654 
(2) has adequate transportation infrastructure, 
such as road and rail access, or that such infrastruc-
ture can reasonably be provided at the site; 
(3) has a readily available technical and manual 
skilled workforce for naval and commercial ship 
building, ship repair, and advanced manufacturing 
activities; 
(4) is geographically close to local institutions 
that can facilitate workforce development, including 
higher education and technical training and appren-
ticeships; 
(5) has private partners that are interested and 
able to undertake the development of a shipyard at 
the site; 
(6) possesses deep water construction and draft 
capabilities, as required by the Navy, to construct or 
repair vessels identified in Navy shipbuilding and 
ship repair requirements; 
(7) is in close proximity to existing Department 
facilities and personnel; and 
(8) such other criteria as the Program Manager 
determines appropriate. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 
on which the Program Manager establishes the evaluation 
requirements under subsection (b), the Program Manager 
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shall submit to the congressional defense committees a re-
port that includes— 
(1) a list of sites that meet the evaluation re-
quirements; or 
(2) a certification that no site exists that meets 
such requirements. 
SEC. 1021. LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS TO RETIRE OR 
DECOMMISSION NAVY OCEANOGRAPHIC RE-
SEARCH VESSELS. 
The Secretary of the Navy may not retire or decommis-
sion an oceanographic research vessel, or otherwise reduce 
the number of such vessels maintained by the Navy to fewer 
than six, before the date on which the Secretary submits 
to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and 
House of Representatives a plan to provide for the mainte-
nance and recapitalization of the oceanographic research 
fleet. 
SEC. 1022. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING NAMING OF 
VESSEL FOR BATTLE OF DAI DO. 
It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of the 
Navy should name an amphibious or expeditionary class 
vessel for the Battle of Dai Do. 
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Subtitle C—Counterterrorism 
SEC. 1031. REVISIONS TO DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AU-
THORITY FOR JOINT TASK FORCES TO SUP-
PORT LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES OR FED-
ERAL AGENCIES CONDUCTING COUNTERTER-
RORISM AND COUNTER TRANSNATIONAL OR-
GANIZED CRIME ACTIVITIES. 
(a) CODIFICATION IN TITLE 10.—Chapter 15 of title 
10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
a new section consisting of— 
(1) a heading as follows: 
‘‘§ 285. Authority for joint task forces to support law 
enforcement agencies or other Federal 
agencies 
conducting 
counter-terrorism 
and 
counter 
transnational 
organized 
crime activities’’; and 
(2) a text consisting of the text of section 1022 
of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2004 (Public Law 108–136; 10 U.S.C. 271 
note). 
(b) REVISIONS.—Section 285 of title 10, United States 
Code, as added by subsection (a), is amended as follows: 
(1) Subsection (a) is amended by inserting ‘‘or 
to another department or agency of the Federal Gov-
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ernment’’ after ‘‘law enforcement agencies’’ each place 
it appears. 
(2) Subsection (b) is amended by striking ‘‘Dur-
ing fiscal years 2006 through 2024, funds’’ and in-
serting ‘‘Funds’’. 
(3) Such section is further amended— 
(A) in subsection (d)(2), by striking ‘‘this 
subparagraph’’ and inserting ‘‘this paragraph’’; 
and 
(B) in subsection (e)(1), by striking ‘‘title 
10, United States Code’’ and inserting ‘‘this 
title’’. 
(c) REPEAL OF CODIFIED PROVISION.—Section 1022 
of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2004 (Public Law 108–136; 10 U.S.C. 271 note) is repealed. 
SEC. 1032. EXTENSION OF PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS 
FOR TRANSFER OR RELEASE OF INDIVIDUALS 
DETAINED AT UNITED STATES NAVAL STA-
TION, GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA, TO THE 
UNITED STATES. 
Section 1033 of the John S. McCain National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 115– 
232; 132 Stat. 1953) is amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 
2025’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2026’’. 
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SEC. 1033. EXTENSION OF PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS 
TO CONSTRUCT OR MODIFY FACILITIES IN 
THE UNITED STATES TO HOUSE DETAINEES 
TRANSFERRED FROM UNITED STATES NAVAL 
STATION, GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA. 
Section 1034(a) of the John S. McCain National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 
115–232; 132 Stat. 1954) is amended by striking ‘‘Decem-
ber 31, 2025’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2026’’. 
SEC. 1034. EXTENSION OF PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS 
FOR TRANSFER OR RELEASE OF INDIVIDUALS 
DETAINED AT UNITED STATES NAVAL STA-
TION, GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA, TO CERTAIN 
COUNTRIES. 
Section 1035 of the John S. McCain National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 115– 
232; 132 Stat. 1954) is amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 
2025’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2026’’. 
SEC. 1035. EXTENSION OF PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS 
TO CLOSE OR RELINQUISH CONTROL OF 
UNITED STATES NAVAL STATION, GUANTA-
NAMO BAY, CUBA. 
Section 1036 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 115–91; 131 Stat. 
1551) is amended by striking ‘‘fiscal years 2018 through 
2025’’ and inserting ‘‘fiscal years 2018 through 2026’’. 
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Subtitle D—Miscellaneous 
Authorities and Limitations 
SEC. 1041. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE AS-
SISTANCE IN SUPPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF 
DEFENSE ACCOUNTING FOR MISSING UNITED 
STATES GOVERNMENT PERSONNEL. 
Section 408 of title 10, United States Code, is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (a), by inserting ‘‘and procure 
goods and services from’’ after ‘‘assistance to’’; and 
(2) 
in 
subsection 
(d)(1), 
by 
striking 
‘‘$5,000,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$15,000,000’’. 
SEC. 1042. EXPEDITED ACCESS TO CERTAIN MILITARY IN-
STALLATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DE-
FENSE FOR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND 
CERTAIN CONGRESSIONAL EMPLOYEES. 
Chapter 159 of title 10, United States Code, is amend-
ed by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 2698. Expedited access to military installations for 
Members of Congress and certain Congres-
sional employees 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection 
(b), the Secretary shall establish procedures to ensure that— 
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ment of Defense common access card is the sole re-
quirement for a member of the Armed Forces to be 
granted access to such military installation. 
‘‘(4) The term ‘Member of Congress’ means— 
‘‘(A) a Senator; or 
‘‘(B) a Representative in, or Delegate or 
Resident Commissioner to, Congress.’’. 
SEC. 1043. AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY OF DEFENSE TO 
ENTER INTO CONTRACTS TO PROVIDE CER-
TAIN ASSISTANCE TO SECURE THE SOUTH-
ERN LAND BORDER OF THE UNITED STATES. 
Section 1059(a) of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (10 U.S.C. 284 note; Public Law 
114–92) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking ‘‘United 
States Customs and Border Protection’’ and inserting 
‘‘U.S. Customs and Border Protection’’; 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (2) as para-
graph (3); and 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
‘‘(2) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—In providing as-
sistance to U.S. Customs and Border Protection 
under paragraph (1), the Secretary may enter into a 
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contract for the provision of any of the following serv-
ices: 
‘‘(A) Detection and monitoring. 
‘‘(B) Warehousing and logistical supply 
chain. 
‘‘(C) Transportation. 
‘‘(C) Vehicle maintenance. 
‘‘(D) Training other than lead or primary 
instructor. 
‘‘(E) Intelligence analysis. 
‘‘(F) Linguist. 
‘‘(G) Data entry. 
‘‘(H) Aviation.’’. 
SEC. 1044. LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS TO RELOCATE OR 
OTHERWISE REMOVE THE MARITIME INDUS-
TRIAL BASE PROGRAM. 
None of the funds authorized to be appropriated or oth-
erwise made available by this Act may be used to relocate 
or otherwise remove the Maritime Industrial Base Program 
from under the jurisdiction of the Assistant Secretary of 
the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition. 
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SEC. 1045. LIMITATION ON RETIREMENT OF GRAY EAGLE 
UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS. 
(a) PROHIBITION.—Except as provided in subsection 
(b), the Secretary of the Army may not retire, divest, or 
otherwise take any action that would— 
(1) reduce the number, configuration, or capa-
bility of any MQ–1C Gray Eagle Extended Range 
unmanned aircraft system that is in the Army inven-
tory as of the date of the enactment of this Act; or 
(2) prevent the Army from maintaining such 
systems in the current or improved configurations 
and capabilities of such systems. 
(b) EXCEPTION.—The prohibition under subsection (a) 
shall not apply if the Chairman of the Joint Requirements 
Oversight Council submits to the appropriate congressional 
committees a written certification that— 
(1) a capability of equal or greater effectiveness 
will be fielded and operational prior to, or concur-
rently with, the retirement of any MQ–1C Gray Eagle 
unmanned aircraft system; and 
(2) such retirement will not result in a reduction 
in the overall capacity available to the commanders 
of the combatant commands. 
(c) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate congres-
sional committees’’ means— 
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(1) the congressional defense committees (as de-
fined in section 101(a)(16) of title 10, United States 
Code); and 
(2) the congressional intelligence committees (as 
defined in section 3 of the National Security Act of 
1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003)). 
SEC. 1046. OVERSIGHT OF THE UNITED STATES SOUTHERN 
COMMAND. 
(a) LIMITATION.—None of the funds authorized to be 
appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for 
fiscal year 2026 for the Department of Defense may be obli-
gated or expended to carry out an action described in sub-
section (b) until a period of 90 days has elapsed following 
the date on which the Secretary of Defense submits the cer-
tification and analysis required under subsection (c) with 
respect to such action. 
(b) ACTIONS DESCRIBED.—The actions described in 
this subsection are the following: 
(1) Modifying or combining the responsibilities 
of the Commander of the United States Southern 
Command, as set forth in chapter 6 of title 10, United 
States Code, with those of any other commander des-
ignated under such authority. 
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(2) Appointing an officer in a grade below O– 
10 to serve as the Commander of the United States 
Southern Command. 
(c) CERTIFICATION AND ANALYSIS REQUIRED.—The 
Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional de-
fense committees each of the following with respect to any 
action described in subsection (b) that is proposed to be 
taken by the Secretary: 
(1) A certification that, in the determination of 
the Secretary, the action is in the national security 
interest of the United States and will be undertaken 
only after appropriate consultations with Central 
American, South American, and other international 
partners on shared security objectives in the Western 
Hemisphere and its surrounding waters. 
(2) An analysis of the effect of such action on the 
security of the United States. 
(d) CONSULTATION.—In preparing the certification 
and analysis required under subsection (c) with respect to 
an action described in subsection (b), the Secretary of De-
fense shall consult with the Commander of the United States 
Southern Command and the commander of any other geo-
graphic combatant command expected to be affected by the 
action. 
(e) FORM.— 
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(1) CERTIFICATION.—The certification required 
by subsection (c)(1) shall be submitted in unclassified 
form. 
(2) ANALYSIS.—The analysis described in sub-
section (c)(2) may be submitted in classified form. 
SEC. 1047. AUTHORITY TO TRANSFER T–37 AIRCRAFT TO AR-
IZONA AVIATION HISTORICAL GROUP. 
(a) TRANSFER OF AUTHORITY T–37.—The Secretary 
of the Air Force may convey, without consideration, to the 
Arizona Aviation Historical Group, Phoenix, Arizona (in 
this section referred to as the ‘‘foundation’’), all right, title, 
and interest of the United States in and to five retired T– 
37B Trainer Aircraft. A conveyance under this section shall 
be made by means of a conditional deed of gift. 
(b) CONDITIONS OF TRANSFER.—A conveyance author-
ized under subsection (a) shall be subject to the following 
conditions: 
(1) Prior to conveyance, all military specific or 
unique equipment, as determined by the Secretary, on 
the aircraft shall be removed. 
(2) The Secretary is not required to— 
(A) repair or alter the condition of the air-
craft before conveying ownership; or 
(B) guarantee or ensure the airworthiness of 
any conveyed aircraft. 
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(3) The Secretary shall determine which aircraft 
to convey. 
(c) CONDITION OF PROPERTY.—Any aircraft conveyed 
under this section shall be conveyed in ‘‘as is’’ condition. 
The Secretary shall make no representation or warranty 
concerning the condition, fitness for any particular pur-
pose, or compliance with any laws or regulations of such 
aircraft. 
(d) REVERTER UPON BREACH OF CONDITIONS.—The 
Secretary shall include in an instrument of conveyance for 
an aircraft conveyed under this section— 
(1) a condition that the foundation does not con-
vey any ownership interest in, or transfer possession 
of, the aircraft to another party without the prior ap-
proval of the Secretary; 
(2) a condition that the foundation operate and 
maintain the aircraft in compliance with all applica-
ble limitations and maintenance requirements im-
posed by the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration; and 
(3) a condition that if the Secretary determines 
at any time that the foundation has violated a condi-
tion under paragraph (1) or (2), all right, title, and 
interest in and to the aircraft, including any repair 
or alteration of the aircraft, shall revert to the United 
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States, and the United States shall have the right of 
immediate possession of the aircraft. 
(e) CONVEYANCE
AT NO COST
TO
THE UNITED 
STATES.—Any conveyance of an aircraft authorized by this 
section shall be made at no cost to the United States. Any 
costs associated with such a conveyance, including the costs 
of inspection or removal of equipment prior to conveyance, 
the cost of determining compliance with the requirements 
of this section and any instrument of conveyance made pur-
suant to this section, and the costs of the operation, 
sustainment, transportation, ground support equipment, 
and disposal of any aircraft conveyed under this section 
shall be borne by the foundation. 
(f) ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS.—The Sec-
retary may require such additional terms and conditions 
in connection with a conveyance made under this section 
as the Secretary considers appropriate to protect the inter-
ests of the United States. 
(g) CLARIFICATION OF LIABILITY.—Notwithstanding 
any other provision of law, upon the conveyance of owner-
ship of the T–37B Trainers to the foundation under sub-
section (a), the United States shall not be liable for any 
death, injury, loss, or damage that results from any use of 
that aircraft by any person other than the United States. 
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SEC. 1048. AUTHORIZATION OF EASTERN REGIONAL RANGE 
COMPLEX FOR MULTI-DOMAIN OPERATIONS 
AND 
ROBOTIC 
AUTONOMOUS 
SYSTEMS 
TRAINING, TESTING, AND EXPERIMENTATION. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION.—The Secretary of Defense, act-
ing through the Secretaries of the military departments, 
may designate and develop an Eastern Regional Range 
Complex to serve as a joint training, testing, and experi-
mentation hub for multi-domain operations and robotic au-
tonomous systems, including unmanned aircraft systems 
and counter-unmanned aircraft systems capabilities, to ad-
dress growing threats from potential adversaries. 
(b) LOCATION.—The Eastern Regional Range Complex 
shall encompass the territories of the States of Maine, 
Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Mas-
sachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, 
Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, 
South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Kentucky, 
Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Indiana, and Alabama. 
(c) ACTIVITIES.—The Eastern Regional Range Com-
plex shall be used— 
(1) to conduct joint, multi-domain, non-kinetic 
electromagnetic warfare, cyber and information oper-
ations training within live, virtual, and constructive 
environments, leveraging common networks with ac-
cess to available spectrum; 
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(2) support integrated multi-domain operations 
training involving air, land, sea, cyber, and space 
components; 
(3) conduct joint service and interagency robotic 
autonomous system training, experimentation and 
testing, including the development of tactics, tech-
niques and procedures for unmanned aircraft systems 
and counter-unmanned aircraft systems; 
(4) evaluate emerging technologies and proto-
types and tactics, techniques and procedures for the 
operation, detection, defeat, and attribution of robotic 
autonomous systems in contested cyber and electro-
magnetic spectrum environments; and 
(5) facilitate the integration of mature prototype 
experimentation and live-fire exercises for rapid field-
ing of capabilities aligned with the Joint Warfighting 
Concept. 
(d) COORDINATION AND INTEGRATION.—The Secretary 
of Defense shall ensure that activities conducted at the East-
ern Regional Range Complex are coordinated with— 
(1) the Joint Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft 
Systems Office. 
(2) the Joint Staff (J–7); 
(3) the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense 
for Research and Engineering; and 
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(4) other entities with functions or missions rel-
evant to the activities carried out at the Complex, 
which may include— 
(A) relevant combatant commands and serv-
ice components: 
(B) allies and partners of the United States 
participating in multi-domain operations; 
(C) the Defense Innovation Unit; 
(D) State National Guard commands; 
(E) the Office of Naval Research; and 
(F) such other key stakeholders as the Sec-
retary determines appropriate. 
(e) INFRASTRUCTURE AND OTHER RESOURCES.—The 
Secretary of Defense may— 
(1) carry out military construction, infrastruc-
ture improvements, and technology installation, as 
necessary, to facilitate the activities described in sub-
section (b), including through the provision of range 
instrumentation, telemetry, cyber range integration, 
and electromagnetic spectrum operations support; and 
(2) consult with the Federal Communications 
Commission and the National Telecommunications 
and Information Administration to recommend spec-
trum access requirements in support of joint and 
service training, testing, and experimentation within 
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the Eastern Regional Range Complex and the Western 
Regional Range Complex, including access to appro-
priate live environments capable of supporting elec-
tromagnetic attack training, experimentation, and 
testing. 
SEC. 1049. PROHIBITION ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS FOR 
INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION THAT 
ALLOW ANTISEMITIC DEMONSTRATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—None of the funds authorized to be 
appropriated or otherwise made available for fiscal year 
2026 for the Department of Defense may be provided to an 
institution of higher education if— 
(1) an antisemitic demonstration has occurred 
on the campus of the institution; and 
(2) the administration of the institution has 
failed to take action to mitigate and prevent further 
antisemitic demonstrations. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘antisemitic demonstration’’ means 
any public display of antisemitism. 
(2) The term ‘‘antisemitism’’ means a certain 
perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred 
toward Jews, including rhetorical and physical mani-
festations directed toward individuals or their prop-
erty, community institutions, or religious facilities. 
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673 
SEC. 1050. LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS PENDING CER-
TIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE WITH CERTAIN 
CONGRESSIONAL NOTICE REQUIREMENTS. 
(a) LIMITATION.—Of the amounts authorized to be ap-
propriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal 
year 2026 for Operation and Maintenance, Defense-wide, 
and available for the Office of the Under Secretary of De-
fense for Policy for travel, not more than 90 percent may 
be obligated or expended until the Secretary of Defense cer-
tifies to the congressional defense committees that the De-
partment of Defense is compliant with the requirements of 
section 1067 of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–159; 10 U.S.C. 113 
note). 
(b) ELEMENTS OF CERTIFICATION.—A certification 
under subsection (a) shall include each of the following: 
(1) a written statement that a copy of each exe-
cute order required to be submitted to the congres-
sional defense committees under such section has been 
transmitted to the congressional defense committees; 
and 
(2) a description of the mechanism established to 
facilitate the provision to the congressional defense 
committees of all future briefings required under such 
section, and the compliance with the disclosure and 
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notice requirements under such section, within the 
time frames required by such section. 
SEC. 1051. PROHIBITION ON THE USE OF FUNDS FROM CAR-
RYING OUT A HIRING FREEZE, REDUCTION IN 
FORCE, OR HIRING DELAY WITHOUT CAUSE 
AT A PUBLIC SHIPYARD. 
None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this 
Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2026 for the 
Department of Defense may be used to— 
(1) carry out a hiring freeze at a public ship-
yard; 
(2) carry out a reduction in force at a public 
shipyard; or 
(3) delay without cause the filling of a vacant 
Federal civilian employee position at a public ship-
yard. 
SEC. 1052. LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS FOR DEACTIVA-
TION OF EXPEDITIONARY COMBAT AVIATION 
BRIGADES. 
None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this 
Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2026 for the 
Army may be obligated or expended to retire, deactivate, 
schedule to deactivate, or proceed with any action that 
would reduce the capabilities, resources, aircraft, or per-
sonnel available, as of the date of the enactment of this Act, 
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for the Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigades before the 
earlier of the following dates: 
(1) The date that is 90 days after the date on 
which the Secretary of the Army submits to the con-
gressional defense committees a plan to offset any loss 
of mission associated with air mobility,aeromedical 
evacuation, reconnaissance, and logistical support 
provided, as of the date of the enactment of this Act, 
by the Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigades that 
includes reassignment options for potentially dis-
placed soldiers at such brigades. 
(2) The date that is 30 days after the date on 
which the Secretary of the Army submits to the con-
gressional defense committees a plan for the recapital-
ization of the aircraft used by the Expeditionary 
Combat Aviation Brigades that is specific with re-
spect to each unit and geographical location of such 
brigades. 
Subtitle E—Reports 
SEC. 1061. MOBILITY CAPABILITY REQUIREMENTS STUDY. 
Section 1068 of the Servicemember Quality of Life Im-
provement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fis-
cal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–159) is amended— 
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(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act’’ and inserting 
‘‘December 23, 2025’’; and 
(2) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) in the paragraph headling, by 
striking ‘‘BRIEFING’’ and inserting ‘‘BRIEF-
INGS’’; and 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘and not later than 
six months after the date of the enactment 
of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2026’’ after ‘‘this Act’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act’’ and 
inserting ‘‘December 23, 2025’’. 
SEC. 1062. EXTENSION OF BRIEFING REQUIREMENT RE-
GARDING CIVIL AUTHORITIES AT THE SOUTH-
WEST BORDER. 
Section 1070 of the James M. Inhofe National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117– 
263; 136 Stat. 2791), as amended by section 1063 of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 
(Public Law 118–159), is further amended by striking 
‘‘through December 31, 2025’’ and inserting ‘‘through De-
cember 31, 2026’’. 
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SEC. 1063. PROHIBITION ON LOBBYING ACTIVITIES WITH 
RESPECT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
BY 
CERTAIN 
OFFICERS 
OF 
THE 
ARMED 
FORCES AND CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES OF THE 
DEPARTMENT 
FOLLOWING 
SEPARATION 
FROM MILITARY SERVICE OR EMPLOYMENT 
WITH THE DEPARTMENT. 
Section 1045 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 115–91; 10 U.S.C. 
note prec. 971) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ‘‘two-year’’ 
and inserting ‘‘five-year’’; and 
(2) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ‘‘one-year’’ 
and inserting ‘‘three-year’’. 
SEC. 1064. ANNUAL REPORT ON REQUESTS OF COMBATANT 
COMMANDS FOR REMOTE SENSING DATA. 
(a) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than February 1, 
2026, and annually thereafter for a five-year period, the 
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in consultation with 
the commanders of the combatant commands, shall submit 
to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Senate a report on the requests of the 
combatant commands for data and information derived 
from remote sensing. 
(b) MATTERS.—Each report under subsection (a) shall 
include, with respect to the two-year period preceding the 
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date of the submission of that report and for each combatant 
command, the following information: 
(1) An identification of the number of requests of 
that combatant command for data or information de-
rived from remote sensing made to personnel of the 
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency during such 
period, if any, including the number of any such re-
quests denied, accepted but not completely fulfilled, 
and completely fulfilled, respectively. 
(2) With respect to any such requests, an assess-
ment of whether the time to provide the data or infor-
mation requested was sufficient for the tactical pur-
pose for which the data or information was requested. 
(3) An identification of the number of any such 
requests not completely fulfilled and the reason, if 
any, given by personnel of the National Geospatial- 
Intelligence Agency for such lack of fulfillment. 
SEC. 1065. NOTIFICATION OF WAIVERS UNDER DEPART-
MENT OF DEFENSE DIRECTIVE 3000.09. 
(a) NOTIFICATION REQUIRED.—Not later than 30 days 
after issuing any waiver under Department of Defense Di-
rective 3000.09 (relating to autonomy in weapon systems), 
or any successor directive, the Secretary of Defense shall 
submit to the congressional defense committees written noti-
fication of such waiver. 
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(b) ELEMENTS.—Each notification submitted under 
subsection (a) shall include the following: 
(1) The rationale for the waiver. 
(2) A description of the autonomous weapon sys-
tem or technology covered by the waiver. 
(3) The anticipated duration of the waiver. 
(c) FORM.—The notification required under subsection 
(a) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include 
a classified annex as necessary. 
SEC. 1066. ANNUAL REPORT ON GUAM CIVILIAN-MILITARY 
PROJECTS. 
Not later than December 31 each year, the Commander 
of Joint Region Marianas, in consultation with the gov-
ernor of Guam, shall submit to Congress a report on specific 
projects in Guam that support military readiness and pub-
lic interests in Guam. Such report may include projects 
carried out— 
(1) pursuant to section 2391(d), section 2802, 
section 2805, or section 2815 of title 10, United States 
Code, or other authorities determined by the Com-
mander; or 
(2) using amounts authorized to be appropriated 
for operation and maintenance, for Joint Region 
Marianas Operations and Maintenance funds or au-
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thorities under which the Department of Defense 
transfers funds to other Federal agencies. 
Subtitle F—Other Matters 
SEC. 1071. AIR FORCE TECHNICAL TRAINING CENTER OF 
EXCELLENCE. 
Chapter 903 of title 10, United States Code, is amend-
ed by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 9026. AIR FORCE TECHNICAL TRAINING CENTER OF 
EXCELLENCE. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of the Air 
Force shall operate a Technical Training Center of Excel-
lence. The head of the Center shall be the designee of the 
Commander of the Airman Development Command. 
‘‘(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the Center shall be 
to— 
‘‘(1) facilitate collaboration among all Air Force 
technical training installations; 
‘‘(2) serve as a premier training location for all 
maintainers throughout the military departments; 
‘‘(3) publish a set of responsibilities aimed at 
driving excellence, innovation, and leadership across 
all technical training specialties; 
‘‘(4) advocate for innovative improvements in 
curriculum, facilities, and media; 
‘‘(5) foster outreach with industry and academia; 
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‘‘(6) identify and promulgate best practices, 
standards, and benchmarks; 
‘‘(7) create a hub of excellence for the latest ad-
vancements in aviation technology and training 
methodologies; and 
‘‘(8) carry out such other responsibilities as the 
Secretary determines appropriate. 
‘‘(c) LOCATION.—The Secretary shall select a location 
for the Center that is an Air Force installation that pro-
vides technical training and maintenance proficiency.’’. 
SEC. 1072. NATIONAL COMMISSION ON THE FUTURE OF THE 
NAVY 
STUDY 
OF 
MARITIME 
INDUSTRIAL 
BASE. 
Section 1092(a)(2) of the James M. Inhofe National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public 
Law 117–263; 136 Stat. 2807) is amended by adding at 
the end the following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(C) STUDY
ON
MARITIME
INDUSTRIAL 
BASE.—The Commission shall conduct a study 
on the condition of the United States maritime 
industrial base, including the capacity of the 
maritime industrial base to meet national de-
fense requirements and support naval recapital-
ization. This study shall include— 
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‘‘(III) foster a reliable and skilled 
maritime labor force; and 
‘‘(IV) 
ensure 
sufficient 
ship-
building capacity to support great 
power competition and United States 
sealift requirements.’’. 
SEC. 1073. EXTENSION OF THE NATIONAL COMMISSION ON 
THE FUTURE OF THE NAVY. 
Section 1092(a)(4) of the James M. Inhofe National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public 
Law 117–263; 136 Stat. 2809), as amended by section 1083 
of the Service Member Quality of Life Improvement and 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 
(Public Law 118–159), is further amended by striking 
‘‘January 15, 2026’’ and inserting ‘‘January 15, 2027’’. 
SEC. 1074. REAUTHORIZATION OF THE SERVICEWOMEN’S 
COMMEMORATIVE PARTNERSHIP. 
Section 362(b) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 
(Public Law 116–283; 10 U.S.C. 7771 note prec.) is amend-
ed— 
(1) by striking ‘‘fiscal year 2021’’ and inserting 
‘‘fiscal year 2026’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘$3,000,000’’ and inserting 
‘‘$1,000,000’’. 
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SEC. 1075. FEDERAL AGENCY SUPPORT FOR AFGHANISTAN 
WAR COMMISSION. 
Section 1094(f)(2) of the National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 117–81) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subpara-
graph: 
‘‘(D) SERVICES.— 
‘‘(i) DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.—The 
Secretary of Defense may provide to the 
Commission, on a nonreimbursable basis, 
such administrative services, funds, staff, 
facilities, and other support services as are 
necessary for the performance of the duties 
of the Commission under this section. 
‘‘(ii) OTHER AGENCIES.—In addition 
to any support provided under clause (i), 
the head of any other Federal department or 
agency may provide to the Commission such 
services, funds, facilities, staff, and other 
support as the head of such department or 
agency determines advisable and as may be 
authorized by law.’’. 
SEC. 1076. PROVISION OF CONTRACT AUTHORITY TO AF-
GHANISTAN WAR COMMISSION. 
Subsection (f) of the Afghanistan War Commission Act 
of 2021 (section 1094(f) of Public Law 117–81; 135 Stat. 
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1941) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(6) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—To such extent and 
in such amounts as are provided in appropriation 
Acts, the Co-Chairpersons of the Commission may 
enter into contracts to enable the Commission to dis-
charge its duties under this section.’’. 
SEC. 1077. FRAMEWORK FOR TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND 
FOREIGN DISCLOSURE POLICIES. 
(a) FRAMEWORK DEVELOPMENT.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall produce a framework to revise and 
update the technology transfer policies of the military de-
partments and the National Disclosure Policy. 
(b) FRAMEWORK ELEMENTS.—The framework pro-
duced pursuant to subsection (a) shall include the following: 
(1) A comprehensive assessment of policies re-
garding the transfer of emerging and advanced de-
fense items, including artificial intelligence, directed 
energy, microwave systems, counter-unmanned aerial 
systems, missile defense, machine learning, cybersecu-
rity, quantum technologies, hypersonics, autonomous 
systems, and such other technologies as the Secretary 
determines appropriate, to enable the transfer of such 
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defense items to allies and partners of the United 
States. 
(2) Guidelines for balancing national security 
considerations with the need to share information and 
technology with allies and partners of the United 
States to enhance interoperability and burden shar-
ing. 
(3) A process to gather, consider, and, as appro-
priate, incorporate input from industry stakeholders, 
in accordance with subsection (d), to inform revisions 
to the technology transfer policies of the military de-
partments and the National Disclosure Policy to en-
able the transfer of defense items to allies and part-
ners of the United States. 
(4) Recommendations for updating the tech-
nology transfer policies of the military departments 
and the National Disclosure Policy to accommodate 
the use of emerging and advanced defense items in 
multi-domain operations, joint military exercises, 
and allied operational requirements. 
(5) Mechanisms to enable the military depart-
ments to streamline the approval process for tech-
nology transfers. 
(6) Mechanisms to enhance transparency to en-
sure the technology transfer policies of each of the 
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military departments are comparable with respect to 
capability and country release tiers for emerging and 
advanced defense items. 
(7) A plan to consolidate technology security and 
foreign disclosure approvals in accordance with Exec-
utive Order 14268, titled ‘‘Reforming Foreign Defense 
Sales to Improve Speed and Accountability’’ and 
dated April 9, 2025. 
(8) Metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of the 
technology transfer policies of the military depart-
ments and the National Disclosure Policy to enable 
the transfer of defense items to allies and partners of 
the United States while ensuring security of United 
States technology. 
(9) An annual requirement to conduct an audit 
of license applications that were denied during the 
prior year on the basis of technology transfer policies 
of the military departments or the National Disclo-
sure Policy. 
(10) A process to implement revisions to the 
technology transfer policies of the military depart-
ments and the National Disclosure Policy in accord-
ance with subsection (c). 
(c) IMPLEMENTATION.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the submission of the framework under sub-
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section (a), and not less frequently than annually thereafter, 
the Secretary of Defense shall direct the Secretary of each 
of the military departments to revise the technology transfer 
policy of that department and the Under Secretary of De-
fense for Policy to revise the National Disclosure Policy, 
based on the elements of the framework under subsection 
(b). 
(d) STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.—At least once every 
six months, the Secretaries of the military departments and 
the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy shall consult with 
such representatives from the defense industry as the Secre-
taries and Under Secretary consider appropriate, including 
representatives from nontraditional defense contractors (as 
such term is defined by section 3014 of title 10, United 
States Code) in the course of carrying out subsections (a), 
(b), and (c). 
(e) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) SUBMISSION
OF
FRAMEWORK.—Not later 
than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the con-
gressional defense committees a report containing the 
framework produced under subsection (a). 
(2) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the submission of the framework re-
quired under subsection (a), and not less frequently 
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information to confirm that such denials re-
flected the policy in effect at the time of denial. 
(E) Any recommendations of the Secretary 
for legislation necessary to improve technology 
transfer policies or the National Disclosure Pol-
icy. 
(3) FORM.—Each report submitted under this 
subsection shall be submitted in unclassified form, but 
may include a classified annex. 
SEC. 1078. BUDGETING AND FUNDING REQUIREMENTS FOR 
NORTHERN STRIKE EXERCISE. 
(a) 
REQUIREMENTS.—The 
Secretary 
of 
Defense 
shall— 
(1) ensure that the budget and funding for the 
Northern Strike Exercise are sufficient to effectively 
carry out the objectives of the Secretary with respect 
to such exercise; and 
(2) include, in the budget justification materials 
submitted to Congress in support of the Department 
of Defense budget for fiscal year 2027 and each subse-
quent fiscal year (as submitted with the budget of the 
President under section 1105(a) of title 31), a dedi-
cated budget line item for the implementation of this 
section. 
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(b) NORTHERN STRIKE EXERCISE DEFINED.— In this 
section, the term ‘‘Northern Strike Exercise’’ means a mili-
tary exercise sponsored by the National Guard Bureau to 
build readiness and warfighting capabilities for the joint 
force. 
SEC. 1079. PROCUREMENT AND DISTRIBUTION OF SPORTS 
FOODS AND DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS TO MEM-
BERS OF THE ARMED FORCES ASSIGNED TO 
THE UNITED STATES SPECIAL OPERATIONS 
COMMAND. 
(a) PROCUREMENT AND DISTRIBUTION.—The Com-
mander of the United States Special Operations Command 
may authorize— 
(1) the procurement of sports foods and dietary 
supplements; and 
(2) the distribution of such foods and supple-
ments to members of the Armed Forces assigned to the 
United States Special Operations Command. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commander of the United 
States Special Operations Command shall— 
(A) establish policies for the procurement 
and distribution of sports foods and dietary sup-
plements under this section; and 
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(B) require that such procurement and dis-
tribution is in compliance with— 
(i) Department of Defense Instruction 
6130.06, titled ‘‘Use of Dietary Supplements 
in the Department of Defense’’; and 
(ii) the prohibited dietary supplement 
ingredients list of the Department. 
(2) POLICIES.—The policies established under 
paragraph (1) shall provide that— 
(A) dietary supplements procured or dis-
tributed under this section are required to be cer-
tified by a non-Department third-party certi-
fying organization that Operation Supplement 
Safety of the Department has vetted for end- 
product quality assurance; 
(B) dietary supplements and sports foods 
procured or distributed under this section are re-
quired to be free of contaminants and ingredients 
and substances prohibited by the Department 
(including any ingredients and substances that 
are synonymous with such prohibited ingredients 
and substances); 
(C) sports foods and dietary supplements 
may only be distributed to members of the 
Armed Forces— 
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(i) by a credentialed and privileged 
registered (performance) dietitian or a med-
ical clinician with prescribing authority 
who is assigned to or supporting the United 
States Special Operations Command at the 
operational unit level; and 
(ii) under the guidance and oversight 
of a primary care sports medicine physi-
cian. 
(c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—The procurement and 
distribution of sports foods and dietary supplements under 
this section shall be construed to supplement and not sup-
plant— 
(1) any morale, welfare, or recreation funds or 
activities otherwise required or available; and 
(2) any funding made available for, and services 
provided by, any dining facility of the Department. 
SEC. 1080. PILOT PROGRAM ON ENHANCED USE OF AD-
VANCED SENSOR NETWORKS TO IMPROVE 
AIR FORCE COUNTER-UNMANNED AIRCRAFT 
SYSTEM CAPABILITIES FOR BASE DEFENSE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Beginning not later than 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of the Air Force, in coordination with the Adminis-
trator of the Federal Aviation Administration, shall carry 
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out a pilot program, to be known as the ‘‘Enhancing Co-
operation for Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Pro-
gram’’, under which the Secretary shall incorporate the use 
of civilian civil airspace sensor networks into Air Force 
data processing systems to— 
(1) improve base defense against small un-
manned aircraft systems (in this section referred to as 
‘‘sUAS’’); 
(2) inform the development of counter-unmanned 
aircraft system capabilities that are suitable for use 
inside the United States and in the National Airspace 
System; and 
(3) enhance cooperation with law enforcement, 
State and local partners, and other Federal depart-
ments and agencies to counter domestic threats. 
(b) LOCATIONS.—The Secretary, in coordination with 
the Administrator, shall select at least two military instal-
lations located in the United States at which to conduct 
the pilot program. In selecting such military installations, 
the Secretary shall consider the potential for the Air Force 
to— 
(1) access advanced civilian airspace sensor net-
works; 
(2) leverage public-private partnerships that en-
able multi-use of airspace awareness capabilities for 
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public safety, defense of critical infrastructure to in-
clude Department of Defense installations, and pro-
tection of civil aviation; and 
(3) minimize the potential for negatively affect-
ing civil aircraft operations in the National Airspace 
System. 
(c) OBJECTIVES.—The objectives of the pilot program 
are— 
(1) to demonstrate the efficacy of shared situa-
tional awareness data from civilian sensor networks 
to military installation defense systems; 
(2) to provide the Air Force with access to air 
space awareness data derived from civilian airspace 
sensor networks to increase the ability of the Air 
Force to defend bases from the threats posed by sUAS; 
(3) to determine any authority, capability, and 
capacity barriers to enhancing cooperation between 
the Air Force, civilian partners, and other Federal, 
State, and local government entities to extend the 
over-the-horizon identification of potential sUAS 
threats beyond the current range of existing domestic 
base defense systems; and 
(4) to improve the data-sharing frameworks for 
airspace data between the Air Force and various 
stakeholders for the purpose of base defense. 
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(d) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—In carrying out the pilot 
program, the Secretary of the Air Force may enter into one 
or more contracts for the procurement of additional tech-
nologies capable of— 
(1) leveraging commercial or Government off-the- 
shelf detect-track-defeat systems; 
(2) integrating and using civilian airspace 
awareness data to serve as an early warning capa-
bility specifically to help identify and monitor non- 
compliant sUAS; and 
(3) informing appropriate communication mech-
anisms between military installations and local law 
enforcement agencies to report and track non-compli-
ant air vehicles, deter incursions, and foster potential 
prosecution. 
(e) BRIEFINGS.—Not later than 90 days after the con-
clusion of all activities carried out under the pilot program 
at an installation selected for such program, the Secretary 
shall provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the 
Senate and House of Representatives, the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Rep-
resentatives, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate a briefing that includes a de-
scription of— 
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(1) the manner in which the program was con-
ducted at such installation; and 
(2) any results achieved under the program at 
such installation. 
(f) TERMINATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The authority to carry out a 
pilot program under this section shall terminate on 
the date that is five years after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act. 
(2) EARLY
TERMINATION
OPTION.—The Sec-
retary of the Air Force may request the termination 
of the pilot program before the date specified in para-
graph (1) if the Secretary— 
(A) determines that administrative, legal, 
performance, or other factors indicate the pro-
gram will not be successful; and 
(B) submits to the Committees on Armed 
Services of the Senate and House of Representa-
tives, the Committee on Transportation and In-
frastructure of the House of Representatives, and 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate notice in writing of 
such determination. 
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SEC. 1081. PILOT PROGRAM AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS 
FOR ACCELERATING PROTECTION OF CER-
TAIN FACILITIES AND ASSETS FROM UN-
MANNED AIRCRAFT. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Congress 
that— 
(1) Congress granted the Department of Defense 
extensive counter-UAS authorities under section 1697 
of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 130 Stat. 2639); 
(2) the Department has not adequately responded 
to publicly reported drone incursions; 
(3) the Department has consistently returned to 
request from Congress additional counter-UAS au-
thorities, despite not fully using available counter- 
UAS authorities and routinely failing to provide to 
Congress with statutorily required briefings and in-
formation on the use and non-use of such available 
authorities; and 
(4) there is intense global demand for counter- 
UAS systems in the inventory of the Department, 
particularly from the Commander of the United 
States Central Command and the Commander of the 
United States Indo-Pacific Command, and the De-
partment will not be able to address domestic counter- 
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UAS requirements without substantial changes in the 
policies and priorities of the Department. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall— 
(1) develop a plan to ensure that the training of 
members of the armed forces and officers and civilian 
employees of the Department, and the sustainment of 
equipment of the Department, is adequate for pur-
poses of the effective use of authorities under section 
130i of title 10, United States Code; and 
(2) ensure that for each covered facility or asset 
at which the Secretary has determined counter-UAS 
operations are necessary to mitigate the threat that 
an unmanned aircraft system poses to the safety or 
security of such covered facility or asset— 
(A) any administrative action required for 
the effective use of such authorities for the protec-
tion of the covered facility or asset not contin-
gent upon action by another Federal department 
or agency has been completed, including the es-
tablishment of appropriate policies for the train-
ing of relevant personnel upon the deployment of 
new counter-UAS systems, annual training, and 
training for newly assigned personnel; 
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(B) any such training required for the safe 
or effective use of counter-UAS systems for such 
protection has been completed; and 
(C) planning to deploy and sustain systems 
similar to those procured pursuant to the pilot 
program under subsection (c) in a manner ap-
propriate for the covered facility or asset has 
commenced. 
(c) PILOT PROGRAM FOR DEPLOYMENT OF CERTAIN 
COUNTER-UAS SYSTEMS.— 
(1) PILOT PROGRAM.—The Secretary, in coordi-
nation with the Administrator as required by section 
130i of title 10, United States Code, shall carry out 
a pilot program for the deployment of covered 
counter-UAS systems for the protection of certain cov-
ered facilities or assets (in this subsection, referred to 
as the ‘‘pilot program’’). 
(2) ELEMENTS.—Under the pilot program, the 
Secretary shall— 
(A) not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, select and procure 
covered counter-UAS systems for deployment for 
the protection of four covered facilities or assets 
identified for purposes of the pilot program; and 
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(B) not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, ensure such covered 
counter-UAS systems are so deployed with re-
spect to each such identified covered facility or 
asset. 
(3) SITE-SPECIFIC ASSESSMENT.—The Secretary 
and the Administrator shall jointly conduct a site- 
specific suitability assessment for each covered asset 
or facility identified for purposes of the pilot program 
to ensure that the operation of a covered counter-UAS 
system under the pilot program with respect to the 
covered facility or asset will not result in an adverse 
impact on aviation safety, including by assessing safe 
engagement ranges and parameters for target identi-
fication and deconfliction. 
(d) ADDITIONAL COORDINATION REQUIRED.—The Sec-
retary shall carry out this section consistent with the re-
quirements of section 130i of title 10, United States Code. 
(e) BRIEFINGS.—Not later than 60 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, and every 60 days thereafter 
until the date on which each requirement under this section 
is complete, the Secretary, in consultation with the Admin-
istrator, shall provide to the congressional defense commit-
tees and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
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ture of the House of Representatives a briefing on the imple-
mentation of this section. 
(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘Administrator’’ means the Admin-
istrator of the Federal Aviation Administration. 
(2) The terms ‘‘counter-UAS system’’ and ‘‘small 
unmanned aircraft’’ have the meanings given those 
terms in section 44801 of title 49, United States Code. 
(3) The term ‘‘covered counter-UAS system’’ 
means a counter-UAS system that— 
(A) is capable of destroying or disabling a 
small unmanned aircraft by means of high-pow-
ered microwave, laser, or other similar tech-
nology; and 
(B) may be integrated with appropriate 
sensing and command-and-control systems. 
(4) The term ‘‘covered facility or asset’’ means a 
facility or asset with respect to which there is author-
ity to carry out section 130i of title 10, United States 
Code, for the protection of the facility or asset. 
(5) The term ‘‘unmanned aircraft’’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 130i(j) of title 10, 
United States Code. 
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SEC. 1082. COUNTER-UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM READI-
NESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense, acting 
through the Director of the Joint Counter Small Unmanned 
Aircraft Systems Office, shall coordinate with the Secre-
taries of the military departments to identify differences in 
the interpretation and application of section 130i of title 
10, United States Code, among the military departments, 
including differences with respect to— 
(1) interpretations of the term ‘‘covered facility 
or asset’’; 
(2) the application of modern best practices for 
counter-unmanned aircraft system to each type of 
covered facility or asset; and 
(3) divergent, unrealistic, or unnecessarily lim-
ited legal interpretations of the term ‘‘covered facility 
or asset’’. 
(b) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of 
the Joint Counter Small Unmanned Systems Office shall 
submit to the congressional defense committees a report that 
includes a description of each of the following: 
(1) Differences identified in the application of 
section 130i of title 10, United States Code, among 
the military departments. 
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(2) Any resources required to expedite and mod-
ernize site evaluations, including electromagnetic 
spectrum evaluations required for the deployment of 
counter-unmanned aircraft system defenses and site 
surveys described in section 1081 of this Act. 
(3) Suggestions to improve the role of the United 
States Northern Command as a synchronizing body 
for homeland counter-unmanned aircraft systems de-
ployed at covered facilities or assets. 
(4) The plan of the Director to remedy, without 
change to underlying law, the differences in legal in-
terpretations identified pursuant to subsection (a)(3). 
(5) The strategy of the Director for retrofitting 
and modernizing military installations and depots 
for testing counter-unmanned aircraft systems and an 
identification of any policy, legal, or regulatory chal-
lenges to carrying out such strategy. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the terms ‘‘covered 
facility or asset’’ and ‘‘unmanned aircraft system’’ have the 
meaning given such terms in section 130i of title 10, United 
States Code. 
SEC. 1083. PILOT PROGRAM ON DIGITAL FORCE PROTEC-
TION FOR SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Commander of the United 
States Special Operations Command may carry out a pilot 
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program, to be known as the ‘‘Digital Force Protection Pilot 
Program’’, to identify existing vulnerabilities in digital 
force protection, provide targeted ubiquitous technical sur-
veillance mitigation training, and help identify commer-
cially available secure communication and obfuscation tech-
nologies to protect personnel and support overall mission 
effectiveness. 
(b) OBJECTIVES.—The objectives of a pilot program 
carried out under subsection (a) are— 
(1) to increase understanding of existing digital 
signature and ubiquitous technical surveillance risk 
for selected Special Operations Forces units and the 
associated threats to personnel and mission effective-
ness that come from digital exposure and adversary 
tracking; 
(2) to strengthen digital force protection for the 
purposes of operational security and strategic decep-
tion efforts across all domains of warfare; and 
(3) to demonstrate digital force protection as a 
critical enabler of multi-domain operations and the 
need to ensure Special Operations Forces can operate 
seamlessly across land, air, sea, space, and cyberspace 
without adversarial digital exploitation undermining 
mission success. 
(c) RECOMMENDATION OF UNITS.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—If the Commander carries out 
a pilot program under subsection (a), the Commander 
shall recommend not fewer than two Special Oper-
ations Forces units to carry out the pilot program, 
which may include a command and unit element. 
(2) CONSIDERATIONS.—In recommending units 
to participate in the pilot program under paragraph 
(1), the Commander shall take into consideration— 
(A) the need to include multiple categories 
of personnel, including operational support staff, 
enablers, and contractors to ensure a complete 
assessment; 
(B) the readiness status of the units, with 
an emphasis on providing training to those units 
most likely to deploy to areas with high likeli-
hood of adversary digital surveillance; and 
(C) the need for a sufficient sample size, 
which is approximately a battalion. 
(d) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—If the Commander car-
ries out a pilot program under this section, the Commander 
may enter into a contract for the provision of services to 
facilitate the pilot program. If the Commander uses such 
authority to enter into a contract for training or assess-
ment, such training and assessment shall be capable of— 
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(1) conducting multiple realistic ubiquitous tech-
nical surveillance training scenarios that are con-
sistent with observed adversarial tactics, techniques, 
and procedures with exploiting commercially avail-
able data against Special Operations Forces units; 
(2) training key personnel across leadership, 
operational, and support elements on the threats 
posed by the commercial data economy and specific 
skills development to manage digital signatures and 
mitigate ubiquitous technical surveillance risks; 
(3) providing advanced training for personnel 
responsible for highly sensitive activities and mis-
sions; 
(4) evaluating through red cell exercises pilot 
program participant progress and to ensuring units 
are prepared for mission-critical operations in ubiq-
uitous technical surveillance-intensive environments; 
(5) employing commercial technology solutions 
previously deployed in a mission environment and 
interoperable with legacy Department of Defense sys-
tems, networks, and protocols, including deployment 
of on-demand global obfuscated networks and identity 
intelligence and management; 
(6) assessing ubiquitous technical surveillance 
and digital force protection holistically across various 
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threat vectors including electronic, travel, financial, 
online, and physical or visual. 
(e) BRIEFINGS.—If the Commander carries out a pilot 
program under this section, not later than 90 days after 
concluding activities under the pilot program, the Com-
mander and the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special 
Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict shall provide to the 
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House 
of Representatives a briefing that includes— 
(1) a thorough analysis identifying current ca-
pabilities and a description of gaps, deficiencies, or 
other vulnerabilities, identified by the pilot program; 
(2) specific recommendations for short-term (1– 
2 years) and long-term (3–5 years) initiatives to en-
hance digital force protection across special oper-
ations components; 
(3) an assessment of how enhanced digital force 
protection measures increase the difficulty, time, and 
resources required for adversaries to conduct digital 
surveillance, force tracking, and operational com-
promise of Special Operations Forces; and 
(4) a comprehensive list of any additional au-
thorities, appropriations, or other resources necessary 
to implement the recommended digital force protec-
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tion tools and practices identified pursuant to the 
pilot program. 
(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘digital force protection’’ means the 
policies, tools, and practices used to protect military 
personnel, operations, and critical assets from adver-
sarial exploitation of the commercial digital surveil-
lance economy, associated commercial data, and dig-
ital footprints. 
(2) The term ‘‘commercial digital surveillance 
economy’’ means the ecosystem of companies and tech-
nologies involved in collecting, analyzing, and selling 
data generated by the interactions of individuals with 
digital services and devices. 
(3) The term ‘‘digital footprint’’ means the data 
traces left by individuals through the use of digital 
devices and services that can be exploited to uncover 
personal information, movement patterns, and other 
sensitive details. 
(g) TERMINATION.—The authority to carry out a pilot 
program under this section shall terminate on the date that 
is one year after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
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SEC. 1084. PILOT PROGRAM FOR BLOCKCHAIN-ENABLED IN-
VENTORY MANAGEMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
may establish a pilot program under which the Department 
of Defense shall use commercially available distributed ledg-
er technology to seek to improve inventory management 
within the Department of Defense. 
(b) OBJECTIVES.—Under the pilot program established 
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall— 
(1) assess the feasibility and effectiveness of 
using distributed ledger technology in improving in-
ventory management; 
(2) assess the cost savings resulting from the use 
of distributed ledger technology in inventory manage-
ment; 
(3) assess whether the use of distributed ledger 
technology in inventory management improves the 
traceability of inventory; 
(4) assess whether the use of distributed ledger 
technology in inventory management reduces the risk 
of waste, fraud, and abuse; and 
(5) identify and mitigate potential challenges 
and risks associated with the integration of distrib-
uted ledger technology for inventory management, in-
cluding cybersecurity concerns. 
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SEC. 1085. ACCELERATION OF ACCREDITATION AND ACCESS 
TO SENSITIVE COMPARTMENTED INFORMA-
TION FACILITIES FOR INDUSTRY. 
(a) PLAN REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days after 
enactment of this act, the Secretary of Defense, in consulta-
tion with other appropriate departments and agencies of 
the Federal Government, shall submit to the congressional 
defense committees a plan to accelerate the accreditation, 
construction, and operational use of commercial sensitive 
compartmented information facilities accessible to private- 
sector entities in support of national security innovation, 
manufacturing, and mission-critical classified activities. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The plan required by subsection (a) 
shall include the following: 
(1) Recommendation of policies to authorize the 
parallel processing of construction security plans, 
construction, and information technology deployment 
to reduce accreditation and approval timelines. 
(2) An assessment of the feasibility of adopting 
architecture and construction templates to allow for 
shortening or eliminating portions of the construction 
security plan review and approval process. 
(3) An evaluation of current policies regarding 
the use of mobile Secret Internet Protocol Router Net-
work and Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communica-
tions System systems within accredited contractor 
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sensitive compartmented information facilities, in-
cluding a review of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of 
Staff Instruction 6211.02D. 
(4) An assessment of the feasibility of delegating 
the authority to review construction security plans 
and associated 30, 60, and 90 percent technical draw-
ings to appropriately trained sponsor-approved per-
sonnel within the Armed Forces, subject to applicable 
security standards and oversight. 
(5) A proposal to designate shared commercial 
classified facilities as valid places to work for all 
types of classified work authorized by the Department 
of Defense. 
(6) A proposal to develop and establish a secure, 
centralized, digital platform for the management of 
sensitive compartmented information facility lifecycle 
processes, including— 
(A) submission and tracking of construction 
security plans, requests for information, fixed fa-
cility checklists, and co-use authorizations; and 
(B) utilization of artificial intelligence and 
machine-learning tools for construction security 
plan validation, interagency compliance, and 
document version control. 
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(7) A list of any additional authorities, appro-
priations, or other resources necessary to implement 
the plan required by this section. 
SEC. 1086. STANDARDIZATION OF DATA ANALYSIS AND VIS-
UALIZATION ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT OF 
DEFENSE. 
(a) STANDARDIZATION OF DATA ANALYSIS AND VIS-
UALIZATION REQUIRED.—Not later than 365 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall ensure that each of the military departments adopts 
a set of standard data analysis and data visualization for 
the collection, management, analysis, visualization, and re-
porting of data related to harmful behaviors. Such required 
data analysis and visualization standards shall be designed 
to— 
(1) enable commanders at all levels of command 
to receive timely, actionable data with consistent 
metrics, data visualization, and presentation formats; 
(2) support location, identify patterns over time, 
and track changes or trends in harmful behavior; and 
(3) if the Secretary establishes a working group 
under subsection (b), comply with other standards 
and best practices identified by the working group. 
(b) WORKING GROUP ON DATA SYSTEMS AND VISUAL-
IZATION.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense may 
establish a working group composed of representatives 
from each military department. 
(2) RESPONSIBILITIES.—If the Secretary estab-
lishes a working group under this subsection, the 
working group shall— 
(A) review existing harmful behavior data 
management systems, methods of data collection, 
management, analysis, reporting, and forms of 
data visualization used across the military de-
partments; 
(B) identify and share best practices for 
data collection, management, analysis, visualiza-
tion, and reporting to improve consistency, effec-
tiveness, and usability across the Department of 
Defense; and 
(C) assess which data elements are not cur-
rently captured in existing harmful behavior 
data management systems of record and would 
benefit from inclusion. 
(3) TIMEFRAME
FOR
ESTABLISHMENT.—If the 
Secretary establishes a working group under this sub-
section, the Secretary shall establish the working 
group by not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act. 
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(c) PROMOTION OF ON-SITE INSTALLATION EVALUA-
TION RESILIENCE INDEX SUMMARY APPLICATION.—The 
Secretary may promote the on-site installation evaluation 
resilience index summary application for wider use by the 
military departments, in addition to the systems to address 
harmful behavior in use by the military departments as of 
the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(d) BRIEFING AND REPORT.—Not later than 365 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense shall provide a briefing and submit a report to 
the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the 
House of Representatives on— 
(1) the status of the implementation of the stand-
ard features required under subsection (a); 
(2) if the Secretary establishes a working group 
under subsection (b), the findings and recommenda-
tions of the working group; and 
(3) the status of implementing the promotion of 
the on-site installation evaluation resilience index 
summary application under subsection (c). 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘data collection’’ means the capa-
bility to gather user-generated data through system 
interfaces, with designated required and optional 
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fields, that is saved to the system’s dataset through 
structured workflows. 
(2) The term ‘‘data visualization’’ means the 
manner in which information is presented within a 
data management system, including the graphical 
representation of data to improve clarity, comprehen-
sion, analysis, and decision-making by users. 
SEC. 1087. PROCESS FOR COMPLAINTS AND INVESTIGA-
TIONS OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICE PRO-
VIDERS AND TRANSPORTATION OFFICERS. 
(a) COMPLAINTS AND INVESTIGATIONS.— 
(1) PROCESS FOR SUBMITTING COMPLAINTS.— 
The Commander of the Military Surface Deployment 
and Distribution Command shall develop a process 
through which a transportation service provider may 
submit a complaint to the Commander regarding pos-
sible violations of the Military Freight Traffic Uni-
fied Rules Publication or the Defense Transportation 
Regulations by Department of Defense transportation 
officers and transportation service providers regard-
ing any military shipments that are required to be 
processed by the Global Freight Management System. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The complaint process required 
under paragraph (1) shall include each of the fol-
lowing: 
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(A) An identification of the information the 
complainant should provide as part of a com-
plaint to assist the Commander in reviewing and 
investigating the complaint, including references 
to the rules that were allegedly violated. 
(B) A timeline for the adjudication of the 
complaint and rendering of an initial finding by 
an individual designated by the Commander. 
(C) A process for any party to appeal the 
initial finding if the party believes the initial 
finding is incorrect, a timeline for the review of 
the appeal, and a timeline for the Commander to 
render a final decision. 
(D) Such other elements as the Commander 
determines appropriate. 
(3) CONSEQUENCES FOR VIOLATIONS.—If, pursu-
ant to a complaint submitted through the complaint 
process under this section, a transportation officer or 
transportation service provider is found to have vio-
lated the Military Freight Traffic Unified Rules Pub-
lication or the Defense Transportation Regulations, 
the Commander shall impose a penalty in accordance 
with the Military Freight Traffic Unified Rules Pub-
lication and the Defense Transportation Regulations 
and, if applicable, work with the transportation offi-
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cer or transportation service provider to take correc-
tive action. 
(4) TRANSPORTATION OFFICER ACTIONS.— 
(A) NOTIFICATION
PROCESS.— The Com-
mander shall establish a timely process through 
which a transportation service provider may no-
tify the Military Surface Deployment and Dis-
tribution Command of any action a transpor-
tation officer imposes against a transportation 
service provider, such as a letter of non-use, if 
the transportation service provider believes that 
such action was improper, excessive, or not in 
accordance with the Military Freight Traffic 
Unified Rules Publication or Defense Transpor-
tation Regulations. 
(B) AUTHORITY TO OVERRIDE.— The Com-
mander may override any action taken by a 
transportation officer against a transportation 
service provider if the Commander believes such 
action was improper, excessive, or not in accord-
ance with the Military Freight Traffic Unified 
Rules Publication or Defense Transportation 
Regulations. The authority under this subpara-
graph includes revoking a letter of non-use, re-
ducing the duration of a letter of non-use, and 
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removing any service failure from the record of 
the transportation service provider. 
(b) GLOBAL FREIGHT MANAGEMENT TRAINING.—The 
Commander of the Military Surface Deployment and Dis-
tribution Command shall provide recurring training to all 
transportation officers and transportation service providers 
that use the Global Freight Management System to process 
and award Department of Defense shipments. Such train-
ing shall include— 
(1) detailed instruction on the Military Freight 
Traffic Unified Rules Publication and Defense Trans-
portation Regulations; 
(2) best practices for processing and awarding 
shipments in the Global Freight Management system; 
(3) the importance of awarding shipments trans-
parently and in accordance with Department of De-
fense policies; and 
(4) such other information as the Commander 
determines appropriate. 
(c) FREIGHT CARRIER REGISTRATION PROGRAM.— 
(1) UPDATE.—The Commander of the Military 
Surface Deployment and Distribution Command shall 
update the freight carrier registration program to en-
sure that users of the program, including Department 
of Defense personnel and transportation service pro-
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viders, are able to easily determine if a standard car-
rier alpha code belongs to a motor carrier or broker. 
(2) ANNUAL AUDIT REQUIREMENT.—Not less fre-
quently than annually, the Commander shall conduct 
an audit of the freight carrier registration program 
to ensure that all approved transportation service 
providers have active and appropriate operating au-
thority from the Department of Transportation. 
TITLE XI—CIVILIAN PERSONNEL 
Subtitle A—General Provisions 
SEC. 1101. LIVING QUARTER ALLOWANCE FOR DEPART-
MENT OF DEFENSE CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES 
WITH PERMANENT DUTY STATION IN GUAM. 
Section 1102 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in the section heading, by striking ‘‘DE-
PARTMENT OF THE NAVY CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES 
ASSIGNED TO PERMANENT DUTY IN GUAM FOR 
PERFORMING
WORK, OR
SUPPORTING
WORK 
BEING PERFORMED, ABOARD OR DOCKSIDE, OF 
U.S. NAVAL VESSELS’’ and inserting ‘‘CIVILIAN 
EMPLOYEES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
STATIONED IN GUAM’’; 
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(2) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘Secretary of 
the Navy’’ and inserting ‘‘Secretary of Defense’’; and 
(3) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(b) COVERED EMPLOYEE DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘covered employee’ means any civilian employee 
of the Department of Defense whose permanent duty station 
is located in Guam.’’. 
SEC. 1102. APPOINTMENT OF RETIRED MEMBERS OF THE 
ARMED FORCES TO COMPETITIVE SERVICE 
AND EXCEPTED SERVICE POSITIONS IN THE 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3326 of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) in the section heading, by inserting ‘‘cer-
tain’’ before ‘‘positions’’; and 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 
by striking ‘‘the civil service’’ and inserting ‘‘the 
competitive service or the excepted service’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘for the 
purpose’’ and all that follows through ‘‘Manage-
ment’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 
the beginning of subchapter I of chapter 33 of such title 
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at a rate greater than the annual rate of the salary of the 
Vice President under section 104 of title 3.’’. 
SEC. 1105. ONE-YEAR EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO WAIVE 
ANNUAL LIMITATION ON PREMIUM PAY AND 
AGGREGATE LIMITATION ON PAY FOR FED-
ERAL CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES WORKING OVER-
SEAS. 
Subsection (a) of section 1101 of the Duncan Hunter 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 
(Public Law 110-417; 122 Stat. 4615), as most recently 
amended by section 1104 of the Servicemember Quality of 
Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–159; 138 Stat. 
2087), is further amended by striking ‘‘through 2025’’ and 
inserting ‘‘through 2026’’. 
SEC. 1106. ONE-YEAR EXTENSION OF TEMPORARY AUTHOR-
ITY TO GRANT ALLOWANCES, BENEFITS, AND 
GRATUITIES TO CIVILIAN PERSONNEL ON OF-
FICIAL DUTY IN A COMBAT ZONE. 
Paragraph (2) of section 1603(a) of the Emergency 
Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global 
War on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, 2006 (Public Law 
109–234; 120 Stat. 443), as added by section 1102 of the 
Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law 110–417; 122 Stat. 4616) 
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and as most recently amended by section 1105 of the Serv-
icemember Quality of Life Improvement and National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 
118–159; 138 Stat. 2088), is further amended by striking 
‘‘2026’’ and inserting ‘‘2027’’. 
SEC. 1107. DEFENSE WORKFORCE INTEGRATION. 
(a) INTEGRATION OF MILITARY AND CIVILIAN HIRING 
PROCESSES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Defense, in coordination with the Secretaries con-
cerned shall establish a pathway for medically dis-
qualified entry-level service members to enter civilian 
positions for which they are qualified in the Depart-
ment of Defense or any of its components. 
(2) AIR
FORCE
DRIVE
PROGRAM.—The Air 
Force’s Develop, Redistribute, Improve, Vault, Expose 
(DRIVE) program shall be considered sufficient to 
meet the requirements of paragraph (1) and may, but 
need not, serve as a baseline from which the other 
military departments design their programs. 
(3) ENTRY-LEVEL SERVICE MEMBER DEFINED.— 
In this subsection, the term ‘‘entry-level service mem-
ber’’ means a regular or reserve member of the Armed 
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Forces who is currently attending or has military or-
ders to attend within 90 days— 
(A) basic training; 
(B) a technical school of the Armed Forces; 
(C) a service academy; 
(D) the Reserve Officer Training Corps 
(ROTC); 
(E) an officer accession program, including 
officer candidate school, officer training school, 
officer development school, or equivalent pro-
gram. 
(b) PROVISION OF INFORMATION ON CAREER OPPOR-
TUNITIES IN THE DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE TO PERSONS 
INELIGIBLE FOR MILITARY SERVICE.—Chapter 50 of title 
10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following new section: 
‘‘§ 996. Provision of information on career opportuni-
ties in the defense industrial base to per-
sons medically disqualified for military 
service 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
establish and implement a program to provide individuals 
who are not medically qualified for military service with 
information on employment opportunities in the defense in-
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dustrial base or other employment opportunities in support 
of the national interests of the United States. 
‘‘(b) PROGRAM.—The program established under sub-
section (a) shall inform and refer persons described in sub-
section (a) to employment, apprenticeship, and training op-
portunities in— 
‘‘(1) the defense industrial base, including the 
maritime and shipbuilding industries; 
‘‘(2) cybersecurity or intelligence support roles; 
‘‘(3) research and development in defense tech-
nologies; 
‘‘(4) national emergency and disaster prepared-
ness; or 
‘‘(5) any other non-military opportunity the Sec-
retary considers in the national interests of the 
United States. 
‘‘(c) COLLABORATION.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
consult with entities in the defense industrial base, other 
Federal agencies, and academic institutions to carry out 
this section.’’. 
(c) PROVISION TO NAVY PERSONNEL OF INFORMATION 
ON CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AT MILITARY SEALIFT COM-
MAND.—The Secretary of the Navy shall provide informa-
tion about career opportunities at Military Sealift Com-
mand and workforce training programs for shipbuilders to 
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all Navy personnel as part of the Transition Assistance 
Program process. 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall 
submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate 
and the House of Representatives a report describing imple-
mentation of the requirements under subsections (a) and (c) 
of this section and section 996 of title 10, United States 
Code, as added by subsection (b) of this section. 
SEC. 1108. MODIFICATIONS TO TOTAL FORCE MANAGEMENT 
REQUIREMENTS. 
(a) GUIDANCE.—Not later than 30 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Office of the Secretary of 
Defense shall, in consultation with each Secretary of a mili-
tary department, provide guidance to each such Secretary 
on the analysis required under subsection (b) of section 
129a of title 10, United States Code. Such guidance shall 
include defining the seven required elements of the analysis 
under such subsection, on either a Department-wide or com-
ponent level. 
(b) ADDITIONAL LIMITATIONS ON REDUCTIONS.—Such 
section 129a is amended in subsection (b) by inserting after 
‘‘full-time equivalent levels’’ the following: ‘‘, or conduct any 
reductions or realignments that occur outside the normal 
programming process (including ad hoc, immediate, or 
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unprogrammed changes) of 50 employees or more imple-
mented before or after the submission of the annual budget 
request,’’. 
(c) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS.—Such section 129a 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(h) REPORT TO CONGRESSIONAL DEFENSE COMMIT-
TEES.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the enact-
ment of this subsection and annually thereafter, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall submit a report to the congressional 
defense committees containing the analysis conducted pur-
suant to subsection (b).’’. 
(d) RIF NOTIFICATION.—Section 1597(d) of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in the subsection heading, by inserting ‘‘OR 
SIGNIFICANT’’ after ‘‘INVOLUNTARY’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘or furlough of’’ and inserting 
‘‘furlough, or significant reduction of over 50’’; and 
(3) by adding after the period at the end the fol-
lowing: ‘‘The Secretary shall notify the congressional 
defense committees and each Member of Congress rep-
resenting the area in which reductions are ordered. 
Such notification shall include billet, activity name, 
number of employees at the location, number of em-
ployees involuntarily separated by billet, reason for 
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the personnel action, actions to mitigate reductions, 
and savings and costs.’’. 
(e) BRIEFING.—Not later than 60 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Office of the Secretary of 
Defense shall provide the congressional defense committees 
with a briefing on the following: 
(1) The implementation of subsection (a) of this 
section. 
(2) Efforts to update DOD Directive 1100.4 and 
DOD Instruction 1100.22 to address the analysis re-
quired under subsection (b) of such section 129a, as 
amended by this section. 
SEC. 1109. EXEMPTION FROM CIVILIAN HIRING FREEZE FOR 
DELAYED DOD APPOINTMENTS DUE TO AC-
TIVE DUTY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The hiring freeze implemented by 
the Presidential Memorandum issued on January 20, 2025, 
titled ‘‘Hiring Freeze’’, or any extension of such Memo-
randum or freeze, shall not apply to any individual who 
received a final job offer before January 20, 2025, with re-
spect to a position within the Department of Defense but 
did not occupy such position solely as a result of such indi-
vidual performing active service (as that term is defined 
in section 101 of title 10, United States Code) as a member 
of the Armed Forces. 
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(b) APPLICATION.—This section shall not be construed 
to confer any right or benefit to any individual, or require 
the Department of Defense to hire any individual if the ap-
plicable position no longer exists, unless otherwise required 
by law. 
SEC. 1110. LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS TO LIMIT COL-
LECTIVE BARGAINING. 
None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this 
Act or otherwise made available for the Department of De-
fense for fiscal year 2026 may be used to implement Execu-
tive Order 14251, issued on March 27, 2025, relating to 
Exclusions from Federal labor management relations pro-
grams, or any following policy or guidance. 
SEC. 1111. PERSONNEL ACTIONS AGAINST DOD SES CAREER 
APPOINTEES. 
(a) AUTHORITY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The head of any element of 
the Department of Defense may, as provided in this 
section, reprimand or suspend, involuntarily reassign, 
demote, or remove a career appointee at the element 
if the head determines that the documented mis-
conduct or performance of the career appointee war-
rants such action. 
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(2) REMOVAL FROM CIVIL SERVICE.—If a head 
removes an individual under paragraph (1), the head 
may remove the individual from the civil service. 
(b) RIGHTS AND PROCEDURES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—An individual who is the sub-
ject of an action under subsection (a)— 
(A) is entitled to advance notice of the ac-
tion and a file containing all evidence in sup-
port of the proposed action; 
(B) may be represented by an attorney or 
other representative of the covered individual’s 
choice; and 
(C) may grieve the action in accordance 
with an independent grievance process that the 
Secretaries of the military departments shall es-
tablish for purposes of this subsection. 
(2) TIME PERIODS.— 
(A) AGGREGATE
PERIOD.—The aggregate 
period for notice, response, and decision on an 
action under subsection (a) may not exceed 15 
business days. 
(B) RESPONSE PERIOD.—The period for the 
response of a covered individual to a notice 
under paragraph (1)(A) of an action under sub-
section (a) shall be 7 business days. 
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(C) DECISION PERIOD.—A decision under 
this paragraph on an action under subsection 
(a) shall be issued not later than 15 business 
days after notice of the action is provided to the 
individual under paragraph (1)(A). The decision 
shall be in writing, and shall include the specific 
reasons therefor. 
(D) GRIEVANCE
PROCESS
PERIOD.—The 
Secretaries shall ensure that the grievance proc-
ess established under paragraph (1)(C) takes 
fewer than 21 days. 
(E) WAIVER.—The applicable Secretary 
may waive the requirements of subparagraphs 
(A) through (D) if the Secretary for good cause 
determines such waiver is in the interests of due 
process. 
(3) FINALITY OF DECISIONS.—A decision under 
paragraph (2) that is not grieved, and a grievance de-
cision under such subparagraph, shall be final and 
conclusive, except as provided in paragraph (4). 
(4) MSPB APPEAL.—An individual may appeal 
a final decision under paragraph (3) to the Merit 
Systems Protection Board. The Board shall, within 
120 days of the filing of the appeal, decide the appeal-
able action in accordance with the Board’s appellate 
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procedures under section 7701 of title 5, United 
States Code, and this section. 
(5) RELATION TO OTHER PROVISIONS OF LAW.— 
Section 3592(b)(1) of title 5, United States Code, and 
the procedures under section 7543(b) of such title 
shall apply to an action under paragraph (1) unless 
otherwise provided by this section. 
(c) SUNSET.—This section and the authority under 
this section shall terminate on September 30, 2030. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
(1) the term ‘‘career appointee’’ has the meaning 
given that term in section 3132(a) of title 5, United 
States Code. 
(2) the term ‘‘civil service’’ has the meaning 
given that term in section 2101 of such title 5; and 
(3) the term ‘‘misconduct’’ includes neglect of 
duty, malfeasance, or failure to accept a directed re-
assignment or to accompany a position in a transfer 
of function. 
Subtitle B—Defense Hiring 
Modernization Act of 2025 
SEC. 1121. SHORT TITLE. 
This subtitle may be cited as the ‘‘Defense Hiring Mod-
ernization Act of 2025’’. 
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SEC. 1122. AMENDMENTS TO TITLE 5, UNITED STATES 
CODE. 
(a) MODERNIZING COMPETITIVE HIRING AUTHORI-
TIES FOR DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.—Section 3301 of 
title 5, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘The President’’ and inserting 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The President’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(b) DOD PROCEDURES.—The President may author-
ize the Department of Defense to determine the qualifica-
tion, examination, and assessment procedures for positions 
in the competitive service based primarily on job-related 
competencies and skills, including the use of structured 
interviews, technical evaluations, or skills-based assess-
ments, and alternative assessments.’’. 
(b) MODERNIZING PUBLIC NOTICE REQUIREMENTS.— 
Section 3327 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(c) The Office of Personnel Management may author-
ize the Department of Defense to use flexible outreach meth-
ods, including curated prospect sourcing, provided that all 
hiring opportunities remain publicly accessible and merit- 
based.’’. 
(c) ELIMINATION OF TIME-IN-GRADE RESTRICTIONS.— 
Section 3361 of title 5, United States Code, is amended— 
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(1) by striking ‘‘An individual’’ and inserting 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—An individual’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(b) DOD PROMOTIONS.—Promotions in the competi-
tive service within the Department of Defense may be made 
based on demonstrated skills and qualifications without re-
gard to minimum time-in-grade requirements, subject to 
agency policies and applicable merit system principles.’’. 
(d) SHARED TALENT POOLS AND STRUCTURED AS-
SESSMENTS.—Subchapter I of chapter 33 of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following 
(and conforming the table of sections at the beginning of 
such subchapter accordingly): 
‘‘§ 3330g. DOD use of shared talent pools and struc-
tured assessments 
‘‘(a) SHARED TALENT POOLS.—The Department of 
Defense may share certificates of eligibles and curated pros-
pect pools within the Department. Certificates issued under 
this authority shall remain valid for not less than one year 
from the date of issuance, subject to agency-specific quali-
fication checks. 
‘‘(b) STRUCTURED ASSESSMENTS.—The Department 
of Defense shall use validated structured interviews, tech-
nical evaluations, or other skills-based assessments as part 
of the hiring process for competitive service positions at the 
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Department, in accordance with regulations prescribed by 
the Office of Personnel Management.’’. 
(e) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall sub-
mit a report to the congressional defense committees on the 
impact of this subtitle and the amendments made by this 
subtitle on hiring at the Department of Defense. Such report 
shall include an analysis on the impact on the length of 
the hiring process, the quality of applicants, the useability 
of the system for applicants and the Department, the total 
number of individuals appointed through alternative job 
postings, the total number of individuals appointed from 
a shared applicant pool, and any identified challenges to 
hiring. 
TITLE XII—MATTERS RELATING 
TO FOREIGN NATIONS 
Subtitle A—Assistance and 
Training 
SEC. 1201. AUTHORITY TO BUILD CAPACITY FOR SPACE DO-
MAIN AWARENESS. 
Section 333(a) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(10) Space domain awareness.’’. 
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SEC. 1202. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY TO BUILD CAPAC-
ITY OF FOREIGN SECURITY FORCES. 
Subsection (g)(2) of section 333 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘made’’ after 
‘‘Amounts’’. 
SEC. 1203. MODIFICATIONS TO IRREGULAR WARFARE CEN-
TER AND REGIONAL DEFENSE FELLOWSHIP 
PROGRAM. 
Section 345 of title 10, United States Code, is amended 
as follows: 
(1) In the matter preceding subparagraph (A) of 
subsection (a)(1), by striking ‘‘may’’ and inserting 
‘‘shall’’. 
(2) In subsection (c)(4)(B), by striking ‘‘The Di-
rector of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency’’ 
and inserting ‘‘The Commander of United States Spe-
cial Operations Command, reporting directly to the 
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations 
and Low Intensity Conflict,’’. 
SEC. 1204. MODIFICATION OF PUBLIC REPORTING OF CHI-
NESE MILITARY COMPANIES OPERATING IN 
THE UNITED STATES. 
Section 1260H(g)(2)(B)(i)(I) of the William M. (Mac) 
Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283; 10 U.S.C. 113 note) is 
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amended by adding at the end before ‘‘; or’’ the following: 
‘‘operating inside or outside of China’’. 
SEC. 1205. RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST, AND EVALUA-
TION OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES TO FUR-
THER THE WARFIGHTING CAPABILITIES OF 
THE UNITED STATES AND CERTAIN PARTNER 
COUNTRIES. 
(a) STATEMENT OF POLICY.—It is the policy of the 
United States to support and encourage further defense col-
laboration with Israel in areas of emerging technologies ca-
pable of enabling the warfighting capabilities of both the 
United States and Israel to meet emerging defense chal-
lenges, including in the areas of artificial intelligence, cy-
bersecurity, robotics, quantum, and automation. 
(b) AUTHORITY.—The Secretary of Defense, upon re-
quest by the Ministry of Defense of a covered partner coun-
try and in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Sec-
retary of Commerce, and the Director of National Intel-
ligence, is authorized to carry out, jointly with the covered 
partner country, research, development, test, and evaluation 
of emerging technologies to further the warfare capabilities 
of the United States and the covered partner country to 
meet emerging defense challenges, including in the areas of 
artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics, quantum, and 
automation. 
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(c) PROTECTION OF SENSITIVE INFORMATION.—Any 
activity carried out pursuant to the authority of subsection 
(b) shall be conducted in a manner that robustly protects 
sensitive information and the national security interests of 
the United States and the covered partner country. 
(d) APPLICABILITY OF EXPORT CONTROL RESTRIC-
TIONS.—Any activity authorized under subsection (b), in-
cluding fundamental research, open source, and standards- 
related activities, for the development, production, or use 
of goods, technology, software, knowledge, or source code 
shall be subject to— 
(1) the Export Administration Regulations 
under subchapter C of title 15, Code of Federal Regu-
lations; and 
(2) all other laws applicable to the control of 
arms exports. 
(e) REPORT.—None of the activities described in sub-
section (b) may be carried out with respect to a covered 
partner country until the date on which the Secretary of 
Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the 
Secretary of Commerce, and the Director of National Intel-
ligence submits to the appropriate congressional committees 
a report with respect to that partner country that includes 
the following: 
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(1) A memorandum of agreement between the 
United States and the covered partner country re-
garding sharing of costs and security safeguards for 
the activities described in subsection (b), and any 
supporting documents. 
(2) A certification that such memorandum of 
agreement— 
(A) requires sharing of costs of the activities 
and security safeguards described in subsection 
(b), including in-kind support, between the 
United States and the covered partner country; 
(B) establishes the rights of the United 
States to any intellectual property developed 
under the memorandum of agreement; 
(C) requires the United States Government 
to receive semiannual reports on expenditure of 
funds, if any, by the government of the covered 
partner country, including— 
(i) a description of what the funds 
have been used for; 
(ii) a description of when funds were 
expended; 
(iii) an identification of entities that 
expended the funds; and 
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(iv) the export control regimes in place 
in the covered partner country to protect 
sensitive technology, including related intel-
lectual property and innovation efforts; and 
(D) includes robust safeguards against the 
ability of the People’s Republic of China or other 
foreign adversaries of the United States from, di-
rectly or indirectly, accessing, acquiring, or ben-
efitting from any potential innovation, tech-
nology, research, product, or application funded, 
produced, or utilized by the partnership. 
(f) LEAD AGENCY.—Not earlier than the date on which 
the Secretary of Defense submits the first report pursuant 
to subsection (e), the Secretary shall designate the Irregular 
Warfare Technology Support Directorate of the Department 
of Defense as the lead agency of the Department in carrying 
out this section. 
(g) SEMIANNUAL REPORTS.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees on 
a semiannual basis a report that contains a copy of the 
most recent semiannual report provided by the government 
of each covered partner country to the Department of De-
fense pursuant to subsection (e)(2)(C). 
(h) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
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(1) the term ‘‘appropriate congressional commit-
tees’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Armed Services, the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Perma-
nent Select Committee on Intelligence of the 
House of Representatives; and 
(B) the Committee on Armed Services, the 
Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Select 
Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; and 
(2) the term ‘‘covered partner country’’ means a 
country that, as of June 1, 2025, has signed a bilat-
eral agreement with the United States that is man-
aged by the Irregular Warfare Technology Support 
Directorate of the Department of Defense. 
SEC. 1206. CYBERSECURITY INTEGRATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense, in coordi-
nation with the Secretary of State, shall cooperate with the 
Government of Panama to seek to integrate cybersecurity 
into current and future joint training exercises. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The cybersecurity integration in sub-
section (a) should— 
(1) incorporate elements of the Cyber Coopera-
tion Arrangement; 
(2) provide technical assistance and training, 
and enhance joint cooperation to improve mitigation, 
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deterrence, and detection of cyberattacks and cyber 
vulnerabilities on critical infrastructure in and 
around the Panama Canal; and 
(3) incorporate cybersecurity activities into cur-
rent and potential joint exercises conducted between 
the United States Government and the Government of 
Panama to improve the security of the Panama 
Canal. 
(c) ACTIVITIES.—Activities to further the purpose de-
scribed in subsection (b) may include— 
(1) information sharing with the Panama Canal 
Authority and the Government of Panama regarding 
cybersecurity threats and incidents; 
(2) technical assistance to the Panama Canal 
Authority and the Government of Panama on detec-
tion and mitigation of cyberattacks in order to im-
prove response activities, including advising national 
computer security incident response teams; 
(3) conducting joint cybersecurity training exer-
cises and other information sharing activities relating 
to cybersecurity with the Government of Panama, in-
cluding by— 
(A) supporting participation by the Govern-
ment of Panama in existing cybersecurity train-
ing facilitated or managed by the Department of 
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Defense and approved by the Secretary of De-
fense; 
(B) incorporating cyber elements into exist-
ing joint training exercises, such as PANAMAX; 
and 
(C) conducting an annual table-top cyberse-
curity exercise; and 
(4) conducting activities as the Secretary con-
siders appropriate, consistent with the purposes de-
scribed in subsection (b) for the cybersecurity integra-
tion described in subsection (a). 
(d) REPORT AND BRIEFING.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually 
thereafter, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with 
the Secretary of State, shall submit to the appropriate con-
gressional committees a report and briefing on— 
(1) implementation of this section and any chal-
lenges related to implementation; and 
(2) any cyber threats, such as ransomware at-
tacks, on critical infrastructure in and around the 
Panama Canal, along with actions taken to address 
and mitigate these threats. 
(e) PROTECTION OF SENSITIVE INFORMATION.—Any 
activity carried out under this section shall be conducted 
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in a manner that appropriately protects sensitive informa-
tion and the national security interests of the United States. 
Subtitle B—Matters Relating to 
Israel 
SEC. 1211. WAR RESERVE STOCKPILE AUTHORITY FOR 
ISRAEL. 
Section 12001(d) of the Department of Defense Appro-
priations Act, 2005 (Public Law 108–287; 118 Stat. 1011) 
is amended by striking ‘‘January 1, 2027’’ and inserting 
‘‘January 1, 2029’’. 
SEC. 1212. MODIFICATION AND EXTENSION OF UNITED 
STATES-ISRAEL ANTI-TUNNEL COOPERATION. 
Section 1279(f) of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (22 U.S.C. 8606 note) is amended 
by striking ‘‘December 31, 2026’’ and inserting ‘‘December 
31, 2028’’. 
SEC. 1213. EXTENSION AND MODIFICATION OF UNITED 
STATES-ISRAEL COOPERATION TO COUNTER 
UNMANNED SYSTEMS IN ALL WARFIGHTING 
DOMAINS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1278 of the National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (22 U.S.C. 
8606 note) is amended— 
(1) in the section heading, by striking ‘‘UN-
MANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS’’ and inserting ‘‘UN-
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MANNED SYSTEMS IN ALL WARFIGHTING DO-
MAINS’’; 
(2) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in the subsection heading to read as fol-
lows: ‘‘UNITED STATES-ISRAEL PROGRAM
ON 
COUNTERING UNMANNED SYSTEMS.—’’; 
(B) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘to establish capabili-
ties’’ and inserting ‘‘to accelerate develop-
ment of advanced technologies’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘unmanned aerial sys-
tems’’ and inserting ‘‘unmanned systems in 
all warfighting domains’’; 
(C) by redesignating paragraph (2) as 
paragraph (3); 
(D) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(2) ACTIVITIES.—The activities required by this 
subsection may include the following: 
‘‘(A) Collaborative research initiatives in-
volving government, private sector, and academic 
institutions in the United States and Israel. 
‘‘(B) Joint training exercises and informa-
tion-sharing mechanisms to maximize the shar-
ing of technical expertise, data, and tactics re-
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lated to emerging unmanned systems and related 
threats. 
‘‘(C) Development of joint technical require-
ments. 
‘‘(D) Collaborative development and evalua-
tion of novel systems with defense industry part-
ners. 
‘‘(E) Coordination with acquisition pro-
gram offices of the United States and Israel 
military service departments, components, and 
commands to expedite deployment of relevant 
systems and enhance military readiness.’’; and 
(E) in paragraph (3) (as so redesignated), 
by striking ‘‘activities described in paragraph 
(1)’’ and inserting ‘‘activities described in this 
subsection’’; 
(3) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (3)(B), by striking ‘‘aer-
ial’’; and 
(B) 
in 
paragraph 
(4), 
by 
striking 
‘‘$55,000,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$70,000,000’’; 
(4) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘an appro-
priate research and development entity of a military 
department’’ and inserting ‘‘the Irregular Warfare 
Technology Support Directorate’’; 
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(5) by redesignating subsections (e) and (f) as 
subsections (f) and (g), respectively; 
(6) by inserting after subsection (d) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(e) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
submit to the appropriate committees of Congress on an an-
nual basis a report that shall include for the preceding year 
a description of activities conducted under the program in-
cluding— 
‘‘(1) an assessment of progress made by the 
United States and Israel in addressing unmanned 
systems threats and requirements; 
‘‘(2) an assessment of the program’s collabora-
tion with other United States Government programs 
and defense contractors; 
‘‘(3) an update on efforts to transition capabili-
ties to acquisition program managers for fielding by 
United States or Israeli military services, compo-
nents, and commands; and 
‘‘(4) recommendations for future program activi-
ties and funding.’’; and 
(7) in subsection (g) (as so redesignated), by 
striking ‘‘December 31, 2026’’ and inserting ‘‘Decem-
ber 31, 2028’’. 
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(b) TRANSITION PROVISION.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall continue to carry out the activities authorized by sec-
tion 1278 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fis-
cal Year 2020, as such section was in effect on the day before 
the date of the enactment of this Act, until such time as 
the Secretary submits to the appropriate committees of Con-
gress the report required by subsection (a)(2) of such section 
for purposes of carrying of the activities required by such 
section, as amended by subsection (a) of this section. 
Subtitle C—Matters Relating to the 
Near and Middle East 
SEC. 1231. REPEAL OF WAR-RELATED REPORTING REQUIRE-
MENTS FOR CONCLUDED OPERATIONS. 
Section 1221 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2006 (10 U.S.C. 113 note) is repealed. 
SEC. 1232. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR REIMBURSE-
MENT OF CERTAIN COALITION NATIONS FOR 
SUPPORT 
PROVIDED 
TO 
UNITED 
STATES 
MILITARY OPERATIONS. 
(a) EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY.—Subsection (a) of sec-
tion 1233 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fis-
cal Year 2008 (Public Law 110–181; 122 Stat. 393) is 
amended in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by striking 
‘‘beginning on October 1, 2024, and ending on December 
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31, 2025’’ and inserting ‘‘beginning on October 1, 2025, and 
ending on December 31, 2026,’’. 
(b) EXTENSION OF LIMITATION ON AMOUNT.—Sub-
section (d)(1) of such section is amended by striking ‘‘begin-
ning on October 1, 2024, and ending on December 31, 
2025’’ and inserting ‘‘beginning on October 1, 2025, and 
ending on December 31, 2026,’’. 
SEC. 1233. EXTENSION AND MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY 
TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO VETTED SYRIAN 
GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS. 
Section 1209 of the Carl Levin and Howard P. ‘‘Buck’’ 
McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2015 (Public Law 113–291; 128 Stat. 3541) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘December 31, 
2025’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2026’’; 
(2) in subsection (e)(1)— 
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
(A), by striking ‘‘elements of the Syrian opposi-
tion and other’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘Shia 
militias aligned with or supporting the Govern-
ment of Syria’’ and inserting ‘‘Shia militias 
previously aligned with or supporting the Assad 
government’’; and 
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(3) in subsection (l)(3)(E)), by striking ‘‘Decem-
ber 31, 2025’’ and inserting ‘‘the date specified in the 
matter preceding paragraph (1) of subsection (a)’’. 
SEC. 1234. EXTENSION AND MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY 
TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO COUNTER THE 
ISLAMIC STATE OF IRAQ AND SYRIA. 
Section 1236 of the Carl Levin and Howard P. ‘‘Buck’’ 
McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2015 (Public Law 113–291; 128 Stat. 3559) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘December 31, 
2025’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2026’’; 
(2) by striking subsection (g); 
(3) by redesignating subsections (h) through (o) 
as subsections (g) through (n), respectively; 
(4) in paragraph (1)(C)(i) of subsection (i) (as 
so redesignated), by striking ‘‘subsection (l)(2)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘subsection (k)(2)’’; 
(5) in paragraph (2) of subsection (k) (as so re-
designated)— 
(A) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking 
‘‘subsection (j)(1)(C)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection 
(i)(1)(C)’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘sub-
section (k)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (j)’’; and 
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(6) in paragraph (6) of subsection (n) (as so re-
designated), by striking ‘‘December 31, 2025’’ and in-
serting ‘‘December 31, 2026’’. 
SEC. 1235. COUNTER-TERRORISM SUPPORT. 
(a) AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE SUPPORT.—Subsection 
(a)(1) of section 1226 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (Public Law 114–92; 22 U.S.C. 
2151 note) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘with 
Syria’’ and inserting ‘‘with any other country’’; and 
(2) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘with 
Libya’’ and inserting ‘‘with any other country’’. 
(a) SUPPORT TO GOVERNMENT OF LEBANON.—Sub-
section (c)(2) of such section is amended by adding at the 
end the following: ‘‘Such support may be used only to pro-
mote the ability of the armed forces of Lebanon to counter 
the threat posed by Lebanese Hezbollah, Hamas, ISIS, and 
any other terrorist organization that threaten the security 
of Lebanon and its neighbors.’’. 
(b) EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY.—Subsection (h) of 
such section is amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2025’’ 
and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2026’’. 
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SEC. 1236. PROHIBITION ON FUNDING TO BADR ORGANIZA-
TION. 
None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this 
Act or otherwise made available to the Secretary of Defense 
for fiscal year 2026 may be made available to the Badr 
Organization. 
Subtitle D—Reports and Strategies 
SEC. 1241. MODIFICATION AND EXTENSION OF ANNUAL RE-
PORT ON MILITARY AND SECURITY DEVELOP-
MENTS INVOLVING THE RUSSIAN FEDERA-
TION. 
Section 1234 of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Pub-
lic Law 116–283; 134 Stat. 3936) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b) to read as follows: 
‘‘(b) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The report required 
under subsection (a) shall include the following: 
‘‘(1) The goals, factors, and trends shaping Rus-
sia’s security strategy and military strategy, includ-
ing military spending and investment priorities. 
‘‘(2) Developments in the military doctrine, 
operational concepts, joint command and organiza-
tional structures, and significant military operations 
and deployments of the Russian Armed Forces. 
‘‘(3) An assessment of the force structure, readi-
ness, and capabilities of the Russian Armed Forces. 
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‘‘(4) An assessment of the military strategy, ob-
jectives, and force posture of the Russian Armed 
Forces deployed in the Arctic and the North Atlantic 
region. 
‘‘(5) An assessment of the military strategy, ob-
jectives, and force posture of the Russian Armed 
Forces as they relate to the North Atlantic Treaty Or-
ganization (NATO), including the force posture of 
Russian Armed Forces deployed adjacent to NATO’s 
borders, including in Kaliningrad. 
‘‘(6) An assessment of the military strategy, ob-
jectives, and force posture of the Russian Armed 
Forces deployed in Ukraine or adjacent to Ukraine’s 
borders. 
‘‘(7) An assessment of the military strategy, ob-
jectives, and force posture of the Russian Armed 
Forces in the Baltic and Black Seas. 
‘‘(8) An assessment of the reconstitution efforts of 
the Russian Armed Forces, including its ability to re-
store losses from the war in Ukraine and to expand 
its force beyond 2022 levels. 
‘‘(9) An assessment of the impact of United 
States and international sanctions on the Russian 
military’s reconstitution efforts, including an assess-
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ment of the impact of removing sanctions on the Rus-
sian military’s reconstitution efforts. 
‘‘(10) An assessment of what the Russian Armed 
Forces has learned from the war in Ukraine and how 
it has applied those lessons. 
‘‘(11) An assessment of the military strategy, ob-
jectives, and force posture of Russia that affect coun-
tries in Latin America and the Caribbean. 
‘‘(12) An assessment of the military strategy, ob-
jectives, and force posture of Russia that affect coun-
tries in the Indo-Pacific, with a specific emphasis on 
how such strategy, objectives, and force posture affect 
the People’s Republic of China. 
‘‘(13) An assessment of the military strategy, ob-
jectives, and force posture of Russia that affect coun-
tries in the Middle East. 
‘‘(14) An assessment of the military strategy, ob-
jectives, and force posture of Russia that affect coun-
tries in Africa. 
‘‘(15) A description of Russia’s overseas military 
basing, military logistics capabilities, and infrastruc-
ture to project power. 
‘‘(16) A summary of all significant Russian co-
operation with foreign forces, including major train-
ing and exercises, foreign deployments, and basing 
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agreements—specifying for each Russian foreign de-
ployment the number of force deployed, the types of 
capabilities deployed, the length of the deployment, 
and any agreement enabling or governing the deploy-
ment. 
‘‘(17) An assessment of relations between the 
Russian Federation and Iran, the People’s Republic 
of China, and North Korea, with respect to security 
and military matters. 
‘‘(18) An assessment of the proliferation activi-
ties of Russia and Russian entities, including activi-
ties relating to the supply of materials, technologies, 
or expertise relating to nuclear weapons or other 
weapons of mass destruction or missile systems to 
other states or non-state actors. 
‘‘(19) An assessment of Russia’s nuclear program 
and capabilities, including 
‘‘(A) its nuclear strategy and associated 
doctrines; 
‘‘(B) the size and state of its stockpile and 
projections of its future arsenals; 
‘‘(C) its civil and military production ca-
pacities; and 
‘‘(D) the modernization and force structure 
of its strategic forces. 
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‘‘(20) A description of Russia’s current missile 
defense strategy and capabilities, including efforts to 
develop missile defense capabilities. 
‘‘(21) A description of Russia’s anti-access and 
area denial capabilities. 
‘‘(22) A description of Russia’s command, con-
trol, communications, computers, intelligence, surveil-
lance, and reconnaissance modernization program 
and capabilities and the applications for such pro-
gram and capabilities for precision-guided weapons. 
‘‘(23) An assessment of Russia’s space and 
counterspace programs and capabilities. 
‘‘(24) An assessment of Russia’s cyberwarfare 
and electronic warfare capabilities (including details 
on the number of malicious cyber incidents origi-
nating from Russia against Department of Defense 
infrastructure). 
‘‘(25) An assessment of any influence operations 
or campaigns by the Russian Federation targeting the 
United States, any military alliances and partner-
ships of which the United States is a member, or trea-
ty allies of the United States, including: 
‘‘(A) the objectives of such operations; 
‘‘(B) the tactics, techniques, and procedures 
used; and 
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‘‘(C) the impact of such operations on the 
United States, military alliances or partnerships 
of which the United States is a member, or trea-
ty allies of the United States; 
‘‘(D) detail regarding any campaign that 
specifically targeted U.S. Department of Defense 
personnel; and 
‘‘(E) the metrics used to judge the impact of 
such operations. 
‘‘(26) An assessment of how Russian private 
military companies are being utilized to advance the 
security interests of the Russian Federation; 
‘‘(27) An assessment of the threat perception of 
the Russian Federation by U.S. allies and partners in 
the Indo-Pacific. 
‘‘(28) Other military and security developments 
involving Russia that the Secretary of Defense con-
siders relevant to United States national security.’’; 
and 
(2) in subsection (g), by striking ‘‘January 31, 
2026’’ and inserting ‘‘January 31, 2030’’. 
SEC. 1242. REPORT ON UNITED STATES DETERRENCE AND 
DEFENSE POSTURE IN THE EUROPEAN RE-
GION. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—At the same time as the sub-
mission of the budget of the President (submitted to 
Congress pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, United 
States Code) for each of fiscal years 2027 and 2028, 
the Commander of the United States European Com-
mand shall submit to the congressional defense com-
mittees a report containing the independent assess-
ment of the Commander with respect to the activities 
and resources required, for the first fiscal year begin-
ning after the date of submission of the report and the 
four following fiscal years, to achieve the following ob-
jectives: 
(A) The implementation of the National De-
fense Strategy with respect to the European re-
gion. 
(B) The maintenance of the comparative 
military advantage of the United States and 
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) 
with respect to the Russian Federation. 
(C) The reduction of the risk of executing 
contingency plans of the Department of Defense, 
including 
contingency 
plans 
conducted 
by 
United States Central Command and United 
States Africa Command. 
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(D) The maintenance of the capability and 
capacity to defense the homeland forward. 
(2) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The report re-
quired by paragraph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) With respect to the achievement of the 
objectives described in paragraph (1), a descrip-
tion of the intended force structure and posture 
of assigned and allocated forces in each NATO 
member country. 
(B) An assessment of the capability require-
ments to achieve such objectives. 
(C) An assessment of logistics requirements, 
including personnel, equipment, supplies, stor-
age, and maintenance needs to achieve such ob-
jectives. 
(D) An identification of required infrastruc-
ture and military construction investments to 
achieve such objectives. 
(E) An assessment of security cooperation 
authorities, activities, or resources required to 
achieve such objectives. 
(F)(i) A plan to fully resource United 
States force posture and capabilities, includ-
ing— 
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(I) a detailed assessment of the re-
sources necessary to address the elements de-
scribed in subparagraphs (A) through (E), 
including specific cost estimates for rec-
ommended investments or projects— 
(aa) to maintain a posture and 
presence of the United States Armed 
Forces that meet the objectives of para-
graph (1); 
(bb) to maintain the logistics and 
maintenance capabilities and the pre- 
positioning of equipment, munitions, 
fuel, and materiel that meet the objec-
tives of paragraph (1); 
(cc) to carry out a program of ex-
ercises, training, experimentation, and 
innovation for the joint force that meet 
the objectives of paragraph (1); 
(dd) to maintain the infrastruc-
ture to ensure the responsiveness and 
resiliency of the United States Armed 
Forces within NATO in order to meet 
the objectives of paragraph (1); 
(ee) to build the defense and secu-
rity capabilities, capacity, and co-
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operation of allies and partners that 
meet the objectives of paragraph (1); 
and 
(ff) to modernize the capabilities 
available to United States European 
Command to meet the objectives of 
paragraph (1); and 
(II) a detailed timeline to achieve the 
intended force structure and posture de-
scribed in clause (i). 
(ii) The specific cost estimates required by 
clause (i)(I) shall, to the maximum extent prac-
ticable, include the following: 
(I) With respect to procurement ac-
counts— 
(aa) amounts displayed by ac-
count, budget activity, line number, 
line item, and line item title; and 
(bb) a description of the require-
ments for each such amount. 
(II) With respect to research, develop-
ment, test, and evaluation accounts— 
(aa) amounts displayed by ac-
count, budget activity, line number, 
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program element, and program element 
title; and 
(bb) a description of the require-
ments for each such amount. 
(III) With respect to operation and 
maintenance accounts— 
(aa) amounts displayed by ac-
count title, budget activity title, line 
number, and subactivity group title; 
and 
(bb) a description of the specific 
manner in which each such amount 
would be used. 
(IV) With respect to military personnel 
accounts— 
(aa) amounts displayed by ac-
count, budget activity, budget sub-
activity, and budget subactivity title; 
and 
(bb) a description of the require-
ments for each such amount. 
(V) With respect to each project under 
military construction accounts (including 
unspecified minor military construction 
and amounts for planning and design), the 
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country, location, project title, and project 
amount for each fiscal year. 
(VI) With respect to any expenditure 
or proposed appropriation not described in 
subclauses (I) through (V), a level of detail 
equivalent to or greater than the level of de-
tail provided in the future-years defense 
program submitted pursuant to section 
221(a) of title 10, United States Code. 
(iii) A budget display, prepared with the 
assistance of the Under Secretary of Defense 
(Comptroller), that compares the independent as-
sessment of the Commander of the United States 
European Command with the amounts contained 
in the budget display for the applicable fiscal 
year. 
(3) FORM.—The report required by paragraph 
(1) may be submitted in classified form, but shall in-
clude an unclassified summary. 
(b) BRIEFING REQUIRED.—Not later than 15 days 
after the submission of the budget of the President (sub-
mitted to Congress pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, 
United States Code) for each of fiscal years 2027 and 2028, 
the Secretary of Defense (acting through the Under Sec-
retary of Defense for Policy, the Under Secretary of Defense 
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(Comptroller), and the Director of Cost Assessment and Pro-
gram Evaluation) and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs 
of Staff shall provide to the congressional defense commit-
tees a joint briefing, and any written comments the Sec-
retary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of 
Staff consider necessary, with respect to their assessments 
of the report submitted under subsection (a), including their 
assessments of the feasibility and advisability of the plan 
required by subsection (a)(2)(F). 
TITLE XIII—OTHER MATTERS RE-
LATING 
TO 
FOREIGN 
NA-
TIONS 
Subtitle A—Matters Relating to 
Europe 
SEC. 1301. ALLIED CONTRIBUTIONS TO UNITED STATES 
FORCE POSTURE ON NATO’S EASTERN FLANK. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Congress 
that— 
(1) the United States remains steadfast in its 
ironclad commitment to the North Atlantic Treaty 
Organization (NATO) as the foundation of trans-
atlantic security and to upholding its obligations 
under the North Atlantic Treaty, including its com-
mitment to collective defense under Article 5 of the 
Treaty; 
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(2) at this time, United States forces stationed 
in and deployed to NATO’s eastern flank remain crit-
ical to conventional deterrence and defense on the Eu-
ropean continent; and 
(3) NATO allies should strengthen the alliance 
by contributing further to the costs associated with the 
alliance’s force posture on NATO’s eastern flank, in-
cluding United States forces stationed in and de-
ployed to other allied countries, not solely within 
their own national borders, using the authorities of 
section 2350j of title 10, United States Code, as 
amended by subsection (b). 
(b) AMENDMENTS.—Section 2350j of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b), by inserting ‘‘another coun-
try or’’ before ‘‘a regional organization’’; 
(2) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 
by inserting before the colon at the end the fol-
lowing: ‘‘, to be allocated as the country or re-
gional organization making the contribution 
may specify’’; 
(B) in paragraph (1), by adding at the end 
before the period the following: ‘‘in the host na-
tion or another country’’; 
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(C) in paragraph (2), by adding at the end 
before the period the following: ‘‘in the host na-
tion or another country’’; 
(D) in paragraph (3), by adding at the end 
before the period the following: ‘‘in the host na-
tion or another country’’; and 
(E) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) Sustainment of United States armed forces 
in a deployed, rotational, or permanent change of sta-
tion status in a NATO country.’’; 
(3) by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection 
(g); 
(4) by inserting after subsection (e) the following: 
‘‘(f) LIMITATION ON AVAILABILITY OF CONTRIBUTIONS 
FOR COSTS OF MILITARY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.—The 
authority to provide for the payment of military construc-
tion projects of the Department of Defense under subsection 
(c)(2) may be exercised only with respect to contributions 
accepted under subsection (a) on or after the date of the 
enactment of this subsection.’’; and 
(5) in paragraph (2) of subsection (g) (as so 
amended), by amending subparagraph (E) to read as 
follows: 
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‘‘(E) The amount of such burden sharing 
contributions expended, by eligible category, in-
cluding compensation for— 
‘‘(i) local national employees; 
‘‘(ii) military construction projects; 
‘‘(iii) supplies and services of the De-
partment of Defense; and 
‘‘(iv) sustainment of United States 
armed forces in a deployed, rotational, or 
permanent change of station status in a 
NATO country.’’. 
(c) 
DEFINITION.—In 
this 
section, 
the 
term 
‘‘sustainment of United States armed forces’’— 
(1) means the provision of the reasonable and 
proper costs of United States armed forces in a de-
ployed, rotational, or permanent change of station 
status in a NATO country, for fuel, transportation, 
force protection including cyber protection, training 
ammunition, utilities, medical and maintenance serv-
ices, including that which is required to keep infra-
structure, pre-positioned stocks, and equipment in 
good working order; and 
(2) does not include pay, allowances, and other 
normal benefits to which the United States forces are 
entitled. 
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SEC. 1302. EXTENSION AND MODIFICATION OF UKRAINE SE-
CURITY ASSISTANCE INITIATIVE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1250 of the National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (Public Law 
114–92; 129 Stat. 1068) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (c), by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(7) PRESIDENTIAL
DETERMINATION.—None of 
the amounts authorized to be appropriated by sub-
section (f) for a fiscal year may be obligated or ex-
pended for that fiscal year until the date on which the 
President submits to the congressional defense com-
mittees, the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
Senate, and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives a written determination 
that doing so is in the national interest of the United 
States.’’; 
(2) in subsection (f), by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(11) For fiscal year 2026, $300,000,000. 
‘‘(12) For fiscal year 2027, $300,000,000.’’; and 
(3) in subsection (h), by striking ‘‘December 31, 
2026’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2028’’. 
(b) APPLICABILITY.—The amendment made by sub-
section (a)(1) shall apply beginning with amounts author-
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ized to be appropriated or otherwise made available for fis-
cal year 2026. 
SEC. 1303. EXTENSION OF REPORT RELATING TO ALLIED 
AND PARTNER SUPPORT TO UKRAINE. 
Section 1243 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 137 Stat. 
460) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(B) by redesignating paragraph (2) as 
paragraph (3); and 
(C) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(2) all allied contributions to Jumpstart For-
eign Military Sales cases or any similar initiatives; 
and’’; and 
(2) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘January 1, 
2025’’ and inserting ‘‘January 1, 2027’’. 
SEC. 1304. OVERSIGHT OF UNITED STATES FORCE POSTURE 
IN EUROPE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Until the date that is 90 days after 
the date on which the Commander of the United States Eu-
ropean Command and the Secretary of Defense, in consulta-
tion with the heads of other relevant Federal departments 
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and agencies, have each independently submitted to the ap-
propriate congressional committees the certifications and 
assessments described in subsection (b), none of the funds 
authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made 
available for fiscal year 2026 for the Department of Defense 
may be used— 
(1) to take any action to reduce the total number 
of members of the Armed Forces assigned, deployed, or 
allocated to the United States European Command 
and present in the European theater to a number less 
than 76,000; or 
(2) to divest, consolidate, or otherwise return to 
a host country any sites included in the real property 
inventory of the United States European Command 
as of June 1, 2025. 
(b) 
CERTIFICATIONS
AND
ASSESSMENTS
DE-
SCRIBED.—The certifications and assessments described in 
this subsection shall include the following: 
(1) A certification that such a reduction, divest-
ment, consolidation, or return of forces from Europe 
is in the national security interests of the United 
States, including a justification explaining the anal-
ysis behind such certification. 
(2) A certification that the Secretary has con-
sulted appropriately with North Atlantic Treaty Or-
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ganization (referred to in this section as ‘‘NATO’’) al-
lies and partners regarding such a reduction, divest-
ment, consolidation, or return. 
(3) An assessment of the threat the Russian Fed-
eration poses to NATO in the near-, medium-, and 
long-term. 
(4) A description of the requirements being 
prioritized that necessitate such a reduction, divest-
ment, consolidation, or return. 
(5) An analysis of the impact of such a reduc-
tion, divestment, consolidation, or return on the secu-
rity of the United States, as well as the deterrence 
and defense posture of NATO. 
(6) An analysis of the impact of such a reduc-
tion, divestment, consolidation, or return on the abil-
ity of the Armed Forces to support or execute the con-
tingency plans of the Department of Defense, includ-
ing operations— 
(A) conducted by the United States Euro-
pean Command, within the area of responsibility 
of the European Command; or 
(B) by the United States Central Command 
and 
the 
United 
States 
Africa 
Command, 
leveraging agreements with countries in the area 
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of responsibility of the European Command re-
garding access, basing, or overflight. 
(7) An analysis of the impact of such a reduc-
tion, divestment, consolidation, or return on the abil-
ity of the Armed Forces to defend the homeland for-
ward. 
(8) An analysis of the impact of such a reduc-
tion, divestment, consolidation, or return on military 
training and major military exercises, including on 
interoperability with NATO allies and partners. 
(9) A description of consultations with NATO, as 
well as NATO allies and partners, regarding such a 
reduction, divestment, consolidation, or return. 
(10) A plan for how the United States will co-
ordinate with NATO to ensure that NATO can as-
sume the capabilities and responsibilities of the mem-
bers of the United States Armed Forces withdrawn as 
a result of such a reduction, divestment, consolida-
tion, or return. 
(11) An assessment of the impact of such a re-
duction, divestment, consolidation, or return on 
transatlantic cooperation to deter the People’s Repub-
lic of China. 
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(c) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate congres-
sional committees’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Armed Services and the 
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; and 
(2) the Committee on Armed Services and the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives. 
(d) SUNSET.—The limitation in subsection (a) shall 
terminate on September 30, 2026. 
Subtitle B—Matters Relating to the 
Indo-Pacific Region 
SEC. 1311. EXTENSION AND MODIFICATION OF PACIFIC DE-
TERRENCE INITIATIVE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (c) of section 1251 of 
the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (10 U.S.C. 113 note) is 
amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘the National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2025’’ and inserting ‘‘the Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2026’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘fiscal year 2025’’ and inserting 
‘‘fiscal year 2026’’. 
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(b) REPORT.—Subsection (d)(1)(A) of such section is 
amended by striking ‘‘fiscal years 2026 and 2027’’ and in-
serting ‘‘fiscal years 2027 and 2028’’. 
(c) PLAN REQUIRED.—Subsection (e) of such section 
is amended by striking ‘‘fiscal years 2026 and 2027’’ and 
inserting ‘‘fiscal years 2027 and 2028’’. 
SEC. 1312. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO TRANSFER 
FUNDS FOR BIEN HOA DIOXIN CLEANUP. 
Section 1253(b) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 
(Public Law 116–283; 134 Stat. 3955) is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘fiscal year 2025’’ and inserting ‘‘fiscal year 2026’’. 
SEC. 1313. TAIWAN SECURITY COOPERATION INITIATIVE. 
Subsection (d) of section 1323 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118- 
159) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘Of the amounts’’ and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(1) Of the amounts’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) Of the amounts authorized to be appro-
priated for fiscal year 2026 for the Department of De-
fense, not more than $1,000,000,000 may be made 
available for the purposes of subsection (a).’’. 
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SEC. 1314. EXTENSION OF DETERRENCE PILOT PROGRAM. 
Section 1314(c) of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–159; 10 U.S.C. 
311 note) is amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2027’’ and 
inserting ‘‘December 31, 2030’’. 
SEC. 1315. STRATEGY TO STRENGTHEN MULTILATERAL DE-
TERRENCE IN THE INDO-PACIFIC. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall im-
plement a strategy to strengthen multilateral deterrence 
against regional aggression in the Indo-Pacific region by 
expanding multilateral coordination with United States al-
lies and partners in the region, with particular emphasis 
on Japan, the Philippines, and Australia, including 
through enhancing multilateral access and basing agree-
ments, command and control structures, intelligence-shar-
ing, and exercises and operations. 
(b) STRATEGY
REQUIREMENTS.—The strategy re-
quired by subsection (a) shall describe current activities and 
identify future actions to be taken over the next 5 years 
by the Department of Defense to— 
(1) leverage reciprocal access agreements between 
the United States and its Indo-Pacific allies and 
partners, particularly Japan, the Philippines, and 
Australia, to expand regional access for these and 
other allied and partner militaries, including for pur-
poses of enhancing interoperability at locations across 
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the Indo-Pacific region, prepositioning munitions 
stockpiles, and jointly supporting and leveraging 
shared facilities, operational access, and infrastruc-
ture; 
(2) improve command and control structures en-
abling enhanced multilateral coordination with Indo- 
Pacific allies and partners, including through the 
Combined Coordination Center in the Philippines, the 
joint force headquarters of the United States in 
Japan, and a potential combined coordination struc-
ture in Australia; 
(3) expand intelligence-sharing and maritime 
domain awareness among the United States and 
Indo-Pacific allies and partners, including through 
the Bilateral Intelligence Analysis Cell in Japan and 
the Combined Coordination Center in the Philippines; 
and 
(4) expand the scope and scale of multilateral 
military exercises and operations in the region, par-
ticularly among the United States, Japan, Australia, 
and the Philippines, including more frequent com-
bined maritime operations through the Taiwan Strait 
and in the South China Sea. 
(c) SUBMISSION; INTERIM REPORT.— 
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(1) SUBMISSION OF STRATEGY.—Not later than 
180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congres-
sional defense committees the strategy required by 
subsection (a), including an identification of any 
changes to funding or policy required to strengthen 
multilateral deterrence among the United States and 
allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific against re-
gional aggression. 
(2) INTERIM REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION.—Not 
later than March 15, 2027, the Secretary of Defense 
shall submit to the congressional defense committees a 
report on the progress of the implementation of the 
strategy required by subsection (a), including any re-
source or authority gaps identified in the Depart-
ment’s ability to execute the strategy. 
SEC. 1316. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON DEFENSE ALLIANCE 
AND PARTNERSHIP WITH SOUTH KOREA. 
It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Defense 
should continue efforts that strengthen United States defense 
alliances and partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region so as 
to further the comparative advantage of the United States 
in strategic competition with the People’s Republic of 
China, including by— 
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(1) reinforcing the United States alliance with 
South Korea; 
(2) maintaining the presence of approximately 
28,500 members of the United States Armed Forces 
deployed to South Korea; 
(3) enhancing mutual defense base cooperation; 
and 
(4) affirming the United States extended deter-
rence commitment using the full range of United 
States defense capabilities, consistent with the Mutual 
Defense Treaty Between the United States and the 
Republic of Korea, signed at Washington, October 1, 
1953, in support of the shared objective of a peaceful 
and stable Korean Peninsula. 
TITLE XIV—OTHER 
AUTHORIZATIONS 
Subtitle A—Military Programs 
SEC. 1401. WORKING CAPITAL FUNDS. 
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fis-
cal year 2026 for the use of the Armed Forces and other 
activities and agencies of the Department of Defense for 
providing capital for working capital and revolving funds, 
as specified in the funding table in section 4501. 
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SEC. 1402. CHEMICAL AGENTS AND MUNITIONS DESTRUC-
TION, DEFENSE. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Funds are 
hereby authorized to be appropriated for the Department 
of Defense for fiscal year 2026 for expenses, not otherwise 
provided for, for Chemical Agents and Munitions Destruc-
tion, Defense, as specified in the funding table in section 
4501. 
(b) USE.—Amounts authorized to be appropriated 
under subsection (a) are authorized for the destruction of 
lethal chemical agents and munitions in accordance with 
section 1412 of the Department of Defense Authorization 
Act, 1986 (50 U.S.C. 1521). 
SEC. 1403. DRUG INTERDICTION AND COUNTER-DRUG AC-
TIVITIES, DEFENSE-WIDE. 
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for the 
Department of Defense for fiscal year 2026 for expenses, not 
otherwise provided for, for Drug Interdiction and Counter- 
Drug Activities, Defense-wide, as specified in the funding 
table in section 4501. 
SEC. 1404. DEFENSE INSPECTOR GENERAL. 
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for the 
Department of Defense for fiscal year 2026 for expenses, not 
otherwise provided for, for the Office of the Inspector Gen-
eral of the Department of Defense, as specified in the fund-
ing table in section 4501. 
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782 
SEC. 1405. DEFENSE HEALTH PROGRAM. 
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fis-
cal year 2026 for the Defense Health Program for use of 
the Armed Forces and other activities and agencies of the 
Department of Defense for providing for the health of eligi-
ble beneficiaries, as specified in the funding table in section 
4501. 
Subtitle B—Other Matters 
SEC. 1411. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITIES FOR FUNDING AND 
MANAGEMENT OF JOINT DEPARTMENT OF 
DEFENSE-DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS MEDICAL FACILITY DEMONSTRATION 
FUND 
FOR 
CAPTAIN 
JAMES 
A. 
LOVELL 
HEALTH CARE CENTER, ILLINOIS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1704(e) of the National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (Public Law 
111–84; 123 Stat. 2573), as most recently amended by sec-
tion 1421(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–159; 138 Stat. 2129), 
is amended by striking ‘‘September 30, 2026’’ and inserting 
‘‘September 30, 2027’’. 
(b) AUTHORITY FOR TRANSFER OF FUNDS.—Of the 
funds authorized to be appropriated for section 1405 and 
available for the Defense Health Program for operation and 
maintenance, $162,500,000 may be transferred by the Sec-
retary of Defense to the Joint Department of Defense–De-
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partment of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Demonstra-
tion Fund established by subsection (a)(1) of section 1704 
of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2010 (Public Law 111–84; 123 Stat. 2571). For purposes 
of subsection (a)(2) of such section 1704, any funds so 
transferred shall be treated as amounts authorized and ap-
propriated specifically for the purpose of such a transfer. 
(c) USE OF TRANSFERRED FUNDS.—For the purposes 
of subsection (b) of such section 1704, facility operations 
for which funds transferred under subsection (a) may be 
used are operations of the Captain James A. Lovell Federal 
Health Care Center, consisting of the North Chicago Vet-
erans Affairs Medical Center, the Navy Ambulatory Care 
Center, and supporting facilities designated as a combined 
Federal medical facility under an operational agreement 
covered by section 706 of the Duncan Hunter National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law 
110–417; 122 Stat. 4500). 
SEC. 1412. AMENDMENT TO NATIONAL DEFENSE STOCKPILE 
SHORTFALL BRIEFINGS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 14(f)(2) of the Strategic 
and Critical Materials Stock Piling Act (50 U.S.C. 98h- 
5(f)(2)) is amended— 
(1) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as 
follows: 
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‘‘(A) a list of the materials described in such 
paragraph and, for each such material— 
‘‘(i) a description of the material; 
‘‘(ii) the priority of the material; and 
‘‘(iii) the objective to be achieved if funding 
is provided, in whole or in part, for the acquisi-
tion of the material to remedy the shortfall of 
such material in the stockpile;’’. 
(2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(3) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period 
at the end and inserting a semicolon; and 
(4) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraphs: 
‘‘(D) verification that the National Defense 
Stockpile Manager manages and evaluates the stock-
pile using the most complete and accurate data pro-
vided by the military departments (as defined under 
section 101(a) of title 10, United States Code); 
‘‘(E) the amounts appropriated by Congress to 
the stockpile for both the current fiscal year and the 
previous fiscal year; 
‘‘(F) a description of any progress or mitigation 
plans based on recommendations to address such 
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shortfall that were made in reports submitted under 
subsection (a) prior to such briefing; 
‘‘(G) a description of the risks resulting from the 
inability of the armed services to provide comprehen-
sive data for all strategic and critical materials; 
‘‘(H) the cost to remedy all such shortfalls; and 
‘‘(I) the cost to remedy such shortfalls for such 
materials that are a priority.’’. 
(b) IMPLEMENTATION BRIEFING.—Not later than Feb-
ruary 1, 2026, the Secretary of Defense and the Director 
of the Defense Logistics Agency shall jointly provide to con-
gressional defense committees a briefing on the progress of 
implementing the recommendations in the report of the 
Government Accountability Office titled ‘‘National Defense 
Stockpile: Actions Needed to Improve DOD’s Efforts to Pre-
pare for Emergencies’’ and dated September 10, 2024 
(GAO-24-106959), including— 
(1) the specific actions taken to implement such 
recommendations; 
(2) an explanation of any obstacles to imple-
menting such recommendations; 
(3) a description of any planned actions to im-
plement such recommendations; and 
(4) for each such recommendation not fully im-
plemented as of the date of such briefing, an estimate 
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of the date on which such recommendation will be 
fully implemented. 
SEC. 1413. BEGINNING BALANCES OF THE DEFENSE LOGIS-
TICS AGENCY WORKING CAPITAL FUND FOR 
AUDIT PURPOSES. 
For purposes of an audit conducted under chapter 9A 
of title 10, United States Code, of the Defense Logistics 
Agency Working Capital Fund established pursuant to sec-
tion 2208 of title 10, United States Code, Working Capital 
Funds— 
(1) the Fund Balance with Treasury opening 
balance for October 1, 2024, for United States Stand-
ard 
General 
Ledger 
Account 
101000 
is 
$3,483,483,641.67, as recorded in official accounting 
records; 
(2) the Unexpended Appropriations–Cumulative 
opening balance for October 1, 2024, for United 
States Standard General Ledger Account 310000 is 
$883,887,145.71, as recorded in official accounting 
records; 
(3) the Cumulative Results of Operations open-
ing balance for October 1, 2024, for United States 
Standard 
General 
Ledger 
Account 
331000 
is 
$27,271,547,121.85, as recorded in official accounting 
records; 
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(4) the Contract Authority Carried Forward 
opening balance for October 1, 2024, for United 
States Standard General Ledger Account 413900 is 
$13,130,151,985.39, as recorded in official accounting 
records; 
(5) the Total Actual Resources–Collected opening 
balance for October 1, 2024, for United States Stand-
ard 
General 
Ledger 
Account 
420100 
is 
$3,578,944,883.86, as recorded in official accounting 
records; and 
(6) the Unapportioned–Unexpired Authority 
opening balance for October 1, 2024, for United 
States Standard General Ledger Account 445000 is 
$507,354,134.72, as recorded in official accounting 
records. 
SEC. 1414. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR 
ARMED FORCES RETIREMENT HOME. 
There is hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal 
year 2026 from the Armed Forces Retirement Home Trust 
Fund the sum of $77,000,000 for the operation of the Armed 
Forces Retirement Home. 
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TITLE XV—CYBERSPACE- 
RELATED MATTERS 
Subtitle A—Cyber Operations 
SEC. 1501. ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE AUTHORIZATION TO 
OPERATE PROCESSES. 
Section 1522 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118-159; 10 U.S.C. 
2223 note) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)(2)— 
(A) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘and’’ 
at the end; 
(B) in subparagraph (D), by striking the 
period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraphs: 
‘‘(E) defines Department of Defense-wide, 
mandatory timelines for activities performed by 
authorizing officials with respect to an Author-
ization to Operate for cloud-hosted platforms, 
services, and applications; and 
‘‘(F) establishes processes and policies, de-
veloped in coordination with the Chief Informa-
tion Officers of the military departments, for the 
boards established in subsections (c) and (d).’’; 
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(2) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as 
subsections (e) and (g), respectively; 
(3) by inserting after subsection (b) the following 
new subsections: 
‘‘(c) ESTABLISHMENT
OF
AUTHORITY-TO-OPERATE 
EXPEDITED APPEALS BOARD FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF 
DEFENSE.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall establish a board, to be known as the ‘Authority- 
to-Operate Expedited Appeals Board’. 
‘‘(2) RESPONSIBILITIES.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The board established 
under paragraph (1) shall decide whether to 
grant each Authorization to Operate for which a 
relevant stakeholder in the Authorization to Op-
erate submission process submits a request in ac-
cordance with subparagraph (B) not later than 
90 days after the date on which such relevant 
stakeholder submits such request. 
‘‘(B) SUBMISSION.—A relevant stakeholder 
in the Authorization to Operate submission proc-
ess seeking a decision from the board established 
under paragraph (1) with respect to an Author-
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ization to Operate may submit a request for such 
decision to such board if— 
‘‘(i) a request for such Authorization to 
Operate was appropriately submitted to the 
authorizing official for such Authorization 
to Operate not less than 180 days prior to 
the submission to the board; and 
‘‘(ii) as of the date of such submission, 
such authorizing official has not made a 
final decision with respect to such Author-
ization to Operate. 
‘‘(C) AUTHORIZING OFFICIAL AUTHORITY.— 
Upon the submission of a request for an Author-
ization to Operate in accordance with subpara-
graph (B), the authorizing official for an Au-
thorization to Operate shall cease to have author-
ity to grant or deny such Authorization to Oper-
ate. 
‘‘(3) SUBMISSION
FOR
CONSIDERATION.—The 
Secretary of Defense shall ensure that each relevant 
stakeholder in the Authorization to Operate submis-
sion process may submit to the board established 
under paragraph (1) a request for a decision under 
paragraph (2). 
‘‘(4) BOARD REQUIREMENTS.— 
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‘‘(A) MEMBERSHIP.—The board established 
under paragraph (1) shall be composed of the fol-
lowing members: 
‘‘(i) The Chief Information Officer of 
the Department of Defense. 
‘‘(ii) The Commander of the United 
States Cyber Command. 
‘‘(iii) The Director of the Defense In-
formation Systems Agency. 
‘‘(iv) Any other official determined ap-
propriate by the chair of such board. 
‘‘(B) CHAIR.—The chair of the board estab-
lished under paragraph (1) shall be the Chief In-
formation Officer of the Department of Defense. 
‘‘(C) FREQUENCY.—The board established 
under paragraph (1) shall meet not less than fre-
quently than quarterly. 
‘‘(5) EXISTING FORUM.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of De-
fense may designate a body in the Department 
of Defense to carry the responsibilities described 
in paragraph (2) if— 
‘‘(i) the body so designated is in exist-
ence as of the date of the enactment of this 
subsection: and 
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‘‘(ii) the responsibilities of such body 
relate to managing risks for information 
technologies. 
‘‘(B) EFFECTS.—If the Secretary of Defense 
designates a body under subparagraph (A)— 
‘‘(i) paragraph (1) shall not apply 
with respect to the Secretary; and 
‘‘(ii) such body shall be deemed to be a 
board established in such military depart-
ment under paragraph (1) for the purposes 
of paragraphs (2) and (3). 
‘‘(C) DISSOLUTION.—If the body designated 
by the Secretary of Defense under this paragraph 
ceases to exist or becomes permanently unable to 
carry out the responsibilities described in para-
graph (2), the Secretary may designate another 
body in the Department of Defense to carry out 
such responsibilities or establish a board in ac-
cordance with paragraph (1), except that the 
Secretary shall establish such board not later 
than 180 days after the date on which the body 
designated by the Secretary under this para-
graph ceases to exist or becomes permanently un-
able to carry out such responsibilities. 
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‘‘(d) ESTABLISHMENT
OF AUTHORITY-TO-OPERATE 
EXPEDITED APPEALS BOARD FOR THE MILITARY DEPART-
MENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after enactment of this Act, each Secretary of a mili-
tary department shall establish in such military de-
partment a board. 
‘‘(2) RESPONSIBILITIES.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Each board established 
in a military department under paragraph (1) 
shall decide whether to grant each Authorization 
to Operate for which a relevant stakeholder in 
the Authorization to Operate submission process 
submits a request in accordance with subpara-
graph (B) not later than 90 days after the date 
on which such relevant stakeholder submits such 
request. 
‘‘(B) SUBMISSION.—A relevant stakeholder 
in the Authorization to Operate submission proc-
ess seeking a decision from a board established in 
a military department under paragraph (1) with 
respect to an Authorization to Operate may sub-
mit a request for such decision to such board 
if— 
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‘‘(i) a request for such Authorization to 
Operate was appropriately submitted to the 
authorizing official for such Authorization 
to Operate not less than 180 days prior to 
the submission to the board; 
‘‘(ii) the Authorization to Operate is 
for an information system of such military 
department; and 
‘‘(iii) as of the date of such submission, 
the authorizing official for such Authoriza-
tion to Operate has not made a final deci-
sion with respect such Authorization to Op-
erate. 
‘‘(C) AUTHORIZING OFFICIAL AUTHORITY.— 
Upon the submission of a request for an Author-
ization to Operate in accordance with subpara-
graph (B), the authorizing official for an Au-
thorization to Operate shall cease to have author-
ity to grant or deny such Authorization to Oper-
ate. 
‘‘(3) SUBMISSION
CAPABILITY.—The Secretary 
concerned for a military department shall ensure that 
each relevant stakeholder in the Authorization to Op-
erate submission process may submit to the board es-
tablished in such military department under para-
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graph (1) a request for a decision under paragraph 
(2). 
‘‘(4) BOARD REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) MEMBERSHIP.—A board established in 
a military department under paragraph (1) 
shall be composed of the following members: 
‘‘(i) The Chief Information Officer of 
such military department. 
‘‘(ii) The service acquisition executive 
of such military department. 
‘‘(iii) The commanders of the relevant 
service cyber components. 
‘‘(iv) Any other official determined ap-
propriate by the chair of such board. 
‘‘(B) CHAIR.—The chair of a board estab-
lished in a military department under para-
graph (1) shall be the Chief Information Officer 
of such military department. 
‘‘(C) FREQUENCY.—Each board established 
under paragraph (1) shall meet not less than fre-
quently than quarterly. 
‘‘(5) EXISTING FORUM.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of a 
military department may designate a body in 
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such military department to carry the respon-
sibilities of described in paragraph (2) if— 
‘‘(i) the body so designated is in exist-
ence as of the date of the enactment of this 
subsection: and 
‘‘(ii) the responsibilities of such body 
relate to managing risks for information 
technologies. 
‘‘(B) EFFECTS.—If the Secretary of a mili-
tary department designates a body under sub-
paragraph (A)— 
‘‘(i) paragraph (1) shall not apply 
with respect to such Secretary; and 
‘‘(ii) such body shall be deemed to be a 
board established in such military depart-
ment under paragraph (1) for the purposes 
of paragraphs (2) and (3). 
‘‘(C) DISSOLUTION.—If the body designated 
by the Secretary of a military department under 
this paragraph ceases to exist or becomes perma-
nently unable to carry out the responsibilities de-
scribed in paragraph (2), the Secretary may des-
ignate another body in such military department 
to carry out such responsibilities or establish a 
board in accordance with paragraph (1), except 
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that the Secretary shall establish such board not 
later than 180 days after the date on which the 
body designated by the Secretary under this 
paragraph ceases to exist or becomes perma-
nently unable to carry out such responsibil-
ities.’’; and 
(4) by inserting after subsection (e), as so redes-
ignated, the following new subsection: 
‘‘(f) BIANNUAL REPORT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than six months 
after the date of the enactment of this subsection, and 
every six months thereafter under October 1, 2031, the 
Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional 
defense committees a report on activities under this 
section in the six-month period ending on the date of 
the submission of such report. 
‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—Each report required under 
paragraph (1) shall include, for the period covered by 
such report— 
‘‘(A) the number of new Authorizations to 
Operate; 
‘‘(B) the number of Authorizations to Oper-
ate evaluated; 
‘‘(C) the number of requests for Authoriza-
tions to Operate that were denied; 
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‘‘(D) the number of requests for Authoriza-
tions to Operate submitted to the board estab-
lished under subsection (c); 
‘‘(E) the number of requests for Authoriza-
tions to Operate resolved by the board established 
under subsection (c); 
‘‘(F) the number of requests for Authoriza-
tions to Operate submitted to a board established 
under subsection (d); 
‘‘(G) the number of requests for Authoriza-
tions to Operate resolved by a board established 
under subsection (d); 
‘‘(H) the average length of time required for 
a capability to receive an Authorization to Oper-
ate in accordance with the organization’s imple-
mentation of the risk management framework 
publish by the National Institution of Standards 
and Technology in NIST Special Publication 
800-37, or any amendatory or superseding docu-
ment thereto; 
‘‘(I) the number of Authorizations to Oper-
ate issued pursuant to the policy required by 
subsection (b); 
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‘‘(J) the number of requested reciprocal Au-
thorizations to Operate denied due to insuffi-
ciency of supporting evidence; and 
‘‘(K) a narrative summary identifying defi-
ciencies in Bodies of Evidence packages that pre-
vented an authorizing official from adopting the 
security analysis and artifacts, as appropriate, 
of a cloud-hosted platform, service, or applica-
tion that has already been authorized by another 
authorizing official in the Department of Defense 
in accordance with the policy required by sub-
section (b).’’. 
SEC. 1502. CODIFICATION OF THE NATIONAL CENTERS OF 
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IN CYBERSECURITY. 
(a) MANAGEMENT OF THE NATIONAL CENTERS OF 
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IN CYBER.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director of Cyber Aca-
demic Engagement Office shall manage the National 
Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber program. 
(2) RESPONSIBILITIES.—In managing the Pro-
gram, the Director shall— 
(A) consult with the Director of the Na-
tional Security Agency, the Director of the Cy-
bersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency 
of the Department of Homeland Security, the Di-
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rector of the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology, the Director of the Federal Bureau 
of Investigation, and the Director of the National 
Science Foundation, to ensure that the cyber 
education programs and educational resource de-
velopment efforts and programs of the Federal 
Government do not compete or conflict with each 
other; 
(B) consult with the heads of other appro-
priate Federal agencies and representatives of 
appropriate private sector entities, academic in-
stitutions, and other organizations as determined 
necessary by the Director to make the designa-
tions under subsection (b); and 
(C) manage instructional and participatory 
opportunities available through the efforts, pro-
grams, initiatives, and investments from pri-
mary through postsecondary levels accounted for 
in the report required under section 1649 of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2020 (Public Law 116–92; 133 Stat. 1758). 
(b) DESIGNATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In addition the responsibil-
ities under subsection (a)(2), in carrying out the Pro-
gram, the Director shall designate academic institu-
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tions as National Centers of Academic Excellence in 
one or more of cyber defense, cyber operations, and 
cyber research. 
(2) CRITERIA.—The Director shall make the des-
ignations under paragraph (1) based on the following: 
(A) Academic requirements and best prac-
tices identified by the Director in consultation 
with Departments and Agencies enabling the de-
velopment of educational programs reflecting the 
full range of cyber work roles specified in the De-
fense Cyber Workforce Framework, the National 
Initiative on Cyber Education Workforce Frame-
work for Cyber published by the National Insti-
tute of Standards and Technology in NIST Spe-
cial Publication 800–181, Revision 5, or any 
successor framework. 
(B) Institutional criteria and requirements 
emphasizing the following: 
(i) Outreach to the surrounding com-
munity of an eligible academic institution. 
(ii) Leadership in contributing to the 
development of a national cyber workforce, 
including cultivating educational institu-
tion faculty and research leaders. 
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(iii) Leadership in the development of 
educational and performance expectations 
for cyber professionals, including through 
curriculum and degree offerings to prepare 
future cyber professionals of all knowledge 
and skill levels. 
(iv) Demonstrated commitment to im-
plementing cyber best practices within the 
eligible academic institution across aca-
demic disciplines. 
(v) Demonstrated commitment to seek 
solutions to challenges in addressing Fed-
eral, State, local, territorial, and Tribal 
level Cyber education needs. 
(vi) Regional accreditation from one of 
the six regional accrediting agencies recog-
nized by the Federal Department of Edu-
cation providing external review to assure 
quality and ongoing improvement. 
(C) Increasing collaboration within the 
cyber education community to support develop-
ment and sharing of educational materials and 
curriculum. 
(D) Increasing collaboration with private 
sector entities and government employers at the 
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Federal, State, local, territorial, and Tribal lev-
els to further define workforce requirements and 
assist in defining academic requirements to pre-
pare students for the field of cyber. 
(c) METRICS AND REPORTING.— 
(1) METRICS.—The Director shall— 
(A) collaborate with the individuals de-
scribed in subsection (a)(2)(A) to identify 
metrics and annual data reporting requirements 
necessary to assess the degree to which the Pro-
gram is meeting the objectives of the Program; 
and 
(B) ensure adequate data and best practices 
are made available to the individuals described 
in subsection (a)(2)(A) to measure the efficacy of 
the Program and the benefits provided to indi-
viduals participating in the Program and to the 
Department compared to costs of the Program 
paid by academic institutions participating in 
the Program and sponsors of the Program. 
(2) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annu-
ally thereafter, the Director shall submit to Congress 
a report on the benefits provided to individuals par-
ticipating in the Program and to the Department 
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compared to costs of the Program paid by academic 
institutions participating in the program and spon-
sors of the Program. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘academic institution’’ means an 
eligible and current United States community college, 
college, academy, institute, or university in the 
United States for designation under the Program. 
(2) The term ‘‘Cyber Academic Engagement Of-
fice’’ means the office established under section 
2192c(a) of title 10, United States Code. 
(3) The term ‘‘Director’’ means the Director of 
the Cyber Academic Engagement Office. 
(4) The term ‘‘Program’’ means the National 
Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber program. 
SEC. 1503. ASSESSMENT OF CYBER OPERATIONAL SUPPORT 
TO GEOGRAPHIC COMBATANT COMMANDS. 
(a) REPORTS.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, each commander of a unified 
combatant command, other than the Commander of the 
United States Cyber Command, shall submit to the congres-
sional defense committees a report assessing the sufficiency 
of support provided by the Commander of United States 
Cyber Command in carrying out the mission of such uni-
fied combatant command. 
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(b) ELEMENTS.—Each report submitted by a com-
mander of a unified combatant command under subsection 
(a) shall include an evaluation of— 
(1) the ability of the United States Cyber Com-
mand and the service cyber components to provide to 
such combatant command capabilities that align with 
the operational requirements of such commander, in-
cluding capabilities to support such commander act-
ing with respect to targets on the joint integrated 
prioritized target list of such commander; and 
(2) such other matters as determined appropriate 
by such commander. 
SEC. 1504. LIMITATION ON THE DIVESTMENT, CONSOLIDA-
TION, AND CURTAILMENT OF CERTAIN ELEC-
TRONIC WARFARE TEST AND EVALUATION AC-
TIVITIES. 
(a) PROHIBITION.—The Secretary of the Army shall 
not take any action to divest, consolidate, or curtail any 
electronic warfare test and evaluation activities that were 
part of an Army element of the Major Range and Test Fa-
cility Base on or before the date of the enactment of this 
Act until the Secretary submits to the congressional defense 
committees the report described in subsection (b). 
(b) REPORT.—The report described in this subsection 
is a report on a decision of the Secretary to divest, consoli-
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date, or curtail an electronic warfare test or evaluation ac-
tivity described in subsection (a) that contains the fol-
lowing: 
(1) A description of the analytic basis used by 
the Secretary for making the decision, including mat-
ters relating to any cost, workload, and workforce re-
quirements, as well as any analysis relating to oper-
ational impact on users of the activities. 
(2) The findings from an independent review by 
the Director of the Office of Cost Assessment and Pro-
gram Evaluation of all analyses described in para-
graph (1). 
(3) A certification by the Director of the Test Re-
source Management Center that the analyses described 
in paragraph (1) and the decision of the Secretary 
meet the requirement of the Department of Defense, as 
required by section 4173(c)(1)(B) of title 10, United 
States Code. 
SEC. 1505. INCENTIVIZATION PLAN FOR CRITICAL SKILLS 
FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES TO 
CARRY 
OUT 
DEPARTMENT 
OF 
DEFENSE 
CYBER OPERATIONS. 
(a) PLAN REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Defense, in 
consultation with the Commander of the United States 
Cyber Command, shall develop and implement a plan to 
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incentivize critical skills and proficiencies for covered mem-
bers of the Armed Forces required to carry out Department 
of Defense cyber operations. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The plan required under subsection 
(a) shall include the following: 
(1) An identification of critical skills and pro-
ficiencies required by covered members of the Armed 
Forces to carry out Department of Defense cyber oper-
ations. 
(2) A process for reassessment of critical skills 
and identification of lessons learned with respect to 
such operations. 
(3) An identification of skill sets related to such 
operations that should require periodic recertification. 
(4) Estimated personnel levels required for each 
skill set and proficiency related to such operations. 
(5) A process for identifying personnel levels and 
skills of covered members of the Armed Forces that 
may be useful for such operations. 
(6) A process for providing continuation or cer-
tification pay for each skill set needed for such oper-
ations. 
(7) An anticipated budget for incentives to be 
used with— 
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(A) the level of cyber operations personnel 
as of the date of the enactment of this Act; and 
(B) a level of cyber operations personnel 
that the Secretary considers to be full capacity. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than March 1, 2026, the Sec-
retary of the Defense shall submit to the congressional de-
fense committees a report containing the plan required 
under subsection (a). 
(d) COVERED MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘covered members of the 
Armed Forces’’ means members of the Army, Navy, Air 
Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force. 
SEC. 1506. EVALUATION OF JOINT TASK FORCE-CYBER FOR 
THE INDO-PACIFIC AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY. 
(a) EVALUATION.—Not later than July 1, 2026, the 
Secretary of Defense, acting through the Assistant Secretary 
of Defense for Cyber Policy, in collaboration with the Vice 
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Commander of 
United States Cyber Command, and the Commander of 
United States Indo-Pacific Command, shall conduct a com-
prehensive evaluation and provide recommendations on es-
tablishing a Joint Task Force-Cyber for the Indo-Pacific 
Command area of responsibility. 
(b) EVALUATION REQUIREMENTS.—The evaluation re-
quired under subsection (a) shall include the following: 
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(1) An assessment of cyber force employment re-
quirements and capabilities for the Indo-Pacific Com-
mand area of responsibility. 
(2) An assessment of the operational require-
ments for Joint Task Force-Cyber elements in each ge-
ographic combatant command area of operations. 
(3) An analysis of the optimal command and 
control structures for the elements of Joint Task 
Force-Cyber, including— 
(A) the designation of Joint Task Force Es-
tablishing Authority described in Joint Publica-
tion 3-33 of the Joint Task Force Headquarters 
(January 31, 2018); 
(B) the alignment of operational control 
and tactical control authorities over subordinate 
forces assigned to Joint Task Force-Cyber; and 
(C) concurrent Joint Task Force Estab-
lishing Authority management structures be-
tween United States Cyber Command and the 
United States Indo-Pacific Command. 
(4) An assessment of force structure require-
ments, including— 
(A) the subordinate forces to be assigned to 
each planned element of Joint Task Force-Cyber, 
including— 
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(i) Joint Forces Headquarters Cyber of 
the Navy; 
(ii) Joint Task Force Ares; 
(iii) Task Force Two of the Cyber Na-
tional Mission Force; and 
(iv) Forward Information Warfare 
Command Pacific of the Navy; 
(B) the personnel and resources required to 
carry out the mission of Joint Task Force-Cyber; 
and 
(C) sources of personnel required to meet 
such personnel requirements. 
(5) An evaluation of the integration and 
sustainment of cyber capabilities and effects. 
(6) An identification of supporting infrastruc-
ture requirements for the Indo-Pacific Command to 
conduct cyber activities in support of the military ob-
jects of the Indo-Pacific Command. 
(7) A description of potential missions and lines 
of effort for elements of Joint Task Force-Cyber. 
(8) Such other matters as the Assistant Secretary 
of Defense for Cyber Policy and the Vice Chairman 
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff determine appropriate. 
(c) IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR JOINT TASK FORCE- 
CYBER.—The evaluation required under subsection (a) shall 
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include a comprehensive implementation plan for estab-
lishing Joint Task Force-Cyber for the United States Indo- 
Pacific Command area of responsibility that is based, as 
determined appropriate, on the findings of such evaluation. 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than July 1, 2026, the Assist-
ant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy, the Vice Chair-
man of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Commander of 
United States Cyber Command shall jointly submit to the 
Secretary of Defense and the congressional defense commit-
tees a report containing— 
(1) the results of the evaluation required under 
subsection (a); 
(2) the implementation plan required under sub-
section (c); 
(3) the views from each of the geographic com-
batant commands regarding the findings of such eval-
uation and such implementation plan; and 
(4) recommendations for legislative or adminis-
trative actions required to implement such implemen-
tation plan. 
Subtitle B—Cybersecurity 
SEC. 1511. ANNUAL REPORT ON WEAPON SYSTEMS DATA 
ACCESSIBILITY AND SECURITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than April 30, 2026, and 
annually thereafter until September 30, 2030, the Secretary 
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of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of the Army, 
Secretary of the Navy, and Secretary of the Air Force, shall 
submit to the congressional defense committees a report 
analyzing the weapons platforms of the Department of De-
fense that lack onboard, real-time cybersecurity capabilities. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—Each annual report submitted under 
subsection (a) shall include, for each weapons platform ana-
lyzed in such report, the following: 
(1) An explanation of why onboard, real-time 
cybersecurity capabilities have not yet been integrated 
into such weapons platform. 
(2) An estimate of the cost to implement on-
board, real-time cybersecurity capabilities into such 
weapons platform to enable monitoring and detection 
of cyber intrusions. 
(3) A timeline, correlated with the cost estimate 
required under paragraph (2), to implement onboard, 
real-time cybersecurity capabilities across the entire 
inventory of the Department of Defense of such weap-
ons platform. 
(c) ONBOARD, REAL-TIME CYBERSECURITY CAPABILI-
TIES DEFINED.—In this section, ‘‘onboard, real-time cyber-
security capabilities’’ means technologies integrated into a 
weapons platform that mitigate cyber risks to operation, 
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including serial bus monitoring capabilities or runtime ap-
plication self-protection capabilities. 
SEC. 1512. INCORPORATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 
CONSIDERATIONS INTO ANNUAL CYBERSECU-
RITY TRAINING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, 
acting through the Chief Information Officer of the Depart-
ment of Defense, shall revise the mandatory annual train-
ing on cybersecurity for members of the Armed Forces and 
civilian employees of the Department of Defense to include 
content related to the unique cybersecurity challenges posed 
by the use of artificial intelligence. 
(b) BRIEFINGS.—Not later than 90 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, and every 90 days thereafter 
until the training described in subsection (a) has been re-
vised as required by such subsection, the Chief Information 
Officer of the Department of Defense shall provide to the 
Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representa-
tives and Senate a briefing on the progress of such revision. 
SEC. 1513. UPDATE TO CYBER SECURITY REQUIREMENTS 
FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS CONTRACTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Navy 
shall implement regulations requiring that each covered 
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telecommunications contract includes updated cyber secu-
rity requirements for Department wireless telecommuni-
cation devices to protect against domestic and international 
cybersecurity attacks, including SS7 signaling attacks, di-
ameter signaling attacks, SIM hacking, and simulated cel-
lular sites. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The cyber security requirements re-
quired to be included in covered telecommunication con-
tracts under subsection (a) shall include the following: 
(1) Disabling the use of 2G and 3G tele-
communication networks by Department wireless tele-
communication devices, and security vulnerabilities 
in inbound and outbound Signaling System 7 traffic 
from foreign countries and operators of foreign tele-
communications networks. 
(2) Providing protection against all categories of 
Diameter protocol exploitation, including Category 0 
non-application information, Category 1 application 
ID and command codes, Category 2 application-spe-
cific values, and Category 3 location and time. 
(3) Enabling and facilitating rotation of tradi-
tionally persistent alphanumeric identifiers used to 
authentic users, including the international mobile 
subscriber identity for users, including the inter-
national mobile subscriber identity. 
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(4) Real-time monitoring and blocking of sus-
picious connections and requests that pose a high risk 
to cybersecurity, including any connection or request 
that would force a Department wireless telecommuni-
cation device to use a 3G telecommunication network, 
improperly filtered signaling traffic, and connections 
or requests that do not match the location of the sub-
scriber, as well as real-time alerting when a user of 
Department wireless telecommunication device is tar-
geted by a high-risk connection or request. 
(5) 
Encrypting 
data 
and 
call 
sessions, 
encrypting call data records in storage, and storing 
call data records not longer than 60 days. 
(6) Apply modern cryptographic protections to 
prevent the ability to transfer phone numbers between 
devices and disabling user requests to transfer phone 
numbers between devices. 
(7) Hosting the software infrastructure for the 
mobile network in a commercial cloud computing en-
vironment and making publicly available quarterly 
cybersecurity audits conducted by independent audi-
tors on behalf of the Department of Defense. 
(c) CERTIFICATION.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Navy 
shall certify to the congressional defense committees that the 
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Secretary of the Navy has implemented the regulations re-
quired by subsection (a). 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘covered telecommunications con-
tract’’ means a contract— 
(A) that is entered into under the multiple 
award contract (as defined in section 3302(a) of 
title 41, United States Code) described in the 
memorandum of the Department of Defense enti-
tled ‘‘DoD UNCLASSIFIED Wireless Mobile 
Services and Devices Spiral 4’’ and dated May 
23, 2024; or 
(B) under which the Navy acquires wireless 
telecommunication services or devices. 
(2) The term ‘‘Department wireless telecommuni-
cation device’’ means a wireless telecommunication 
device— 
(A) acquired under a covered telecommuni-
cations contract; or 
(B) that is using wireless telecommuni-
cation services under a covered telecommuni-
cations contract. 
SEC. 1514. FEDERAL CONTRACTOR VULNERABILITY DISCLO-
SURE POLICY. 
(a) RECOMMENDATIONS.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of 
the Office of Management and Budget, in consultation 
with the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastruc-
ture Security Agency, the National Cyber Director, 
the Director of the National Institute of Standards 
and Technology, and any other appropriate head of 
an Executive department, shall— 
(A) review the Federal Acquisition Regula-
tion contract requirements and language for con-
tractor vulnerability disclosure programs; and 
(B) recommend updates to such require-
ments and language to the Federal Acquisition 
Regulation Council. 
(2) CONTENTS.—The recommendations required 
by paragraph (1) shall include updates to such re-
quirements designed to ensure that covered contractors 
implement a vulnerability disclosure policy consistent 
with NIST guidelines for contractors as required 
under section 5 of the IoT Cybersecurity Improvement 
Act of 2020 (15 U.S.C. 278g–3c; Public Law 116– 
207). 
(b) PROCUREMENT REQUIREMENTS.—Not later than 
180 days after the date on which the recommended contract 
language developed pursuant to subsection (a) is received, 
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