315 
SEC. 574. MILITARY TRAINING AND COMPETENCY RECORDS. 
(a) COMPETENCY RECORDS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of a military 
department shall provide, to each member of a covered 
Armed Force under the jurisdiction of such Secretary, 
a document that outlines the training and qualifica-
tions acquired by the member while serving in such 
covered Armed Force. Such document shall be known 
as a ‘‘competency record’’. 
(2) FORMAT AND CONTENTS.—The Secretary of 
Defense shall develop a standardized format for com-
petency records, which shall include, at a minimum, 
the following information: 
(A) Relevant personal details about the 
member. 
(B) Description of training courses, certifi-
cations, and qualifications obtained. 
(C) Date and duration of each completed 
training. 
(D) Authorized signatures and other nec-
essary authentication. 
(3) AVAILABILITY.—A competency record shall be 
provided to a member upon the separation or retire-
ment of such member from a covered Armed Force. 
(b) IMPLEMENTATION.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of De-
316 
fense shall establish the necessary regulations, procedures, 
and timelines for the implementation of this section. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than two years 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 implemen-
tation and usefulness of competency records and any rec-
ommendations of the Secretary for improving competency 
records. The report shall include feedback and recommenda-
tions from States and other employers regarding the 
usability and accuracy of the information in the com-
petency records. 
(d) COVERED ARMED FORCE DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘‘covered Armed Force’’ means the Army, 
Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space Force. 
Subtitle I—Family Programs and 
Child Care 
SEC. 581. INTERSTATE COMPACTS FOR PORTABILITY OF OC-
CUPATIONAL 
LICENSES 
OF 
MILITARY 
SPOUSES: PERMANENT AUTHORITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1784(h) of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by striking paragraph (5). 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by sub-
section (a) shall take effect as if enacted immediately fol-
lowing the enactment of the National Defense Authorization
317 
Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116–92), to which 
such amendment relates. 
SEC. 582. MILITARY SPOUSE CAREER ACCELERATOR PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Section 1784 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new subsection: 
‘‘(i) EMPLOYMENT FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.— 
(1) The Secretary of Defense shall carry out a program to 
provide spouses of members of the armed forces with paid 
fellowships (including in-person, remote, and hybrid fellow-
ships) with employers in various industries. To carry out 
such program, the Secretary shall take the following steps: 
‘‘(A) Seek to enter into an agreement with an 
entity to conduct such program. 
‘‘(B) Determine the appropriate capacity for the 
program based on the availability of appropriations 
for such purpose. 
‘‘(C) Establish criteria to evaluate the effective-
ness and cost-effectiveness of the program in sup-
porting the employment of such spouses. 
‘‘(2) The authority to carry out the program under this 
subsection shall terminate on January 1, 2031.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Subsection (i) of such section 
shall take effect on January 1, 2026.
318 
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The pilot program 
under section 564 of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 117–81; 10 U.S.C. 1784 
note) shall terminate on January 1, 2026. 
SEC. 583. COMPETITIVE PAY FOR DEPARTMENT OF DE-
FENSE CHILD CARE PERSONNEL. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1792(c) of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(c) COMPETITIVE RATES OF PAY.—(1) For the pur-
pose of providing military child development centers with 
a qualified and stable civilian workforce, employees at a 
military installation who are directly involved in providing 
child care and who are paid from nonappropriated funds— 
‘‘(A) in the case of entry-level employees, shall be 
paid a rate of pay competitive with the rates of pay 
paid to other equivalent non-Federal positions within 
the metropolitan statistical area or non-metropolitan 
statistical area (as the case may be) in which such 
Department employee’s position is located; and 
‘‘(B) in the case of any employee not covered by 
subparagraph (A), shall be paid a rate of pay com-
petitive with the rates of pay paid to other employees 
with similar training, seniority, and experience with-
in the metropolitan statistical area or non-metropoli-
319 
tan statistical area (as the case may be) in which 
such Department employee’s position is located. 
‘‘(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), no employee 
shall receive a rate of pay under this subsection that is 
lower than the minimum hourly rate of pay applicable to 
civilian employees of the Department of Defense. 
‘‘(3) For purposes of determining the rates of pay 
under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall use the metropoli-
tan and nonmetropolitan area occupational employment 
and wage estimates published monthly by the Bureau of 
Labor Statistics.’’. 
(b) APPLICATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The amendment made by sub-
section (a) shall take effect not later than April 1, 
2025. 
(2) RATES OF PAY.— 
(A) EMPLOYEE PAY RATE NOT REDUCED.— 
The rate of pay for any individual who is an 
employee covered by subsection (c) of section 
1792 of title 10, United States Code, as amended 
by subsection (a) of this section, on the date of 
the enactment of this Act shall not be reduced by 
operation of such amendment. 
(B) PAY
BAND
MINIMUM.—Any employee 
whose rate of pay is fixed under such subsection
320 
(c), as so amended, and who is within any pay 
band shall receive a rate of pay not less than the 
minimum rate of pay applicable to such pay 
band. 
SEC. 584. POSTING OF NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE HOTLINE 
AT MILITARY CHILD DEVELOPMENT CEN-
TERS. 
Section 1794(b)(2) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by striking the period at the end and insert-
ing ‘‘by means including—’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraphs: 
‘‘(A) posting it in public areas of military child 
development centers; and 
‘‘(B) providing it to the parents and legal guard-
ians of children who attend military child develop-
ment centers.’’. 
SEC. 585. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN OUTREACH CAM-
PAIGN RELATING TO WAITING LISTS FOR 
MILITARY CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS. 
Section 585(a)(2)(D) of the National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 10 
U.S.C. 1791 note prec.) is amended by inserting ‘‘a pro-
321 
vider eligible for financial assistance under section 1798 of 
title 10, United States Code, or’’ before ‘‘pilot programs’’. 
SEC. 586. EXPANSION OF ANNUAL BRIEFING REGARDING 
WAITING LISTS FOR MILITARY CHILD DEVEL-
OPMENT CENTERS. 
Subsection (b) of section 585 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118– 
31; 10 U.S.C. 1791 note prec.) is amended by striking para-
graphs (1) and (2) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(1) with regards to the 20 military installations 
with the longest waiting lists for child care services 
at military child development centers— 
‘‘(A) the number of children on each wait-
ing list; 
‘‘(B) the available total capacity for child 
care services at each such military child develop-
ment center, disaggregated by infants, pre-tod-
dlers, toddlers, and pre-school children; 
‘‘(C) 
an 
accounting 
of 
the 
total 
unduplicated and unmet need for child care 
within each metropolitan region represented by a 
military installation described in subparagraph 
(A); and 
‘‘(D) the determination of the Secretary of 
Defense whether insufficient staffing or issues re-
322 
lating to maintenance contribute to the length of 
such waiting lists; and 
‘‘(2) an accounting of the efforts of the Secretary 
of Defense to mitigate child care shortages in order to 
shorten waiting lists and address unmet needs for 
child care across the Department of Defense.’’. 
SEC. 587. IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO PORTABILITY OF 
PROFESSIONAL 
LICENSES 
OF 
SERVICEMEMBERS AND THEIR SPOUSES. 
Section 705A of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act 
(50 U.S.C. 4025a) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 705A. PORTABILITY OF PROFESSIONAL LICENSES OF 
SERVICEMEMBERS AND THEIR SPOUSES. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—If a servicemember or the spouse 
of a servicemember has a covered license and relocates resi-
dence because such servicemember receives military orders 
for military service in a State other than the State of the 
licensing authority that issued the covered license, such cov-
ered license shall be considered valid for the scope of prac-
tice in the State of the new residence if such servicemember 
or spouse submits to the licensing authority of such State 
an application described in subsection (c). 
‘‘(b) TEMPORARY LICENSES.—If a licensing authority 
is required to consider a covered license valid under sub-
section (a) but cannot carry out such requirement during
323 
the 30 days after receiving an application described in sub-
section (c), the licensing authority may issue to the appli-
cant a temporary license that confers the same rights, privi-
leges, and responsibilities as a permanent license. 
‘‘(c) APPLICATION.—An application described in this 
subsection includes the following: 
‘‘(1) Proof of military orders described in sub-
section (a). 
‘‘(2) If the applicant is the spouse of a service-
member, a copy of the marriage certificate. 
‘‘(3) A notarized affidavit affirming, under the 
penalty of law, that— 
‘‘(A) the applicant is the person described 
and identified in the application; 
‘‘(B) all statements made in the application 
are true and correct and complete; 
‘‘(C) the applicant has read and under-
stands the requirements to receive a license, and 
the scope of practice, of the State of the licensing 
authority; 
‘‘(D) the applicant certifies that the appli-
cant meets and shall comply with requirements 
described in subparagraph (C); and
324 
‘‘(E) the applicant is in good standing in 
all States in which the applicant holds or has 
held a license. 
‘‘(d) BACKGROUND CHECKS.—A licensing authority 
that receives an application described in subsection (b) may 
conduct a background check of the applicant before carrying 
out subsection (a) or (b). 
‘‘(e) INTERSTATE COMPACTS.—If a servicemember or 
spouse of a servicemember has a covered license to operate 
in multiple States pursuant to an interstate compact de-
scribed in section 1784 of title 10, United States Code— 
‘‘(1) the servicemember or spouse of a service-
member shall be subject to the requirements of such 
compact or the applicable provisions of law of the ap-
plicable State; and 
‘‘(2) this section shall not apply to such service-
member or spouse of a servicemember. 
‘‘(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘covered license’ means a profes-
sional license that, with respect to a scope of prac-
tice— 
‘‘(A) is in good standing with the licensing 
authority that issued such license; 
‘‘(B) has not been revoked or had discipline 
imposed by any State;
325 
‘‘(C) does not have an investigation relating 
to unprofessional conduct pending in any State 
relating to it; and 
‘‘(D) has not been voluntarily surrendered 
while under investigation for unprofessional con-
duct in any State. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘license’ means any license, certifi-
cate, or other evidence of qualification that an indi-
vidual is required to obtain before the individual may 
engage in, or represent himself or herself to be a mem-
ber of, a particular profession. 
‘‘(3) The term ‘licensing authority’ means any 
State board, commission, department, or agency 
that— 
‘‘(A) is established in the State for the pri-
mary purpose of regulating the entry of persons 
into or the conduct of persons within, a par-
ticular profession; and 
‘‘(B) is authorized to issue licenses. 
‘‘(4) The term ‘military orders’ has the meaning 
given such term in section 305. 
‘‘(5) The term ‘scope of practice’ means the de-
fined parameters of various duties or services that 
may be provided by an individual under a license.’’.
326 
SEC. 588. CHILD CARE SERVICES AND YOUTH PROGRAM 
SERVICES FOR DEPENDENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of appro-
priations, the Secretary of Defense shall fully fund requests 
under section 1798 of title 10, United States Code, for fi-
nancial assistance to eligible civilian providers of child care 
services or youth program services, as such terms are used 
in such section. 
(b) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—This section shall not 
be construed to limit the authority of the Secretary, under 
subsection (a) of such section, to determine whether to pro-
vide such financial assistance to an eligible provider for 
such services. 
SEC. 589. CHILD CARE SERVICES AND YOUTH PROGRAM 
SERVICES FOR DEPENDENTS: PERIOD OF 
SERVICES FOR A MEMBER WITH A SPOUSE 
SEEKING EMPLOYMENT. 
(a) PERIOD.—The Secretary of a military department 
may provide a covered member with covered services for a 
period of at least 180 days. 
(b) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section 
shall be construed to— 
(1) entitle a covered member to covered services; 
or
327 
(2) give priority to a covered member for pur-
poses of a determination regarding who shall receive 
covered services. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘covered member’’ means a member 
of the Armed Forces— 
(A) who has a dependent child; and 
(B) whose spouse is seeking employment. 
(2) The term ‘‘covered services’’ means child care 
services or youth program services provided or paid 
for by the Secretary of Defense under subchapter II 
of chapter 88 of title 10, United States Code. 
SEC. 589A. CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM STAFFING AND 
COMPENSATION MODEL. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense, in col-
laboration with the Secretaries of the military departments, 
shall carry out a redesign of the Department of Defense 
child development program compensation model and mod-
ernization of the child development program staffing model. 
(b) REDESIGNED COMPENSATION MODEL.—The Sec-
retary of Defense, in collaboration with the Secretaries of 
the military departments, shall— 
(1) redesign child development program staff 
compensation for non-entry level, mid-to-senior level 
classroom staff by modernizing the duties and respon-
329 
(2) add key positions to coordinate support for 
the needs of children with specials needs and provide 
direct support to the child development program staff 
working with these children; and 
(3) develop and implement a 5-year phased plan 
to ensure responsible funding execution, successful im-
plementation allowing for adjustments as necessary, 
and long-term sustainable impact. 
(d) BRIEFINGS REQUIRED.— 
(1) INITIAL BASELINE BRIEFING.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary, in collaboration with the Secretaries 
of the military departments, shall provide to the 
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and 
the House of Representatives an initial baseline 
briefing that describes progress, accomplishments, 
and the impact of the redesign of the Department 
of Defense child development program compensa-
tion model and the modernization of the child 
development program staffing model. 
(B) ESTABLISHMENT OF DATA BASELINE.— 
The briefing required by subparagraph (A) shall 
be used to establish a data baseline. 
(2) ANNUAL BRIEFINGS.—
330 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year 
after providing the briefing required by para-
graph (1), and annually thereafter for four 
years, the Secretary, in collaboration with the 
Secretaries of the military departments, shall 
provide to the Committees on Armed Services of 
the Senate and the House of Representatives a 
briefing on the progress made with respect to the 
redesign of the Department of Defense child de-
velopment program compensation model and the 
modernization of the child development program 
staffing model. 
(B) ELEMENTS.—Each briefing required by 
subparagraph (A) shall include the following: 
(i) The percentage of child development 
program staff that are also military 
spouses. 
(ii) The turnover or retention rate of 
child development program staff. 
(iii) The utilization rate of child devel-
opment program child care spaces. 
(iv) The number of child development 
program employees who were hired during 
the year preceding the briefing.
331 
(v) The percentage of such employees 
who resigned within their first six months 
of employment. 
(vi) Information on the ability to staff 
newly constructed facilities. 
(vii) An assessment of the impact of 
adding key positions to the child develop-
ment program staffing model under para-
graphs (1) and (2) of subsection (c). 
SEC. 589B. INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND PILOT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than March 1, 2026, the 
Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretaries 
of the military departments, shall submit to the Committees 
on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Rep-
resentatives a plan for the implementation of a military 
families playground pilot program (in this section referred 
to as the ‘‘Inclusive Playground Pilot Program’’) to design, 
develop, and construct playgrounds that directly support 
families enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Pro-
gram (hereinafter, ‘‘EFMP’’) to increase the accessibility 
and inclusivity of access to playgrounds on military instal-
lations selected under subsection (c). 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The plan under subsection (a) shall 
include the following elements:
332 
(1) A definition of the term ‘‘inclusive play-
ground’’. 
(2) A list of existing inclusive playgrounds on 
military installations. 
(3) A list of military installations selected by the 
Secretary of Defense under subsection (c). 
(4) An explanation of how the Secretary of De-
fense selected such locations, including— 
(A) the numbers of military families en-
rolled in the EFMP at each such military instal-
lation; and 
(B) the minimum number of such military 
families that justifies the construction of an in-
clusive playground on such military installation. 
(5) The estimated costs to design, develop, and 
construct an inclusive playground (or upgrade an ex-
isting playground to meet such definition) on the 
military installations selected under subsection (c), 
including— 
(A) an explanation of how the Secretary de-
termined whether to construct a new inclusive 
playground or to upgrade an existing play-
ground; 
(B) the overall sustainment costs for an in-
clusive playground, and
333 
(C) they type of funding required for such 
design, development, and construction. 
(6) A list of additional authorities, appropria-
tions, or other support the Secretary determines nec-
essary to ensure the success of the Inclusive Play-
ground Pilot Program. 
(c) LOCATIONS.—In selecting military installations on 
which to implement the Inclusive Playground Pilot Pro-
gram, the Secretary of Defense shall— 
(1) select one military installation— 
(A) of each military department; and 
(B) that the Secretary determines has a 
large number of military families enrolled in the 
EFMP that would use an inclusive playground; 
(2) take into consideration any existing inclusive 
playground of the Department of Defense. 
(d) LIMITATION.—The Secretary of Defense may not 
implement the Inclusive Playground Pilot Program until— 
(1) 180 days after the date on which the Sec-
retary submits the plan under subsection (a); and 
(2) funds are obligated for the design, develop-
ment, and construction of inclusive playgrounds 
under the Inclusive Playground Pilot Program as 
minor military construction projects.
334 
Subtitle J—Dependent Education 
SEC. 591. ADVISORY COMMITTEES FOR DEPARTMENT OF 
DEFENSE DOMESTIC DEPENDENTS SCHOOLS. 
Section 2164(d) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(d) SCHOOL ADVISORY COMMITTEES.—(1) The Sec-
retary of Defense, acting through the Director of the Depart-
ment of Defense Education Activity, shall provide for the 
establishment of an advisory committee for each Depart-
ment of Defense elementary or secondary school established 
at a military installation under this section. 
‘‘(2) An advisory committee established under para-
graph (1) for a school at a military installation— 
‘‘(A) shall advise the principal or superintendent 
of the school with respect to the operation of the 
school; 
‘‘(B) may make recommendations with respect to 
curriculum and budget matters; and 
‘‘(C) except in the case of an advisory committee 
for a school on a military installation described in 
paragraph (4), shall advise the commander of the 
military installation with respect to problems con-
cerning the education of dependents within the juris-
diction of the commander.
335 
‘‘(3)(A) The membership of each advisory committee 
established for a school described in paragraph (1)— 
‘‘(i) shall include an equal number of parents of 
students enrolled in the school and of employees work-
ing at the school; and 
‘‘(ii) when appropriate, may include a student 
enrolled in the school. 
‘‘(B) In addition to the members described in subpara-
graph (A), the membership of each advisory committee shall 
include one nonvoting member designated by the organiza-
tion recognized as the exclusive bargaining representative 
of the employees working at the school. 
‘‘(4) In the case of a military installation where there 
is more than one school in the Department of Defense ele-
mentary and secondary school system, the Secretary, acting 
through the Director, shall provide for the establishment of 
an advisory committee for the military installation to ad-
vise the commander of the military installation with respect 
to the education of dependents. 
‘‘(5)(A) Except in the case of a nonvoting member des-
ignated under paragraph (3)(B), members of an advisory 
committee established under this subsection shall be elected 
by individuals of voting age residing in the area to be 
served by the advisory committee.
336 
‘‘(B) The Secretary, acting through the Director, shall 
by regulation prescribe the qualifications for election to an 
advisory committee established under this subsection and 
procedures for conducting elections of members to such an 
advisory committee. 
‘‘(6) Members of an advisory committee established 
under this subsection shall serve without pay.’’. 
SEC. 592. ELIGIBILITY OF DEPENDENTS OF CERTAIN DE-
CEASED MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES 
FOR ENROLLMENT IN DEPARTMENT OF DE-
FENSE DOMESTIC DEPENDENT ELEMENTARY 
AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS. 
Section 2164(j) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), in the first sentence, by 
striking ‘‘an individual described in paragraph (2)’’ 
and inserting ‘‘a member of a foreign armed force re-
siding on a military installation in the United States 
(including territories, commonwealths, and posses-
sions of the United States)’’; and 
(2) by amending paragraph (2) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(2)(A) The Secretary may authorize the enrollment 
in a Department of Defense education program provided 
by the Secretary pursuant to subsection (a) of a dependent
337 
not otherwise eligible for such enrollment who is the depend-
ent of a member of the armed forces who died in— 
‘‘(i) an international terrorist attack against the 
United States or a foreign country friendly to the 
United States, as determined by the Secretary; 
‘‘(ii) military operations while serving outside 
the United States (including the commonwealths, ter-
ritories, and possessions of the United States) as part 
of a peacekeeping force; or 
‘‘(iii) the line of duty in a combat-related oper-
ation, as designated by the Secretary. 
‘‘(B)(i) Except as provided by clause (ii), enrollment 
of a dependent described in subparagraph (A) in a Depart-
ment of Defense education program provided pursuant to 
subsection (a) shall be on a tuition-free, space available 
basis. 
‘‘(ii) In the case of a dependent described in subpara-
graph (A) residing on a military installation in the United 
States (including territories, commonwealths, and posses-
sions of the United States), the Secretary may authorize 
enrollment of the dependent in a Department of Defense 
education program provided pursuant to subsection (a) on 
a tuition-free, space required basis.’’.
338 
SEC. 593. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR VIRTUAL PRO-
GRAMS OPERATED BY DEPARTMENT OF DE-
FENSE EDUCATION ACTIVITY. 
Section 2164(l) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘; 
and’’ and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 
(B) by striking subparagraph (B) and in-
serting the following new subparagraph (B): 
‘‘(B) is a home-schooled student.’’; and 
(2) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3) and in-
serting the following new paragraph (2): 
‘‘(2) In this subsection, the term ‘home-schooled stu-
dent’ means a student in a grade equivalent to kindergarten 
or any of grades 1 through 12 who receives educational in-
struction at home or by other nontraditional means outside 
of a public or private school system, either all or most of 
the time.’’. 
SEC. 594. AUTHORIZATION FOR SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAMS 
AT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DEPENDENT 
SCHOOLS. 
(a) DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DOMESTIC DEPEND-
ENT SCHOOLS.—Section 2164 of title 10, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subsection:
339 
‘‘(m) MEAL PROGRAMS.—(1) The Secretary of Defense 
may administer a meal program, consistent with Federal 
law and standards prescribed by the Secretary of Agri-
culture for that meal program, for students enrolled in a 
school established under this section. 
‘‘(2) In this subsection, the term ‘meal program’ means 
a program established under the Child Nutrition Act of 
1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.) or the Richard B. Russell 
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.).’’. 
(b) DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE OVERSEAS DEPEND-
ENT SCHOOLS.—Section 1402 of the Defense Dependents’ 
Education Act of 1978 (20 U.S.C. 921) is amended by add-
ing at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(e) MEAL PROGRAMS.—In addition to carrying out 
the requirement under section 20 of the Richard B. Russell 
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769b) to administer 
lunch programs in certain dependents’ schools, the Sec-
retary of Defense may administer a school breakfast pro-
gram for students attending a school of the defense depend-
ents’ education system.’’.
340 
SEC. 595. ELIGIBILITY OF CERTAIN DEPENDENTS FOR EN-
ROLLMENT IN DOMESTIC DEPENDENT ELE-
MENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 108 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 2164a 
the following new section: 
‘‘§ 2164b. Eligibility of certain dependents for enroll-
ment in domestic dependent elementary 
and secondary schools 
‘‘(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—Beginning not later 
than 180 days after the date of the enactment of the Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025, the 
Secretary of Defense shall carry out a program under which 
a dependent of a full-time, active-duty member of the armed 
forces may enroll in a covered DODEA school at the mili-
tary installation to which the member is assigned, on a 
space-available basis as described in subsection (b), without 
regard to whether the member resides on the installation 
as described in section 2164(a)(1) of this title. 
‘‘(b) ENROLLMENT ON SPACE-AVAILABLE BASIS.—A 
student participating in the program under subsection (a) 
may be enrolled in a covered DODEA school only if the 
school has the capacity to accept the student, as determined 
by the Director of the Department of Defense Education Ac-
tivity.
341 
‘‘(c) LOCATIONS.—The Secretary shall select military 
installations for participation in the program under sub-
section (a) based on— 
‘‘(1) the readiness needs of the Secretary of the 
military department concerned; and 
‘‘(2) the capacity of the covered DODEA schools 
located at the installation to accept additional stu-
dents, as determined by the Director. 
‘‘(d) BRIEFINGS REQUIRED.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than April 1, 2025, 
and annually thereafter for four years, the Secretary 
shall brief the Committees on Armed Services of the 
Senate and House of Representatives on the program 
under subsection (a). 
‘‘(2) ELEMENTS.—Each briefing required by 
paragraph (1) shall include the following: 
‘‘(A) An identification of the military in-
stallations participating in the program under 
subsection (a). 
‘‘(B) The number of students enrolled in 
covered DODEA schools under the program. 
‘‘(e) NOTIFICATIONS
OF PARTICIPATING INSTALLA-
TIONS.—Not later than 90 days before officially announcing 
the participation of a new military installation in the pro-
gram under subsection (a), the Secretary shall notify the
342 
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House 
of Representatives with respect to the participation of the 
installation. 
‘‘(f) COVERED DODEA SCHOOL DEFINED.—In this 
section, the term ‘covered DODEA school’ means a domestic 
dependent elementary or secondary school operated by the 
Department of Defense Education Activity that— 
‘‘(1) was established on or before the date of the 
enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2025; and 
‘‘(2) is located in the continental United 
States.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING REPEAL.—Section 589C of the Wil-
liam M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283; 10 U.S.C. 
2164 note) is repealed. 
SEC. 596. STAFFING OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE EDU-
CATION ACTIVITY SCHOOLS TO MAINTAIN 
MAXIMUM STUDENT-TO-TEACHER RATIOS. 
Section 589B(c) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 
(Public Law 116–283; 134 Stat. 3659) is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘2023-2024 academic year’’ and inserting ‘‘2029-2030 
academic year’’.
343 
SEC. 597. ENROLLMENT IN DEFENSE DEPENDENTS’ EDU-
CATION SYSTEM OF CHILDREN OF FOREIGN 
MILITARY MEMBERS ASSIGNED TO UNITED 
NATIONS COMMAND. 
Section 1404A of the Defense Dependents’ Education 
Act of 1978 (20 U.S.C. 923a) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(2)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘a foreign military mem-
ber’’ and all that follows through ‘‘Supreme’’ and 
inserting the following: ‘‘foreign military mem-
bers assigned to— 
‘‘(A) the Supreme’’; 
(B) by striking the period at the end and 
inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraph: 
‘‘(B) the United Nations Command, but 
only in a school of the defense dependents’ edu-
cation system in South Korea or Japan.’’; and 
(2) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking 
‘‘ASSIGNED’’ and all that follows through ‘‘EU-
ROPE’’; 
(B) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) in the first sentence, by striking ‘‘in 
Mons’’ and all that follows through ‘‘sub-
344 
section (a)’’ and inserting ‘‘described in 
paragraph (2) of subsection (a) to determine 
the number of children described in that 
paragraph’’; and 
(ii) in the second sentence, by striking 
‘‘the commander’’ and all that follows 
through ‘‘Belgium’’ and inserting ‘‘the com-
manders of the geographic combatant com-
mands with jurisdiction over the locations 
described in paragraph (2) of subsection 
(a)’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘in Mons, 
Belgium,’’. 
SEC. 598. CERTAIN ASSISTANCE TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL 
AGENCIES THAT BENEFIT DEPENDENTS OF 
MILITARY AND CIVILIAN PERSONNEL. 
(a) CONTINUATION OF AUTHORITY TO ASSIST LOCAL 
EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES THAT BENEFIT DEPENDENTS OF 
MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND DEPARTMENT OF 
DEFENSE CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES.— 
(1) ASSISTANCE TO SCHOOLS WITH SIGNIFICANT 
NUMBERS OF MILITARY DEPENDENT STUDENTS.—Of 
the amount authorized to be appropriated for fiscal 
year 2025 by section 301 and available for operation 
and maintenance for Defense-wide activities as speci-
345 
fied in the funding table in section 4301, $50,000,000 
shall be available only for the purpose of providing 
assistance to local educational agencies under sub-
section (a) of section 572 of the National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 (Public Law 
109–163; 20 U.S.C. 7703b). 
(2) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY DEFINED.—In 
this subsection, the term ‘‘local educational agency’’ 
has the meaning given that term in section 7013(9) 
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7713(9)). 
(b) IMPACT AID FOR CHILDREN WITH SEVERE DIS-
ABILITIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Of the amount authorized to 
be appropriated for fiscal year 2025 pursuant to sec-
tion 301 and available for operation and mainte-
nance for Defense-wide activities as specified in the 
funding table in section 4301, $10,000,000 shall be 
available for payments under section 363 of the Floyd 
D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2001 (as enacted into law by Public Law 
106–398; 114 Stat. 1654A–77; 20 U.S.C. 7703a). 
(2) ADDITIONAL AMOUNT.—Of the amount au-
thorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2025 pur-
suant to section 301 and available for operation and
346 
maintenance for Defense-wide activities as specified 
in the funding table in section 4301, $10,000,000 
shall be available for use by the Secretary of Defense 
to make payments to local educational agencies deter-
mined by the Secretary to have higher concentrations 
of military children with severe disabilities. 
(3) BRIEFING.—Not later than March 31, 2025, 
the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the Commit-
tees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House 
of Representatives a briefing on the Department of 
Defense’s evaluation of each local educational agency 
with higher concentrations of military children with 
severe disabilities and subsequent determination of the 
amounts of impact aid each such agency shall receive. 
SEC. 599. TRAINING REQUIREMENTS TEACHERS IN 21ST 
CENTURY SCHOOLS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 
DEFENSE EDUCATION ACTIVITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense, acting 
through the Director of the Department of Defense Edu-
cation Activity, shall require each teacher in a 21st century 
school to undergo training in accordance with this section. 
(b) CONTENT.—The training required under subsection 
(a) shall consist of specialized instruction to provide teach-
ers with the skills necessary to effectively teach in a 21st 
century school environment, including instruction in—
347 
(1) understanding and using the physical space 
of a 21st century school classroom; 
(2) building the relationships necessary to suc-
ceed, including relationships with students and other 
teachers; 
(3) the curriculum and level of academic rigor 
necessary to increase student learning; 
(4) other skills necessary to support the academic 
achievement and social and emotional well being of 
students; and 
(5) such other topics as the Secretary and the 
Director determine appropriate. 
(c) FREQUENCY.—The training required under sub-
section (a) shall be provided as follows: 
(1) In the case of a teacher who has been as-
signed to a 21st century school, but has not com-
menced teaching in such school, the training shall be 
provided before the teacher commences teaching in 
such school. 
(2) In the case of a teacher who previously 
taught in a 21st century school, but subsequently 
taught in a school that is not a 21st century school 
for one or more school years, such training shall be 
provided before the teacher resumes teaching in a 21st 
Century School.
348 
(3) In the case of a teacher who is teaching in 
a 21st century school as of the date of the enactment 
of this Act, such training shall be provided not later 
than 180 days after such date of enactment. 
(4) In the case of a teacher who teaches in a 21st 
century school on an ongoing basis, and who pre-
viously received training under this subsection, such 
training shall be provided not less frequently than 
once every three years. 
(d) 21ST CENTURY SCHOOL DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘‘21st century school’’ means a school facility 
operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity 
that has been constructed or modernized pursuant to the 
21st Century Schools Program of the Activity. 
SEC. 599A. OVERSEAS TRANSFER PROGRAM FOR EDU-
CATORS IN SCHOOLS OPERATED BY THE DE-
PARTMENT OF DEFENSE EDUCATION ACTIV-
ITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than December 31, 2025, 
the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Director 
of the Department of Defense Education Activity, shall de-
velop and implement a policy pursuant to which a teacher 
at an overseas DODEA school may transfer to a position 
at another overseas DODEA school, subject to such terms,
349 
conditions, and other requirements as the Secretary deter-
mines appropriate. 
(b) OVERSEAS DODEA SCHOOL DEFINED.—In this 
section, the term ‘‘overseas DODEA school’’ means a school 
that is— 
(1) operated by the Department of Defense Edu-
cation Activity; and 
(2) located outside the United States. 
SEC. 599B. PARENTAL RIGHT TO NOTICE OF STUDENT NON-
PROFICIENCY IN READING OR LANGUAGE 
ARTS. 
The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that each elemen-
tary school operated by the Department of Defense Edu-
cation Activity notifies the parents of any student enrolled 
in such school when the student does not score as grade- 
level proficient in reading or language arts at the end of 
the third grade based on the reading or language arts assess-
ments administered under section 1111(b)(2)(B)(v)(I)(aa) 
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(2)(B)(v)(I)(aa)) or another assessment 
administered to all third grade students by such school. 
TITLE VI—COMPENSATION AND 
OTHER PERSONNEL BENEFITS 
Subtitle A—Basic Pay, Retired Pay, and Leave 
Sec. 601. Reform of basic pay rates. 
Sec. 602. Policy on postpartum physical fitness tests and body composition as-
sessments.
350 
Sec. 603. Extension of parental leave to members of the Coast Guard Reserve. 
Sec. 604. Elimination of cap on additional retired pay for extraordinary heroism 
for members of the Army and Air Force who served during the 
Vietnam Era. 
Sec. 605. Calculation of retired pay for certain officers who served in grade O– 
9 or O–10 and retired in grade O–8. 
Subtitle B—Bonus and Incentive Pays 
Sec. 611. One-year extension of certain expiring bonus and special pay authori-
ties. 
Sec. 612. Increase in accession bonus for health professions scholarship and finan-
cial assistance program. 
Sec. 613. Increase in maximum skill proficiency bonus amount. 
Subtitle C—Allowances 
Sec. 621. Basic needs allowance for members on active service in the Armed 
Forces: expansion of eligibility; increase of amount. 
Sec. 622. Authority to pay basic allowance for housing to junior enlisted members 
on sea duty. 
Sec. 623. Reimbursement of expenses relating to travel for inactive-duty training 
and muster duty. 
Sec. 624. Expansion of travel and transportation allowance to move or store pri-
vately owned vehicles. 
Sec. 625. Extension of authority to pay one-time uniform allowance for officers 
who transfer to the Space Force. 
Sec. 626. Travel and transportation allowances: prohibition of requirement of 
zero-emission vehicle. 
Sec. 627. Evaluation of the rates of the basic allowance for subsistence. 
Sec. 628. Report regarding the calculation of cost-of-living allowances. 
Subtitle D—Family and Survivor Benefits 
Sec. 631. Expansion of eligibility for certain benefits that arise from the death 
of a member of the Armed Forces. 
Sec. 632. Extension of time for minor survivors to file death gratuity claims. 
Sec. 633. Parent fees at military child development centers for child care employ-
ees. 
Sec. 634. Information regarding paternal engagement on website of Military 
OneSource. 
Subtitle E—Defense Resale Matters 
Sec. 641. Prohibition on sale of garlic from the People’s Republic of China at 
commissary stores. 
Sec. 642. Sale of certain supplies of the Navy and Marine Corps to certain former 
members of the Coast Guard. 
Subtitle F—Other Benefits, Reports, and Briefings 
Sec. 651. Access to broadband internet access service for certain members of the 
Armed Forces. 
Sec. 652. Extension of exclusion of certain employees from Government lodging 
program. 
Sec. 653. Promotion of tax preparation assistance programs.
351 
Sec. 654. Pilot program to increase access to food on military installations of the 
Army. 
Subtitle A—Basic Pay, Retired Pay, 
and Leave 
SEC. 601. REFORM OF BASIC PAY RATES. 
Effective April 1, 2025, the rates of monthly basic pay 
for members of the uniformed services within each pay 
grade (and with years of service as computed under section 
205 of title 37, United States Code) are as follows: 
Commissioned Officers 
Pay 
Grade 
2 Years 
or Less 
Over 2 
Years 
Over 3 
Years 
Over 4 
Years 
Over 6 
Years 
O-8 
$13,380.00 
$13,818.90 
$14,109.30 
$14,190.30 
$14,553.60 
O-7 
11,117.70 
11,634.00 
11,873.10 
12,063.60 
12,407.10 
O-6 
8,430.90 
9,261.90 
9,870.00 
9,870.00 
9,907.80 
O-5 
7,028.40 
7,917.30 
8,465.40 
8,568.60 
8,910.90 
O-4 
6,064.20 
7,019.70 
7,488.90 
7,592.40 
8,027.10 
O-3 
5,331.60 
6,044.10 
6,522.60 
7,112.40 
7,453.80 
O-2 
4,606.80 
5,246.70 
6,042.90 
6,247.20 
6,375.30 
O-1 
3,998.40 
4,161.90 
5,031.30 
5,031.30 
5,031.30 
Over 8 
Years 
Over 10 
Years 
Over 12 
Years 
Over 14 
Years 
Over 16 
Years 
O-8 
$15,159.30 
$15,300.60 
$15,876.30 
$16,042.20 
$16,538.10 
O-7 
12,747.30 
13,140.00 
13,531.50 
13,925.10 
15,159.30 
O-6 
10,332.30 
10,388.70 
10,388.70 
10,979.10 
12,022.80 
O-5 
9,114.90 
9,564.90 
9,895.80 
10,322.70 
10,974.30 
O-4 
8,493.60 
9,075.00 
9,526.20 
9,840.60 
10,020.90 
O-3 
7,827.90 
8,069.10 
8,466.60 
8,674.50 
8,674.50 
O-2 
6,375.30 
6,375.30 
6,375.30 
6,375.30 
6,375.30 
O-1 
5,031.30 
5,031.30 
5,031.30 
5,031.30 
5,031.30 
Over 18 
Years 
Over 20 
Years 
Over 22 
Years 
Over 24 
Years 
Over 26 
Years 
O-10 
$0.00 
$18,808.20 
$18,808.20 
$18,808.20 
$18,808.20
352 
Commissioned Officers—Continued 
O-9 
0.00 
18,808.20 
18,808.20 
18,808.20 
18,808.20 
O-8 
17,256.00 
17,917.20 
18,359.10 
18,359.10 
18,359.10 
O-7 
16,202.10 
16,202.10 
16,202.10 
16,202.10 
16,285.50 
O-6 
12,635.40 
13,247.70 
13,596.30 
13,949.10 
14,632.80 
O-5 
11,285.10 
11,592.30 
11,940.90 
11,940.90 
11,940.90 
O-4 
10,125.00 
10,125.00 
10,125.00 
10,125.00 
10,125.00 
O-3 
8,674.50 
8,674.50 
8,674.50 
8,674.50 
8,674.50 
O-2 
6,375.30 
6,375.30 
6,375.30 
6,375.30 
6,375.30 
O-1 
5,031.30 
5,031.30 
5,031.30 
5,031.30 
5,031.30 
Over 28 
Years 
Over 30 
Years 
Over 32 
Years 
Over 34 
Years 
Over 36 
Years 
O-10 
$18,808.20 
$18,808.20 
$18,808.20 
$18,808.20 
$18,808.20 
O-9 
18,808.20 
18,808.20 
18,808.20 
18,808.20 
18,808.20 
O-8 
18,359.10 
18,808.20 
18,808.20 
18,808.20 
18,808.20 
O-7 
16,285.50 
16,611.00 
16,611.00 
16,611.00 
16,611.00 
O-6 
14,632.80 
14,925.00 
14,925.00 
14,925.00 
14,925.00 
O-5 
11,940.90 
11,940.90 
11,940.90 
11,940.90 
11,940.90 
O-4 
10,125.00 
10,125.00 
10,125.00 
10,125.00 
10,125.00 
O-3 
8,674.50 
8,674.50 
8,674.50 
8,674.50 
8,674.50 
O-2 
6,375.30 
6,375.30 
6,375.30 
6,375.30 
6,375.30 
O-1 
5,031.30 
5,031.30 
5,031.30 
5,031.30 
5,031.30 
Over 38 
Years 
Over 40 
Years 
O-10 
$18,808.20 
$18,808.20 
O-9 
18,808.20 
18,808.20 
O-8 
18,808.20 
18,808.20 
O-7 
16,611.00 
16,611.00 
O-6 
14,925.00 
14,925.00 
O-5 
11,940.90 
11,940.90 
O-4 
10,125.00 
10,125.00 
O-3 
8,674.50 
8,674.50 
O-2 
6,375.30 
6,375.30
353 
Commissioned Officers—Continued 
O–-1 
5,031.30 
5,031.30 
1 Basic pay for officers in pay grades O-7 through O-10 may not exceed 
the rate of pay for level II of the Executive Schedule. This includes officers 
serving as Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Chief of 
Staff of the Army, Chief of Naval Operations, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, 
Commandant of the Marine Corps, Chief of Space Operations, Commandant 
of the Coast Guard, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, or commander of a 
unified or specified combatant command (as defined in section 161(c) of title 
10, United States Code). 
2 Basic pay for officers in pay grades O-6 and below may not exceed the 
rate of pay for level V of the Executive Schedule. 
3 This table does not apply to commissioned officers in pay grade O-1, O- 
2, or O-3 who have been credited with over 4 years of active-duty service as 
an enlisted member or warrant officer. 
Commissioned Officers With Over 4 Years of Active Duty 
Service as an Enlisted Member or Warrant Officer 
Pay 
Grade 
2 Years 
or Less 
Over 2 
Years 
Over 3 
Years 
Over 4 
Years 
Over 6 
Years 
O-3E 
$0.00 
$0.00 
$0.00 
$7,112.40 
$7,453.80 
O-2E 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
6,247.20 
6,375.30 
O-1E 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
5,031.30 
5,372.40 
Over 8 
Years 
Over 10 
Years 
Over 12 
Years 
Over 14 
Years 
Over 16 
Years 
O-3E 
$7,827.90 
$8,069.10 
$8,466.60 
$8,802.60 
$8,995.20 
O-2E 
6,578.10 
6,920.70 
7,185.90 
7,383.00 
7,383.00 
O-1E 
5,571.30 
5,774.40 
5,973.60 
6,247.20 
6,247.20 
Over 18 
Years 
Over 20 
Years 
Over 22 
Years 
Over 24 
Years 
Over 26 
Years 
O-3E 
$9,257.70 
$9,257.70 
$9,257.70 
$9,257.70 
$9,257.70 
O-2E 
7,383.00 
7,383.00 
7,383.00 
7,383.00 
7,383.00 
O-1E 
6,247.20 
6,247.20 
6,247.20 
6,247.20 
6,247.20 
Over 28 
Years 
Over 30 
Years 
Over 32 
Years 
Over 34 
Years 
Over 36 
Years 
O-3E 
$9,257.70 
$9,257.70 
$9,257.70 
$9,257.70 
$9,257.70 
O-2E 
7,383.00 
7,383.00 
7,383.00 
7,383.00 
7,383.00 
O-1E 
6,247.20 
6,247.20 
6,247.20 
6,247.20 
6,247.20 
Over 38 
Years 
Over 40 
Years 
O-3E 
$9,257.70 
$9,257.70 
O-2E 
7,383.00 
7,383.00
354 
Commissioned Officers With Over 4 Years of Active Duty 
Service as an Enlisted Member or Warrant Officer—Continued 
O-1E 
6,247.20 
6,247.20 
1 This table applies to commissioned officers in the Reserve Component 
with more than 1,460 points as an enlisted member, a warrant officer, or a 
warrant officer and an enlisted member, which are creditable toward reserve 
retirement. 
Warrant Officers 
Pay 
Grade 
2 Years 
or Less 
Over 2 
Years 
Over 3 
Years 
Over 4 
Years 
Over 6 
Years 
W-4 
$5,510.40 
$5,926.80 
$6,096.90 
$6,264.30 
$6,552.90 
W-3 
5,032.20 
5,241.30 
5,457.00 
5,526.90 
5,752.20 
W-2 
4,452.60 
4,873.80 
5,003.10 
5,092.50 
5,380.80 
W-1 
3,908.10 
4,329.30 
4,442.10 
4,681.20 
4,963.50 
Over 8 
Years 
Over 10 
Years 
Over 12 
Years 
Over 14 
Years 
Over 16 
Years 
W-4 
$6,838.20 
$7,127.10 
$7,560.90 
$7,941.90 
$8,304.30 
W-3 
6,195.60 
6,657.60 
6,875.10 
7,126.80 
7,385.40 
W-2 
5,829.60 
6,052.50 
6,271.20 
6,539.10 
6,748.50 
W-1 
5,379.90 
5,574.30 
5,847.00 
6,114.30 
6,324.60 
Over 18 
Years 
Over 20 
Years 
Over 22 
Years 
Over 24 
Years 
Over 26 
Years 
W-5 
$0.00 
$9,797.40 
$10,294.50 
$10,665.00 
$11,074.20 
W-4 
8,601.60 
8,891.10 
9,315.60 
9,664.80 
10,062.90 
W-3 
7,851.90 
8,166.30 
8,354.40 
8,554.50 
8,827.20 
W-2 
6,937.80 
7,164.60 
7,313.70 
7,431.90 
7,431.90 
W-1 
6,518.40 
6,753.60 
6,753.60 
6,753.60 
6,753.60 
Over 28 
Years 
Over 30 
Years 
Over 32 
Years 
Over 34 
Years 
Over 36 
Years 
W-5 
$11,074.20 
$11,628.90 
$11,628.90 
$12,209.40 
$12,209.40 
W-4 
10,062.90 
10,263.60 
10,263.60 
10,263.60 
10,263.60 
W-3 
8,827.20 
8,827.20 
8,827.20 
8,827.20 
8,827.20 
W-2 
7,431.90 
7,431.90 
7,431.90 
7,431.90 
7,431.90 
W-1 
6,753.60 
6,753.60 
6,753.60 
6,753.60 
6,753.60 
Over 38 
Years 
Over 40 
Years 
W-5 
$12,821.10 
$12,821.10 
W-4 
10,263.60 
10,263.60
356 
Enlisted Members—Continued 
E-3 
3,081.00 
3,081.00 
3,081.00 
3,081.00 
3,081.00 
E-2 
2,599.20 
2,599.20 
2,599.20 
2,599.20 
2,599.20 
E-1 
2,319.00 
2,319.00 
2,319.00 
2,319.00 
2,319.00 
Over 28 
Years 
Over 30 
Years 
Over 32 
Years 
Over 34 
Years 
Over 36 
Years 
E-9 
$8,928.60 
$9,374.10 
$9,374.10 
$9,843.30 
$9,843.30 
E-8 
7,619.40 
7,772.10 
7,772.10 
7,772.10 
7,772.10 
E-7 
6,808.80 
6,808.80 
6,808.80 
6,808.80 
6,808.80 
E-6 
5,074.80 
5,074.80 
5,074.80 
5,074.80 
5,074.80 
E-5 
4,259.70 
4,259.70 
4,259.70 
4,259.70 
4,259.70 
E-4 
3,675.60 
3,675.60 
3,675.60 
3,675.60 
3,675.60 
E-3 
3,081.00 
3,081.00 
3,081.00 
3,081.00 
3,081.00 
E-2 
2,599.20 
2,599.20 
2,599.20 
2,599.20 
2,599.20 
E-1 
2,319.00 
2,319.00 
2,319.00 
2,319.00 
2,319.00 
Over 38 
Years 
Over 40 
Years 
E-9 
$10,336.50 
$10,336.50 
E-8 
7,772.10 
7,772.10 
E-7 
6,808.80 
6,808.80 
E-6 
5,074.80 
5,074.80 
E-5 
4,259.70 
4,259.70 
E-4 
3,675.60 
3,675.60 
E-3 
3,081.00 
3,081.00 
E-2 
2,599.20 
2,599.20 
E-1 
2,319.00 
2,319.00 
1 Basic pay for enlisted members may not exceed the rate of pay for level V 
of the Executive Schedule. 
2 Subject to the preceding footnote, the rate of basic pay for noncommis-
sioned officers serving as Sergeant Major of the Army, Master Chief Petty Of-
ficer of the Navy or Coast Guard, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, 
Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, Chief Master Sergeant of the Space 
Force, Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 
or Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, basic 
pay for this grade is $10,758.00 per month, regardless of cumulative years of 
service under section 205 of title 37, United States Code. 
3 In the case of members in pay grade E-1 who have served fewer than 4 
months on active duty, the rate of basic pay is $2,144.10.
358 
(ii) by striking ‘‘.;’’ and inserting a pe-
riod; and 
(2) is redesignated as section 710a of such chap-
ter of such title. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this 
section shall take effect on October 1, 2025. 
SEC. 604. ELIMINATION OF CAP ON ADDITIONAL RETIRED 
PAY FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM FOR 
MEMBERS OF THE ARMY AND AIR FORCE WHO 
SERVED DURING THE VIETNAM ERA. 
Title 10, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in section 1402(f)(2), by striking ‘‘The 
amount’’ and inserting ‘‘Except in the case of a mem-
ber who served during the Vietnam Era (as that term 
is defined in section 12731 of this title), the amount’’; 
(2) in section 7361(a)(2), by inserting ‘‘(except 
in the case of a member who served during the Viet-
nam Era, as that term is defined in section 12731 of 
this title)’’ after ‘‘based’’; and 
(3) in section 9361(a)(2), by inserting ‘‘(except 
in the case of a member who served during the Viet-
nam Era, as that term is defined in section 12731 of 
this title)’’ after ‘‘based’’.
359 
SEC. 605. CALCULATION OF RETIRED PAY FOR CERTAIN OF-
FICERS WHO SERVED IN GRADE O–9 OR O–10 
AND RETIRED IN GRADE O–8. 
Section 1407(f) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(4) SPECIAL RULE FOR OFFICERS WHO SERVED 
IN GRADE O–9 OR O–10 AND RETIRED IN GRADE O– 
8.—In the case of an officer who served in the tem-
porary grade of O–9 or O–10 and received a condi-
tional or final retirement in the permanent grade of 
O–8 pursuant to section 1370 or 1370a of this title, 
the retired pay base or retainer pay shall be the lower 
of— 
‘‘(A) the amount determined under sub-
section (c) or (d), as applicable; or 
‘‘(B) the amount determined under section 
1406 of this title, as if the officer first became a 
member of a uniformed service before September 
8, 1980.’’. 
Subtitle B—Bonus and Incentive 
Pays 
SEC. 611. ONE-YEAR EXTENSION OF CERTAIN EXPIRING 
BONUS AND SPECIAL PAY AUTHORITIES. 
(a) AUTHORITIES RELATING TO RESERVE FORCES.— 
Section 910(g) of title 37, United States Code, relating to 
income replacement payments for reserve component mem-
360 
bers experiencing extended and frequent mobilization for ac-
tive duty service, is amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 
2024’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2025’’. 
(b) TITLE 10 AUTHORITIES RELATING TO HEALTH 
CARE PROFESSIONALS.—The following sections of title 10, 
United States Code, are amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 
2024’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2025’’: 
(1) Section 2130a(a)(1), relating to nurse officer 
candidate accession program. 
(2) Section 16302(d), relating to repayment of 
education loans for certain health professionals who 
serve in the Selected Reserve. 
(c) AUTHORITIES
RELATING
TO
NUCLEAR
OFFI-
CERS.—Section 333(i) of title 37, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2024’’ and inserting 
‘‘December 31, 2025’’. 
(d) AUTHORITIES RELATING TO TITLE 37 CONSOLI-
DATED SPECIAL PAY, INCENTIVE PAY, AND BONUS AU-
THORITIES.—The following sections of title 37, United 
States Code, are amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2024’’ 
and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2025’’: 
(1) Section 331(h), relating to general bonus au-
thority for enlisted members. 
(2) Section 332(g), relating to general bonus au-
thority for officers.
361 
(3) Section 334(i), relating to special aviation 
incentive pay and bonus authorities for officers. 
(4) Section 335(k), relating to special bonus and 
incentive pay authorities for officers in health profes-
sions. 
(5) Section 336(g), relating to contracting bonus 
for cadets and midshipmen enrolled in the Senior Re-
serve Officers’ Training Corps. 
(6) Section 351(h), relating to hazardous duty 
pay. 
(7) Section 352(g), relating to assignment pay or 
special duty pay. 
(8) Section 353(i), relating to skill incentive pay 
or proficiency bonus. 
(9) Section 355(h), relating to retention incen-
tives for members qualified in critical military skills 
or assigned to high priority units. 
(e) AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE TEMPORARY INCREASE IN 
RATES
OF BASIC ALLOWANCE
FOR HOUSING.—Section 
403(b) of title 37, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (7)(E), relating to an area cov-
ered by a major disaster declaration or containing an 
installation experiencing an influx of military per-
sonnel, by striking ‘‘December 31, 2024’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘December 31, 2025’’; and
362 
(2) in paragraph (8)(C), relating to an area 
where actual housing costs differ from current rates 
by more than 20 percent, by striking ‘‘September 30, 
2024’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2025’’. 
SEC. 612. INCREASE IN ACCESSION BONUS FOR HEALTH 
PROFESSIONS SCHOLARSHIP AND FINANCIAL 
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
Section 2128(a) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘$20,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$100,000’’. 
SEC. 613. INCREASE IN MAXIMUM SKILL PROFICIENCY 
BONUS AMOUNT. 
Section 353(c)(2) of title 37, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘$12,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$55,000’’. 
Subtitle C—Allowances 
SEC. 621. BASIC NEEDS ALLOWANCE FOR MEMBERS ON AC-
TIVE SERVICE IN THE ARMED FORCES: EX-
PANSION 
OF 
ELIGIBILITY; 
INCREASE 
OF 
AMOUNT. 
(a) ELIGIBILITY.—Section 402b of title 37, United 
States Code, is amended, in subsection (b)(2)— 
(1) in subparagraph (A)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘(A)’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘150 percent’’ and inserting 
‘‘200 percent’’; and
363 
(C) by striking ‘‘; or’’ and inserting ‘‘; 
and’’; and 
(2) by striking subparagraph (B). 
(b) AMOUNT.—Such section is further amended, in 
subsection (c)(1)(A), by striking ‘‘150 percent (or, in the 
case of a member described in subsection (b)(2)(B), 200 per-
cent)’’ and inserting ‘‘200 percent’’. 
SEC. 622. AUTHORITY TO PAY BASIC ALLOWANCE FOR 
HOUSING TO JUNIOR ENLISTED MEMBERS ON 
SEA DUTY. 
Section 403(f)(2) of title 37, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘subpara-
graphs (B), (C), and (D),’’ and inserting ‘‘subpara-
graphs (B) and (C),’’; 
(2) in subparagraph (B)— 
(A) in the first sentence, by striking ‘‘pay 
grade E–4 or E–5’’ and inserting ‘‘a pay grade 
below E–6’’; and 
(B) in the second sentence, by striking ‘‘for 
members serving in pay grades E–4 and E–5’’; 
and 
(3) by striking subparagraph (D).
364 
SEC. 623. REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES RELATING TO 
TRAVEL FOR INACTIVE-DUTY TRAINING AND 
MUSTER DUTY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 452 of title 37, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following 
new subsection: 
‘‘(j) TRAVEL FOR INACTIVE-DUTY TRAINING AND MUS-
TER DUTY.—(1) If a member of the uniformed services trav-
els more than 50 miles from the member’s permanent resi-
dence (as established under paragraph (2)) for training de-
scribed in paragraph (9) of subsection (b) or duty described 
in paragraph (10) of that subsection, the member shall be 
provided, in the form of actual expenses, in-kind, or a com-
bination thereof— 
‘‘(A) actual and necessary expenses of travel and 
transportation for, or in connection with, such travel; 
and 
‘‘(B) meals, incidentals, and expenses related to 
such travel, to the same extent specified in regulations 
prescribed under section 464 of this title for a member 
on official travel. 
‘‘(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), the permanent 
residence of a member— 
‘‘(A) shall be established not later than 30 days 
after the date on which the permanent duty assign-
ment of the member begins; and
365 
‘‘(B) may not be re-established until after the 
member receives subsequent orders for a permanent 
change of assignment. 
‘‘(3) In the case of a member whose permanent resi-
dence changes after the date described in subparagraph (A) 
of paragraph (2) and before the member receives orders de-
scribed in subparagraph (B) of such paragraph, the Sec-
retary concerned may provide the member expenses de-
scribed in paragraph (1) or such other reimbursement as 
the Secretary determines appropriate if the member travels 
more than 50 miles from the new permanent residence of 
the member for training described in paragraph (9) of sub-
section (b) or duty described in paragraph (10) of such sub-
section.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by sub-
section (a) shall apply to travel on or after January 1, 
2027. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than January 1, 2026, the 
Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional de-
fense committees a report containing the following elements: 
(1) The estimated marginal cost of the amend-
ment made by subsection (a) to the Department of 
Defense, disaggregated by reserve component.
366 
(2) The estimated total number of members of the 
Armed Forces who would be affected by such amend-
ment. 
(3) Any recommended change to such amend-
ment in order to improve efficacy or implementation. 
(4) Any other matter that the Secretary deter-
mines appropriate. 
SEC. 624. EXPANSION OF TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION 
ALLOWANCE TO MOVE OR STORE PRIVATELY 
OWNED VEHICLES. 
Section 453 of title 37, United States Code, is amend-
ed, in subsection (c)— 
(1) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘(but not to 
exceed one privately owned vehicle per member house-
hold)’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘a privately 
owned vehicle’’ and inserting ‘‘privately owned vehi-
cles’’. 
SEC. 625. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO PAY ONE-TIME 
UNIFORM ALLOWANCE FOR OFFICERS WHO 
TRANSFER TO THE SPACE FORCE. 
Subsection (d)(1) of section 606 of the William M. 
(Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283; 37 U.S.C. 416 
note) is amended by striking ‘‘ending on September 30,
367 
2025’’ and inserting ‘‘ending on the last day of the transi-
tion period as defined in section 1731 of the Space Force 
Personnel Management Act (title XVII of Public Law 118– 
31; 10 U.S.C. 20001 note)’’. 
SEC. 626. TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION ALLOWANCES: 
PROHIBITION OF REQUIREMENT OF ZERO- 
EMISSION VEHICLE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Joint Travel Regulations for 
the Uniformed Services may not require that travel or 
transportation be in a zero-emission vehicle in order to be 
eligible a travel or transportation allowance. 
(b) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—This section shall not 
be construed to prohibit the payment of such an allowance 
in the case of a member of the uniformed services who uses 
a zero-emission vehicle for travel or transportation that— 
(1) the member owns; or 
(2) is provided to such member by a rental com-
pany. 
SEC. 627. EVALUATION OF THE RATES OF THE BASIC AL-
LOWANCE FOR SUBSISTENCE. 
Not later than April 1, 2025, the Secretary of Defense 
shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the 
Senate and House of Representatives a report containing 
the evaluation of the Secretary of the rates of the basic al-
lowance for subsistence under section 402 of title 37, United
368 
States Code. Elements of such report shall include the fol-
lowing: 
(1) The determination of the Secretary whether 
such rates are sufficient. 
(2) Other factors that could be used to determine 
such rates, including— 
(A) the number of dependents a member of 
the uniformed services has; 
(B) whether the member has access to fresh 
fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and meat; 
(C) whether the member has access to 
healthy food; and 
(D) the local costs of food, including at com-
missaries operated by the Secretary under chap-
ter 147 of title 10, United States Code. 
(3) The recommendations of the Secretary wheth-
er, and how, such rates may be improved. 
SEC. 628. REPORT REGARDING THE CALCULATION OF COST- 
OF-LIVING ALLOWANCES. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than April 1, 
2025, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Commit-
tees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Rep-
resentatives a report regarding the CONUS COLA and 
OCONUS COLA. Such report shall include the following 
elements:
369 
(1) The factors used to calculate the CONUS 
COLA and OCONUS COLA. 
(2) An explanation of how the factors described 
in paragraph (1) are determined. 
(3) An explanation of how the CONUS COLA 
and OCONUS COLA may be adjusted, including— 
(A) timelines for such an adjustment; 
(B) bases for such an adjustment; and 
(C) the relationship between CONUS COLA 
and OCONUS COLA. 
(4) The evaluation of the Secretary whether the 
surveys used to collect data from members to calculate 
the CONUS COLA and OCONUS COLA are effective. 
(5) The evaluation of the Secretary whether the 
calculation of the CONUS COLA and OCONUS 
COLA is effective. 
(6) The assessment of the Secretary whether the 
calculation of the CONUS COLA or OCONUS COLA 
should include additional factors, including— 
(A) the number of dependents a member 
has; 
(B) vicinity and commissary costs; 
(C) the reimbursement of expenses (includ-
ing tolls and taxes) incurred by a member based 
on the duty station of such member;
370 
(D) remoteness; 
(E) hardship; 
(F) loss of spousal income; 
(G) the unavailability of goods or services 
in the vicinity of a duty station; and 
(H) any other factor that the Secretary de-
termines appropriate. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘CONUS COLA’’ means the cost- 
of-living allowance paid to a member of the uni-
formed services under section 403b of title 37, United 
States Code. 
(2) The term ‘‘OCONUS COLA’’ means a cost- 
of-living allowance paid to a member of the uni-
formed services on the basis that— 
(A) the member is assigned to a permanent 
duty station located outside the continental 
United States; or 
(B) the dependents of such member reside 
outside the continental United States but not in 
the vicinity of the permanent duty station of 
such member.
371 
Subtitle D—Family and Survivor 
Benefits 
SEC. 631. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR CERTAIN BENE-
FITS THAT ARISE FROM THE DEATH OF A 
MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES. 
(a) DEATH GRATUITY.—Section 1475(a)(4) of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘for a period 
of more than 13 days’’. 
(b) RECOVERY, CARE, AND DISPOSITION
OF RE-
MAINS.—Section 1481(a) of title 10, United States Code, 
is amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(11) Any person not otherwise covered by this 
section whose death entitles a survivor of such person 
to a death gratuity under section 1475 of this title.’’. 
(c) ELIGIBILITY FOR ASSISTANCE FROM A CASUALTY 
ASSISTANCE OFFICER.—Section 633 of the National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 (Public Law 
113–66; 10 U.S.C. 1475 note) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘; 
and’’ and inserting a semicolon;
372 
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
the period at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; 
and 
(iii) by adding at the end the following 
new subparagraph: 
‘‘(C) an individual not described in subpara-
graph (A) or (B) who is entitled to a death gratuity 
under section 1475 of title 10, United States Code.’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘spouses and depend-
ents’’ each place it appears and inserting 
‘‘survivors’’; and 
(ii) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘spouses and other dependents of deceased 
members’’ and inserting ‘‘such survivors’’; 
and 
(2) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ‘‘the spouse 
and other dependents of a deceased member of the 
Armed Forces’’ and inserting ‘‘such a survivor’’. 
(d) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by this 
section shall apply to a death that occurs on or after the 
date of the enactment of this Act.
373 
SEC. 632. EXTENSION OF TIME FOR MINOR SURVIVORS TO 
FILE DEATH GRATUITY CLAIMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1480 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following 
new subsection: 
‘‘(e) In the case of a claim for a death gratuity under 
this chapter by an individual who is younger than 21 years 
of age on the date of the death with respect to which the 
claim is made, the individual shall file the claim with the 
Secretary of Defense not later than the later of— 
‘‘(1) the date that is three years after the indi-
vidual reaches 21 years of age; or 
‘‘(2) the date that is six years after the date of 
the death with respect to which the claim is made.’’. 
(b) APPLICABILITY.—The amendment made by sub-
section (a) applies to claims filed with respect to deaths 
occurring on or after on January 1, 2025. 
SEC. 633. PARENT FEES AT MILITARY CHILD DEVELOPMENT 
CENTERS FOR CHILD CARE EMPLOYEES. 
Section 1793 of title 10, United States Code, is amend-
ed by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following 
new subsections: 
‘‘(d) CHILD CARE EMPLOYEE DISCOUNT.—In order to 
support recruitment and retention initiatives, the Secretary 
of Defense shall charge reduced fees for the attendance, at
374 
a military child development center, of the children of a 
child care employee as follows: 
‘‘(1) For the first child, no fee. 
‘‘(2) For each other child, a fee equal to or less 
than a fee discounted under subsection (c). 
‘‘(e) PROHIBITION OF CONCURRENT DISCOUNTS.—A 
family may not receive discounts under subsections (c) and 
(d) concurrently.’’. 
SEC. 634. INFORMATION REGARDING PATERNAL ENGAGE-
MENT 
ON 
WEBSITE 
OF 
MILITARY 
ONESOURCE. 
Section 561 of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2010 (Public Law 111–84; 10 U.S.C. 1781 
note) is amended, in subsection (b)— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (11) through 
(16) as paragraphs (12) through (17), respectively; 
and 
(2) by inserting, after paragraph (10), the fol-
lowing new paragraph (11): 
‘‘(11) Programs that encourage paternal engage-
ment with the family.’’.
375 
Subtitle E—Defense Resale Matters 
SEC. 641. PROHIBITION ON SALE OF GARLIC FROM THE 
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AT COM-
MISSARY STORES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 2484 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following 
new subsection: 
‘‘(l) PROHIBITION ON SALE OF GARLIC FROM PEO-
PLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
prohibit the sale at any commissary store of fresh or chilled 
garlic— 
‘‘(1) classified under subheading 0703.20.00 of 
the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States; 
and 
‘‘(2) that originated from, or was processed in, 
the People’s Republic of China.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by sub-
section (a) shall take effect on January 1, 2026. 
SEC. 642. SALE OF CERTAIN SUPPLIES OF THE NAVY AND 
MARINE CORPS TO CERTAIN FORMER MEM-
BERS OF THE COAST GUARD. 
Section 8803 of title 10, United States Code, is amend-
ed by striking ‘‘, or the Space Force’’ and inserting ‘‘, the 
Space Force, or the Coast Guard’’.
376 
Subtitle F—Other Benefits, Reports, 
and Briefings 
SEC. 651. ACCESS TO BROADBAND INTERNET ACCESS SERV-
ICE FOR CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE ARMED 
FORCES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 134 of 
title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 2265. Access to broadband internet access service 
for certain members of the armed forces 
‘‘The Secretary of a military department may provide, 
to a member of the armed forces who resides in military 
unaccompanied housing (as defined in section 2871 of this 
title) within the United States, broadband internet access 
service, at no cost to such member.’’. 
(b) GUIDANCE.—Not later than 90 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall issue 
policy and guidance for implementation of section 2265 of 
title 10, United States Code, as added by this section, 
that— 
(1) meets or exceeds any speed benchmark estab-
lished for broadband internet access service by the 
Federal Communications Commission under section 
706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (47 
U.S.C. 1302);
377 
(2) maximizes access to such service in indi-
vidual rooms and spaces; and 
(3) allows reasonable internet access, subject to 
appropriate restrictions applicable to other internet 
access provided by the Secretary to members of the 
Armed Forces. 
SEC. 652. EXTENSION OF EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN EMPLOY-
EES 
FROM 
GOVERNMENT 
LODGING 
PRO-
GRAM. 
Section 914(b) of the Carl Levin and Howard P. 
‘‘Buck’’ McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113–291; 5 U.S.C. 5911 
note) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘2023’’ and in-
serting ‘‘2029’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(3) BRIEFINGS REQUIRED.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than Feb-
ruary 1, 2025, and annually thereafter through 
February 1, 2030, the Secretary shall brief the 
congressional defense committees on the exclusion 
under paragraph (1) from the requirements of a 
Government lodging program carried out under 
subsection (a).
378 
‘‘(B) ELEMENTS.—Each briefing required 
by subparagraph (A) shall include, for the year 
preceding the briefing, the following: 
‘‘(i) A description of the instances in 
which the exclusion under paragraph (1) 
was used. 
‘‘(ii) A description of the lodging used 
under that exclusion. 
‘‘(iii) A statement of the difference in 
cost between lodging used under that exclu-
sion and lodging provided under a Govern-
ment lodging program carried out under 
subsection (a) in each location where lodg-
ing under the exclusion was used. 
‘‘(iv) Such other matters as the Sec-
retary considers relevant.’’. 
SEC. 653. PROMOTION OF TAX PREPARATION ASSISTANCE 
PROGRAMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall en-
sure that each member of a covered Armed Force receives, 
not later than March 1 of each year, via email or other 
electronic means, a notice regarding the MilTax program 
and other tax preparation assistance programs furnished 
by the Secretary.
379 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than six months after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House 
of Representatives a report regarding the rates of participa-
tion by members of the covered Armed Forces in the pro-
grams described in subsection (a). 
(c) COVERED ARMED FORCE DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘‘covered Armed Force’’ means the Army, 
Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space Force. 
SEC. 654. PILOT PROGRAM TO INCREASE ACCESS TO FOOD 
ON MILITARY INSTALLATIONS OF THE ARMY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army 
shall implement a pilot program to increase access to food 
on military installations of the Army for members of the 
Army who reside on such military installations. 
(b) ACCESS.—Food made available under the program 
under this section shall be accessible with a common access 
card (or other means determined appropriate by the Sec-
retary) at dining facilities, commissaries, exchanges, res-
taurants, and other locations where such members can ob-
tain food. 
(c) TERMINATION.—The pilot program under this sec-
tion shall terminate five years after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act.
380 
(d) BRIEFING.—Not later than 90 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House 
of Representatives a briefing on the implementation of the 
program under this section. Such briefing shall include the 
following elements: 
(1) The milestones and timeline to complete such 
implementation. 
(2) Resources, including software, hardware, and 
personnel, necessary for such implementation. 
(3) A description of potential barriers to imple-
mentation of the program, particularly for remote or 
rural military installations, or installations located 
in geographic areas with limited access to food. 
(4) Policies or regulations of the Department of 
the Army that the Secretary determines necessary for 
such implementation. 
(5) Recommendations of the Secretary regarding 
legislation necessary for such implementation. 
TITLE VII—HEALTH CARE 
PROVISIONS 
Subtitle A—TRICARE and Other Health Benefits 
Sec. 701. Access to specialty behavioral health care under TRICARE Prime. 
Sec. 702. Reduction or waiver of cost-sharing amounts under TRICARE phar-
macy benefits program for certain dependents enrolled in 
TRICARE Prime Remote program. 
Sec. 703. TRICARE program: waiver of referral requirement under TRICARE 
Prime for certain care in a military medical treatment facility.
381 
Sec. 704. Extension of effective date regarding certain improvements to the 
TRICARE dental program. 
Sec. 705. Program to prevent perinatal mental health conditions in pregnant and 
postpartum members of the Armed Forces. 
Sec. 706. Guidance on authority to provide travel and transportation allowances 
for specialty care under exceptional circumstances. 
Sec. 707. Contraception coverage parity under the TRICARE program. 
Sec. 708. Prohibition of coverage under TRICARE program of certain medical 
procedures for children that could result in sterilization. 
Sec. 709. Demonstration program on cryopreservation and storage of gametes of 
certain members of the Armed Forces. 
Subtitle B—Health Care Administration 
Sec. 711. Identification in patient medical records of affiliation of certain non- 
Department of Defense health care providers. 
Sec. 712. Extension of enhanced appointment and compensation authority for 
certain health care providers. 
Sec. 713. Licensure requirement for certain health care professionals providing 
certain examinations to members of the reserve components. 
Sec. 714. Health care licensure portability for TRICARE network providers pro-
viding mental health services to members of the Armed Forces 
and certain family members. 
Sec. 715. Expansion of recognition by the Defense Health Agency of certifying 
bodies for physicians. 
Sec. 716. Waiver with respect to experienced nurses at military medical treat-
ment facilities. 
Sec. 717. Improved implementation of financial relief for civilians treated in 
military medical treatment facilities. 
Sec. 718. Retention of health care providers: surveys; briefing; reports. 
Subtitle C—Matters Relating to Brain Health 
Sec. 721. Establishment of Defense Intrepid Network for Traumatic Brain Injury 
and Brain Health as program of record. 
Sec. 722. Brain health and trauma program. 
Sec. 723. Modifications to Brain Health Initiative of Department of Defense. 
Sec. 724. Blast overpressure and traumatic brain injury oversight strategy and 
action plan. 
Sec. 725. Establishment of requirements relating to blast overpressure exposure. 
Subtitle D—Studies, Briefings, Reports, and Other Matters 
Sec. 731. Treatment of expert medical opinions with respect to medical mal-
practice claims by members of the uniformed services. 
Sec. 732. Annual reports on medical malpractice claims by members of the uni-
formed services. 
Sec. 733. Expansion of license reciprocity for veterinarians of Department of De-
fense. 
Sec. 734. Medical countermeasures for overseas personnel of the Department of 
Defense for acute radiation syndrome and thermal burns. 
Sec. 735. Establishment of Indo-Pacific Medical Readiness Program. 
Sec. 736. Reports on suicide among members of the Armed Forces and suicide 
prevention programs and activities of the Department of De-
fense.
382 
Sec. 737. Study of immune response and other effects on members of the Armed 
Forces regarding COVID–19 vaccines. 
Sec. 738. Annual report on recruitment delays relating to medical conditions. 
Sec. 739. Plan to improve access by members of the Armed Forces to safe, high- 
quality pharmaceuticals. 
Sec. 740. Pilot program on delegation of authority to approve reserve component 
recruits with certain medical conditions. 
Subtitle A—TRICARE and Other 
Health Benefits 
SEC. 701. ACCESS TO SPECIALTY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH 
CARE UNDER TRICARE PRIME. 
Section 704 of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2016 (Public Law 114–92; 10 U.S.C. 1073 
note) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection 
(d); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following 
new subsection (c): 
‘‘(c) ACCESS
TO SPECIALTY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH 
CARE.— 
‘‘(1) MONITORING.—The Secretary shall continu-
ously monitor the ability of beneficiaries under 
TRICARE Prime to receive an appointment for spe-
cialty behavioral health care under TRICARE Prime 
within the access standards established under sub-
section (b)(2)(B) for such health care. 
‘‘(2) EXPANSION OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AC-
CREDITATION STANDARDS.—
383 
‘‘(A) 
DETERMINATIONS.—The 
Secretary 
shall expand required behavioral health accredi-
tation standards in a State if the Secretary 
makes the following determinations: 
‘‘(i) Access to specialty behavioral 
health care in that State fails to meet the 
access standards established under sub-
section (b)(2)(B) for more than 12 consecu-
tive months. 
‘‘(ii) 
The 
expanded 
accreditation 
standards are adequate to ensure quality of 
care. 
‘‘(B) STATE CREDENTIALS.—The Secretary 
may include in expanded behavioral health ac-
creditation standards under subparagraph (A) 
appropriate credentials issued by State-level or-
ganizations. 
‘‘(C) BRIEFINGS.—If the Secretary expands 
behavioral health accreditation standards under 
subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall provide to 
the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate 
and the House of Representatives a briefing on 
such expansion, including how such expansion 
affects access to specialty behavioral health care.
384 
‘‘(D) NOTIFICATIONS.—If the Secretary 
makes a determination under clause (i) of sub-
paragraph (A), but does not make a determina-
tion under clause (ii) of such subparagraph, the 
Secretary shall submit to the Committees on 
Armed Services of the Senate and the House of 
Representatives a notice explaining both such de-
terminations. 
‘‘(3) TERMINATION.—The authority of the Sec-
retary under this subsection shall terminate on Janu-
ary 1, 2028.’’. 
SEC. 702. REDUCTION OR WAIVER OF COST-SHARING 
AMOUNTS UNDER TRICARE PHARMACY BENE-
FITS PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN DEPENDENTS 
ENROLLED IN TRICARE PRIME REMOTE PRO-
GRAM. 
Section 1074g(a)(6) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subpara-
graph: 
‘‘(D) Notwithstanding subparagraphs (A), (B), and 
(C), the Secretary may selectively waive or reduce cost-shar-
ing amounts under this subsection for a dependent of a 
member of the uniformed services described in section 
1074(c)(3)(B) of this title if the dependent is enrolled in 
the TRICARE Prime Remote program and accompanies the
385 
member to the duty assignment of the member at the ex-
pense of the Federal Government.’’. 
SEC. 703. TRICARE PROGRAM: WAIVER OF REFERRAL RE-
QUIREMENT UNDER TRICARE PRIME FOR 
CERTAIN CARE IN A MILITARY MEDICAL 
TREATMENT FACILITY. 
Section 1095f(a)(2) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by inserting ‘‘(A)’’ before ‘‘The Secretary’’; 
and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph: 
‘‘(B) The Secretary shall waive the referral require-
ment in paragraph (1) in the case of a member of the armed 
forces serving on active duty who seeks to obtain any of 
the following kinds of care in a military medical treatment 
facility: 
‘‘(i) Physical therapy. 
‘‘(ii) Nutritional. 
‘‘(iii) Audiological. 
‘‘(iv) Optometric. 
‘‘(v) Podiatric.’’.
386 
SEC. 704. EXTENSION OF EFFECTIVE DATE REGARDING 
CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS TO THE TRICARE 
DENTAL PROGRAM. 
(a) EXTENSION.—Section 1076a of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘January 1, 2026’’ 
each place it appears and inserting ‘‘January 1, 2027’’. 
(b) RULEMAKING; BRIEFING.—Section 701 of the 
James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117–263; 10 U.S.C. 1076a 
note) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘January 
1, 2025’’ and inserting ‘‘January 1, 2026’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘January 
1, 2026’’ and inserting ‘‘January 1, 2027’’; and 
(2) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘and 2026’’ 
and inserting ‘‘2026, and 2027’’. 
SEC. 705. PROGRAM TO PREVENT PERINATAL MENTAL 
HEALTH CONDITIONS IN PREGNANT AND 
POSTPARTUM 
MEMBERS 
OF 
THE 
ARMED 
FORCES. 
(a) REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary of Defense, acting 
through the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and 
Readiness, shall carry out a program to improve clinical 
and nonclinical services targeting mental health conditions
387 
in pregnant and postpartum members of the Armed Forces 
and spouses of members during the perinatal period. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The Secretary shall ensure that the 
program under subsection (a) includes the following: 
(1) Access to support resources during the 
perinatal period, including— 
(A) identification of symptoms of perinatal 
mental health conditions, brief intervention by 
primary care providers, referral to care, and 
treatment; 
(B) targeted nonmedical counseling services 
through the Department of Defense Military and 
Family Life Counseling Program of the Office of 
Military Family Readiness Policy under section 
1781 of title 10, United States Code; 
(C) existing parenting resiliency programs 
of the military departments; 
(D) adherence to clinical practice guidelines 
in military medical treatment facilities in sup-
port of members of the uniformed services and 
dependents with a diagnosed mental health con-
dition requiring clinical intervention, including 
through primary care services and women’s 
health clinics, in collaboration with behavioral 
health services; and
388 
(E) prenatal and postnatal support pro-
grams at military medical treatment facilities 
that provide group counseling modeled after best 
clinical practices, such as the Centering Preg-
nancy program. 
(2) A process for informing pregnant and 
postpartum members of the Armed Forces and spouses 
of members of nonmedical and clinical support serv-
ices during the perinatal period. 
(3) A communications strategy to increase 
awareness of the services available under the program. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than December 31, 2025, the 
Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services 
of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the 
program under subsection (a) that includes the following: 
(1) A description of the range of activities in-
cluded in the program and data assessing the effec-
tiveness or shortcomings of such activities. 
(2) How resources are allocated for the purpose 
of establishing and maintaining perinatal support 
programs at military medical treatment facilities. 
(3) Measurements for adherence to evidence-based 
protocols at military medical treatment facilities with 
respect to identifying potential mental health issues.
389 
(4) Assessment of current training and creden-
tials required for health care providers providing 
perinatal services and consideration for further cer-
tifications, such as the Perinatal Mental Health Cer-
tification. 
(5) Feasibility and advisability of adding spe-
cialized perinatal mental health support services via 
a helpline through Military One Source. 
(6) Recommendations for administrative or leg-
islative changes to improve the effectiveness of the pro-
gram. 
(d) PERINATAL PERIOD DEFINED.—In this section, the 
term ‘‘perinatal period’’ means the period beginning with 
pregnancy through one year following childbirth. 
SEC. 706. GUIDANCE ON AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE TRAVEL 
AND TRANSPORTATION ALLOWANCES FOR 
SPECIALTY CARE UNDER EXCEPTIONAL CIR-
CUMSTANCES. 
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall issue guidance 
with respect to the authority of the Secretary under section 
1074i(b) of title 10, United States Code.
390 
SEC. 707. CONTRACEPTION COVERAGE PARITY UNDER THE 
TRICARE PROGRAM. 
(a) 
PHARMACY
BENEFITS
PROGRAM.—Section 
1074g(a)(6) of title 10, United States Code, as amended by 
section 702, is further amended by adding at the end the 
following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(E) Notwithstanding subparagraphs (A), (B), and 
(C), the cost-sharing amount under this subsection for any 
prescription contraceptive on the uniform formulary pro-
vided through a retail pharmacy described in paragraph 
(2)(E)(ii) or through the national mail-order pharmacy 
program is $0.’’. 
(b) TRICARE SELECT.—Section 1075(f) of such title 
is amended— 
(1) by striking the heading and inserting 
‘‘OTHER EXCEPTIONS TO COST-SHARING REQUIRE-
MENTS’’; 
(2) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘A beneficiary en-
rolled’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(2)(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of this 
section, the cost-sharing amount under this section for any 
beneficiary enrolled in TRICARE Select for a service de-
scribed in subparagraph (B) that is provided by a network 
provider is $0.
391 
‘‘(B) A service described in this subparagraph is any 
contraceptive method approved, cleared, or authorized 
under section 505, 510(k), 513(f)(2), or 515 of the Federal 
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 355, 360(k), 
360c(f)(2), 360e), any contraceptive care (including with 
respect to insertion, removal, and follow up), any steriliza-
tion procedure, or any patient education or counseling serv-
ice provided in connection with any such contraceptive, 
care, or procedure.’’. 
(c) TRICARE PRIME.—Section 1075a of such title is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(d) PROHIBITION ON COST-SHARING FOR CERTAIN 
SERVICES.—(1)(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of 
this section, the cost-sharing amount under this section for 
any beneficiary enrolled in TRICARE Prime for a service 
described in subparagraph (B) that is provided under 
TRICARE Prime is $0. 
‘‘(B) A service described in this subparagraph is any 
contraceptive method approved, cleared, or authorized 
under section 505, 510(k), 513(f)(2), or 515 of the Federal 
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 355, 360(k), 
360c(f)(2), 360e), any contraceptive care (including with 
respect to insertion, removal, and follow up), any steriliza-
tion procedure, or any patient education or counseling serv-
392 
ice provided in connection with any such contraceptive, 
care, or procedure.’’. 
(d) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
Chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code, is amended as 
follows: 
(1) Paragraph (4) of section 1075(c) is— 
(A) transferred to subsection (f), as amend-
ed by subsection (b) of this section; 
(B) inserted after paragraph (2); and 
(C) redesignated as paragraph (3). 
(2) Paragraph (4) of section 1075a(a) is— 
(A) transferred to subsection (d), as added 
by subsection (c) of this section; 
(B) inserted after paragraph (1); and 
(C) redesignated as paragraph (2). 
SEC. 708. PROHIBITION OF COVERAGE UNDER TRICARE 
PROGRAM 
OF 
CERTAIN 
MEDICAL 
PROCE-
DURES FOR CHILDREN THAT COULD RESULT 
IN STERILIZATION. 
Section 1079(a) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(20) Medical interventions for the treatment of 
gender dysphoria that could result in sterilization 
may not be provided to a child under the age of 18.’’.
393 
SEC. 
709. 
DEMONSTRATION 
PROGRAM 
ON 
CRYOPRESERVATION 
AND 
STORAGE 
OF 
GAMETES OF CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE 
ARMED FORCES. 
(a) DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.—Not later than one 
year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall carry out a demonstration program 
to reimburse covered members for expenses incurred in the 
retrieval, testing, cryopreservation, shipping, and storage of 
gametes of such covered members in a private storage facil-
ity determined appropriate by the Secretary. 
(b) ELEMENTS.— 
(1) AMOUNT
OF
REIMBURSEMENT.—A covered 
member participating in the demonstration program 
shall receive not more than the following amounts per 
year: 
(A) $500 in the case of a member who pre-
serves sperm. 
(B) $10,000 in the case of a member who 
preserves eggs. 
(2) INFORMATION.— 
(A) PROVIDERS.—The Secretary shall pro-
vide to a covered member participating in the 
demonstration program information regarding 
providers of services described in subsection (a) 
located near the covered member.
394 
(B) PROMOTION.—The Secretary shall pro-
mote the demonstration program to covered 
members in the course of annual health examina-
tions and pre-deployment screenings. 
(3) USE OF MILITARY MEDICAL TREATMENT FA-
CILITIES.—The Secretary shall encourage the use of 
military medical treatment facilities that offer serv-
ices described in subsection (a) to provide services 
under the demonstration program. 
(c) DURATION.—The Secretary shall— 
(1) publish in the Federal Register the date on 
which the Secretary will commence carrying out the 
demonstration program; and 
(2) carry out the demonstration program for a 
three-year period beginning on such date. 
(d) NO LIABILITY OR CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION.— 
The United States shall not be— 
(1) considered a party to any agreement between 
a covered member who participates in the demonstra-
tion program and a private gamete storage facility; 
or 
(2) responsible for the management of gametes 
cryopreserved or stored for which a covered member 
receives reimbursement under such demonstration 
program.
395 
(e) ADVANCED MEDICAL DIRECTIVE.—A covered mem-
ber who participates in the demonstration program shall 
complete an advanced medical directive that specifies how 
gametes preserved under the demonstration program shall 
be handled upon the death of such covered member. 
(f) REPORTS; BRIEFINGS.— 
(1) INITIAL REPORT.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Serv-
ices of the House of Representatives and the Senate a 
report containing a plan to implement the dem-
onstration program. 
(2) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the 
Secretary commences carrying out the demonstration 
program, the Secretary shall submit to the Commit-
tees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House 
of Representatives a report on the demonstration pro-
gram. Such report shall include the following: 
(A) Usage by covered members. 
(B) Demographics of participating covered 
members. 
(C) Costs of services to participating cov-
ered members. 
(D) The feasibility of expanding the dem-
onstration program.
396 
(E) The feasibility of making the dem-
onstration program permanent. 
(F) Other information determined appro-
priate by the Secretary. 
(3) BRIEFINGS.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually 
thereafter for the duration of the demonstration pro-
gram, the Secretary shall provide to the congressional 
defense committees a briefing on— 
(A) the design, use, and costs of the dem-
onstration project; and 
(B) any other observations of the Secretary 
with respect to the demonstration project, such as 
the effects of the demonstration project on re-
cruitment and retention. 
(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘covered member’’ means a member 
of a covered Armed Force serving on active duty— 
(A) who has received orders (including de-
ployment orders) for duty for which the member 
may receive hazardous duty pay under section 
351 of title 37, United States Code; 
(B) whom the Secretary determines is likely 
to receive such orders in the next 120 days;
397 
(C) who will, under orders, be geographi-
cally separated from a spouse, domestic partner, 
or dating partner for a period of not less than 
180 days, including sea duty; or 
(D) whose application to participate in the 
demonstration program is approved by the Sec-
retary. 
(2) The term ‘‘covered Armed Force’’ means the 
Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space 
Force. 
(3) The term ‘‘deployment’’ has the meaning 
given such term in section 991(b) of title 10, United 
States Code. 
Subtitle B—Health Care 
Administration 
SEC. 711. IDENTIFICATION IN PATIENT MEDICAL RECORDS 
OF AFFILIATION OF CERTAIN NON-DEPART-
MENT 
OF 
DEFENSE 
HEALTH 
CARE 
PRO-
VIDERS. 
Chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code, is amended 
by inserting after section 1091 the following new section:
398 
‘‘§ 1091a. Identification in patient medical records of 
affiliation of certain non-Department of 
Defense health care providers 
‘‘(a) REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
ensure that medical records of the Department of Defense 
include the organizational affiliation of any independent 
health care contractor identified in such medical records. 
‘‘(b) INDEPENDENT HEALTH CARE CONTRACTOR DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘independent health care 
contractor’ means a health care provider who meets the fol-
lowing criteria: 
‘‘(1) The health care provider is a nonpersonal 
services contractor, or an employee of such a con-
tractor, pursuant to subpart 37.4 of the Federal Ac-
quisition Regulation, or other applicable regulation. 
‘‘(2) The health care provider provides health 
care services under this chapter in any military med-
ical treatment facility (as defined in section 1073c(i) 
of this title) or other location under the jurisdiction 
of the Secretary of Defense, including an operational 
clinic.’’.
399 
SEC. 712. EXTENSION OF ENHANCED APPOINTMENT AND 
COMPENSATION AUTHORITY FOR CERTAIN 
HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS. 
Section 1599c(b) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2025’’ both places it 
appears and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2030’’. 
SEC. 713. LICENSURE REQUIREMENT FOR CERTAIN HEALTH 
CARE PROFESSIONALS PROVIDING CERTAIN 
EXAMINATIONS TO MEMBERS OF THE RE-
SERVE COMPONENTS. 
Section 1094(d)(2) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting ‘‘an examination or assessment under 
section 10206 of this title or’’ after ‘‘not covered under sec-
tion 1091 of this title who is providing’’. 
SEC. 714. HEALTH CARE LICENSURE PORTABILITY FOR 
TRICARE NETWORK PROVIDERS PROVIDING 
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TO MEMBERS OF 
THE ARMED FORCES AND CERTAIN FAMILY 
MEMBERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1094(d) of title 10, United 
States Code, as amended by section 713, is further amend-
ed— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘paragraph (2) 
or (3)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraph (2), (3), or (4)’’; 
and
401 
SEC. 715. EXPANSION OF RECOGNITION BY THE DEFENSE 
HEALTH AGENCY OF CERTIFYING BODIES 
FOR PHYSICIANS. 
(a) EXPANSION.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Defense 
Health Agency shall revise the policy of the Defense Health 
Agency regarding the credentialing and privileging under 
the military health system to expand the recognition of cer-
tifying bodies for physicians under such policy to a wide 
range of additional board certifications in medical special-
ties and subspecialties. Subject to subsection (b), the fol-
lowing certifying bodies shall be so recognized: 
(1) The member boards of the American Board 
of Medical Specialties. 
(2) The Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists of the 
American Osteopathic Association. 
(3) The American Board of Foot and Ankle Sur-
gery. 
(4) The American Board of Podiatric Medicine. 
(5) The American Board of Oral and Maxillo-
facial Surgery. 
(b) STANDARDS FOR RECOGNITION OF OTHER CERTI-
FYING BODIES.—To be recognized under subsection (a), a 
certifying body shall—
402 
(1) be an organization described in section 
501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and ex-
empt from taxation under section 501(a) of that Code; 
(2) maintain a process to define, periodically re-
view, enforce, and update specific standards regard-
ing knowledge and skills of the specialty or sub-
specialty; 
(3) administer a psychometrically valid assess-
ment to determine whether a physician meets stand-
ards for initial certification, recertification, or con-
tinuing certification; 
(4) establish and enforce a code of professional 
conduct; 
(5) require that, in order to be considered a 
board certified specialty physician, a physician must 
satisfy— 
(A) the certifying body’s applicable require-
ments for initial certification; and 
(B) any applicable recertification or con-
tinuing certification requirements of the certi-
fying body that granted the initial certification; 
and 
(6) meets such other requirements as the Sec-
retary of Defense may establish for purposes of com-
pliance with appropriate requirements of applicable
403 
State laws and the promotion of consistency in 
credentialing and privileging health care providers 
throughout military medical treatment facilities of 
the Defense Health Agency. 
SEC. 
716. 
WAIVER 
WITH 
RESPECT 
TO 
EXPERIENCED 
NURSES AT MILITARY MEDICAL TREATMENT 
FACILITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The hiring manager of a military 
medical treatment facility or other health care facility of 
the Department of Defense may waive any General Sched-
ule qualification standard related to work experience estab-
lished by the Director of the Office of Personnel Manage-
ment in the case of any applicant for a nursing or practical 
nurse position in a military medical treatment facility or 
other health care facility of the Department of Defense 
who— 
(1)(A) is a nurse or practical nurse in the De-
partment of Defense; or 
(B) was a nurse or practical nurse in the De-
partment of Defense for at least one year; and 
(2) after commencing work as a nurse or prac-
tical nurse in the Department of Defense, obtained a 
bachelor’s degree or graduate degree from an accred-
ited professional nursing educational program.
404 
(b) CERTIFICATION.—If, in the case of any applicant 
described in subsection (a), a hiring manager waives a 
qualification standard in accordance with such subsection, 
such hiring manager shall submit to the Director of the Of-
fice of Personnel Management a certification that such ap-
plicant meets all remaining General Schedule qualification 
standards established by the Director of the Office of Per-
sonnel Management for the applicable position. 
SEC. 717. IMPROVED IMPLEMENTATION OF FINANCIAL RE-
LIEF FOR CIVILIANS TREATED IN MILITARY 
MEDICAL TREATMENT FACILITIES. 
(a) FINAL RULE REQUIRED.—The Secretary of De-
fense shall issue a final rule (or interim final rule) to imple-
ment as soon as possible after the date of the enactment 
of this Act section 1079b of title 10, United States Code. 
(b) TREATMENT OF CLAIMS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), the Secretary shall hold in abeyance any 
claims under section 1079b of title 10, United States 
Code, until the final rule (or interim final rule) re-
quired under subsection (a) is in effect. 
(2) EXCEPTION.—Paragraph (1) does not apply 
to— 
(A) claims to third-party payers; or
405 
(B) administrative support provided to the 
Secretary by another Federal agency to assist the 
Secretary in the administration of section 1079b 
of title 10, United States Code. 
SEC. 718. RETENTION OF HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS: SUR-
VEYS; BRIEFING; REPORTS. 
(a) SURVEYS.—The Secretary of a military depart-
ment shall conduct an annual survey of health care pro-
viders under the jurisdiction of such Secretary to determine 
why such providers remain on, or separate from, active 
duty in such military department. 
(b) BRIEFING.—Not later than 90 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of a military 
department shall provide to the Committees on Armed Serv-
ices of the Senate and House of Representatives a briefing 
regarding the plan of such Secretary to carry out the survey 
under this section. 
(c) REPORTS.—Not later than September 30 of each 
year, beginning in 2025, the Secretary of a military depart-
ment shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of 
the Senate and House of Representatives a report regarding 
the most recent survey under this section. 
(1) ELEMENTS.—Each report shall include the 
following elements:
406 
(A) Demographic data regarding the pro-
viders, disaggregated under paragraph (2). 
(B) Reasons providers gave for remaining. 
(C) Reasons providers gave for separating. 
(D) The determination of the Secretary 
whether there is a trend regarding retention or 
such reasons. 
(E) Efforts of the Secretary to reverse a neg-
ative trend or encourage a positive trend. 
(F) Legislative recommendations of the Sec-
retary regarding how to reverse a negative trend 
or encourage a positive trend. 
(2) DEMOGRAPHIC DATA.—In each report, the 
Secretary of a military department shall disaggregate 
demographic data regarding providers who partici-
pated in the most recent survey on the bases of the fol-
lowing categories: 
(A) Medical specialty. 
(B) Rank. 
(C) Gender. 
(D) Years of service in such military de-
partment. 
(E) Whether the provider became an officer 
on active duty in such military department—
407 
(i) pursuant to the Armed Forces 
Health Professions Scholarship and Finan-
cial Assistance program under subchapter I 
of chapter 105 of title 10, United States 
Code; 
(ii) after graduating from the Uni-
formed Services University of the Health 
Sciences established under section 2112 of 
such title; or 
(iii) otherwise. 
(d) TERMINATION.—This section shall cease to have ef-
fect on September 30, 2030. 
Subtitle C—Matters Relating to 
Brain Health 
SEC. 721. ESTABLISHMENT OF DEFENSE INTREPID NET-
WORK FOR TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY AND 
BRAIN HEALTH AS PROGRAM OF RECORD. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than January 1, 2026, 
the Secretary of Defense shall establish the Defense Intrepid 
Network for Traumatic Brain Injury and Brain Health (in 
this section referred to as the ‘‘Network’’) headquartered at 
the National Intrepid Center of Excellence as a program 
of record subject to milestone reviews and compliance with 
the requirements under this section. 
(b) DUTIES.—The duties of the Network are as follows:
408 
(1) To provide clinical care to prevent, diagnose, 
treat, and rehabilitate members of the Armed Forces 
with traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress 
disorder, symptoms from blast overpressure or blast 
exposure, and other mental health conditions. 
(2) To promote standardization of care among 
the 10 Intrepid Spirit Centers throughout the conti-
nental United States, brain health clinics in Alaska 
and Germany, and other sites as designated by the 
Director of the Defense Health Agency as being a part 
of the long-term brain health strategy of the Depart-
ment of Defense. 
(3) To support and conduct research and edu-
cation on traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic 
stress disorder, blast overpressure or blast exposure, 
and other mental health conditions. 
(c) ANNUAL BRIEFING.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually there-
after for a period of five years, the Secretary of Defense 
shall provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the 
Senate and the House of Representatives a briefing that 
shall include, for the year covered by the briefing— 
(1) the number of individuals to whom the Net-
work has provided services;
409 
(2) the number of individuals who return to ac-
tive duty in the Armed Forces after receiving services 
from the Network, and the stage in their career at 
which they seek treatment at the Network; 
(3) the number of individuals whose families are 
able to participate in programs provided by the Net-
work; and 
(4) the number of individuals on a waitlist for 
treatment at the Network and the average period those 
individuals are on the waitlist. 
SEC. 722. BRAIN HEALTH AND TRAUMA PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
establish an intensive comprehensive brain health and trau-
ma program to— 
(1) provide multidisciplinary specialist evalua-
tions, treatment initiation, and aftercare for members 
of the Armed Forces and dependents of members; and 
(2) make evidence-based improvements in such 
evaluations, treatment, and aftercare. 
(b) PROGRAM ELEMENTS.—The Secretary shall ensure 
that the program under subsection (a) includes the fol-
lowing: 
(1) Initiatives of the Defense Health Agency that 
provide coordinated evaluations, treatment, and 
aftercare for traumatic brain injuries and related
410 
conditions, that incorporates specialized evaluations, 
innovative and evidence-based treatments, and com-
prehensive follow-up care. 
(2) Collaboration with private sector nonprofit 
health care organizations involved in innovative clin-
ical activities in brain health and trauma care, in-
cluding transitional and residential brain injury 
treatment programs. 
(3) One or more pilot programs for dem-
onstrating the effectiveness of intensive outpatient 
multidisciplinary specialist treatment and care co-
ordination. 
(4) Incorporation of evidence-based therapy with 
complementary and alternative medicine approaches. 
(5) Thorough evaluations of the effectiveness of 
innovative activities for diagnosis, treatment, and 
aftercare of brain trauma and promotion of brain 
health. 
(c) BRIEFING.—Not later than December 31, 2025, the 
Secretary shall provide to the Armed Services Committees 
of the Senate and House of Representatives a briefing on 
the program under subsection (a). Such briefing shall in-
clude the following:
411 
(1) A description of the range of activities in-
cluded in the program and data assessing the effec-
tiveness or shortcomings of such activities. 
(2) The scope of each pilot program carried out 
under subsection (b)(3). 
(3) Recommendations for administrative or leg-
islative changes to improve the effectiveness of the pro-
gram. 
SEC. 723. MODIFICATIONS TO BRAIN HEALTH INITIATIVE 
OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 
Section 735 of the James M. Inhofe National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117– 
263; 10 U.S.C. 1071 note) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)(1)— 
(A) by striking subparagraph (B) and in-
serting the following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(B) In accordance with subsection (c), the 
identification and dissemination of thresholds for 
blast exposure and overpressure safety and asso-
ciated emerging scientific evidence that— 
‘‘(i) cover brain injury and impulse 
noise; 
‘‘(ii) measure impact over 24-hour, 72- 
hour to 96-hour, monthly, annual, and life-
time periods;
412 
‘‘(iii) are designed to prevent cognitive 
deficits after firing; 
‘‘(iv) account for the cumulative im-
pact of firing multiple weapon systems dur-
ing the same period; 
‘‘(v) include minimum safe distances 
and levels of exposure for observers and in-
structors; and 
‘‘(vi) 
address 
shoulder-fired 
heavy 
weapons.’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraphs: 
‘‘(H) The establishment of a standardized 
treatment program based on interventions that 
have shown benefit to individuals with brain 
health issues after a brain injury and the provi-
sion of that treatment program to individuals 
with brain health issues after a brain injury re-
sulting from a potential brain exposure described 
in subparagraph (A) or high-risk training or oc-
cupational activities described in subparagraph 
(D). 
‘‘(I) The establishment of policies to encour-
age members of the Armed Forces to seek medical 
treatment for brain health when needed, prevent
413 
retaliation against such members who seek such 
medical treatment, and address other barriers to 
seeking medical treatment for brain health due to 
the impact of blast exposure, blast overpressure, 
or traumatic brain injury. 
‘‘(J) The modification of existing weapons 
systems to reduce blast exposure of the individual 
using the weapon and those within the minimum 
safe distance.’’; 
(2) by striking subsections (c), (e), and (f); 
(3) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection 
(f); 
(4) by inserting after subsection (b) the following 
new subsection: 
‘‘(c) THRESHOLDS FOR BLAST EXPOSURE AND OVER-
PRESSURE SAFETY.— 
‘‘(1) TIMING.— 
‘‘(A) INITIAL THRESHOLDS.—Not later than 
January 1, 2027, the Secretary of Defense shall 
identify and disseminate the thresholds for blast 
exposure and overpressure safety under sub-
section (b)(1)(B). 
‘‘(B) PERIODIC UPDATES.—On a quinquen-
nial basis, the Secretary shall review and, as 
necessary, update the thresholds for blast expo-
414 
sure and overpressure safety under subsection 
(b)(1)(B). 
‘‘(2) FORMAL
TRAINING
REQUIREMENT.—The 
Secretary shall ensure that training on the thresholds 
for blast exposure and overpressure safety is provided 
to members of the Armed Forces before training, de-
ployment, or entering other high-risk environments 
where exposure to blast overpressure is likely. 
‘‘(3) CENTRAL
REPOSITORY.—Not later than 
January 1, 2027, the Secretary shall establish a cen-
tral repository of blast-related characteristics, such as 
pressure profiles and common blast loads associated 
with specific systems and the environments in which 
the systems are used. 
‘‘(4) WAIVERS.— 
‘‘(A) 
PROTOCOLS.—The 
Secretary 
may 
waive the thresholds for blast exposure and over-
pressure safety under subsection (b)(1)(B) for 
operational or training requirements that the 
Secretary determines are essential to national se-
curity. The Secretary shall include in each such 
waiver a justification for exceeding such thresh-
olds. 
‘‘(B) TRACKING
SYSTEM.—The Secretary 
shall establish a Department of Defense-wide
415 
tracking system for waivers issued under sub-
paragraph (A) that includes data contributed by 
the Secretary of each military department. 
‘‘(C) REPORT ON WAIVERS.—Not later than 
one year after issuing a waiver under subpara-
graph (A) and annually thereafter for a period 
of five years, the Secretary of Defense shall sub-
mit to the Committees on Armed Services of the 
Senate and the House of Representatives a report 
on such waivers that includes— 
‘‘(i) the number of waivers issued, 
disaggregated by military department; and 
‘‘(ii) a description of actions taken by 
the Secretary concerned to track the health 
effects of exceeding thresholds for blast expo-
sure and overpressure safety on members of 
the Armed Forces, document such effects in 
medical records, and provide care to such 
members.’’; 
(5) in subsection (d)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘or other 
remote measurement technology’’ after ‘‘wearable 
sensors’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph:
416 
‘‘(4) 
WEAPONS
USE.—Monitoring 
activities 
under a pilot program conducted pursuant to para-
graph (1) shall be carried out for any member of the 
Armed Forces firing tier 1 weapons in training or 
combat, as identified by the Secretary of Defense.’’; 
and 
(6) by inserting after subsection (d) the following 
new subsection (e): 
‘‘(e) REPORTS ON WARFIGHTER BRAIN HEALTH INI-
TIATIVE.—Not later than December 31, 2025, and not less 
frequently than annually thereafter for a period of five 
years, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Commit-
tees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Rep-
resentatives a report that includes the following: 
‘‘(1) A description of the activities taken under 
the Initiative and resources expended under the Ini-
tiative during the prior fiscal year. 
‘‘(2) The number of members of the Armed 
Forces impacted by blast overpressure and blast expo-
sure in the prior fiscal year, including— 
‘‘(A) the number of members who reported 
adverse health effects from blast overpressure or 
blast exposure; 
‘‘(B) the number of members exposed to 
blast overpressure or blast exposure;
417 
‘‘(C) the number of members who received 
treatment for injuries related to blast over-
pressure or blast exposure, including at facilities 
of the Department of Defense and at facilities in 
the private sector; and 
‘‘(D) the type of care that members receive 
from facilities of the Department of Defense and 
the type of care that members receive from facili-
ties in the private sector. 
‘‘(3) A summary of the progress made during the 
prior fiscal year with respect to the objectives of the 
Initiative under subsection (b). 
‘‘(4) A description of the steps the Secretary is 
taking to ensure that activities under the Initiative 
are being implemented across the Department of De-
fense and the military departments.’’. 
SEC. 724. BLAST OVERPRESSURE AND TRAUMATIC BRAIN 
INJURY OVERSIGHT STRATEGY AND ACTION 
PLAN. 
(a) STRATEGY AND PLAN REQUIRED.—The Secretary 
of Defense shall develop and implement a traumatic brain 
injury oversight strategy and action plan that includes, at 
a minimum, the following: 
(1) Assigned roles and responsibilities for the 
components of the Office of the Secretary of Defense
418 
for the mitigation, identification, and treatment of 
traumatic brain injury and the monitoring and docu-
mentation of blast overpressure exposure. 
(2) Standardized monitoring, treatment, and re-
ferral guidelines for traumatic brain injury programs 
across all covered Armed Forces. 
(3) A review and update of the current brain in-
jury diagnostic tools used by such programs. 
(4) Standardized, 72-hour follow-up require-
ments for all traumatic brain injury patients, includ-
ing protocols for the treatment and observation dur-
ing such follow-up appointments. 
(5) Oversight and documentation standards to 
aid in data collection. 
(b) IMPLEMENTATION.—The Secretary shall imple-
ment the oversight strategy and action plan under sub-
section (a) not later than one year after the date of the en-
actment of this Act. 
(c) SUBMISSION TO GAO.—Upon development of the 
oversight strategy and action plan under subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall submit to the Comptroller General of the 
United States the oversight strategy and action plan. 
(d) COVERED ARMED FORCES DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘‘covered Armed Forces’’ means the Army, 
Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force.
419 
SEC. 725. ESTABLISHMENT OF REQUIREMENTS RELATING 
TO BLAST OVERPRESSURE EXPOSURE. 
Not later than two years after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall establish— 
(1) performance parameters to minimize expo-
sure to blast overpressure when drafting requirements 
for new weapon systems for the Department of De-
fense, taking into account the thresholds for blast ex-
posure and overpressure safety identified pursuant to 
section 735(b)(1) of the James M. Inhofe National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public 
Law 117–263; 10 U.S.C. 1071 note), as amended by 
section 723; 
(2) with respect to contractual agreements en-
tered into by any entity and the Department of De-
fense as part of the defense weapon acquisition proc-
ess on or after the date on which such parameters are 
established, a requirement that the entity shall pro-
vide to the Secretary blast overpressure measurements 
and safety data for a weapon system procured under 
such agreement that produces blast overpressure that 
exceeds such thresholds; and 
(3) a requirement that any test plan for a new 
weapon system shall incorporate testing for blast 
overpressure measurements and safety data.
420 
Subtitle D—Studies, Briefings, 
Reports, and Other Matters 
SEC. 731. TREATMENT OF EXPERT MEDICAL OPINIONS 
WITH RESPECT TO MEDICAL MALPRACTICE 
CLAIMS BY MEMBERS OF THE UNIFORMED 
SERVICES. 
Section 2733a of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘subsection (g)’’ each place it ap-
pears and inserting ‘‘subsection (h)’’; 
(2) in subsection (f)(1), by inserting ‘‘, and in-
formation regarding the qualifications of each such 
expert who provided an expert medical opinion’’ be-
fore the semicolon; 
(3) by redesignating subsections (g) through (j) 
as subsections (h) through (k), respectively; and 
(4) by inserting after subsection (f) the following 
new subsection (g): 
‘‘(g) EXPERT MEDICAL OPINIONS.—In using an expert 
medical opinion to evaluate a claim under this section, the 
Secretary of Defense shall use the opinion of— 
‘‘(1) an individual who is board-certified in the 
medical specialty with respect to that claim; or 
‘‘(2) if the claim involves medical, dental, or re-
lated health care functions for which board certifi-
421 
cation does not apply, an individual who is a highly 
qualified expert regarding the relevant medical, den-
tal, or related health care function.’’. 
SEC. 732. ANNUAL REPORTS ON MEDICAL MALPRACTICE 
CLAIMS BY MEMBERS OF THE UNIFORMED 
SERVICES. 
Subsection (j) of section 2733a of title 10, United 
States Code, as redesignated by section 731, is amended to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(j) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not less frequently than an-
nually until 2028, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to 
the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the 
House of Representatives a report on claims processed 
under this section that includes, with respect to the period 
covered by the report, the following: 
‘‘(1) The number of claims processed under this 
section. 
‘‘(2) The average timeline for resolving such 
claims. 
‘‘(3) The resolution of each such claim. 
‘‘(4) The number of claims that were denied 
based on the claim not meeting one or more require-
ment specified in subsection (b) (other than for not 
being substantiated pursuant to paragraph (6)), 
disaggregated by each such requirement.
422 
‘‘(5) Any other information that the Secretary 
determines may enhance the effectiveness of the claims 
process under this section.’’. 
SEC. 733. EXPANSION OF LICENSE RECIPROCITY FOR VET-
ERINARIANS OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 
Section 1060c of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in the section heading, by striking ‘‘in 
emergencies’’; 
(2) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘for the pur-
poses described in subsection (c)’’; and 
(3) by striking subsection (c). 
SEC. 734. MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURES FOR OVERSEAS 
PERSONNEL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DE-
FENSE FOR ACUTE RADIATION SYNDROME 
AND THERMAL BURNS. 
(a) PROGRAM REQUIRED.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense shall establish a program to develop requirements 
for the procurement, pre-positioning, and maintenance of 
medical countermeasures approved, cleared, licensed, or au-
thorized by the Food and Drug Administration to diagnose, 
prevent, and treat acute radiation syndrome and thermal 
burns for use by covered personnel.
423 
(b) PROGRAM SPECIFICATIONS.—In carrying out the 
program required by subsection (a), the Secretary of De-
fense shall consider, in coordination with the Chairman of 
the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the commanders of the combat-
ant commands, the following: 
(1) The number of covered personnel in areas in 
which the use of tactical nuclear weapons is a sub-
stantial threat. 
(2) Peer-reviewed and published scientific studies 
regarding safety and efficacy of the potential counter-
measures described in subsection (a). 
(3) Operational requirements of the Department. 
(4) Appropriate doctrine, training, and oper-
ational plans for effective use of such counter-
measures. 
(5) A feasible schedule for implementation of the 
program. 
(c) COVERED PERSONNEL DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘covered personnel’’ means— 
(1) members of the Armed Forces deployed out-
side the United States; and 
(2) civilian employees of the Department of De-
fense deployed outside the United States.
424 
SEC. 735. ESTABLISHMENT OF INDO-PACIFIC MEDICAL 
READINESS PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than January 1, 
2026, the Secretary of Defense shall establish a med-
ical readiness program (referred to in this section as 
the ‘‘Program’’) to partner with countries in the 
Indo-Pacific region to gain access to foreign medical 
facilities during peacetime and wartime operations 
and maintain military-wide strategies for medical 
readiness in the region. 
(2) OBJECTIVE.—The objective of the Program 
shall be to promote the medical readiness of the 
Armed Forces and the military forces of partner 
countries for missions during peacetime and wartime 
operations by— 
(A) reducing the movement and distance as-
sociated with patient care; 
(B) increasing the medical capacity of the 
Department of Defense by expanding patient ac-
cess to medical facilities across the Indo-Pacific 
region, where and when appropriate; 
(C) enhancing medical evacuation capabili-
ties needed in carrying out subparagraphs (A) 
and (B);
425 
(D) accrediting foreign medical facilities, 
which will standardize medical procedures, pa-
tient care, and policies related to treating mem-
bers of the Armed Forces and their dependents; 
(E) enhancing interoperability and inter-
changeability through shared patient record 
management, medical equipment commonality, 
and coordination of medical care; and 
(F) identifying any medical support and 
capability gaps relating to medical personnel 
and equipment. 
(3) ACTIVITIES.—In carrying out the Program, 
the Secretary shall— 
(A) assess and integrate current medical ca-
pabilities and capacities of the Department of 
Defense in the Indo-Pacific region into the Pro-
gram; 
(B) select an appropriate standard of ac-
creditation to evaluate and accredit foreign med-
ical facilities; 
(C) coordinate with partner countries to 
identify and evaluate medical facilities for the 
Program; 
(D) establish agreements with foreign med-
ical facilities for potential use of the Program;
426 
(E) establish policies and procedures— 
(i) to reduce patient movement times 
in various countries in the Indo-Pacific re-
gion during peacetime and wartime oper-
ations; 
(ii) to standardize medical procedures, 
patient care, and policies; 
(iii) to securely share patient data 
with foreign countries, when appropriate, 
such as during a contingency; 
(iv) with respect to medical equipment 
commonality and interchangeability; and 
(v) with respect to the coordination of 
medical care; and 
(F) integrate the Program into operational 
plans of the combatant commands. 
(b) STRATEGY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than September 30, 
2025, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on 
Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Rep-
resentatives a strategy for the implementation of the 
Program. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The strategy under paragraph 
(1) shall include the following:
427 
(A) A governance structure for the Program, 
including— 
(i) the officials tasked to oversee the 
Program; 
(ii) the functions and duties of such of-
ficials with respect to establishing and 
maintaining the Program; and 
(iii) mechanisms for coordinating with 
partner countries selected to participate in 
the Program. 
(B) With respect to the selection of partner 
countries initially selected to participate in the 
Program— 
(i) an identification of each such coun-
try; 
(ii) the rationale for selecting each 
such country; and 
(iii) any other information the Sec-
retary considers appropriate. 
(C) A campaign of objectives for the first 
three fiscal years after the date of the establish-
ment of the Program, including— 
(i) a description of, and a rational for 
selecting, such objectives;
428 
(ii) an identification of milestones to-
ward achieving such objectives; and 
(iii) metrics for evaluating success in 
achieving such objectives. 
(D) A description of opportunities and po-
tential timelines for future Program expansion, 
as appropriate. 
(E) A list of additional authorities, appro-
priations, or other congressional support nec-
essary to ensure the success of the Program. 
(F) Any other information the Secretary 
considers appropriate. 
(3) FORM.—The strategy under paragraph (1) 
shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may in-
clude a classified annex. 
(c) REPORT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than October 1, 
2026, and annually thereafter until October 1, 2035, 
the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on 
Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Rep-
resentatives a report on the Program. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—Each report under paragraph 
(1) shall include the following:
429 
(A) A narrative summary of activities con-
ducted as part of the Program during the pre-
ceding fiscal year. 
(B) A campaign of objectives for the three 
fiscal years after the date of submission of the re-
port, including— 
(i) a description of, and a rational for 
selecting, such objectives; 
(ii) an identification of milestones to-
ward achieving such objectives; and 
(iii) metrics for evaluating success in 
achieving such objectives. 
(C) Except in the case of the initial report, 
an assessment of progress toward the objectives 
specified in subparagraph (C) that were included 
in the report for the preceding fiscal year, as 
evaluated using the metrics described in clause 
(iii) of such subparagraph. 
(D) A description of opportunities and po-
tential timelines for future Program expansion, 
as appropriate. 
(E) Any other information the Secretary 
considers appropriate.
430 
(3) FORM.—Each report required by paragraph 
(1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may 
include a classified annex. 
SEC. 736. REPORTS ON SUICIDE AMONG MEMBERS OF THE 
ARMED FORCES AND SUICIDE PREVENTION 
PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES OF THE DEPART-
MENT OF DEFENSE. 
Section 741(a) of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116–92; 133 Stat. 
1467) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘January 31, 
2021’’ and inserting ‘‘January 31, 2031’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (F) 
through (J) as subparagraphs (I) through (M), 
respectively; and 
(B) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the 
following new subparagraphs: 
‘‘(F) The number of suicides identified 
under subparagraph (A) disaggregated by the 
military occupational specialty (or other similar 
classification, rating, or specialty code) of the 
member, excluding such specialities that the Sec-
retary determines would not provide statistically 
valid data.
431 
‘‘(G) A compilation of suicide data by mili-
tary occupational specialty covered under sub-
paragraph (F) to determine which military ca-
reer fields have a higher per capita suicide rate 
compared to— 
‘‘(i) other military career fields for the 
same time period; 
‘‘(ii) the overall suicide rate for each 
Armed Force for the same time period; 
‘‘(iii) the overall suicide rate for the 
Department of Defense for the same time 
period; and 
‘‘(iv) the national suicide rate for the 
same time period. 
‘‘(H) The number of suicides identified 
under subparagraph (A) disaggregated by the 
age of the member.’’. 
SEC. 737. STUDY OF IMMUNE RESPONSE AND OTHER EF-
FECTS ON MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES 
REGARDING COVID–19 VACCINES. 
(a) STUDY REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
conduct a study of immune response to the COVID–19 vac-
cines, immune response to COVID–19 infections, and other 
effects regarding COVID–19.
432 
(b) ASSESSMENTS.—The study under subsection (a) 
shall consist of a review and analysis of existing valid sci-
entific data to assess the following: 
(1) Immune responses to the most prevalent 
COVID–19 vaccines. 
(2) The efficacy of each such vaccine, including 
in comparison to infection-acquired immunity. 
(3) Adverse events occurring in individuals in 
response to COVID–19 vaccines. 
(c) ADDITIONAL STUDY AUTHORIZED.—After con-
ducting the study under subsection (a), the Secretary may 
conduct a research study analyzing blood samples from re-
search volunteers to collect and analyze additional data per-
taining to the matters specified in paragraphs (1), (2), and 
(3) of subsection (b) if the Secretary determines the fol-
lowing: 
(1) The study fails to produce valid conclusions 
pertinent to the medical readiness of the members of 
the Armed Forces. 
(2) Such research study is likely to produce 
meaningful additional data to improve the medical 
readiness of the members of the Armed Forces. 
(d) BRIEFING.—Not later than 180 days after con-
ducting the study under subsection (a), the Secretary shall 
provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate
433 
and House of Representatives a briefing on such study and 
the conclusions of the study. 
SEC. 738. ANNUAL REPORT ON RECRUITMENT DELAYS RE-
LATING TO MEDICAL CONDITIONS. 
(a) REPORTS.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 
three years, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the con-
gressional defense committees a report on the efforts of the 
Secretary to address recruitment delays associated with 
medical conditions of applicants for service in the Army, 
Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—Each report under subsection (a) 
shall include, for the period covered by the report, the fol-
lowing: 
(1) The average number of days between the date 
on which Military Entrance Processing Stations per-
sonnel accept the applicant prescreen and the date of 
the first recorded contact for such applicant, 
disaggregated by military department. 
(2) The average number of days for medical 
waiver processing, disaggregated by military depart-
ment. 
(3) The number of medical waivers processed by 
each military department, including a breakdown of
434 
those that were approved and denied and the associ-
ated disqualifications requiring a medical waiver. 
(4) An assessment of the efforts of the Secretary 
of Defense and the Secretary of each military depart-
ment to address the recruitment delays specified in 
subsection (a). 
(5) An assessment of the plans of the Secretary 
of Defense and the Secretary of each military depart-
ment to further address those delays. 
SEC. 739. PLAN TO IMPROVE ACCESS BY MEMBERS OF THE 
ARMED 
FORCES 
TO 
SAFE, 
HIGH-QUALITY 
PHARMACEUTICALS. 
(a) REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary of Defense, in co-
ordination with the Military Pharmaceutical and Medical 
Device Vulnerability Working Group established under sec-
tion 716 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fis-
cal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 137 Stat. 304), shall 
develop a plan to improve access by members of the Armed 
Forces to safe, high-quality pharmaceutical products and 
eliminate or mitigate risks in the pharmacy supply chain 
of the Department of Defense. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The plan under subsection (a) shall 
include the following: 
(1) Improvement of visibility and analytics of 
the country of origin and sources of supply of finished
435 
drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients, key starting 
material, and other ingredients of pharmaceutical 
products. 
(2) Engagement with suppliers of pharma-
ceutical products with unknown country of origin to 
determine the source of active pharmaceutical ingredi-
ents and key starting material. 
(3) Elimination or reduction of reliance on 
pharmacy supply chain sources that are high risk or 
very-high risk. 
(4) A plan for transition to available viable 
therapeutic active pharmaceutical ingredients and 
key starting material alternatives that are domesti-
cally sourced or compliant with requirements under 
the Trade Agreements Act of 1979 (19 U.S.C. 2501 et 
seq.). 
(5) Validation of sources of supplies and produc-
tion capacity from domestic pharmaceutical manufac-
turers or manufacturers in compliance with require-
ments under the Trade Agreements Act of 1979. 
(6) Assessment of the feasibility and advisability 
of establishing a pharmaceutical manufacturing facil-
ity owned by the Department of Defense, including 
requirements for construction, equipment acquisition,
436 
other resource needs, and projected multi-year budget 
and time schedule requirements. 
(7) Identification of any other legislative or ad-
ministrative authorities necessary to determine the 
feasibility and advisability of establishing such a fa-
cility. 
(8) Collaboration with Federal agencies deter-
mined appropriate by the Secretary of Defense on all 
elements of the plan. 
(c) BRIEFING REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense shall provide to the Committees on Armed Serv-
ices of the Senate and the House of Representatives a brief-
ing on the plan under subsection (a), including an assess-
ment of the feasibility and advisability of implementing the 
plan. 
SEC. 740. PILOT PROGRAM ON DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY 
TO 
APPROVE 
RESERVE 
COMPONENT 
RE-
CRUITS 
WITH 
CERTAIN 
MEDICAL 
CONDI-
TIONS. 
(a) PILOT PROGRAM.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of De-
fense shall implement a pilot program to authorize each 
Secretary concerned (as defined in section 101(a) of title 
10, United States Code) to delegate authority to the Com-
437 
mander of the United States Military Entrance Processing 
Command to approve a service medical waiver for an indi-
vidual to be enlisted or appointed in a reserve component 
for a medical condition the Secretary concerned identifies 
under subsection (c). 
(b) MEDICAL CONSULTATION PROCESS.—If a Sec-
retary concerned delegates authority to the Commander 
under the pilot program, the Secretary concerned shall es-
tablish a medical consultation process for the Commander 
to seek input from the Secretary concerned if a health care 
provider of the United States Military Entrance Processing 
Command determines that more specific medical guidance 
on fitness for duty is needed from the Secretary concerned 
before approving a service medical waiver for a medical 
condition described in subsection (c). 
(c) MEDICAL CONDITIONS IDENTIFIED.—If a Sec-
retary concerned delegates authority to the Commander 
under the pilot program, the Secretary concerned shall 
identify not more than three preexisting disqualifying con-
ditions under Department of Defense Instruction 6130.03 
that regularly or automatically receive medical waivers 
under the policies of the Secretary concerned as of the date 
of the enactment of this Act. 
(d) DURATION.—The Secretary of Defense shall carry 
out the pilot program for a two-year period.
438 
(e) BRIEFING; REPORT.— 
(1) BRIEFING.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date on which the Secretary of Defense commences 
carrying out the pilot program, the Secretary shall 
provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the 
Senate and the House of Representatives a briefing 
describing the implementation of the pilot program, 
including a list of the medical conditions identified 
under subsection (c). 
(2) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date on which the Secretary concludes the pilot pro-
gram, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional 
defense committees a report on the results of the pilot 
program, including— 
(A) the number of service medical waivers 
issued, disaggregated by medical condition iden-
tified under subsection (c); 
(B) a risk assessment of implementation of 
the pilot program; 
(C) a comparison of the average number of 
days to review and adjudicate medical waivers 
before and during the pilot program; and 
(D) a recommendation on whether to make 
the authority under the pilot program perma-
nent.
439 
TITLE VIII—ACQUISITION POL-
ICY, ACQUISITION MANAGE-
MENT, AND RELATED MAT-
TERS 
Subtitle A—Acquisition Policy and Management 
Sec. 801. Modifications to guidelines and collection method for acquisition of cost 
data. 
Sec. 802. Limitation on certain options for cost contracts. 
Sec. 803. Treatment of unilateral definitization of a contract as a final decision. 
Sec. 804. Middle tier of acquisition for rapid prototyping and rapid fielding. 
Sec. 805. Revision and codification of software acquisition pathways. 
Sec. 806. Streamlining of Milestone A requirements. 
Sec. 807. Streamlining of Milestone B requirements. 
Sec. 808. Notice of contract cancellation or termination relating to remote or iso-
lated installations. 
Sec. 809. Cost growth reports for major acquisition programs that are highly sen-
sitive classified programs. 
Subtitle B—Amendments to General Contracting Authorities, Procedures, and 
Limitations 
Sec. 811. Repeal of and modification to certain defense acquisition laws. 
Sec. 812. Modification to limitation on acquisition of excess supplies. 
Sec. 813. Modifications to Comptroller General assessment of acquisition pro-
grams. 
Sec. 814. Modifications to commercial product and commercial service determina-
tions. 
Sec. 815. Application of recent price history to cost or pricing data requirements. 
Sec. 816. Modifications to authority to carry out certain prototype projects using 
other transaction authority. 
Sec. 817. Clarification of other transaction authority for follow on production. 
Sec. 818. Clarification of other transaction authority for facility repair. 
Sec. 819. Open interface standards for contracts of the Department of Defense. 
Sec. 820. Updates to earned value management system requirements. 
Sec. 821. Inclusion of Japan and the Republic of Korea in contested logistics 
demonstration and prototyping program. 
Sec. 822. Avoidance of use of lowest price technically acceptable source selection 
criteria for procurement of munitions response services. 
Sec. 823. Use of fixed-price type contracts for certain shipbuilding programs. 
Sec. 824. Extension of temporary authority to modify certain contracts and op-
tions based on the effects of inflation. 
Subtitle C—Provisions Relating to Workforce Development 
Sec. 831. Modification to the term of appointment of the President of the Defense 
Acquisition University. 
Sec. 832. Updated acquisition and sustainment training. 
Sec. 833. Extension of demonstration project relating to certain acquisition per-
sonnel management policies and procedures.
440 
Sec. 834. Performance incentives related to commercial product and commercial 
service determinations. 
Sec. 835. Modification to extramural acquisition innovation and research activi-
ties. 
Sec. 836. Prohibition on the transfer of certain data on employees of the Depart-
ment of Defense to third parties. 
Sec. 837. Modifications to contractor employee protections from reprisal for dis-
closure of certain information. 
Sec. 838. Detail authority for Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to pro-
vide technology transition support. 
Sec. 839. Employment transparency regarding individuals who perform work in, 
for, or are subject to the laws or control of the People’s Republic 
of China. 
Sec. 840. Designation of program executive office for acquisition of open-source 
intelligence tools for Army. 
Subtitle D—Provisions Relating to Supply Chains and Domestic Sourcing 
Sec. 841. Enhancing requirements for information relating to supply chain risk. 
Sec. 842. Domestic production of stainless steel flatware and dinnerware. 
Sec. 843. Clarification of exception to Berry Amendment requirements for pro-
curement of vessels in foreign waters. 
Sec. 844. Technical edits to sourcing requirements for strategic materials and sen-
sitive materials. 
Sec. 845. Amendment to requirement to buy strategic materials critical to na-
tional security from American sources. 
Sec. 846. Modification to miscellaneous limitations on the procurement of goods 
other than United States goods. 
Sec. 847. Inclusion of recycled and reused minerals and metals in preference for 
sourcing of strategic and critical materials. 
Sec. 848. Domestic nonavailability determinations list. 
Sec. 849. Supply chain illumination incentives. 
Sec. 850. Report and updated guidance on continued risk management for phar-
maceutical supply chains of Department of Defense. 
Subtitle E—Prohibitions and Limitations on Procurement 
Sec. 851. Prohibition on contracting with covered entities that contract with lob-
byists for Chinese military companies. 
Sec. 852. Notification of changes to certain transportation contracts. 
Sec. 853. Prohibition on procurement of covered semiconductor products and serv-
ices from companies providing covered semiconductor products 
and services to Huawei. 
Sec. 854. Prohibition on contracts for online tutoring services. 
Sec. 855. Limitation on availability of funds for covered contractors engaged in 
an anti-Israel boycott. 
Sec. 856. Procurement of cleaning products. 
Sec. 857. Plan for production of covered munitions for procurement by the De-
partment of Defense. 
Sec. 858. Procurement of covered hearing protection devices. 
Subtitle F—Industrial Base Matters 
Sec. 861. Codification and modification of pilot program to accelerate the pro-
curement and fielding of innovative technologies. 
Sec. 862. Program for distribution support and services for contractors.
441 
Sec. 863. Extension of the pilot program for streamlining awards for innovative 
technology projects. 
Sec. 864. Use of capability-based analysis of price of goods or services offered by 
nontraditional defense contractors. 
Sec. 865. Qualification of industrial capabilities. 
Sec. 866. Solid rocket motor industrial base. 
Sec. 867. Promulgate guidance relating to certain Department of Defense con-
tracts. 
Subtitle G—Small Business Matters 
Sec. 871. Pilot program for the participation of military research and edu-
cational institutions in the STTR program. 
Sec. 872. Department of Defense pilot program for preliminary calculation esti-
mates for certain programs. 
Sec. 873. Boots to Business Program. 
Sec. 874. Establishment of pilot program for access to shared classified commer-
cial infrastructure. 
Sec. 875. Accessibility and clarity in covered notices for small business concerns. 
Sec. 876. Small Business Bill of Rights. 
Subtitle H—Other Matters 
Sec. 881. Clarification of waiver authority for organizational and consultant con-
flicts of interest. 
Sec. 882. Reverse engineering or re-engineering for production of items. 
Sec. 883. Procurement of Department of Defense batteries. 
Sec. 884. Advisory panel on the requirements process of the Department of De-
fense. 
Sec. 885. Proposal for payment of costs for certain Government Accountability 
Office bid protests. 
Sec. 886. Briefings, certification, and limitation on availability of funds related 
to fuel services financial management contracts. 
Sec. 887. Implementation of Comptroller General recommendations relating to 
certain spare parts for F–35 aircraft. 
Sec. 888. Tracking awards made through other transaction authority. 
Subtitle A—Acquisition Policy and 
Management 
SEC. 801. MODIFICATIONS TO GUIDELINES AND COLLEC-
TION METHOD FOR ACQUISITION OF COST 
DATA. 
Section 3227(b) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘$100,000,000’’ and inserting ‘‘an 
amount described in section 3041(c)(1) of this title’’.
442 
SEC. 802. LIMITATION ON CERTAIN OPTIONS FOR COST 
CONTRACTS. 
(a) AMENDMENTS.—Section 3322 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following 
new subsection: 
‘‘(d) LIMITATION ON CERTAIN OPTIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided by para-
graph (2), a covered contract shall limit the number 
of low-rate production lots for any production quan-
tities procured using fixed-priced options under such 
covered contract to not more than one. 
‘‘(2) WAIVER.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The service acquisition 
executive of the military department concerned 
or, in the case of program that is a joint pro-
gram, the Secretary of Defense may waive the 
limit required under paragraph (1) with respect 
to the number of low-rate production lots for a 
production quantity under a covered contract if 
such service acquisition executive or the Sec-
retary of Defense, as applicable, determines that 
such waiver is in the best interest of the Depart-
ment of Defense. 
‘‘(B) DELEGATION LIMIT.—Neither a service 
acquisition executive nor the Secretary of Defense 
may delegate the authority under subparagraph
443 
(A) to waive the limit required under paragraph 
(1) below the level of a service acquisition execu-
tive. 
‘‘(3) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 
‘‘(A) The term ‘covered contract’ means a 
cost reimbursement contract for the development 
of a major system. 
‘‘(B) The term ‘low-rate initial production’ 
has the same meaning as in section 4231 of this 
title. 
‘‘(C) The term ‘major system’ has the mean-
ing given such term in section 3041 of this 
title.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING REGULATIONS.—Not later than 120 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall revise the Department of Defense 
Supplement to the Federal Acquisition Regulation to imple-
ment subsection (d) of section 3322 of title 10, United States 
Code, as added by subsection (a) of this section. 
SEC. 803. TREATMENT OF UNILATERAL DEFINITIZATION OF 
A CONTRACT AS A FINAL DECISION. 
Section 3372(b) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (3) 
as subparagraphs (A) through (C), respectively, and
444 
moving such subparagraphs, as so redesignated, 2 ems 
to the right; 
(2) by striking ‘‘OFFICER.—With respect to’’ and 
inserting the following: ‘‘OFFICER.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—With respect to’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(2) 
TREATMENT
OF
UNILATERAL 
DEFINITIZATION OF A CONTRACT AS A FINAL DECI-
SION.—A unilateral definitization by a contracting 
officer shall be considered a final decision under 
chapter 71 of title 41, and a contractor may appeal 
this decision to the Armed Services Board of Contract 
Appeals or the United States Court of Federal 
Claims.’’. 
SEC. 804. MIDDLE TIER OF ACQUISITION FOR RAPID PROTO-
TYPING AND RAPID FIELDING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 253 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following 
new section: 
‘‘§ 3602. Middle tier of acquisition for rapid proto-
typing and rapid fielding 
‘‘(a) GUIDANCE REQUIRED.—The Under Secretary of 
Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, in consultation 
with the Comptroller of the Department of Defense and the
445 
Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, shall establish 
pathways as described under subsection (b) to establish a 
process for conducting middle tier acquisitions for programs 
or projects that are intended to be completed in a period 
of two to five years. 
‘‘(b) ACQUISITION PATHWAYS.—The Under Secretary 
of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment shall establish 
the following two acquisition pathways: 
‘‘(1) RAPID
PROTOTYPING.—The rapid proto-
typing pathway shall provide for the use of innova-
tive technologies to rapidly develop fieldable proto-
types to demonstrate new capabilities and meet 
emerging military needs. The objective of an acquisi-
tion program or project under this pathway shall be 
to field a prototype that can be demonstrated in an 
operational environment and provide for a residual 
operational capability within five years of the devel-
opment of an approved requirement. 
‘‘(2) RAPID FIELDING.—The rapid fielding path-
way shall provide for the use of proven technologies 
to field production quantities of new or upgraded sys-
tems with minimal development required. The objec-
tive of an acquisition program or project under this 
pathway shall be to begin production within six
446 
months and complete fielding within five years of the 
development of an approved requirement. 
‘‘(c) EXPEDITED PROCESS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Before using the authority 
under this section, the Under Secretary shall develop 
a streamlined and coordinated requirements, budget, 
and acquisition process that results in the develop-
ment of an approved requirement for each acquisition 
program or project in a period of not more than six 
months from the time that the process is initiated. 
Programs or projects carried out under the authority 
of this section shall not be subject to the Joint Capa-
bilities Integration and Development System Manual 
and Department of Defense Directive 5000.01. 
‘‘(2) RAPID PROTOTYPING.—With respect to the 
rapid prototyping pathway, the process described in 
paragraph (1) shall include— 
‘‘(A) a merit-based process for the consider-
ation of innovative technologies and new capa-
bilities to meet needs communicated by the Joint 
Chiefs of Staff and the combatant commanders; 
‘‘(B) a process for developing and imple-
menting acquisition and funding strategies for a 
program or project to be carried out under such 
pathway;
447 
‘‘(C) a process for demonstrating and evalu-
ating the performance of fieldable prototypes de-
veloped pursuant to such program or project in 
an operational environment; 
‘‘(D) a process for transitioning successful 
prototypes to new or existing acquisition pro-
grams for production and fielding under the 
rapid fielding pathway or the major capability 
acquisition pathway (as defined under Depart-
ment of Defense Instruction 5000.85 or successor 
instruction); and 
‘‘(E) a process for iterating prototyping 
and fielding within the rapid prototyping path-
way that may use a process described in para-
graph (4)(F). 
‘‘(3) RAPID
FIELDING.—With respect to the 
rapid fielding pathway, the process described in para-
graph (1) shall include— 
‘‘(A) a merit-based process for the consider-
ation of existing products and proven tech-
nologies to meet needs communicated by the 
Joint Chiefs of Staff and the combatant com-
manders;
448 
‘‘(B) a process for demonstrating perform-
ance and evaluating for current operational pur-
poses the proposed products and technologies; 
‘‘(C) a process for developing and imple-
menting acquisition and funding strategies for a 
program or project to be carried out under such 
pathway; 
‘‘(D) a process for considering lifecycle costs 
and addressing issues of logistics support and 
system interoperability; and 
‘‘(E) a process for identifying and exploit-
ing opportunities to use the rapid fielding path-
way to reduce total ownership costs. 
‘‘(4) STREAMLINED PROCEDURES.—The process 
described in paragraph (1) may provide for any of 
the following streamlined procedures: 
‘‘(A) The service acquisition executive of the 
military department concerned may appoint a 
program manager for a program or project for 
which the authority under this section is used 
from among candidates from among civilian em-
ployees or members of the armed forces who have 
significant and relevant experience managing 
large and complex programs.
449 
‘‘(B) A program manager appointed under 
subparagraph (A) may be provided staff posi-
tions for a technical staff, including experts in 
business management, cost estimation, con-
tracting, auditing, engineering, certification, 
testing, and logistics, to enable the program 
manager to manage the program without the 
technical assistance of another element of the De-
partment of Defense to the maximum extent 
practicable. 
‘‘(C) A program manager appointed under 
subparagraph (A) may, in coordination with the 
users of the good or service to be acquired under 
such a program or project and the test commu-
nity, to make trade-offs among life-cycle costs, 
requirements, and schedules to meet the goals of 
the program or project. 
‘‘(D) Each service acquisition executive, act-
ing in coordination with the defense acquisition 
executive, may serve as the decision authority for 
a program or project for which the authority 
under this section is used, or shall delegate such 
decision authority. 
‘‘(E) A program manager appointed under 
subparagraph (A) may seek an expedited waiver
450 
from any regulatory requirement, or in the case 
of a statutory requirement, a waiver from Con-
gress, that the program manager determines adds 
cost, schedule, or performance delays with little 
or no value to the management of such program 
or project. 
‘‘(F) If an operational capability is fielded 
for a program or project for which the authority 
under this section is used, the appropriate serv-
ice acquisition executive may permit continuous 
iterative prototyping and fielding under the 
same program or project for an unlimited num-
ber of subsequent periods, where each period is 
intended to be five years.’’. 
(b) REPEAL OF SUPERSEDED AUTHORITY.—Section 
804 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2016 (Public Law 114–92; 10 U.S.C. 3201 note prec.) 
is repealed. 
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) Section 3601 of title 10, United States Code, 
is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a)— 
(i) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking 
‘‘section 804 rapid acquisition pathway’’ 
and inserting ‘‘rapid acquisition pathway’’;
451 
(ii) by amending paragraph (2) to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(2) RAPID ACQUISITION PATHWAY DEFINED.— 
In this section, the term ‘rapid acquisition pathway’ 
means the rapid prototyping or the rapid fielding ac-
quisition pathway authorized under section 3602 of 
this title.’’; 
(B) in subsection (b)(4), by striking ‘‘the 
guidance developed under section 804(a) of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2016 (Public Law 114–92; 10 U.S.C. 3201 
note prec.)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 3602 of this 
title’’; and 
(C) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘section 
804 rapid acquisition pathway’’ each place it 
appears and inserting ‘‘rapid acquisition path-
way’’. 
(2) Section 4201(b)(1) of title 10, United States 
Code, is amended by striking ‘‘section 804 of the Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 
(Public Law 114–92; 10 U.S.C. 3201 note prec.)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘section 3602 of this title’’. 
(3) Section 4324(d)(5)(B) of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘section 804 of 
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
452 
Year 2016 (Public Law 114–92; 10 U.S.C. 2302 
note)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 3602 of this title’’. 
(4) Section 4423(e) of title 10, United States 
Code, is amended by striking ‘‘section 804 of the Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 
(Public Law 114–92; 10 U.S.C. 2302 note)’’ and in-
serting ‘‘section 3602 of this title’’. 
(5) Section 810 of the National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118– 
31; 10 U.S.C. 4067 note) is amended by striking ‘‘sec-
tion 804 of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2016 (Public Law 114–92; 10 U.S.C. 
3201 note prec.)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 3602 of title 
10, United States Code’’. 
(6) Section 1608 of the National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118– 
31; 10 U.S.C. 2271 note) is amended by striking ‘‘sec-
tion 804 of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2016 (Public Law 114–92; 10 U.S.C. 
3201 note prec.)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 3602 of title 
10, United States Code’’. 
(7) Section 807(e)(4) of the National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 11– 
283; 10 U.S.C. 9081 note) is amended by striking 
‘‘section 804 of the National Defense Authorization
453 
Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (Public Law 114–92; 10 
U.S.C. 2302 note)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 3602 of 
title 10, United States Code’’. 
(8) Section 884(c)(2)(E) of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 
114–328; 10 U.S.C. 4291 note prec.) is amended by 
striking ‘‘section 804 of the National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (Public Law 114– 
92; 10 U.S.C. 2302 note)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 
3602 of title 10, United States Code’’. 
SEC. 805. REVISION AND CODIFICATION OF SOFTWARE AC-
QUISITION PATHWAYS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 253 of title 10, United 
States Code, as amended by section 804, is further amended 
by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 3603. Software acquisition pathways 
‘‘(a) SOFTWARE ACQUISITION
AND DEVELOPMENT 
PATHWAYS.—The Secretary of Defense shall establish path-
ways as described under subsection (b) to provide for the 
efficient and effective acquisition, development, integration, 
and timely delivery of software and covered hardware. Such 
a pathway shall include the following: 
‘‘(b) PATHWAYS.—The Secretary of Defense may estab-
lish as many pathways under this section as the Secretary
454 
determines appropriate and shall establish the following 
pathways: 
‘‘(1) APPLICATIONS.—The applications pathway 
shall provide for the use of rapid development and 
implementation of applications and other software or 
software improvements operated by the Department of 
Defense, which may include applications and associ-
ated procurement of covered hardware (including 
modifications of a type not customarily available in 
the commercial marketplace to meet Department re-
quirements), commercially available cloud computing 
platforms, and other nondevelopmental items. 
‘‘(2) EMBEDDED SYSTEMS.—The embedded sys-
tems pathway shall provide for the rapid development 
and insertion of upgrades and improvements for soft-
ware and covered hardware embedded in weapon sys-
tems and other hardware systems unique to the De-
partment of Defense. 
‘‘(c) REQUIREMENTS FOR PATHWAYS.—A pathway es-
tablished under this section shall provide for the use of prov-
en technologies and solutions to continuously engineer and 
deliver capabilities for software and covered hardware. 
‘‘(d) CONSIDERATIONS FOR USE OF AUTHORITY.—In 
using the authority under this section, the Secretary shall 
consider how such use will—
455 
‘‘(1) initiate the engineering of new software ca-
pabilities quickly and, if applicable, the integration of 
such capabilities into covered hardware; 
‘‘(2) demonstrate the viability and effectiveness 
of such capabilities for operational use not later than 
one year after the date on which funds are first obli-
gated to acquire or develop software; and 
‘‘(3) allow for the continuous updating and de-
livery of new capabilities not less frequently than an-
nually to iteratively meet a requirement. 
‘‘(e) TREATMENT NOT AS MAJOR DEFENSE ACQUISI-
TION PROGRAM.—Software and covered hardware acquired 
or developed using the authority under this section shall 
not be treated as a major defense acquisition program for 
purposes of section 4201 of title 10, United States Code, 
or Department of Defense Directive 5000.01 without the 
specific designation of such software and covered hardware 
by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and 
Sustainment or a service acquisition executive. 
‘‘(f) RISK-BASED APPROACH.—The Secretary of De-
fense shall use a risk-based approach for the consideration 
of innovative technologies and new capabilities for software 
and covered hardware to be acquired or developed under 
this authority to meet needs communicated by the Joint 
Chiefs of Staff and the combatant commanders.
456 
‘‘(g) EXPEDITED PROCESS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A pathway established under 
this section shall provide for— 
‘‘(A) a streamlined and coordinated require-
ments, budget, and acquisition process to support 
rapid fielding of software applications and of 
software upgrades to embedded systems for oper-
ational use in a period of not more than one 
year from the time that the process is initiated; 
‘‘(B) the collection of data on software and 
covered hardware fielded; and 
‘‘(C) continuous engagement with the users 
of software and covered hardware to support— 
‘‘(i) engineering activities of the De-
partment of Defense; and 
‘‘(ii) delivery of software and covered 
hardware for operational use in periods of 
not more than one year. 
‘‘(2) EXPEDITED
SOFTWARE
REQUIREMENTS 
PROCESS.— 
‘‘(A) INAPPLICABILITY OF JOINT CAPABILI-
TIES INTEGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM 
MANUAL.—Software and covered hardware ac-
quisition or development conducted under the 
authority of this section shall not be subject to
457 
the Joint Capabilities Integration and Develop-
ment System Manual, except pursuant to a 
modified process specifically provided for the ac-
quisition or development of software by the Vice 
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in con-
sultation with Under Secretary of Defense for 
Acquisition and Sustainment and each service 
acquisition executive. 
‘‘(B) INAPPLICABILITY OF DEFENSE ACQUI-
SITION SYSTEM DIRECTIVE.—Software and cov-
ered hardware acquisition or development con-
ducted under the authority of this section shall 
not be subject to Department of Defense Directive 
5000.01, except when specifically provided for 
the acquisition or development of software by the 
Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and 
Sustainment, in consultation with the Vice 
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and each 
service acquisition executive. 
‘‘(h) ELEMENTS.—In implementing a pathway estab-
lished under the authority of this section, the Secretary shall 
tailor requirements relating to— 
‘‘(1) iterative development of requirements for 
software and covered hardware to be acquired or de-
veloped under the authority of this section through en-
458 
gagement with the user community and through user 
feedback, in order to continuously define and update 
priorities for such requirements; 
‘‘(2) early identification of the warfighter or user 
needs including the rationale for how software and 
covered hardware to be acquired or developed under 
the authority of this section will be tailored to address 
such needs; 
‘‘(3) initial contract requirements and format, 
including the use of summary-level lists of problems 
in existing software and desired features or capabili-
ties of new or upgraded software; 
‘‘(4) continuous refinement and prioritization of 
contract requirements, informed by continuous en-
gagement with users throughout the period of develop-
ment and implementation of software and covered 
hardware to be acquired or developed under this sec-
tion; 
‘‘(5) continuous consideration of issues related to 
lifecycle costs, technical data rights, and systems 
interoperability; 
‘‘(6) planning for support of capabilities of soft-
ware to be acquired or developed under this section if 
the software developer stops supporting the software;
459 
‘‘(7) rapid contracting procedures, including ex-
pedited timeframes for making awards, selecting con-
tract types, defining teaming arrangements, and de-
fining options; 
‘‘(8) program execution processes, including sup-
porting development and test infrastructure, automa-
tion and tools, digital engineering, data collection 
and sharing with Department of Defense stakeholders 
and with Congress, the role of developmental and 
operational testing activities, key decision-making 
and oversight events, and supporting processes and 
activities (such as independent costing activity, oper-
ational demonstration, and performance metrics); 
‘‘(9) assurances that cybersecurity metrics of the 
software to be acquired or developed, such as metrics 
relating to the density of vulnerabilities within the 
code of such software, the time from vulnerability 
identification to patch availability, the existence of 
common weaknesses within such code, and other cy-
bersecurity metrics based on widely-recognized stand-
ards and industry best practices, are generated and 
made available to the Department of Defense and the 
congressional defense committees; 
‘‘(10) administrative procedures, including pro-
cedures relating to who may initiate and approve an
460 
acquisition under this authority, the roles and respon-
sibilities of persons implementing or supporting the 
use of authority under this section, team selection and 
staffing process, governance and oversight roles and 
responsibilities, and appropriate independent tech-
nology assessments, testing, and cost estimation (in-
cluding relevant thresholds or designation criteria); 
‘‘(11) mechanisms and waivers designed to en-
sure flexibility in the implementation of a pathway 
under this section, including the use of other trans-
action authority, broad agency announcements, and 
other procedures; and 
‘‘(12) mechanisms the Secretary will use for ap-
propriate reporting to Congress on the use of the au-
thority under this section, including notice of initi-
ation of the use of a pathway and data regarding in-
dividual programs or acquisition activities, how ac-
quisition activities are reflected in budget justifica-
tion materials or requests to reprogram appropriated 
funds, and compliance with other reporting require-
ments. 
‘‘(i) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘covered hardware’ means hard-
ware—
461 
‘‘(A) that is a commercial product (as de-
fined in section 103 of title 41) or a nondevelop-
mental item; and 
‘‘(B) in which software acquired under this 
section is embedded. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘nondevelopmental item’ has the 
meaning given in section 110 of title 41.’’. 
(b) GUIDANCE REQUIRED.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense shall issue or modify guidance to implement the 
requirements of this section. 
(c) REPEAL OF SUPERSEDED AUTHORITY.— 
(1) REPEAL.—Section 800 of the National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public 
Law 116–92; 10 U.S.C. 4571 note) is repealed. 
(2) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section 
807(e)(1) of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283; 10 U.S.C. 
9081 note) is amended by striking ‘‘section 800 of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2020 (Public Law 116–92; 133 Stat. 1478; 10 U.S.C. 
2223a note)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 3603 of title 10, 
United States Code’’. 
SEC. 806. STREAMLINING OF MILESTONE A REQUIREMENTS. 
(a) STREAMLINING.—
462 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Section 4251 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(A) in the section heading, by striking ‘‘DE-
TERMINATION
REQUIRED’’ and inserting 
‘‘FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED’’; 
(B) in subsection (a)(2)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘the Secretary of the 
military department concerned and the 
Chief of the armed forces concerned concur 
in’’; and 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘do not overly con-
strain future trade space’’ after ‘‘with re-
gard to the program’’; 
(C) by amending subsection (b) to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(b) FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED FOR MILESTONE 
A APPROVAL.—A major defense acquisition program or sub-
program may not receive Milestone A approval or otherwise 
be initiated prior to Milestone B approval until the mile-
stone decision authority confirms that the following factors 
were considered in the decision to grant Milestone A ap-
proval: 
‘‘(1) The program or subprogram fulfills an ap-
proved requirements document.
463 
‘‘(2) The program or subprogram has conducted 
appropriate market research. 
‘‘(3) With respect to any identified areas of risk, 
there is a plan to reduce the risk. 
‘‘(4) Planning for sustainment has been ad-
dressed. 
‘‘(5) An analysis of alternatives has been per-
formed consistent with study guidance developed by 
the Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evalua-
tion, or in lieu of an analysis of alternatives, early 
experimentation with a combatant commander has 
been conducted. 
‘‘(6) A life cycle cost estimate for the program or 
subprogram has been submitted by the component and 
that the level of resources required to complete the 
technology maturation and risk reduction phase of the 
program is sufficient for successful program execu-
tion. 
‘‘(7) The program or subprogram meets any 
other considerations the milestone decision authority 
considers relevant.’’; 
(D) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) 
as subsections (d) and (e), respectively; 
(E) by inserting after subsection (b) the fol-
lowing new subsection:
464 
‘‘(c) WRITTEN RECORD OF A MILESTONE DECISION.— 
The milestone decision authority shall issue a written 
record of a milestone decision at the time that Milestone 
A approval is granted. The record shall confirm compliance 
with subsection (b) and specifically state that the milestone 
decision authority considered the factors described in such 
subsection prior to the decision to grant milestone approval. 
The milestone decision authority shall retain records of the 
basis for the milestone decision.’’; 
(F) in subsection (d), as redesignated by 
subparagraph (D)— 
(i) in paragraph (1)— 
(I) in the paragraph heading, by 
striking ‘‘BRIEF
SUMMARY
REPORT’’ 
and inserting ‘‘NOTIFICATION’’; and 
(II) by striking ‘‘a brief summary 
report that contains the following ele-
ments’’ and all that follows through the 
period at the end and inserting ‘‘a 
written record of the milestone deci-
sion.’’; and 
(ii) by amending paragraph (2) to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(2) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.—At the request 
of any of the congressional defense committees or, in
465 
the case of intelligence or intelligence-related activi-
ties, the congressional intelligence committees, the 
milestone decision authority shall submit to the com-
mittee an explanation of the basis for the decision to 
grant Milestone A approval with respect to a major 
defense acquisition program or major subprogram, 
and make available all underlying documentation.’’; 
and 
(G) in subsection (e), as so redesignated— 
(i) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘ini-
tial capabilities document’’ and inserting 
‘‘requirements document’’; 
(ii) by striking paragraphs (4), (6), 
and (7); 
(iii) by redesignating paragraph (5) as 
paragraph (4); and 
(iv) by redesignating paragraph (8) as 
paragraph (5). 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of subchapter III of chapter 
322 of title 10, United States Code, is amended, in 
the item relating to section 4251, by striking ‘‘deter-
mination required’’ and inserting ‘‘factors to be con-
sidered’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—
466 
(1) Section 4272 of title 10, United States Code, 
is amended by striking ‘‘risk assessments—’’ and all 
that follows through ‘‘(2) before any decision’’ and in-
serting ‘‘risk assessments before any decision’’. 
(2) Section 3221(b)(6)(A)(i) of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘4251 or’’. 
(3) Section 3222(a) of title 10, United States 
Code, is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘a milestone phase’’ and in-
serting ‘‘the engineering and manufacturing de-
velopment phase, or production and deployment 
phase,’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘authority that—’’ and all 
that follows through ‘‘(2) for the for the engineer-
ing and manufacturing development phase, or 
production and deployment phase, includes a 
cost estimate’’ and inserting ‘‘authority that in-
cludes a cost estimate’’. 
SEC. 807. STREAMLINING OF MILESTONE B REQUIREMENTS. 
Section 4252 of title 10, United States Code, is amend-
ed— 
(1) in the section heading, by striking ‘‘CER-
TIFICATION
REQUIRED
BEFORE’’ and inserting 
‘‘FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED BEFORE’’; 
(2) by striking subsections (d), (e), and (f);
467 
(3) by redesignating subsections (a), (b), (c), and 
(g) as subsections (b), (d), (e), and (f), respectively; 
(4) by inserting before subsection (b), as so redes-
ignated, the following new subsection: 
‘‘(a) RESPONSIBILITIES.—Before granting Milestone B 
approval for a major defense acquisition program or major 
subprogram, the milestone decision authority for the pro-
gram or subprogram shall ensure that— 
‘‘(1) information about the program or subpro-
gram is sufficient to warrant entry of the program or 
subprogram into the engineering and manufacturing 
development phase; 
‘‘(2) appropriate trade-offs among cost, schedule, 
technical feasibility, and performance objectives have 
been made to ensure that the program or subprogram 
is affordable when considering the per-unit cost and 
the total life-cycle cost, and the Secretary of the mili-
tary department concerned and the Chief of the armed 
force concerned concur with these trade-offs; and 
‘‘(3) there are sound plans for progression of the 
program or subprogram to the production phase.’’; 
(5) by amending subsection (b), as so redesig-
nated, to read as follows: 
‘‘(b) FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED FOR MILESTONE 
B APPROVAL.—A major defense acquisition program or
468 
major subprogram may not receive Milestone B approval 
until the milestone decision authority confirms the fol-
lowing factors were considered in the decision to grant Mile-
stone B approval: 
‘‘(1) The program or subprogram has received a 
preliminary design review and a formal post-prelimi-
nary design review or an equivalent assessment was 
conducted. 
‘‘(2) The technology in the program or subpro-
gram has been demonstrated in a relevant environ-
ment. 
‘‘(3) The program or subprogram is affordable 
when considering the ability of the Department of De-
fense to accomplish the program’s or subprogram’s 
general mission using alternative systems. 
‘‘(4) Reasonable lifecycle cost and schedule esti-
mates have been developed to execute, with the concur-
rence of the Director of Cost Assessment and Program 
Evaluation, the plan under the program or subpro-
gram. 
‘‘(5) The estimated procurement unit cost for the 
program or subprogram and the estimated date for 
initial operational capability for the baseline descrip-
tion for the program or subprogram (under section 
4214 of this title) have been established.
469 
‘‘(6) Funding is expected to be available to exe-
cute the product development and production plan for 
the program or subprogram, consistent with the esti-
mates described in paragraph (4) for the program or 
subprogram. 
‘‘(7) Appropriate market research has been con-
ducted prior to technology development, including 
market research of commercial products, commercial 
services, and nondevelopmental items (as defined in 
section 110 of title 41). 
‘‘(8) The Department of Defense has completed 
an analysis of alternatives with respect to the pro-
gram or subprogram, or in lieu of an analysis of al-
ternatives, early experimentation with a combatant 
commander has been conducted. 
‘‘(9) The Joint Requirements Oversight Council 
has accomplished its duties with respect to the pro-
gram or subprogram pursuant to section 181(b) of 
this title, including an analysis of the operational re-
quirements for the program or subprogram. 
‘‘(10) Life-cycle sustainment planning has iden-
tified and evaluated relevant sustainment cost ele-
ments, factors, risks, and gaps that are likely to drive 
readiness of the system as well as operating and sup-
porting costs.
470 
‘‘(11) An estimate has been made of the require-
ments for core logistics capabilities and the associated 
sustaining workloads required to support such re-
quirements. 
‘‘(12) The program or subprogram complies with 
all relevant policies, regulations, and directives of the 
Department of Defense. 
‘‘(13) Appropriate actions are planned for the 
acquisition of technical data required to support the 
program or subprogram. 
‘‘(14) The program or subprogram has an ap-
proved life cycle sustainment plan required under sec-
tion 4324(b) of this title. 
‘‘(15) In the case of a naval vessel program or 
subprogram, such program or subprogram is in com-
pliance with the requirements of section 8669b of this 
title.’’; 
(6) by inserting after subsection (b), as so redes-
ignated, the following new subsection: 
‘‘(c) WRITTEN RECORD OF MILESTONE DECISION.— 
The milestone decision authority shall issue a written 
record of decision at the time that Milestone B approval 
is granted. The record shall confirm compliance with sub-
section (b) and specifically state that the milestone decision 
authority considered the factors described in subsection (b)
471 
prior to the decision to grant milestone approval. The mile-
stone decision authority shall retain records of the basis for 
the milestone decision.’’; 
(7) in subsection (d), as so redesignated— 
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking 
‘‘CERTIFICATIONS OR DETERMINATION’’ and in-
serting ‘‘BASIS FOR MILESTONE APPROVAL’’; 
(B) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) in the matter preceding subpara-
graph (A), by striking ‘‘certifications or a 
determination under subsection (a)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘a written record of the milestone 
decision under subsection (c)’’; 
(ii) in subparagraph (A)— 
(I) by striking ‘‘certifications or 
determination of the milestone decision 
authority’’ and inserting ‘‘decision of 
the milestone decision authority’’; and 
(II) by striking ‘‘certifications or 
determination specified in paragraph 
(1), (2), or (3) of subsection (a)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘decision specified in sub-
section (b)’’; and
472 
(iii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
‘‘certifications or determination’’ and in-
serting ‘‘decision’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘withdraw the certifi-
cations or determination concerned or’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘certifications, deter-
mination, or approval are’’ and inserting 
‘‘approval is’’; 
(8) by amending subsection (e), as so redesig-
nated, to read as follows: 
‘‘(e) SUBMISSIONS TO CONGRESS ON MILESTONE B.— 
‘‘(1) NOTIFICATION.—Not later than 15 days 
after granting Milestone B approval for a major de-
fense acquisition program or major subprogram, the 
milestone decision authority for the program or sub-
program shall provide to the congressional defense 
committees and, in the case of intelligence or intel-
ligence-related activities, the congressional intelligence 
committees a written record of the milestone decision. 
‘‘(2) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.—(A) At the re-
quest of any of the congressional defense committees 
or, in the case of intelligence or intelligence-related 
activities, the congressional intelligence committees, 
the milestone decision authority shall submit to the
473 
committee an explanation of the basis for the decision 
to grant Milestone B approval with respect to a major 
defense acquisition program or major subprogram, or 
further information or underlying documentation. 
‘‘(B) The explanation or additional information 
shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may in-
clude a classified annex.’’; and 
(9) in subsection (f), as so redesignated— 
(A) by striking paragraphs (4) and (5); 
(B) by redesignating paragraph (6) as 
paragraph (4); and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(5) The term ‘written record of milestone deci-
sion’, with respect to a major defense acquisition pro-
gram or a major subprogram, means a document 
signed by the milestone decision authority that for-
malizes approved entry of the program or subprogram 
into the next phase of the acquisition process.’’. 
SEC. 808. NOTICE OF CONTRACT CANCELLATION OR TERMI-
NATION RELATING TO REMOTE OR ISOLATED 
INSTALLATIONS. 
Chapter 365 of title 10, United States Code, is amend-
ed by adding at the end the following new section:
474 
‘‘§ 4705. Notice of contract cancellation or termi-
nation relating to remote or isolated in-
stallations 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided by subsection 
(c), not later than 30 days before the date on which the 
Secretary of Defense or any other official of an element of 
the Department of Defense cancels or terminates a contract, 
the Secretary shall submit to Congress a notice of such can-
cellation or termination if such cancellation or termination 
involves a reduction in employment of not fewer than— 
‘‘(1) 50 remote or isolated installation contractor 
employees; or 
‘‘(2) 100 employees of contractors, including re-
mote or isolated installation contractor employees. 
‘‘(b) REQUIREMENTS.—A notice described in sub-
section (a) shall include an assessment of the effect of such 
cancellation or termination on members of the armed forces. 
‘‘(c) WAIVER.—(1) The Secretary of Defense may 
waive the requirements of subsection (a) with respect to the 
cancellation or termination of a contract if the Secretary 
determines that such waiver is in the interest of national 
security. 
‘‘(2) If the Secretary waives the requirements of sub-
section (a) with respect to the cancellation or termination 
of a contract, the Secretary shall submit the notice required 
by such subsection with respect to such cancellation or ter-
475 
mination not later than one week after such cancellation 
or termination. 
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘remote or isolated installation’ 
means a military installation (as defined in section 
2801 of this title) that is a remote military installa-
tion, as determined by the Secretary pursuant to the 
policy required by section 565 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (10 U.S.C. 
1781b note). 
‘‘(2) The term ‘remote or isolated installation 
contractor employee’ means an individual who— 
‘‘(A) is an employee of a contractor; 
‘‘(B) as such an employee, provides goods or 
services to a remote or isolated installation; and 
‘‘(C) resides in the same geographic area as 
such remote or isolated installation.’’. 
SEC. 809. COST GROWTH REPORTS FOR MAJOR ACQUISI-
TION PROGRAMS THAT ARE HIGHLY SEN-
SITIVE CLASSIFIED PROGRAMS. 
(a) GUIDANCE REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Sec-
retary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, in con-
sultation each Secretary of a military department, shall es-
tablish guidance requiring that each service acquisition ex-
476 
ecutive (as defined in section 101 of title 10, United States 
Code) submit to the congressional defense committees a cost 
growth report for a covered program each time the esti-
mated unit cost for such covered program has increased by 
a percentage equal to or greater than any of the significant 
cost growth thresholds or critical cost growth thresholds 
under section 4371 of title 10, United States Code. 
(b) ELEMENTS OF REPORT.—A cost growth report re-
quired under this section shall include, with respect to a 
covered program, the following: 
(1) The name of the covered program. 
(2) The date of the preparation of the report. 
(3) The program phase of the covered program. 
(4) The unit cost estimates for the covered pro-
gram in constant base-year dollars and in current 
dollars. 
(5) A statement of the reasons for cost increases 
that resulted in the submission of a report under this 
section. 
(6) A list of major program milestones, includ-
ing the dates for each program milestone according to 
the original baseline, current baseline, and current es-
timate. 
(7) Annualized funding for the program by ap-
propriation account from the date on which the pro-
477 
gram commenced to the current estimated year of 
completion. 
(8) Any actions taken or proposed to be taken to 
control future cost growth of the covered program. 
(9) Any changes made in the performance or 
milestones of the covered program and the extent to 
which such changes have contributed to the cost in-
crease. 
(c) CRITICAL BREACH.—With respect to a covered pro-
gram for which the cost growth meets the threshold for a 
critical cost growth threshold (as defined in section 4371 
of title 10, United States Code), the applicable service ac-
quisition executive shall— 
(1) treat such covered program as if the unit cost 
of such a covered program has increased by a percent-
age equal to or greater than any of the critical cost 
growth thresholds for the covered program; and 
(2) follow applicable procedures in sections 4376 
and 4377 of title 10, United States Code. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘covered program’’ means a De-
partment of Defense program— 
(A) that is a highly sensitive classified pro-
gram (as determined by the Secretary of De-
fense);
478 
(B) that would be a major defense acquisi-
tion program under section 4201 of title 10, 
United States Code, except for the exclusion from 
the applicability of that section of such a highly 
sensitive classified program; and 
(C) that has entered the engineering and 
manufacturing design phase, or equivalent 
phase. 
(2) The term ‘‘unit cost’’ means, with respect to 
a covered program, as applicable— 
(A) the program acquisition unit cost (as 
defined in section 4351 of title 10, United States 
Code); or 
(B) the procurement unit cost (as defined in 
such section). 
Subtitle B—Amendments to General 
Contracting Authorities, Proce-
dures, and Limitations 
SEC. 811. REPEAL OF AND MODIFICATION TO CERTAIN DE-
FENSE ACQUISITION LAWS. 
(a) REPEALS.— 
(1) The following provisions of law are hereby 
repealed:
479 
(A) Section 805 of the National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 (Public 
Law 108–136; 117 Stat. 1542). 
(B) Sections 886 and 892 of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 
(Public Law 110–181; 122 Stat. 266, 270). 
(C) Section 127 of the Ike Skelton National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 
(Public Law 111–383; 111 Stat. 4161). 
(D) Sections 828 and 1056 of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 
(Public Law 114–92; 129 Stat. 910, 984). 
(E) Sections 235 and 1692 of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 
(Public Law 114–328; 130 Stat. 2064, 2636). 
(2) Section 844 of the National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (Public Law 112– 
81; 125 Stat. 1515) is amended— 
(A) by striking subsections (a) and (b); and 
(B) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘(c) AN-
NUAL REPORT ON CONTRACTING IN IRAQ AND 
AFGHANISTAN.—Section’’ and inserting ‘‘Sec-
tion’’.
480 
(b) MODIFICATION TO CERTAIN CONTRACTS RELATING 
TO VESSELS, AIRCRAFT, AND COMBAT VEHICLES.—Section 
3671(b)(5) of title 10, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking subparagraphs (B) and (C); 
(2) in subparagraph (A), by striking the semi-
colon and inserting a period; and 
(3) in that matter preceding subparagraph (A), 
by striking the following: ‘‘subsection if—(A) funds’’ 
and inserting ‘‘subsection if funds’’. 
(c) MODIFICATION TO LIMITATION ON MILESTONE DE-
CISION AUTHORITIES.—Section 4204 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by striking subsection (f). 
SEC. 812. MODIFICATION TO LIMITATION ON ACQUISITION 
OF EXCESS SUPPLIES. 
Section 3070 of title 10, United States Code, is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (a), by inserting ‘‘, or in the 
case of ship maintenance, overhaul, and repair, in ex-
cess of five years of operating stocks’’ after ‘‘in excess 
of two years of operating stocks’’; and 
(2) in subsection (b)(2), by inserting ‘‘, to protect 
against identified risk of supply chain disruptions,’’ 
before ‘‘or for other reasons of national security’’.
481 
SEC. 813. MODIFICATIONS TO COMPTROLLER GENERAL AS-
SESSMENT OF ACQUISITION PROGRAMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3072 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) in the heading, by striking ‘‘efforts’’ and 
inserting ‘‘initiatives’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘efforts’’ each place it appears 
and inserting ‘‘initiatives’’; 
(3) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘2026’’ and in-
serting ‘‘2029’’ ; and 
(4) in subsection (b)— 
(A) by striking paragraph (2) and redesig-
nating paragraph (3) as paragraph (2); 
(B) in paragraph (2), as so redesignated, by 
striking the period at the end and inserting ‘‘; 
and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(3) other issues as determined appropriate by 
the Comptroller General.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections for 
chapter 203 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by 
striking the item relating to section 3072 and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘3072. Comptroller General assessment of acquisition programs and initiatives.’’.
482 
SEC. 814. MODIFICATIONS TO COMMERCIAL PRODUCT AND 
COMMERCIAL SERVICE DETERMINATIONS. 
Section 3456(c) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the fol-
lowing paragraph: 
‘‘(1) DETERMINATIONS.—A contract or sub-
contract for a product (including a product without 
a part number or a product with a prior part num-
ber that has the same functionality as the product 
had with the prior part number) or service acquired 
using commercial acquisition procedures under part 
12 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation shall serve 
as a prior commercial product or commercial service 
determination with respect to such product or service 
for purposes of this chapter, including when subject to 
minor modifications, unless— 
‘‘(A) the prior determination was not issued 
or approved by a contracting officer of the De-
partment of Defense; or 
‘‘(B) the senior procurement executive of the 
military department or the Department of De-
fense as designated for purposes of section 
1702(c) of title 41 determines in writing that it 
is no longer appropriate to acquire the product 
or service using commercial acquisition proce-
dures.’’.
483 
SEC. 815. APPLICATION OF RECENT PRICE HISTORY TO 
COST OR PRICING DATA REQUIREMENTS. 
Section 3702(a)(3) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘An offeror’’ and inserting ‘‘(A) 
An offeror’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph: 
‘‘(B)(i) An offeror for a subcontract (at any 
tier) of a contract under this chapter that is re-
quired to submit cost or pricing data under sub-
paragraph (A) with respect to such subcontract 
may submit prices paid for the covered goods 
and services of such offeror for such subcontract 
under this clause if— 
‘‘(I) such offeror is a nontraditional 
defense contractor (as defined in section 
3014 of this title); 
‘‘(II) the prices to be submitted are 
prices that were paid for the same goods 
and services as such covered goods and serv-
ices; and 
‘‘(III) the price of such subcontract is 
not expected to exceed $5,000,000. 
‘‘(ii) The submission of prices paid under 
clause (i) by an offereor with respect to a sub-
484 
contract shall be deemed to be the submission of 
cost or pricing data by such offeror with respect 
to such subcontract as required by subparagraph 
(A) if a contracting officer of the Department of 
Defense determines that the prices submitted 
under such clause are fair and reasonable based 
on supported cost or pricing data within the last 
12 months. 
‘‘(iii) In this subparagraph, the term ‘cov-
ered goods and services’ means, with respect to 
an offeror for a subcontract (at any tier), the 
goods and services such offeror would provide 
under such subcontract.’’. 
SEC. 816. MODIFICATIONS TO AUTHORITY TO CARRY OUT 
CERTAIN 
PROTOTYPE 
PROJECTS 
USING 
OTHER TRANSACTION AUTHORITY. 
Section 4022(a) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘sen-
ior procurement executive for the agency as des-
ignated for the purpose of section 1702(c) of title 
41’’ and inserting ‘‘head of the contracting activ-
ity’’; and
485 
(B) in subparagraph (B)(i), by striking 
‘‘Under Secretary of Defense for Research and 
Engineering or the Under Secretary of Defense 
for Acquisition and Sustainment’’ and inserting 
‘‘senior procurement executive for the agency as 
designated for the purpose of section 1702(c) of 
title 41, or, for the Defense Advanced Research 
Projects Agency, the Defense Innovation Unit, or 
the Missile Defense Agency, the director of the 
agency,’’; and 
(2) by amending paragraph (3) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(3) The authority of the head of the contracting 
activity, director of the Defense Advanced Research 
Projects Agency, director of the Defense Innovation 
Unit, director of the Missile Defense Agency, or the 
senior procurement executive, as applicable, under 
paragraph (2) may not be delegated.’’. 
SEC. 817. CLARIFICATION OF OTHER TRANSACTION AU-
THORITY FOR FOLLOW ON PRODUCTION. 
Section 4022 of title 10, United States Code, is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (e), by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph:
486 
‘‘(6) The term ‘follow-on production contract or 
transaction’ means a contract or transaction to 
produce, sustain, or otherwise implement the results 
of a successfully completed prototype project for con-
tinued or expanded use by the Department of De-
fense.’’; and 
(2) in subsection (f)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by adding at the end 
the following: ‘‘A follow-on production award 
may be provided for in a transaction entered 
into under this section for a prototype project, 
awarded with respect to such a transaction as 
one or more separate awards, or a combination 
thereof.’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘, one or 
more separate awards of follow-on production 
contracts or transactions with respect to a trans-
action described in such paragraph, or a com-
bination thereof,’’ after ‘‘paragraph (1)’’. 
SEC. 818. CLARIFICATION OF OTHER TRANSACTION AU-
THORITY FOR FACILITY REPAIR. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 4022(i) of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2)—
487 
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘ex-
cept for projects carried out for the purpose of re-
pairing a facility,’’; 
(B) by inserting ‘‘(A)’’ before ‘‘In carrying 
out’’; 
(C) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) 
and (B) as clauses (i) and (ii), respectively; and 
(D) by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraph: 
‘‘(B) The requirements of this paragraph shall 
not apply to projects carried out for the purpose of 
repairing a facility.’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (4)(A), by striking ‘‘September 
30, 2025’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2030’’. 
(b) APPLICABILITY.—This section and the amendments 
made by this section shall apply with respect to a trans-
action for a prototype project under section 4022(i) of title 
10, United States Code, entered into on or after the date 
of the enactment of this section. 
SEC. 819. OPEN INTERFACE STANDARDS FOR CONTRACTS 
OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 
Section 4401 of title 10, United States Code, is amend-
ed— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection 
(c); and
488 
(2) by inserting after subsection (a) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(b) DISCLOSURE REQUIRED.—Not later than one 
year after the date of the enactment of this subsection, the 
Secretary of Defense shall make publicly available any 
standards for implementation of the modular open system 
approaches for contracts, unless the service acquisition exec-
utive with respect to a specific contract submits to the Sec-
retary a request to not disclose such standards and the Sec-
retary approves such request.’’. 
SEC. 820. UPDATES TO EARNED VALUE MANAGEMENT SYS-
TEM REQUIREMENTS. 
Section 827(a) of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 10 U.S.C. 
note prec. 4601) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘date of the enactment of this 
Act’’ and inserting ‘‘date of the enactment of the Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2025’’; and 
(2) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3) and in-
serting the following: 
‘‘(2) increase the contract value threshold associ-
ated with earned value management system require-
ments for cost contracts or incentive contracts from 
$20,000,000 to $50,000,000; and
489 
‘‘(3) increase the contract value threshold associ-
ated requiring a defense contractor to use an ap-
proved earned value management system from 
$50,000,000 to $100,000,000.’’. 
SEC. 821. INCLUSION OF JAPAN AND THE REPUBLIC OF 
KOREA 
IN 
CONTESTED 
LOGISTICS 
DEM-
ONSTRATION AND PROTOTYPING PROGRAM. 
Section 842(h)(2) of the National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31) is 
amended— 
(1) by redesignating subparagraphs (C), (D), 
and (E) as subparagraphs (D), (F), and (G), respec-
tively; 
(2) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the fol-
lowing new subparagraph: 
‘‘(C) Japan;’’; and 
(3) by inserting after subparagraph (D), as re-
designated by paragraph (1), the following new sub-
paragraph: 
‘‘(E) the Republic of Korea;’’.
490 
SEC. 822. AVOIDANCE OF USE OF LOWEST PRICE TECH-
NICALLY ACCEPTABLE SOURCE SELECTION 
CRITERIA FOR PROCUREMENT OF MUNITIONS 
RESPONSE SERVICES. 
Section 880(c)(1) of the John S. McCain National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (41 U.S.C. 
3701 note) is amended by inserting ‘‘munitions response 
services,’’ after ‘‘telecommunications devices and services,’’. 
SEC. 823. USE OF FIXED-PRICE TYPE CONTRACTS FOR CER-
TAIN SHIPBUILDING PROGRAMS. 
Section 818 of the John Warner National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 (Public Law 109–364) 
is amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(g) CONDITIONS WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN SHIP-
BUILDING CONTRACTS.— 
‘‘(1) LIMITATION.—With respect to a fixed-price 
type contract for the procurement of shipbuilding as-
sociated with a major defense acquisition program, 
the number of ships to be procured under such con-
tract, including all options, may not be more than 
two if the scope of the work of such contract includes 
the detail design and the construction of items for 
such a major defense acquisition program. 
‘‘(2) WAIVER.—The Secretary concerned may 
waive the limitation in paragraph (1) if such Sec-
491 
retary submits to the congressional defense commit-
tees, not later than 30 days after issuance of such 
waiver, a written notification of such waiver that in-
cludes a certification that the basic and functional de-
sign of any ship to be procured under a contract de-
scribed in paragraph (1) are complete. 
‘‘(3) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 
‘‘(A) The term ‘basic and functional design’ 
has the meaning given in section 8669c of title 
10, United States Code. 
‘‘(B) The term ‘construction’ means steel 
cutting and module fabrication, assembly, and 
outfitting, keel laying, and module erection sup-
porting the launch and eventual delivery of a 
completed ship. 
‘‘(C) The term ‘detail design’ means design 
using computer-aided modeling to enable the 
generation of work instructions for construction 
of the ship, where such work instructions show 
detailed system information and support con-
struction, including guidance for subcontractors 
and suppliers, installation drawings, schedules, 
material lists, and lists of prefabricated mate-
rials and parts.’’.
492 
SEC. 824. EXTENSION OF TEMPORARY AUTHORITY TO MOD-
IFY 
CERTAIN 
CONTRACTS 
AND 
OPTIONS 
BASED ON THE EFFECTS OF INFLATION. 
Subsection (e) of the first section of Public Law 85– 
804 (50 U.S.C. 1431(e)) is amended by striking ‘‘December 
31, 2024’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2025’’. 
Subtitle C—Provisions Relating to 
Workforce Development 
SEC. 831. MODIFICATION TO THE TERM OF APPOINTMENT 
OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE DEFENSE ACQUI-
SITION UNIVERSITY. 
Section 1746(e)(3) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by striking the second sentence and inserting the 
following: ‘‘The preceding sentence does not apply to the 
President of the Defense Acquisition University serving on 
January 1, 2025, who shall serve a maximum term of three 
years beginning on the date of the enactment of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 without an 
option for extension of such term.’’. 
SEC. 
832. 
UPDATED 
ACQUISITION 
AND 
SUSTAINMENT 
TRAINING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter IV of chapter 87 of title 
10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following new section: