered provision of 
law. 
‘‘(3) The term ‘covered provision of law’ means 
the following: 
‘‘(A) Section 1647 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (Public 
Law 114–92; 129 Stat. 1118). 
‘‘(B) Section 1650 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public 
Law 114–328; 10 U.S.C. 2224 note).
1122 
‘‘(C) Section 1505 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public 
Law 117–81; 10 U.S.C. 394 note). 
‘‘(D) Section 1559 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023.’’. 
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(A) REPEAL OF DUPLICATE BRIEFING RE-
QUIREMENT.—Section 1647 of the National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 
(Public Law 114–92; 129 Stat. 1118) is 
amended— 
(i) by striking subsection (c); and 
(ii) by redesignating subsections (d) 
through (j) as subsections (c) through (i), 
respectively. 
(B) REPEAL OF ADDITIONAL DUPLICATE 
BRIEFING REQUIREMENT.—Section 1650 of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 10 U.S.C. 
2224 note) is amended— 
(i) by striking subsection (d); and 
(ii) by redesignating subsections (e) 
and (f) as subsections (d) and (e), respec-
tively.
1123 
(C) REPEAL OF DUPLICATE PROVISION RE-
LATING
TO
STRATEGIC
CYBERSECURITY
PRO-
GRAM.—Section 1640 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public 
Law 115–9; 10 U.S.C. 2224 note) is repealed. 
(D) REPEAL OF DUPLICATE BUDGET RE-
QUIREMENT.—Section 1637 of the John S. 
McCain National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 115–232; 10 
U.S.C. 221 note) is repealed. 
(E) REPEAL
OF
DUPLICATE
REPORTING 
REQUIREMENT.—Section 1505 of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 
(Public Law 117–81; 10 U.S.C. 394 note) is 
amended— 
(i) by striking subsection (h); and 
(ii) by redesignating subsections (i) 
and (j) as subsections (h) and (i), respec-
tively. 
(F) REPEAL OF ADDITIONAL DUPLICATE 
BRIEFING
REQUIREMENT; REMOVAL
OF
REF-
ERENCE
TO
REPEALED
PROVISION.—Section 
1559 of the James M. Inhofe National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 is 
amended—
1124 
(i) by striking ‘‘, section 1637 of the 
John S. McCain National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public 
Law 115–232; 10 U.S.C. 221 note),’’; and 
(ii) by striking subsection (f). 
(b) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the head of 
the office of primary responsibility for the Strategic Cy-
bersecurity Program under section 391b of title 10, 
United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall sub-
mit to the congressional defense committees a report set-
ting forth the plan of the head to harmonize and interlink 
the annual reporting and annual budget display require-
ments under subsections (h) and (i) of such section, re-
spectively, to ensure unity and a lack of duplication in 
such efforts. 
SEC. 1502. OFFICE FOR ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT RELAT-
ING TO CYBER ACTIVITIES. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Chapter 111 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 
2192b the following new section: 
‘‘§ 2192c. Office for academic engagement relating to 
cyber activities 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Defense, 
acting through the Chief Information Officer of the De-
1125 
partment of Defense, shall establish an office to establish, 
maintain, and oversee any activities of the Department of 
Defense that pertain to the relationship between the De-
partment and academia, including with entities involved 
in primary, secondary, or postsecondary education, with 
respect to cyber-related matters (in this section referred 
to as the ‘Office’). 
‘‘(b) DIRECTOR.—The Office shall have a Director 
who shall report directly to the Chief Information Officer 
of the Department of Defense. An individual serving as 
Director shall, while so serving, be a member of the Senior 
Executive Service. 
‘‘(c) RESPONSIBILITIES.—(1) The Office shall be re-
sponsible for the following: 
‘‘(A) Serving as the consolidated focal point for 
engagements carried out between the Department of 
Defense and academia with respect to cyber-related 
matters. 
‘‘(B) Coordinating covered academic engage-
ment programs for the Department of Defense. 
‘‘(C) Conducting ongoing analysis, as deter-
mined necessary by the Director, of the performance 
of cyber-related educational scholarships, camps, 
support efforts, and volunteer partnerships of the 
Department of Defense.
1126 
‘‘(D) Identifying actions the Secretary of De-
fense may take to improve the cyber skills of per-
sonnel within the Department of Defense through 
participation by such personnel in covered academic 
engagement programs, for the purposes of assisting 
the Secretary in cyber-related matters and meeting 
the long-term national defense needs of the United 
States for personnel proficient in such skills. 
‘‘(E) Managing funds and resources for the Na-
tional Centers for Academic Excellence in Cyberse-
curity program, the Department of Defense Cyber 
Scholarship Program, the National Defense Univer-
sity College of Information and Cyberspace, the Uni-
versity Consortium for Cybersecurity, and the senior 
military colleges. 
‘‘(F) Establishing requirements, policies, and 
procedures to collect data on, and to monitor and 
evaluate, the performance of covered academic en-
gagement programs with respect to the involvement 
in such programs by the Department of Defense. 
‘‘(G) Monitoring and evaluating through appli-
cable performance measurements (including those 
established pursuant to subparagraph (F)) the per-
formance of covered academic engagement programs 
with respect to the involvement in such programs by
1127 
the Department of Defense, and advising the Sec-
retary of Defense on whether to continue, modify, or 
terminate such involvement. 
‘‘(H) Making budgetary determinations, taking 
into consideration the findings of performance eval-
uations under subparagraph (G), with respect to— 
‘‘(i) the involvement in covered academic 
engagement programs by the Department of 
Defense; and 
‘‘(ii) other matters relating to the respon-
sibilities under this subsection. 
‘‘(2) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the con-
trary, the Office shall be the office of primary responsi-
bility for carrying out, among other legislative provisions, 
the following: 
‘‘(A) Section 1633 of the John S. McCain Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2019 (Public Law 115–232; 132 Stat. 2125). 
‘‘(B) Section 1640 of the John S. McCain Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2019 (Public Law 115–232; 10 U.S.C. 2200 note). 
‘‘(C) Section 1649 of the National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 
116–92; 133 Stat. 1758).
1128 
‘‘(D) Section 1659 of the National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 
116–92; 10 U.S.C. 391 note). 
‘‘(E) Section 1710 of the William M. (Mac) 
Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283; 134 Stat. 
4086). 
‘‘(F) Section 1726 of the William M. (Mac) 
Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283; 10 U.S.C. 
1599f note). 
‘‘(G) Section 1530 of the National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 
117–81; 135 Stat. 2049). 
‘‘(H) Section 1532 of the National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 
117–81; 10 U.S.C. 2191 note prec.). 
‘‘(I) Section 1505 of the National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 
117–263). 
‘‘(J) Section 1535 of the National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 
117–263). 
‘‘(d) AUTHORITY RELATING TO COMPLIANCE.—The 
Secretary of Defense shall take such steps as may be nec-
1129 
essary to ensure that the Director of the Office has suffi-
cient authority to compel and enforce compliance with any 
decisions or directives issued pursuant to the responsibil-
ities under subsection (b). 
‘‘(e) ADDITIONAL AUTHORITIES.—In carrying out 
this section, the Director of the Office may, under any 
provision of this chapter or any other provision of this title 
providing for the support of educational programs in 
cyber-related matters (and unless otherwise specified in 
such provision)— 
‘‘(1) enter into contracts and cooperative agree-
ments; 
‘‘(2) make grants of financial assistance; 
‘‘(3) provide cash awards and other items; 
‘‘(4) accept voluntary services; and 
‘‘(5) support national competition judging, 
other educational event activities, and associated 
award ceremonies in connection with covered aca-
demic engagement programs. 
‘‘(f) RELATIONSHIP
TO
OTHER
ENTITIES.—The 
Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering 
and the Secretaries concerned shall coordinate and col-
laborate with the Director of the Office on covered aca-
demic engagement programs sponsored by the Under Sec-
1130 
retary as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathe-
matics (STEM) programs and activities. 
‘‘(g) COVERED ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM 
DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘covered academic 
engagement program’ means any of the following: 
‘‘(1) A primary, secondary, or post-secondary 
educational program with a cyber focus. 
‘‘(2) A program of the Department of Defense 
for the recruitment or retention of cyberspace civil-
ian and military personnel, including scholarship 
programs. 
‘‘(3) An academic partnership focused on estab-
lishing cyber talent among the personnel referred to 
in paragraph (2).’’. 
(b) DEADLINE
FOR ESTABLISHMENT.—The Sec-
retary of Defense shall establish the office under section 
2192c of title 10, United States Code, as added by sub-
section (a), by not later than 270 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 1503. MODIFICATION TO DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
ENTERPRISE-WIDE PROCUREMENT OF CYBER 
DATA PRODUCTS AND SERVICES. 
Section 1521(a) of the National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 117–81; 10 
U.S.C. 2224 note) is amended—
1131 
(1) by redesignating paragraph (6) as para-
graph (7); 
(2) in paragraph (7), as so redesignated, by 
striking ‘‘(1) through (5)’’ and inserting ‘‘(1) 
through (6)’’; and 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (5) the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
‘‘(6) Evaluating emerging cyber technologies, 
such as artificial intelligence-enabled security tools, 
for efficacy and applicability to the requirements of 
the Department of Defense.’’. 
SEC. 
1504. 
AUTHORITY 
TO 
ESTABLISH 
PROGRAM 
OF 
UNITED STATES CYBER COMMAND ON DARK 
WEB AND DEEP WEB ANALYSIS TOOLS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commander of the United 
States Cyber Command, pursuant to the authority pro-
vided under section 167b(d) of title 10, United States 
Code, may establish within such Command a program, or 
augment an existing such program, to integrate into the 
packages of tools distributed to the combatant commands 
tools for the analysis of information from locations on the 
Internet referred to as the ‘‘dark web’’ and ‘‘deep web’’. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—Under the program established or 
augmented under subsection (a), the Commander may—
1132 
(1) develop a comprehensive and tailored ap-
proach to the use of open-source intelligence tools 
for the analysis and distribution of information col-
lected from the locations on the Internet described 
in subsection (a); 
(2) develop and validate technical requirements 
relating to such collection, analysis, and distribution, 
including with respect to data fidelity and data prov-
enance; 
(3) assess and acquire technologies to— 
(A) collect information from the locations 
specified in paragraph (1); and 
(B) analyze and, as appropriate, distribute 
such information; and 
(4) enable the cross-organizational sharing of 
such information across the Department of Defense. 
(c) ROLE OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE 
FOR CYBER POLICY.—Consistent with section 167b(d) of 
such title, the Commander shall implement this section 
subject to the authority, direction, and control of the As-
sistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy. 
SEC. 1505. MILITARY CYBERSECURITY COOPERATION WITH 
TAIWAN. 
(a) REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
1133 
Defense, acting through the Under Secretary of Defense 
for Policy, in concurrence with the Secretary of State and 
in coordination with the Commander of the United States 
Cyber Command and the Commander of the United States 
Indo-Pacific Command, shall seek to cooperate with the 
Ministry of Defense of Taiwan on defensive military cyber-
security activities. 
(b) IDENTIFICATION OF ACTIVITIES.—In cooperating 
on defensive military cybersecurity activities with the Min-
istry of Defense of Taiwan under subsection (a), the Sec-
retary of Defense may carry out efforts to identify cooper-
ative activities to— 
(1) defend military networks, infrastructure, 
and systems; 
(2) counter malicious cyber activity that has 
compromised such military networks, infrastructure, 
and systems; 
(3) leverage United States commercial and mili-
tary cybersecurity technology and services to harden 
and defend such military networks, infrastructure, 
and systems; and 
(4) conduct combined cybersecurity training ac-
tivities and exercises. 
(c) BRIEFINGS.—
1134 
(1) REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary 
of State, shall provide to the appropriate congres-
sional committees a briefing on the implementation 
of this section. 
(2) CONTENTS.—The briefing under paragraph 
(1) shall include the following: 
(A) A description of the feasibility and ad-
visability of cooperating with the Ministry of 
Defense of Taiwan on the defensive military cy-
bersecurity activities identified pursuant to sub-
section (b). 
(B) An identification of any challenges and 
resources that would be needed to addressed to 
conduct such cooperative activities. 
(C) An overview of efforts undertaken pur-
suant to this section. 
(D) Any other matters the Secretary deter-
mines relevant. 
(d) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMITTEES 
DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate con-
gressional committees’’ means—
1135 
(1) the Committee on Armed Services and the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives; and 
(2) the Committee on Armed Services and the 
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate. 
SEC. 1506. UPDATED STRATEGY OF DEPARTMENT OF DE-
FENSE RELATING TO INFORMATION ENVI-
RONMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense, in co-
ordination with the Commander of the United States Stra-
tegic Command and the Commander of the United States 
Cyber Command, shall develop a strategy that updates the 
strategy contained in the document of the Department of 
Defense titled ‘‘Joint Concept for Operating in the Infor-
mation Environment’’ and dated July 25, 2018 (in this 
section referred to as the ‘‘updated strategy’’). 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—The updated strategy shall— 
(1) build upon the document of the Department 
of Defense titled ‘‘Joint Concept for Operating in 
the Information Environment’’ and dated July 25, 
2018 and the goals outlined in the 2022 National 
Defense Strategy; 
(2) provide for each of the activities under sub-
section (c);
1136 
(3) serve as the lead document for the Joint 
Force with respect to organizing and using informa-
tion as a component of military strategy; 
(4) establish consistency in the understanding 
of, and the conduct of operations in, the information 
environment across the Armed Forces; 
(5) reflect changes in the information environ-
ment, and operations conducted in such environ-
ment, since 2018; and 
(6) categorize information operations based on 
current uses in military campaigns, to enable better 
staffing, training, and funding for specific types of 
operations in the information environment. 
(c) ELEMENTS.—The updated strategy shall include 
the following: 
(1) The designation of information as a military 
domain, for the purpose of facilitating— 
(A) improved treatment of the information 
domain within the National Defense Strategy; 
(B) more effective tasking of roles and re-
sponsibilities within each Armed Force for the 
Secretaries concerned to meet objectives in the 
information environment;
1137 
(C) improved organization, with respect to 
the use of information as a tool for military 
purposes, of— 
(i) forces across each Armed Force; 
and 
(ii) the various combatant commands. 
(2) The designation of specific categories for 
the various components of information operations as 
follows: 
(A) A category to be known as ‘‘operations 
in the information environment’’, inclusive of 
the components of information operations 
that— 
(i) support the achievement of objec-
tives at the tactical and operational levels; 
and 
(ii) through such achievements, estab-
lish information operations as a national 
component of power, by contributing to the 
hard or soft power of the United States 
(such as the military capabilities or eco-
nomic strength of the United States, re-
spectively). 
(B) A category to be known as ‘‘special in-
formation operations’’, inclusive of the compo-
1138 
nents of information operations that enable the 
Joint Force and interagency forces to address 
nontraditional problem sets, particularly with 
respect to— 
(i) operations that occur in the gray 
zone; or 
(ii) competition below the threshold of 
armed conflict. 
(C) A category to be known as ‘‘long-term 
public diplomacy’’, inclusive of the components 
of information operations that— 
(i) require synchronized themes, mes-
saging, symbols, and narratives, with long 
term organization incentive structures to 
achieve a coherent effect; 
(ii) involve an organizational structure 
that incentivizes collaboration between the 
Department of Defense and other relevant 
Federal departments and agencies; and 
(iii) prioritizes long-term public diplo-
macy. 
(3) The establishment of working definitions for 
each of the categories listed in subparagraphs (A) 
through (C) of paragraph (2), taking into consider-
1139 
ation the corresponding descriptions provided in 
such subparagraphs. 
(4) An assessment of potential means to syn-
chronize efforts between combatant commands that, 
as of the date of the enactment of this Act, offer in-
formation operations training to meet requirements 
established by the categorization of information op-
erations proposed in paragraph (2), including— 
(A) the Marine Corps Information Oper-
ations Command; 
(B) the 16th Air Force; 
(C) the Army 1st Information Operations 
Command; and 
(D) the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare 
Center and School. 
(d) INTERIM REPORT.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Serv-
ices of the House of Representatives and the Senate an 
interim report on the implementation of this section, in-
cluding— 
(1) an interim plan for the updated strategy, to 
include a proposed implementation plan and a 
framework for the future submission of quarterly 
progress reviews under subsection (e)(4).
1140 
(2) any funding requirements to implement the 
updated strategy; and 
(3) any other resources necessary to implement 
the updated strategy, as identified by the Secretary 
of Defense. 
(e) DEADLINE; FINAL REPORT.—Not later than one 
year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and, with 
respect to the matter specified in paragraph (4), on a 
quarterly basis thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall 
submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the House 
of Representatives and the Senate a report containing— 
(1) a copy of the completed updated strategy; 
(2) an implementation plan for the updated 
strategy; 
(3) an outline of an investment framework that 
identifies planning priorities and funding require-
ments to implement the updated strategy according 
to such plan; and 
(4) a progress review with respect to the status 
of the implementation of the updated strategy.
1141 
Subtitle B—Personnel 
SEC. 1521. AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT VOLUNTARY AND UN-
COMPENSATED SERVICES FROM CYBERSECU-
RITY EXPERTS. 
(a) AUTHORITY.—Section 167b(d) of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
‘‘(4) The Commander of the United States Cyber 
Command may accept voluntary and uncompensated serv-
ices from cybersecurity experts, notwithstanding the provi-
sions of section 1342 of title 31, and may delegate such 
authority to the chiefs of the armed forces.’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
Section 167b of such title, as amended by subsection (a), 
is further amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘referred 
to as the ‘cyber command’ ’’ and inserting ‘‘re-
ferred to as the ‘United States Cyber Com-
mand’ ’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘Cyber 
Command’’ and inserting ‘‘United States Cyber 
Command’’;
1142 
(2) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘Cyber Com-
mand’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘United 
States Cyber Command’’; 
(3) in subsections (c) and (d)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘cyber command’’ each 
place it appears and inserting ‘‘United States 
Cyber Command’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘commander of the’’ each 
place it appears and inserting ‘‘Commander of 
the’’; and 
(C) by striking ‘‘commander of such com-
mand’’ each place it appears and inserting 
‘‘Commander of such Command’’; and 
(4) in subsection (d)(3)(C), by striking ‘‘of the 
commander’’ and inserting ‘‘of the Commander’’. 
SEC. 1522. MATTERS RELATING TO MANAGEMENT OF 
UNITED 
STATES 
MARINE 
CORPS 
CYBER-
SPACE OPERATIONS OFFICERS. 
(a) REQUIRED SERVICE.—Section 651(c) of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘or in the 
case of an unrestricted officer designated within a 
cyberspace occupational specialty’’ before the closing 
period; and 
(2) in paragraph (2)—
1143 
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘; 
or’’ and inserting a semicolon; 
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking the 
closing period and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraph: 
‘‘(C) in the case of an unrestricted officer who 
has been designated with a cyberspace occupational 
specialty, the period of obligated service specified in 
such contract or agreement.’’. 
(b) MINIMUM SERVICE REQUIREMENT FOR CERTAIN 
CYBERSPACE OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES.—Chapter 37 
of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at 
the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 658. Minimum service requirement for certain 
cyberspace occupational specialties 
‘‘(a) CYBERSPACE OPERATIONS OFFICER.—The min-
imum service obligation for any member who successfully 
completes training in the armed forces in direct accession 
to the cyberspace operations officer occupational specialty 
of the Marine Corps shall be eight years. 
‘‘(b) SERVICE OBLIGATION DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘service obligation’ means the period of ac-
tive duty or, in the case of a member of a reserve compo-
nent who completed cyberspace operations training in an
1144 
active duty for training status as a member of a reserve 
component, the period of service in an active status in the 
Selected Reserve, required to be served after completion 
of cyberspace operations training.’’. 
SEC. 1523. MODIFICATIONS TO RATES OF PAY FOR CERTAIN 
CYBER-RELATED 
POSITIONS 
OF 
DEPART-
MENT OF DEFENSE. 
Section 1599f of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in the heading, by striking ‘‘United 
States Cyber Command’’ and inserting ‘‘De-
partment of Defense cyber’’; 
(2) in subsection (a)(1)(A), by striking ‘‘respon-
sibilities of the United States Cyber Command’’ and 
all that follows and inserting ‘‘cyber mission of the 
Department of Defense;’’; 
(3) by amending subsection (b) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(b) BASIC PAY; SPECIAL RATES OF PAY.—(1) The 
Secretary shall fix the rates of basic pay for any qualified 
position established under subsection (a) in relation to the 
rates of pay provided for employees in comparable posi-
tions in the Department.
1145 
‘‘(2)(A) Notwithstanding part III of title 5, the Sec-
retary may, for one or more categories of qualified posi-
tions that require cyber expertise— 
‘‘(i) establish higher minimum rates of pay 
than those established under paragraph (1); 
and 
‘‘(ii) make corresponding increases in all 
rates of pay of the pay range for each grade or 
level, subject to paragraph (3) or (4). 
‘‘(B) The rates of pay under subparagraph (A) 
shall be basic pay for the same purposes specified in 
section 5305(j) of title 5. 
‘‘(3) Except as provided in paragraph (4), a min-
imum rate of pay established for a category of positions 
under paragraph (2) may not exceed the maximum rate 
of basic pay (excluding any locality-based comparability 
payment under section 5304 of title 5 or similar provision 
of law) for the position in that category of positions with-
out the authority of paragraph (1) by more than 30 per-
cent, and no rate may be established under this section 
in excess of the rate of basic pay payable for level IV of 
the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5. 
‘‘(4)(A) Notwithstanding paragraph (3), the Sec-
retary may establish higher annual limitations on special
1146 
rates of pay for positions or employees selected by the Sec-
retary as follows: 
‘‘(i) With respect to a qualified position that re-
quires cyber expertise for which the Secretary deter-
mines a higher rate is necessary, a rate of pay not 
to exceed the rate of basic pay payable for level II 
of the Executive Schedule under section 5313 of title 
5. 
‘‘(ii) With respect to an individual that the Sec-
retary determines, by name, possesses advanced 
skills and competencies and performs critical func-
tions that execute the cyber mission of the Depart-
ment, a rate not to exceed the rate of basic pay pay-
able for the Vice President under section 104 of title 
3. 
‘‘(B) Employees receiving a special rate under 
subparagraph (A) shall be subject to an aggregate 
pay limitation that parallels the limitation estab-
lished in section 5307 of title 5, except that— 
‘‘(i) any allowance, differential, bonus, 
award, or other similar cash payment in addi-
tion to basic pay that is authorized under this 
title, the applicable provisions of title 5, or any 
other applicable law (excluding the Fair Labor 
Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 201 et seq.))
1147 
shall be counted as part of aggregate compensa-
tion; and 
‘‘(ii) aggregate compensation may not ex-
ceed the rate established for the Vice President 
of the United States under section 104 of title 
3. 
‘‘(C) The number of individuals who receive 
basic pay established under subparagraph (A)(ii) 
may not exceed 1000 at any time. 
‘‘(5) If the Secretary of Defense removes a category 
of positions from coverage under a rate of pay authorized 
by paragraph (2) or (4) after that rate of pay takes ef-
fect— 
‘‘(A) the Secretary of Defense shall provide no-
tice of the loss of coverage of the special rate of pay 
to each individual in such category; and 
‘‘(B) the loss of coverage will take effect on the 
first day of the first pay period after the date of the 
notice. 
‘‘(6) Subject to the limitations in this subsection, 
rates of pay established under this subsection by the Sec-
retary of Defense may be revised from time to time.’’; and 
(4) in subsection (k)(5), by striking ‘‘the re-
sponsibilities of the United States Cyber Command
1148 
relating to cyber operations’’ and inserting ‘‘the 
cyber mission of the Department of Defense’’. 
SEC. 1524. RESPONSIBILITY FOR CYBERSECURITY AND 
CRITICAL 
INFRASTRUCTURE 
PROTECTION 
OF THE DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE. 
Section 1724 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (116–283; 10 U.S.C. 2224 note) 
is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘The Sec-
retary of Defense shall designate the Principal Cyber 
Advisor of the Department of Defense’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘Not later than 30 days after the date of the en-
actment of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2024, the Secretary of Defense shall 
designate a principal staff assistant from within the 
Office of the Secretary of Defense who shall serve’’; 
(2) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 
by striking ‘‘the Principal Cyber Advisor of the 
Department of Defense’’ and inserting ‘‘the 
principal staff assistant designed under sub-
section (b)’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘Sector 
Specific Agency’’ and inserting ‘‘Sector Risk 
Management Agency’’;
1149 
(3) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘Principal 
Cyber Advisor of the Department of Defense’’ and 
inserting ‘‘principal staff assistant designated under 
subsection (b)’’; and 
(4) in subsection (e)— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 
by striking ‘‘this Act’’ and inserting ‘‘the Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2024’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘Sector 
Specific Agency functions under Presidential 
Policy Directive-21 from non-cybersecurity Sec-
tor Specific Agency functions’’ and inserting 
‘‘functions of a Sector Risk Management Agen-
cy pursuant to section 9002 of the National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (6 
U.S.C. 652a) from non-cybersecurity functions 
of a Sector Risk Management Agency’’; and 
(C) by striking paragraph (3). 
Subtitle C—Reports and Other 
Matters 
SEC. 1531. OVERSIGHT FOR COMMAND POST COMPUTING 
ENVIRONMENT CONTRACT AWARD. 
Not later than 14 days after the date on which the 
Secretary of the Army awards a contract for the procure-
1150 
ment of the ‘‘Command Post Computing Environment’’ 
program, the Secretary shall provide to the congressional 
defense committees a written notification of the award, in-
cluding an identification of the criteria used in the selec-
tion of the award recipient and any other information de-
termined necessary by the Secretary. 
SEC. 1532. PROHIBITION ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS RE-
LATING TO CENSORSHIP OR BLACKLISTING 
OF NEWS SOURCES BASED ON SUBJECTIVE 
CRITERIA OR POLITICAL BIASES. 
(a) PROHIBITION ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.— 
None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this 
Act or otherwise made available for any fiscal year for the 
Department of Defense may be obligated or expended to— 
(1) enter into any contract or other agreement 
with any entity described in subsection (b) or with 
any advertising or marketing agency that uses the 
functions described in subsection (b)(4) of such an 
entity; or 
(2) provide any form of support to an entity de-
scribed in subsection (b). 
(b) ENTITIES DESCRIBED.—The entities described in 
this subsection are the following: 
(1) NewsGuard Technologies Inc., or any com-
pany owned or controlled by such entity.
1151 
(2) The Global Disinformation Index, incor-
porated in the United Kingdom as ‘‘Disinformation 
Index LTD’’. 
(3) Graphika Technologies Inc. or any company 
owned or controlled by such entity. 
(4) Any other entity the function of which is to 
advise the censorship or blacklisting of news sources 
based on subjective criteria or political biases, under 
the stated function of ‘‘fact checking’’ or otherwise 
removing ‘‘misinformation’’. 
(c) CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT.—Prior to the 
Secretary of Defense entering into any contract or other 
agreement (or extending, renewing, or otherwise modifying 
an existing contract or other agreement) with an entity 
for the purpose of that entity implementing military re-
cruitment advertisements on behalf of the Department of 
Defense, the Secretary shall require, as a condition of such 
contract or agreement, that the entity certify to the Sec-
retary that the entity is in compliance with subsection (a). 
SEC. 1533. GAO REVIEW OF CYBERSPACE OPERATIONS 
MANAGEMENT. 
(a) REVIEW.—Not later than 150 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of 
the United States shall conduct a comprehensive review 
of the management by the Secretary of Defense of matters
1152 
relating to the conduct of, and preparation for, cyberspace 
operations. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The review under subsection (a) 
shall include an evaluation and assessment by the Comp-
troller General of the following: 
(1) The number of commands, organizations, 
units, and personnel (including an identification of 
the rank and grade thereof) responsible for con-
ducting cyberspace operations across the Depart-
ment of Defense. 
(2) The command and control relationships as-
sociated with such commands, organizations, units, 
and personnel. 
(3) The number of command staff, secretariats, 
organizations, units, and personnel (including an 
identification of the rank and grade thereof) with 
any responsibility for budgetary, personnel, policy, 
or training matters, including the management of 
such matters, affecting cyberspace operations across 
the Department of Defense. 
(4) The ratio of personnel specified in para-
graph (1) determined to be fully trained and quali-
fied, as defined by the Commander of the United 
States Cyber Command, relative to the total number 
of such personnel assigned to operational billets.
1153 
(5) The ratio of personnel specified in para-
graph (3), relative to the total number of personnel 
assigned to billets within the Cyber Mission Force of 
the United States Cyber Command. 
(6) How the ratio determined pursuant to para-
graph (5) with respect to the personnel described in 
such paragraph compares to such ratio with respect 
to personnel in other warfighting disciplines, such as 
air-to-air combat, infantry operations, or long range 
fires. 
(7) An assessment of potential duplication in 
effort or cost between the various entities specified 
in paragraph (3) with any responsibility for budg-
etary, personnel, policy, or training matters, includ-
ing the management of such matters, affecting 
cyberspace operations across the Department of De-
fense. 
(8) The extent to which there is a senior official 
of the Department of Defense who is accountable to 
the Secretary of Defense to ensure that the Depart-
ment of Defense has an effective and efficient force 
structure, and has trained and ready forces, nec-
essary to conduct cyberspace operations at all eche-
lons (including strategic, operational, and tactical 
echelons).
1154 
(9) Any other matters the Comptroller General 
determines appropriate. 
(c) COMPONENTS TO BE CONSIDERED.—In carrying 
out the review under subsection (a), the Comptroller Gen-
eral shall take into consideration, at a minimum, the fol-
lowing: 
(1) Office of the Department of Defense Prin-
cipal Cyber Advisor. 
(2) Office of the Department of Defense Chief 
Information Officer. 
(3) Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of 
Defense for Cyber Policy. 
(4) Office of the Deputy Director for Global 
Operations, J-39, Joint Staff. 
(5) Office of the Director, Command, Control, 
Communications and Computers/Cyber and Chief 
Information Officer, J-6, Joint Staff. 
(6) Office of the Department of the Army Prin-
cipal Cyber Advisor. 
(7) Office of the Army Deputy Chief of Staff, 
G-3/5/7. 
(8) Office of the Army Deputy Chief of Staff, 
G-2. 
(9) Office of the Army Deputy Chief of Staff, 
G-6.
1155 
(10) United States Army Training & Doctrine 
Command. 
(11) United States Army Cyber Command. 
(12) Office of the Department of the Navy 
Principal Cyber Advisor. 
(13) Office of the Deputy Chief of Naval Oper-
ations for Information Warfare. 
(14) United States Fleet Forces Command. 
(15) Naval Information Forces. 
(16) United States Fleet Cyber Command. 
(17) Office of the Department of the Air Force 
Principal Cyber Advisor. 
(18) Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for In-
telligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Cyber 
Effects Operations, A2/6, Air Staff. 
(19) Air Combat Command. 
(20) 16th Air Force. 
(21) Office of the United States Marine Corps 
Deputy Commandant for Information. 
(22) Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Com-
mand. 
(23) Office of the Deputy Chief of Space Oper-
ations for Operations, Cyber, and Nuclear, Space 
Staff.
1156 
(d) INTERIM BRIEFINGS.—Not later than 45 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 45 
days thereafter until the date of the final submission 
under subsection (e), the Comptroller General shall pro-
vide to the congressional defense committees interim brief-
ings on the assessment under subsection (a). 
(e) FINAL SUBMISSION OF RESULTS.—The Comp-
troller General shall submit to the congressional defense 
committees the final results of the assessment under sub-
section (a) in such form and at such time as may be mutu-
ally agreed upon by the Comptroller General and the com-
mittees. 
SEC. 1534. STUDY ON OCCUPATIONAL RESILIENCY OF 
CYBER MISSION FORCE. 
(a) STUDY.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Principal Cyber Advisor 
of the Department of Defense and the Undersecretary of 
Defense for Personnel and Readiness, in coordination with 
the principal cyber advisors of the military departments 
and the Commander of the United States Cyber Com-
mand, shall conduct a study on the personnel and re-
sources required to enhance and support the occupational 
resiliency of the Cyber Mission Force. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The study under subsection (a) 
shall include the following:
1157 
(1) An inventory of the resources and programs 
available to personnel assigned to the Cyber Mission 
Force, disaggregated by Armed Force and location. 
(2) An assessment of the risk to the occupa-
tional resiliency of such personnel relative to the re-
spective operational work role within the Cyber Mis-
sion Force (as defined by the Commander of the 
United States Cyber Command) and the number of 
such personnel available to perform operations in 
each such category of operational work role. 
(3) An evaluation of the extent to which per-
sonnel assigned to the Cyber Mission Force have 
been made aware of the resources and programs re-
ferred to in paragraph (1), and of measures required 
to improve such awareness. 
(4) A determination by the Commander of the 
United States Cyber Command regarding the ade-
quacy and accessibility of such resources and pro-
grams for personnel assigned to the Cyber Mission 
Force. 
(5) Such other matters as may be determined 
necessary by the Principal Cyber Advisor of the De-
partment of Defense and the Undersecretary of De-
fense for Personnel and Readiness.
1158 
(c) SUBMISSION TO CONGRESS.—Upon completing 
the study under subsection (a), the Principal Cyber Advi-
sor of the Department of Defense and the Undersecretary 
of Defense for Personnel and Readiness shall submit to 
the congressional defense committees a report containing 
the results of such study. 
(d) OCCUPATIONAL RESILIENCY DEFINED.—In this 
section, the term ‘‘occupational resiliency’’ means, with re-
spect to personnel assigned to the Cyber Mission Force, 
the ability of such personnel to mitigate the unique psy-
chological factors that contribute to the degradation of 
mental health and job performance under such assign-
ment. 
SEC. 1535. REPORT ON INFORMATION OPERATIONS CAPA-
BILITIES OF RUSSIA. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the Con-
gress that the effectiveness of the information operations 
capabilities of Russia poses a threat not only to the oper-
ations of the United States, but to those of the allies and 
partners of the United States. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in co-
ordination with the Secretary of State and the Director 
of National Intelligence, shall submit to the appropriate
1159 
congressional committees a report containing the fol-
lowing: 
(1) An assessment of the information oper-
ations capabilities of Russia, including attributable, 
non-attributable, and deliberately misleading sources 
in and related to Ukraine. 
(2) An assessment of the efforts taken by the 
Secretary of Defense, and by the information oper-
ations components of the armed forces of partners 
and allies of the United States, to target and other-
wise coordinate efforts against Russian military in-
formation operations. 
(c) FORM.—The report under subsection (b) shall be 
submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classi-
fied annex. 
(d) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMITTEES 
DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate con-
gressional committees’’ means— 
(1) the congressional defense committees; 
(2) the Permanent Select Committee on Intel-
ligence of the House of Representatives; and 
(3) the Select Committee on Intelligence of the 
Senate.
1160 
SEC. 1536. REPORT ON STATE NATIONAL GUARD CYBER 
UNITS. 
The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congres-
sional defense committees a report on the feasibility of es-
tablishing a cyber unit in every National Guard of a State 
to ensure the ability of a State to quickly respond to cyber- 
attacks in such State. 
SEC. 1537. REPORT ON TECHNOLOGY MODERNIZATION FOR 
THE ARMY HUMAN RESOURCES COMMAND 
2030 TRANSFORMATION PLAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the 
Army shall submit to the congressional defense commit-
tees a report on the Human Resources Command 2030 
Transformation Plan of the Army that includes— 
(1) an estimated timeline for the completion of 
the implementation milestones of the Plan; and 
(2) an identification of future resource needs 
relating to the modernization of legacy information 
technology systems. 
(b) LEGACY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEM 
DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘legacy information 
technology system’’ has the meaning given the term in sec-
tion 1076 of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 115–91; 40 U.S.C. 11301 
note).
1161 
SEC. 1538. ASSESSMENT OF INNOVATIVE DATA ANALYSIS 
AND 
INFORMATION 
TECHNOLOGY 
SOLU-
TIONS. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit 
to the congressional defense committees a report con-
taining the results of an assessment of the implementation 
by the Department of Defense of innovative data analysis 
and information technology solutions that could improve 
risk management, agility, and capabilities for strategic de-
fense purposes. 
SEC. 1539. REPORT ON MODERNIZED MULTILEVEL SECU-
RITY SYSTEM. 
(a) REPORT.—Not later than 120 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, 
in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence 
and in coordination with the Commander of the United 
States Indo-Pacific Command and the commanders of 
such other combatant commands as the Secretary may de-
termine appropriate, shall submit to the congressional de-
fense committees a report on migrating the classified net-
works of the Department of Defense and the intelligence 
community, respectively, into a modernized multilevel se-
curity system. 
(b) MATTERS.—The report under subsection (a) shall 
include the following:
1162 
(1) An assessment of how to leverage commer-
cially available or existing Government off-the shelf 
technology solutions to achieve the migration de-
scribed in such subsection. 
(2) An assessment of constraints posed by the 
policies of the Department of Defense and the intel-
ligence community, respectively, preventing the rapid 
adoption of such technology solutions, including with 
respect to hardware and software solutions. 
(3) Recommendations for updating such policies 
to grant members of the Armed Forces and intel-
ligence analysts access to more secure tools for the 
rapid dissemination, integration, and storage of in-
formation containing both unclassified and classified 
components (also referred to as ‘‘mixed informa-
tion’’) from multiple networks and sources concur-
rently, regardless of originating network classifica-
tion. 
(4) An opinion from the Commander of the 
United States Indo-Pacific Command (with the op-
tion of including an opinion from the commander of 
any other combatant command determined appro-
priate by the Secretary) with respect to the level of 
importance associated with achieving the migration 
described in subsection (a).
1163 
(c) FORM.—The report under subsection (a) shall be 
submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classi-
fied annex. 
(d) INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY DEFINED.—In this 
section, the term ‘‘intelligence community’’ has the mean-
ing given that term in section 3 of the National Security 
Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003). 
TITLE XVI—SPACE ACTIVITIES, 
STRATEGIC PROGRAMS, AND 
INTELLIGENCE MATTERS 
Subtitle A—Space Activities 
SEC. 1601. CLASSIFICATION REVIEW OF SPACE MAJOR DE-
FENSE ACQUISITION PROGRAMS. 
Chapter 135 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 2275a the following 
new section: 
‘‘§ 2275b. Requirements for appropriate classification 
guidance. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Before a space major defense ac-
quisition program achieves Milestone B approval, or equiv-
alent, the milestone decision authority shall determine 
whether the classification guidance for the program re-
mains appropriate and—
1164 
‘‘(1) if such guidance is determined to be ap-
propriate, submit to the congressional defense com-
mittees a certification of such determination; or 
‘‘(2) if such guidance is determined to be inap-
propriate, initiate an update to such guidance. 
‘‘(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘Milestone B approval’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 4172(e)(7) of 
this title. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘major defense acquisition pro-
gram’ has the meaning given such term in section 
4201 of this title. 
‘‘(3) The term ‘space major defense acquisition 
program’ means a major defense acquisition pro-
gram for the acquisition of a satellite, ground sys-
tem, or command and control system.’’. 
SEC. 1602. ENHANCED AUTHORITY TO INCREASE SPACE 
LAUNCH 
CAPACITY 
THROUGH 
SPACE 
LAUNCH SUPPORT SERVICES. 
Chapter 135 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 2276 the following new 
section:
1165 
‘‘§ 2276b. Special authority for provision of space 
launch support services to increase space 
launch capacity 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of a military de-
partment, pursuant to the authorities in this section or 
any other provision of law, may increase Federal and com-
mercial space launch capacity on any domestic real prop-
erty under the control of the Secretary through the provi-
sion of space launch support services. 
‘‘(b) PROVISION OF LAUNCH EQUIPMENT AND SERV-
ICES TO COMMERCIAL ENTITIES.— 
‘‘(1) AGREEMENT AUTHORITY.—The Secretary 
concerned may enter into contracts or other trans-
actions with commercial entities that intend to con-
duct space launch activities on a military installation 
under the jurisdiction of the Secretary. Any such 
agreement may include the provision of supplies, 
services, equipment, and construction needed for 
commercial space launch. 
‘‘(2) AGREEMENT COSTS.— 
‘‘(A) DIRECT COSTS.—An agreement en-
tered into under paragraph (1) shall include a 
provision that requires the commercial entity 
entering into the agreement to reimburse the 
Department of Defense for all direct costs to 
the United States that are associated with the
1166 
goods, services, and equipment provided to the 
commercial entity under the agreement. 
‘‘(B) INDIRECT COSTS.—In addition, the 
contract may include a provision that requires 
the commercial entity to reimburse the Depart-
ment of Defense for such indirect costs as the 
Secretary concerned considers to be appro-
priate. In such a case, the contract may provide 
for the recovery of indirect costs through estab-
lishment of a rate, fixed price, or similar mech-
anism the Secretary concerned finds reasonable. 
‘‘(3) RETENTION OF FUNDS COLLECTED FROM 
COMMERCIAL
USERS.—Amounts collected from a 
commercial entity pursuant to paragraph (2) shall 
be credited to the appropriation accounts under 
which the costs associated with the agreement (di-
rect and indirect) were incurred. 
‘‘(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) SPACE LAUNCH.—The term ‘space launch’ 
includes all activities, supplies, equipment, facilities, 
or services supporting launch preparation, launch, 
reentry, recovery, and other launch-related activities 
for both the payload and the space transportation 
vehicle.
1167 
‘‘(2) COMMERCIAL
ENTITY.—The term ‘com-
mercial entity’ or ‘commercial’ means a non-Federal 
entity organized under the laws of the United States 
or of any jurisdiction within the United States. 
‘‘(d) TRANSITION LIMITATIONS AND REPORTING RE-
QUIREMENTS.—For fiscal years 2024, 2025, and 2026, 
the Secretary concerned shall— 
‘‘(1) limit indirect costs reimbursed pursuant to 
subsection (b)(2)(B) to no more than 30 percent, 
not to exceed $5,000,000 annually, of total direct 
cost reimbursements required under any agreement 
authorized by subsection (b); and 
‘‘(2) not later than 90 days after each such fis-
cal year, submit to each of the congressional defense 
committees a briefing that— 
‘‘(A) identifies total direct and indirect 
amount reimbursed to each spaceport for the 
prior fiscal year; 
‘‘(B) describes support provided by reim-
bursed indirect costs for the prior fiscal year; 
and 
‘‘(C) identifies indirect rate and analysis 
used to determine the indirect rate for the next 
fiscal year.’’.
1168 
SEC. 1603. MODIFICATION TO PROHIBITION ON FOREIGN 
COMMERCIAL SATELLITE SERVICES. 
Section 2279(a) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘or’’ at the 
end; 
(2) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(4) the foreign entity plans to or is expected 
to receive satellite communication services and data 
downlinked to ground stations located within sov-
ereign territories shared via treaty with a covered 
foreign country.’’. 
SEC. 1604. AUTHORIZATION FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF THE 
NATIONAL SPACE INTELLIGENCE CENTER AS 
A FIELD OPERATING AGENCY. 
Notwithstanding any other provision of law prohib-
iting the establishment of a field operating agency, the 
Secretary of the Air Force may establish the National 
Space Intelligence Center as a field operating agency of 
the Space Force to analyze and produce scientific and 
technical intelligence on space-based and counterspace 
threats from foreign adversaries.
1169 
SEC. 1605. LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS FOR WGS-12 SAT-
ELLITE. 
(a) PROHIBITION ON PROCUREMENT PENDING CER-
TIFICATION REGARDING COMMERCIAL PROVIDERS.—The 
Secretary of the Air Force may not issue a contract for 
the procurement of a WGS-12 satellite until the Assistant 
Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisitions and In-
tegration submits to the congressional defense committees 
certification that the requirements established by the De-
partment for the primary payload for the WGS-12 satellite 
cannot be met by a commercial provider. 
(b) PROHIBITION
ON OPERATION
OR LAUNCH.— 
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 operate or launch WGS-12 satellite. 
SEC. 1606. LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS PENDING SUB-
MISSION OF CERTAIN REPORTS ON SPACE 
POLICY. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
ings: 
(1) Congress established the office of Assistant 
Secretary of Defense for Space Policy in 2019 at the 
same time as the Space Force was established.
1170 
(2) Despite elevating the position, the office has 
repeatedly not responded to mandates by Congress 
for unclassified reports on space policy topics. 
(3) The threats to and from space by China 
and Russia have only increased since the establish-
ment of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for 
Space Policy and the Space Force. 
(4) The Secretary of Defense has yet to submit 
to the congressional defense committees the report 
required by section 1609(c) of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 
117–81; 10 U.S.C. 2271 note) or the report required 
by section 1611(c)(1) of such Act. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) it is concerning that the office of the Assist-
ant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy has been 
given responsibility for issues not directly related to 
space policy, leading to the inability to complete the 
primary duty of the office. 
(2) The United States should have a well-estab-
lished and thoughtful national security space policy 
that can be discussed and debated in unclassified 
settings.
1171 
(3) Such a policy should be developed in con-
junction with, and taking into consideration, other 
relevant national strategy documents, including re-
views regarding nuclear and missile defense. 
(c) LIMITATION.—Of the funds authorized to be ap-
propriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fis-
cal year 2024 for the Department of Defense for travel 
by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy, 
not more than 90 percent may be obligated or expended 
until the Secretary of Defense submits both of the fol-
lowing reports: 
(1) The report on classified programs managed 
under the authority of the Space Force required by 
section 1609(c) of the National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 117–81; 
10 U.S.C. 2271 note). 
(2) The report on the review of the space policy 
of the Department of Defense required by section 
1611(c)(1) of such Act. 
(d) UPDATES OF SPACE POLICY REPORT.—Section 
1611(c) of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 117–81) is amended by 
striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following new 
paragraph (2):
1172 
‘‘(2) UPDATES.—The Secretary shall provide 
for updates to the assessments, analyses, and eval-
uations carried out pursuant to such review in con-
junction with other national strategy documents, in-
cluding reviews regarding nuclear and missile de-
fense.’’. 
SEC. 1607. NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE LAUNCH PROGRAM 
PHASE THREE ACQUISITION. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) the United States Space Force must con-
tinue to ensure assured access to space through 
phase three of the national security space launch 
program; 
(2) the acquisition strategy covered in the brief-
ing provided to the Committee on Armed Services 
and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence 
of the House of Representatives in April 2023— 
(A) includes a dual-lane approach that is 
consistent with increasing competition for 
launch services needed by the future national 
security space architecture; and 
(B) balances introducing new launch pro-
viders and systems with meeting all required 
missions during the planned ordering period;
1173 
(3) as the Secretary of Defense, in consultation 
with the Director of National Intelligence, completes 
the final request for proposals, it should consider in-
cluding funding for launch services support for lane 
1 missions that require specific national security 
space launch requirements, such as the Global Posi-
tioning Services IIIF satellites that are intended to 
be included in the ordering period; and 
(4) the Department should ensure that objective 
readiness requirements are met by launch service 
providers before basic award in either lane. 
(b) PHASE THREE ACQUISITION STRATEGY.—In 
competitively awarding and executing the phase three ac-
quisition strategy, the Secretary of the Air Force, in co-
ordination with the Under Secretary of Defense for Acqui-
sition and Sustainment, shall— 
(1) maximize competition, to the extent prac-
ticable, for both lanes 1 and 2, as described in the 
briefing on the acquisition strategy provided to the 
Committee on Armed Services of the House of Rep-
resentatives in April 2023; 
(2) use lane 1 task or delivery order contracts 
to— 
(A) launch national security space pay-
loads that require launch systems capable of
1174 
lifting a minimum of 20,000 pounds mass to 
100 nautical miles; and 
(B) provide opportunities for new and 
emerging launch providers or systems to com-
pete for national security space launch missions 
as such providers and systems become ready; 
(3) use lane 2, firm fixed-price indefinite deliv-
ery requirements contracts to— 
(A) award contracts to national security 
space launch providers with launch systems 
that are capable of meeting all national security 
space launch design reference orbits; and 
(B) launch national security space low-risk 
tolerant payloads that require full mission as-
surance that— 
(i) are performed by the national se-
curity space launch program; or 
(ii) have unique national security 
space mission requirements; and 
(4) in the case of any new or emerging national 
security space launch-class mission that is author-
ized for any of fiscal years 2025 through 2029 and 
is not identified in the phase three final request for 
proposals reference manifest contract—
1175 
(A) assign such mission to the lane 1 con-
tract referred to in paragraph (2); or 
(B) assign such mission to the lane 2 con-
tract referred to in paragraph (3), if the Sec-
retary determines that such a mission is has 
unique national security space or other Govern-
ment requirements that could not be met if the 
mission were assigned to the lane 1 contract. 
(c) NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENT.—If the Secretary 
assigns a mission to the lane 2 contract pursuant to sub-
section (b)(4)(B), the Secretary shall submit to the con-
gressional defense committees, the Permanent Select Com-
mittee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives, 
and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate 
notification of such assignment and the reason for such 
assignment. 
(d) PHASE THREE ACQUISITION STRATEGY DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘phase three acquisition 
strategy’’ means the process through which the Secretary 
of the Air Force— 
(1) enters into phase three contracts during fis-
cal year 2025; 
(2) orders launch missions during fiscal years 
2025 through 2029; and
1176 
(3) carries out such launches under the national 
security space launch program. 
SEC. 1608. APPLICATION OF TNT EQUIVALENCY TO LAUNCH 
VEHICLES AND COMPONENTS USING METH-
ANE PROPELLANT. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) The United States Government supports 
having a robust space launch services market to sup-
port national security, civil, and commercial space 
activities. 
(2) A majority of the new launch vehicles in de-
velopment, testing, and operation in the United 
States utilize methane and liquid oxygen as their 
propellants (LOX/LNG or methalox). 
(3) The United States Government has access 
to data and scientific modeling methods that support 
a TNT equivalency for methalox that is less than 
the default 100 percent TNT equivalency that is ap-
plied when no scientific data exists to characterize 
the explosive yield. 
(4) The United States Government is not con-
sistently applying data that supports a TNT equiva-
lency of 25 percent at United States Government 
owned or licensed facilities.
1177 
(5) The United States Government has initiated 
a LOX-Methane Assessment (LMA) working group; 
however, the working group’s methodology is not 
grounded in launch vehicle designs or test and 
launch operations. Further, the working group’s ef-
forts are expected to take no less than 3 years to 
complete and cost the United States taxpayer no less 
than $80,000,000. 
(6) United States launch operators are incur-
ring significant cost and diminished opportunities to 
operate as a result of the United States Govern-
ment’s inconsistent policy on methalox. 
(7) The People’s Republic of China is already 
launching orbital launch vehicles that utilize liquid 
oxygen and methane. 
(b) INTERIM EQUIVALENCY DETERMINATION.—Ef-
fective on the date of the enactment of this Act, the in-
terim determination of TNT equivalency applied to launch 
vehicles and components of such vehicles using methane 
as propellant shall not exceed 25 percent for purposes of 
the explosive siting and hazardous operations for test and 
operations of such launch vehicles and their components 
on or from any facility owned or licensed by the Federal 
Government.
1178 
(c) IMPROVED PROCESS
FOR YIELD DETERMINA-
TIONS.—Not later than one year after the date of the en-
actment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, the Sec-
retary of Transportation, and the Administrator of the 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration shall es-
tablish a process through which scientifically-valid TNT 
equivalency determinations can be assessed for launch ve-
hicles while in flight. 
(d) CERTIFICATION AND REPORT.—Not later than 
90 days after the completion of the joint assessment proc-
ess conducted by the LOX-Methane Assessment working 
group, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Trans-
portation, and the Administrator of the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration shall submit to the ap-
propriate congressional committees— 
(1) a certification verifying that the Secretaries 
and the Administrator reviewed the results of such 
joint assessment process and have agreed upon a 
new TNT equivalency determination that will be ap-
plied by the Federal Government to launch vehicles 
and components of such vehicles using methane as 
propellant; and 
(2) a report describing how the implementation 
of that new TNT equivalency determination is ex-
1179 
pected to affect commercial space launch activities 
and national security. 
(e) SUNSET.—Subsection (b) shall have no force or 
effect after the expiration of the period of 180 days fol-
lowing the submittal of the certification and report re-
quired under subsection (d). 
(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means the following: 
(A) The congressional defense committees. 
(B) The Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate. 
(C) The Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology of the House of Representatives. 
(D) The Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives. 
(2) The term ‘‘launch vehicle’’ has the meaning 
given that term in section 50902 of title 51, United 
States Code. 
(3) The term ‘‘LOX-Methane Assessment work-
ing group’’ means the interagency working group 
that— 
(A) is comprised of representatives from 
the Department of Defense, the Department of
1180 
Transportation, and the National Aeronautics 
and Space Administration; and 
(B) as of the date of the enactment of this 
Act, is studying the explosive characteristics of 
liquid oxygen and methane. 
(4) The term ‘‘TNT equivalency’’ means a unit 
of energy equivalent to the energy released during 
detonation of trinitrotoluene (TNT). 
SEC. 1609. PLAN TO IMPROVE THREAT-SHARING ARRANGE-
MENTS WITH COMMERCIAL SPACE OPERA-
TORS. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) commercial space providers that contract 
with the Department of Defense are vulnerable to 
physical and cyber threats; and 
(2) United States Space Command has estab-
lished the commercial integration cell to aid in the 
integration and protection of United States satellites 
and to build awareness of threats. 
(b) PLAN FOR THREAT SHARING WITH COMMERCIAL 
SPACE OPERATORS.—The Assistant Secretary of the Air 
Force for Space Acquisitions and Integration, in consulta-
tion with the Commander of United States Space Com-
mand, shall develop a plan to expand existing threat-shar-
1181 
ing arrangements with commercial space operators that 
are under contract with the Department of Defense, as 
of the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary of 
the Air Force for Space Acquisitions, in coordination with 
the Commander of United States Space Command, shall 
submit to the congressional defense committees a report 
on the plan required under subsection (b). 
SEC. 1610. PLAN FOR AN INTEGRATED AND RESILIENT SAT-
ELLITE COMMUNICATIONS ARCHITECTURE 
FOR THE SPACE FORCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Air Force, 
in coordination with the Assistant Secretary of the Air 
Force for Space Acquisition and Integration and the Chief 
of Space Operations, shall— 
(1) as part of the force design process for the 
Space Force, consider options for the integration re-
silient military tactical satellite communications ca-
pabilities; 
(2) develop a plan for the integration of such 
capabilities into the Space Force, as required under 
subsection (b); and 
(3) ensure that a geostationary small satellite 
communications constellation is evaluated for inclu-
1182 
sion as a component of the space data transport 
force design of the Space Force through, at min-
imum, the end of fiscal year 2027. 
(b) PLAN FOR INTEGRATION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Air 
Force, in coordination with the Assistant Secretary 
of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integra-
tion and the Chief of Space Operations, shall develop 
a plan for an integrated and resilient satellite com-
munications architecture for the Space Force. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The plan under paragraph (1) 
shall include, at a minimum, options for— 
(A) leveraging commercially available geo-
stationary small satellite communications tech-
nology developed and produced in the United 
States; 
(B) ensuring sufficient funding for such an 
integration; 
(C) including the unique requirements for 
small satellite communications constellation 
throughout the acquisition and deployment pe-
riod, including support for global X-band cov-
erage and support for secure communications 
waveforms using on-board digital processing; 
and
1183 
(D) potential integration of such geo-
stationary small satellite communications capa-
bility into the enterprise satellite communica-
tions management and control (commonly 
known as ‘‘ESC–MC’’) implementation plan of 
the Department of Defense. 
(3) BRIEFING.—Not later than the date speci-
fied in paragraph (4), than the Secretary of the Air 
Force shall provide to the congressional defense 
committees a briefing on the plan developed under 
paragraph (1). 
(4) DATE
SPECIFIED.—The date specified in 
this subsection is the earlier of— 
(A) July 1, 2024; or 
(B) the date on which the Secretary of the 
Air Force completes the space data transport 
force design for the Space Force. 
SEC. 1611. PROCESS AND PLAN FOR SPACE FORCE SPACE 
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary of the 
Air Force for Space Acquisitions and Integration, in con-
sultation with Chief of Space Operations, shall— 
(1) establish a process to regularly identify and 
evaluate commercial space situational awareness ca-
pabilities, including the extent to which commercial
1184 
space situational awareness data could meet Space 
Force space situational awareness needs; and 
(2) develop and implement a plan to integrate 
the unified data library into Space Force operational 
systems, including space situational awareness and 
Space command and control missions. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall 
submit to the congressional defense committees a report 
containing a description of the process and plan required 
under subsection (a). 
SEC. 1612. REPORT ON NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE VEHI-
CLE PROCESSING CAPABILITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than April 1, 2024, the 
Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the appropriate 
congressional committees a report on— 
(1) the projected needs for national security 
space vehicle processing capabilities; and 
(2) the potential for public-private partnerships 
to enable new projected payload processing providers 
to add processing capabilities. 
(b) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMITTEES 
DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate con-
gressional committees’’ means—
1185 
(1) the Committee on Armed Services and the 
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the 
House of Representatives; and 
(2) the Committee on Armed Services and the 
Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate. 
SEC. 1613. REPORT ON SPACE FORCE USE OF NUCLEAR 
THERMAL PROPULSION AND NUCLEAR ELEC-
TRIC PROPULSION SPACE VEHICLES. 
The Chief of the Space Force shall submit to Con-
gress a report on the use by the Space Force of nuclear 
thermal propulsion and nuclear electric propulsion space 
vehicles. Such report shall include— 
(1) a description of how the Space Force uses 
such vehicles; 
(2) a description of how the Space Force plans 
to use such vehicles in the future; and 
(3) an identification of any potential benefits 
that such vehicles can provide to bolster the national 
security of the United States. 
SEC. 1614. REPORT ON SPACE ACTIVITIES OF CERTAIN 
FOREIGN ADVERSARY NATIONS. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Serv-
ices of the Senate and the House of Representatives a re-
1186 
port that evaluates the potential national security risks 
posed by the space-related activities of the Russian Fed-
eration and the People’s Republic of China, including ac-
tivities involving— 
(1) satellites; 
(2) space stations; 
(3) moon exploration; and 
(4) the acquisition of minerals from the moon. 
(b) FORM.—The report required under subsection (a) 
shall be submitted in classified form, but may include an 
unclassified summary. 
Subtitle B—Nuclear Forces 
SEC. 1631. ESTABLISHMENT OF MAJOR FORCE PROGRAM 
FOR NUCLEAR COMMAND, CONTROL, AND 
COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAMS. 
Chapter 9 of title 10, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 239e. Nuclear command, control, and communica-
tions: major force program and budget 
assessment 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT
OF
MAJOR
FORCE
PRO-
GRAM.—The Secretary of Defense shall establish a unified 
major force program for nuclear command, control, and 
communications programs pursuant to section 222(b) of 
this title to prioritize such programs in accordance with
1187 
the requirements of the Department of Defense and na-
tional security. 
‘‘(b) BUDGET ASSESSMENT.—(1) The Secretary shall 
include with the defense budget materials for each of fiscal 
years 2025 through 2030 a report on the budget for nu-
clear command, control, and communications programs of 
the Department of Defense. 
‘‘(2) Each report on the budget for nuclear command, 
control, and communications programs of the Department 
under paragraph (1) shall include the following: 
‘‘(A) An overview of the budget, including— 
‘‘(i) a comparison between that budget, the 
previous budget, the most recent and prior fu-
ture-years defense program submitted to Con-
gress under section 221 of this title (such com-
parison shall exclude the responsibility for re-
search and development of the continuing im-
provement of such nuclear command, control, 
and 
communications 
program), 
and 
the 
amounts appropriated for such nuclear com-
mand, control, and communications programs 
during the previous fiscal year; and 
‘‘(ii) the specific identification, as a budg-
etary line item, for the funding under such pro-
grams.
1188 
‘‘(B) An assessment of the budget, including 
significant changes, priorities, challenges, and risks. 
‘‘(C) Any additional matters the Secretary de-
termines appropriate. 
‘‘(3) Each report under paragraph (1) shall be sub-
mitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified 
annex. 
‘‘(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘budget’, with respect to a fiscal 
year, means the budget for that fiscal year that is 
submitted to Congress by the President under sec-
tion 1105(a) of title 31. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘defense budget materials’, with 
respect to a fiscal year, means the materials sub-
mitted to Congress by the Secretary of Defense in 
support of the budget for that fiscal year. 
‘‘(3) The term ‘nuclear command, control, and 
communications programs’ means programs through 
which presidential authority and operational com-
mand and control of nuclear weapons is conducted, 
including programs that facilitate senior-level deci-
sions on nuclear weapons employment.’’.
1189 
SEC. 1632. REPEAL OF REQUIREMENT FOR REVIEW OF NU-
CLEAR DETERRENCE POSTURES. 
Section 1753 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116–92; 133 Stat. 
1852) is repealed. 
SEC. 1633. RETENTION OF CAPABILITY TO REDEPLOY MUL-
TIPLE INDEPENDENTLY TARGETABLE RE-
ENTRY VEHICLES. 
Section 1057 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2014 (Public Law 113–66; 10 U.S.C. 
495 note) is amended by inserting ‘‘and Sentinel’’ after 
‘‘Minuteman III’’ both places it appears. 
SEC. 1634. PILOT PROGRAM ON DEVELOPMENT OF RE-
ENTRY VEHICLES AND RELATED SYSTEMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Air Force 
may carry out a pilot program, to be known as the ‘‘Re-
entry Vehicle Flight Test Bed Program’’, to assess the 
feasibility of providing regular flight test opportunities 
that support the development of reentry vehicles to— 
(1) facilitate technology upgrades tested in a re-
alistic flight environment; 
(2) provide an enduring, high-cadence test bed 
to mature technologies for planned reentry vehicles; 
and 
(3) transition technologies developed under 
other programs, prototype projects, or research and
1190 
development programs related to long-range ballistic 
or hypersonic strike missiles. 
(b) GRANTS, CONTRACTS, AND
OTHER
AGREE-
MENTS.— 
(1) AUTHORITY.—In carrying out a pilot pro-
gram under this section, the Secretary may make 
grants and enter into contracts or other agreements 
with appropriate entities for the conduct of relevant 
flight tests of reentry vehicles and systems. 
(2) USE OF FUNDS.—An entity that receives a 
grant, or enters into a contract or other agreement, 
as part of a pilot program carried out under this 
section shall use the grant, or any amount received 
under the contract or other agreement, to carry out 
one or more of the following activities: 
(A) Conducting flight tests to develop or 
validate— 
(i) aeroshell design; 
(ii) thermal protective systems; 
(iii) guidance and control systems; 
(iv) sensors; 
(v) communications; 
(vi) environmental sensors; or 
(vii) other relevant technologies.
1191 
(B) Expanding flight test opportunities 
through low-cost, high cadence platforms. 
(c) COORDINATION.—If the Secretary of the Air 
Force carries out a pilot program under this section, the 
Secretary shall ensure that the activities under the pilot 
program are carried out in coordination with the Secretary 
of Defense and the Secretary of the Navy. 
(d) TERMINATION.—The authority to carry out a 
pilot program under this section shall terminate on De-
cember 31, 2029. 
SEC. 1635. INTEGRATED MASTER SCHEDULE FOR THE SEN-
TINEL 
MISSILE 
PROGRAM 
OF 
THE 
AIR 
FORCE. 
(a) DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED.—Not later than 30 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under 
Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, 
acting through the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force 
for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, shall submit 
to the congressional defense committees an approved inte-
grated master schedule for the Sentinel missile program 
of the Air Force. 
(b) QUARTERLY BRIEFINGS.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, an on 
a quarterly basis thereafter until January 1, 2029, the 
Secretary of the Air Force shall provide to the congres-
1192 
sional defense committees a briefing on the progress of 
the Sentinel missile program. 
(c) NOTIFICATION.—Not later than 30 days after the 
Secretary of the Air Force becomes aware of an event that 
is expected to delay, by more than one fiscal quarter, the 
date on which Sentinel missile achieves initial operational 
capability (as set forth in the integrated master schedule 
submitted under subsection (a)), the Secretary shall— 
(1) submit notice of such delay to the congres-
sional defense committees; and 
(2) include with such notice— 
(A) an explanation of the factors causing 
such delay; and 
(B) a plan to prevent or minimize the du-
ration of such delay. 
SEC. 1636. FORM OF CONTRACTING AUTHORIZED TO MITI-
GATE RISK TO SENTINEL PROGRAM SCHED-
ULE AND COST. 
Notwithstanding section 3323(a) of title 10, United 
States Code, the Secretary of Defense may authorize con-
tracts using cost-plus incentive-fee contracting for military 
construction projects associated with the Sentinel Inter-
continental Ballistic Missile program launch facilities, con-
trol centers, and related infrastructure for not more than 
the first two low-rate initial production lots.
1193 
SEC. 1637. NOTIFICATION OF DECISION TO DELAY STRA-
TEGIC DELIVERY SYSTEM TEST EVENT. 
(a) NOTIFICATION AND REPORT.—Not later than five 
days after the Secretary of Defense makes a decision to 
delay a scheduled test event for a strategic delivery sys-
tem, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional de-
fense committees written notice of such decision together 
with a report on the decision. 
(b) ELEMENTS REQUIRED.—The report required by 
subsection (a) shall include the following: 
(1) A description of the objectives of the test. 
(2) An explanation for the decision to cancel 
the test. 
(3) An estimate of expenditures related to the 
cancelled test. 
(4) An assessment of the effect of the test can-
cellation on— 
(A) confidence in the reliability of the stra-
tegic nuclear weapons delivery system involved; 
and 
(B) any research, development, test, and 
evaluation activities related to the test. 
(5) A plan to reschedule the test event.
1194 
SEC. 1638. PROHIBITION ON REDUCTION OF THE INTER-
CONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILES OF THE 
UNITED STATES. 
(a) PROHIBITION.—Except as provided in subsection 
(b), 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 ex-
pended for the following, and the Department may not 
otherwise take any action to do the following: 
(1) Reduce, or prepare to reduce, the respon-
siveness or alert level of the intercontinental ballistic 
missiles of the United States. 
(2) Reduce, or prepare to reduce, the quantity 
of deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles of the 
United States to a number less than 400. 
(b) EXCEPTION.—The prohibition in subsection (a) 
shall not apply to any of the following activities: 
(1) The maintenance or sustainment of inter-
continental ballistic missiles. 
(2) Ensuring the safety, security, or reliability 
of intercontinental ballistic missiles. 
(3) Facilitating the transition from the Minute-
man III intercontinental ballistic missile to the Sen-
tinel intercontinental ballistic missile (previously re-
ferred to as the ‘‘ground-based strategic deterrent 
weapon’’).
1195 
SEC. 1639. LIMITATION ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS FOR 
RETIREMENT OF B83–1 NUCLEAR GRAVITY 
BOMBS. 
(a) LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS.—Except as pro-
vided by subsection (b), none of the funds authorized to 
be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available 
for fiscal year 2024 for the Department of Defense or the 
Department of Energy for the deactivation, dismantle-
ment, or retirement of the B83–1 nuclear gravity bomb 
may be obligated or expended to deactivate, dismantle, or 
retire more than 25 percent of the B83–1 nuclear gravity 
bombs that were in the active stockpile as of September 
30, 2022, until a period of 90 days has elapsed following 
the date on which the Secretary of Defense submits to 
the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the 
House of Representatives the study required under section 
1674(a) of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117–263). 
(b) EXCEPTION.—The limitation on the use of funds 
under subsection (a) shall not apply to the deactivation, 
dismantling, or retirement of B83–1 nuclear gravity 
bombs for the purpose of supporting safety and surveil-
lance, sustainment, life extension, or modification pro-
grams for the B83–1 or other weapons currently in, or 
planned to become part of, the nuclear weapons stockpile 
of the United States.
1196 
SEC. 1640. PROHIBITION ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS FOR 
NAVAL NUCLEAR FUEL SYSTEMS BASED ON 
LOW-ENRICHED URANIUM. 
None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by 
this Act or otherwise made available for the National Nu-
clear Security Administration may be obligated or ex-
pended to conduct research or development relating to an 
advanced naval nuclear fuel system based on low-enriched 
uranium. 
SEC. 1641. ESTABLISHMENT OF NUCLEAR SEA-LAUNCHED 
CRUISE MISSILE PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 30 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Defense shall establish and commence implementation of 
a nuclear sea-launched cruise missile program (referred to 
in this section as the ‘‘SLCM-N Program’’). 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the SLCM-N Pro-
gram shall be— 
(1) to provide the United States with a needed 
nonstrategic nuclear capability and make that capa-
bility available to the Department of Defense; 
(2) to strengthen tailored deterrence of regional 
adversaries; and 
(3) to assure allies and partners of the United 
States of the Nation’s commitment to their defense.
1197 
(c) ACTIVITIES.—Under the SLCM-N Program, the 
Secretary of Defense shall— 
(1) accelerate and conclude research and devel-
opment activities for nuclear sea-launched cruise 
missiles and transition such missiles to the procure-
ment and fielding phases; 
(2) conduct a concept of operations study to in-
form the fielding of nuclear sea-launched cruise mis-
siles aboard platforms identified by the Navy, includ-
ing the Virginia class submarine; 
(3) designate the nuclear sea-launched cruise 
missile as an Acquisition Category ID (ACAT ID) 
program in accordance with Department of Defense 
Instruction 5000.85, titled ‘‘Major Capability Acqui-
sition’’, dated November 4, 2021; and 
(4) ensure that the missiles developed under the 
program achieve initial operational capability not 
later than September 30, 2031. 
(d) WARHEAD DEVELOPMENT.—Not later than 30 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Adminis-
trator for Nuclear Security shall initiate phase 6.2 of the 
nuclear sea-launched cruise missile warhead designated 
W80–4 ALT. 
(e) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion shall be construed to supersede or otherwise alter the
1198 
organizational relationships and responsibilities of depart-
ments and agencies of the Federal Government regarding 
oversight and management of ongoing activities relating 
to the nuclear sea-launched cruise missile. 
SEC. 1642. QUARTERLY REPORTS ON PROGRESS OF SEA- 
LAUNCHED CRUISE MISSILE–NUCLEAR PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 15 days after the 
last day of each fiscal quarter until the termination date 
specified in subsection (c)— 
(1) the Secretary of the Navy shall submit to 
the congressional defense committees a report on the 
execution of funding appropriated for the Sea- 
Launched Cruise Missile–Nuclear program; and 
(2) the Administrator for Nuclear Security shall 
submit to the congressional defense committees a re-
port on the execution of funding appropriated for 
the W80-4 nuclear warhead variant under develop-
ment for such program. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—Each report required under sub-
section (a) shall include, with respect to the program or 
variant, respectively, each of the following: 
(1) A description of ongoing and completed ac-
tivities.
1199 
(2) A schedule and summary of activities 
planned for the fiscal quarter following the fiscal 
quarter during which the report is submitted. 
(3) A description of each contract awarded 
under the program, including a description of the 
type of contract and the status of the contract. 
(4) A description of the status of funding for 
the program or variant, including identification of— 
(A) any obligations and expenditures that 
have been made; and 
(B) any obligations and expenditures that 
are planned. 
(5) An assessment of the status of the program 
or variant with respect to technological maturity. 
(c) TERMINATION DATE.—The requirement to sub-
mit reports under subsection (a) shall terminate on the 
date on which the Secretary of Defense provides to the 
congressional defense committees a certification that the 
nuclear-capable sea launched cruise missile system under 
development by the Navy has achieved full operational ca-
pability. 
SEC. 1643. CONGRESSIONAL NOTIFICATION OF NUCLEAR 
COOPERATION BETWEEN RUSSIA AND CHINA. 
If the Commander of United States Strategic Com-
mand determines, after consultation with the Director of
1200 
the Defense Intelligence Agency, that militarily significant 
cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Peo-
ple’s Republic of China related to nuclear or strategic ca-
pabilities is likely to occur or has likely occurred, the Com-
mander shall submit to the congressional defense commit-
tees a notification of such determination that includes— 
(1) a description of the military significant co-
operation; and 
(2) an assessment of the implication of such co-
operation for the United States with respect to nu-
clear deterrence, extended deterrence, assurance, 
and defense. 
SEC. 1644. REPORT ON ACCELERATION OF NUCLEAR MOD-
ERNIZATION PRIORITIES. 
The Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and 
Sustainment shall submit to the congressional defense 
committees a report that includes an identification of any 
additional authorities and reforms necessary to allow the 
Department of Defense to accelerate its current nuclear 
modernization priorities. 
SEC. 1645. ASSESSMENT OF THE ABILITY OF THE UNITED 
STATES TO DETECT LOW-YIELD NUCLEAR 
WEAPON TESTS. 
(a) ASSESSMENT.—The Director of the Defense In-
telligence Agency, in coordination with the Director of Na-
1201 
tional Intelligence, shall conduct an assessment of the abil-
ity of the United States to detect and monitor supercritical 
nuclear weapon tests conducted at very low yields. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 270 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Defense 
Intelligence Agency shall submit to the congressional de-
fense committees a report on the results of the assessment 
conducted under subsection (a). The report shall include 
specific recommendations for improving the ability of the 
United States to detect and monitor low-yield nuclear 
weapon tests conducted at the Novaya Zemlya nuclear test 
site of the Russian Federation and the Lop Nor nuclear 
test site of the People’s Republic of China as well as glob-
ally. 
(c) FORM.—The report under subsection (b) may be 
submitted in classified form, but if so submitted shall in-
clude an unclassified summary. 
Subtitle C—Missile Defense 
Programs 
SEC. 1661. QUALIFICATIONS OF DIRECTOR OF MISSILE DE-
FENSE AGENCY. 
Section 205(a) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting ‘‘a general or flag officer’’ after 
‘‘shall be’’.
1202 
SEC. 1662. NATIONAL MISSILE DEFENSE POLICY. 
Subsection (a) of section 1681 of the National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 
114–328; 10 U.S.C. 4205 note) is amended to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(a) POLICY.—It is the policy of the United States— 
‘‘(1) to research, develop, test, procure, deploy, 
and sustain, with funding subject to the annual au-
thorization of appropriations for National Missile 
Defense, systems that provide effective, layered mis-
sile defense capabilities to defeat increasingly com-
plex missile threats in all phases of flight; and 
‘‘(2) to maintain a credible nuclear capability as 
the foundation of strategic deterrence.’’. 
SEC. 1663. PROGRAMS TO ACHIEVE INITIAL AND FULL 
OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES FOR THE GLIDE 
PHASE INTERCEPTOR PROGRAM. 
(a) PROGRAM TO ACHIEVE INITIAL OPERATIONAL 
CAPABILITY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense, 
acting through the Director of the Missile Defense 
Agency and in coordination with the officials speci-
fied in subsection (d), shall carry out a program to 
achieve, by not later than December 31, 2029, an 
initial operational capability for the Glide Phase In-
terceptor as described in paragraph (2).
1203 
(2) REQUIRED CAPABILITIES.—For purposes of 
paragraph (1), the Glide Phase Interceptor program 
shall be considered to have achieved initial oper-
ational capability if— 
(A) the Glide Phase Interceptor is capable 
of defeating, in the glide phase, any endo-at-
mospheric hypersonic vehicles that are known to 
the Department of Defense and fielded as of 
the date of the enactment of this Act; and 
(B) not fewer than 12 Glide Phase Inter-
ceptor missiles have been fielded. 
(b) PROGRAM TO ACHIEVE FULL OPERATIONAL CA-
PABILITY.— 
(1) PROGRAM
REQUIRED.—The Secretary of 
Defense, acting through the Director of the Missile 
Defense Agency and in coordination with the offi-
cials specified in subsection (d), shall carry out a 
program to achieve, by not later than December 31, 
2032, full operational capability for the Glide Phase 
Interceptor as described in paragraph (2). 
(2) REQUIRED CAPABILITIES.—For purposes of 
paragraph (1), the Glide Phase Interceptor program 
shall be considered to have achieved full operational 
capability if—
1204 
(A) the Glide Phase Interceptor is capable 
of defeating, in the glide phase, any endo-at-
mospheric hypersonic vehicles— 
(i) that are known to the Department 
of Defense and fielded as of the date of the 
enactment of this Act; and 
(ii) that the Department of Defense 
expects to be fielded before the end of 
2040; 
(B) not fewer than 24 Glide Phase Inter-
ceptor missiles have been fielded; and 
(C) the Glide Phase Interceptor has the 
ability to be operated collaboratively with space- 
based or terrestrial sensors that the Depart-
ment of Defense expects to be deployed before 
the end of 2032. 
(c) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT AUTHORIZED.—The 
Director of the Missile Defense Agency is authorized to 
enter into a cooperative development agreement with one 
or more international partners of the United States for 
the development of the full operational capability described 
in subsection (b). 
(d) OFFICIALS SPECIFIED.—The officials specified in 
this subsection are the following:
1205 
(1) The Under Secretary of Defense for Re-
search and Engineering. 
(2) The Secretary of the Navy. 
(3) The Commander of the United States Indo- 
Pacific Command. 
(4) The Commander of the United States Euro-
pean Command. 
SEC. 1664. RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS ON MULTIPOLAR DE-
TERRENCE AND ESCALATION DYNAMICS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall seek to enter into an agreement with a university 
affiliated research center with expertise in strategic deter-
rence to conduct research and analysis on multipolar de-
terrence and escalation dynamics. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The research and analysis con-
ducted under subsection (a) shall include assessment of 
the following: 
(1) Implications for strategic deterrence and al-
lied assurance given the emergence of a second near- 
peer nuclear power. 
(2) Potential alternative conventional, strategic, 
and nuclear force structures to optimize deterrence 
of two near-peer nuclear powers.
1206 
(3) The contribution made by countervailing 
nonstrategic capabilities to strategic deterrence. 
(4) Escalation patterns arising from Russia’s 
Strategic Operations to Destroy Critically Important 
Targets operational concept and response options for 
the United States. 
(5) Multilateral efforts that could contribute to 
multipolar strategic deterrence and escalation dy-
namics. 
(6) Capabilities and operations sufficient to as-
sure European and Pacific allies. 
(c) REPORT REQUIRED.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than March 1, 
2025, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the 
congressional defense committees a report that in-
cludes the results of the research and analysis con-
ducted under subsection (a). 
(2) FORM.—The report under paragraph (1) 
shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may in-
clude a classified annex. 
SEC. 1665. LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS PENDING SUB-
MISSION OF REPORT ON MISSILE DEFENSE 
INTERCEPTOR SITE. 
Of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this 
Act for fiscal year 2024 for the Office of the Under Sec-
1207 
retary of Defense for Policy, for travel, not more than 80 
percent may be obligated or expended until the date on 
which the Secretary of Defense submits to the congres-
sional defense committees the report on the requirement 
for a missile defense interceptor site in the contiguous 
United States required by section 1665 of the James M. 
Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2023 (Public Law 117–263). 
SEC. 1666. REPORT ON HAWAII MISSILE DEFENSE. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
ings: 
(1) The budget justification materials sub-
mitted by the Secretary of Defense support of the 
budget of the President for fiscal year 2023 effec-
tively cancelled all activities for the Homeland De-
fense Radar—Hawaii due to ongoing reevaluation of 
the missile defense posture and sensor architecture 
in the area of responsibility of the United States 
Indo-Pacific Command. 
(2) The budget justification materials sub-
mitted by the Secretary of Defense support of the 
budget of the President for fiscal year 2024 include 
$40,000,000 for the Hawaii Air Route Surveillance 
Radar Version 4 (ARSR-4), which is intended to 
‘‘address Department of Defense capability gaps
1208 
driven by new threats and provide dual use for Ha-
waii for Air Traffic Control and weather moni-
toring’’. 
(3) Briefings provided by the Department of 
Defense indicated a very limited viewing area for 
this proposed radar, which does not support ade-
quate warning or discrimination of threats, and the 
request for ARSR-4 does not include any effort as-
sociated with integrating the radar to the overall 
missile defense sensor architecture to support in-
creased defensive capabilities for Hawaii. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 90 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 findings of the review conducted by the Sec-
retary of the integrated air and missile defense sensor ar-
chitecture of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, 
and specific programs of record which support additional 
sensor coverage for the state of Hawaii. Such report shall 
include an identification of— 
(1) the investments that should be made to in-
crease the detection of nonballistic threats and im-
prove the discrimination of ballistic missile threats, 
particularly with regards to Hawaii; and
1209 
(2) investments to integrate any sensors into 
the missile defense system to assist with protection 
of the State. 
SEC. 1667. REPORT ON POTENTIAL ENHANCEMENTS TO 
AEGIS ASHORE SITES IN POLAND AND ROMA-
NIA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Mis-
sile Defense Agency shall submit to the congressional de-
fense committees a report on potential enhancements to 
Aegis Ashore sites in Poland and Romania. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required by subsection 
(a) shall include— 
(1) an assessment of the feasibility and advis-
ability of— 
(A) enhancing associated sensor systems to 
detect a broader array of missile threats; 
(B) fielding a mixed fleet of defensive in-
terceptor systems; and 
(C) physical hardening of the facilities; 
(2) a funding profile, by year, detailing the 
complete costs associated with any options assessed 
under paragraph (1); and 
(3) such other information as the Director con-
siders appropriate.
1210 
(c) FORM OF REPORT.—The report submitted under 
subsection (a) shall be in unclassified form, but may in-
clude a classified annex. 
SEC. 1668. RESCISSION OF MEMORANDUM ON MISSILE DE-
FENSE GOVERNANCE. 
Not later than 30 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall rescind 
Directive-type Memorandum 20-002 relating to ‘‘Missile 
Defense System Policies and Governance’’. 
SEC. 1669. POLICY AND REPORT ON NORTH ATLANTIC 
TREATY ORGANIZATION EFFECTIVE INTE-
GRATED AIR AND MISSILE DEFENSE CAPA-
BILITIES IN EUROPE. 
(a) POLICY.—It is the policy of the United States to 
contribute integrated air and missile defense capabilities, 
such as forward deployed AN/TPY-2 radars and Aegis 
Ashore sites, to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
to defeat increasingly complex threats to the United States 
Armed Forces and the military forces of member countries 
of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Europe. 
(b) REPORT.— 
(1) NATO REPORT.—Not later than 270 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall provide to the North Atlantic 
Treaty Organization Conference of National Arma-
1211 
ments Directors for Ballistic Missile Defense a re-
port containing options to improve the existing inte-
grated air and missile defense architecture to detect, 
track, and defend against increasingly complex ad-
versarial missile threats to the territory of member 
countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
and deployed members of the United States Armed 
Forces. 
(2) CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING.—Not later than 
14 days after the completion of the report required 
under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense shall 
provide to the congressional defense committees a 
briefing on the options contained in the report and 
the steps necessary to implement any such option 
that is agreed to by the member countries of the 
North Atlantic Treaty Organization. 
SEC. 1670. INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS OF SPACE-BASED MIS-
SILE DEFENSE CAPABILITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of De-
fense, acting through the Director of the Missile Defense 
Agency, shall seek to enter into an arrangement with an 
appropriate federally funded research and development 
center to update the study referred to in subsection (c).
1212 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The assessment conducted for pur-
poses of updating the study shall, at a minimum, include 
analysis of the following matters: 
(1) The extent to which space-based capabilities 
would address current and evolving missile threats 
to the United States and United States deployed 
forces. 
(2) The maturity levels of technologies nec-
essary for an operational space-based missile defense 
capability. 
(3) Potential options for developing, fielding, 
operating, and sustaining a space-based missile de-
fense capability, including estimations of cost and 
assessments of effectiveness for different architec-
tures. 
(4) The technical risks, knowledge gaps, or 
other challenges associated with the development 
and operation of space-based interceptor capabilities. 
(5) Estimated costs for developing and deploy-
ing such capability. 
(6) The ability of the Department of Defense to 
protect and defend on-orbit space-based missile de-
fense capabilities, including any recommendations 
for resiliency requirements that would be needed to 
ensure the effectiveness of such capabilities.
1213 
(c) STUDY SPECIFIED.—The study referred to in this 
subsection is the study conducted by the federally funded 
research and development center known as the ‘‘Institute 
for Defense Analysis’’ examining the feasibility and advis-
ability of developing a space-based missile defense capa-
bility. 
(d) REPORTS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 270 days 
after entering into an arrangement under subsection 
(a), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the 
congressional defense committees a report that in-
cludes— 
(A) an unaltered copy of independent as-
sessment completed pursuant to the arrange-
ment; and 
(B) any views of the Secretary of Defense 
with respect to such assessment. 
(2) FORM.—The report required under para-
graph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, 
but may include a classified annex.
1214 
SEC. 1671. STRATEGY ON PRODUCTION CAPACITY AND 
SCHEDULE FOR THE PRECISION STRIKE MIS-
SILE. 
(a) SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the 
Congress that the long-range, ground-launched missile 
known as the Precision Strike Missile will— 
(1) give the Army the ability to target enemy 
ground forces and eventually naval forces at a great-
er range and volume than its predecessor, the Army 
Tactical Missile System; 
(2) enhance America’s ability to deter or defeat 
aggression; and 
(3) lower the risk faced by the military forces 
of the United States. 
(b) STRATEGY.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall submit to the congressional 
defense committees a strategy on the production ca-
pacity and schedule for the Precision Strike Missile. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The strategy under paragraph 
(1) shall address the following: 
(A) The production capacity of the Preci-
sion Strike Missile in fiscal year 2023.
1215 
(B) The projected production capacity of 
the Precision Strike Missile in fiscal years 2024 
and 2025. 
(C) An assessment of measures being 
taken to increase the production capacity of the 
Precision Strike Missile. 
(D) A strategy for increasing the produc-
tion capacity of the Precision Strike Missile. 
Subtitle D—Other Matters 
SEC. 1681. INCLUSION OF PERMANENT SELECT COMMITTEE 
ON INTELLIGENCE OF THE HOUSE OF REP-
RESENTATIVES 
AS 
RECIPIENT 
OF 
QUAR-
TERLY INFORMATION OPERATIONS BRIEF-
INGS. 
Section 1631(d)(1) of the National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116–92; 133 
Stat. 1742; 10 U.S.C. 397 note) is amended by inserting 
‘‘and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of 
the House of Representatives’’ after ‘‘congressional de-
fense committees’’.
1216 
SEC. 1682. MODIFICATION TO AUTHORITY TO USE OPER-
ATION 
AND 
MAINTENANCE 
FUNDS 
FOR 
CYBER OPERATIONS-PECULIAR CAPABILITY 
DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS. 
Section 1640 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116-92) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘ and each Secretary of the 
military departments concerned’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘per use’’ and inserting 
‘‘per project’’; and 
(C) by striking ‘‘through 2025’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘through 2028’’; 
(2) by amending subsection (b) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(b) LIMITATION.—Each fiscal year, the Commander 
of the United States Cyber Command may obligate and 
expend 
under 
subsection 
(a) 
not 
more 
than 
$16,000,000.’’; 
(3) in subsection (c)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘$500,000’’ and inserting 
‘‘$1,000,000’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘the Secretary of Defense, 
or his designee, and each Secretary of the mili-
tary departments concerned, or their des-
1217 
ignees,’’ and inserting ‘‘the Secretary of De-
fense (or a designee)’’; and 
(4) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘2025’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2028’’. 
SEC. 1683. COOPERATIVE THREAT REDUCTION FUNDS. 
(a) FUNDING ALLOCATION.—Of the $350,999,000 
authorized to be appropriated to the Department of De-
fense for fiscal year 2024 in section 301 and made avail-
able by the funding table in division D for the Department 
of Defense Cooperative Threat Reduction Program estab-
lished under section 1321 of the Department of Defense 
Cooperative Threat Reduction Act (50 U.S.C. 3711), the 
following amounts may be obligated for the purposes spec-
ified: 
(1) For strategic offensive arms elimination, 
$6,815,000. 
(2) For chemical security and elimination, 
$16,400,000. 
(3) For global nuclear security, $19,406,000. 
(4) 
For 
biological 
threat 
reduction, 
$228,030,000. 
(5) For proliferation prevention, $46,324,000. 
(6) For activities designated as Other Assess-
ments/Administration Costs, $34,024,000.
1218 
(b) SPECIFICATION OF COOPERATIVE THREAT RE-
DUCTION FUNDS.—Funds appropriated pursuant to the 
authorization of appropriations in section 301 and made 
available by the funding table in division D for the Depart-
ment of Defense Cooperative Threat Reduction Program 
shall be available for obligation for fiscal years 2024, 
2025, and 2026. 
SEC. 1684. QUARTERLY BRIEFINGS ON IMPLEMENTATION 
OF MILITARY-CODE COMPLIANT GPS RECEIV-
ERS THROUGH MILITARY GPS USER EQUIP-
MENT PROGRAM. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
ings: 
(1) Section 2979b of title 10, United States 
Code, which was enacted as part of the National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Pub-
lic Law 117–81), establishes the Council on Over-
sight of the Department of Defense Positioning, 
Navigation, and Timing Enterprise to oversee all as-
pects of the positioning, navigation, and timing en-
terprise of the Department of Defense. 
(2) The law requires the Council to be co- 
chaired by the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of 
Staff, the Under Secretary for Research and Engi-
neering, and the Under Secretary of Defense for Ac-
1219 
quisition and Sustainment, whose responsibilities are 
to coordinate on matters of positioning, navigation, 
and timing acquisitions to confirm that approved po-
sitioning, navigation, and timing policies are imple-
mented in acquisition activities. 
(3) With respect to the implementation of mili-
tary-code (in this section referred to as ‘‘M-Code’’) 
compliant Global Positioning Service (in this section 
referred to as ‘‘GPS’’) receivers through the Military 
GPS User Equipment program, the Comptroller 
General of the United States found that ‘‘Significant 
issues with data completeness and accuracy re-
main. . .. Poor data hinder the congressional de-
fense committees’ ability to track the progress of M- 
code and support DOD decision-making. User equip-
ment delays have also had ripple effects on DOD’s 
ability to plan for and develop M-code-capable re-
ceivers. These delays have limited the military serv-
ices’ ability to fully develop plans for operationally 
testing the M-code capability’’. 
(b) QUARTERLY BRIEFINGS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than February 1, 
2024, and quarterly thereafter until the date speci-
fied in paragraph (2), the Co-Chairs of the Council 
on Oversight of the Department of Defense Posi-
1220 
tioning, Navigation, and Timing Enterprise, shall 
provide to the congressional defense committees a 
briefing on the status of the implementation of M- 
Code compliant GPS receivers through the Military 
GPS User Equipment program, including the status 
of increments 1 and 2 of such program and details 
regarding expected dates of M-Code compliance for 
all sea-, air, and land-based terminals across the 
platforms of each of the Armed Forces. 
(2) TERMINATION DATE.—No briefing shall be 
required under paragraph (1) after the date on 
which the Secretary of Defense submits to the con-
gressional defense committees certification that the 
increments 1 and 2 of the Military GPS User Equip-
ment program have reached full operational capac-
ity. 
SEC. 1685. MOVING TARGET INDICATOR PROGRAMS OF DE-
PARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 
(a) WORKING GROUP.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall establish working group, to 
be known as the ‘‘Moving Target Indicator Working 
Group’’.
1221 
(2) RESPONSIBILITIES.—Such working group 
shall be responsible for— 
(A) addressing Department of Defense 
joint service requirements; 
(B) monitoring cost, schedule, and per-
formance of all efforts to replace the tactical in-
telligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance ca-
pability provided, as of the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, by the Joint Surveillance Tar-
get Attack Radar System; and 
(C) developing the processes and proce-
dures for tasking, collection, processing, exploi-
tation, and dissemination of the data collected 
by moving target indicator systems. 
(3) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall se-
lect— 
(i) a member of the Space Force and 
a member of the Joint Staff to serve as co- 
chairs of the working group; and 
(ii) members of the Army, Navy, Ma-
rine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force 
who represent the Army, Navy, Marine 
Corps, Air Force, and Space Force and 
combatant commands, as the Secretary de-
1222 
termines appropriate, to serve as members 
of the working group. 
(B) CONGRESSIONAL NOTIFICATION.—Not 
later than 90 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary shall provide to 
the congressional defense committees notice of 
the co-chairs and members selected to serve on 
the working group pursuant to subparagraph 
(A). 
(b) BRIEFING REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) INITIAL
BRIEFING.—Not later than 120 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
co-chairs of the working group shall provide to the 
congressional defense committees a briefing on— 
(A) any capabilities development docu-
ments either approved by, or in development 
for, the Joint Requirements Oversight Council; 
and 
(B) any progress of the working group to-
wards developing tasking, collection, processing, 
exploitation, and dissemination for future mov-
ing target indicator systems. 
(2) BIANNUAL BRIEFINGS.—Not less frequently 
than biannually, the working group shall provide to 
the congressional defense committees a briefing on
1223 
the status of any moving target indicator programs 
being developed. 
SEC. 1686. REPORTING MECHANISM ON USE OF CONSULT-
ANTS, INFORMANTS, AND OTHER HUMAN 
SOURCES TO ACQUIRE INTELLIGENCE IN-
FORMATION. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Defense shall establish a mechanism for documenting and 
reporting to the congressional defense committees regard-
ing the use of consultants, informants, or other human 
sources by any element of the Department of Defense, in-
cluding any military department, to acquire intelligence in-
formation. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The mechanism under subsection 
(a) shall include, at a minimum, a requirement that the 
Secretary of Defense document and, on a quarterly basis, 
notify the congressional defense committees of any activity 
(other than an activity subject to regulation under a cov-
ered directive) that— 
(1) is carried out during that quarter by the 
Secretary; and 
(2) involves the use of a consultant, informant, 
or other human source to acquire intelligence infor-
mation.
1224 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘covered directive’’ means the fol-
lowing directives (or any such successor directives): 
(A) Intelligence Community Directives 304 
(relating to human intelligence). 
(B) Intelligence Community Directive 310 
(relating to the coordination of clandestine 
human source and human-enabled foreign intel-
ligence collection and counterintelligence activi-
ties outside the United States). 
(C) Intelligence Community Directive 311 
(relating to the coordination of clandestine 
human source and human-enabled foreign intel-
ligence collection and counterintelligence activi-
ties inside the United States). 
(2) The term ‘‘informant’’ means any individual 
who furnishes information to the Department of De-
fense in the course of a confidential relationship with 
the Department under which the identity of such in-
dividual is protected from public disclosure. 
SEC. 1687. REPORT ON CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS FOR OF-
FENSIVE HYPERSONIC SYSTEMS. 
(a) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, 
in coordination with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
1225 
Staff, shall submit to the congressional defense commit-
tees a report on the status of the implementation of a con-
cept of operations and total munitions requirements for 
offensive hypersonic systems. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required by subsection 
(a) shall include the following: 
(1) A description and assessment of efforts to 
develop and implement concepts of operation with 
regard to fielding, deploying, and using offensive 
hypersonic systems currently in development and in-
cluded in future-years defense program submitted to 
Congress under section 221 of title 10, United 
States Code, for fiscal year 2024. 
(2) An assessment of how the use of hypersonic 
weapons will be considered with regard to strategic 
deterrence and stability. 
(3) A description of scenarios and simulations 
modeling the use of offensive hypersonic systems in 
defined environments. 
(4) Criteria to be used for validation of the use 
of offensive hypersonic systems. 
(5) Identification of existing authorities gov-
erning the use of offensive hypersonic systems and 
an explanation of any additional authorities that 
may be required for the use of such systems.
1226 
(6) A description of how hypersonic capabilities 
are incorporated into force development and design. 
(7) 
A 
munitions 
requirement 
(applicable 
through the period covered by the future-years de-
fense program submitted to Congress under section 
221 of title 10, United States Code, for fiscal year 
2024) for each offensive hypersonic weapons pro-
gram currently in development, including require-
ments provided by each military department and 
combatant command. 
(8) Identification of any operational gaps for 
which additional offensive hypersonic weapon capa-
bilities would have strategic impact on overall con-
cepts of operation of the Department of Defense. 
(c) FORM.—The report required by subsection (a) 
shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include 
a classified annex. 
SEC. 1688. INDO-PACIFIC MISSILE STRATEGY. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
ings: 
(1) The 2022 National Defense Strategy states: 
‘‘The [People’s Republic of China (PRC)] has ex-
panded and modernized nearly every aspect of the 
[People’s Liberation Army (PLA)], with a focus on
1227 
offsetting U.S. military advantages. The PRC is 
therefore the pacing challenge for the Department.’’. 
(2) The 2020 report of the Department of De-
fense entitled ‘‘Annual Report to Congress Involving 
the People’s Republic of China’’ states: ‘‘Land-based 
conventional ballistic and cruise missiles: The PRC 
has more than 1,250 ground-launched ballistic mis-
siles (GLBMs) and ground-launched cruise missiles 
(GLCMs) with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilo-
meters. The United States currently fields one type 
of conventional GLBM with a range of 70 to 300 
kilometers and no GLCMs.’’. 
(3) In September 2021, the United States en-
tered a security partnership with the United King-
dom 
and 
Australia 
(commonly 
known 
as 
‘‘AUKUS’’). In April 2022, AUKUS leaders com-
mitted to ‘‘commence new trilateral cooperation on 
hypersonic technologies, counter-hypersonic defense 
systems, and electronic warfare capabilities, as well 
as to deepen cooperation on defense innovation.’’. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) United States ground-based theater-range 
conventional missile systems in the Indo-Pacific re-
gion provide operational and strategy utility in—
1228 
(A) availability of persistent, prompt, and 
survivable strike options; 
(B) deterrence of enemy attack or esca-
lation; 
(C) imposition of operational costs on 
enemy forces; 
(D) responsive strikes against time-critical 
enemy targets; and 
(E) destruction of high-value targets to en-
able other joint forces; and 
(2) an Indo-Pacific Missile Strategy should— 
(A) provide coherent direction to concept 
and capability development, including procure-
ment and employment; 
(B) distribute integrated capabilities at 
operationally relevant ranges; 
(C) coordinate and differentiate strike mis-
sions among the military forces of the United 
States and allies; and 
(D) pursue co-development and co-produc-
tion of capabilities with allies and partners, in-
cluding through existing institutional mecha-
nisms. 
(c) STRATEGY.—
1229 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall submit to the congressional 
defense committees a strategy for ground-based the-
ater-range conventional missiles in the Indo-Pacific 
region. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The strategy required by 
paragraph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) An assessment of gaps in conventional 
theater-range precision strike capabilities in the 
area of responsibility of the United States Indo- 
Pacific Command. 
(B) An identification of military require-
ments for ground-based theater-range conven-
tional missile systems, including range, propul-
sion, payload, launch platform, weapon effects, 
and other operationally relevant factors. 
(C) An identification of prospective basing 
locations for ground-based theater-range con-
ventional missiles in the area of responsibility of 
the United States Indo-Pacific Command and 
an assessment of steps required to receive host- 
nation permission for forward-basing of such 
weapon systems.
1230 
(D) A description of operational concepts 
for employment of such conventional missiles, 
including integration with other capabilities in 
the Western Pacific region. 
(E) An identification of prospective allies, 
partners, and institutional mechanisms for co- 
development of new over-the-horizon range and 
intermediate-range conventional missiles. 
(F) An assessment of the cost, schedule, 
and feasibility of ground-based theater-range 
conventional missile programs, including any 
potential cost-sharing structures through exist-
ing institutional mechanisms. 
(3) FORM.—The strategy required by para-
graph (1) may be submitted in classified form but 
shall include an unclassified summary. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘ground-based theater-range con-
ventional missile’’ means a conventional mobile 
ground-launched cruise or hypersonic missile system 
with a range between 500 and 5,500 kilometers. 
(2) With respect to a missile system, the term 
‘‘intermediate-range’’ means a missile system with a 
range between 3,000 and 5,500 kilometers.
1231 
SEC. 1689. EXCLUSIVE MEANS FOR THE SECRETARY OF DE-
FENSE TO ACQUIRE LOCATION INFORMA-
TION, WEB BROWSING HISTORY, INTERNET 
SEARCH HISTORY, AND FOURTH AMEND-
MENT-PROTECTED INFORMATION. 
(a) EXCLUSIVE MEANS.— 
(1) FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE PURPOSES.—Title 
I and sections 303, 304, 703, 704, and 705 of the 
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 
U.S.C. 1801 et seq., 1823, 1824, 1881b, 1881c, 
1881d) shall be the exclusive means by which the 
Secretary of Defense acquires location information, 
web browsing history, Internet search history, and 
Fourth Amendment-protected information of United 
States persons or persons inside the United States 
for foreign intelligence purposes. 
(2) LAW
ENFORCEMENT
PURPOSES.—A war-
rant obtained by demonstrating probable cause shall 
be the exclusive means by which the Secretary of 
Defense acquires location information, web browsing 
history, Internet search history, and Fourth Amend-
ment-protected information of United States persons 
or persons inside the United States for law enforce-
ment purposes. 
(b) THIRD PARTY.—If the interception, or compelled 
production, or physical search or seizure of information
1232 
inside the United States by the Secretary of Defense 
would require a warrant, court order, or subpoena under 
law, the Secretary may not obtain that information from 
a third party in exchange for anything of value without 
obtaining the warrant, court order, or subpoena that 
would be required for such interception, compelled produc-
tion, or physical search or seizure. 
(c) EXCEPTION.—Notwithstanding subsection (b), 
the Secretary of Defense may acquire the types of infor-
mation specified in subsection (b) in exchange for some-
thing of value if— 
(1) 
the 
information 
is 
aggregated 
or 
anonymized in such a way that it cannot reasonably 
be de-anonymized or otherwise linked to any indi-
vidual or specific group of individuals; and 
(2) the Secretary does not disclose the informa-
tion to any Federal, State, or local law enforcement 
agency or to any other element of the intelligence 
community, or any official of such an agency or ele-
ment. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘Fourth Amendment-protected in-
formation’’ means information the compelled produc-
tion of which would require a warrant for law en-
forcement purposes.
1233 
(2) The term ‘‘location information’’ means in-
formation derived or otherwise calculated from the 
transmission or reception of a radio signal that re-
veals the approximate or actual geographic location 
of a customer, subscriber, or device. 
(3) The term ‘‘United States person’’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 101 of the For-
eign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 
U.S.C. 1801). 
TITLE XVII—SPACE FORCE 
PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT 
SEC. 1701. SHORT TITLE. 
This title may be cited as the ‘‘Space Force Personnel 
Management Act’’. 
Subtitle A—Space Force Military 
Personnel System Without Com-
ponent 
SEC. 1711. ESTABLISHMENT OF MILITARY PERSONNEL 
MANAGEMENT 
SYSTEM 
FOR 
THE 
SPACE 
FORCE. 
Title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subtitle:
1234 
‘‘Subtitle F—Alternative Military 
Personnel Systems 
‘‘PART I—SPACE FORCE 
‘‘CHAPTER 2001— SPACE FORCE 
PERSONNEL SYSTEM 
‘‘Sec. 
‘‘20001. Single military personnel management system. 
‘‘20002. Members: duty status. 
‘‘20003. Members: minimum service requirement as applied to Space Force. 
‘‘§ 20001. Single military personnel management sys-
tem 
‘‘Members of the Space Force shall be managed 
through a single military personnel management system, 
without component.’’. 
‘‘Chap.
.....................................................................................................
‘‘2001. Space Force Personnel System ................................................... 20001
‘‘2003. Status and Participation ............................................................ 20101
‘‘2005. Officers ....................................................................................... 20201
‘‘2007. Enlisted Members. ...................................................................... 20301
‘‘2009. Retention and Separation Generally ........................................... 20401
‘‘2011. Separation of Officers for Substandard Performance of Duty 
or for Certain Other Reasons ....................................... 20501
‘‘2013. Retirement .................................................................................. 20601’’. 
SEC. 1712. COMPOSITION OF THE SPACE FORCE WITHOUT 
COMPONENT. 
(a) COMPOSITION OF THE SPACE FORCE.—Section 
9081(b) of title 10, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking paragraph (1); 
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as 
paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively; and
1235 
(3) in paragraph (1), as so redesignated, by 
striking ‘‘, including’’ and all that follows through 
‘‘emergency’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
subsection (a) shall take effect on the date of the certifi-
cation by the Secretary of the Air Force under section 
1745. 
SEC. 1713. DEFINITIONS FOR SINGLE PERSONNEL MANAGE-
MENT SYSTEM FOR THE SPACE FORCE. 
(a) SPACE FORCE DEFINITIONS.—Section 101 of 
title 10, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsections (e), (f), and 
(g) as subsections (f), (g), and (h), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (d) the fol-
lowing new subsection (e): 
‘‘(e) SPACE FORCE.—The following definitions relat-
ing to members of the Space Force apply in this title: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘space force active status’ means 
the status of a member of the Space Force who is 
not in a space force inactive status and is not re-
tired. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘space force inactive status’ 
means the status of a member of the Space Force 
who is designated by the Secretary of the Air Force,
1236 
under regulations prescribed by the Secretary, as 
being in a space force inactive status. 
‘‘(3) The term ‘space force retired status’ 
means the status of a member of the Space Force 
who— 
‘‘(A) is receiving retired pay ; or 
‘‘(B) but for being under the eligibility age 
applicable under section 12731 of this title, 
would be eligible for retired pay under chapter 
1223 of this title. 
‘‘(4) The term ‘sustained duty’ means full-time 
duty by a member of the Space Force ordered to 
such duty by an authority designated by the Sec-
retary of the Air Force— 
‘‘(A) in the case of an officer— 
‘‘(i) to fulfill the terms of an active- 
duty service commitment incurred by the 
officer under any provision of law; or 
‘‘(ii) with the consent of the officer; 
and 
‘‘(B) in the case of an enlisted member, 
with the consent of the enlisted member as 
specified in the terms of the member’s enlist-
ment or reenlistment agreement.’’.
1237 
(b) AMENDMENTS TO EXISTING DUTY STATUS DEFI-
NITIONS.—Subsection (d) of such section is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘, including 
sustained duty in the Space Force’’ after ‘‘United 
States’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (7), by inserting ‘‘, or a mem-
ber of the Space Force,’’ after ‘‘Reserves’’ in sub-
paragraphs (A) and (B). 
SEC. 1714. BASIC POLICIES RELATING TO SERVICE IN THE 
SPACE FORCE. 
Chapter 2001 of title 10, United States Code, as 
added by section 1711, is amended by adding at the end 
the following new sections: 
‘‘§ 20002. Members: duty status 
‘‘Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the 
Air Force, each member of the Space Force shall be placed 
in one of the following duty statuses: 
‘‘(1) Space force active status. 
‘‘(2) Space force inactive status. 
‘‘(3) Space force retired status. 
‘‘§ 20003. Members: minimum service requirement as 
applied to Space Force 
‘‘(a) In applying section 651 of this title to a person 
who becomes a member of the Space Force, the provisions 
of the second sentence of subsection (a) and of subsection
1238 
(b) of that section (relating to service in a reserve compo-
nent) are inapplicable. 
‘‘(b) A member of the Space Force who transfers to 
one of the other armed forces before completing the service 
required by subsection (a) of section 651 of this title shall 
upon such transfer be subject to section 651 of this title 
in the same manner as if such member had initially en-
tered the armed force to which the member transfers.’’. 
SEC. 1715. STATUS AND PARTICIPATION. 
Subtitle F of title 10, United States Code, as added 
by section 1711, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new chapter: 
‘‘CHAPTER 2003—STATUS AND 
PARTICIPATION 
‘‘Sec. 
‘‘20101. Members in Space Force active status: amount of annual training or 
active duty service required. 
‘‘20102. Individual ready guardians: designation; mobilization category. 
‘‘20103. Members not on sustained duty: agreements concerning conditions of 
service. 
‘‘20104. Orders to active duty: with consent of member. 
‘‘20105. Sustained duty. 
‘‘20106. Orders to active duty: without consent of member. 
‘‘20107. Transfer to inactive status: initial service obligation not complete. 
‘‘20108. Members of Space Force: credit for service for purposes of laws pro-
viding pay and benefits for members, dependents, and sur-
vivors. 
‘‘20109. Policy for order to active duty based upon determination by Congress.
1239 
‘‘§ 20101. Members in Space Force active status: 
amount of annual training or active duty 
service required 
‘‘Except as specifically provided in regulations pre-
scribed by the Secretary of Defense, a member of the 
Space Force in a space force active status who is not serv-
ing on sustained duty shall be required to— 
‘‘(1) participate in at least 48 scheduled drills 
or training periods during each year and serve on 
active duty for not less than 14 days (exclusive of 
travel time) during each year; or 
‘‘(2) serve on active duty for not more than 30 
days during each year. 
‘‘§ 20102. Individual ready guardians: designation; 
mobilization category 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Under regulations prescribed by 
the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Air Force 
may designate a member of the Space Force in a space 
force active status as an Individual Ready Guardian. 
‘‘(b) MOBILIZATION CATEGORY.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Among members of the 
Space Force designated as Individual Ready Guard-
ians, there is a category of members (referred to as 
a ‘mobilization category’) who, as designated by the 
Secretary of the Air Force, are subject to being or-
1240 
dered to active duty without their consent in accord-
ance with section 20106(a) of this title. 
‘‘(2) LIMITATIONS ON PLACEMENT IN MOBILI-
ZATION CATEGORY.—A member designated as an In-
dividual Ready Guardian may not be placed in the 
mobilization category referred to in paragraph (1) 
unless— 
‘‘(A) the member volunteers to be placed in 
that mobilization category; and 
‘‘(B) the member is selected by the Sec-
retary of the Air Force, based upon the needs 
of the Space Force and the grade and military 
skills of that member. 
‘‘(3) LIMITATION
ON
TIME
IN
MOBILIZATION 
CATEGORY.—A member of the Space Force in a 
space force active status may not remain designated 
an Individual Ready Guardian in such mobilization 
category after the end of the 24-month period begin-
ning on the date of the separation of the member 
from active service. 
‘‘(4) DESIGNATION OF GRADES AND MILITARY 
SKILLS OR SPECIALTIES.—The Secretary of the Air 
Force shall designate the grades and military skills 
or specialties of members to be eligible for placement 
in such mobilization category.
1241 
‘‘(5) BENEFITS.—A member in such mobiliza-
tion category shall be eligible for benefits (other 
than pay and training) on the same basis as are 
available to members of the Individual Ready Re-
serve who are in the special mobilization category 
under section 10144(b) of this title, as determined 
by the Secretary of Defense. 
‘‘§ 20103. Members not on sustained duty: agreements 
concerning conditions of service 
‘‘(a) AGREEMENTS.—The Secretary of the Air Force 
may enter into a written agreement with a member of the 
Space Force not on sustained duty— 
‘‘(1) requiring the member to serve on active 
duty for a definite period of time; 
‘‘(2) specifying the conditions of the member’s 
service on active duty; and 
‘‘(3) for a member serving in a space force in-
active status, specifying the conditions for the mem-
ber’s continued service as well as order to active 
duty with and without the consent of the member. 
‘‘(b) CONDITIONS
OF
SERVICE.—An agreement 
under subsection (a) shall specify the conditions of service. 
The Secretary of the Air Force shall prescribe regulations 
establishing—
1242 
‘‘(1) what conditions of service may be specified 
in the agreement; 
‘‘(2) the obligations of the parties; and 
‘‘(3) the consequences of failure to comply with 
the terms of the agreement. 
‘‘(c) AUTHORITY FOR RETENTION ON ACTIVE DUTY 
DURING WAR OR NATIONAL EMERGENCY.—If the period 
of service on active duty of a member under an agreement 
under subsection (a) expires during a war or during a na-
tional emergency declared by Congress or the President, 
the member concerned may be kept on active duty, without 
the consent of the member, as otherwise prescribed by law. 
‘‘§ 20104. Orders to active duty: with consent of mem-
ber 
‘‘(a) AUTHORITY.—A member of the Space Force 
who is serving in a space force active status and is not 
on sustained duty, or who is serving in a space force inac-
tive status, may, with the consent of the member, be or-
dered to active duty, or retained on active duty, under the 
following sections of chapter 1209 of this title in the same 
manner as applies to a member of a reserve component 
ordered to active duty, or retained on active duty, under 
that section with the consent of the member:
1243 
‘‘(1) Section 12301(d), relating to orders to ac-
tive duty at any time with the consent of the mem-
ber. 
‘‘(2) Section 12301(h), relating to orders to ac-
tive duty in connection with medical or health care 
matters. 
‘‘(3) Section 12322, relating to active duty for 
health care. 
‘‘(4) Section 12323, relating to active duty 
pending line of duty determination required for re-
sponse to sexual assault. 
‘‘(b) APPLICABLE PROVISIONS OF LAW.—The fol-
lowing sections of chapter 1209 of this title pertaining to 
a member of a reserve component ordered to active duty 
with the consent of the member apply to a member of the 
Space Force who is ordered to active duty under this sec-
tion in the same manner as to such a reserve component 
member: 
‘‘(1) Section 12308, relating to retention after 
becoming qualified for retired pay. 
‘‘(2) Section 12309, relating to use of Reserve 
officers in expansion of armed forces. 
‘‘(3) Section 12313, relating to release of re-
serve members from active duty. 
‘‘(4) Section 12314, relating to kinds of duty.
1244 
‘‘(5) Section 12315, relating to duty with or 
without pay. 
‘‘(6) Section 12316, relating to payment of cer-
tain Reserves while on duty. 
‘‘(7) Section 12318, relating to duties and 
funding of reserve members on active duty. 
‘‘(8) Section 12320, relating to grade in which 
ordered to active duty. 
‘‘(9) Section 12321, relating to a limitation on 
number of reserve members assigned to Reserve Of-
ficer Training Corps units. 
‘‘§ 20105. Sustained duty 
‘‘(a) ENLISTED MEMBERS.—An authority designated 
by the Secretary of the Air Force may order an enlisted 
member of the Space Force in a space force active status 
to sustained duty, or retain an enlisted member on sus-
tained duty, with the consent of that member, as specified 
in the terms of the member’s enlistment or reenlistment 
agreement. 
‘‘(b) OFFICERS.— 
‘‘(1) An authority designated by the Secretary 
of the Air Force may order a Space Force officer in 
a space force active status to sustained duty— 
‘‘(A) with the consent of the officer; or
1245 
‘‘(B) to fulfill the terms of an active-duty 
service commitment incurred by the officer 
under any provision of law. 
‘‘(2) An officer ordered to sustained duty under 
paragraph (1) may not be released from sustained 
duty without the officer’s consent except as provided 
in chapter 2009 or 2011 of this title. 
‘‘§ 20106. Orders to active duty: without consent of 
member 
‘‘(a) MEMBERS IN A SPACE FORCE ACTIVE STA-
TUS.— 
‘‘(1) A member of the Space Force in a space 
force active status who is not on sustained duty, 
may, without the consent of the member, be ordered 
to active duty or inactive duty in the same manner 
as a member of a reserve component ordered to ac-
tive duty or inactive duty under the provisions of 
chapter 1209 of this title and any other provision of 
law authorizing the order to active duty of a member 
of a reserve component in an active status without 
the consent of the member. 
‘‘(2) The provisions of chapter 1209 of this 
title, or other applicable provisions of law, pertaining 
to a member of the Ready Reserve when ordered to 
active duty shall apply to a member of the Space
1246 
Force who is in a space force active status when or-
dered to active duty under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(3) The provisions of section 12304 of this 
title pertaining to members in the Individual Ready 
Reserve mobilization category shall apply to a mem-
ber of the Space Force who is designated an Indi-
vidual Ready Guardian when ordered to active duty 
who meets the provisions of section 20102(b) of this 
title. 
‘‘(b) MEMBERS IN A SPACE FORCE INACTIVE STA-
TUS.— 
‘‘(1) A member of the Space Force in a space 
force inactive status may be ordered to active duty 
under— 
‘‘(A) the provisions of chapter 1209 of this 
title; 
‘‘(B) any other provision of law author-
izing the order to active duty of a member of 
a reserve component in an inactive status; and 
‘‘(C) the terms of any agreement entered 
into by the member under section 20103 of this 
title. 
‘‘(2) The provisions of chapter 1209 of this 
title, or other applicable provisions of law, pertaining 
to the Standby Reserve shall apply to a member of
1247 
the Space Force who is in a space force inactive 
service when ordered to active duty. 
‘‘(c) MEMBERS IN A SPACE FORCE RETIRED STA-
TUS.— 
‘‘(1) Chapters 39 and 1209 of this title include 
provisions authorizing the order to active duty of a 
member of the Space Force in a space force retired 
status. 
‘‘(2) The provisions of sections 688, 688a, and 
12407 of this title pertaining to a retired member or 
a member of the Retired Reserve shall apply to a 
member of the Space Force in a space force retired 
status when ordered to active duty. 
‘‘(3) The provisions of section 689 of this title 
pertaining to a retired member ordered to active 
duty shall apply to a member of the Space Force in 
a space force retired status who is ordered to active 
duty. 
‘‘(d) OTHER APPLICABLE PROVISIONS.—The fol-
lowing provisions of chapter 1209 of this title pertaining 
shall apply to a member of the Space Force ordered to 
active duty in the same manner as to a Reserve or member 
of the Retired Reserve ordered to active duty:
1248 
‘‘(1) Section 12305, relating to the authority of 
the President to suspend certain laws relating to 
promotion, retirement, and separation. 
‘‘(2) Section 12308, relating to retention after 
becoming qualified for retired pay. 
‘‘(3) Section 12313, relating to release from ac-
tive duty. 
‘‘(4) Section 12314, relating to kinds of duty. 
‘‘(5) Section 12315, relating to duty with or 
without pay. 
‘‘(6) Section 12316, relating to payment of cer-
tain Reserves while on duty. 
‘‘(7) Section 12317, relating to theological stu-
dents; limitations. 
‘‘(8) Section 12320, relating to grade in which 
ordered to active duty. 
‘‘§ 20107. Transfer to inactive status: initial service 
obligation not complete 
‘‘(a) GENERAL RULE.—A member of the Space Force 
who has not completed the required minimum service obli-
gation referred to in section 20003 of this title shall, if 
terminating space force active status, be transferred to a 
space force inactive status and, unless otherwise des-
ignated an Individual Ready Guardian under section 
20102 of this title, shall remain subject to order to active
1249 
duty without the member’s consent under section 20106 
of this title. 
‘‘(b) EXCEPTION.—Subsection (a) does not apply to 
a member who is separated from the Space Force by the 
Secretary of the Air Force under section 20503 of this 
title. 
‘‘§ 20108. Members of Space Force: credit for service 
for purposes of laws providing pay and 
benefits for members, dependents, and 
survivors 
‘‘For the purposes of laws providing pay and benefits 
for members of the armed forces and their dependents and 
beneficiaries: 
‘‘(1) Military training, duty, or other service 
performed by a member of the Space Force in a 
space force active status not on sustained duty shall 
be considered military training, duty, or other serv-
ice, as the case may be, as a member of a reserve 
component. 
‘‘(2) Sustained duty performed by a member of 
the Space Force under section 20105 of this title 
shall be considered active duty as a member of a 
regular component. 
‘‘(3) Active duty performed by a member of the 
Space Force in a space force active status not on
1250 
sustained duty shall be considered active duty as a 
member of a reserve component. 
‘‘(4) Inactive-duty training performed by a 
member of the Space Force shall be considered inac-
tive-duty training as a member of a reserve compo-
nent. 
‘‘§ 20109. Policy for order to active duty based upon 
determination by Congress 
‘‘Whenever Congress determines that more units and 
organizations capable of conducting space operations are 
needed for the national security than are available among 
those units comprised of members of the Space Force serv-
ing on active duty, members of the Space Force not serv-
ing on active duty shall be ordered to active duty and re-
tained as long as so needed.’’. 
SEC. 1716. OFFICERS. 
(a) ORIGINAL APPOINTMENTS.—Subtitle F of title 
10, United States Code, as amended by section 1715, is 
further amended by adding at the end the following new 
chapter: 
‘‘CHAPTER 2005—OFFICERS 
‘‘SUBCHAPTER I—ORIGINAL APPOINTMENTS 
‘‘Sec. 
‘‘20201. Original appointments: how made. 
‘‘20202. Original appointments: qualifications. 
‘‘SUBCHAPTER II—SELECTION BOARDS 
‘‘20211. Convening of selection boards. 
‘‘20212. Composition of selection boards.
1251 
‘‘20213. Notice of convening of selection boards. 
‘‘20214. Recommendations for promotion by selection boards. 
‘‘20215. Reports of selection boards. 
‘‘20216. Action on reports of selection boards for promotion to brigadier general 
or major general. 
‘‘SUBCHAPTER III—PROMOTIONS 
‘‘20231. Eligibility for consideration for promotion: time-in-grade and other re-
quirements. 
‘‘20232. Eligibility for consideration for promotion: senior commander nomina-
tions. 
‘‘20233. Eligibility for consideration for promotion: designation as joint quali-
fied officer required before promotion to brigadier general; ex-
ceptions. 
‘‘20234. Opportunities for consideration for promotion. 
‘‘20235. Space Force officer list. 
‘‘20236. Competitive categories. 
‘‘20237. Numbers to be recommended for promotion. 
‘‘20238. Promotions: how made; authorized delay of promotions. 
‘‘SUBCHAPTER IV—PERSONS NOT CONSIDERED FOR PROMOTION AND OTHER 
PROMOTION-RELATED PROVISIONS 
‘‘20251. Special selection boards. 
‘‘20252. Other promotion matters. 
‘‘SUBCHAPTER V—APPLICABILITY OF OTHER LAWS 
‘‘20261. Applicability of certain DOPMA officer personnel policy provisions. 
‘‘SUBCHAPTER I—ORIGINAL APPOINTMENTS 
‘‘§ 20201. Original appointments: how made 
‘‘(a) APPOINTMENTS MADE BY SECRETARY OF DE-
FENSE.—Original appointments of commissioned officers 
in the Space Force in grades below the grade of brigadier 
general shall be made by the Secretary of Defense. 
‘‘(b) APPLICATION OF CONSTRUCTIVE CREDIT.—The 
grade of a person receiving an appointment under this sec-
tion who at the time of appointment is credited with serv-
ice under section 20203 of this title shall be determined 
under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the De-
fense based upon the amount of service credited.
1252 
‘‘§ 20202. Original appointments: qualifications 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—An original appointment as a 
commissioned officer in the Space Force may be given only 
to a person who— 
‘‘(1) is a citizen of the United States; 
‘‘(2) is at least 18 years of age; and 
‘‘(3) has such other physical, mental, moral, 
professional, and age qualifications as the Secretary 
of the Air Force may prescribe by regulation. 
‘‘(b) EXCEPTION.—A person who is otherwise quali-
fied, but who has a physical condition that the Secretary 
of the Air Force determines will not interfere with the per-
formance of the duties to which that person may be as-
signed, may be appointed as an officer in the Space Force. 
‘‘(a) CREDIT FOR PRIOR SERVICE.— 
‘‘(1) PRIOR COMMISSIONED SERVICE.—For the 
purpose of determining the grade and rank within 
grade of a person receiving an original appointment 
in a commissioned grade in the Space Force, such 
person shall be credited at the time of such appoint-
ment with any active commissioned service (other 
than service as a commissioned warrant officer) that 
the person performed in any uniformed service be-
fore such appointment. 
‘‘(2) PRIOR CIVILIAN SERVICE.—For the pur-
pose of determining the grade and rank within grade
1253 
of a person receiving an original appointment in a 
commissioned grade in the Space Force, such person 
may be credited at the time of such appointment 
with service as a civilian employee of a Federal 
agency in an occupation code or career field related 
to the skills and experience required for officers of 
the Space Force. The Secretary of the Air Force 
shall prescribe regulations establishing which civilian 
employee occupation codes and career fields may be 
considered as related to the skills and experience re-
quired for officers of the Space Force. 
‘‘(3) LIMITATION ON AMOUNT OF PRIOR COM-
MISSIONED SERVICE THAT MAY BE CREDITED.—The 
regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense 
under section 533 of this title shall apply to the 
Space Force to authorize the Secretary of the Air 
Force to limit the amount of prior active commis-
sioned service with which a person receiving an 
original appointment may be credited under para-
graph (1). 
‘‘(b) CREDIT FOR EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND EX-
PERIENCE.— 
‘‘(1) Under regulations prescribed by the Sec-
retary of the Air Force, the Secretary shall credit a 
person who is receiving an original appointment in
1254 
a commissioned grade in the Space Force and who 
has advanced education, training, or special experi-
ence with constructive service for such education, 
training, or experience in a particular officer career 
field as designated by the Secretary of the Air 
Force, if such education, training, or experience is 
directly related to the operational needs of the Space 
Force. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary may credit a person with 
constructive credit under this subsection for each in-
stance of relevant advanced education or training or 
special experience regardless of whether two or more 
such instances are concurrent. 
‘‘(3) The amount of constructive service cred-
ited an officer under this subsection may not exceed 
the amount required in order for the officer to be el-
igible for an original appointment in the grade of 
colonel. 
‘‘(4) Constructive service credited an officer 
under this subsection is in addition to any service 
credited that officer under subsection (a) and shall 
be credited at the time of the original appointment 
of the officer. 
‘‘(c) AUTHORIZED USE OF CONSTRUCTIVE CRED-
IT.—Constructive service credited an officer under sub-
1255 
section (b) shall be used only for determining the offi-
cer’s— 
‘‘(1) initial grade; 
‘‘(2) rank in grade; and 
‘‘(3) service in grade for promotion eligibility. 
‘‘(d) EXCLUSION FOR GRADUATES OF THE SERVICE 
ACADEMIES.—A graduate of the United States Military 
Academy, the United States Naval Academy, or the 
United States Air Force Academy is not entitled to service 
credit under this section for service performed, or edu-
cation, training, or experience obtained, before graduation 
from such Academy.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING
AMENDMENTS
RELATING
TO 
ORIGINAL APPOINTMENTS.— 
(1) DEFINITIONS.—Section 101 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended in subsection 
(b)(10) by inserting before the period at the end the 
following: ‘‘and, with respect to the appointment of 
a member of the armed forces in the Space Force, 
refers to that member’s most recent appointment in 
the Space Force that is neither a promotion nor a 
demotion’’. 
(2) ORIGINAL
APPOINTMENTS
OF
COMMIS-
SIONED
OFFICERS.—Section 531 of such title is 
amended—
1256 
(A) in subsection (a)— 
(i) in paragraphs (1) and (2)— 
(I) by inserting ‘‘and’’ after 
‘‘Regular Marine Corps’’; and 
(II) by striking ‘‘, and in the 
equivalent grades in the Regular 
Space Force’’; and 
(ii) by inserting after paragraph (2) 
the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(3) Original appointments in the grades of 
second lieutenant through colonel in the Space Force 
are provided for under section 20301 of this title.’’; 
and 
(B) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘Regular 
Marine Corps, or Regular Space Force’’ and in-
serting ‘‘or Regular Marine Corps’’. 
(3) QUALIFICATIONS FOR ORIGINAL APPOINT-
MENT
AS
A
COMMISSIONED
OFFICER.—Section 
532(a) of such title is amended by striking ‘‘Regular 
Marine Corps, or Regular Space Force’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘or Regular Marine Corps’’. 
(4) SERVICE CREDIT UPON ORIGINAL APPOINT-
MENT AS A COMMISSIONED OFFICER.—Section 533 
of such title is amended—
1257 
(A) in subsection (a)(2), by striking ‘‘Ma-
rine Corps, and Space Force’’ and inserting 
‘‘and Marine Corps’’; and 
(B) in subsections (a)(1), (b)(1), and (f), 
by striking ‘‘Regular Marine Corps, or Regular 
Space Force’’ and inserting ‘‘or Regular Marine 
Corps’’. 
(c) SELECTION BOARDS AND PROMOTIONS.—Chap-
ter 205 of title 10, United States Code, as added by sub-
section (a), is amended by adding at the end the following 
new subchapters: 
‘‘SUBCHAPTER II—SELECTION BOARDS 
‘‘§ 20211. Convening of selection boards 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Whenever the needs of the serv-
ice require, the Secretary of the Air Force shall convene 
selection boards to recommend for promotion to the next 
higher permanent grade officers of the Space Force in 
each permanent grade from first lieutenant through briga-
dier general. 
‘‘(b) EXCEPTION FOR OFFICERS IN GRADE OF FIRST 
LIEUTENANT.—Subsection (a) does not require the con-
vening of a selection board in the case of Space Force offi-
cers in the permanent grade of first lieutenant when the 
Secretary of the Air Force recommends for promotion to 
the grade of captain under section 20238(a)(4)(A) of this
1258 
title all such officers whom the Secretary finds to be fully 
qualified for promotion. 
‘‘(c) SELECTION BOARDS FOR EARLY RETIREMENT 
OR DISCHARGE.—The Secretary of the Air Force may 
convene selection boards to recommend officers for early 
retirement under section 20404(a) of this title or for dis-
charge under section 20404(b) of this title. 
‘‘(d) REGULATIONS.—The convening of selection 
boards under subsection (a) shall be under regulations 
prescribed by the Secretary of the Defense. 
‘‘§ 20212. Composition of selection boards 
‘‘(a) 
APPOINTMENT
AND
COMPOSITION
OF 
BOARDS.— 
‘‘(1) Members of a selection board shall be ap-
pointed by the Secretary of Air Force in accordance 
with this section. A selection board shall consist of 
five or more officers of the Space Force. Each mem-
ber of a selection board must be serving in a grade 
higher than the grade of the officers under consider-
ation by the board, except that no member of a 
board may be serving in a grade below major. The 
members of a selection board shall include at least 
one member serving on sustained duty and at least 
one member in a space force active status who is not 
serving on sustained duty. The ratio of the members