648 
(3) the term ‘‘produced in the United States’’ 
has the meaning given such term in section 70912 
of the Build America, Buy America Act (Public Law 
117–58; 41 U.S.C. 8301 note); and 
(4) the term ‘‘compostable’’, with respect to a 
product, means that such product is composed of or-
ganic materials and which will decompose into or 
otherwise become part of usable compost in a safe 
and timely manner in an appropriate composting fa-
cility. 
SEC. 875. PLAN FOR IDENTIFYING AND REPLACING SY-
RINGES OF CONCERN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of De-
fense, in coordination with the Director of the Defense Lo-
gistics Agency and the Director of the Defense Health 
Agency, shall develop and implement a plan to review all 
medical syringes in the inventories and stockpiles of the 
Department of Defense and current and planned acquisi-
tions of the Department to— 
(1) identify medical syringes that have been 
subject to a Food and Drug Administration Import 
Alert or meet the conditions of a Food and Drug 
Administration Safety Communication; and
649 
(2) replace such medical syringes with medical 
syringes produced domestically or produced in part-
ners or allies of the United States. 
(b) COORDINATED PLAN CONTENTS.—The Secretary 
of Defense shall include in the plan required under sub-
section (a) the following: 
(1) An identification of any medical syringes in 
the inventories and stockpiles of the Department of 
Defense and which the Department is acquiring or 
plans to acquire that have been subject to a Food 
and Drug Administration Import Alert or meet the 
conditions of a Food and Drug Administration Safe-
ty Communication made in the past five years. 
(2) A process for the Department of Defense to 
replace the medical syringes described in paragraph 
(1) that are in the inventories and stockpiles of the 
Department with those that— 
(A) are produced domestically or in part-
ners or allies of the United States; 
(B) are not subject to an Import Alert de-
scribed in such paragraph; and 
(C) do not meet the conditions of a Safety 
Communication described in such paragraph. 
(3) A process for the Department of Defense to 
cease the acquisition of medical syringes described in
650 
paragraph (1) and ensure that the Department ac-
quires only medical syringes that— 
(A) are produced domestically or in part-
ners or allies of the United States; 
(B) are not subject to an Import Alert de-
scribed in such paragraph; and 
(C) do not meet the conditions of a Safety 
Communication described in such paragraph. 
(4) A process enabling the Department of De-
fense to— 
(A) track Food and Drug Administration 
Import Alerts and Safety Communications re-
garding medical syringes; 
(B) review the inventories, stockpiles, and 
current and planned acquisitions of the Depart-
ment for medical syringes that are subject to 
such Import Alerts or that meet the conditions 
of such Safety Communications; and 
(C) replace such medical syringes with 
medical syringes that are produced domestically 
or produced in partners or allies of the United 
States. 
(c) REPORT.—Upon developing the plan required by 
subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to 
the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the
651 
House of Representatives a report describing such plan, 
including— 
(1) the number of medical syringes, if any, in 
the inventories and stockpiles of the Department of 
Defense that have been subject to a Food and Drug 
Administration Import Alert or meet the conditions 
of a Food and Drug Administration Safety Commu-
nication made in the past five years; 
(2) a description of any planned or ongoing ac-
quisition by the Department of medical syringes that 
have been subject to a Food and Drug Administra-
tion Import Alert or meet the conditions of a Food 
and Drug Administration Safety Communication 
made in the past five years, including acquisitions 
with respect to which contracts have not yet been 
awarded and existing agreements under which such 
syringes may be acquired for the Department; 
(3) for medical syringes described in paragraph 
(1) or with respect to which the Department is car-
rying out an acquisition described in paragraph (2), 
the product name, manufacturer, and country of ori-
gin; and 
(4) an explanation of the process described in 
subsection (b)(4) that will be implemented under 
such plan.
652 
SEC. 876. REPORT ON DOMESTIC SITES FOR RARE EARTH 
ELEMENT MINING. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Under Secretary of Defense shall 
submit to the congressional defense committees a report 
containing a list of domestic sites— 
(1) that have a high potential for containing de-
posits of rare earth elements; 
(2) where new or additional mining operations 
for rare earth elements could be established; or 
(3) that are suitable for mining for rare earth 
elements, as determined by a feasibility study con-
ducted by the Defense Logistics Agency. 
SEC. 877. PROHIBITION ON ENTERING INTO CONTRACTS 
WITH A PERSON ENGAGED IN A BOYCOTT OF 
THE STATE OF ISRAEL. 
The Secretary of Defense may not enter into a con-
tract with a person if such person is engaged in an activity 
that is politically motivated and is intended to penalize 
or otherwise limit significant commercial relations specifi-
cally with Israel or persons doing business in Israel or in 
Israeli-controlled territories.
653 
SEC. 878. IMPLEMENTATION OF GAO RECOMMENDATIONS 
RELATING TO SPARE PARTS IN GLOBAL 
SPARES POOL RELATING TO F-35 PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense, acting 
through the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition 
and Sustainment, shall take such actions as may be nec-
essary to implement the recommendations of the Comp-
troller General of the United States contained in the re-
port entitled, ‘‘F-35 Program: DOD Needs Better Ac-
countability for Global Spare Parts and Reporting of 
Losses Worth Millions’’. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 
a report to Congress on the progress of the implementa-
tion required by subsection (a). 
SEC. 879. OPEN INTERFACE STANDARDS FOR CONTRACTS 
OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 
Not later than one year after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall make pub-
licly available the open interface standards for contracts 
awarded by the Secretary, unless the service acquisition 
executive (as defined in section 101 of title 10, United 
States Code) with respect to a specific contract submits 
to the Secretary a request to not disclose such standards.
654 
SEC. 880. ASSESSMENT OF COMPLIANCE WITH GLOBAL 
HOUSEHOLD GOODS CONTRACT REQUIRE-
MENTS. 
(a) ASSESSMENT.—The Commander of the United 
States Transportation Command shall carry out an as-
sessment of the performance of contractors under the 
Global Household Goods Contract in meeting the applica-
ble requirements for capacity and quality in such contract 
during the period beginning on May 1, 2025, and ending 
on August 31, 2025. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 11 months after the 
date of the enactment of this section, the Commander of 
the United States Transportation Command shall submit 
to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and 
the House of Representatives a report on the findings of 
the assessment required under subsection (a). 
SEC. 881. REPORTS ON NATIONAL SECURITY RISKS. 
(a) GAO REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General of 
the United States shall submit to Congress a report 
containing the results of a study on the national se-
curity risks posed by consulting firms who simulta-
neously contract with the Federal Government and 
the Chinese government or its proxies or affiliates. 
(2) CONTENTS.—In performing the study under 
paragraph (1), the Comptroller General shall—
655 
(A) assess the extent to which Federal 
agencies collect information on contracts per-
formed on behalf of the Chinese government or 
its proxies or affiliates by consulting firms that 
hold or have held contracts with the Federal 
Government, and whether such information in-
cludes specific projects and deliverables of such 
contracts; 
(B) evaluate the extent to which selected 
Federal agencies, to include at a minimum the 
Department of Defense and elements of the In-
telligence Community, have assessed the risks 
posed by American consulting firms’ work for 
the Chinese government and its proxies or af-
filiates, including an assessment of risk of delib-
erate or inadvertent sharing of Federal Govern-
ment information that may be used for Chinese 
economic or military advantage; 
(C) identify relevant contract clauses, pro-
cedures, and information used by Federal agen-
cies to identify, evaluate and resolve organiza-
tional conflicts of interest when awarding con-
sulting contracts; 
(D) assess the extent to which agencies ex-
perience challenges when identifying, evaluating
656 
and resolving organizational conflicts of inter-
est, including determining whether the offeror 
or potential contractor also performs work for 
China; and 
(E) identify steps federal agencies take to 
monitor contractor compliance with any con-
tract clauses, terms or conditions intended to 
resolve identified conflicts of interest. 
(b) REPORT ON CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.—The Sec-
retary of Defense shall annually submit to Congress a re-
port on— 
(1) the implementation of section 812 of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2024 (10 U.S.C. 4501 note prec.); and 
(2) how the Department of Defense is defining 
the term ‘‘entities related to the Chinese or Russian 
governments’’ and whether, and to what extent, the 
Secretary is investigating conflicts of interest be-
tween prime contractors of the Department of De-
fense and subsidiary companies of such contractors.
657 
SEC. 882. PROHIBITION ON FUNDING FOR COVERED ENTI-
TIES AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS OR 
OTHER ENTITIES THAT ENGAGE IN COVERED 
BEHAVIOR. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—None of the funds authorized to 
be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available 
for fiscal year 2025 may be used to contract with or grant 
awards to— 
(1) a covered entity; or 
(2) a nonprofit organization or other entity that 
engages in covered behavior. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘covered entity’’ means— 
(A) NewsGuard Technologies, Inc. (doing 
business as ‘‘NewsGuard’’); or 
(B) 
Disinformation 
Index, 
Inc., 
Disinformation 
Index, 
Ltd., 
or 
Global 
Disinformation Index gUG (collectively doing 
business as ‘‘Global Disinformation Index’’). 
(2) The term ‘‘covered behavior’’ means oper-
ations, activities, or products, the function of which 
is to demonetize or rate the credibility of a domestic 
entity (including news and information outlets) 
based on lawful speech of such domestic entity under 
the stated function of ‘‘fact-checking’’ misinforma-
tion, disinformation, or malinformation.
658 
(3) The term ‘‘nonprofit organization’’ means 
an organization that is described in section 
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and 
that is exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of 
such Code. 
SEC. 883. PROHIBITIONS RELATING TO COVERED DISTRIB-
UTED 
LEDGER 
TECHNOLOGY 
AND 
BLOCKCHAIN EQUIPMENT OR SERVICES. 
(a) PROHIBITION ON ACQUISITION.—The Secretary 
of Defense may not acquire, or enter into, extend, or 
renew a contract or other agreement for, any equipment, 
system, or service that uses covered distributed ledger 
technology and blockchain equipment or services as— 
(1) a substantial or essential component of such 
equipment, system, or service; or 
(2) critical technology as part of such equip-
ment, system, or service. 
(b) PROHIBITION ON LOAN AND GRANT FUNDS.— 
(1) PROHIBITION.—The Secretary of Defense 
may not obligate or expend loan or grant funds to 
acquire, or to enter into, extend, or renew a contract 
or other agreement for, any equipment, system, or 
service described in subsection (a). 
(2) PRIORITIZATION.—In implementing the pro-
hibition under paragraph (1), the Secretary of De-
659 
fense, in administering a loan, grant, or subsidy pro-
gram, shall prioritize available funding and technical 
support to assist affected entities as is reasonably 
necessary for those affected entities to cease use of 
covered distributed ledger technology and blockchain 
equipment or services, to acquire replacement equip-
ment and services, and to ensure that communica-
tions service to users and customers is sustained. 
(c) RULE
OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in sub-
section (a) or (b) shall be construed to— 
(1) prohibit the Secretary of Defense from ac-
quiring from an entity, or entering into, extending, 
or renewing a contract or other agreement with an 
entity for, a service that connects to the facilities of 
a third party, such as blockchain protocols or inter-
connection arrangements; or 
(2) apply to wireless telecommunications equip-
ment or third-party validators that cannot route or 
redirect user data traffic or permit visibility into any 
user data or packets that such equipment transmits 
or otherwise handles. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The prohibitions under sub-
sections (a) and (b) shall take effect on the date that is 
two years after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(e) WAIVER AUTHORITY.—
660 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), beginning on the effective date under sub-
section (d), the Secretary of Defense may, upon re-
quest of an entity, issue a waiver of the require-
ments under subsection (a) with respect to such en-
tity for a period of not more than two years. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary may only 
provide a waiver under this subsection if the entity 
seeking the waiver— 
(A) provides a compelling justification for 
the additional time to implement the require-
ments of this section; and 
(B) submits to the Secretary, who shall not 
later than 30 days thereafter submit to the 
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate 
and the House of Representatives, a full and 
complete description of the presence of covered 
distributed ledger technology and blockchain 
equipment or services in the entity’s supply 
chain and a phase-out plan to eliminate such 
covered distributed ledger technology and 
blockchain equipment or services. 
(3) ELEMENTS OF THE INTELLIGENCE COMMU-
NITY.—Beginning on the effective date under sub-
section (d), each head of an element of the intel-
661 
ligence community may waive the requirements 
under subsection (a) if such head determines the 
waiver is in the national security interests of the 
United States. 
(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 
(1) The term ‘‘covered distributed ledger tech-
nology and blockchain equipment or services’’ means 
distributed ledger technology and blockchain equip-
ment or services of or originating from a foreign ad-
versary, including any of the following companies or 
subsidiaries thereof: 
(A) The Blockchain-based Services Net-
work. 
(B) The Spartan Network. 
(C) The Conflux Network. 
(D) iFinex, Inc. 
(E) Red Date Technology Co., Ltd. 
(2) The term ‘‘executive agency’’ has the mean-
ing given the term in section 133 of title 41, United 
States Code. 
(3) The term ‘‘foreign adversary’’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 7.2 of title 15, 
Code of Federal Regulations.
662 
(4) The term ‘‘intelligence community’’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 3 of the National 
Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003). 
SEC. 
884. 
REPORT 
ON 
CONTRACT 
GOAL 
FOR 
THE 
ABILITYONE PROGRAM. 
The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congres-
sional defense committees a report on— 
(1) the progress of the Department of Defense 
in achieving the goal for the Department to acquire 
products and services from qualified nonprofit agen-
cies for the blind and qualified nonprofit agencies 
for the other severely disabled (as such terms are de-
fined, respectively, in section 8501 of title 41, 
United States Code) pursuant to chapter 85 of title 
41, United States Code, in an amount equal to one 
percent of the total funds obligated or expended by 
the Department for procurement for a fiscal year; 
and 
(2) any obstacles faced by the Secretary in 
achieving the goal described in paragraph (1). 
SEC. 885. REPORT ON SMALL PURCHASES OF CRITICAL 
MINERALS AND MAGNETS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
enactment of this section, the Director of the Defense 
Contract Management Agency shall submit to the congres-
663 
sional defense committees a report detailing the dollar 
amount of covered materials manufactured in China and 
Russia and acquired by the Department of Defense 
through contracts valued at or below the simplified acqui-
sition threshold during the period beginning on January 
1, 2020, and ending on the date of the submission of such 
report to the congressional defense committees. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The report required by subsection 
(a) shall include— 
(1) the total value of contracts under which 
covered materials were acquired by the Department 
of Defense during the period covered by the report; 
(2) the total value of contracts under which 
covered materials manufactured in China or Russia 
were acquired by the Department of Defense during 
the period covered by the report; 
(3) the total value of contracts under which 
covered materials were acquired by the Department 
of Defense during the period covered by the report 
for which the Director could not determine whether 
the covered materials were manufactured in China 
or Russia; 
(4) for each covered material, the value of the 
covered material acquired by the Department of De-
664 
fense during the period covered by the report that 
was manufactured in China or Russia; and 
(5) any recommendations from the Director for 
improving the ability of the Department of Defense 
to track the manufacturer of covered materials. 
(c) ACQUISITIONS
BY
THE DEFENSE LOGISTICS 
AGENCY.—Each value described in subsection (b) con-
tained in the report required by subsection (a) shall be 
disaggregated by acquisitions made by the Defense Logis-
tics Agency and acquisitions made by other elements of 
the Department of Defense. 
(d) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—For the purposes of 
this section, the Director shall regard ‘‘manufacturing’’ as 
being the main value-add step in the supply chain in which 
raw minerals are initially combined into a metallic, 
alloyed, or magnetic form and shall not count late-stage 
cutting and finishing processes or distribution as the crit-
ical manufacturing step. 
(e) COVERED MATERIAL DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘covered material’’ means— 
(1) samarium-cobalt magnets; 
(2) neodymium-iron-boron magnets; 
(3) tungsten metal powder; 
(4) tungsten heavy alloy; 
(5) tantalum metals and alloys;
665 
(6) aluminum-nickel-cobalt magnets; or 
(7) any other metals listed in section 4863(l) of 
title 10, United States Code. 
SEC. 886. LIMITATION ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS FOR IN-
STALLATION OF PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—None of the funds authorized to 
be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available 
for fiscal year 2025 for the Department of Defense may 
be used to for a contract for the installation of photo-
voltaic modules at any facility or real property of the De-
partment of Defense unless the contract contains a provi-
sion prohibiting the procurement of such photovoltaic 
modules from a foreign entity of concern (as defined in 
section 9901(8) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (15 
U.S.C. 4651(8))). 
(b) STUDY.—Not later than 30 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall submit to the congressional defense committees a re-
port on the expected amount to be obligated fiscal year 
2025 to install photovoltaic modules at Department of De-
fense facilities. 
(c) LIMITATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of 
appropriations and except as explicitly provided in a
666 
provision of law enacted after the date of the enact-
ment of this section, the Secretary of Defense may 
not obligate or expend from amounts otherwise au-
thorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2025 for 
the purpose of installing photovoltaic modules at any 
facility or real property of the Department of De-
fense more than the amount certified in the report 
required under subsection (b) for such purpose dur-
ing fiscal year 2025. 
(2) LIMITATION ON TRANSFER AUTHORITY.— 
Notwithstanding 
any 
other 
provision 
of 
law, 
amounts are not authorized to be transferred or re-
programmed pursuant to any authority of the Sec-
retary of Defense for fiscal year 2025 to exceed the 
amount certified in the report required under sub-
section (b). 
SEC. 887. STUDY AND REPORT ON SHIPPING CONTAINERS 
AND SPECIALTY SHIPPING CONTAINERS. 
(a) STUDY AND REPORT.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of Trans-
portation, shall submit to the congressional defense com-
mittees, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture of the House of Representatives, and the Committee
667 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, 
a report that contains the results of a study on— 
(1) the national security implications of reliance 
on shipping containers and specialty shipping con-
tainers produced by foreign adversary countries to 
meet national defense requirements; and 
(2) the feasibility and advisability of production 
of shipping containers and specialty shipping con-
tainers by covered countries for procurement by the 
Department of Defense. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required by subsection 
(a) shall include— 
(1) an assessment of the ability of the Secretary 
of Defense to procure shipping containers and spe-
cialty shipping containers from sources other than 
foreign adversary countries, including— 
(A) any barriers faced by the Secretary for 
such procurement, along with recommendations 
to mitigate such barriers; and 
(B) a timetable for such procurement; 
(2) in coordination with entities in the domestic 
defense industrial base, an assessment of require-
ments for shipping containers and specialty shipping 
containers that could be produced in a covered coun-
try or which could be acquired from allied or partner
668 
countries, including an assessment of the capabilities 
and capacities of the workforce of the domestic de-
fense industrial base, supply chain considerations, 
and the impact on the economy of the United States; 
(3) an assessment how an alternative source for 
procurement of specialty shipping containers would 
affect defense systems requiring specialty shipping 
containers, particularly in the event of a crisis; and 
(4) any other relevant considerations, as jointly 
determined by the Secretary of Defense and Sec-
retary of Transportation. 
(c) FORM.—The report required under subsection (a) 
shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include 
a classified annex. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘covered country’’ means the 
United States or an ally or partner country. 
(2) The term ‘‘foreign adversary country’’ 
means a country specified in section 4872(d)(2) of 
title 10, United States Code. 
(3) The term ‘‘shipping container’’ has the 
meaning given the term ‘‘container’’ in section 
80501 of title 46, United States Code. 
(4) The term ‘‘specialty shipping container’’ 
means a shipping container that is uniquely config-
669 
ured to support and protect items contained during 
handling, storage, unpacking, and forward and re-
turn shipment, or to protect personnel and equip-
ment from hazardous contents. 
TITLE IX—DEPARTMENT OF DE-
FENSE ORGANIZATION AND 
MANAGEMENT 
Subtitle A—Office of the Secretary 
of Defense and Related Matters 
SEC. 901. CHIEF TALENT MANAGEMENT OFFICER. 
Chapter 4 of title 10, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 149a. Chief Talent Management Officer 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—(1) There is a Chief Talent Man-
agement Officer of the Department of Defense, who shall 
be appointed by the Secretary of Defense. 
‘‘(2) The Chief Talent Management Officer shall re-
port directly to the Secretary of Defense in the perform-
ance of the duties of the Chief Talent Management Officer 
under this section. 
‘‘(b) DUTIES.—The Chief Talent Management officer 
shall— 
‘‘(1) serve as the principal staff assistant to the 
Secretary of Defense and Deputy Secretary of De-
fense on matters relating to total force talent man-
670 
agement within the Department of Defense, includ-
ing talent management for military personnel (in-
cluding members of the active and reserve compo-
nents of the armed forces) and civilian personnel of 
the Department; 
‘‘(2) develop and implement the overall talent 
strategy for military and civilian personnel in the 
Department of Defense, which shall include working 
across the military departments, Joint Staff, Office 
of the Secretary of Defense, and with interagency 
partners to lead the total force talent acquisition 
and management efforts of the Department; 
‘‘(3) oversee updates and reforms for remote 
and hybrid work, the use of enabling technology, 
practices for developing and tracking talent, and en-
couraging movement of talent across components, 
agencies, and non-governmental entities to help pro-
mote flexible career pathways and increase retention; 
‘‘(4) match talent to needs within the Depart-
ment and integrate broad upskilling and reskilling 
programs to create the future national defense work-
force; 
‘‘(5) coordinate all talent programs within the 
Department, including by developing pathways for 
permeability between uniformed and non-uniformed
671 
service opportunities and opportunities in the private 
sector; 
‘‘(6) maintain, strengthen, and improve the De-
partment’s use of competitive service hiring authori-
ties under title 5 and the authorities available under 
section 129 of this title to ensure the Department 
recruits and retains a strong and professional civil-
ian workforce; 
‘‘(7) study and promote best practices for work-
force development from the government, nonprofit, 
academic, and private sectors; 
‘‘(8) serve as the principal liaison between the 
Department and the national security talent indus-
trial and innovation base; 
‘‘(9) carry out programs, projects, and other ac-
tivities to strengthen the national security talent in-
dustrial and innovation base; 
‘‘(10) identify rules, regulations, policies, and 
guidance related to military and civilian talent man-
agement that require change for the purposes of 
achieving efficiencies and meeting the personnel 
needs of the Department; 
‘‘(11) coordinate with the Joint Staff and the 
Commanders of the combatant commands to identify 
talent needs to meet operational challenges;
672 
‘‘(12) develop an employer brand for the De-
partment of Defense that positions the Department 
as a sought after employer; 
‘‘(13) using available hiring authorities, develop 
a capability to rapidly prototype workforce develop-
ment and talent acquisition approaches with non- 
profit, academic, Government, and private sector 
agencies and organizations; and 
‘‘(14) carry out such other duties relating to 
talent management as may be assigned by the Sec-
retary of Defense. 
‘‘(c) INTERMEDIARY ORGANIZATIONS.—The Chief 
Talent Management Officer shall seek to partner with 
multiple intermediary organizations, including academic 
institutions and other key stakeholders in the talent indus-
trial and innovation base, to support the development of 
pools of qualified individuals with the skills and expertise 
necessary to meet critical personnel needs of the Depart-
ment of Defense. Activities undertaken pursuant to such 
partnerships may include the identification, training, and 
vetting of critical talent for the Department, including in-
dividuals with expertise relating to artificial intelligence, 
biotechnology, cybersecurity, materials and manufac-
turing, business processes, venture capital, financial mar-
kets, and other critical areas.
673 
‘‘(d) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.—Not later than 
90 days after the date of the enactment of this section, 
and on a semiannual basis thereafter, the Secretary of De-
fense, in coordination with the Chief Talent Management 
Officer, shall submit to the congressional defense commit-
tees a report that includes— 
‘‘(1) the strategy for implementation of the po-
sition of Chief Talent Management Officer of the 
Department of Defense; 
‘‘(2) any additional authorities or funding re-
quired for the Chief Talent Management officer to 
carry the purposes of this section; and 
‘‘(3) such other information as the Secretary 
determines appropriate.’’. 
SEC. 902. EXECUTIVE AGENT FOR COUNTERING THREATS 
POSED BY SMALL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT. 
Chapter 4 of title 10, United States Code, as amend-
ed by section 901, is further amended by adding at the 
end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 149b. Executive agent for countering threats posed 
by small unmanned aircraft 
‘‘(a) EXECUTIVE AGENT.—The Secretary of Defense, 
shall designate a senior official from among the personnel 
of the Department of Defense to act as the executive agent 
responsible for providing oversight of—
674 
‘‘(1) the efforts of the Department to counter 
small unmanned aircraft and systems; and 
‘‘(2) associated training and technology pro-
grams. 
‘‘(b) DUTIES.—The Executive agent shall— 
‘‘(1) coordinate and integrate joint require-
ments to counter threats posed by small unmanned 
aircraft; 
‘‘(2) provide common individual training to 
members of the Armed Forces on countering such 
threats; and 
‘‘(3) carry out joint research, development, test, 
and evaluation activities for common activities on be-
half of the military departments with respect to 
counter-UAS systems. 
‘‘(c) SUPPORT
WITHIN
DEPARTMENT
OF
DE-
FENSE.—The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the 
military departments, Defense Agencies, and other compo-
nents of the Department of Defense provide the executive 
agent designated under subsection (a) with the appro-
priate support and resources needed to perform the roles, 
responsibilities, and authorities of the executive agent. 
‘‘(d) COMPLIANCE WITH EXISTING DIRECTIVE.— 
The Secretary shall carry out this section in compliance 
with Directive 5101.1.
675 
‘‘(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘Directive 5101.1’ means De-
partment of Defense Directive 5101.1, or any suc-
cessor directive relating to the responsibilities of an 
executive agent of the Department of Defense. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘executive agent’ has the mean-
ing given the term ‘DoD Executive Agent’ in Direc-
tive 5101.1. 
‘‘(3) The terms ‘counter-UAS system’, ‘un-
manned aircraft’, and ‘small unmanned aircraft’ 
have the meanings given those terms in section 
44801 of title 49, United States Code.’’. 
SEC. 903. ELIMINATION OF THE CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER 
OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 
(a) REPEAL OF POSITION.—Section 147 of title 10, 
United States Code, is repealed. 
(b) CONFORMING REPEAL.—Section 913 of the Wil-
liam M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283; 8 
U.S.C. 147 note) is repealed. 
(c) PROHIBITION ON ESTABLISHMENT OF SIMILAR 
POSITIONS.—No Federal funds may be obligated or ex-
pended to establish a position within the Department of 
Defense that is the same as or substantially similar to—
676 
(1) the position of Chief Diversity Officer, as 
described in section 147 of title 10, United States 
Code, as such section was in effect before the date 
of the enactment of this Act; or 
(2) the position of Senior Advisor for Diversity 
and Inclusion, as described in section 913(b) of the 
William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 
116–283; 10 U.S.C. 147 note), as such section was 
in effect before the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
Subtitle B—Other Department of 
Defense Organization and Man-
agement Matters 
SEC. 921. DESIGNATION OF SENIOR OFFICIALS RESPON-
SIBLE FOR CONTESTED LOGISTICS POSTURE 
MANAGEMENT. 
(a) ROLE OF UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR 
ACQUISITION AND SUSTAINMENT.—Section 133b(b)(5) of 
title 10, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(2) in subparagraph (C), by adding ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; and
679 
carrying out the responsibilities described in sub-
section (d). 
‘‘(2) Each strategy under paragraph (1) shall 
include the following: 
‘‘(A) A description of— 
‘‘(i) the locations of sites outside the 
continental United States at which stocks 
of 
supplies 
and 
equipment 
are 
prepositioned as of the date of the strat-
egy; 
‘‘(ii) the status and disposition of 
such prepositioned stocks; and 
‘‘(iii) the operational or contingency 
plan such stocks are intended to support. 
‘‘(B) Identification of— 
‘‘(i) any shortcomings associated with 
the sites and prepositioned stocks de-
scribed in subparagraph (A) that must be 
addressed to optimally execute operational 
and contingency plans; and 
‘‘(ii) any additional sites, infrastruc-
ture, or equipment that may be needed to 
address such shortcomings and support 
such plans.
680 
‘‘(C) A description of any additional fund-
ing or other resources required— 
‘‘(i) to address the shortcomings iden-
tified under subparagraph (B)(i); and 
‘‘(ii) to provide for the additional 
sites, infrastructure, and equipment identi-
fied under subparagraph (B)(ii). 
‘‘(D) A prioritized list of investment rec-
ommendations for each item described in sub-
paragraph (C). 
‘‘(E) Identification of each case in which 
the military department concerned lacks the au-
thority or ability to access a location outside the 
United States for purposes of providing logistics 
support as required under operational and con-
tingency plans, set forth separately by location. 
‘‘(F) An assessment of any existing and 
projected threats to sites outside the continental 
United States that are expected to support such 
operational and contingency plans. 
‘‘(3) COVERED PERIOD AND UPDATES.—Each 
strategy under paragraph (1) shall cover the period 
of one year following the date of the strategy and 
shall be updated on an annual basis in accordance 
with paragraph (4).
681 
‘‘(4) ANNUAL REPORTS.— 
‘‘(A) INITIAL
REPORT.—Not later than 
180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
section, each senior official designated under 
subsection (b) shall submit to the congressional 
defense committees a report that includes the 
strategy developed under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(B) SUBSEQUENT REPORTS.—On an an-
nual basis following the submittal of the initial 
report under subparagraph (A), each senior of-
ficial designated under subsection (b) shall sub-
mit to the congressional defense committees a 
report that includes— 
‘‘(i) an updated version of the strat-
egy under paragraph (1); 
‘‘(ii) an assessment of the progress 
made by the military department con-
cerned in achieving the goals of such strat-
egy; and 
‘‘(iii) any plans of the official improve 
the logistics capabilities of the military de-
partment concerned to ensure those capa-
bilities meet the requirements of applicable 
operational and contingency plans.
682 
‘‘(f) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out the duties re-
quired under this section, each senior official designated 
under subsection (b) shall consult with subject matter ex-
perts from— 
‘‘(1) the Office of the Secretary of Defense; 
‘‘(2) the Joint Staff; 
‘‘(3) the geographic combatant commands; 
‘‘(4) other military departments; 
‘‘(5) the Department of State; and 
‘‘(6) such other departments and agencies of 
the Federal Government as the official determines 
appropriate. 
‘‘(g) REPRESENTATION.—To the extent practicable, 
the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that each official 
designated under subsection (b) is included in any panels, 
working groups, or advisory bodies of the Department 
with roles relating the matters described in subsection 
(d).’’. 
(c) DEADLINE FOR DESIGNATION.—Not later than 
90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, each 
Secretary of a military department shall make the des-
ignation required under section 2229b(b) of title 10, 
United States Code (as added by subsection (b) of this 
section).
683 
SEC. 922. ELIGIBILITY OF CHIEF OF THE NATIONAL GUARD 
BUREAU FOR APPOINTMENT AS CHAIRMAN 
OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF. 
Section 152(b)(1)(B) of title 10, United States Code, 
is amended by striking ‘‘the Commandant of the Marine 
Corps, or the Chief of Space Operations’’ and inserting 
‘‘the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Chief of 
Space Operations, or the Chief of the National Guard Bu-
reau’’. 
SEC. 923. DESIGNATION OF DEPUTY UNDER SECRETARY OF 
THE ARMY AS PRINCIPAL OFFICIAL RESPON-
SIBLE FOR EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 7014 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(g)(1) The Secretary of the Army shall designate 
the Deputy Under Secretary of the Army as the official 
within the Office of the Secretary of the Army with prin-
cipal responsibility for the explosive ordnance disposal en-
terprise of the Army. 
‘‘(2) The responsibilities of the Deputy Under Sec-
retary of the Army under this subsection shall include— 
‘‘(A) providing oversight and strategic direction 
for the management and operations of the explosive 
ordnance disposal enterprise of the Army, including 
planning, programming, budgeting, and execution;
684 
‘‘(B) providing strategic direction for the fund-
ing of the enterprise, including funding for— 
‘‘(i) manning, training, organizing, equip-
ping (including any associated research and de-
velopment), and sustaining the enterprise; and 
‘‘(ii) supporting military installations that 
comprise the enterprise; 
‘‘(C) providing strategic direction for the activi-
ties of the enterprise in providing explosive ordi-
nance disposal support for— 
‘‘(i) the President; 
‘‘(ii) combatant commanders; 
‘‘(iii) military installations; and 
‘‘(iv) civilian law enforcement agencies (in 
accordance with sections 282 and 283 of this 
title); and 
‘‘(D) providing strategic direction on the activi-
ties of the enterprise over the full range of military 
operations from irregular warfare to large-scale 
ground combat. 
‘‘(3) On an annual basis, the Deputy Under Sec-
retary of the Army shall provide to the Committees on 
Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Represent-
atives a briefing on the status of the explosive ordnance 
disposal enterprise of the Army. The briefing shall include,
685 
with respect to the period covered by the most recent fu-
ture-years defense program submitted to Congress under 
section 221 of this title (as of the date of the briefing), 
an estimate of the total obligatory authority for the enter-
prise and the numbers and types of personnel expected 
to be assigned to the enterprise. 
‘‘(4) In this subsection, the terms ‘explosive ord-
nance’ and ‘explosive ordnance disposal’ have the mean-
ings given those terms in section 2284(d).’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall take effect 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 924. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DRONE CORPS AS A 
BASIC BRANCH OF THE ARMY. 
(a) DESIGNATION
AS
BASIC
BRANCH.—Section 
7063(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (12), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (13) as para-
graph (14); and 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (12) the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
‘‘(13) Drone Corps; and’’.
687 
‘‘(2) serve as a command center for Army oper-
ations involving the aircraft and systems described 
in paragraph (1); 
‘‘(3) carry out activities to integrate such air-
craft and systems with Army forces that have not 
traditionally used such aircraft and systems; 
‘‘(4) conduct research, development, testing, 
and evaluation of such aircraft and systems; 
‘‘(5) provide personnel with specialized training 
in such aircraft and systems; 
‘‘(6) carry out programs to attract and retain 
personnel with expertise relevant to such aircraft 
and systems; 
‘‘(7) develop strategies and capabilities to 
counter the unmanned aircraft and unmanned air-
craft systems of adversary forces; and 
‘‘(8) perform such other functions relating to 
unmanned aircraft and unmanned aircraft systems 
as the Secretary determines appropriate. 
‘‘(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The terms ‘counter-UAS system’, ‘un-
manned aircraft’, and ‘unmanned aircraft system’ 
have the meanings given those terms in section 
44801 of title 49, United States Code.
688 
‘‘(2) The term ‘medium unmanned aircraft’ 
means an unmanned aircraft with gross takeoff 
weight that is equal to greater than 55 pounds and 
less than 1320 pounds. 
‘‘(3) The term ‘small unmanned aircraft’ means 
an unmanned aircraft with a gross takeoff weight of 
less than 55 pounds.’’. 
SEC. 925. ARMY ELECTRONIC WARFARE CENTER OF EXCEL-
LENCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 707 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘§ 7085. Electronic Warfare Center of Excellence 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of the Army 
shall establish and operate an Electronic Warfare Center 
of Excellence within the Army Training and Doctrine 
Command. 
‘‘(b) MISSIONS.—The Electronic Warfare Center of 
Excellence shall be used to— 
‘‘(1) provide comprehensive training and other 
educational programs relating to electronic warfare, 
including— 
‘‘(A) advanced individual training; 
‘‘(B) professional military education; 
‘‘(C) new equipment training; and
689 
‘‘(D) instructor training and certification; 
‘‘(2) develop and regularly update the cur-
riculum for such training and programs; 
‘‘(3) identify, develop, and integrate materiel 
and organizational requirements for electronic war-
fare; 
‘‘(4) investigate emerging electronic warfare re-
quirements; 
‘‘(5) conduct assessments for electronic warfare 
materiel requirements determination and develop-
ment; 
‘‘(6) develop and manage the integration of 
electronic warfare solutions with doctrine, organiza-
tion, training, materiel, leadership and education, 
personnel, and facilities; 
‘‘(7) conduct analysis for electronic warfare 
force requirements; 
‘‘(8) develop and manage organizational docu-
mentation relating to electronic warfare, including 
field manuals, technical manuals, training materials, 
standard operating procedures, doctrine publications, 
and after-action reports; 
‘‘(9) carry out such functions as the Secretary 
of the Army determines appropriate.’’.
690 
(b) TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS.—Not later than one 
year after the date of the enactment of this Act, to the 
extent determined appropriate by the Secretary of the 
Army, the Secretary shall transfer the electronic warfare- 
related programs, projects, and activities of the Cyber 
Center of Excellence of the Army to the Electronic War-
fare Center of Excellence established under section 7085 
of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection 
(a). 
SEC. 926. CODIFICATION OF ADDITIONAL STAFF CORPS OF 
THE NAVY. 
(a) CODIFICATION.—Section 8090 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended, in subsection (a)— 
(1) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘and’’; 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (5) as para-
graph (9); and 
(3) by inserting, after paragraph (4), the fol-
lowing new paragraphs: 
‘‘(5) the Supply Corps; 
‘‘(6) the Civil Engineer Corps; 
‘‘(7) the Nurse Corps; 
‘‘(8) the Medical Service Corps; and’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Such section is fur-
ther amended, in subsection (b)(1), by striking ‘‘Medical 
Corps, the Dental Corps, the Judge Advocate General’s
691 
Corps, and the Chaplain Corps’’ and inserting ‘‘staff corps 
specified in subsection (a)’’. 
SEC. 927. FEASIBILITY REPORT ON ESTABLISHMENT OF A 
DEFENSE 
INDUSTRIAL 
REVITALIZATION 
BOARD. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Serv-
ices of the Senate and the House of Representatives a re-
port on the feasibility and advisability of establishing a 
Defense Industrial Revitalization Board (in this section 
referred to as the ‘‘Board’’) that— 
(1) would consist of the members described in 
subsection (b); 
(2) would be responsible for ensuring the de-
fense industrial base is prepared to meet Depart-
ment of Defense wartime production needs by— 
(A) assessing the health of the defense in-
dustrial base; 
(B) identifying critical shortages and im-
pediments to production of critical munitions 
and other war materials; 
(C) identifying required production rates 
for critical munitions; and
692 
(D) overseeing and deconflicting Depart-
ment and service efforts to improve defense in-
dustrial capacity; 
(3) would, in furtherance of such responsibil-
ities— 
(A) develop a comprehensive plan that de-
tails immediate steps that can be taken to in-
crease the capacity of the defense industrial 
base; 
(B) utilize existing supply chain mapping 
efforts to identify single points of failure that 
impact munitions and critical weapons plat-
forms and identify funding mechanisms to cre-
ate second sources or other resilience measures, 
with a focus on those munitions necessary for 
a potential war in the Pacific; 
(C) utilize existing supply chain mapping 
efforts to identify reliance on foreign adver-
saries within critical munitions supply chains 
and recommend amelioration efforts; 
(D) for critical munitions, establish a min-
imum procurement rate for purposes of ensur-
ing adequate Department of Defense budgeting 
in each fiscal year and for directing budget pro-
posals for the Department; and
693 
(E) review critical munitions production 
capacity on a twice yearly basis and take reme-
dial action to address any shortfalls; and 
(4) would terminate five years after being es-
tablished. 
(b) MEMBERS DESCRIBED.—The Board considered 
for potential establishment in the report under subsection 
(a) would include the following members: 
(1) Relevant Department of Defense acquisi-
tion, research and engineering, and comptroller per-
sonnel. 
(2) Service acquisition executives and program 
managers. 
(3) Defense industry representatives. 
(4) Relevant think tank experts. 
(5) Representatives from the Under Secretary 
of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment. 
(6) Representatives from the Under Secretary 
of Defense for Research and Engineering. 
(7) Representatives from the Defense Innova-
tion Unit. 
(c) DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE DEFINED.—In this 
section, the term ‘‘defense industrial base’’ means organi-
zations, facilities, and resources that supply the Depart-
694 
ment of Defense with materials, products, and services for 
defense purposes. 
SEC. 928. INCLUSION OF MEXICO IN THE AREA OF RESPON-
SIBILITY OF THE UNITED STATES SOUTHERN 
COMMAND. 
Not later than 30 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall— 
(1) remove Mexico from the area of responsi-
bility of the United States Northern Command; and 
(2) include Mexico in the area of responsibility 
of the United States Southern Command. 
SEC. 929. MEMBERSHIP OF COMMANDANT OF THE COAST 
GUARD ON THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF. 
(a) MEMBERSHIP
ON
THE
JOINT
CHIEFS
OF 
STAFF.—Section 151(a) of title 10, United States Code, 
is amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(9) The Commandant of the Coast Guard.’’. 
(b) APPOINTMENT
OF
CHAIRMAN; GRADE
AND 
RANK.—Section 152 of such title is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)(1)(B) by striking ‘‘or the 
Commandant of the Marine Corps’’ and inserting 
‘‘the Commandant of the Marine Corps, or the Com-
mandant of the Coast Guard’’; and
695 
(2) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘Navy’’ and 
inserting ‘‘Navy or Coast Guard’’. 
(c) VICE CHAIRMAN.—Section 154(f) of such title is 
amended by striking ‘‘Navy’’ and inserting ‘‘Navy or 
Coast Guard’’. 
(d) INCLUSION
ON
THE JOINT STAFF.—Section 
155(a) of such title is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
(A), by striking ‘‘(other than the Coast 
Guard)’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(C) in subparagraph (C), by striking the 
period at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(D) by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraph: 
‘‘(D) the Coast Guard.’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘Secretary of 
the military department having jurisdiction over that 
armed force’’ and inserting ‘‘Secretary concerned’’. 
(e) DUTIES AS MEMBER OF JOINT STAFF.—Section 
302 of title 14, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘The President may’’ and in-
serting the following:
696 
‘‘(a) The President may’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(b)(1) The Commandant of the Coast Guard shall 
also perform the duties prescribed for the Commandant 
as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under section 
151 of title 10. 
‘‘(2) To the extent that such action does not impair 
the independence of the Commandant in the performance 
of the Commandant’s duties as a member of the Joint 
Chiefs of Staff, the Commandant shall inform the Sec-
retary of the department in which the Coast Guard is op-
erating regarding military advice rendered by members of 
the Joint Chiefs of Staff on matters affecting such depart-
ment. 
‘‘(3) Subject to the authority, direction, and control 
of the Secretary of Defense, the Commandant shall keep 
the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard 
is operating fully informed of significant military oper-
ations affecting the duties and responsibilities of such Sec-
retary.’’. 
SEC. 930. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SENIOR INTEL-
LIGENCE OVERSIGHT OFFICIAL. 
Subchapter I of chapter 21 of title 10, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
697 
‘‘§ 430c. Senior Intelligence Oversight Official 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Defense, 
or a designee of the Secretary determined by regulations 
prescribed by the Secretary, shall designate a civilian em-
ployee of the Department of Defense in the Senior Execu-
tive Service to serve as the Senior Intelligence Oversight 
Official. 
‘‘(b) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Senior Intelligence 
Oversight Official shall exercise independent oversight of 
all intelligence, intelligence-related, and sensitive activities 
of the Department of Defense, including activities involv-
ing— 
‘‘(1) tradecraft; 
‘‘(2) the operational use of an individual; or 
‘‘(3) clandestine operational tactics, techniques, 
and procedures. 
‘‘(c) ACCESS.—The Senior Intelligence Oversight Of-
ficial shall have— 
‘‘(1) complete and unrestricted access to all in-
formation concerning any intelligence, intelligence- 
related, or sensitive activity of the Department of 
Defense 
regardless 
of 
classification 
or 
compartmentalization, including special access pro-
grams, from any personnel or organizational entity 
of the Department of Defense, to the extent nec-
698 
essary to carry out the responsibilities and functions 
of the Senior Intelligence Oversight Official; and 
‘‘(2) direct access to the Secretary of Defense 
and the Deputy Secretary of Defense, as cir-
cumstances require in the determination of the Sen-
ior Intelligence Oversight Official. 
‘‘(d) REVIEW OF REGULATIONS.—The Secretary of 
Defense shall review and update Department of Defense 
Directive 5148.13, and any associated or successor regula-
tion or directive, to conform to this section.’’. 
TITLE X—GENERAL PROVISIONS 
Subtitle A—Financial Matters 
SEC. 1001. GENERAL TRANSFER AUTHORITY. 
(a) AUTHORITY TO TRANSFER AUTHORIZATIONS.— 
(1) AUTHORITY.—Upon determination by the 
Secretary of Defense that such action is necessary in 
the national interest, the Secretary may transfer 
amounts of authorizations made available to the De-
partment of Defense in this division for fiscal year 
2025 between any such authorizations for that fiscal 
year (or any subdivisions thereof). Amounts of au-
thorizations so transferred shall be merged with and 
be available for the same purposes as the authoriza-
tion to which transferred.
699 
(2) LIMITATION.—Except as provided in para-
graph (3), the total amount of authorizations that 
the Secretary may transfer under the authority of 
this section may not exceed $6,000,000,000. 
(3) EXCEPTION
FOR
TRANSFERS
BETWEEN 
MILITARY PERSONNEL AUTHORIZATIONS.—A trans-
fer of funds between military personnel authoriza-
tions under title IV shall not be counted toward the 
dollar limitation in paragraph (2). 
(b) LIMITATIONS.—The authority provided by sub-
section (a) to transfer authorizations— 
(1) may only be used to provide authority for 
items that have a higher priority than the items 
from which authority is transferred; and 
(2) may not be used to provide authority for an 
item that has been denied authorization by Con-
gress. 
(c) EFFECT
ON
AUTHORIZATION
AMOUNTS.—A 
transfer made from one account to another under the au-
thority of this section shall be deemed to increase the 
amount authorized for the account to which the amount 
is transferred by an amount equal to the amount trans-
ferred.
700 
(d) NOTICE
TO CONGRESS.—The Secretary shall 
promptly notify Congress of each transfer made under 
subsection (a). 
SEC. 1002. REVISION OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FINAN-
CIAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION. 
(a) Not later than September 30, 2026, the Under 
Secretary of Defense for Comptroller shall revise the De-
partment of Defense Financial Management Regulation 
7000.14-R. The Under Secretary shall ensure that the re-
vised regulation— 
(1) is consistent and clear throughout; 
(2) includes updated guidance with respect to 
legislative and regulatory requirements; and 
(3) does not include any outdated guidance or 
guidance subject to change annually in an annual 
appropriations act. 
(b) CONSIDERATIONS.—In revising the regulation 
under subsection (a), the Under Secretary shall— 
(1) prioritize clarity and accessibility in the lan-
guage and direction provided, including improve-
ments to the coordination and approval process for 
recommended changes; 
(2) review and adopt modern financial practices 
that better align to current development and produc-
tion cycles;
701 
(3) consider information technology solutions to 
improve the accessibility and usability of the Finan-
cial Management Regulation; and 
(4) in consultation with the Cross-Functional 
Team established under section 1003 consider the 
recommendations of the Commission on Planning, 
Programming, Budgeting, and Execution Reform. 
(c) BRIEFING.—Not later than 90 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, and once every 90 days 
thereafter during the three-year period following such date 
of enactment, the Secretary shall provide to the congres-
sional defense committees a briefing on the efforts to up-
date the Financial Management Regulation. Each such 
briefing shall include each of the following: 
(1) The progress made in updating the Finan-
cial Management Regulation. 
(2) The plan and timeline for completing revi-
sions to the Financial Management Regulation. 
(3) Any barriers to the ability of the Depart-
ment of Defense to update the Financial Manage-
ment Regulation as required under this section. 
(4) Any legislation required to complete revi-
sions of the Financial Management Regulation. 
(5) Any other information determined relevant 
by the Secretary.
702 
SEC. 1003. CROSS-FUNCTIONAL TEAM FOR IMPLEMENTA-
TION OF RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COM-
MISSION 
ON 
PLANNING, 
PROGRAMMING, 
BUDGETING, AND EXECUTION REFORM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Using the authority provided 
pursuant to section 911(c) of the National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114– 
328; 10 U.S.C. 111 note), the Secretary of Defense shall 
establish a cross-functional team to address the implemen-
tation of the recommendations of the Commission on Plan-
ning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution Reform (in 
this section referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’). 
(b) DUTIES.—The duties of the cross-functional team 
established under subsection (a) shall be to assist the Sec-
retary of Defense with the implementation of the rec-
ommendations of the Commission and any efforts regard-
ing such recommendations that the Secretary determines 
necessary. 
(c) TEAM LEADERSHIP.—The Secretary shall select 
an Under Secretary of Defense to lead the cross-functional 
team and a senior military officer to serve as the deputy 
to the Under Secretary so selected. 
(d) DETERMINATION
OF ORGANIZATIONAL ROLES 
AND RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Secretary, acting through 
the cross-functional team established under subsection (a), 
shall determine the roles and responsibilities of the organi-
703 
zations and elements of the Department of Defense with 
respect to addressing the implementation of the rec-
ommendations of the Commission, including the roles and 
responsibilities of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, 
Defense agencies, Department of Defense field activities, 
the military departments, the combatant commands, and 
the Joint Staff. 
(e) BRIEFINGS.— 
(1) INITIAL BRIEFING.—Not later than 45 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall provide to the congressional defense 
committees a briefing on— 
(A) the progress of the Secretary in estab-
lishing the cross-functional team required under 
subsection (a); and 
(B) the progress the team has made in— 
(i) determining the roles and respon-
sibilities of the organizations and elements 
of the Department of Defense with respect 
the cross-functional team; and 
(ii) carrying out the duties under sub-
section (b). 
(2) UPDATES.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, and once 
every 90 days thereafter during the three-year pe-
704 
riod following such date of enactment, the Secretary 
shall provide to the congressional defense commit-
tees a briefing containing updates with respect to 
the efforts of the Department regarding implementa-
tion of the recommendations of the Commission. 
SEC. 1004. CONGRESSIONAL NOTIFICATION OF TRANSFER 
OF FUNDS. 
Subsection (c) of section 2214 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(c) NOTICE TO CONGRESS.—(1) Not later than five 
days after the Secretary of Defense transfers amounts 
under such authority to transfer amounts, the Secretary 
shall provide to the congressional defense committees and 
the covered members of Congress notice of the transfer. 
‘‘(2) Notice under this subsection with respect to a 
transfer shall include— 
‘‘(A) a written description of the transfer; and 
‘‘(B) upon the request of a congressional de-
fense committee or a covered member of Congress, 
a briefing on the transfer, which shall be provided 
not later than five days after the date on which the 
briefing is requested. 
‘‘(3) In this subsection, the term ‘covered member of 
Congress’ means, with respect to a transfer—
705 
‘‘(A) each Member of the House of Representa-
tives who represents a district that would be affected 
by the transfer; and 
‘‘(B) both Senators from each State that would 
be affected by the transfer.’’. 
SEC. 1005. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SPENDING REDUC-
TIONS IN ABSENCE OF SUBMITTED FINAN-
CIAL STATEMENTS OR FAILURE TO ACHIEVE 
UNQUALIFIED OR QUALIFIED INDEPENDENT 
AUDIT OPINION. 
(a) APPLICABILITY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 
this section applies to the Department of Defense, 
including military departments and Defense Agen-
cies thereof. 
(2) SEPARATE
APPLICABILITY.—If a military 
department or Defense Agency is identified by the 
Director of the Office of Management and Budget as 
required to have its own audited financial statement 
under section 3515 of title 31, United States Code, 
that military department and Defense Agency shall 
be treated separately from the Department of De-
fense for purposes of application of this section. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
706 
(1) The terms ‘‘financial statement’’ and ‘‘ex-
ternal independent auditor’’ have the meanings given 
those terms in section 3521(e) of title 31, United 
States Code. 
(3) The term ‘‘unqualified’’, with respect to the 
audit status of a financial statement, includes the 
characterizations clean and unmodified. 
(2) The term ‘‘qualified’’, with respect to the 
audit status of a financial statement, includes the 
characterization modified. 
(c) 
ADJUSTMENTS
FOR
FINANCIAL
ACCOUNT-
ABILITY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—On March 2 of each fiscal 
year, the discretionary budget authority available for 
the Department of Defense (or a military depart-
ment or Defense Agency covered by subsection 
(a)(2)) for such fiscal year shall be adjusted as pro-
vided in paragraph (2). 
(2) ADJUSTMENT.—If the Department of De-
fense (or a military department or Defense Agency 
covered by subsection (a)(2)) has not submitted a fi-
nancial statement for the previous fiscal year, or if 
such financial statement has not received either an 
unqualified or a qualified audit opinion by an inde-
pendent external auditor, the discretionary budget
707 
authority available for the Department of Defense, 
the military department, or the Defense Agency (as 
the case may be) shall be reduced by .5 percent, 
with the reduction applied proportionately to each 
account (other than an account listed in subsection 
(d) or an account for which a waiver is made under 
subsection (e)). 
(3) 
MINIMIZES
NATIONAL
SECURITY
EF-
FECTS.—Consistent with applicable laws, the Sec-
retary of Defense may make any reduction under 
paragraph (2) in a manner that minimizes any effect 
on national security. 
(4) DEFICIT REDUCTION.—An amount equal to 
the total amount of any reduction under paragraph 
(2) shall be retained in the general fund of the 
Treasury for the purposes of deficit reduction. 
(d) ACCOUNTS EXCLUDED.—The following accounts 
are excluded from any reductions referred to in subsection 
(c)(2): 
(1) Military personnel, reserve personnel, and 
National Guard personnel accounts of the Depart-
ment of Defense. 
(2) The Defense Health Program account of 
the Department of Defense.
708 
(e) WAIVER.—The President may waive subsection 
(c)(2) with respect to an account if the President certifies 
that applying the subsection to that account would harm 
national security or members of the Armed Forces who 
are deployed in combat zones. 
(f) REPORT.—Not later than 60 days after an adjust-
ment under subsection (c), the Director of the Office of 
Management and Budget shall submit to Congress a re-
port describing the amount and account of each adjust-
ment. 
SEC. 1006. OVERSIGHT REQUIREMENTS FOR FINANCIAL IM-
PROVEMENT 
AND 
AUDIT 
REMEDIATION 
PLAN. 
Section 240b(b) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)(A), by inserting ‘‘, the 
Committee on Oversight and Accountability of the 
House of Representatives, and the Committee on 
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the 
Senate’’ after ‘‘congressional defense committees’’; 
and 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) by amending the paragraph heading to 
read as follows: ‘‘BRIEFINGS’’; and
709 
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraph: 
‘‘(C) Not later than June 30, 2025, and annu-
ally thereafter, the Under Secretary of Defense 
(Comptroller) shall provide to the Committee on 
Oversight and Accountability of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Homeland Secu-
rity and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a brief-
ing on the status of the corrective action plan. Such 
briefing shall include an assessment of the progress 
of the Secretary of Defense in achieving an unquali-
fied audit opinion as described in subsection 
(a)(2)(iv)’’. 
SEC. 1006A. USE OF TECHNOLOGY USING ARTIFICIAL IN-
TELLIGENCE TO FACILITATE AUDIT OF THE 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF THE DEPART-
MENT OF DEFENSE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025. 
(a) USE OF AI TECHNOLOGY FOR AUDITS.—The Sec-
retary of Defense and the Secretaries of the Army, Navy, 
and Air Force shall encourage, to the greatest extent prac-
ticable, the use of technology that uses artificial intel-
ligence or machine learning for the purpose of facilitating 
audits of the financial statements of the Department of 
Defense.
710 
(b) IMPLEMENTATION OF AI TECHNOLOGY FOR AU-
DITS.—The Director of the Chief Digital and Artificial In-
telligence Office of the Department, in coordination with 
the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engi-
neering and the Inspector General of the Department, 
shall oversee the adoption of artificial intelligence and ma-
chine learning technologies in support of financial man-
agement and enterprise business operations. 
(c) BRIEFING.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the 
Senate and House of Representatives a briefing that in-
cludes a description of the use of artificial intelligence or 
machine learning technologies as described in (a) and (b), 
including an update on the implementation of the strategy 
titled ‘‘2023 Data, Analytics, and Artificial Intelligence 
Adoption Strategy’’ and dated June 27, 2023. 
Subtitle B—Counterdrug Activities 
SEC. 1007. MODIFICATION TO TYPES OF SUPPORT FOR 
COUNTERDRUG ACTIVITIES AND ACTIVITIES 
TO COUNTER TRANSNATIONAL ORGANIZED 
CRIME. 
Section 284(b)(6)(A) of title 10, United States Code, 
is amended by striking ‘‘within 25 miles of and’’.
711 
SEC. 1008. SUPPORT FOR COUNTERDRUG ACTIVITIES AF-
FECTING FLOW OF DRUGS INTO UNITED 
STATES. 
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary shall prescribe Depart-
ment-wide 
guidance 
that 
establishes 
support 
for 
counterdrug activities and programs affecting the flow of 
drugs into the United States as the principal foreign 
counterdrug program priority of the Department. 
SEC. 1009. REPORT ON DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE OPER-
ATIONAL PLANNING TO DEFEAT MEXICAN 
DRUG CARTELS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of De-
fense, in consultation with the heads of such other depart-
ments and agencies as the Secretary determines appro-
priate, shall submit to the appropriate congressional com-
mittees a report on Department of Defense operational 
planning to defeat Mexican drug cartels. Such report shall 
include the following elements: 
(1) A history of Mexican military operations 
against transnational criminal organizations, includ-
ing— 
(A) areas of operations; 
(B) operations against high value targets; 
and,
712 
(C) after-action reviews of operations. 
(2) An assessment of Mexican military assets 
and capabilities, including— 
(A) unit-specific leadership assessments; 
(B) unit-specific strengths; 
(C) unit-specific weaknesses; 
(D) unit-specific readiness; and, 
(E) unit-specific susceptibility to corrup-
tion or cooperation with transnational criminal 
organizations. 
(3) An identification of any gaps in Mexican 
military assets and capabilities for which the United 
States Armed Forces could provide additional re-
sources to assist in the defeat of Mexican drug car-
tels. 
(4) A description of operational plans to mili-
tarily defeat Mexican drug cartels with varying levels 
of coordination and cooperation with the Mexican 
military. 
(5) An assessment of additional steps that 
would be necessary to secure a military victory after 
the military defeat of such cartels. 
(b) FORM OF REPORT.—The report required under 
subsection (a) shall be submitted in classified form.
713 
(c) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.— 
In this section the term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
(1) the congressional defense committee; 
(2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the 
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the 
House of Representatives; and 
(3) the Committee on Foreign Relations and 
the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate. 
SEC. 1010. MODIFICATION TO TYPES OF SUPPORT FOR 
COUNTERDRUG ACTIVITIES AND ACTIVITIES 
TO COUNTER TRANSNATIONAL ORGANIZED 
CRIME. 
Section 284(b)(6)(A) of title 10, United States Code, 
is amended by inserting ‘‘or within the joint operating 
area of Joint Interagency Task Force South’’ after 
‘‘United States’’. 
SEC. 1010A. SALE OR DONATION OF EXCESS DEPARTMENT 
OF 
DEFENSE 
PERSONAL 
PROPERTY 
FOR 
DRUG SURVEILLANCE AND INTERDICTION. 
Section 2576a(d) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘the highest’’ and inserting ‘‘a 
high’’; and
714 
(2) by striking ‘‘In considering’’ and inserting 
‘‘(1) In considering applications for the transfer of 
personal property under this section, the Secretary 
shall give the highest preference to applications indi-
cating that the transferred property will be used in 
counterdrug surveillance and interdiction by local, 
tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies with-
in 100 miles of the United States-Mexico border 
that have an annual budget of not more than 
$200,000,000.’’ 
‘‘(2) In considering’’. 
Subtitle C—Naval Vessels and 
Shipyards 
SEC. 1011. ASSESSMENT REQUIRED IN THE EVENT OF A 
PROPOSED REDUCTION IN BATTLE FORCE 
SHIPS AS PART OF THE ANNUAL NAVAL VES-
SEL CONSTRUCTION PLAN AND CERTIFI-
CATION. 
Section 231 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (g) as sub-
section (h); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (f) the fol-
lowing new subsection:
715 
‘‘(g) REDUCTION IN BATTLE FORCE SHIPS.—(1) If 
the plan and certification submitted under subsection (a) 
for a fiscal year include a reduction in the number of bat-
tle force ships during the ten-year period following the 
submission of the plan, as compared to the number of such 
ships included in the plan and certification for the pre-
ceding fiscal year, the Secretary of Defense shall submit 
with the plan and assessment an additional assessment 
that includes each of the following: 
‘‘(A) A description of how the proposed reduc-
tion would support the national security strategy of 
the United States. 
‘‘(B) An identification of the total amount of 
resources that have been previously allocated for the 
ship that is no longer being requested, including 
funds for research, development, test, and evaluation 
specific to the ship, advance procurement, advanced 
construction, and economic order quantity. 
‘‘(C) An identification of the total amount of 
resources the industrial base has allocated to sup-
port the ship that is no longer being requested. 
‘‘(D) An analysis of the effect such reduction is 
likely to have on the industrial base, including the 
sub-tier supplier base.
716 
‘‘(E) An analysis of the effect of the reduction 
on the overall requirement for the class of ship that 
was reduced. 
‘‘(2)(A) If an additional assessment is required to be 
submitted under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year and the 
Secretary of Defense does not include such assessment 
with the defense budget materials for the fiscal year, not 
more than 75 percent of the funds referred to in subpara-
graph (B) may be obligated or expended until the Sec-
retary submits the additional assessment. 
‘‘(B) The funds referred to in this paragraph are any 
funds made available to the Secretary of Defense for exec-
utive travel that remain available for obligation or expend-
iture as of the date on which the plan and certification 
under subsection (a) and the plan and certification under 
subsection (d) are required to be submitted.’’. 
SEC. 1012. MINIMUM NUMBER OF PUBLIC NAVAL SHIP-
YARDS. 
Section 8062 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsections (f) through (h) 
as subsections (f) though (i), respectively; 
(2) by inserting after subsection (e), the fol-
lowing new subsection (f):
717 
‘‘(f) The Secretary of the Navy shall operate not less 
than four public naval shipyards.’’; and 
(3) in subsection (i), as so redesignated— 
(A) by striking ‘‘section, the’’ and all that 
follows through the period at the end and in-
serting ‘‘section:’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraphs: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘amphibious warfare ship’ means 
a ship that is classified as an amphibious assault 
ship (general purpose) (LHA), an amphibious as-
sault ship (multi-purpose) (LHD), an amphibious 
transport dock (LPD), or a dock landing ship 
(LSD). 
‘‘(2) The term ‘public naval shipyard’ means a 
naval shipyard operated by the Navy as of January 
1, 2024.’’. 
SEC. 1013. MODIFICATIONS TO SHIP REPAIR AUTHORITIES. 
(a) DEFINITION OF SHORT-TERM WORK FOR PUR-
POSES OF NAVY CONSTRUCTION OF COMBATANT AND ES-
CORT
VESSELS
AND
ASSIGNMENT
OF
VESSEL 
PROJECTS.—Section 8669a(c)(4) of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘10 months’’ and in-
serting ‘‘18 months’’.
718 
(b) STUDY
ON PRICE DIFFERENTIALS USED
IN 
NAVY SHIP REPAIR SOLICITATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of 
appropriations, the Secretary of the Navy shall seek 
to enter into an agreement with a federally funded 
research and development center to conduct a study 
to assess whether relevant price differentials used by 
the Navy in ship repair solicitations accurately re-
flect the true market value of the activity under-
taken to complete the repair work involved in the ab-
sence of any such differential. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The study under paragraph 
(1) shall address all relevant price differentials used 
by the Navy in ship repair solicitations, including— 
(A) the use of Government-owned and op-
erated dry docks; 
(B) the use of inter-port differentials; and 
(C) the use of pier differentials. 
(3) REPORTS.— 
(A) FFRDC REPORT.—The federally funded 
research and development center that conducts 
the study under paragraph (1) shall submit to 
the Secretary of the Navy a report on the re-
sults of the study.
719 
(B) SUBMITTAL TO CONGRESS.—Not later 
than September 30, 2025, the Secretary of the 
Navy shall submit to the congressional defense 
committees an unaltered copy of the report re-
ceived by the Secretary under subparagraph (A) 
together with a separate statement of the views 
of the Secretary on the results of the study con-
ducted under paragraph (1). 
(c) REPORT
ON NAVY POLICY
FOR SOLICITING 
COASTWIDE BIDS
FOR CERTAIN REPAIR AVAILABIL-
ITIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than March 30, 
2025, the Secretary of the Navy shall submit to the 
congressional defense committees a report on the 
policy of the Navy for soliciting coastwide bids for 
repair availabilities longer than 10 months. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The report under paragraph 
(1) shall include an explanation and assessment of 
each of the following: 
(A) The intent of the policy described in 
paragraph (1). 
(B) The data the Navy uses to assess the 
efficacy of such policy. 
(C) How the Navy estimates the cost of 
moving vessels out of their home port to com-
722 
tions for such major distributive systems and 
key equipment through manufacturing.’’; and 
(3) in subsection (c)(1)— 
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
(A), by striking ‘‘computer aided models’’ and 
inserting ‘‘the completion of 3D computer aided 
modeling’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (C)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘positions and’’ before 
‘‘routes’’; and 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘all major’’ before 
‘‘distributive systems’’. 
SEC. 1016. EXCEPTION TO PROHIBITION OF OVERHAUL, RE-
PAIR, OR MAINTENANCE OF CERTAIN VES-
SELS IN SHIPYARDS OUTSIDE THE UNITED 
STATES OR GUAM. 
Section 8680(a)(3) of title 10, United States Code, 
is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) and 
(B) as subparagraphs (B) and (C) respectively; and 
(2) by inserting before subparagraph (B) the 
following new subparagraph (A): 
‘‘(A) preventive maintenance of a deployed 
naval vessel lasting not more than 21 days;’’.
723 
SEC. 1017. STRATEGY ON DEVELOPMENT OF NAVAL REARM 
AT SEA CAPABILITY. 
(a) STRATEGY REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Navy shall submit to the congressional defense commit-
tees a strategy for delivering a rearm at sea capability to 
the surface fleet of the United States Navy. Such strategy 
shall include each of the following: 
(1) A plan to develop, by not later than three 
years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
capability to employ transportable rearming mecha-
nism equipment to load missile canisters into MK 41 
vertical launch system cells on Navy destroyers oper-
ating, including an identification of the current and 
planned investments of the Navy in technology de-
velopment to achieve such capability, including the 
anticipated cost and schedule for such investments. 
(2) A plan for the key milestone events and as-
sociated dates in the development of such capability. 
(3) A plan to coordinate with allies of the 
United States that use variants of the United States 
manufactured MK 41 vertical launch system to 
jointly procure rearm at sea capabilities. 
(4) An identification of any courses of action 
the Secretary is considering other than the plans re-
ferred to in paragraphs (1) through (2) to address
724 
the gap between the rearm at sea capabilities of the 
United States and the capabilities of other countries, 
including the use of uncrewed technologies. 
(5) Such other matters as the Secretary deter-
mines appropriate. 
(b) BRIEFING.— Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the 
Navy shall provide to the congressional defense commit-
tees a written briefing on the development of the strategy 
required under (a). 
SEC. 1018. AUTHORITY TO USE INCREMENTAL FUNDING TO 
ENTER INTO A CONTRACT FOR THE CON-
STRUCTION 
OF 
A 
VIRGINIA-CLASS 
SUB-
MARINE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Amounts authorized to be appro-
priated by this Act or otherwise made available for the 
Navy for Shipbuilding and Conversion for fiscal year 2025 
may be used by the Secretary of the Navy to enter into 
an incrementally funded contract for the construction of 
a Virgina-class submarine. 
(b) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—A contract entered 
into under subsection (a) shall provide that any obligation 
of the United States to make a payment under the con-
tract is subject to the availability of appropriations for 
that purpose, and that total liability to the Government
725 
for the termination of the contract shall be limited to the 
total amount of funding obligated at time of termination. 
SEC. 1019. PILOT PROGRAM ON USE OF AUTOMATED IN-
SPECTION TECHNOLOGIES AT SHIPYARDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Beginning not later than 90 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of the Navy shall carry out a pilot program on the use 
of automated inspection technologies at shipyards. 
(b) SELECTION OF LOCATION.—The Secretary shall 
select one shipyard at which to carry out the pilot program 
required under subsection (a) and shall take such steps 
as may be necessary to minimize the disruption to the op-
erations of the shipyard during the conduct of the pilot 
program. 
(c) ELEMENTS.—In carrying out the pilot program 
required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall— 
(1) select at least one surface ship as a test 
platform to collect a comprehensive set of inspection 
criteria used for defining maintenance requirements; 
(2) define requirements for the upgrade or over-
haul of the information technology infrastructure at 
the shipyard to ensure compatibility with new tech-
nologies implemented under the pilot program; 
(3) provide for the training of personnel on the 
operation and maintenance of the automated inspec-
726 
tion technologies selected for use during the pilot 
program; 
(4) designate an individual who shall be respon-
sible for implementing and overseeing each phase of 
the pilot program; and 
(5) recommend a strategic sequencing plan of 
the pilot program to ensure the execution of nec-
essary information technology upgrades prior to the 
deployment of robotic systems. 
(d) REPORT AND BRIEFINGS.— 
(1) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the termination of the pilot program under sub-
section (e), the Secretary shall submit to the con-
gressional defense committees a report on the results 
of the pilot program. 
(2) BRIEFINGS.—Upon completion of the se-
quencing plan required under subsection (c)(5), the 
Secretary shall provide to the congressional defense 
committees a briefing on the plan. 
(e) TERMINATION.—The authority to carry out a 
pilot program under this section shall terminate on the 
date that is three years after the date of the enactment 
of this Act.
727 
SEC. 1020. PROHIBITION ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS FOR 
RETIREMENT OF GUIDED MISSILE CRUISERS. 
None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by 
this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2025 
for the Department of Defense may be obligated or ex-
pended retire, prepare to retire, inactivate, or place in 
storage— 
(1) the USS Shilo (CG 67); 
(2) the USS Lake Erie (CG 70); or 
(3) more than two other guided missile cruisers. 
SEC. 1021. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING NAMING WAR-
SHIPS AFTER NAVY MEDAL OF HONOR RE-
CIPIENTS. 
It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of the 
Navy should name warships after Navy recipients of the 
Medal of Honor from World War I to the present, who 
have not had a vessel named in their honor, as follows: 
(1) Tedford H. Cann. 
(2) Ora Graves. 
(3) John MacKenzie. 
(4) Patrick McGunigal. 
(5) John H. Balch. 
(6) Joel T. Boone. 
(7) Jesse W. Covington. 
(8) Edouard Izac. 
(9) David E. Hayden.
728 
(10) Alexander G. Lyle. 
(11) Francis E. Ormsbee, Jr. 
(12) Orlando H. Petty. 
(13) Oscar Schmidt, Jr. 
(14) Daniel A. J. Sullivan. 
(15) Frank M. Upton. 
(16) John O. Siegel. 
(17) Henry Breault. 
(18) Thomas J. Ryan. 
(19) George R. Cholister. 
(20) Thomas Eadie. 
(21) William R. Huber. 
(22) William Badders. 
(23) James H. McDonald. 
(24) John Mihalowski. 
(25) Samuel G. Fuqua. 
(26) William E. Hall. 
(27) Herbert Schonland. 
(28) Nathan G. Gordon. 
(29) Arthur M. Preston. 
(30) Eugene B. Fluckey. 
(31) Robert Bush. 
(32) Rufus G. Herring. 
(33) Franklin J. Pierce. 
(34) George L. Street.
729 
(35) George E. Wahlen. 
(36) William L. McGonagle. 
(37) Thomas G. Kelley. 
(38) Joseph R. Kerrey. 
(39) Thomas R. Norris. 
(40) Michael E. Thornton. 
(41) Britt K. Slabinski. 
(42) Edward Byers, Jr. 
SEC. 1022. STUDY RELATED TO RECRUITMENT AND RETEN-
TION OF APPRENTICES AT PUBLIC SHIP-
YARDS. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Commander of United States Naval 
Sea Systems Command shall conduct a study to— 
(1) summarize data relating to the recruitment 
and retention of apprentices across the four public 
shipyards, disaggregated by shipyard, including— 
(A) demographic information on applicants 
for apprenticeships; 
(B) recruiting incentives offered to the ap-
plicants; 
(C) apprenticeship completion rates for ac-
cepted applicants; 
(D) the average duration of service for 
graduates of an apprenticeship; and
730 
(E) reasons why individuals voluntarily left 
the apprentice program or the Navy after com-
pleting the apprenticeship program; and 
(2) determine the feasibility of— 
(A) sharing apprenticeship application data 
across all four public shipyards; 
(B) allowing an apprentice to start an ap-
prenticeship program in one such shipyard and 
finish the in another such shipyard; 
(C) allowing an apprentice to enter and 
complete an apprenticeship program in one 
such shipyard but serve in another such ship-
yard upon completion of the four year training 
program; and 
(D) allowing such a shipyard to train an 
individual who, upon completion of the training, 
would be required to serve in a another such 
shipyard but would have the right to return to 
the shipyard where they received such training 
after serving for 4 years at the other shipyard. 
SEC. 1023. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING NAMING OF 
NAVAL VESSEL AFTER LIEUTENANT GEN-
ERAL RICHARD E. CAREY. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the Secretary of the Navy should name the
731 
Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport vessel of the 
United States Navy that has been ordered (Hull Number 
T-EPF-16) in honor of Lieutenant General Richard E. 
Carey for the acts of valor described in subsection (b). 
(b) ACTS OF VALOR.—The acts of valor described in 
this subsection are as follows: 
(1) Lieutenant General Richard E. Carey par-
ticipated in the Inchon Landing, captured com-
munist forces, and led his rifle platoon to Seoul. 
Three months later, on East Hill at the Chosin Res-
ervoir, Carey hurled grenades at Chinese forces. 
Carey and his fellow Marines were outnumbered 
eight to one. They held their ground and broke 
through the Chinese trap to the sea. 
(2) Carey remained in the fight until March 
1951. While commanding a platoon of machine gun-
ners, Carey was badly wounded. He continued lead-
ing his troops and initially refused to get aid for his 
injuries. Carey’s wounds required hospitalization. 
During 189 days in Korea, Carey had seven near- 
death experiences. As a result of his actions in 
Korea, Carey received the Silver Star, Bronze Star, 
and Purple Heart. 
(3) Returning to the United States, Carey 
earned a flight training slot and became a fighter
732 
pilot. In the early 1960s Carey scouted Marine air-
field sites in Vietnam. He returned to Vietnam in 
the summer of 1967 and served during the Tet of-
fensive. Carey flew 204 combat sorties earning the 
Distinguished Flying Cross and 16 Air Medals. 
SEC. 1024. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING NAMING OF 
NAVAL VESSEL AFTER MAJOR JAMES CA-
PERS, JR.. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the Secretary of the Navy should name a vessel 
of the United States Navy the ‘‘U.S.S. Major James Ca-
pers Jr.’’ in honor of Major James Capers, Jr., for the 
acts of valor described in subsection (b). 
(b) ACTS OF VALOR DESCRIBED.—The acts of valor 
described in this subsection are the actions of James Ca-
pers, Jr., as a member of the Marine Corps, during the 
period of March 31 through April 3, 1967, during the 
Vietnam War, for which he was previously awarded the 
Silver Star. 
SEC. 1025. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING NAMING A 
NAVAL VESSEL AFTER WILLIAM B. GOULD. 
It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of the 
Navy should name a commissioned naval vessel after for-
merly enslaved sailor and Civil War veteran, William B.
733 
Gould, to honor his strength of character and faithful 
service to the United States. 
Subtitle D—Counterterrorism 
SEC. 1031. EXTENSION OF PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS 
FOR TRANSFER OR RELEASE OF INDIVID-
UALS DETAINED AT UNITED STATES NAVAL 
STATION, GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA, TO THE 
UNITED STATES. 
Section 1033 of the John S. McCain National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 
115–232; 132 Stat. 1953) is amended by striking ‘‘De-
cember 31, 2024’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2025’’. 
SEC. 1032. EXTENSION OF PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS 
TO CONSTRUCT OR MODIFY FACILITIES IN 
THE UNITED STATES TO HOUSE DETAINEES 
TRANSFERRED FROM UNITED STATES NAVAL 
STATION, GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA. 
Section 1034(a) of the John S. McCain National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 
115–232; 132 Stat. 1954) is amended by striking ‘‘De-
cember 31, 2024’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2025’’.
734 
SEC. 1033. EXTENSION OF PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS 
FOR TRANSFER OR RELEASE OF INDIVID-
UALS DETAINED AT UNITED STATES NAVAL 
STATION, GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA, TO CER-
TAIN COUNTRIES. 
Section 1035 of the John S. McCain National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 
115–232; 132 Stat. 1954) is amended by striking ‘‘De-
cember 31, 2024’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2025’’. 
SEC. 1034. EXTENSION OF PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS 
TO CLOSE OR RELINQUISH CONTROL OF 
UNITED STATES NAVAL STATION, GUANTA-
NAMO BAY, CUBA. 
Section 1036 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 115–91; 131 Stat. 
1551) is amended by striking ‘‘fiscal years 2018 through 
2024’’ and inserting ‘‘fiscal years 2018 through 2025’’. 
Subtitle E—Miscellaneous 
Authorities and Limitations 
SEC. 1041. AUTHORITY TO CONTRIBUTE TO INNOVATION 
FUND. 
Subchapter II of chapter 138 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section:
735 
‘‘§ 2350s. Authority to contribute to innovation fund 
‘‘(a) AUTHORITY TO CONTRIBUTE TO NATO INNO-
VATION FUND.—Within amounts authorized by law for 
such purpose during the 10-year period following the date 
of the enactment of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2025, the Secretary of Defense may 
contribute to the NATO Innovation Fund a total amount 
of no more than $200,000,000. 
‘‘(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘NATO’ means the North Atlan-
tic Treaty Organization. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘NATO Innovation Fund’ means 
the multi-sovereign, investment venture capital fund 
of NATO that provides secure investment in dual- 
use, high-impact technology.’’. 
SEC. 1042. EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION OF EXPENDI-
TURE OF FUNDS FOR DEPARTMENT OF DE-
FENSE INTELLIGENCE AND COUNTERINTEL-
LIGENCE ACTIVITIES. 
Section 1057 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116–92) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘2025’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2030’’; 
(2) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘2025’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2030’’; and
736 
(3) in subsection (e), by striking ‘‘$100,000’’ 
and inserting ‘‘$125,000’’. 
SEC. 1043. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR REIMBURSE-
MENT OF EXPENSES FOR CERTAIN NAVY 
MESS OPERATIONS. 
Section 1014 of the Duncan Hunter National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law 
110–417; 122 Stat. 4585), as most recently amended by 
section 1028 of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283; 134 Stat. 
3388), is further amended— 
(1) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘September 
30, 2025’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2030’’; and 
(2) by striking subsection (c). 
SEC. 1044. PROHIBITION ON REALIGNMENT OR REDUCTION 
OF 
SPECIAL 
OPERATIONS 
FORCES 
END 
STRENGTH AUTHORIZATIONS. 
(a) PROHIBITION.—During the covered period, the 
Secretary of Defense and the Secretaries of each of the 
military departments may not realign or reduce special op-
erations forces end strength authorizations. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘covered period’’ means the two- 
year period beginning on January 1, 2025.
737 
(2) The term ‘‘special operations forces’’ means 
the forces identified under section 167(j) of title 10, 
United States Code, or a member of the Armed 
Forces carrying out special operations activities. 
(3) The term ‘‘special operations activities’’ 
means activities described in section 167(k) of title 
10, United States Code, and includes any support 
services provided for the execution such activities, 
including logistics, communications, and intelligence 
activities. 
SEC. 1045. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS FOR WORK 
PERFORMED BY ECOHEALTH ALLIANCE, INC., 
IN CHINA ON RESEARCH SUPPORTED BY THE 
GOVERNMENT OF CHINA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided under sub-
section (b), none of the funds authorized to be appro-
priated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal 
year 2025 for the Department of Defense may be used 
to fund any work to be performed by EcoHealth Alliance, 
Inc., in China on research supported by the government 
of China, including to provide any grants for such pur-
pose. 
(b) WAIVER.—The Secretary of Defense may waive 
the prohibition under subsection (a) if the Secretary deter-
mines that such a waiver is in the national security inter-
738 
ests of the United States and, not later than 14 days after 
granting such a waiver, submits to the congressional de-
fense committees a detailed justification for the waiver, 
including— 
(1) an identification of the Department of De-
fense entity obligating or expending the funds; 
(2) an identification of the amount of such 
funds; 
(3) an identification of the intended purpose of 
such funds; 
(4) an identification of the recipient or prospec-
tive recipient of such funds (including any third- 
party entity recipient, as applicable); 
(5) an explanation for how the waiver is in the 
national security interests of the United States; and 
(6) any other information the Secretary deter-
mines appropriate. 
SEC. 1046. PROHIBITION ON TRANSPORTING CURRENCY TO 
THE TALIBAN AND THE ISLAMIC EMIRATE OF 
AFGHANISTAN. 
None of the amounts authorized to be appropriated 
by this Act or otherwise made available to the Department 
of Defense may be made available for the operation of any 
aircraft of the Department of Defense to transport cur-
rency or other items of value to the Taliban, the Islamic
739 
Emirate of Afghanistan, or any subsidiary, agent, or in-
strumentality of either the Taliban or the Islamic Emirate 
of Afghanistan. 
SEC. 1047. PROHIBITION ON DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
USAGE OF TUTOR.COM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall— 
(1) cease offering services through Tutor.com 
not later than 30 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act; and 
(2) terminate any business relationships with 
Tutor.com as soon as legally possible. 
(b) FUTURE RELATIONSHIPS.—The Secretary may 
not enter into any contractual or other relationship with 
Tutor.com as long as Tutor.com is owned by Primavera 
Capital Group or any other entity owned or controlled by 
nationals of the People’s Republic of China. 
SEC. 1048. PROHIBITION ON OPERATION OF CONNECTED 
VEHICLES DESIGNED, DEVELOPED, MANU-
FACTURED, 
OR 
SUPPLIED 
BY 
PERSONS 
OWNED BY, CONTROLLED BY, OR SUBJECT 
TO THE JURISDICTION OF A FOREIGN ENTITY 
OF CONCERN ON DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
PROPERTY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—No connected vehicle on the list 
required under subsection (b) may be operated on a mili-
740 
tary installation or on any other property of the Depart-
ment of Defense. 
(b) LIST REQUIRED.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall establish a list of prohibited connected vehicles 
that— 
(A) are designed, developed, manufactured, 
or supplied by persons owned by, controlled by, 
or subject to the jurisdiction of a foreign entity 
of concern; and 
(B) pose an undue or unacceptable risk to 
national security, as determined by the Sec-
retary. 
(2) ANNUAL REVIEW.—The Secretary shall re-
view the list required under paragraph (1) not less 
frequently than once each year and shall make such 
additions, subtractions, supplements, or amendments 
to the list as the Secretary determines appropriate. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘connected vehicle’’— 
(A) means an automotive vehicle that inte-
grates onboard networked hardware with auto-
motive software systems to communicate via 
dedicated short-range communication, cellular 
telecommunications connectivity, satellite com-
741 
munication, 
or 
other 
wireless 
spectrum 
connectivity with any other network or device; 
and 
(B) includes automotive vehicles, whether 
personal or commercial, capable of— 
(i) global navigation satellite system 
communication for geolocation; 
(ii) communication with intelligent 
transportation systems; 
(iii) remote access or control; 
(iv) wireless software or firmware up-
dates; or 
(v) on-device roadside assistance. 
(2) The term ‘‘covered undue or unacceptable 
risk’’ means— 
(A) an undue risk of sabotage to or sub-
version of the design, integrity, manufacturing, 
production, distribution, installation, operation, 
or maintenance of information and communica-
tions technology and services in the United 
States; 
(B) an undue risk of catastrophic effects 
on the security or resiliency of United States 
critical infrastructure or the digital economy of 
the United States; or
742 
(C) an unacceptable risk to the national 
security of the United States or the security 
and safety of United States persons. 
(3) The term ‘‘foreign entity of concern’’ has 
the meaning given such term in section 9901 of the 
William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 
116–283; 15 U.S.C. 4651). 
(4) The term ‘‘military installation’’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 2801(4) of title 
10, United States Code. 
SEC. 1049. PROHIBITION ON DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
TRANSPORT OF PALESTINIAN REFUGEES TO 
THE UNITED STATES. 
None of the amounts authorized to be appropriated 
by this Act or otherwise made available to the Department 
of Defense may be made available for the operation of any 
aircraft of the Department of Defense to transport Pales-
tinian refugees to the United States. 
SEC. 1049A. PROHIBITION ON PROMOTION OF CRITICAL 
RACE 
THEORY 
AND 
ASSOCIATED 
RACE- 
BASED THEORIES. 
(a) PROTECTION FROM CRITICAL RACE THEORY IN-
DOCTRINATION.—No employee of the Department of De-
fense or member of the Armed Forces acting in their offi-
743 
cial capacity may promote, endorse, or advocate for critical 
race theory or associated race-based theories described in 
subsection (b) or may compel or train any member of the 
Armed Forces or employee of the Department of Defense 
to believe or profess belief in such theories. 
(b) 
ASSOCIATED
RACE-BASED
THEORIES
DE-
SCRIBED.—In this section, the term ‘‘associated race- 
based theories’’ includes the following principles: 
(1) That any race, ethnicity, color, or national 
origin is inherently superior or inferior to any other 
race, ethnicity, color, or national origin. 
(2) That the United States is a fundamentally 
racist country. 
(3) That the Declaration of Independence, the 
Constitution of the United States, or the Federalist 
Papers are fundamentally racist documents. 
(4) That an individual’s moral character or 
worth is determined by the individual’s race, eth-
nicity, color, or national origin. 
(5) That an individual, by virtue of the individ-
ual’s race, is inherently racist or oppressive, whether 
consciously or unconsciously. 
(6) That an individual, by virtue of race, bears 
collective guilt and is inherently responsible for ac-
744 
tions committed in the past by other members of the 
individual’s race, ethnicity, color, or national origin. 
(7) That an individual, by virtue of the individ-
ual’s race, should be discriminated against or receive 
adverse treatment to achieve diversity, equity, or in-
clusion. 
(8) That an individual should feel discomfort, 
guilt, or any other form of psychological distress on 
account of the individual’s race, color, or national 
origin. 
(9) That virtues such as merit, excellence, hard 
work, fairness, neutrality, objectivity, and racial 
colorblindness are racist or in any way discrimina-
tory, or were created by members of a particular 
race, color, or national origin to oppress members of 
another race, color, or national origin. 
(10) That to be ‘‘antiracist’’ requires explicitly 
or implicitly promoting racial discrimination to ad-
vance diversity, equity, and inclusion. 
SEC. 
1049B. 
LIMITATION 
ON 
AUTHORITY 
OF 
ARMED 
FORCES 
TO 
DETAIN 
CITIZENS 
OF 
THE 
UNITED STATES. 
Section 1021(b) of the National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (Public Law 112–81; 10 
U.S.C. 801 note) is amended, in the matter preceding
745 
paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘, other than a citizen of the 
United States,’’ after ‘‘any person’’. 
SEC. 1049C. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS TO CUT SERV-
ICES PROVIDED AT CERTAIN COMBAT TRAIN-
ING READINESS CENTERS. 
None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by 
this Act or otherwise made available for the Department 
of Defense for fiscal year 2025 may be used to cut any 
service provided by a combat training readiness center op-
erated by the Air Force National Guard at any of the fol-
lowing locations: 
(1) Savannah, Georgia. 
(2) Gulfport, Mississippi. 
(3) Alpena, Michigan. 
(4) Volk Field, Wisconsin. 
SEC. 1049D. ELIMINATION OF DISCRETION OF MILITARY 
CHAIN OF COMMAND AND SENIOR CIVILIAN 
LEADERSHIP WITH RESPECT TO DISPLAY OF 
FLAGS. 
Section 1052(d)(1)(N) of the National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118– 
31; 10 U.S.C. 2661 note) is amended by striking subpara-
graph (N).
746 
SEC. 1049E. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS FOR BADR OR-
GANIZATION. 
None of the amounts authorized to be appropriated 
by this Act or otherwise made available to the Department 
of Defense for fiscal year 2025 may be made available, 
directly or indirectly, to the Badr Organization. 
SEC. 1049F. SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF CERTAIN 
PERMISSIONS TO ACCESS CLASSIFIED INFOR-
MATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
suspend or revoke a security clearance held by a covered 
individual if such individual has expressed support for a 
terrorist organization or engaged in a demonstration sup-
porting a terrorist organization. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘covered individual’’ means any— 
(A) retired or active member of the Armed 
Forces; or 
(B) employee of the Department of De-
fense. 
(2) The term ‘‘terrorist organization’’ means 
any foreign terrorist organization designated by the 
Secretary of State in accordance with section 219 of 
the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1189), as amended, or those designated by Execu-
tive Order 13224.
747 
Subtitle F—Studies and Reports 
SEC. 1051. QUADRENNIAL BIODEFENSE POSTURE REVIEW. 
Chapter 2 of title 10, United States Code, is amended 
by inserting after section 118c the following new section: 
‘‘§ 118d. Quadrennial biodefense posture review 
‘‘(a) STRATEGY AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN RE-
QUIRED.—The Secretary of Defense shall every four years 
conduct a comprehensive examination of the biodefense 
policies, practices, programs and initiatives of the Depart-
ment of Defense. 
‘‘(b) ELEMENTS.—Each review conducted under sub-
section (a) shall include each of the following: 
‘‘(1) An inventory and assessment of all exist-
ing strategies, plans, policies, laws, and interagency 
agreements related to biodefense, including preven-
tion, deterrence, preparedness, detection, response, 
attribution, recovery, and mitigation. 
‘‘(2) An identification of the biological threats, 
including biological warfare, bioterrorism, naturally 
occurring infectious diseases, and accidental expo-
sures. 
‘‘(3) An identification of the current programs, 
efforts, or activities of the Department of Defense 
with respect to preventing the acquisition, prolifera-
tion, and use of a biological weapon, preventing an
748 
accidental or naturally occurring biological outbreak, 
and mitigating the effects of a biological epidemic. 
‘‘(4) An identification of the roles and respon-
sibilities of the elements of the Department of De-
fense, including internal and external coordination 
procedures, in identifying and sharing information 
related to, warning of, and protection against, acts 
of terrorism using biological agents and weapons 
and accidental or naturally occurring biological out-
breaks. 
‘‘(5) An identification of methods in use to ad-
dress biological attacks with emerging artificial intel-
ligence and cyber capabilities. 
‘‘(6) An identification of related or required ca-
pabilities and activities required to support the na-
tional biodefense strategy. 
‘‘(7) Recommendations for strengthening and 
improving the current biodefense capabilities, au-
thorities, and command structures of the Depart-
ment. 
‘‘(8) Recommendations for improving and for-
malizing interagency coordination and support mech-
anisms with respect to providing a robust national 
biodefense.
749 
‘‘(9) Any other matters the Secretary of De-
fense determines necessary. 
‘‘(c) SUBMITTAL TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 30 
days after the completion of a review under subsection (a), 
the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense 
committees a copy of the review. Each such review shall 
be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a clas-
sified annex.’’. 
SEC. 1052. CHIEF OF NAVY RESERVE ANNUAL REPORT. 
Section 8083 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(e) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Chief of Navy Reserve 
shall submit to the Secretary of Defense, through the Sec-
retary of the Navy, an annual report on the state of the 
Navy Reserve and the ability of the Navy Reserve to meet 
its missions. The report shall be prepared in conjunction 
with the Chief of Naval Operations and may be submitted 
in classified and unclassified versions.’’. 
SEC. 1053. EXTENSION OF ANNUAL REPORT ON CIVILIAN 
CASUALTIES IN CONNECTION WITH UNITED 
STATES MILITARY OPERATIONS. 
Section 1057(e) of the National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 115–91) is 
amended by striking ‘‘seven’’ and inserting ‘‘12’’.
750 
SEC. 1054. MOBILITY CAPABILITY REQUIREMENTS STUDY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Commander of the 
United States Transportation Command, in coordination 
with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Secre-
taries of the military departments, and the commanders 
of the combatant commands, shall conduct a study of the 
end-to-end, full-spectrum mobility requirements to fulfill 
the national defense strategy required by section 113(g) 
of title 10, United States Code, for 2022. 
(b) ELEMENTS
OF STUDY.—The study required 
under subsection (a) shall include each of the following: 
(1) An assessment of the ability of the pro-
grammed airlift aircraft, tanker aircraft, sealift 
ships, fuel tanker vessels, patient movement forces, 
and key mobility enablers to meet the integrated 
strategic and theater mobility requirements in ex-
pected strategic environments, as defined by the 
guidance in such national defense strategy. 
(2) An identification, quantification, and de-
scription of the associated risk-to-mission (as de-
fined by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Man-
ual 3105.01, Joint Risk Analysis) required to fulfill 
such strategy, including— 
(A) an assessment of risk-to-mission asso-
ciated with achieving strategic and operational
751 
objectives using the programmed airlift aircraft, 
tanker aircraft, sealift ships, fuel tanker vessels, 
patient movement forces, and key mobility 
enablers; and 
(B) a description of the combinations of 
airlift aircraft, tanker aircraft, sealift ships, fuel 
tanker vessels, patient movement forces, and 
key mobility enabler requirements and capabili-
ties that provide low, moderate, significant, and 
high levels of risk-to-mission to fulfill such 
strategy; and 
(C) an evaluation of non-mobilized mobility 
forces to sustain daily competition activities and 
achieve necessary readiness to fulfill the na-
tional defense strategy. 
(3) An identification of any mobility capability 
gaps, shortfalls, overlaps, or excesses, including— 
(A) an assessment of associated risks with 
respect to the ability to conduct operations; and 
(B) recommended mitigation strategies 
where possible. 
(4) The articulation of all key assumptions and 
decisions made and excursions examined in con-
ducting the study with respect to— 
(A) risk;
752 
(B) programmed forces and infrastructure; 
(C) the availability of commercial airlift 
and commercial United States sealift and fuel 
tanker vessel capabilities and resources, when 
applicable; 
(D) aircraft usage rates, aircraft mission 
availability rates, aircraft mission capability 
rates, aircrew ratios, aircrew production, and 
aircrew readiness rates; 
(E) readiness, crewing, and activation 
rates for sealift ships and fuel tanker vessels; 
(F) prepositioning, forward stationing, 
seabasing, engineering, and infrastructure; 
(G) demand signals used to represent mis-
sions described in the national defense strategy 
for 2022, in competition and wartime; 
(H) concurrency and global integration of 
demand signals; 
(I) integrated global presence and basing 
strategy; 
(J) host nation or third-country support; 
(K) adversary actions to degrade and dis-
rupt United States mobility operations;
753 
(L) adversary actions that threaten free-
dom of navigation on international waterways, 
including attacks on foreign ships and crews; 
(M) aircraft being used for training or un-
dergoing depot maintenance or modernization 
or ships undergoing depot maintenance; 
(N) patient movement and mobility ena-
bling forces availability, readiness, and use; 
(O) logistics concept of operations, includ-
ing any maneuver and sustainment support 
concepts, methods, combat support forces, and 
combat service support forces, that are required 
to enable the projection and enduring support 
to forces both deployed and in combat for each 
analytic scenario; 
(P) anticipated attrition rates for the as-
sessed force structure; and 
(Q) such other matters as the Commander 
determines appropriate. 
(5) Such other elements as the Commander de-
termines appropriate. 
(c) REPORTS AND BRIEFINGS.— 
(1) INTERIM
REPORT
AND
BRIEFING.—Not 
later than six months after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Commander of the United
754 
States Transportation Command, in coordination 
with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the 
Secretaries of the military departments, and the 
commanders of the combatant commands, shall— 
(A) submit to the congressional defense 
committees an interim report on the study re-
quired under subsection (a); and 
(B) provide to such committees a briefing 
on the report. 
(2) FINAL REPORT AND BRIEFING.—Not later 
than one year after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Commander of the United States Transpor-
tation Command, in coordination with the Chairman 
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Secretaries of the 
military departments, and the commanders of the 
combatant commands, shall— 
(A) submit to the congressional defense 
committees a final report on the study required 
under subsection (a); and 
(B) provide to such committees a briefing 
on the report. 
(3) FORM OF REPORTS.—The reports required 
under paragraphs (1) and (2) shall be submitted in 
unclassified form, but may include a classified 
annex.
755 
(d) DEFINITION OF SEALIFT SHIP.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘sealift ship’’ includes— 
(1) theater and strategic platforms; and 
(2) surge sealift vessels and non-governmental 
vessels incorporated as part of the maritime logistics 
enterprise. 
SEC. 1055. PLAN FOR FIELDING AIR BASE AIR DEFENSE 
SITES AT AIR FORCE INSTALLATIONS. 
(a) PLAN REQUIRED.—The Secretary of the Air 
Force, in consultation with the Commander of United 
States European Command and the Commander of United 
States Indo-Pacific Command, shall develop a plan to sup-
port the fielding of air base air defense sites at Air Force 
installations and other priority sites. 
(b) AIR
BASE
AIR
DEFENSE
SITE
REQUIRE-
MENTS.—The plan required under subsection (a) shall in-
clude each of the following requirements for each air base 
air defense site fielded under the plan: 
(1) Expeditionary mobile protection for dis-
persed air bases. 
(2) Fixed protection for primary air bases. 
(3) Layered kinetic and non-kinetic effects from 
the surface. 
(4) Counter-uncrewed aircraft systems. 
(5) Counter-fixed and rotary wing aircraft.
756 
(6) Counter-cruise missiles. 
(7) Interoperability with joint command and 
control networks. 
(8) 360-degree active and passive sensors. 
(9) Systems and software that enable reduced 
staffing. 
(c) FIELDING REQUIREMENT.—The plan required 
under subsection (a) shall be developed to ensure that— 
(1) by not later than September 30, 2027, at 
least four air base air defense sites are fielded; and 
(2) between 2028 and 2031, at least four air 
base air defense sites are fielded each year. 
(d) SITE PRIORITIZATION.—The Secretary of the Air 
Force shall select Air Force installations and other sites 
as prioritized sites where air base air defense sites will 
be fielded under the plan. 
(e) REPORT.—Not later than March 1, 2025, the 
Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congres-
sional defense committees a report on the plan required 
under subsection (a). 
SEC. 1056. REVIEW OF EXECUTE ORDERS. 
(a) REVIEW.—Not later than 60 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall review each execute order that permits or would per-
mit operations involving the use of lethal force or a poten-
757 
tial use of lethal force and shall identify, for each such 
execute order— 
(1) the legal authority or authorities under 
which the use of lethal force is authorized, or would 
justify a use of lethal force if specific conditions 
were to be satisfied, and against whom the lethal 
force may be used; and 
(2) the conditions that would need to be satis-
fied to provide legal justification for any use of le-
thal force under the execute order that would not be 
covered by a specific statutory authorization for the 
use of lethal force. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 
to the congressional defense committees a report describ-
ing the results of the review conducted under subsection 
(a). The report shall include the following: 
(1) A summary of each extant execute order, 
which includes a detailed description of the purpose 
of such execute order and the specifications de-
scribed in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a). 
(2) A comparison of matters covered by execute 
orders involving the use of lethal force or a potential 
use of lethal force and disclosures reported under 
section 1264 of the National Defense Authorization
758 
Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (50 U.S.C. 1549) and sec-
tion 1285 of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2020 (50 U.S.C. 1550). 
SEC. 1057. REPORT ON SENSOR AND INTERCEPTOR CAPA-
BILITIES NECESSARY TO DEFEND CRITICAL 
INFRASTRUCTURE ASSETS. 
Not later than April 1, 2025, the Chairman of the 
Joint Chiefs of Staff, in coordination with the Commander 
of United States Northern Command, shall submit to the 
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House 
of Representatives a report that contains an identification 
of any existing or new sensor and interceptor capabilities 
necessary to defend critical infrastructure assets. 
SEC. 1058. REPORT ON PRICE ELASTICITY OF LABOR SUP-
PLY AT SHIPYARDS AND SUPPLIER FIRMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the 
Navy shall submit to the congressional defense committees 
a report on the price elasticity of the labor supply for the 
industrial base for building and maintaining naval vessels, 
including— 
(1) private-sector shipyards; 
(2) public-sector naval shipyards; and 
(3) supplier firms.
759 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required by subsection 
(a) shall include the following: 
(1) An assessment of the full cost of hiring and 
training workers at shipyards and supplier firms. 
(2) An assessment of the extent to which reten-
tion and attrition of workers at shipyards and sup-
plier firms is related to pay and benefits for those 
workers. 
(3) An assessment of the extent to which chal-
lenges in recruiting and retaining desired numbers 
of workers at shipyards and supplier firms can be 
met by increasing pay and benefits for those work-
ers. 
(4) An assessment of the potential impact of 
such increases in pay and benefits on costs for pro-
curing and maintaining naval vessels. 
(5) An assessment of and recommendation for 
any extraordinary relief that may be appropriate for 
the fixed-price, multi-year procurement contracts for 
Virginia-class submarines in order to increase pay 
and benefits for workers at shipyards and supplier 
firms under those contracts. 
(c) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—The Secretary of the 
Navy may contract with a private entity for the prepara-
tion of the report required by subsection (a).
760 
SEC. 1059. STUDY AND REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF 
NAVAL BLOCKADES OF SHIPMENTS OF FOS-
SIL FUELS TO CHINA IN EVENT OF ARMED 
CONFLICT. 
(a) STUDY AND REPORT.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense shall submit to Congress a report that contains 
the findings of a study on the feasibility of implementing 
one or more naval blockades of shipments of fossil fuels 
to China in the event of an armed conflict between the 
United States and China. Such report shall include— 
(1) a description of— 
(A) the requirements for such a blockade 
to effectively block such shipments; 
(B) methods China could use to ship fossil 
fuels using air and land routes after such a 
blockade is implemented; and 
(C) for each waterway specified in clauses 
(i) through (iv) of paragraph (2)(A), how such 
a blockade would be implemented in such wa-
terway; and 
(2) an assessment of— 
(A) the suitability of strategic waterways 
in the proximity of China as a location for such 
a blockade, including— 
(i) the Strait of Malacca;
761 
(ii) the Taiwan Strait; 
(iii) the Sunda Strait; 
(iv) the South China Sea; and 
(v) the East China Sea; and 
(B) the capability of China to satisfy needs 
for fossil fuels in China after such a blockade 
is implemented through methods that include— 
(i) the use of existing stockpiles of 
fossil fuels; 
(ii) the rationing of fossil fuels; and 
(iii) the reliance on existing or 
planned cross-border oil and gas pipelines 
to ship fossil fuels. 
(b) FORM.—The report required under subsection (a) 
shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include 
a classified annex. 
SEC. 1060. COMPTROLLER GENERAL REVIEW OF FOOD 
WASTE AT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND 
COAST GUARD FACILITIES. 
(a) REVIEW REQUIRED.—The Comptroller General 
of the United States shall conduct a review of food waste 
at Department of Defense and Coast Guard facilities. The 
review shall address each of the following:
762 
(1) Methods used by the Department and the 
Coast Guard to track food waste across facilities in 
the United States. 
(2) Any analysis conducted by the Department 
or the Coast Guard to determine the causes of any 
food waste at such facilities. 
(3) Any policies of the Department and the 
Coast Guard with respect to managing food waste. 
(4) Any challenges faced by the Department 
and the Coast Guard with respect to food waste and 
the extent to which actions are in place to address 
those challenges. 
(5) The extent to which the Department and 
the Coast Guard partner with other Federal agencies 
to reduce food waste. 
(6) Such other matters as the Comptroller Gen-
eral determines appropriate. 
(b) BRIEFING.—Not later than May 1, 2025, the 
Comptroller General shall provide to the congressional de-
fense committees a briefing on the review conducted under 
subsection (a).
763 
SEC. 1061. STUDY ON FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHMENT OF 
CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE FOR SERVICE-
WOMEN’S HEALTH. 
(a) FEASIBILITY STUDY REQUIRED.—Not later than 
180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense, acting through Director of the Defense 
Health Agency, shall conduct a study on the feasibility of 
establishing one or more Centers of Excellence for Service-
women’s Health, pursuant to the authority under section 
1073d(b)(4) of title 10, United States Code. 
(b) REPORT.—Upon the conclusion of the study re-
quired under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to 
the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and 
House of Representative a report on the findings of the 
study. Such report shall include the following: 
(1) An identification of potential locations 
where Centers of Excellence for Servicewomen’s 
Health could be established. 
(2) Any improvements the establishment of 
such Centers could provide in the furnishing of care 
for female members of the Armed Forces in the mili-
tary health system. 
(3) Any anticipated effects the establishment of 
such Centers would have on readiness from improved 
health care services for female members of the 
Armed Forces.
764 
(4) An identification of any challenges or areas 
that could be improved in the furnishing of health 
care for female members of the Armed Forces in the 
military health system. 
SEC. 1062. REPORTS ON APPROVAL AND DEPLOYMENT OF 
LETHAL AUTONOMOUS WEAPON SYSTEMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—On an annual basis in accordance 
with subsection (c), the President shall submit to the con-
gressional defense committees a comprehensive report on 
the approval and deployment of lethal autonomous weapon 
systems by the United States. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—Each report under subsection (a) 
shall include, with respect to the period covered by the 
report, the following: 
(1) A comprehensive list of any lethal autono-
mous weapon systems that have been approved by 
senior defense officials for use by the United States 
military under Department of Defense policies in ef-
fect as of the date of the report, the dates of such 
approvals, and a description how such weapons sys-
tems have been, are being, or will be deployed and 
whether they operated as intended. 
(2) A comprehensive list of any lethal autono-
mous weapon systems that have received a waiver of 
the requirement for review by senior defense officials
765 
under Department of Defense policies in effect as of 
the date of the report, the dates such waivers were 
issued, and a description of how such weapon sys-
tems have been, are being, or will be deployed and 
whether they operated as intended. 
(3) A comprehensive list of any lethal autono-
mous weapon systems that are undergoing senior re-
view or waiver request processes as of the date of 
the report. 
(4) A comprehensive list of any lethal autono-
mous weapon systems not approved during a senior 
review or waiver request process and the reasons for 
such disapproval. 
(c) TIMING OF REPORTS.— 
(1) INITIAL REPORT.—The President shall sub-
mit the first report required under subsection (a) 
not later than one year after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act. Such report shall include the infor-
mation described in subsection (b) for all relevant 
time periods preceding the date of the report. 
(2) SUBSEQUENT
REPORTS.—Following sub-
mittal of the initial report under paragraph (1), the 
President shall submit subsequent reports under 
subsection (a) on an annual basis. Each subsequent 
report shall include the information described in
766 
subsection (b) with respect to the period that 
elapsed since the date of the immediately preceding 
report. 
(d) FORM.—Each report under subsection (a) shall 
be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a clas-
sified annex. 
SEC. 1063. REPORT ON FIELDING CERTAIN WEARABLE DE-
VICES FOR IMPACT PROTECTION AGAINST 
TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 120 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of the Army shall submit to the Committees on Armed 
Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives 
a report that includes the following: 
(1) A plan to field wearable devices for impact 
protection against traumatic brain injury that are 
certified by the Food and Drug Administration as 
expeditiously and widely as possible. 
(2) A plan to field such wearable devices to 
mitigate traumatic brain injuries associated with 
blast overpressure, if consistent with the findings of 
an assessment conducted by the Secretary on the 
feasibility of such wearable devices. 
(3) A description of resources required to imple-
ment such plans.
767 
(4) A description of any restrictions or limita-
tions on usage of such wearable devices, and steps 
to mitigate such restrictions or limitations. 
(5) Any other information the Secretary deter-
mines relevant. 
(b) EXCEPTION.—Subsection (a) shall not apply if 
the Secretary of the Army certifies to the Committees on 
Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Represent-
atives not later than 90 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act that the Department of the Army— 
(1) has fielded wearable devices described in 
subsection (a)(1); and 
(2) has a specific date for a final determination 
to field wearable devices to mitigate traumatic brain 
injuries associated with blast overpressure as de-
scribed in subsection (a)(2). 
SEC. 1064. UTILIZATION OF OFFICE SPACE BY THE DEPART-
MENT OF DEFENSE. 
(a) REPORT TO GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRA-
TION.—The Secretary of Defense shall annually submit a 
written report to the Administrator of the General Serv-
ices Administration that includes the following: 
(1) Monthly total occupancy of office space. 
(2) The actual utilization of office space. 
(3) Monthly space utilization rates.
768 
(4) Any other office space utilization data con-
sidered important by the Administrator of the Gen-
eral Services Administration. 
(b) FINALIZED PROCEDURES FOR THE RETURN OF 
OFFICE SPACE TO THE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRA-
TION.—The Secretary of Defense shall draft and finalize 
written procedures that provide for the return of office 
space to the General Services Administration if the occu-
pancy of the Department of Defense falls below a 60 per-
cent space utilization rate for 6 months within any 1-year 
period. 
(c) EXCEPTION FOR INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY.— 
This section shall not apply to office space properties used 
by an element of the intelligence community. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘actual utilization’’ means the 
percentage of capacity used based on the space utili-
zation rate. 
(2) The term ‘‘capacity’’ means a usable office 
space calculated by the square feet of such space di-
vided by 150. 
(3) The term ‘‘intelligence community’’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 3 of the Na-
tional Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003)
769 
(4) The term ‘‘occupancy’’ means the total 
number of employees performing duties in-person, in 
office space, at least 5 days per week on a recurring 
basis. 
(5) The term ‘‘space utilization rate’’ means 
total usable square feet divided by occupancy. 
SEC. 1065. FEASIBILITY STUDY ON ESTABLISHMENT AND 
MAINTENANCE OF DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR 
FORCE TRAINING CENTER AT EAKER AIR 
FORCE BASE, BLYTHEVILLE, ARKANSAS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Air 
Force shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services 
of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on 
the feasibility and advisability of a reactivation of Eaker 
Air Force Base in Blytheville, Arkansas to serve as an 
Air Force Training Center. Such report shall include— 
(1) an assessment of existing facilities at Eaker 
Air Force Base, including— 
(A) runways; 
(B) taxiways; 
(C) control towers; and 
(D) hangars; 
(2) a strategic assessment of the geography and 
location of Eaker Air Force Base;
770 
(3) the overall cost to the Department of De-
fense of such reactivation, including annual oper-
ations and maintenance costs; and 
(4) whether, in the event of such reactivation, 
the National Cold War Center in Blytheville, Arkan-
sas (located in close proximity to former Eaker Air 
Force Base (BRAC 1991)) poses any logistical or 
security concerns for the construction of or future 
training operations; 
(b) FORM.—The report required by subsection (a) 
shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include 
a classified annex. 
SEC. 1066. REPORT ON ATTEMPTS BY ILLEGAL ALIENS TO 
ACCESS MILITARY INSTALLATIONS. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, and on an annual basis thereafter, the 
Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional de-
fense committees a report that identifies, with respect to 
the one-year period preceding the date of the report, the 
number of instances in which an alien not lawfully present 
in the United States— 
(1) attempted to enter a military installation in 
the United States; or 
(2) gained entry to such an installation.
771 
SEC. 1067. STUDY ON USE OF SPACE-AVAILABLE TRAVEL 
FOR DONATED HUMAN ORGANS. 
(a) STUDY REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall conduct a feasibility study regarding the transport 
of human organs, by organ procurement organizations, 
under the space-available travel program under section 
2641b of title 10, United States Code. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than September 30, 2025, 
the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense 
committees a report regarding such study, including the 
determinations of the Secretary. 
(c) ORGAN
PROCUREMENT
ORGANIZATION
DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘organ procurement or-
ganization’’ has the meaning given such term in section 
6 of the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Gift of Life Medal Act 
of 2008 (Public Law 110–413; 42 U.S.C. 274i–4). 
SEC. 1068. STUDY AND REPORT ON DEPARTMENT OF THE 
NAVY POLICIES WITH RESPECT TO NET ME-
TERING. 
Not later than 180 days the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Energy, 
Installations, and Environment) shall carry out a study 
and submit to the congressional defense committees a re-
port that includes— 
(1) a summary of the policies and procedures of 
the Department of the Navy in effect as of the date
772 
of the enactment of this Act with respect to net me-
tering; 
(2) a list of each military installation under the 
jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Navy that uses 
net metering as of such date; 
(3) a summary of best practices developed by 
each such military installation with respect to en-
couraging the use of net metering; 
(4) recommendations of the Secretary of the 
Navy with respect to potential regulatory and statu-
tory actions to assist the Navy utilize the full bene-
fits of net metering. 
SEC. 1069. BRIEFING ON DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PRO-
GRAM TO PROTECT UNITED STATES STU-
DENTS AGAINST FOREIGN AGENTS. 
Not later than 240 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this section, the Secretary of Defense shall provide 
a briefing to the congressional defense committees on the 
program described in section 1277 of the National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 
115–91), including an assessment on whether the program 
is beneficial to students interning, working part-time, or 
in a program that will result in employment post-gradua-
tion with Department of Defense components and contrac-
tors.
773 
SEC. 1069A. TRI-SERVICE ARCTIC MARITIME STRATEGY. 
Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of the Navy, the Commandant 
of the Marine Corps, and the Commandant of the Coast 
Guard shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services 
and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Armed Services of the Senate a report on a Tri-Service 
Arctic Maritime Strategy outlining areas of cooperation 
and alignment within the Arctic region to combat current 
and potential threats, and provide guidance on how the 
3 branches can deepen integration and pursue joint mod-
ernization efforts in this cold-weather landscape. 
SEC. 1069B. REPORT ON TRAINING AND SAFETY PROGRAM 
FOR OPERATION OF ASSAULT AMPHIBIOUS 
VEHICLES. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of the Navy shall submit 
to the congressional defense committees a report on the 
feasibility, advisability, and potential benefits of estab-
lishing a training and safety program for the operation 
of assault amphibious vehicles. 
SEC. 1069C. UPDATES TO NATIONAL BIODEFENSE STRAT-
EGY. 
(a) UPDATES REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Defense 
and the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall
774 
revise and update the most recent version of the national 
biodefense strategy and associated implementation plan 
required under section 1086 of the National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114– 
328; 6 U.S.C. 104). In revising and updating the strategy 
and implementation plan, the Secretaries shall address— 
(1) current and potential biological threats 
against the United States, both naturally occurring 
and man-made, either accidental or deliberate; 
(2) the potential for catastrophic biological 
threats; and 
(3) such other matters as the Secretaries deter-
mine appropriate. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act the Secretary of Defense and 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall jointly 
submit to the appropriate congressional defense commit-
tees the updated strategy and implementation plan re-
quired under subsection (a). 
(c) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate congres-
sional committees’’ has the meaning given that term in 
section 1086(f) of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 6 U.S.C. 
104).
775 
SEC. 1069D. REPORT ON MODIFICATIONS OF EXPEDI-
TIONARY TRANSFER DOCK SHIPS. 
Not later than March 1, 2025, the Chief of Naval 
Operations, in consultation with the Commandant of the 
Coast Guard, shall submit to the Committee on Armed 
Services and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on 
Armed Services and the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report 
on recommended modifications to the Expeditionary 
Transfer Dock Ships that will best enable at-sea 
sustainment of Joint Interagency Task Force South part-
ner nation patrol vessels and United States Coast Guard 
Fast Response Cutters. 
SEC. 1069E. REPORT ON MILITARY AND WEAPONS LOST 
DURING WITHDRAWAL FROM AFGHANISTAN. 
The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congres-
sional defense committees a report that includes an ac-
counting of all the military equipment and weapons lost 
to the Taliban during the withdrawal of the United States 
Armed Forces from Afghanistan. 
SEC. 1069F. ASSESSMENT OF THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM 
SUPPORTING MILITARY INSTALLATIONS IN 
THE R–2508 AIRSPACE. 
(a) ASSESSMENT REQUIRED.—The Secretary of De-
fense, in coordination with the Secretaries of the military
776 
departments concerned, shall develop an assessment of the 
health care system supporting the military installations 
within the R–2508 Airspace to ensure adequate health 
care for the civilian and military workforce. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 60 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall submit to the congressional defense committees a re-
port on the results of the assessment conducted under sub-
section (a). Such report shall include an explanation of— 
(1) any challenges to the health care system 
covered by the report within the private and public 
sector— 
(A) including any challenges relating to 
funding and authorization; 
(B) including any potential obstacles to ac-
cess health care services for both civilian and 
military populations; 
(C) whether there exists a provider short-
age for emergency care personnel and certain 
other specialties; and 
(D) including consideration of the potential 
impacts on the mission of the military installa-
tions covered by the report; 
(2) recommendations with respect to legislative 
proposals to improve such health care system; and
777 
(3) the plans of the Secretary to address the 
issues identified under paragraphs (1) through (2). 
SEC. 1069G. GAO REVIEW AND REPORT ON BIOLOGICAL 
WEAPONS EXPERIMENTS ON AND IN RELA-
TION TO TICKS, TICK-BORNE DISEASE. 
(a) REVIEW.—The Comptroller General of the United 
States shall conduct a review of research conducted during 
the period beginning on January 1, 1945, and ending on 
December 31, 1972, by the Department of Defense, in-
cluding by the Department of Defense in consultation with 
the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Agri-
culture, or any other Federal agency on— 
(1) the use of ticks as hosts or delivery mecha-
nisms for biological warfare agents, including experi-
ments involving Spirochaetales and Rickettsiales; 
and 
(2) any efforts to improve the effectiveness and 
viability of Spirochaetales and Rickettsiales as bio-
logical weapons through combination with other dis-
eases or viruses. 
(b) LOCATION OF RESEARCH.—In conducting the re-
view under subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall 
review research conducted at facilities located inside 
United States and facilities located outside the United 
States, including laboratories and field work locations.
778 
(c) INFORMATION TO BE REVIEWED.— 
(1) CLASSIFIED INFORMATION.—In conducting 
the review under subsection (a), the Comptroller 
General shall review any relevant classified informa-
tion. 
(2) DOCUMENTS FOR REVIEW.—In conducting 
the review under subsection (a), the Comptroller 
General shall review, among other sources, the fol-
lowing documents: 
(A) Technical Reports related to The Sum-
mary of Major Events and Problems, US Army 
Chemical Corps, FY 1951 – FY1969. 
(B) Site Holding: CB DT DW 48158 
Title: Virus and Rickettsia Waste Disposal 
Study. Technical Report No. 103, January 
1969. Corp Author Name: FORT DETRICK 
FREDERICK MD Report Number: SMUFD- 
TR-103 Publish Date: 19690101. 
(C) Site Holding: CB DT DW 60538 Title: 
A Plaque Assay System for Several Species of 
Rickettsia. 
Corp 
Author 
Name: 
FORT 
DETRICK FREDERICK MD Report Number: 
SMUFD-TM-538 Publish Date: 19690601. 
(D) Site Holding: CB DW 531493 Title: 
Progress Report for Ecology and Epidemiology
779 
and Biological Field Test Technology, Third 
Quarter FY 1967. Corp Author Name: ARMY 
DUGWAY PROVING GROUND UT Publish 
Date: 19670508. 
(d) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 18 months 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a re-
port that includes the following: 
(A) The scope of any research described in 
subsection (a). 
(B) Whether any ticks used in such re-
search were released outside of any facility (in-
cluding any ticks that were released uninten-
tionally). 
(C) Whether any records related to such 
research were destroyed, and whether such de-
struction was intentional or unintentional. 
(2) FORM
OF
REPORT.—The report required 
under paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassi-
fied form, but may contain a classified annex. 
SEC. 1069H. ASSESSMENT OF INFLUENCE OF CHINA IN PA-
CIFIC ISLAND NATIONS. 
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 
of this section, and each year thereafter, the Director of
780 
the Defense Intelligence Agency shall publish in the an-
nual China military power report required by section 1202 
of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2000 (Public Law 106–65), or other relevant publication, 
an assessment of the following: 
(1) Investments and influence of China in Pa-
cific Island nations. 
(2) How China’s activities have or have not im-
pacted United States military strategy in the Pacific 
region, as it relates to Pacific Island nations. 
SEC. 1069I. COMPTROLLER GENERAL STUDY ON USE OF 
UNMANNED VEHICLES TO REDUCE DEPART-
MENT OF DEFENSE EXPENSES. 
(a) STUDY.—The Comptroller General of the United 
States shall conduct a study to assess ways unmanned ve-
hicles can reduce overall operating expenses and costs at 
the Department of Defense. Such study shall include— 
(1) an analysis of unmanned ground and air 
systems and a comparison of the capability, capac-
ity, and operating cost tradeoffs associated with 
each such system and those associated with similar 
manned technologies or systems; 
(2) recommendations regarding new areas in 
which unmanned technology could supplant or com-
781 
plement manned systems in order to reduce overall 
force operating costs; and 
(3) such other matters as the Comptroller Gen-
eral determines appropriate. 
(b) BRIEFING AND REPORT.—Not later than March 
31, 2025, the Comptroller General shall— 
(1) provide to the congressional defense com-
mittees a briefing on the preliminary findings of the 
study required under subsection (a); and 
(2) agree to a format and timeline for providing 
to such committees a final report on the study. 
SEC. 1069J. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE REPORT ON THREAT 
OF RIFLE-TOTING ROBOT DOGS USED BY 
CHINA TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY OF THE 
UNITED STATES. 
The Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress 
a report on— 
(1) the use of rifle-toting robot dogs by China; 
and 
(2) the threat such use poses to the national se-
curity of the United States. 
SEC. 1069K. STUDY ON TESTING OF FOREIGN ADVERSARY 
HIGHLY AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense,
782 
in coordination with the relevant Federal agencies, shall 
conduct a study on the effects on the national security 
of the United States of highly automated vehicles (as such 
term is defined in section 503(c)(6) of title 23, United 
States Code) associated with foreign adversary countries 
operating or testing in the United States. 
(b) MATTERS
TO BE INCLUDED.—The study re-
quired by subsection (a) shall also include the following: 
(1) An evaluation of the technology used by 
highly automated vehicles and their capabilities. 
(2) A list of entities— 
(A) domiciled in or directly or indirectly 
owned, controlled, or directed by a foreign ad-
versary country; 
(B) that manufacture highly automated ve-
hicles; and 
(C) are currently operating highly auto-
mated vehicles in the United States. 
(3) The number of highly automated vehicles 
currently operating in the United States that are 
owned or operated by such entities. 
(4) An evaluation whether any such entity has 
contracted with or supplied any technology to the 
military of a foreign adversary country.
783 
(5) The locations where highly automated vehi-
cles owned or operated by such entities are operating 
in the United States. 
(6) Potential vulnerabilities posed by the oper-
ation of such highly automated vehicles in the 
United States. 
(c) SUBMISSION.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
submit the results of the study conducted pursuant to sub-
section (a) to— 
(1) the Committee on Armed Services, the 
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate; and 
(2) the Committee on Armed Services, the 
Committee on Homeland Security, and the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
Representatives. 
SEC. 1069L. REPORT ON EFFECTIVENESS OF THE OPTI-
MIZING THE HUMAN WEAPON SYSTEM PRO-
GRAM. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall submit 
to the congressional defense committees a report that in-
cludes—
784 
(1) an analysis of the effectiveness of the Opti-
mizing the Human Weapon System Program of the 
Army; and 
(2) recommendations for improving and ex-
panding the Program. 
SEC. 1069M. COMPTROLLER GENERAL STUDY ON DREDG-
ING CAPACITY AND PORT READINESS. 
(a) STUDY.—The Comptroller General of the United 
States shall conduct a study to assess the capability and 
capacity of Department of Defense to complete harbor and 
channel dredging at seaports that require such dredging. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The study under subsection (a) 
shall include— 
(1) identification of any dredging work required 
by the Department of Defense to ensure deep water 
access at seaports, set forth separately by seaport; 
(2) a review of the capacity of the domestic 
dredging industry to complete the dredging work 
identified under paragraph (1); 
(3) an assessment of time required to complete 
outstanding dredging work at seaports in the Stra-
tegic Seaport Program; and 
(4) development of recommendations for Fed-
eral policies, including contracting policies, that may 
be implemented to support domestic manufacturers
785 
of critical components used in the manufacturing of 
United States dredging vessels, including critical 
components such as cranes, spring couplings, torque 
limiters, diesel engine clutches, clutch couplings, wet 
brakes, and combination gearboxes. 
(c) CONSULTATION.—In conducting the study under 
subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall consult 
with— 
(1) the National Port Readiness Network; 
(2) entities in the United States dredging in-
dustry; 
(3) domestic critical component manufacturers; 
and 
(4) such other individuals and entities as the 
Comptroller General determines appropriate. 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall 
submit to the congressional defense committees a report 
on the results of the study conducted under subsection (a). 
SEC. 1069N. REPORT ON RED FLAGS MISSED IN JANET 
YAMANAKA MELLO FRAUD SCHEME. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Serv-
ices of the Senate and the House of Representatives a re-
786 
port on the fraud scheme perpetrated by Janet Yamanaka 
Mello, a civilian employee of the Department of the Army, 
who was indicted and pleaded guilty to stealing over $100 
million in Army funds. 
(b) CONTENTS OF REPORT.—The report required 
under subsection (a) shall include a detailed examination 
of the following: 
(1) Breakdown in supervision of Mello, includ-
ing any failures of management or oversight that 
contributed to the ability of Mello to carry out the 
fraud scheme undetected. 
(2) Breakdown in accountability, including any 
failures to ensure that funds were actually being 
spent for their intended purposes. 
(3) Failure to ensure that financial program 
managers, such as Mello, cannot funnel money to 
themselves or their own entities. 
(4) Any other red flags or warning signs that 
were missed or ignored, including any instances of 
whistleblower retaliation or suppression of concerns. 
(5) An assessment of the current policies and 
procedures in place to prevent similar fraud schemes 
from occurring in the future.
787 
(6) Recommendations for improvements to poli-
cies, procedures, and oversight to prevent similar 
fraud schemes from occurring in the future. 
(7) A description of any disciplinary or adminis-
trative actions taken against any individuals or enti-
ties found to have contributed to the ability of Mello 
to carry out the fraud scheme. 
(8) A description of any changes made or 
planned to be made to the Army’s financial manage-
ment and oversight processes as a result of this inci-
dent. 
(9) An assessment of the impact of the fraud 
scheme on the Army’s programs and operations. 
(10) Any other information the Secretary of 
Defense determines relevant to understanding the 
fraud scheme and preventing similar incidents in the 
future. 
(c) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—The report required 
under subsection (a) shall be posted publicly on the 
website of the Department of Defense. 
SEC. 1069O. REPORT ON NAVY USE OF IMMERSIVE LEARN-
ING CAPABILITIES. 
Not later than December 1, 2024, the Secretary of 
the Navy shall submit to the Committee on Armed Serv-
788 
ices of the House of Representatives a report that in-
cludes— 
(1) an identification of any immersive learning 
capabilities, including augmented, virtual and mixed 
reality, have been, or potentially could be, integrated 
into training across the Navy; 
(2) a description of any efforts of the Navy to 
coordinate with the Air Force on lessons learned in 
the development of the Headquarters Air Force 
HAF/A4L Air Force Maintenance and Logistics Ex-
tended Reality (XR) Strategy and what elements of 
that strategy might be applicable to the Navy; 
(3) an identification of the status of any activi-
ties of the Navy to build a comprehensive and exe-
cutable strategy to invest, deploy, and sustain 
immersive learning training capabilities across the 
Navy; and 
(4) a description of any limitations or barriers 
to integrating immersive learning capabilities into 
the Navy, including ensuring compliance with rel-
evant cybersecurity requirements.
789 
SEC. 1069P. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE REPORT ON POTEN-
TIAL COST SAVINGS FROM USE OF ARTIFI-
CIAL INTELLIGENCE. 
Not later than 90 days the date of the enactment of 
this Act, the Undersecretary of Defense (Comptroller) 
shall conduct a study and submit to Congress a report 
on the potential cost-saving measures of incorporating ar-
tificial intelligence and multi-domain, attributable autono-
mous, semi-autonomous, unmanned systems, capabilities 
and processes into military department and the civilian 
workforce of the Department of Defense. 
Subtitle G—Other Matters 
SEC. 1071. 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 
amended by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 2698. Expedited access to military installations for 
Members of Congress and certain Con-
gressional employees 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection 
(b), the Secretary shall establish procedures to ensure 
that—
790 
‘‘(1) a Member of Congress seeking access to a 
covered installation is granted such access if such 
Member presents a covered identification card; and 
‘‘(2) any Congressional employees accom-
panying a Member of Congress granted access under 
paragraph (1) is granted the same access. 
‘‘(b) PROHIBITED PROCEDURES.—Under such proce-
dures, the Secretary may not require a Member of Con-
gress to schedule a grant of access to a covered installation 
under subsection (a) prior to the arrival of such Member 
and accompanying Congressional employees, if applicable, 
at such covered installation. 
‘‘(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘Congressional employee’ has the 
meaning given such term in paragraph (5) of section 
2107 of title 5. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘covered identification card’ 
means a valid identification badge issued by the ap-
propriate office of the House of Representatives or 
the Senate, as the case may be, which identifies the 
individual to which such identification badge was 
issued as a current Member of Congress. 
‘‘(3) The term ‘covered installation’ means a 
military installation located in the United States or 
Guam at which the presentation of an issued De-
791 
partment of Defense common access card is the sole 
requirement 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. 1072. AIR FORCE TECHNICAL TRAINING CENTER OF 
EXCELLENCE. 
Chapter 903 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 9025. Air Force Technical Training Center of Ex-
cellence 
‘‘(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 Airmen Development Command. 
‘‘(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose 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;
792 
‘‘(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 medial; 
‘‘(5) foster outreach with industry and aca-
demia; 
‘‘(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 loca-
tion for the Center that is an Air Force installation that 
provides technical training and maintenance proficiency.’’. 
SEC. 1073. INSTALLATION ENERGY PLANS AND ASSESS-
MENT FOR REDUCTION OF RELIANCE ON 
RUSSIAN ENERGY. 
Section 1086 of the James M. Inhofe National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 
117–283; 10 U.S.C. 2911 note) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (c)(2)—
793 
(A) by striking ‘‘Not later than 12 months 
after the date of the enactment of this Act’’ 
and inserting ‘‘Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘main operating base on the list submitted 
under paragraph (1)(A)’’ and inserting ‘‘oper-
ating base within the area of responsibility of 
the United States European Command’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(h) LIMITATION.—Of the funds authorized to be ap-
propriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fis-
cal year 2025 for the Office of the Secretary of Defense 
for travel, not more than 75 percent may be obligated or 
expended until the installation energy plans and assess-
ment required under subsection (c)(2).’’. 
SEC. 1074. EXTENSION OF 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) is amended by striking ‘‘July 1, 2024’’ and 
inserting ‘‘July 1, 2025’’.
794 
SEC. 1075. MODIFICATION OF NATIONAL SECURITY COM-
MISSION ON EMERGING BIOTECHNOLOGY. 
Section 1091 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 117–81) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (b)(3) by striking ‘‘the author-
ity to make such appointment or appointments shall 
expire, and the number of members of the Commis-
sion shall be reduced by the number equal to the 
number of appointments so not made’’ and inserting 
‘‘such appointments shall nevertheless be considered 
valid’’; 
(2) in subsection (g)(1), by inserting ‘‘and 6 
months’’ after ‘‘3 years’’; and 
(3) in subsection (r), by striking ‘‘18 months 
after the date on which it submits the final report 
required by subsection (g)’’ and inserting ‘‘on De-
cember 31, 2026’’. 
SEC. 1076. MODIFICATION OF DEFENSE SENSITIVE SUP-
PORT NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENT. 
Section 1055 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 10 U.S.C. 
113 note) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)—
795 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘para-
graph (3)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraphs (3) and 
(4)’’; 
(B) 
by 
redesignating 
paragraphs 
(3) 
through (5) as paragraphs (4) through (6), re-
spectively; 
(C) by inserting after paragraph (2) the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(3) 
ROUTINE
DEFENSE
SENSITIVE
SUP-
PORT.—In the event that the provision of defense 
sensitive support is routine defense sensitive sup-
port, the Secretary shall provide notification under 
paragraph (1) on a quarterly basis after providing 
the support.’’; 
(D) in paragraph (4), as so redesignated— 
(i) in the paragraph heading, by in-
serting ‘‘AND
EXTRAORDINARY
SECURITY 
PROTECTIONS’’ after ‘‘SUPPORT’’; 
(ii) in the matter preceding subpara-
graph (A)— 
(I) by inserting ‘‘or requires ex-
traordinary security protections’’ after 
‘‘time-sensitive’’; and 
(II) by inserting ‘‘shall’’ after 
‘‘Secretary’’;
796 
(iii) in subparagraph (A)— 
(I) by striking ‘‘may’’; 
(II) by inserting ‘‘or after the ac-
tivity 
supported 
concludes’’ 
after 
‘‘providing the support’’; and 
(III) by striking ‘‘; and’’ and in-
serting ‘‘; or’’; and 
(iv) in subparagraph (B)— 
(I) by striking ‘‘shall’’; and 
(II) by striking ‘‘notice as soon 
as practicable after providing such 
support, but not later than 48 hours 
after providing the support’’ and in-
serting ‘‘notification simultaneously 
with the execution of the supported 
activity’’; and 
(E) in paragraph (5), as so redesignated, 
by striking ‘‘paragraphs (1) and (3)’’ and in-
serting ‘‘paragraphs (1), (3), and (4)’’; and 
(2) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking 
‘‘DEFENSE
SENSITIVE
SUPPORT
DEFINED’’ 
and inserting ‘‘DEFINITIONS’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘, the term ‘defense sen-
sitive support’ means support provided by the
797 
Department of Defense to a non-Department of 
Defense Federal department or agency that re-
quires special protection from disclosure.’’ and 
inserting a colon; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraphs: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘defense sensitive support’ means 
support provided by the Department of Defense to 
a non-Department of Defense Federal department or 
agency that requires special protection from disclo-
sure. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘routine defense sensitive sup-
port’ has the meaning given such term elsewhere in 
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2025.’’. 
SEC. 1077. POST-EMPLOYMENT RESTRICTIONS FOR PAR-
TICIPANTS IN CERTAIN RESEARCH FUNDED 
BY THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided under sub-
section (c), as a condition of becoming or remaining a 
principal investigator of a covered defense research 
project, a person shall agree that during the ten-year pe-
riod beginning on the last day the person is a principal 
investigator of such research, such person may not seek 
or accept employment, or conduct any activity, for which
798 
a foreign entity of concern provides financial compensation 
or in-kind benefits. 
(b) CRITICAL
OR EMERGING TECHNOLOGY.—For 
purposes of subsection (a), a critical or emerging tech-
nology is a technology that the Secretary of Defense deter-
mines to be critical or emerging. Not later than 270 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually 
thereafter, the Secretary shall determine which tech-
nologies are critical or emerging from among the tech-
nologies for which the Department of Defense funds re-
search, and shall make the results of such determination 
publicly available. 
(c) WAIVER AUTHORITY.—The Secretary may waive 
the restriction under subsection (a) with respect to a 
United States person if, not later than 30 days before 
issuing the waiver, the Secretary submits to the congres-
sional defense committees a notice of the waiver that in-
cludes— 
(1) an unclassified justification for the waiver; 
and 
(2) a description of any Department of Defense 
funds provided to the person for which the waiver is 
issued or to the research in which the person partici-
pated.
799 
(d) APPLICABILITY.—This section shall apply with 
respect to research that begins on or after the date that 
is one year after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘foreign entity of concern’’ has 
the meaning given that term in section 10612(a) of 
the Research and Development, Competition, and 
Innovation Act (42 U.S.C. 19221(a)) and includes a 
foreign entity that is identified on the list published 
under section 1286(c)(9)(A) of the John S. McCain 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2019 (Public Law 115–232; 10 U.S.C. 4001 note). 
(2) The term ‘‘covered defense research 
project’’ means a research project that— 
(A) is operated by an institution of higher 
education or a subsidiary of an institution of 
higher education; 
(B) is funded, in whole or in part, by the 
Department of Defense; and 
(C) involves a critical or emerging tech-
nology, as defined in subsection (b) of this sec-
tion. 
(3) The term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ 
has the meaning given that term in section 102 of
800 
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1002). 
SEC. 1078. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL SECURITY CAP-
ITAL FORUM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall es-
tablish a forum to— 
(1) convene domestic and international institu-
tional financiers, capital providers, investors, entre-
preneurs, innovators, business persons, representa-
tives from across the private sector, relevant United 
States Government offices, and government and pri-
vate entities of partner nations; and 
(2) allow the exchange of information between 
the entities referred to in paragraph (1) and the De-
partment of Defense relating to transactions or po-
tential transactions and to integrate efforts to 
achieve coordinated effects to support the national 
security interest of the United States. 
(b) CHAIR.—The Chair of the forum established 
under subsection (a) shall be the Director of the Office 
of Strategic Capital. 
(c) DESIGNATION OF EXECUTIVE AGENT.—The Sec-
retary may designate the Director as the sole Executive 
Agent with respect to the authorities and responsibilities 
of the Secretary of Defense under section 1047 of the Na-
801 
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 
(Public Law 117–263; 10 U.S.C. 113 note). 
SEC. 1079. PLAN FOR ADDITIONAL SKILL IDENTIFIERS FOR 
ARMY MOUNTAIN WARFARE SCHOOL. 
(a) PLAN REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
the Army shall develop and implement a plan to establish 
each of the following: 
(1) Additional skill identifiers for the following 
courses at the Army Mountain Warfare School: 
(A) Advanced Military Mountaineer Course 
(Summer). 
(B) Advanced Military Mountaineer Course 
(Winter). 
(C) Rough Terrain Evacuation Course. 
(D) Mountain Planner Course. 
(E) Mountain Rifleman Course. 
(2) New skill identifiers for officers and war-
rant officers who complete the Basic Military Moun-
taineer Course and the Mountain Planner Course. 
(b) BRIEFING ON PLAN.—Not later than 30 days 
after the date on which the Secretary completes the plan 
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall provide to the 
congressional defense committees a briefing on the plan 
and the implementation of the plan.
802 
SEC. 1080. TABLETOP EXERCISE ON EXTREME WEATHER 
EVENTS IN THE INDO-PACIFIC REGION. 
(a) TABLETOP EXERCISE.— 
(1) REQUIREMENT.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Com-
mand, in consultation with the the head of the insti-
tution selected by the Commander under paragraph 
(3), shall conduct at least one national tabletop exer-
cise to assess the ability of the Armed Forces and 
military forces of allies or partners of the United 
States to confront aggressive adversarial threats in 
the Indo-Pacific region while simultaneously con-
fronting extreme weather hazards. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The exercise conducted under 
paragraph (1) shall evaluate, at a minimum, the fol-
lowing: 
(A) The resilience of United States weap-
ons, systems, force posture, and command and 
control to withstand extreme environmental 
hazards during a single combat contingency in 
the Indo-Pacific region. 
(B) The mobility of the Armed Forces in 
the event of attacks upon critical infrastructure 
and logistical chokepoints pertinent to a contin-
gency involving an ally or partner.
803 
(C) The ability of the Armed Forces to 
conduct logistics in a constrained environment, 
including the ability to resupply United States 
and allied forces, and civilian populations. 
(D) The resiliency of the Indo-Pacific 
Command to withstand extreme environmental 
hazards. 
(E) The response of the Department of 
Defense to partial or complete loss of overseas 
critical infrastructure. 
(F) The ability of the Armed Forces, in co-
ordination with allies and partners, to resist 
force or other coercion by an aggressor if com-
mand and control is compromised due to ex-
treme environmental conditions. 
(G) The options of the Federal Govern-
ment to ensure the viability of overseas critical 
infrastructure in the event of a military contin-
gency, including assets in Japan, the Republic 
of Korea, Guam, the Northern Marianas, Ha-
waii, and the Philippines. 
(H) Air defense capabilities to deter mis-
sile threats from the People’s Republic of China 
or the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea 
during a military conflict.
804 
(I) The ability of naval projection forces to 
defend against adversarial threats while oper-
ating under compromised conditions. 
(J) The survivability of critical military 
forces, particularly air and naval forces. 
(K) The ability of air forces to conduct 
agile combat employment operations under com-
promised positions. 
(L) The efficacy of ground-based targeting 
and firing in the Indo-Pacific to support key 
missions amidst extreme environmental condi-
tions. 
(3) LOCATION.—The exercise conducted under 
paragraph (1) shall be conducted at a postsecondary 
educational institution of the Armed Forces selected 
by the Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific 
Command. In making such selection, the Com-
mander shall consider the following elements: 
(A) Geographic proximity to the United 
States Indo-Pacific Command area of responsi-
bility. 
(B) Leadership in science and technology, 
academic research, and applied design for inno-
vation to meaningfully participate or provide
805 
analysis on the exercises described in paragraph 
(2). 
(C) Experience and capacity to conduct a 
tabletop exercise impacted by extreme environ-
mental conditions. 
(D) Leadership in meeting objectives of 
the Department of Defense to create resilient 
and sustainable military capabilities that can 
withstand extreme weather conditions. 
(4) PREPARATION.—The tabletop exercise shall 
be prepared by personnel of the United States Indo- 
Pacific Command, selected by the Commander in 
consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the 
head of the institution selected by the Commander 
under paragraph (3). 
(5) PARTICIPANTS.—Participants in the table-
top exercise may include the following, as deter-
mined appropriate by the Commander: 
(A) Personnel of the Department of De-
fense. 
(B) Representatives of thinktanks or other 
entities of the United States. 
(C) Representatives of allies and partners, 
subject to the approval of the Secretary of De-
fense and the Secretary of State.
806 
(6) FREQUENCY.—In addition to the exercise 
conducted under paragraph (1), other such tabletop 
exercises may be conducted not more than twice per 
year during the period of four years following the 
date of the enactment of this Act, at dates and times 
determined by the Commander of the United States 
Indo-Pacific Command and the head of the institu-
tion selected by the Commander under paragraph 
(3). 
(b) BRIEFING.—Following the conclusion of a table-
top exercise conducted under subsection (a), the Com-
mander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command and 
a nongovernmental participant determined by the Com-
mander, shall provide to the appropriate congressional 
committees a briefing on the tabletop exercise. Such a 
briefing shall include— 
(1) an assessment of the decision-making, capa-
bility, and response gaps observed in the tabletop ex-
ercise; and 
(2) recommendations to improve the resiliency 
of, and reduce vulnerabilities in, the domestic critical 
infrastructure of the United States in the event of 
a military contingency involving an ally or partner. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
807 
(1) The term ‘‘ally or partner’’ means Taiwan, 
Japan, or the Republic of Korea. 
(2) The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Armed Services, the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Com-
mittee on Oversight and Reform of the House 
of Representatives; and 
(B) the Committee on Armed Services, the 
Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Com-
mittee on Homeland Security and Government 
Affairs of the Senate. 
(3) The term ‘‘environmental hazard’’ in-
cludes— 
(A) an earthquake; 
(B) a tsunami; 
(C) a hurricane, typhoon, monsoon, or 
other storm; 
(D) rising sea levels; 
(E) mudslides; or 
(F) any other environmental condition the 
Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific 
Command determines is relevant to the Indo- 
Pacific region and disruptive to military oper-
808 
ations of the United States or forces of an ally 
or partner. 
(4) The term ‘‘tabletop exercise’’ means an ac-
tivity— 
(A) in which senior personnel gather to de-
liberate various simulated emergency or rapid 
response situations; and 
(B) that is designed to assess the adequacy 
of plans, policies, procedures, training, re-
sources, and relationships or agreements that 
guide the prevention of, response to, and recov-
ery from a defined event. 
SEC. 1081. PILOT PROGRAM ON ARMY READINESS IN CON-
TESTED LOGISTICS ENVIRONMENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Beginning not later than 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of the Army, in coordination with the Combine 
Arms Center of the United States Army Training and 
Doctrine Command, shall carry out a pilot program de-
signed to enhance the overall readiness of the Army in 
a contested logistics environment. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—Under the pilot program re-
quired by subsection (a), the Secretary shall— 
(1) encourage the acquisition of commercially 
available equipment and services in order to provide
809 
efficient and effective life support on expeditionary 
bases; and 
(2) demonstrate the effectiveness of the pilot 
program in simulated environments at multiple com-
bat training centers, including— 
(A) the National Training Center; 
(B) the Joint Readiness Training Center; 
or 
(C) the Joint Multinational Readiness Cen-
ter. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter until 
the termination of the pilot program under subsection (d), 
the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense 
committees a report on the findings of the pilot program. 
Each such report shall include, for the year covered by 
the report, an identification of— 
(1) skills that the combined force needs to de-
velop and maintain to enable the efficient and effec-
tive deployment of life support systems; 
(2) commercially-available equipment that has 
proven effective in simulated combat and contested 
environments; and
810 
(3) progress made in equipping training and de-
ploying units with technologies, items, and skills 
shown to be effective under the pilot program. 
(d) SUNSET.—The authorities to carry out a pilot 
program under this section shall terminate on the date 
that is ten years after the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
SEC. 1082. PILOT PROGRAM ON FORWARD ADVANCED MAN-
UFACTURING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Beginning not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense, acting through the Assistant Secretary of De-
fense for Industrial Base Policy, shall carry out a pilot 
program under which the Secretary establishes a public- 
private partnership to develop a forward advanced manu-
facturing capability in the area of responsibility of the 
United States Indo-Pacific Command to meet advanced 
manufacturing requirements for the submarine and ship-
building industrial base and emerging needs of such Com-
mand and its component commands. 
(b) ELEMENTS OF PROGRAM.—The pilot program re-
quired under subsection (a) shall include— 
(1) development of an advanced manufacturing 
facility outside of a military installation in the area 
of responsibility of the United States Indo-Pacific
811 
Command capable of manufacturing large metal 
structures, including those required for unmanned 
vehicles, surface and underwater vehicles, and ship 
maintenance and upgrades, through advanced manu-
facturing, maintaining local machining capabilities, 
and maintaining a production capability across crit-
ical minerals necessary to emerging repair and pro-
duction requirements in conflict; and 
(2) coordination of requirements from the 
United States Indo-Pacific Command, the Sub-
marine Industrial Base Task Force, the Innovation 
Capability and Modernization office, and the Indus-
trial Base Analysis and Sustainment program. 
(c) TERMINATION.—The authority to carry out the 
pilot program required under subsection (a) shall termi-
nate five years after the date on which the Secretary com-
mences the pilot program. 
(d) REPORT REQUIRED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date on which the Secretary commences the pilot 
program under subsection (a), and on an annual 
basis thereafter until the termination date under 
subsection (c), the Assistant Secretary of Defense 
for Industrial Base Policy shall submit to the Com-
mittees on Armed Services of the House of Rep-
812 
resentatives and the Senate a report on the pilot 
program. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—Each report required under 
this subsection shall include: 
(A) a progress update on the implementa-
tion of the pilot program under subsection (a), 
including progress with respect to each of the 
elements described in subsection (b); 
(B) an overview of any partnerships en-
tered into with industry and other relevant enti-
ties in support of the pilot program; 
(C) a review of the ability of the pilot pro-
gram to meet requirements identified by the en-
tities specified in subsection (b)(2); and 
(D) input from the entities specified in 
subsection (b)(2), industry, and other relevant 
entities on the desirability and effects of the 
pilot program. 
(e) ADVANCED MANUFACTURING DEFINED.—In this 
section, the term ‘‘advanced manufacturing’’ includes 
manufacturing processes utilizing additive manufacturing, 
wire-arc additive manufacturing, and powder bed fusion 
manufacturing.
813 
SEC. 1083. FRANK A. LOBIONDO NATIONAL AEROSPACE 
SAFETY AND SECURITY CAMPUS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The campus and grounds of the 
Federal facility located at the Atlantic City International 
Airport in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, at which 
the 177th Fighter Wing of the New Jersey Air National 
Guard is stationed shall be known and designated as the 
‘‘Frank A. LoBiondo National Aerospace Safety and Secu-
rity Campus’’. 
(b) REFERENCE.—Any reference in a law, map, regu-
lation, document, paper, or other record of the United 
States to the campus and grounds referred to in sub-
section (a) shall be deemed to be a reference to the ‘‘Frank 
A. LoBiondo National Aerospace Safety and Security 
Campus’’. 
SEC. 1084. ASSESSMENT REGARDING ANTIFOULING COAT-
INGS. 
(a) 
ASSESSMENT
FOR
DEPLOYING
NEW 
ANTIFOULING COATINGS FOR THE SURFACE FLEET.— 
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall conduct an as-
sessment to evaluate the feasibility of moving away from 
copper-based antifouling coatings. Such an assessment 
shall include each of the following:
814 
(1) A timeline to remove existing copper-based 
antifouling coatings from naval vessels by January 
1, 2028. 
(2) Criteria for antifouling effectiveness, meas-
ured by— 
(A) the duration of time such coating pre-
vents biological adhesion, corrosion, and deg-
radation of vessel surfaces; 
(B) environmental damage caused by shed-
ding and leaching of the coating; and 
(C) the effect of the coating on fuel effi-
ciency and vessel speed. 
(3) An evaluation of whether a new standard in 
standard rotation for maintenance of surface vessels 
could effectively reduce the time and costs associated 
with maintenance key events, such as repair plan-
ning and time in drydock, while also being environ-
mentally sound. 
(b) EVALUATION
OF COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE 
PRODUCTS.—Prior to conducting the assessment required 
by subsection (a), the Secretary shall evaluate commer-
cially available products, technologies, applications, and 
services that could be used to improve combat readiness 
by decreasing the need for re-application of antifouling 
coatings.
815 
SEC. 1085. AUTHORIZATION TO USE NONELECTRIC VEHI-
CLES AT YUMA PROVING GROUND. 
The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that members 
of the Armed Forces and civilian employees of the Depart-
ment of Defense assigned to the Yuma Proving Ground 
are authorized to use nonelectric vehicles in the perform-
ance of their duties. 
SEC. 1086. SENSE OF CONGRESS RELATING TO EXPENDI-
TURES FOR CERTAIN MILITARY HOUSING. 
It is the sense of Congress that the United States 
should not be spending more money to house illegal immi-
grants than on housing for America’s military families. 
SEC. 1087. UNIVERSITY CENTERS FOR ARCTIC NATIONAL 
SECURITY STUDIES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) Investments in improving our understanding 
of the Arctic environment are critical to ensuring the 
national security of the United States. 
(2) The Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security 
Studies is vital to understanding and addressing the 
strategic implications of the current and emerging 
Arctic security challenge. 
(3) The Arctic environment is rapidly changing 
and accurate and consistent data and analysis is 
needed to produce evidence-based policy.
816 
(4) The academic community is well-positioned 
to support efforts to advance critical Arctic national 
security studies. 
(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—Beginning not later than one 
year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall establish or designate one or more 
one or more University Centers for Arctic National Secu-
rity Studies at institutions of higher education. 
(c) ACTIVITIES.—A University Center established or 
designated under subsection (b) shall carry out activi-
ties— 
(1) in collaboration with the Ted Stevens Cen-
ter for Arctic Security Studies and other relevant 
entities, to set mission priorities for the Department 
of Defense relating to the Arctic domain; 
(2) to support academic research to advance 
evidence-based policy making on matters relating to 
the Arctic; 
(3) to improve the Department’s understanding 
of the ever-changing Arctic environment; and 
(4) to foster collaboration between researchers 
and students to advance Arctic national security 
studies.
817 
SEC. 1088. PSYCHOLOGICAL PERFORMANCE TRAINING IN 
PERFORMANCE MINDSET. 
(a) FINDING.—Congress finds that long-term expo-
sure to high-stress environments leaves many individuals 
in a suboptimal performance state, creating an environ-
ment for maladaptive coping mechanisms, compromised 
performance abilities, and a potential increase in anxiety, 
depression, suicide, domestic violence, and substance 
abuse. 
(b) REQUIRED TRAINING.—All training provided to 
a member of the Armed Forces, including at a Service 
Academy (as defined section 347 of title 10, United States 
Code), or a school operated under chapter 107 or 108 of 
title 10, United States Code, shall include training on the 
development of proactive psychological performance skills 
and strategies for psychological flexibility and mental 
strength. Such training shall include each of the following: 
(1) Training in scientifically researched and evi-
dence-based mindset skills designed to prepare mem-
bers of the Armed Forces for the physical and men-
tal stressors associated with service in the Armed 
Forces. 
(2) Performance mindset training designed to 
create psychological flexibility and mental strength 
to reduce the effects of potential trauma.
818 
(3) Interactive and contextualized training pro-
vided by specialized training teams with expert 
knowledge of psychological performance and how to 
apply the skills covered by the training across the 
phases of a career of a member of the Armed 
Forces. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the 
Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional de-
fense committees a report on the implementation of this 
section. Each such report shall be submitted in unclassi-
fied form, but may contain a classified annex. 
SEC. 1089. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING COOPERA-
TION WITH THE PHILIPPINES ON MARITIME 
SECURITY. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) the United States should remain committed 
to helping the Philippines maintain the safety and 
security of the Philippines, including helping the 
Philippines to defend against threats to such safety 
and security from China; and 
(2) to help the Philippines defend against such 
threats, the United States should expand coopera-
tion between the United States and the Philippines 
with respect to maritime security.
819 
SEC. 1090. ESTABLISHMENT OF MULTILATERAL ARTIFICIAL 
INTELLIGENCE WORKING GROUP. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Defense shall establish a working group, which shall be 
known as the ‘‘Multilateral Artificial Intelligence Working 
Group’’, to develop and coordinate an artificial intelligence 
initiative among the allies and partners of the United 
States. 
(b) ORGANIZATION.— 
(1) DESIGNATION
OF
HEAD.—The Secretary 
shall designate a senior civilian officer of the De-
partment of Defense or senior military officer with 
experience leading relevant efforts, as determined by 
the Secretary, to serve as the head of the Working 
Group. 
(2) PARTICIPATION BY OTHER MEMBER COUN-
TRIES.—The Secretary shall determine which allies 
and partners of the United States shall be asked to 
participate as member countries in the Working 
Group. 
(c) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The responsibilities of the 
Working Group shall be to develop and coordinate efforts 
to implement an artificial intelligence initiative between 
the Department of Defense and allies and partners of the 
United States, including by—
820 
(1) comparing— 
(A) the various artificial intelligence sys-
tems and the elements thereof (including ma-
chine learning and generative artificial intel-
ligence such as large language models) used for 
covered operational uses by members countries; 
and 
(B) the respective practices associated with 
the employment of such systems for covered 
operational uses by members countries; 
(2) identifying (including by experimenting, 
testing, and evaluating) potential solutions to ad-
vance and accelerate the interoperability of artificial 
intelligence systems used for intelligence sharing, 
battlespace awareness, and other covered operational 
uses; 
(3) testing and evaluating the effects of artifi-
cial intelligence model redundancy, including the 
risks and safety measures associated with operating 
multiple artificial intelligence systems, including in 
tandem with one another; 
(4) developing a shared strategy for the re-
search, development, test, evaluation, and employ-
ment of artificial intelligence systems for covered
821 
operational uses carried out jointly by the member 
countries; 
(5) developing a shared strategy for— 
(A) managing data-informed artificial in-
telligence systems; and 
(B) testing and evaluating artificial intel-
ligence systems with combined data sets at the 
unclassified and classified levels; 
(6) testing and evaluating the capabilities of the 
defense industrial base of the member countries to 
incorporate artificial intelligence systems into sys-
tems used for covered operational uses; 
(7) comparing and using ethical frameworks to 
accelerate technological advancements with respect 
to artificial intelligence systems; 
(8) expanding innovation efforts by the member 
countries and share among such countries best prac-
tices for the accelerated procurement and adoption 
of artificial intelligence technologies for covered 
operational uses; 
(9) leveraging commercially available artificial 
intelligence 
technologies 
to 
advance 
near-term 
jointness between the armed forces of the member 
countries;
822 
(10) jointly identifying and sourcing artificial 
intelligence systems, as practicable, and advising 
member countries with respect to export controls ap-
plicable to such systems; and 
(11) carrying out such other activities as the 
Secretary determines to be relevant to such respon-
sibilities. 
(d) CONTROL
OF KNOWLEDGE
AND TECHNICAL 
DATA.—The Secretary shall seek to ensure that any 
knowledge or technical data produced by a member coun-
try under any cooperative project carried out by the Work-
ing Group shall be controlled by that country under the 
export control laws and regulations of that country and 
shall not be subject to the jurisdiction or control of any 
other member country. 
(e) PLAN AND REPORTS.— 
(1) PLAN.— 
(A) SUBMISSION.—Not later than 60 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary shall submit to the congressional de-
fense committees a plan for the establishment 
and activities of the Working Group. 
(B) ELEMENTS.—The plan under subpara-
graph (A) shall include—
823 
(i) a plan for the establishment of the 
Working Group; 
(ii) a description of any funding re-
quirements or administrative support nec-
essary to carry out this section; 
(iii) a description of any additional 
statutory authorities necessary to carry out 
this section; 
(iv) a plan for the fulfilment of re-
sponsibilities under subsection (c) by the 
Working Group; 
(v) an evaluation of existing multilat-
eral artificial intelligence efforts; 
(vi) a plan for the integration of the 
artificial intelligence initiative developed 
and coordinated by the Working Group 
with other programs and initiatives of the 
elements of the Department of Defense 
with responsibilities relating to mutual se-
curity and artificial intelligence efforts 
among the member countries; 
(vii) performance indicators by which 
the activities of the Working Group will be 
assessed; and
824 
(viii) a description of how efforts of 
the commanders of the combatant com-
mands relating to military interoperability 
and test and evaluation of artificial intel-
ligence systems will be tasked and executed 
by and through the Working Group. 
(2) SEMIANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and 
on a semiannual basis thereafter until the date of 
termination under subsection (f), the Secretary shall 
submit to the congressional defense committees a re-
port on the activities and milestones of the Working 
Group. Each such report shall include, with respect 
to the period covered by the report— 
(A) an assessment of the activities of the 
Working Group based on the performance indi-
cators set forth in the plan under paragraph 
(1)(B)(vii); and 
(B) a description of any efforts of the com-
manders of the combatant commands taken in 
support of the responsibilities of the Working 
Group. 
(f) TERMINATION.—
825 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), the Working Group shall terminate on 
September 30, 2028. 
(2) AUTHORITY
TO
EXTEND.—The Secretary 
may extend the termination date under paragraph 
(1) if the Secretary determines such extension to be 
in the national security interests of the United 
States. 
(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘battlespace awareness’’ has the 
meaning given that term in the Joint Publication 1– 
02 of the Department of Defense, titled ‘‘Depart-
ment of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associ-
ated Terms’’, or successor publication. 
(2) The term ‘‘covered operational use’’ means 
use by a government for operations in a defense con-
text. 
(3) The term ‘‘member country’’ means a mem-
ber country of the Working Group. 
SEC. 1091. DECLASSIFICATION REVIEW OF DOCUMENTS RE-
LATING 
TO 
INVOLVEMENT 
OF 
UNITED 
STATES IN 1973 COUP IN CHILE. 
The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the 
Secretary of State and the Director of the Central Intel-
ligence Agency, shall conduct a declassification review of
826 
documents relating to the involvement of the United 
States in the 1973 coup in Chile, including— 
(1) any record of financial support provided by 
the United States Government to any organization 
or other entity, whether private or public, that sup-
ported the coup; 
(2) any record of communication between an of-
ficer or employee of the United States Government 
and a senior military or intelligence officer of the 
Government of Chile during the period beginning on 
September 11, 1972, and ending on September 11, 
1974; and 
(3) any other document containing information 
relating to the involvement of the United States 
Government in the coup. 
TITLE XI—CIVILIAN PERSONNEL 
MATTERS 
SEC. 1101. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR NONCOMPETI-
TIVE APPOINTMENTS OF MILITARY SPOUSES 
BY FEDERAL AGENCIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 573(e) of the John S. 
McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2019 (Public Law 115–232; 5 U.S.C. 3330d note) 
is repealed.
827 
(b) EXTENSION AND REPORT.—Section 1119 of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 
(Public Law 118–31) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘December 
31, 2028’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2033’’; and 
(2) by adding after subsection (d) the following: 
‘‘(e) REPORTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of the enactment of this subsection and 
each year thereafter until the sunset date in sub-
section (d), the Secretary of Defense shall— 
‘‘(A) submit a report to the congressional 
defense committees on the use of the hiring au-
thority under section 3330d of title 5, United 
States Code; and 
‘‘(B) publish such report on the public 
website of the Department of Defense. 
‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—Each report under para-
graph (1) shall include information on— 
‘‘(A) how often such authority is used by 
agencies; 
‘‘(B) what positions are filled using such 
authority, and the grade and locations of such 
positions;
828 
‘‘(C) the number of military spouse appli-
cants seeking positions under such authority 
who were not selected and the grade and loca-
tions of such positions; and 
‘‘(D) how often Department of Defense 
components exercised exceptions to spouse pref-
erence procedures and the grade and locations 
of such positions.’’. 
(c) TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 1119(a) of the Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2024 (Public Law 118–31) is amended— 
(A) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘(2)’’ and all that fol-
lows through ‘‘the following:’’ and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(2) in subsection (a)— 
‘‘(A) by redesignating paragraph (5), as 
added by section 1112(a)(1)(C) of this Act, as 
paragraph (6); and 
‘‘(B) by inserting after paragraph (4), as 
redesignated by section 1112(a)(1)(A) of this 
Act, the following:’’; and
829 
(ii) in the quoted material, by striking 
‘‘(4) The term’’ and inserting ‘‘(5) The 
term’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (3)— 
(i) in the matter preceding subpara-
graph (A), by inserting ‘‘, as amended by 
section 1112(a)(2) of this Act’’ after ‘‘in 
subsection (b)’’; 
(ii) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘paragraph (1)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraph 
(2)’’; 
(iii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
‘‘paragraph (2)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraph 
(3)’’; and 
(iv) in subparagraph C), in the quoted 
material, by striking ‘‘(3) a spouse’’ and 
inserting ‘‘(4) a spouse’’. 
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made 
by paragraph (1) shall take effect as if included in 
the enactment of section 1119 of the National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Pub-
lic Law 118–31).
830 
SEC. 1102. EXTENSION OF LIVING QUARTERS ALLOWANCE 
TO CIVILIAN DOD EMPLOYEES STATIONED 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 EMPLOY-
EES ASSIGNED TO PERMANENT DUTY IN GUAM 
FOR
PERFORMING
WORK, OR
SUPPORTING 
WORK BEING PERFORMED, ABOARD OR DOCK-
SIDE, OF
U.S. NAVAL
VESSELS’’ and inserting 
‘‘CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES OF THE DEPARTMENT 
OF DEFENSE STATIONED IN GUAM’’; 
(2) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘Secretary of 
the Navy’’ and inserting ‘‘Secretary of Defense’’; 
and 
(3) by amending subsection (b) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(b) COVERED EMPLOYEE DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘covered employee’ means any civilian em-
ployee of the Department of Defense whose permanent 
duty station is located in Guam.’’.
831 
SEC. 1103. 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 1102 of the James M. Inhofe National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public 
Law 117–263), is further amended by striking ‘‘through 
2024’’ and inserting ‘‘through 2025’’. 
SEC. 1104. ONE-YEAR EXTENSION OF TEMPORARY AUTHOR-
ITY TO GRANT ALLOWANCES, BENEFITS, AND 
GRATUITIES TO CIVILIAN PERSONNEL ON OF-
FICIAL DUTY IN A COMBAT ZONE. 
Paragraph (2) of section 1603(a) of the Emergency 
Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global 
War on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, 2006 (Public 
Law 109–234; 120 Stat. 443), as added by section 1102 
of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law 110–417; 122 Stat. 
4616) and as most recently amended by section 1109 of 
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2024 (Public Law 118–31), is further amended by strik-
ing ‘‘2025’’ and inserting ‘‘2026’’.
832 
SEC. 1105. PROHIBITION ON LIMITING DURATION OF OVER-
SEAS WORK-PERIOD FOR DOD COMPETITIVE 
SERVICE POSITIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—During the 7 year period begin-
ning on the date of the enactment of this Act— 
(1) no limit may be placed on the duration of 
civilian employment of Department of Defense com-
petitive service employees in a foreign area; and 
(2) the 5-year limitation on such employment in 
a foreign area in Department of Defense Instruction 
1400.25, titled ‘‘DoD Civilian Personnel Manage-
ment System: Employment in Foreign Areas and 
Employee Return Rights’’ and issued on July 26, 
2012 (or a successor instruction), shall have no force 
or effect. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than March 1, 2025, the 
Secretary of Defense shall submit a report to the congres-
sional defense committees on the following: 
(1) The impact of this section on recruiting and 
retaining civilian competitive service employees at 
the Department of Defense. 
(2) The total number of— 
(A) Department employees that were able 
to remain in positions as a result of this sec-
tion; and
833 
(B) Department positions that were not 
open for initial appointments as a result of this 
section. 
(3) The grade and classification of Department 
positions affected by this section. 
(4) Any other information the Secretary deems 
appropriate. 
(c) FOREIGN AREA DEFINED.—In this section, the 
term ‘‘foreign area’’ means any location that is not within 
a nonforeign area (as that term is defined in section 
591.205 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, or any 
successor regulation). 
SEC. 1106. WAIVER OF LIMITATION ON APPOINTMENT OF 
RECENTLY RETIRED MEMBERS OF ARMED 
FORCES TO DOD COMPETITIVE SERVICE PO-
SITIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3326 of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) in the section heading, by inserting ‘‘cer-
tain’’ before ‘‘positions’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 
by striking ‘‘the civil service’’ and inserting 
‘‘the excepted service or the Senior Executive 
Service’’; and
834 
(B) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘for the 
purpose’’ and all that follows through ‘‘Manage-
ment’’; and 
(3) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘, or the au-
thorization and approval, as the case may be,’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of subchapter I of chapter 33 of such 
title is amended in the item relating to section 3326 by 
inserting ‘‘certain’’ before ‘‘positions’’. 
SEC. 1107. CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM STAFFING AND 
COMPENSATION MODEL. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense, in col-
laboration with the Secretaries of the military depart-
ments, shall carry out a redesign of the Department of 
Defense child development program compensation model 
and modernization of the child development program staff-
ing model. 
(b) REDESIGNED COMPENSATION MODEL.—The Sec-
retary of Defense, in collaboration with the Secretaries of 
the military departments, shall— 
(1) redesign child development program staff 
compensation for non-entry level, mid-to-senior level 
classroom staff by modernizing the duties and re-
sponsibilities captured in position descriptions to
835 
more accurately reflect performance and expecta-
tions of the positions; 
(2) adjust compensation for higher-level pro-
gram management positions by modernizing the du-
ties and responsibilities captured in position descrip-
tions to more accurately reflect performance and ex-
pectations of the positions; 
(3) direct the Department’s personnel office to 
make necessary adjustments to modernize the pay 
plan to accommodate any compensation and wage 
increases driven by the updated position descriptions 
for child development program staff; and 
(4) begin implementation of the revised position 
descriptions and accompanying compensation adjust-
ments no later than April 1, 2025, subject to the 
availability of appropriations. 
(c) MODERNIZE CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM 
STAFFING MODEL.—The Secretary of Defense, in collabo-
ration with the Secretaries of the military departments, 
shall— 
(1) add key positions to facilitate classroom op-
erations and provide direct support to child develop-
ment program staff; 
(2) add key positions to coordinate support for 
the needs of children with specials needs and provide
836 
direct support to the child development program 
staff working with these children; and 
(3) develop and implement a 5-year phased plan 
to ensure responsible funding execution, successful 
implementation allowing for adjustments as nec-
essary, and long-term sustainable impact. 
(d) REPORTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense, in 
collaboration with the Secretaries of the military de-
partments, shall submit reports to detail progress, 
accomplishments, and demonstrate the impact of the 
redesigned compensation and modernized staffing 
models. 
(2) BASELINE
REPORT.—Not later than 180 
days after the end of fiscal year 2025, an initial 
baseline report shall be submitted to the congres-
sional defense committees. 
(3) ANNUAL
REPORTS.—Not later than 180 
days after the end of each of fiscal years 2026 
through 2029, a progress report shall be submitted 
to the congressional defense committees. 
(4) CONTENTS.—Any report submitted under 
paragraph (2) or (3) shall include the following: 
(A) Percentage of child development pro-
gram staff that are also military spouses.
837 
(B) Turnover or retention rate of child de-
velopment program staff. 
(C) Utilization rate of child development 
program child care spaces. 
(D) Number of newly hired child develop-
ment program employees. 
(E) Percentage of newly hired child devel-
opment program employees who resign within 
their first 6 months of employment. 
(F) Information on the ability to staff 
newly constructed facilities. 
(G) Impacts of adding key positions to the 
child development program staffing model. 
(e) DEFINITION
OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT PRO-
GRAM.—In this section, the term ‘‘child development pro-
gram’’ means child care services under subchapter II of 
chapter 88 of title 10, United States Code. 
SEC. 1108. MANDATORY PUBLIC DISCLOSURES BY NEWLY 
NOMINATED CIVILIANS FOR SENIOR POSI-
TIONS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 
Section 113(f) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ after ‘‘(f)’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: