567 
United States Fifth Fleet from Naval Support Activity 
Bahrain and their family members should an increase in 
violent clashes in Bahrain make their presence in that na-
tion untenable. 
(b) CONTENT OF REPORT.—The report required by 
subsection (a) shall include the following: 
(1) An assessment of the current security situa-
tion in Bahrain, marked by escalating violence be-
tween security forces and protesters, and the poten-
tial impact increased instability could have on— 
(A) the physical safety and security of 
United States personnel and their families liv-
ing in Bahrain, both inside and outside the con-
fines of military installations; 
(B) the freedom of movement of United 
States personnel and their families living in 
Bahrain; and 
(C) the future operations of Naval Support 
Activity in Bahrain as it relates to ongoing re-
gional missions. 
(2) Safety measures and contingency planning 
to protect Navy personnel in the event of such an in-
crease in instability, including an analysis of viable 
alternative locations for both the United States
568 
Naval Forces Central Command and the United 
States Fifth Fleet. 
SEC. 1067. REPORT ON THE STATUS OF DETECTION, IDEN-
TIFICATION, AND DISABLEMENT CAPABILI-
TIES RELATED TO REMOTELY PILOTED AIR-
CRAFT. 
Not later than 60 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit 
to the congressional defense committees a report address-
ing the suitability of existing capabilities to detect, iden-
tify, and disable remotely piloted aircraft operating within 
special use and restricted airspace. The report shall in-
clude the following: 
(1) An assessment of the degree to which exist-
ing capabilities to detect, identify, and potentially 
disable remotely piloted aircraft within special use 
and restricted airspace are able to be deployed and 
combat prevailing threats. 
(2) An assessment of existing gaps in capabili-
ties related to the detection, identification, or dis-
ablement of remotely piloted aircraft within special 
use and restricted airspace. 
(3) A plan that outlines the extent to which ex-
isting research and development programs within the 
Department of Defense can be leveraged to fill iden-
569 
tified capability gaps and/or the need to establish 
new programs to address such gaps as are identified 
pursuant to paragraph (2). 
SEC. 1068. REPORT ON OPTIONS TO ACCELERATE THE 
TRAINING OF REMOTELY PILOTED AIRCRAFT 
PILOTS. 
Not later than February 1, 2016, the Secretary of 
the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense 
committees a report addressing the immediate and critical 
training and operational needs of the remotely piloted air-
craft community. The report shall include the following: 
(1) An assessment of the viability of using non- 
rated, civilian, contractor, or enlisted pilots to exe-
cute remotely piloted aircraft missions. 
(2) An assessment of the availability and exist-
ing utilization of special use airspace available for 
remotely piloted aircraft training and a plan for ac-
cessing additional special use airspace in order to 
meet anticipated training requirements for remotely 
piloted aircraft. 
(3) A comprehensive training plan aimed at in-
creasing the throughput of undergraduate remotely 
piloted aircraft training without sacrificing quality 
and standards.
570 
(4) Establishment of an optimum ratio for the 
mix of training airframes to operational airframes in 
the remotely piloted aircraft inventory necessary to 
achieve manning requirements for pilots and sensor 
operators and, to the extent practicable, a plan for 
fielding additional remotely piloted aircraft air-
frames at the formal training units in the active, 
National Guard, and reserve components in accord-
ance with optimum ratios for MQ–9 and Global 
Hawk remotely piloted aircraft. 
(5) Establishment of optimum and minimum 
crew ratios to combat air patrols taking into account 
all tasks remotely piloted aircraft units execute and, 
to the extent practicable, a plan for conducting mis-
sions in accordance with optimum ratios. 
(6) Identification of any resource, legislative, or 
departmental policy challenges impeding the correc-
tive action needed to reach a sustainable remotely 
piloted aircraft operations tempo. 
(7) An assessment, to the extent practicable, of 
the direct and indirect impacts that the integration 
of remotely piloted aircraft into the national airspace 
system has on the ability to generate remotely pi-
loted aircraft crews.
571 
(8) Any other matters the Secretary determines 
appropriate. 
SEC. 1069. EXPEDITED MEETINGS OF THE NATIONAL COM-
MISSION ON THE FUTURE OF THE ARMY. 
Section 1702(f) of the National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113–291; 128 
Stat. 3665) is amended by adding at the end the following 
new sentence: ‘‘Section 10 of the Federal Advisory Com-
mittee Act (5 U.S.C. App. I) shall not apply to a meeting 
of the Commission unless the meeting is attended by five 
or more members of the Commission.’’. 
Subtitle G—Repeal or Revision of 
National Defense Reporting Re-
quirements 
SEC. 1071. REPEAL OR REVISION OF REPORTING REQUIRE-
MENTS RELATED TO MILITARY PERSONNEL 
ISSUES. 
(a) REPORTS
ON HEALTH PROTECTION QUALITY 
AND HEALTH ASSESSMENT DATA.— 
(1) REPEAL.—Section 1073b of title 10, United 
States Code, is repealed. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of chapter 55 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by striking the item 
relating to section 1073b.
572 
(b) REPORT ON VOTING ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS EF-
FECTIVENESS AND COMPLIANCE.—Section 1566(c) of title 
10, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘(1)’’ after the subsection head-
ing; and 
(2) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3). 
(c) REPORT ON AVIATION OFFICER RETENTION BO-
NUSES.—Section 301b(i) of title 37, United States Code, 
is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘(1)’’ after the subsection head-
ing; and 
(2) by striking paragraph (2). 
(d) REPORT ON FOREIGN LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 
INCENTIVE PAY.—Section 316a of title 37, United States 
Code, as amended by section 615(5) of this Act, is amend-
ed— 
(1) by striking subsection (f); and 
(2) by redesignating subsection (g) as sub-
section (f). 
(e) REPORT ON USE OF WAIVER AUTHORITY FOR 
MILITARY SERVICE ACADEMY APPOINTMENTS.—Section 
553 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2012 (Public Law 112–81; 10 U.S.C. 4346 note) is 
amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (e); and
573 
(2) by redesignating subsection (f) as sub-
section (e). 
(f) REPORT ON INCREASE IN JUNIOR RESERVE OF-
FICERS’ TRAINING CORPS UNITS.—Subsection (e) of sec-
tion 548 of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law 110–417; 
122 Stat. 4466) is repealed. 
(g) REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF YELLOW RIB-
BON REINTEGRATION PROGRAM.— 
(1) 
REPORTING
REQUIREMENT.—Section 
582(e) of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2008 (Public Law 110–181; 10 
U.S.C. 10101 note) is amended by striking para-
graph (4). 
(2) CONFORMING REPEAL.—Section 597 of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2010 (Public Law 111–84; 10 U.S.C. 10101 note) 
is repealed. 
(h) REPORT ON STANDARDS OF FACILITIES.—Sec-
tion 1648 of the Wounded Warrior Act (title XVI of Pub-
lic Law 110–181; 10 U.S.C. 1071 note) is amended by 
striking subsection (f). 
(i) REPORT ON INSPECTIONS OF FACILITIES.—Sec-
tion 1662 of the Wounded Warrior Act (title XVI of Pub-
lic Law 110–181; 10 U.S.C. 1071 note) is amended—
574 
(1) by striking ‘‘(a) REQUIRED INSPECTIONS 
OF FACILITIES.—’’; and 
(2) by striking subsection (b). 
(j) REPORT ON INSPECTIONS OF OTHER FACILI-
TIES.—Section 3307 of the U.S. Troop Readiness, Vet-
erans’ Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability 
Appropriations Act, 2007 (Public Law 110–28; 10 U.S.C. 
1073 note) is amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (d); and 
(2) by redesignating subsection (e) as sub-
section (d). 
(k) REPORT ON LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY AS-
SISTANCE RELATED TO DOD ACTIVITIES.—Section 574 
of the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2007 (Public Law 109–364; 20 U.S.C. 
7703b note) is amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (c); and 
(2) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as 
subsections (c) and (d), respectively. 
SEC. 1072. REPEAL OR REVISION OF REPORTING REQUIRE-
MENTS RELATING TO READINESS. 
(a) BIANNUAL REPORTS ON ALLOCATION OF FUNDS 
WITHIN OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE BUDGET SUB-
ACTIVITIES.—
575 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 9 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by striking section 228. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended 
by striking the item relating to section 228. 
(b) ANNUAL REPORT ON NAVAL PETROLEUM RE-
SERVES.—Section 7431 of title 10, United States Code, 
is amended by striking subsection (c). 
(c) ANNUAL REPORT ON ARMY NATIONAL GUARD 
COMBAT READINESS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 1013 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by striking section 
10542. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended 
by striking the item relating to section 10542. 
(d) INSIDER THREAT DETECTION BUDGET SUBMIS-
SION.—Section 922 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (Public Law 112–81; 10 U.S.C. 
2224 note) is amended by striking subsection (f). 
(e) PRICE TREND ANALYSIS.—Section 892 of the Ike 
Skelton National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2011 (Public Law 111–383; 10 U.S.C. 2306a) is re-
pealed.
576 
(f) REPORT ON AUTHORITY FOR AIRLIFT TRANSPOR-
TATION AT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE RATES FOR NON- 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FEDERAL CARGOES.—Sec-
tion 351 of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2010 (Public Law 111–84; 123 Stat. 2262) 
is amended by striking subsection (b). 
(g) BIENNIAL REPORT ON PROCUREMENT OF MILI-
TARY WORKING DOGS.—Section 358 of the Duncan Hun-
ter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2009 (Public Law 110–417; 10 U.S.C. 2302 note) is 
amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (c); and 
(2) by redesignating subsection (d) as sub-
section (c). 
(h) 
REPORT
ON
FOREIGN
LANGUAGE
PRO-
FICIENCY.—Section 958 of the National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (Public Law 110–181; 
122 Stat. 297) is repealed. 
(i) REPORT ON ARSENAL SUPPORT PROGRAM INITIA-
TIVE.—Section 343 of the Floyd D. Spence National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (as enacted 
into law by Public Law 106–398; 10 U.S.C. 4551 note) 
is amended by striking subsection (g). 
(j) GAO REVIEW OF CONTRACTOR-OPERATED CIVIL 
ENGINEERING SUPPLY STORES PROGRAM.—Section 345
577 
of the Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 1999 (Public Law 105–261; 112 Stat. 
1978) is amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (d); and 
(2) by redesignating subsection (e) as sub-
section (d). 
(k) QUARTERLY REPORT ON END STRENGTH.—Sec-
tion 8104 of the Department of Defense Appropriations 
Act, 2014 (Division C of Public Law 113–76) is repealed. 
(l) QUARTERLY REPORT ON END STRENGTH.—Sec-
tion 8105 of the Department of Defense Appropriations 
Act, 2013 (Division C of Public Law 113–6) is repealed. 
(m) REPORT ON DAVID L. BOREN NATIONAL SECU-
RITY EDUCATION ACT
OF 1991.—Section 806 of the 
David L. Boren National Security Education Act of 1991 
(title VIII of Public Law 102–183; 50 U.S.C. 1906) is 
repealed. 
SEC. 1073. REPEAL OR REVISION OF REPORTING REQUIRE-
MENTS RELATED TO NAVAL VESSELS AND 
MERCHANT MARINE. 
(a) REPORT ON NAMING OF NAVAL VESSELS.—Sec-
tion 7292 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by 
striking subsection (d).
578 
(b) REPORT ON TRANSFER OF VESSELS STRICKEN 
FROM NAVAL VESSEL REGISTER.—Section 7306 of title 
10, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (d); and 
(2) by redesignating subsections (e) and (f) as 
subsections (d) and (e), respectively. 
(c) REPORTS ON MISSION MODULES OF LITTORAL 
COMBAT SHIP.—Section 126 of the National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (Public Law 112– 
239; 126 Stat. 1657) is amended— 
(1) 
by 
striking 
‘‘(a) 
DESIGNATION
RE-
QUIRED.—’’; and 
(2) by striking subsection (b). 
(d) REPORT ON ASSESSMENTS OF FIRST SHIP OF A 
SHIPBUILDING PROGRAM.—Section 124 of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (Public 
Law 110–181; 10 U.S.C. 7291 note) is repealed. 
(e) REPORT ON COST ESTIMATE OF CVN–79.—Sec-
tion 122 of the John Warner National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2007 (Public Law 109–364; 120 
Stat. 2104), as most recently amended by section 121 of 
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2014 (Public Law 113–66), is amended by striking sub-
section (f).
579 
(f) ANNUAL REPORT
OF MARITIME ADMINISTRA-
TION.— 
(1) ELIMINATION OF REPORT AND REVISION OF 
REMAINING REQUIREMENT.—Section 50111 of title 
46, United States Code, is amended to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘§ 50111. Submission of annual MARAD authorization 
request 
‘‘(a) SUBMISSION OF LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL.—Not 
later than 30 days after the date on which the President 
submits to Congress a budget for a fiscal year pursuant 
to section 1105 of title 31, the Secretary of Transpor-
tation shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services 
and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate the 
Maritime Administration authorization request for that 
fiscal year. 
‘‘(b) MARITIME
ADMINISTRATION
REQUEST
DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘Maritime Administra-
tion authorization request’ means a proposal for legisla-
tion that, for a fiscal year— 
‘‘(1) recommends authorizations of appropria-
tions for the Maritime Administration for that fiscal 
year, including with respect to matters described in
580 
subsection 109(j) of title 49 or authorized in subtitle 
V of this title; and 
‘‘(2) addresses any other matter with respect to 
the Maritime Administration that the Secretary de-
termines is appropriate.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of chapter 501 of title 46, 
United States Code, is amended by striking the item 
relating to section 50111 and inserting the following 
new item: 
‘‘50111. Submission of annual MARAD authorization request.’’. 
(g) DISCRETIONARY REPORTS NO LONGER NEED-
ED.—The Secretary of the Navy is not required to submit 
to the congressional defense committees— 
(1) a report, or updates to such a report, on 
open architecture as described in Senate Report 
110–077; or 
(2) a monthly report on Ford class aircraft car-
riers not otherwise required by law. 
SEC. 1074. REPEAL OR REVISION OF REPORTING REQUIRE-
MENTS RELATED TO NUCLEAR, PROLIFERA-
TION, AND RELATED MATTERS. 
(a) REPORT ON NUCLEAR WEAPONS COUNCIL.—Sec-
tion 179 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by 
striking subsection (g).
581 
(b) REPORT ON PROLIFERATION SECURITY INITIA-
TIVE.—Section 1821(b) of the Implementing Rec-
ommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (50 
U.S.C. 2911) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—’’; and 
(2) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3). 
(c) BRIEFINGS
ON DIALOGUE BETWEEN UNITED 
STATES
AND
RUSSIAN
FEDERATION
ON
NUCLEAR 
ARMS.—Section 1282 of the National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (Public Law 112–239; 22 
U.S.C. 5951 note) is amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (a); and 
(2) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as 
subsections (a) and (b), respectively. 
(d) IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR WHOLE-OF- GOV-
ERNMENT VISION PRESCRIBED IN THE NATIONAL SECU-
RITY STRATEGY.—Section 1072 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (Public Law 112– 
81; 50 U.S.C. 3043 note) is amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (b); and 
(2) by redesignating subsection (c) as sub-
section (b).
582 
SEC. 1075. REPEAL OR REVISION OF REPORTING REQUIRE-
MENTS RELATED TO MISSILE DEFENSE. 
(a) REPORT
ON MISSILE DEFENSE EXECUTIVE 
BOARD ACTIVITIES.—Section 232 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (Public Law 112– 
81; 125 Stat. 1339) is amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (b); and 
(2) by redesignating subsection (c) as sub-
section (b). 
(b) REPORT ON GROUND-BASED MIDCOURSE DE-
FENSE PROGRAM.—Section 234 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (Public Law 112– 
81; 125 Stat. 1340) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—’’; 
and 
(2) by striking subsection (b). 
SEC. 1076. REPEAL OR REVISION OF REPORTING REQUIRE-
MENTS RELATED TO ACQUISITION. 
(a) REPORT
ON
FOREIGN
PURCHASES.—Section 
8305 of title 41, United States Code, is repealed, and the 
table of sections at the beginning of chapter 83 of such 
title is amended by striking the item relating to that sec-
tion. 
(b) REPORT ON COST ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES.— 
Section 2334 of title 10, United States Code, is amend-
ed—
583 
(1) by striking subsection (f); and 
(2) by redesignating subsection (g) as sub-
section (f). 
(c) REPORT ON PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENTS AND 
ROOT CAUSE ANALYSES.—Section 2438 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by striking subsection (f). 
SEC. 1077. REPEAL OR REVISION OF REPORTING REQUIRE-
MENTS RELATED TO CIVILIAN PERSONNEL. 
(a) REPORT ON PILOT PROGRAM FOR EXCHANGE OF 
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PERSONNEL.—Section 1110 
of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2010 (Public Law 111–84; 123 Stat. 2493) is amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (i); 
(2) by redesignating subsection (j) as sub-
section (i); and 
(3) in subsection (i), as so redesignated, by 
striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following 
new paragraph: 
‘‘(2) any employee whose assignment is allowed 
to continue by virtue of paragraph (1) shall be taken 
into account for purposes of the numerical limitation 
under subsection (h).’’. 
(b) REPORT ON EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM FOR SCI-
ENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL PERSONNEL.—Section 1101 of 
the Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act
584 
for Fiscal Year 1999 (Public Law 105–261; 112 Stat. 
2139) is amended by striking subsection (g). 
SEC. 1078. REPEAL OR REVISION OF MISCELLANEOUS RE-
PORTING REQUIREMENTS. 
(a) REPORT ON REWARDS FOR COMBATING TER-
RORISM.—Section 127b of title 10, United States Code, 
is amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (f); and 
(2) by redesignating subsection (g) as sub-
section (f). 
(b) REPORT ON TECHNOLOGICAL MATURITY AND IN-
TEGRATION RISK OF CRITICAL TECHNOLOGIES.—Section 
138(b)(8) of title 10, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking subparagraph (B); 
(2) by striking ‘‘shall—’’ and all that follows 
through ‘‘assess the technological maturity’’ and in-
serting ‘‘shall periodically review and assess the 
technological maturity’’; and 
(3) by striking ‘‘; and’’ and inserting a period. 
(c) REPORT ON SYSTEMS ENGINEERING.—Section 
139b(d) of title 10, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking paragraph (2); 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (3) as para-
graph (2); 
(3) in paragraph (2), as so redesignated—
585 
(A) by striking ‘‘or (2)’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘sys-
tems engineering master plans and’’; 
(C) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘, 
systems engineering master plans,’’; 
(D) in subparagraph (C); by striking ‘‘sys-
tems engineering, development planning,’’ and 
inserting ‘‘development planning’’; and 
(E) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as 
subparagraph (F); 
(4) by transferring subparagraphs (A) and (B) 
of paragraph (4) to the end of paragraph (2), as so 
redesignated, and redesignating those subparagraphs 
as subparagraphs (D) and (E), respectively; and 
(5) by striking paragraph (4). 
(d) REPORT ON REGIONAL DEFENSE COUNTERTER-
RORISM FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.—Section 2249c of title 
10, United States Code, is amended by striking subsection 
(c). 
(e) REPORT ON DARPA.— 
(1) REPEAL.—Section 2352 of title 10, United 
States Code, is repealed. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of chapter 139 of title 10,
586 
United States Code, is amended by striking the item 
relating to section 2352. 
(f) REPORT ON AIRLIFT REQUIREMENTS.—Section 
112 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2013 (Public Law 112–239; 126 Stat. 1654) is re-
pealed. 
(g) REPORT ON IN-KIND PAYMENTS.—Section 2805 
of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2013 (Public Law 112–239; 126 Stat. 2149) is repealed. 
(h) REPORT ON AIRBORNE SIGNALS INTELLIGENCE, 
SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE CAPABILITIES.— 
Section 112(b) of the Ike Skelton National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 (Public Law 111– 
383; 124 Stat. 4153) is amended— 
(1) by striking paragraph (3); and 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (4) as para-
graph (3). 
(i) REPORTS ON STATUS OF NAVY NEXT GENERA-
TION ENTERPRISE NETWORKS PROGRAM.—Section 1034 
of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law 110–417; 122 Stat. 
4593) is repealed.
587 
Subtitle H—Other Matters 
SEC. 1081. TECHNICAL AND CLERICAL AMENDMENTS. 
(a) AMENDMENTS TO TITLE 10, UNITED STATES 
CODE.—Title 10, United States Code, is amended as fol-
lows: 
(1) The heading of section 153(a)(5) is amend-
ed to read as follows: ‘‘JOINT FORCE DEVELOPMENT 
ACTIVITIES.—’’. 
(2) The table of sections at the beginning of 
subchapter I of chapter 21 is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 429 the following 
new item: 
‘‘430. Tactical exploitation of national capabilities executive agent.’’. 
(3) Section 2679, as transferred, redesignated, 
and amended by section 351 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 
113–291; 128 Stat. 3346), is amended in subsection 
(a)(1) by striking ‘‘with’’ before ‘‘, on a sole source’’. 
(4) Section 2687a(d)(2) is amended by insert-
ing ‘‘fair market’’ before ‘‘value’’. 
(5) Section 2926, as added and amended by 
section 901(g) of the National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113–291; 
128 Stat. 3464), is amended in subsections (a), (b), 
(c), and (d) by striking ‘‘for Installations, Energy,’’
588 
each place it appears and inserting ‘‘for Energy, In-
stallations,’’. 
(6) Subsection (d)(4) of section 9314a, as re-
designated by section 591(a) of this Act, is amended 
by striking ‘‘only so long at’’ and inserting ‘‘only so 
long as’’. 
(b) NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR 
FISCAL YEAR 2015.—Effective as of December 19, 2014, 
and as if included therein as enacted, the National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 
113–291) is amended as follows: 
(1) Section 351(b)(1) (128 Stat. 3346) is 
amended by striking the period at the end of sub-
paragraph (C) and inserting ‘‘; and’’. 
(2) Section 901(g)(1)(F) (128 Stat. 3465) is 
amended by inserting ‘‘paragraph (4) of’’ before 
‘‘subsection (b) of section 2926’’. 
(3) Section 1072(a)(2) (128 Stat. 3516) is 
amended by inserting ‘‘in the table of sections’’ be-
fore ‘‘at the beginning of’’. 
(4) Section 1079(a)(1) (128 Stat. 3521) is 
amended by striking ‘‘section 12102 of title 42, 
United States Code’’ and inserting ‘‘section 3 of the 
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 
12102)’’.
589 
(5) Section 1104(b)(2) (128 Stat. 3526) is 
amended by striking ‘‘paragraph (2)’’ and inserting 
‘‘paragraph (1)(A)’’. 
(6) Section 1208 (128 Stat. 3541) is amended 
by striking ‘‘of Fiscal Year’’ each place it appears 
and inserting ‘‘for Fiscal Year’’. 
(7) Section 2803(a) (128 Stat. 3696) is amend-
ed in paragraph (2) of the subsection (f) being 
added by the amendment to be made by that section 
by inserting ‘‘section’’ before ‘‘1105 of title 31’’. 
(8) Section 2832(c)(3) (128 Stat. 3704) is 
amended by striking ‘‘United State Code’’ and in-
serting ‘‘United States Code’’. 
(9) Section 3006(i) (128 Stat. 3744) is amend-
ed— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘Section 
8’’ and inserting ‘‘Section 18’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘S1/2 
N1/2 SE’’ and inserting ‘‘S1/2 N1/2 SE1/4’’. 
(10) Section 3023 (128 Stat. 3762) is amend-
ed— 
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (1), (2), 
and (3) as paragraphs (2), (3), and (4), respec-
tively;
590 
(B) in paragraph (2), as so redesignated, 
in the matter being added by subparagraph 
(C)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘has been waived,’’ 
after ‘‘expired,’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘the permit or lease 
required’’ and inserting ‘‘the allotment 
management plan, permit, or lease re-
quired’’; 
(C) in paragraph (4), as so redesignated, 
in the matter being added as subsection 
(h)(1)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘a grazing permit or 
lease’’ in the matter preceding subpara-
graph (A) of such subsection and inserting 
‘‘an allotment management plan or grazing 
permit or lease’’; 
(ii) in subparagraph (A) of such sub-
section, by striking ‘‘permit or lease’’ and 
inserting ‘‘allotment management plan, 
permit, or lease’’; and 
(iii) in subparagraph (B)(i) of such 
subsection, by striking ‘‘lease or permit’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘allotment 
management 
plan, permit, or lease’’; and
591 
(D) by inserting before paragraph (2), as 
so redesignated, the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘by the Sec-
retary of Agriculture, with respect to lands within 
National Forests in the sixteen contiguous Western 
States’ and inserting ‘on National Forest System 
land by the Secretary of Agriculture (notwith-
standing, for purposes of this section, the definition 
in section 103(p))’;’’. 
(11) Section 3024 (16 U.S.C. 6214; 128 Stat. 
3764) is amended— 
(A) in subsection (e), by inserting before 
the period at the end the following: ‘‘report 
using National Median Price values’’; and 
(B) in subsection (f)(3)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘by regulation establish criteria pursuant 
to which the annual fee determined in ac-
cordance with this section may be sus-
pended or reduced temporarily’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘provide for suspension or reduction 
temporarily of the annual fee determined 
in accordance with this section’’; and 
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
‘‘by regulation’’.
592 
(c) NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR 
FISCAL YEAR 2009.—Section 943(d)(1) of the Duncan 
Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2009 (Public Law 110–417; 122 Stat. 4578) by 
striking the second period at the end of the first sentence. 
(d) NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR 
FISCAL YEAR 2005.—Section 1208(f)(2) of the Ronald 
W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2005 (Public Law 108–375; 118 Stat. 2086), as 
amended by section 1202(a) of the National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (Public Law 110– 
181; 122 Stat. 363) and section 1202(c) of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (Public 
Law 111–84; 123 Stat 2512), is further amended— 
(1) by redesignating the paragraphs (1) 
through (8) added by section 1202(c) of the Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2010 (Public Law 111–84; 123 Stat 2512) as sub-
paragraphs (A) through (H), respectively; and 
(2) by moving the margins of such subpara-
graphs, as so redesignated, two ems to the right. 
(e) COORDINATION
WITH
OTHER
AMENDMENTS 
MADE BY THIS ACT.—For purposes of applying amend-
ments made by provisions of this Act other than this sec-
tion, the amendments made by this section shall be treated
593 
as having been enacted immediately before any such 
amendments by other provisions of this Act. 
SEC. 1082. EXECUTIVE AGENT FOR THE OVERSIGHT AND 
MANAGEMENT OF ALTERNATIVE COMPEN-
SATORY CONTROL MEASURES. 
(a) EXECUTIVE AGENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 21 
of title 10, United States Code, is amended by add-
ing at the end of the following new section: 
‘‘§ 430a. Executive agent for management and over-
sight of alternative compensatory control 
measures 
‘‘(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 Department 
of Defense executive agent for the management and over-
sight of alternative compensatory control measures. 
‘‘(b) ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND
AUTHORI-
TIES.—The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe the roles, 
responsibilities, and authorities of the executive agent des-
ignated under subsection (a). Such roles, responsibilities, 
and authorities shall include the development of an annual 
management and oversight plan for Department-wide ac-
countability and reporting to the congressional defense 
committees.’’.
594 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of such subchapter is amend-
ed by adding at the end the following new item: 
‘‘430a. Executive agent for management and oversight of alternative compen-
satory control measures.’’. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 30 days after the close 
of each of fiscal years 2016 through 2020, the Secretary 
of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense com-
mittees a report on the oversight and management of al-
ternative compensatory control measures. Each such re-
port shall include— 
(1) the annual management and oversight plan 
required under section 430a(b) of title 10, United 
States Code, as added by subsection (a); 
(2) a discussion of the scope and number of al-
ternative compensatory control measures in effect; 
and 
(3) any other matters the Secretary of Defense 
determines appropriate. 
SEC. 1083. NAVY SUPPORT OF OCEAN RESEARCH ADVISORY 
PANEL. 
Section 7903 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by striking subsection (c). 
SEC. 1084. LEVEL OF READINESS OF CIVIL RESERVE AIR 
FLEET CARRIERS. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following:
595 
(1) The National Airlift Policy states that 
‘‘[t]he national defense airlift objective is to ensure 
that military and civil airlift resources will be able 
to meet defense mobilization and deployment re-
quirements in support of US defense and foreign 
policies.’’. 
(2) The National Airlift Policy also emphasizes 
the need for ‘‘dialogue and cooperation with our na-
tional aviation industry,’’ and it states that ‘‘[i]t is 
of particular importance that the aviation industry 
be apprised by the Department of Defense of long- 
term requirements for airlift in support of national 
defense.’’. 
(3) The National Airlift Policy emphasizes the 
importance of both military and civil airlift resources 
and their interdependence in the fulfillment of the 
national defense airlift objective, and it states that 
the ‘‘Department of Defense shall establish appro-
priate levels for peacetime cargo airlift augmentation 
in order to promote the effectiveness of Civil Reserve 
Air Fleet and provide training within the military 
airlift system.’’. 
(4) Civil Reserve Air Fleet carriers continue to 
be an important component of the military airlift
596 
system in support of United States defense and for-
eign policies. 
(b) LEVEL OF READINESS OF CIVIL RESERVE AIR 
FLEET CARRIERS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Chapter 931 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 9517. Level of readiness of Civil Reserve Air Fleet 
carriers 
‘‘(a) POLICY.—The Civil Reserve Air Fleet program 
is an important component of the military airlift system 
in support of United States defense and foreign policies, 
and it is the policy of the United States to maintain the 
readiness and interoperability of Civil Reserve Air Fleet 
carriers by providing appropriate levels of peacetime airlift 
augmentation to maintain networks and infrastructure, 
exercise the system, and interface effectively within the 
military airlift system. 
‘‘(b) REPORT REQUIREMENT.—On the day the Presi-
dent submits the budget for a fiscal year to Congress, the 
Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report 
that sets forth, for each fiscal year during the period cov-
ered by the current future-years defense program under 
section 221 of this title, each of the following, expressed 
separately for passenger and cargo airlift services:
597 
‘‘(1) The results (including analytical and jus-
tification materials) of an assessment, conducted in 
consultation with the Civil Reserve Air Fleet car-
riers, of the level of commercial airlift augmentation 
necessary to maintain the readiness and interoper-
ability of such carriers, maintain networks and in-
frastructure, exercise the system, and facilitate the 
regular interfacing between such carriers and the 
military airlift system, which shall include— 
‘‘(A) a projection of the number of block 
hours necessary to achieve such levels of com-
mercial airlift augmentation; 
‘‘(B) a strategic plan for achieving such 
level of commercial airlift augmentation; and 
‘‘(C) an explanation of any deviation from 
the previous fiscal year’s assessment of the pro-
jected number of block hours under subpara-
graph (A). 
‘‘(2) A comparison (including analytical and 
justification materials and explanations of any devi-
ations) of the forecasted number of block hours for 
each fiscal year of the period covered by the report 
with the projected number of block hours under 
paragraph (1)(A) for each such fiscal year. 
‘‘(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
598 
‘‘(1) The term ‘budget’ has the meaning given 
that term in section 231(f) of this title. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘defense budget materials’ has 
the meaning given that term in section 231(f) of this 
title.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended 
by adding at the end the following new item: 
‘‘9517. Level of Readiness of Civil Reserve Air Fleet carriers.’’. 
(3) DEFINITION OF CIVIL RESERVE AIR FLEET 
PROGRAM.—Section 9511 of title 10, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following 
new paragraph: 
‘‘(12) The term ‘Civil Reserve Air Fleet pro-
gram’ means the program developed by the Depart-
ment of Defense through which the Department of 
Defense augments its airlift capability by use of civil 
aircraft.’’. 
SEC. 1085. AUTHORIZATION OF TRANSFER OF SURPLUS 
FIREARMS TO CORPORATION FOR THE PRO-
MOTION OF RIFLE PRACTICE AND FIREARMS 
SAFETY . 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 40728 of title 36, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subsection:
599 
‘‘(h) AUTHORIZED TRANSFERS.—The Secretary may 
transfer to the corporation, in accordance with the proce-
dure prescribed in this subchapter, surplus firearms and 
spare parts and related accessories for those firearms that 
on the date of the enactment of this subsection are under 
the control of the Secretary and are excess to the require-
ments of the Department of the Army, and such material 
as may be recovered by the Secretary pursuant to section 
40728A(a) of this title. The Secretary shall determine a 
reasonable schedule for the transfer of these excess fire-
arms.’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
Such title is further amended— 
(1) in section 40278A— 
(A) by striking ‘‘rifles’’ each place it ap-
pears and inserting ‘‘surplus firearms’’; and 
(B) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘section 
40731(a)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 40732(a)’’; 
(2) in section 40729(a)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘de-
scribed in section 40728(a) of this title’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘firearms 
described in section 40728(a) of this title’’ and 
inserting ‘‘surplus firearms’’; and
600 
(C) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘caliber 
.30 and caliber .22 rimfire rifles’’ and inserting 
‘‘firearms’’; and 
(3) in section 40732— 
(A) by striking ‘‘caliber .22 rimfire and 
caliber .30 surplus rifles’’ both places it appears 
and inserting ‘‘surplus firearms’’; and 
(B) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘is over 
18 years of age’’ and inserting ‘‘is legally of 
age’’. 
SEC. 1086. MODIFICATION OF REQUIREMENTS FOR TRANS-
FERRING AIRCRAFT WITHIN THE AIR FORCE 
INVENTORY. 
(a) MODIFICATION OF REQUIREMENTS.—Section 345 
of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2011 (Public Law 111–383; 10 U.S.C. 8062 note) is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by striking the first sentence and in-
serting the following: ‘‘Before making an air-
craft transfer described in subsection (c), the 
Secretary of the Air Force shall ensure that a 
written agreement regarding such transfer has 
been entered into between the Chief of Staff of 
the Air Force and the Director of the Air Na-
601 
tional Guard or the Chief of Air Force Re-
serve.’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘depot’’; 
(2) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(b) SUBMITTAL OF AGREEMENTS TO THE DEPART-
MENT OF DEFENSE AND CONGRESS.—The Secretary of 
the Air Force may not take any action to transfer an air-
craft until the Secretary ensures that the Air Force has 
complied with applicable Department of Defense regula-
tions and, for a transfer described in subsection (c)(1), 
until the Secretary submits to the congressional defense 
committees an agreement entered into pursuant to sub-
section (a) regarding the transfer of the aircraft.’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
sections: 
‘‘(c) COVERED AIRCRAFT TRANSFERS.— 
‘‘(1) COVERED TRANSFERS.—An aircraft trans-
fer described in this subsection is the transfer (other 
than as specified in paragraph (2)) from a reserve 
component of the Air Force to the regular compo-
nent of the Air Force of— 
‘‘(A) the permanent assignment of an air-
craft that terminates a reserve component’s eq-
uitable interest in the aircraft; or
602 
‘‘(B) possession of an aircraft for a period 
in excess of 90 days. 
‘‘(2) EXCEPTIONS.—Paragraph (1) does not 
apply to the following: 
‘‘(A) A routine temporary transfer of pos-
session of an aircraft from a reserve component 
that is made solely for the benefit of the reserve 
component for the purpose of maintenance, up-
grade, conversion, modification, or testing and 
evaluation. 
‘‘(B) A routine permanent transfer of as-
signment of an aircraft that terminates a re-
serve component’s equitable interest in the air-
craft if notice of the transfer has previously 
been provided to the congressional defense com-
mittees and the transfer has been approved by 
the Secretary of Defense pursuant to Depart-
ment of Defense regulations. 
‘‘(C) A transfer described in paragraph 
(1)(A) when there is a reciprocal permanent as-
signment of an aircraft from the regular compo-
nent of the Air Force to the reserve component 
that does not degrade the capability of, or re-
duce the total number of, aircraft assigned to 
the reserve component.
603 
‘‘(d) RETURN OF AIRCRAFT AFTER ROUTINE TEM-
PORARY TRANSFER.—In the case of an aircraft trans-
ferred from a reserve component of the Air Force to the 
regular component of the Air Force for which an agree-
ment under subsection (a) is not required by reason of 
subsection (c)(2)(A), possession of the aircraft shall be 
transferred back to the reserve component upon comple-
tion of the work described in subsection (c)(2)(A).’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Subsection (a)(7) 
of such section is amended by striking ‘‘Commander of 
the Air Force Reserve Command’’ and inserting ‘‘Chief 
of Air Force Reserve’’. 
(c) TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS
TO DELETE REF-
ERENCES TO AIRCRAFT OWNERSHIP.—Subsection (a) of 
such section is further amended by striking ‘‘the owner-
ship of’’ in paragraphs (2)(A), (2)(C), and (3). 
SEC. 1087. REESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION TO ASSESS 
THE THREAT TO THE UNITED STATES FROM 
ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE ATTACK. 
(a) REESTABLISHMENT.—The commission estab-
lished pursuant to title XIV of the Floyd D. Spence Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (as 
enacted into law by Public Law 106–398; 114 Stat. 
1654A–345), and reestablished pursuant to section 1052 
of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
604 
2006 (Public Law 109–163; 50 U.S.C. 2301 note), known 
as the Commission to Assess the Threat to the United 
States from Electromagnetic Pulse Attack, is hereby rees-
tablished. 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Commission as reestablished 
shall have the same membership as the Commission had 
as of the date of the submission of the report of the Com-
mission pursuant to section 1403(a) of such Act, as 
amended by such section 1052. Service on the Commission 
is voluntary, and Commissioners may elect to terminate 
their service on the Commission. If a Commissioner is un-
willing or unable to serve on the Commission, the Sec-
retary of Defense, in consultation with the chairmen and 
ranking members of the Committees on Armed Services 
of the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall ap-
point a new member to fill that vacancy. 
(c) COMMISSION CHARTER DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘‘Commission charter’’ means title XIV of 
the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2001 (as enacted into law by Public Law 
106–398; 114 Stat. 1654A–345 et seq.), as amended by 
section 1052 of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2006 (Public Law 109–163; 50 U.S.C. 
2301 note) and section 1073 of the John Warner National
605 
Defense Act for Fiscal Year 2007 (Public Law 109–364; 
120 Stat. 2403). 
(d) EXPANDED PURPOSE.—Section 1401(b) of the 
Commission charter (114 Stat. 1654A–345) is amended 
by inserting before the period at the end the following: 
‘‘, from non-nuclear EMP weapons, from natural EMP 
generated by geomagnetic storms, and from proposed uses 
in the military doctrines of potential adversaries of using 
EMP weapons in combination with other attack vectors.’’. 
(e) DUTIES OF COMMISSION.—Section 1402 of the 
Commission charter (114 Stat. 1654A–346) is amended 
to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 1402. DUTIES OF COMMISSION. 
‘‘The Commission shall assess the following: 
‘‘(1) The vulnerability of electric-dependent 
military systems in the United States to a manmade 
or natural EMP event, giving special attention to 
the progress made by the Department of Defense, 
other Government departments and agencies of the 
United States, and entities of the private sector in 
taking steps to protect such systems from such an 
event. 
‘‘(2) The evolving current and future threat 
from state and non-state actors of a manmade EMP 
attack employing nuclear or non-nuclear weapons.
606 
‘‘(3) New technologies, operational procedures, 
and contingency planning that can protect elec-
tronics and electric-dependent military systems from 
a manmade or natural EMP event. 
‘‘(4) Among the States, if State grids are 
islanded for protection against manmade or natural 
EMP, which States should receive highest priority 
for protecting critical defense assets and for maxi-
mizing survival of the national population.’’. 
(f) REPORT.—Section 1403 of the Commission char-
ter (114 Stat. 1654A–345) is amended by striking ‘‘Sep-
tember 30, 2007’’ and inserting ‘‘June 30, 2017’’. 
(g) TERMINATION.—Section 1049 of the Commission 
charter (114 Stat. 1654A–348) is amended by inserting 
before the period at the end the following: ‘‘, as amended 
by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2016’’. 
SEC. 1088. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE STRATEGY FOR 
COUNTERING UNCONVENTIONAL WARFARE. 
(a) STRATEGY REQUIRED.—The Secretary of De-
fense, in consultation with the President and the Chair-
man of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, shall develop a strategy 
for the Department of Defense to counter unconventional 
warfare threats posed by adversarial state and non-state 
actors.
607 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The strategy required under sub-
section (a) shall include each of the following: 
(1) An articulation of the activities that con-
stitute unconventional warfare being waged upon the 
United States and allies. 
(2) A clarification of the roles and responsibil-
ities of the Department of Defense in providing indi-
cations and warning of, and protection against, acts 
of unconventional warfare. 
(3) The current status of authorities and com-
mand structures related to countering unconven-
tional warfare. 
(4) An articulation of the goals and objectives 
of the Department of Defense with respect to coun-
tering unconventional warfare threats. 
(5) An articulation of related or required inter-
agency capabilities and whole-of-Government activi-
ties required by the Department of Defense to sup-
port a counter-unconventional warfare strategy. 
(6) 
Recommendations 
for 
improving 
the 
counter-unconventional warfare capabilities, authori-
ties, and command structures of the Department of 
Defense.
608 
(7) Recommendations for improving interagency 
coordination and support mechanisms with respect 
to countering unconventional warfare threats. 
(8) Recommendations for the establishment of 
joint doctrine to support counter-unconventional 
warfare capabilities within the Department of De-
fense. 
(9) Any other matters the Secretary of Defense 
and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff deter-
mine necessary. 
(c) SUBMITTAL TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense 
committees the strategy required by subsection (a). The 
strategy shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may 
include a classified annex. 
(d) DEFINITION OF UNCONVENTIONAL WARFARE.— 
In this section, the term ‘‘unconventional warfare’’ means 
activities conducted to enable a resistance movement or 
insurgency to coerce, disrupt, or overthrow a government 
or occupying power by operating through or with an un-
derground, auxiliary, or guerrilla force in a denied area. 
SEC. 1089. MINE COUNTERMEASURES MASTER PLAN. 
(a) PLAN REQUIRED.—
609 
(1) IN GENERAL.—At the same time the budget 
is submitted to Congress for each of fiscal years 
2018 through 2023, the Secretary of the Navy shall 
submit to the congressional defense committees a 
mine countermeasures (hereinafter in this section re-
ferred to as ‘‘MCM’’) master plan. Each such plan 
shall include each of the following: 
(A) An evaluation of the capabilities, ca-
pacities, requirements, and readiness levels of 
the defensive capabilities of the Navy for MCM, 
including an assessment of the dedicated MCM 
force as well as the capabilities of ships, air-
craft, and submarines that are not yet dedi-
cated to MCM but could be modified to carry 
mine warfare capabilities. 
(B) An evaluation of the ability of units to 
properly command and control air and surface 
MCM forces from fleet level down through to 
element level and to provide necessary oper-
ational and tactical control and awareness of 
such forces to facilitate mission accomplishment 
and defense. 
(C) An assessment of technologies having 
promising potential for use for improving mine 
warfare and of programs for transitioning such
610 
technologies from the testing and evaluation 
phases to procurement. 
(D) A fiscal plan to support the master 
plan through the Future Years Defense Plan. 
(E) A plan for inspection of each asset 
with mine warfare responsibilities, require-
ments, and capabilities, which shall include pro-
posed methods to ensure the material readiness 
of each asset and the training level of the force, 
a general summary, and readiness trends. 
(2) FORM
OF
SUBMISSION.—Each plan sub-
mitted under paragraph (1)(E) shall be in unclassi-
fied form, but may include a classified annex ad-
dressing the capability and capacity to meet oper-
ational plans and contingency requirements. 
(b) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of the Navy shall submit to the congressional defense com-
mittees a report containing the recommendations of the 
Secretary regarding the force structure and ensuring the 
operational effectiveness of the surface mine warfare force 
through 2025 based on current capabilities and capacity, 
replacement schedules, and service life extensions or re-
tirement schedules. Such report shall include an assess-
ment of the MCM vessels, including the decommissioned
611 
MCM–1 and MCM–2 ships and the potential of such ships 
for reserve operating status. 
SEC. 1090. CONGRESSIONAL NOTIFICATION AND BRIEFING 
REQUIREMENT ON ORDERED EVACUATIONS 
OF UNITED STATES EMBASSIES AND CON-
SULATES INVOLVING THE USE OF UNITED 
STATES ARMED FORCES. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that in order to ensure the safety and security of 
members of the Armed Forces of the United States over-
seas— 
(1) members of the Armed Forces of the United 
States should have the proper authorized resources 
at all times to protect themselves while participating 
in an ordered evacuation of a United States embassy 
or consulate abroad; and 
(2) no restrictions should be placed on the abil-
ity of members of the Armed Forces of the United 
States to maintain on their person and use author-
ized weapons and equipment for personal and evac-
uee security at all times and to take authorized pro-
tective actions subject to applicable law and orders 
from the chain of command, during an ordered evac-
uation of a United States embassy or consulate.
612 
(b) NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary 
of Defense and the Secretary of State shall provide joint 
notification to the appropriate congressional committees 
as soon as practicable after the initiation of an ordered 
evacuation of a United States embassy or consulate involv-
ing the use of United States Armed Forces. 
(c) BRIEFING REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary of De-
fense and the Secretary of State shall provide a joint brief-
ing to the appropriate congressional committees not later 
than 15 days after the initiation of an ordered evacuation 
of a United States embassy or consulate involving the use 
of the United States Armed Forces. 
(d) ELEMENTS.—Each notification under subsection 
(a) and briefing under subsection (b) shall include the fol-
lowing: 
(1) An overview of the ordered evacuation. 
(2) The status of all personnel assigned to the 
embassy or consulate, including United States citi-
zens and locally-employed staff. 
(3) The status of the embassy or consulate, in-
cluding whether the embassy or consulate was se-
cured and all classified or otherwise sensitive mate-
rial destroyed upon departure. 
(4) An overview of the manner and location 
from which the Department of State will continue to
613 
conduct the duties and responsibilities of the em-
bassy or consulate. 
(5) A description of the disposition of United 
States Government property and whether such prop-
erty was destroyed, disabled, abandoned or otherwise 
left behind, or remains in the possession of United 
States Government personnel. 
(6) Any other matters the Secretary of Defense 
and Secretary of State determine to be relevant. 
(e) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate congres-
sional committees’’ means— 
(1) the congressional defense committees; and 
(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives. 
SEC. 1091. DETERMINATION AND DISCLOSURE OF TRANS-
PORTATION 
COSTS 
INCURRED 
BY 
SEC-
RETARY OF DEFENSE FOR CONGRESSIONAL 
TRIPS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES. 
(a) DETERMINATION AND DISCLOSURE OF COSTS BY 
SECRETARY.—In the case of a trip taken by a Member, 
officer, or employee of the House of Representatives or 
Senate in carrying out official duties outside the United
614 
States for which the Department of Defense provides 
transportation, the Secretary of Defense shall— 
(1) determine the cost of the transportation 
provided with respect to the Member, officer, or em-
ployee; 
(2) not later than 10 days after completion of 
the trip involved, provide a written statement of the 
cost— 
(A) to the Member, officer, or employee in-
volved, and 
(B) to the Committee on Armed Services 
of the House of Representatives (in the case of 
a trip taken by a Member, officer, or employee 
of the House) or the Committee on Armed 
Services of the Senate (in the case of a trip 
taken by a Member, officer, or employee of the 
Senate); and 
(3) upon providing a written statement under 
paragraph (2), make the statement available for 
viewing on the Secretary’s official public website 
until the expiration of the 4-year period which be-
gins on the final day of the trip involved. 
(b) EXCEPTIONS.—This section does not apply with 
respect to any trip the sole purpose of which is to visit
615 
one or more United States military installations or to visit 
United States military personnel in a war zone (or both). 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) MEMBER.—The term ‘‘Member’’, with re-
spect to the House of Representatives, includes a 
Delegate or Resident Commissioner to the Congress. 
(2) 
UNITED
STATES.—The 
term 
‘‘United 
States’’ means the several States, the District of Co-
lumbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Com-
monwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the 
Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and any 
other territory or possession of the United States. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall apply with 
respect to trips taken on or after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, except that this section does not apply 
with respect to any trip which began prior to such date. 
SEC. 1092. INTERAGENCY HOSTAGE RECOVERY COORDI-
NATOR. 
(a) INTERAGENCY HOSTAGE RECOVERY COORDI-
NATOR.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the President 
shall designate an existing Federal officer to coordi-
nate efforts to secure the release of United States 
persons who are hostages of hostile groups or state
616 
sponsors of terrorism. For purposes of carrying out 
the duties described in paragraph (2), such officer 
shall have the title of ‘‘Interagency Hostage Recov-
ery Coordinator’’. 
(2) DUTIES.—The Coordinator shall have the 
following duties: 
(A) Coordinate and direct all activities of 
the Federal Government relating to each hos-
tage situation described in paragraph (1) to en-
sure efforts to secure the release of all hostages 
in the hostage situation are properly resourced 
and correct lines of authority are established 
and maintained. 
(B) Establish and direct a fusion cell con-
sisting of appropriate personnel of the Federal 
Government with purview over each hostage sit-
uation described in paragraph (1). 
(C) Develop a strategy to keep family 
members of hostages described in paragraph (1) 
informed of the status of such hostages and in-
form such family members of updates, proce-
dures, and policies that do not compromise the 
national security of the United States. 
(b) LIMITATION ON AUTHORITY.—The authority of 
the Interagency Hostage Recovery Coordinator shall be
617 
limited to countries that are state sponsors of terrorism 
and areas designated as hazardous for which hostile fire 
and imminent danger pay are payable to members of the 
Armed Forces for duty performed in such area. 
(c) QUARTERLY REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—On a quarterly basis, the 
Coordinator shall submit to the appropriate congres-
sional committees and the members of Congress de-
scribed in paragraph (2) a report that includes a 
summary of each hostage situation described in sub-
section (a)(1) and efforts to secure the release of all 
hostages in such hostage situation. 
(2) MEMBERS OF CONGRESS DESCRIBED.—The 
members of Congress described in this subparagraph 
are, with respect to a United States person hostage 
covered by a report under paragraph (1), the Sen-
ators representing the State, and the Member, Dele-
gate, or Resident Commissioner of the House of 
Representatives representing the district, where a 
hostage described in subjection (a)(1) resides. 
(3) FORM
OF
REPORT.— Each report under 
this subsection may be submitted in classified or un-
classified form. 
(d) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion shall be construed as authorizing the Federal Govern-
618 
ment to negotiate with a state sponsor of terrorism or an 
organization that the Secretary of State has designated 
as a foreign terrorist organization pursuant to section 219 
of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189). 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COORDINATOR.—The term ‘‘Coordinator’’ 
means the Interagency Hostage Recovery Coordi-
nator designated under subsection (a). 
(2) 
HOSTILE
GROUP.—The 
term 
‘‘hostile 
group’’ means— 
(A) a group that is designated as a foreign 
terrorist organization under section 219(a) of 
the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1189(a)); 
(B) a group that is engaged in armed con-
flict with the United States; or 
(C) any other group that the President de-
termines to be a hostile group for purposes of 
this paragraph. 
(3) STATE SPONSOR OF TERRORISM.—The term 
‘‘state sponsor of terrorism’’— 
(A) means a country the government of 
which the Secretary of State has determined, 
for purposes of section 6(j) of the Export Ad-
ministration Act of 1979, section 620A of the
619 
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, section 40 of 
the Arms Export Control Act, or any other pro-
vision of law, to be a government that has re-
peatedly provided support for acts of inter-
national terrorism; and 
(B) includes North Korea. 
SEC. 1093. SITUATIONS INVOLVING BOMBINGS OF PLACES 
OF PUBLIC USE, GOVERNMENT FACILITIES, 
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS, AND IN-
FRASTRUCTURE FACILITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 18 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘§ 383. Situations involving bombings of places of 
public use, Government facilities, public 
transportation systems, and infrastruc-
ture facilities 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The direct participation of mem-
bers of the Armed Forces assigned to explosive ordnance 
disposal (EOD) units providing support to civilian law en-
forcement agencies does not involve search, seizure, arrest 
or other similar activity. Upon the request of the Attorney 
General, the Secretary of Defense may provide such assist-
ance in Department of Justice activities related to the en-
forcement of section 2332f of title 18 during situations
620 
involving bombings of places of public use, Government 
facilities, public transportation systems, and infrastruc-
ture facilities. 
‘‘(b) MUTUAL AID AGREEMENT.—The Secretary of 
Defense, through mutual aid agreement with the Attorney 
General shall, in the interest of public safety, waive reim-
bursement on military EOD support of Department of 
Justice activities related to the enforcement of section 
2332f of title 18 for situations involving bombings of 
places of public use, Government facilities, public trans-
portation systems, and infrastructure facilities. 
‘‘(c) RENDERING-SAFE
SUPPORT.—Military EOD 
units providing rendering-safe support to Department of 
Justice activities relating to the enforcement of section 
175, 229, or 2332a of title 18 emergency situations involv-
ing weapons of mass destruction shall be consistent with 
the provisions of section 382 of this title. 
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘explosive ordnance’— 
‘‘(A) means— 
‘‘(i) bombs and warheads; 
‘‘(ii) guided and ballistic missiles; 
‘‘(iii) artillery, mortar, rocket, and 
small arms ammunition;
621 
‘‘(iv) all mines, torpedoes, and depth 
charges; 
‘‘(v) grenades demolition charges; 
‘‘(vi) pyrotechnics; 
‘‘(vii) clusters and dispensers; 
‘‘(viii) cartridge- and propellant– actu-
ated devices; 
‘‘(ix) electroexplosives devices; 
‘‘(x) clandestine and improvised explo-
sive devices (IEDs); and 
‘‘(xi) all similar or related items or 
components explosive in nature; and 
‘‘(B) includes all munitions containing ex-
plosives, propellants, nuclear fission or fusion 
materials, and biological and chemical agents. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘explosive ordnance disposal pro-
cedures’ means those particular courses or modes of 
action for access to, recovery, rendering–safe, and 
final disposal of explosive ordnance or any hazardous 
material associated with an EOD incident, includ-
ing— 
‘‘(A) access procedures; 
‘‘(B) recovery procedures; 
‘‘(C) render-safe procedures; and 
‘‘(D) final disposal procedures.’’.
622 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding 
at the end the following new item: 
‘‘383. Situations involving bombings of places of public use, Government facili-
ties, public transportation systems, and infrastructure facili-
ties.’’. 
SEC. 1094. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING TECHNICAL 
CORRECTION. 
It is the sense of Congress that a technical correction 
to the Carl Levin and Howard P. ‘‘Buck’’ McKeon Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2015 
(Public Law 113–291; 128 Stat. 3881) should be enacted 
in order to expeditiously carry out the intent of such sec-
tion 3095. 
SEC. 1095. OBSERVANCE OF VETERANS DAY. 
(a) TWO MINUTES OF SILENCE.—Chapter 1 of title 
36, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following new section: 
‘‘§ 145. Veterans Day 
‘‘The President shall issue each year a proclamation 
calling on the people of the United States to observe two 
minutes of silence on Veterans Day in honor of the service 
and sacrifice of veterans throughout the history of the Na-
tion, beginning at— 
‘‘(1) 3:11 pm Atlantic standard time; 
‘‘(2) 2:11 pm eastern standard time; 
‘‘(3) 1:11 pm central standard time;
623 
‘‘(4) 12:11 pm mountain standard time; 
‘‘(5) 11:11 am Pacific standard time; 
‘‘(6) 10:11 am Alaska standard time; and 
‘‘(7) 9:11 am Hawaii-Aleutian standard time.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
for chapter 1 of title 36, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end the following new item: 
‘‘145. Veterans Day.’’. 
SEC. 1096. BUSINESS CASE ANALYSIS OF DECISION TO 
MAINTAIN C130J AIRCRAFT AT KEESLER AIR 
FORCE BASE, MISSISSIPPI. 
Not later than 60 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of the Air Force shall con-
duct a business case analysis of the decision to maintain 
10 C-130J aircraft at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. 
Such analysis shall include consideration of— 
(1) any efficiencies or cost savings that would 
be achieved by transferring such aircraft to Little 
Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas; 
(2) any effects of such decision on the operation 
of the air mobility command; and 
(3) the short-term and long-term costs of main-
taining such aircraft at Keesler Air Force Base.
624 
SEC. 1097. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING CYBER RESIL-
IENCY OF NATIONAL GUARD NETWORKS AND 
COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) National Guard personnel need to have situ-
ational awareness and reliable communications in 
the event of an emergency, terrorist attack, or nat-
ural or man-made disaster; 
(2) in the event of such an emergency, attack, 
or disaster, the ability of the National Guard per-
sonnel to communicate and coordinate response is 
vital; 
(3) current communications and networking 
systems for the National Guard, including commer-
cial wireless solutions, such as mobile wireless ki-
netic mesh and other systems that are interoperable 
with the systems of civilian first responders, should 
provide the necessary robustness, interoperability, 
reliability, and resilience to extend needed situational 
awareness and communications to all users and 
under all operating conditions, including in degraded 
communications environments where infrastructure 
is damaged, destroyed, or under cyber attack or dis-
ruption; and 
(4) the National Guard should be constantly 
seeking ways to improve and expand its communica-
625 
tions and networking capabilities to provide for en-
hanced performance and resilience in the face of 
cyber attacks or disruptions, as well as other in-
stances of degradation. 
SEC. 1098. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON PAID-FOR PATRIOTISM. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) while recruitment and advertising in sup-
port of the Armed Forces, including the National 
Guard and Reserves, is appropriate, the taxpayer 
should not have to pay any organization to honor 
the service of members of the Armed Forces; 
(2) instead of being paid by the Department of 
Defense to honor the service of members of the 
Armed Forces, these organizations should be moti-
vated by patriotism to honor the service of members 
of the Armed Forces out of their own free will; and 
(3) any funds that the Department of Defense 
would have used for purposes described in paragraph 
(1) should be redirected toward post-traumatic 
stress disorder research and treatment for members 
of the Armed Forces.
626 
TITLE XI—CIVILIAN PERSONNEL 
MATTERS 
SEC. 1101. 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 1102 of 
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2015 (Public Law 113–291; 128 Stat. 3525), is further 
amended by striking ‘‘2016’’ and inserting ‘‘2017’’. 
SEC. 1102. AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL ALLOW-
ANCES AND BENEFITS FOR DEFENSE CLAN-
DESTINE SERVICE EMPLOYEES. 
Section 1603 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(c) ADDITIONAL ALLOWANCES AND BENEFITS FOR 
EMPLOYEES
OF
THE DEFENSE CLANDESTINE SERV-
ICE.—In addition to the authority to provide compensation 
under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense may pro-
627 
vide an employee in a defense intelligence position who is 
assigned to the Defense Clandestine Service allowances 
and benefits under paragraph (1) of section 9904 of title 
5 without regard to the limitations in that section— 
‘‘(1) that the employee be assigned to activities 
outside the United States; or 
‘‘(2) that the activities to which the employee is 
assigned be in support of Department of Defense ac-
tivities abroad.’’. 
SEC. 1103. EXTENSION OF RATE OF OVERTIME PAY FOR DE-
PARTMENT OF THE NAVY EMPLOYEES PER-
FORMING WORK ABOARD OR DOCKSIDE IN 
SUPPORT OF THE NUCLEAR-POWERED AIR-
CRAFT CARRIER FORWARD DEPLOYED IN 
JAPAN. 
Section 5542(a)(6)(B) of title 5, United States Code, 
is amended by striking ‘‘September 30, 2015’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘September 30, 2017’’. 
SEC. 1104. MODIFICATION TO TEMPORARY AUTHORITIES 
FOR CERTAIN POSITIONS AT DEPARTMENT 
OF DEFENSE RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING 
FACILITIES. 
Section 1107 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2014 (Public Law 113–66; 127 Stat. 
888) is amended—
628 
(1) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(4) NONCOMPETITIVE CONVERSION TO PERMA-
NENT APPOINTMENT.—With respect to any student 
appointed by the director of an STRL under para-
graph (3) to an indefinite or term appointment, 
upon graduation from the applicable institution of 
higher education (as defined in such paragraph), the 
director may noncompetitively convert such student 
to a permanent appointment within the STRL with-
out regard to the provisions of subchapter I of chap-
ter 33 of title 5, United States Code (other than sec-
tions 3303 and 3328 of such title), provided the stu-
dent meets all eligibility and Office of Personnel 
Management qualification requirements for the posi-
tion.’’; 
(2) in subsection (c)(1), by striking ‘‘3 percent’’ 
and inserting ‘‘6 percent’’; 
(3) in subsection (c)(2), by striking ‘‘1 percent’’ 
and inserting ‘‘3 percent’’; and 
(4) in subsection (f)(2), by striking ‘‘1 percent’’ 
and inserting ‘‘2 percent’’.
629 
SEC. 1105. PREFERENCE ELIGIBILITY FOR MEMBERS OF 
RESERVE 
COMPONENTS 
OF 
THE 
ARMED 
FORCES APPOINTED TO COMPETITIVE SERV-
ICE; CLARIFICATION OF APPEAL RIGHTS. 
(a) PREFERENCE ELIGIBILITY.—Section 2108 of 
title 5, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (3)— 
(A) in subparagraph (G)(iii), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(B) by inserting the following after sub-
paragraph (H): 
‘‘(I) an individual who is a member of a re-
serve component of the armed forces: 
‘‘(i) who has— 
‘‘(I) successfully completed offi-
cer candidate training or entry level 
and skill training; and 
‘‘(II) incurred, or is performing, 
an initial period of obligated service in 
a reserve component of the armed 
forces of not less than 6 consecutive 
years; or 
‘‘(ii) who has completed at least 10 
years of service in a reserve component of 
the armed forces in each of which the indi-
vidual was credited with at least 50 points
630 
under section 12732 of title 10 toward the 
computation of years of service under sec-
tion 12732 of title 10 for purposes of eligi-
bility for retired pay under chapter 1223 
of title 10; and 
‘‘(J) an individual who is— 
‘‘(i) retired from service in a reserve 
component of the armed forces; and 
‘‘(ii) eligible for, but has not yet com-
menced receipt of, retired pay for non-reg-
ular service under chapter 1223 of title 
10;’’; 
(2) in paragraph (4)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘or’’ 
at the end; 
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end and inserting ‘‘or’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(C) the individual is a retiree described in 
paragraph (3)(J);’’; 
(3) in paragraph (5) by striking the period at 
the end and inserting a semicolon; and 
(4) by adding at the end the following:
631 
‘‘(6) ‘entry level and skill training’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 3301(2) of title 
38; and 
‘‘(7) ‘reserve component of the armed forces’ 
means a reserve component specified in section 
101(27) of title 38.’’. 
(b) TIERED HIRING PREFERENCE FOR MEMBERS OF 
RESERVE COMPONENTS OF THE ARMED FORCES.—Sec-
tion 3309 of title 5, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; and 
(2) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(2) a preference eligible under subparagraph 
(A), (B), or (J) of section 2108(3) of this title-5 
points; 
‘‘(3) 
a 
preference 
eligible 
under 
section 
2108(3)(I)(ii) of this title-4 points; and 
‘‘(4) 
a 
preference 
eligible 
under 
section 
2108(3)(I)(i) of this title-3 points.’’. 
(c) CLARIFICATION OF APPEAL RIGHTS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Section 3330a of title 5, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a)(1)(A), by inserting ‘‘, 
including a preference eligible appointed pursu-
632 
ant to section 7401 of title 38 or otherwise em-
ployed by the Veterans Health Administration 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs,’’ after 
‘‘A preference eligible’’; and 
(B) in subsection (d)(1), by inserting ‘‘, in-
cluding a complaint so filed by a preference eli-
gible appointed pursuant to section 7401 of 
title 38 or otherwise employed by the Veterans 
Health Administration,’’ after ‘‘If the Secretary 
of Labor is unable to resolve a complaint under 
subsection (a)’’. 
(2) COORDINATION
RULE.—Section 3330a of 
title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(f) If any part of this section is deemed to be incon-
sistent with any provision of chapter 74 of title 38, this 
section shall be deemed to supersede, override or otherwise 
modify such provision of chapter 74 of title 38.’’.
633 
TITLE XII—MATTERS RELATING 
TO FOREIGN NATIONS 
Subtitle A—Assistance and 
Training 
SEC. 1201. ONE-YEAR EXTENSION OF LOGISTICAL SUPPORT 
FOR COALITION FORCES SUPPORTING CER-
TAIN 
UNITED 
STATES 
MILITARY 
OPER-
ATIONS. 
Section 1234 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (Public Law 110–181; 122 Stat. 
394), as most recently amended by section 1223(a) of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 
(Public Law 113–291; 128 Stat. 3548), is further amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘fiscal year 
2015’’ and inserting ‘‘fiscal year 2016’’; 
(2) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘during the 
period beginning on October 1, 2014, and ending on 
December 31, 2015’’ and inserting ‘‘during the pe-
riod beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on 
December 31, 2016’’; and 
(3) in subsection (e)(1), by striking ‘‘December 
31, 2015’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2016’’.
634 
SEC. 1202. STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR DEPARTMENT OF 
DEFENSE SECURITY COOPERATION. 
(a) STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense, in 
coordination with the Secretary of State, shall de-
velop a strategic framework for Department of De-
fense security cooperation to guide prioritization of 
resources and activities. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The strategic framework re-
quired by paragraph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) Discussion of the strategic goals of De-
partment of Defense security cooperation pro-
grams, and the extent to which these programs 
complement Department of State security as-
sistance programs to achieve United States 
Government goals globally, regionally, and, if 
appropriate, within specific programs. 
(B) Identification of the primary objec-
tives, priorities, and desired end-states of De-
partment of Defense security cooperation pro-
grams. 
(C) Identification of challenges to achiev-
ing the primary objectives, priorities, and de-
sired end-states identified under subparagraph 
(B), including—
635 
(i) constraints on Department of De-
fense resources, authorities, and personnel; 
(ii) partner nation variables, such as 
political will, absorptive capacity, corrup-
tion, and instability risk; 
(iii) constraints or limitations due to 
bureaucratic 
impediments, 
interagency 
processes, or congressional requirements; 
(iv) validation of requirements; and 
(v) assessment, monitoring, and eval-
uation. 
(D) A methodology for assessing the effec-
tiveness of Department of Defense security co-
operation programs in making progress toward 
achieving the primary objectives, priorities, and 
desired end-states identified under subpara-
graph (B), including an identification of key 
benchmarks for such progress and the implica-
tions of failing to achieve such primary objec-
tives, priorities, and desired end-states. 
(E) An analysis of overlap, duplication, or 
gaps among Department of Defense security co-
operation authorities and how these authorities 
complement or overlap with Department of 
State security assistance authorities.
636 
(F) Any other matters the Secretary of 
Defense determines appropriate. 
(b) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of 
State, shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees a report on the strategic framework re-
quired by subsection (a). 
(2) FORM.—The report required by paragraph 
(1) shall be submitted in an unclassified form, but 
may include a classified annex. 
(3) DEFINITION.—In this subsection, the term 
‘‘appropriate congressional committees’’ means— 
(A) the congressional defense committees; 
and 
(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations of 
the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Af-
fairs of the House of Representatives. 
SEC. 1203. MODIFICATION AND TWO-YEAR EXTENSION OF 
NATIONAL GUARD STATE PARTNERSHIP PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) AUTHORITY.—Subsection (a)(1) of section 1205 
of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2014 (Public Law 113–66; 127 Stat. 897; 32 U.S.C. 107
637 
note) is amended by adding at the end before the period 
the following: ‘‘to support the national interests and secu-
rity cooperation goals and objectives of the United States, 
including applicable policy and guidelines for United 
States security sector assistance’’. 
(b) LIMITATION.—Subsection (b) of such section is 
amended by inserting ‘‘that is not’’ after ‘‘an activity that 
the Secretary of Defense determines is a matter’’. 
(c) PROCEDURES.—Such section, as so amended, is 
further amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsections (c) through (i) 
as subsections (d) through (j), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (b) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(c) PROCEDURES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Chief of the National 
Guard Bureau shall— 
‘‘(A) establish, maintain, and update as 
appropriate a list of core competencies to sup-
port each program established under subsection 
(a), collectively and for each State and terri-
tory, and shall submit for approval to the Sec-
retary of Defense the list of core competencies 
and additional information needed to make use 
of such core competencies; and
638 
‘‘(B) designate a director for each State 
and territory who shall be responsible for the 
conduct of activities under a program estab-
lished under subsection (a) for such State or 
territory and reporting on activities under the 
program. 
‘‘(2) 
MILITARY-TO-CIVILIAN
CORE
COM-
PETENCIES.—The Secretary of Defense, with the 
concurrence of the Secretary of State, may conduct 
an activity under a program established under sub-
section (a) relating to military-to-civilian core com-
petencies.’’. 
(d) NATIONAL GUARD STATE PARTNERSHIP PRO-
GRAM FUND.—Subsection (e) of such section (as redesig-
nated) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3) NATIONAL
GUARD
STATE
PARTNERSHIP 
PROGRAM FUND.— 
‘‘(A) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—Except as pro-
vided in clause (ii), the Secretary of De-
fense shall establish on the books of the 
Department of Defense a National Guard 
State Partnership Program Fund. 
‘‘(ii) EXCEPTION.—The Secretary is 
not required to establish a Fund under
639 
clause (i) if, not later than February 1, 
2016, the Secretary determines and re-
ports to the appropriate congressional com-
mittees (as defined in subsection (h)(1)) 
that in the opinion of the Secretary such 
a Fund should be established on the books 
of the Department of the Treasury. 
‘‘(B) CRITERIA.—In administering the 
Fund established under subparagraph (A)(i), 
the Secretary shall, to the extent the Secretary 
determines it to be appropriate, provide for the 
following amounts to be credited to the Fund: 
‘‘(i) Amounts authorized and appro-
priated to carry out the program under 
this section. 
‘‘(ii) Amounts that the Secretary of 
Defense transfers, in such amounts as pro-
vided in appropriations Acts, to the Fund 
from amounts authorized and appropriated 
to the Department of Defense, including 
amounts authorized to be appropriated for 
the Army National Guard and the Air Na-
tional Guard. 
‘‘(C) INCLUSION
IN
ANNUAL
BUDGET.— 
The President shall include the Fund estab-
640 
lished under subparagraph (A)(i) or such a 
Fund established on the books of the Depart-
ment of the Treasury in the budget that the 
President submits to Congress under section 
1105(a) of title 31, United States Code for 
each fiscal year in which the authority under 
subsection (a) is in effect.’’. 
(e) ANNUAL REPORT.—Paragraph (2)(B) of sub-
section (f) of such section (as redesignated) is amended— 
(1) in clause (iii), by inserting ‘‘or other govern-
ment organizations’’ after ‘‘and security forces’’; 
(2) in clause (iv), by adding at the end before 
the period the following: ‘‘and country’’; 
(3) in clause (v), by striking ‘‘training’’ and in-
serting ‘‘activities’’; and 
(4) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(vi) An assessment of the extent to 
which the activities conducted during the 
previous year met the objectives described 
in clause (v). 
‘‘(vii) The list of core competencies re-
quired by subsection (c)(1) and any update 
to any changes to the list of core com-
petencies required by subsection (c)(1).’’.
641 
(f) DEFINITIONS.—Subsection (h) of such section (as 
redesignated) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking subparagraphs 
(A) and (B) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(A) the congressional defense committees; 
and 
‘‘(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations 
of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign 
Affairs of the House of Representatives.’’; 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (2) as para-
graph (3); 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (1) (as amend-
ed) the following: 
‘‘(2) CORE
COMPETENCIES.—The term ‘‘core 
competencies’’ means military-to-military and mili-
tary-to-civilian skills and capabilities of the National 
Guard, consistent with the roles and missions of the 
Armed Forces as established by the Secretary of De-
fense.’’; and 
(4) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) STATE.—The term ‘State’ means each of 
the several States and the District of Columbia. 
‘‘(5) TERRITORY.—The term ‘territory’ means 
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the 
Virgin Islands.’’.
642 
(g) TERMINATION.—Section 1205(i) of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 (Public 
Law 113–66; 127 Stat. 899; 32 U.S.C. 107 note) is 
amended by striking ‘‘September 30, 2016’’ and inserting 
‘‘September 30, 2018’’. 
SEC. 1204. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR NON-RECIP-
ROCAL 
EXCHANGES 
OF 
DEFENSE 
PER-
SONNEL BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND 
FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 
Section 1207(f) of the National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (Public Law 111–84; 123 
Stat. 2514; 10 U.S.C. 168 note), as amended by section 
1202 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2013 (Public Law 112–239; 126 Stat. 1980), is fur-
ther amended by striking ‘‘September 30, 2016’’ and in-
serting ‘‘December 31, 2017’’. 
SEC. 1205. MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF OVERSEAS 
HUMANITARIAN, DISASTER, AND CIVIC AID 
PROGRAMS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DE-
FENSE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Of the amounts authorized to be 
appropriated by this Act to carry out sections 401, 402, 
404, 407, 2557, and 2561 of title 10, United States Code, 
up to 5 percent of such amounts may be made available 
to conduct monitoring and evaluation of programs con-
643 
ducted pursuant to such authorities during fiscal year 
2016. 
(b) BRIEFING.—Not later than 90 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall provide a briefing to the appropriate congressional 
committees on mechanisms to evaluate the programs con-
ducted pursuant to the authorities listed in subsection (a). 
The briefing shall include the following: 
(1) A description of how the Department of De-
fense evaluates program and project outcomes and 
impact, including cost effectiveness and extent to 
which programs meet designated goals. 
(2) An analysis of steps taken to implement the 
recommendations from the following reports: 
(A) The Government Accountability Of-
fice’s Report entitled ‘‘Project Evaluations and 
Better Information Sharing Needed to Manage 
the Military’s Efforts’’. 
(B) The Department of Defense Inspector 
General Report numbered ‘‘DODIG–2012– 
119’’. 
(C) The RAND Corporation’s Report pre-
pared for the Office of the Secretary of Defense 
entitled ‘‘Developing a Prototype Handbook for
644 
Monitoring and Evaluating Department of De-
fense Humanitarian Assistance Projects’’. 
(c) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘appro-
priate congressional committees’’ means the following: 
(1) The congressional defense committees. 
(2) The Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Foreign Relations of the Senate. 
Subtitle B—Matters Relating to 
Afghanistan and Pakistan 
SEC. 1211. COMMANDERS’ EMERGENCY RESPONSE PRO-
GRAM IN AFGHANISTAN. 
(a) ONE-YEAR EXTENSION.—Section 1201 of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 
(Public Law 112–81; 125 Stat. 1619), as most recently 
amended by section 1221 of the National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113–291; 
128 Stat. 3546), is further amended by striking ‘‘fiscal 
year 2015’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘fiscal 
year 2016’’. 
(b) FUNDS
AVAILABLE
DURING
FISCAL
YEAR 
2016.—Subsection (a) of such section, as so amended, is 
further amended by striking ‘‘$10,000,000’’ and inserting 
‘‘$5,000,000’’.
645 
SEC. 1212. EXTENSION AND MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY 
FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF CERTAIN COALI-
TION NATIONS FOR SUPPORT PROVIDED TO 
UNITED STATES MILITARY OPERATIONS. 
(a) EXTENSION.—Subsection (a) of section 1233 of 
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2008 (Public Law 110–181; 122 Stat. 393), as most re-
cently amended by section 1222 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113– 
291; 128 Stat. 3547), is further amended by striking ‘‘fis-
cal year 2015’’ and inserting ‘‘fiscal year 2016’’. 
(b) LIMITATION
ON AMOUNTS AVAILABLE.—Sub-
section (d)(1) of such section, as so amended, is further 
amended— 
(1) in the second sentence, by striking ‘‘during 
fiscal year 2015 may not exceed $1,200,000,000’’ 
and inserting ‘‘during fiscal year 2016 may not ex-
ceed $1,260,000,000’’; and 
(2) in the third sentence, by striking ‘‘fiscal 
year 2015’’ and inserting ‘‘fiscal year 2016’’. 
(c) EXTENSION OF NOTICE REQUIREMENT RELAT-
ING TO REIMBURSEMENT OF PAKISTAN FOR SUPPORT 
PROVIDED BY PAKISTAN.—Section 1232(b)(6) of the Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 
(122 Stat. 393), as most recently amended by section 
1222(d) of the National Defense Authorization Act for
646 
Fiscal Year 2015 (128 Stat. 3548), is further amended 
by striking ‘‘September 30, 2015’’ and inserting ‘‘Sep-
tember 30, 2016’’. 
(d) EXTENSION
OF LIMITATION
ON REIMBURSE-
MENT OF PAKISTAN PENDING CERTIFICATION ON PAKI-
STAN.—Section 1227(d)(1) of the National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (Public Law 112– 
239; 126 Stat. 2001), as most recently amended by sec-
tion 1222(e) of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2015 (128 Stat. 3548), is further amended 
by striking ‘‘fiscal year 2015’’ and inserting ‘‘fiscal year 
2016’’. 
(e) ADDITIONAL LIMITATION ON REIMBURSEMENT 
OF PAKISTAN PENDING CERTIFICATION ON PAKISTAN.— 
Of the total amount of reimbursements and support au-
thorized for Pakistan during fiscal year 2016 pursuant to 
the third sentence of section 1233(d)(1) of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (as 
amended by subsection (b)(2)), $400,000,000 shall not be 
eligible for the waiver under section 1227(d)(2) of the Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 
(126 Stat. 2001) unless the Secretary of Defense certifies 
to the congressional defense committees that— 
(1) Pakistan continues to conduct military oper-
ations in North Waziristan to disrupt the safe haven
647 
and freedom of movement of the Haqqani Network 
in Pakistan; 
(2) Pakistan has prevented the Haqqani Net-
work from using North Waziristan as a safe haven; 
and 
(3) the Government of Pakistan actively coordi-
nates with the Government of Afghanistan to re-
strict the movement of militants, such as the 
Haqqani Network, along the Afghanistan-Pakistan 
border. 
SEC. 1213. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON UNITED STATES POL-
ICY AND STRATEGY IN AFGHANISTAN. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) the United States continues to have vital 
national security interests in ensuring that Afghani-
stan is a stable, sovereign country; 
(2) President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan 
should be applauded for his leadership and commit-
ment to ensuring that Afghanistan remains stable, 
secure, and a friend of the United States; 
(3) the decision by the President of the United 
States to maintain 9,800 United States troops in Af-
ghanistan through all of 2015 to train, advise, and 
assist and conduct counterterrorism missions in Af-
ghanistan is the appropriate approach, is consistent
648 
with United States national security interests, and 
should be supported by Congress; 
(4) the President should withdraw United 
States troops only on a pace that is consistent with 
the ability of the Afghan National Security Forces 
to sustain itself and secure Afghanistan and should 
review maintaining the United States advisory mis-
sion in Afghanistan beyond 2016; 
(5) the United States should provide monetary 
and advisory support for the 352,000 Afghan Na-
tional Security Forces personnel and 30,000 Afghan 
Local Police, including intelligence, surveillance, and 
reconnaissance support, through 2018 while also 
maintaining a focus on the protection of human 
rights; 
(6) the Afghan National Security Forces should 
have the independent capability to prevent groups 
such as al-Qaeda, the Haqqani Network, the Quetta 
Shura Taliban, and other terrorist and insurgent 
groups from being able to conduct de-stabilizing at-
tacks and military operations inside Afghanistan or 
against the United States and its allies and holding 
or governing territory; and 
(7) the United States should continue to vigor-
ously conduct counterterrorism operations in Af-
649 
ghanistan beyond 2016, including against the 
Haqqani Network, to preserve the vital national se-
curity interests of the United States. 
SEC. 1214. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO ACQUIRE PROD-
UCTS AND SERVICES PRODUCED IN COUN-
TRIES ALONG A MAJOR ROUTE OF SUPPLY 
TO AFGHANISTAN. 
Section 801(f) of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (Public Law 111–84; 123 Stat. 
2399), as most recently amended by section 832 of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 
(Public Law 113–66; 127 Stat. 814), is further amended 
by striking ‘‘December 31, 2015’’ and inserting ‘‘Decem-
ber 31, 2016’’. 
SEC. 1215. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO TRANSFER DE-
FENSE ARTICLES AND PROVIDE DEFENSE 
SERVICES TO THE MILITARY AND SECURITY 
FORCES OF AFGHANISTAN. 
(a) EXTENSION.—Subsection (h) of section 1222 of 
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2013 (Public Law 112–239; 126 Stat. 1992), as amended 
by section 1231 of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113–291; 128 Stat. 
3556), is further amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 
2015’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2016’’.
650 
(b) QUARTERLY REPORTS.—Subsection (f)(1) of 
such section, as so amended, is further amended by strik-
ing ‘‘March 31, 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘March 31, 2017’’. 
(c) EXCESS DEFENSE ARTICLES.—Subsection (i)(2) 
of such section, as so amended, is further amended by 
striking ‘‘and 2015’’ each place it appears and inserting 
‘‘, 2015, and 2016’’. 
SEC. 1216. ASSISTANCE FOR AFGHAN TRANSLATORS, IN-
TERPRETERS, AND ADMINISTRATIVE AIDS. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that it is in the interest of the United States to con-
tinue to assist Afghan partners, and their immediate fami-
lies, who have served as translators or interpreters and 
those who have performed sensitive and trusted activities 
for United States forces. 
(b) SPECIAL IMMIGRANT STATUS FOR CERTAIN AF-
GHANS.—Section 602(b) of the Afghan Allies Protection 
Act of 2009 (8 U.S.C. 1101 note) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2)(A)(ii)(II), by striking 
‘‘International Security Assistance Force’’ each 
place such term appears and inserting ‘‘Inter-
national Security Assistance Force, the Resolute 
Support Mission, or any successor organization’’;
651 
(2) in paragraph (3)(F)(i), by striking ‘‘Sep-
tember 30, 2015;’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 
2015;’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(15) ADDITIONAL REPORT.—Not later than 60 
days after the date of the enactment of this para-
graph, and every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary of 
Defense and the Secretary of State jointly shall sub-
mit a report to the Committee on Armed Services 
and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Armed Serv-
ices and the Committee on the Judiciary of the Sen-
ate containing the following: 
‘‘(A) The number of citizens or nationals 
of Afghanistan employed in Afghanistan by, or 
on behalf of, entities or organizations described 
in paragraph (2)(A)(ii). 
‘‘(B) A prediction of the number of such 
individuals who will be so employed on the date 
that is 2 years after the date used for the count 
under subparagraph (A).’’.
652 
SEC. 1217. REPORT ON EFFORTS TO ENGAGE UNITED 
STATES MANUFACTURERS IN PROCUREMENT 
OPPORTUNITIES RELATED TO EQUIPPING 
THE AFGHAN NATIONAL SECURITY FORCES. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and the Sec-
retary of State shall submit to Congress a report on ef-
forts of the Secretaries to engage United States manufac-
turers in procurement opportunities related to equipping 
the Afghan National Security Forces. 
SEC. 1218. REPORT ON ACCESS TO FINANCIAL RECORDS OF 
THE GOVERNMENT OF AFGHANISTAN TO 
AUDIT THE USE OF FUNDS FOR ASSISTANCE 
FOR AFGHANISTAN. 
Not later than December 31, 2016, the Special In-
spector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction shall sub-
mit to Congress a report on the extent to which the Office 
of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Recon-
struction has adequate access to financial records of the 
Government of Afghanistan to audit the use of funds au-
thorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made 
available for fiscal year 2016 for assistance for Afghani-
stan. 
SEC. 1219. SENSE OF CONGRESS RELATING TO DR. SHAKIL 
AFRIDI. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following:
653 
(1) The attacks of September 11, 2001, killed 
approximately 3,000 people, most of whom were 
Americans, but also included hundreds of individuals 
with foreign citizenships, nearly 350 New York Fire 
Department personnel, and about 50 law enforce-
ment officers. 
(2) Downed United Airlines flight 93 was re-
portedly intended, under the control of the al-Qaeda 
high-jackers, to crash into the White House or the 
Capitol in an attempt to kill the President of the 
United States or Members of the United States Con-
gress. 
(3) The September 11, 2001, attacks were 
largely planned and carried out by the al-Qaeda ter-
rorist network led by Osama bin Laden and his dep-
uty Ayman al Zawahiri, after which Osama bin 
Laden enjoyed safe haven in Pakistan from where he 
continued to plot deadly attacks against the United 
States and the world. 
(4) The United States has obligated nearly $30 
billion between 2002 and 2014 in United States tax-
payer money for security and economic aid to Paki-
stan. 
(5) The United States very generously and 
swiftly responded to the 2005 Kashmir Earthquake
654 
in Pakistan with more than $200 million in emer-
gency aid and the support of several United States 
military aircraft, approximately 1,000 United States 
military personnel, including medical specialists, 
thousands of tents, blankets, water containers and a 
variety of other emergency equipment. 
(6) The United States again generously and 
swiftly contributed approximately $150 million in 
emergency aid to Pakistan following the 2010 Paki-
stan flood, in addition to the service of nearly twenty 
United States military helicopters, their flight crews, 
and other resources to assist the Pakistan Army’s 
relief efforts. 
(7) The United States continues to work tire-
lessly to support Pakistan’s economic development, 
including millions of dollars allocated towards the 
development of Pakistan’s energy infrastructure, 
health services and education system. 
(8) The United States and Pakistan continue to 
have many critical shared interests, both economic 
and security related, which could be the foundation 
for a positive and mutually beneficial partnership. 
(9) Dr. Shakil Afridi, a Pakistani physician, is 
a hero to whom the people of the United States, 
Pakistan and the world owe a debt of gratitude for
655 
his help in finally locating Osama bin Laden before 
more innocent American, Pakistani and other lives 
were lost to this terrorist leader. 
(10) Pakistan, the United States and the inter-
national community had failed for nearly 10 years 
following attacks of September 11, 2001, to locate 
and bring Osama bin Laden, who continued to kill 
innocent civilians in the Middle East, Asia, Europe, 
Africa and the United States, to justice without the 
help of Dr. Afridi. 
(11) The Government of Pakistan’s imprison-
ment of Dr. Afridi presents a serious and growing 
impediment to the United States’ bilateral relations 
with Pakistan. 
(12) The Government of Pakistan has leveled 
and allowed baseless charges against Dr. Afridi in a 
politically motivated, spurious legal process. 
(13) Dr. Afridi is currently imprisoned by the 
Government of Pakistan, a deplorable and uncon-
scionable situation which calls into question Paki-
stan’s actual commitment to countering terrorism 
and undermines the notion that Pakistan is a true 
ally in the struggle against terrorism. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that Dr. Shakil Afridi is an international hero and
656 
that the Government of Pakistan should release him im-
mediately from prison. 
Subtitle C—Matters Relating to 
Syria and Iraq 
SEC. 1221. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO SUPPORT OPER-
ATIONS AND ACTIVITIES OF THE OFFICE OF 
SECURITY COOPERATION IN IRAQ. 
(a) EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY.—Subsection (f)(1) 
of section 1215 of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2012 (Public Law 112–81; 10 U.S.C. 113 
note), as most recently amended by section 1237 of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 
(Public Law 113–291; 128 Stat. 3562), is further amend-
ed by striking ‘‘fiscal year 2015’’ and inserting ‘‘fiscal 
year 2016’’. 
(b) AMOUNT
AVAILABLE.—Such section, as so 
amended, is further amended— 
(1) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘fiscal year 
2015’’ and all that follows and inserting ‘‘fiscal year 
2016 may not exceed $143,000,000.’’; and 
(2) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘fiscal year 
2015’’ and inserting ‘‘fiscal year 2016’’. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and 
the Secretary of State shall submit to the congressional
657 
defense committees, the Committee on Foreign Relations 
of the Senate, and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of 
the House of Representatives a report on the activities of 
the Office of Security Cooperation in Iraq. The report 
shall include the following: 
(1) A description of how the programs of the 
Office of Security Cooperation in Iraq, in conjunc-
tion with other United States programs, such as 
Foreign Military Financing program and the For-
eign Military Sales program, will address the capa-
bility gaps of the Iraqi Security Forces and coordi-
nate activities to provide for the training and equip-
ping of the Iraqi Security Forces. 
(2) A description of constraints, if any, caused 
by the operational environment in Iraq on the ability 
of the Office of Security Cooperation in Iraq to 
carry out its mission. 
SEC. 1222. COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY FOR THE MIDDLE 
EAST AND TO COUNTER ISLAMIC EXTRE-
MISM. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) In testimony before the Committee on 
Armed Services of the House of Representatives, 
General Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint 
Chiefs of Staff stated, ‘‘The global security environ-
658 
ment is as uncertain as I have seen in my 40 years 
of service.’’. 
(2) In testimony before the Committee on 
Armed Services of the Senate, the Director of Na-
tional Intelligence, James Clapper, stated: ‘‘Sunni 
violent extremists are gaining momentum and the 
number of Sunni violent extremist groups, members, 
and safe havens is greater than at any other point 
in history.’’. 
(3) In testimony to the Committee on Armed 
Services of the House of Representatives, Lieutenant 
General Michael Flynn, former Director of the De-
fense Intelligence Agency stated, ‘‘. . .whether it be 
the number of violent Islamist groups, the territory 
which they control, the scale and scope of the Is-
lamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and asso-
ciated movements, the number of terrorist attacks 
they perpetrate, the numbers of causalities they in-
flict, their broad expansion and use of the internet, 
or just their sheer barbarism; I can draw no other 
conclusion than to say that the threat of Islamic ex-
tremism has reached an unacceptable level and that 
it is growing.’’. 
(4) In testimony before the Committee on 
Armed Services of the Senate, James Clapper, the
659 
Director of National Intelligence, stated the fol-
lowing: 
(A) ‘‘When the final counting is done, 
2014 will have been the most lethal year for 
global terrorism in the 45 years such data has 
been compiled . . . about half of all attacks, as 
well as fatalities, in 2014 occurred in just three 
countries: Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan . . . 
the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) 
conducted more attacks than any other terrorist 
group in the first nine months of 2014.’’. 
(B) ‘‘Since the conflict began, more than 
20,000 Sunni foreign fighters have traveled to 
Syria from more than 90 countries to fight the 
Assad regime . . . of that number, at least 
13,600 have extremist ties.’’. 
(C) ‘‘More than 3,400 Western fighters 
have gone to Syria and Iraq. Hundreds have re-
turned home to Europe.’’. 
(D) ‘‘About 180 Americans or so have 
been involved in various stages of travel to 
Syria . . . and some number have come back.’’. 
(E) ‘‘ISIL, al-Qaeda and al-Qaeda in the 
Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), and, most recently, 
al-Shabaab are calling on their supporters to
660 
conduct lone-wolf attacks against the United 
States and other Western countries. Of the 13 
attacks in the West since last May, 12 were 
conducted by individual extremists.’’. 
(5) AQAP continues to be one of al-Qaeda’s 
most capable affiliates, has the intent and capability 
to attack the United States and its allies, and at-
tempted attacks inside the United States on Decem-
ber 25, 2009, and October 27, 2010. 
(6) Iran has been a Department of State-des-
ignated state sponsor of terrorism since January 19, 
1984, and continues to sponsor and support ter-
rorism throughout the Middle East region and 
around the world. 
(7) In testimony before the Committee on 
Armed Services of the Senate, former Vice Chief of 
Staff of the Army, General Jack Keane (retired), 
stated, ‘‘Is it possible to . . . claim that the United 
States policy and strategy is working or that al- 
Qaeda is on the run? It is unmistakable that our 
policies have failed . . . And the unequivocal expla-
nation is U.S. policy has focused on disengaging 
from the Middle East.’’. 
(8) In testimony before the Committee on 
Armed Services of the Senate, former commander of
661 
United States Central Command, General James 
Mattis (retired), stated, ‘‘We have lived too long in 
a strategy-free mode . . . America needs a refreshed 
national strategy . . . And our Nation’s strategy de-
mands a comprehensive approach.’’. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) Islamic extremism is growing in the Middle 
East and elsewhere; 
(2) Iran continues to be a leading state sponsor 
of terrorism in the Middle East and across the globe 
and continues to actively work against United States 
interests; 
(3) the threat of terrorist attacks in the United 
States and threats against United States interests 
have increased due to the growth of Islamic extre-
mism, the proliferation of terrorist groups across the 
world, and the instability in the Middle East in 
countries such as Libya, Yemen, Iraq, and Syria; 
(4) the approach of Building Partnership Ca-
pacity (BPC) and conducting limited counterter-
rorism operations has had some positive effects in 
some locations, but has not prevented the prolifera-
tion and violence of terrorist groups or instability in 
the Middle East;
662 
(5) the United States should articulate, develop, 
and implement an effective strategy to work with its 
allies and partners to defeat Islamic extremist 
groups that threaten the interests of the Unites 
States and its allies; 
(6) the Secretary of Defense, in coordination 
with Secretary of State, shall continue to pursue ef-
forts to shut down ISIL’s illicit oil revenues; 
(7) support for United States allies and part-
ners in the Middle East is a critical component of 
the effort to prevent the spread of Islamic extre-
mism; 
(8) other actors, such as Russia, China, and 
Iran are trying to work against United States inter-
ests in the Middle East; 
(9) the United States should take a greater 
leadership role in fighting Islamic extremism and 
supporting stability in the Middle East to include co-
ordinating actions of United States allies and part-
ners in the region; 
(10) the United States plays a vital leadership 
role in coordinating the activities of the United 
States and its allies and partners and should seek 
opportunities to expand such cooperation to con-
tribute to greater stability in the Middle East;
663 
(11) the United States should continue to take 
steps to prevent the spread of malign Iranian influ-
ence in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and the region; 
(12) the United States remains an indispen-
sable actor in the Middle East, and the President 
should ensure that United States Armed Forces re-
main forward postured in the region to deter adver-
saries, fight threats to the United States and its in-
terests, and support United States allies and part-
ners in the region. 
(c) STRATEGY REQUIRED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than February 15, 
2016, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of 
State shall submit to the specified congressional 
committees a comprehensive strategy for the Middle 
East and to counter Islamic extremism. 
(2) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The strategy 
required by paragraph (1) shall include the fol-
lowing: 
(A) A detailed description of the objectives 
and end state for the United States in the Mid-
dle East and with respect to Islamic extremism. 
(B) A description of the roles and respon-
sibilities of the Department of State in such 
strategy.
664 
(C) A description of the roles and respon-
sibilities of the Department of Defense in such 
strategy. 
(D) A detailed description of actions to 
prevent the weakening and failing of states in 
the Middle East. 
(E) A detailed description of actions to 
counter Islamic extremism, including Islamic 
ideology, strategy, and tactics globally. 
(F) A detailed description of the resources 
required by the Secretary of Defense to counter 
ISIL’s illicit oil revenues 
(G) A detailed definition of those states 
and non-state actors the United States will ad-
dress to counter Islamic extremism. 
(H) A detailed description of actions to es-
tablish a coalition to carry out the strategy. 
(I) An assessment of United States’ efforts 
to disrupt and prevent foreign fighters traveling 
to Syria and Iraq and disrupt and prevent for-
eign fighters in Syria and Iraq traveling to the 
United States. 
(3) 
SPECIFIED
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—In the section, the term ‘‘specified congres-
sional committees’’ means—
665 
(A) the congressional defense committees; 
and 
(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations of 
the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Af-
fairs of the House of Representatives. 
SEC. 1223. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE AS-
SISTANCE TO COUNTER THE ISLAMIC STATE 
OF IRAQ AND THE LEVANT. 
(a) QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT.—Subsection (d) 
of section 1236 of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113–291; 128 Stat. 
3561) is amended by striking ‘‘30 days’’ and inserting ‘‘90 
days’’. 
(b) FUNDING.—Of the amounts authorized to be ap-
propriated in this Act for Overseas Contingency Oper-
ations in title XV for fiscal year 2016, there are author-
ized to be appropriated $715,000,000 to carry out such 
section. 
(c) WAIVER AUTHORITY.—Subsection (j)(1)(B) of 
such section is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘the following:’’ and all that fol-
lows through ‘‘Any provision of law’’ and inserting 
‘‘any provision of law’’; and 
(2) by striking clause (ii).
666 
(d) REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO ASSISTANCE FOR 
FISCAL YEAR 2016.—Such section, as so amended, is fur-
ther amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(l) REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO ASSISTANCE FOR 
FISCAL YEAR 2016.— 
‘‘(1) ASSESSMENT.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 90 
days after the date of the enactment of this 
subsection, the Secretary of Defense and the 
Secretary of State shall jointly submit to the 
appropriate congressional committees an assess-
ment of the extent to which the Government of 
Iraq is meeting the conditions described in sub-
paragraph (B). 
‘‘(B) CONDITIONS.—The conditions de-
scribed in this subparagraph are that the Gov-
ernment of Iraq— 
‘‘(i) is addressing the grievances of 
ethnic and sectarian minorities; 
‘‘(ii) is increasing political inclusive-
ness; 
‘‘(iii) is conducting efforts sufficient 
to reduce support for the Islamic State of 
Iraq and the Levant and improve stability 
in Iraq;
667 
‘‘(iv) is legislating the Iraqi Sunni Na-
tional Guard; 
‘‘(v) is ensuring that minorities are 
represented in adequate numbers, trained, 
and equipped in government security orga-
nizations; 
‘‘(vi) is ending support to Shia mili-
tias and stopping abuses of elements of the 
Iraqi population by such militias; 
‘‘(vii) is ensuring that supplies, equip-
ment, and weaponry supplied by the 
United States are appropriately distributed 
to security forces with a national security 
mission in Iraq, including the Kurdish 
Peshmerga, Sunni tribal security forces 
with a national security mission, and the 
Iraqi Sunni National Guard; 
‘‘(viii) is releasing prisoners from eth-
nic or sectarian minorities who have been 
arrested and held without trial or to 
charge and try such prisoners in a fair, 
transparent, and prompt manner; and 
‘‘(ix) is taking such other actions as 
the Secretaries consider appropriate.
668 
‘‘(C) UPDATE.—The Secretary of Defense 
and the Secretary of State may submit an up-
date of the assessment required under subpara-
graph (A) to the extent necessary. 
‘‘(D) SUBMISSION.—The assessment re-
quired under subparagraph (A) and the update 
of the assessment authorized under subpara-
graph (C) may be submitted as part of the 
quarterly report required under subsection (d). 
‘‘(2) RESTRICTION ON DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO 
GOVERNMENT OF IRAQ.—If the Secretary of Defense 
and the Secretary of State do not submit the assess-
ment required by paragraph (1) or if the Secretaries 
submit the assessment required by paragraph (1) 
but the assessment indicates that the Government of 
Iraq has not substantially achieved the conditions 
contained in the assessment, the Secretaries shall 
withhold the provision of assistance pursuant to sub-
section (a) directly to the Government of Iraq for 
fiscal year 2016 until such time as the Secretaries 
submit an update of the assessment that indicates 
that the Government of Iraq has substantially 
achieved the conditions contained in the assessment. 
‘‘(3) DIRECT
ASSISTANCE
TO
CERTAIN
COV-
ERED GROUPS.—
669 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Of the funds author-
ized to be appropriated under this section for 
fiscal year 2016, not less than 25 percent of 
such funds shall be obligated and expended for 
assistance directly to the groups described in 
subparagraph (E) (of which not less than 12.5 
percent of such funds shall be obligated and ex-
pended for assistance directly to the group de-
scribed in clause (i) of such subparagraph). 
‘‘(B) ADDITIONAL DIRECT ASSISTANCE.— 
If the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary 
of State withhold the provision of assistance 
pursuant to subsection (a) directly to the Gov-
ernment of Iraq for fiscal year 2016 in accord-
ance with paragraph (2) of this subsection, the 
Secretaries shall obligate and expend not less 
than an additional 60 percent of all unobligated 
funds authorized to be appropriated under this 
section for fiscal year 2016 for assistance di-
rectly to the groups described in subparagraph 
(E). 
‘‘(C) COST-SHARING REQUIREMENT INAP-
PLICABLE.—The cost-sharing requirement of 
subsection (k) shall not apply with respect to 
funds that are obligated or expended for assist-
670 
ance directly to the groups described in sub-
paragraph (E). 
‘‘(D) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Notwith-
standing any other provision of law, the groups 
described in subparagraph (E) shall each be 
deemed to meet the eligibility requirements of 
section 3 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 
U.S.C. 2753) and chapter 2 of part II of the 
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 
2311 et seq.). 
‘‘(E) COVERED GROUPS.—The groups de-
scribed in this subparagraph are— 
‘‘(i) the Kurdish Peshmerga; 
‘‘(ii) Sunni tribal security forces with 
a national security mission; and 
‘‘(iii) 
the 
Iraqi 
Sunni 
National 
Guard.’’. 
SEC. 1224. REPORT ON UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES DE-
PLOYED IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION INHER-
ENT RESOLVE. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) it should continue to be a top priority to 
provide United States Armed Forces deployed in 
support of Operation Inherent Resolve with the nec-
671 
essary force protection and combat search and res-
cue support; 
(2) United States military personnel who are 
tasked with the mission of providing combat search 
and rescue support, casualty evacuation, and medical 
support for Operation Inherent Resolve should not 
be counted as part of any limitation on the number 
of United States ground forces for Operation Inher-
ent Resolve; 
(3) military assets required to support United 
States Armed Forces deployed in support of Oper-
ation Inherent Resolve should be staged as forward 
as possible and as proximate to such United States 
Armed Forces as practicable given the operating en-
vironment and also should not be subject to any lim-
itation on the number of United States ground 
forces for Operation Inherent Resolve; and 
(4) the President, the Secretary of Defense, and 
military commanders on the ground in support of 
Operation Inherent Resolve should continuously 
evaluate the force protection and combat search and 
rescue support requirements, and the associated 
measures that are being taken to support such re-
quirements, in order to ensure that such require-
672 
ments and associated measures are sufficient given 
the operating environment and optimally postured. 
(b) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 30 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 90 
days thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to 
the congressional defense committees a report on United 
States Armed Forces deployed in support of Operation In-
herent Resolve. 
(c) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The report shall 
include the following: 
(1) The total number of members of the United 
States Armed Forces deployed in support of Oper-
ation Inherent Resolve for the most recent month 
for which data is available, delineated by service, 
component, country, and military task. 
(2) The total number of members of the United 
States Armed Forces conducting force protection 
and combat search and rescue, delineated by coun-
try, location in such country, and capability. 
(3) An estimate for the three-month period fol-
lowing the date on which the report is submitted of 
the total number of members of the United States 
Armed Forces expected to be deployed in support of 
Operation Inherent Resolve, delineated by service, 
component, country, and military task.
673 
(4) A description of the authorities and limita-
tions on the number of United States Armed Forces 
deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. 
(5) A description of military functions that are 
and are not subject to the authorities and limitations 
described in paragraph (3). 
(6) Any changes to the authorities and limita-
tions described in paragraph (3) and the rationale 
for such changes. 
(7) Any changes to United States policy and 
authorities for United States Armed Forces deployed 
in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. 
(8) Any other matters that the Secretary of De-
fense determines to be necessary. 
(d) SUNSET.—The requirement to submit reports 
under this section shall terminate on the date on which 
Operation Inherent Resolve terminates or the date that 
is 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
whichever occurs earlier. 
SEC. 1225. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE AS-
SISTANCE TO THE VETTED SYRIAN OPPOSI-
TION. 
(a) MODIFICATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 1209(f) of the Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
674 
2015 (Public Law 113–291; 128 Stat. 3543) is 
amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘The Secretary of De-
fense’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 
the Secretary of Defense’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘for Overseas Contingency 
Operations’’ and inserting ‘‘under the Syria 
Train and Equip Fund’’; and 
(C) by further adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(2) REPORT
REQUIRED.—At the same time 
the Secretary of Defense submits a request for a re-
programming or transfer of funds under paragraph 
(1), the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate 
congressional committees a report that contains the 
following: 
‘‘(A) UPDATE.—An update of the com-
prehensive strategy required under section 
1225(b) of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2016. 
‘‘(B) 
CERTIFICATION.—A 
certification 
that— 
‘‘(i) a required number and type of 
United States Armed Forces have been es-
675 
tablished to meet the objectives of the 
strategy and such Armed Forces, including 
support and enablers, have been or will be 
deployed to meet the objectives of the 
strategy; and 
‘‘(ii) a required amount of support, in-
cluding support provided by United States 
Armed Forces and enablers, has been or 
will be provided by the United States to 
the elements of the Syrian opposition that 
are to be trained and equipped under this 
section to ensure that such elements are 
able to defend themselves from attacks by 
ISIL and Government of Syria forces con-
sistent with the purposes set forth in sub-
section (a). 
‘‘(C) USE OF FUNDS.—A detailed descrip-
tion of how the funds subject to the request for 
a reprogramming or transfer of funds under 
paragraph (1) will be used to meet the objec-
tives of the strategy.’’. 
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made 
by this subsection take effect on the date of the en-
actment of this Act and apply with respect to any 
request for a reprogramming or transfer of funds
676 
under section 1209(f) of the National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015, as amended by 
paragraph (1), that is submitted on or after such 
date of enactment. 
(b) COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY REQUIRED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense shall submit to the appropriate congres-
sional committees a comprehensive strategy for 
Syria and Iraq. 
(2) MATTERS
TO
BE
INCLUDED.—The com-
prehensive strategy shall contain the following: 
(A) An identification of requirements that 
have been established to ensure that assistance 
provided to appropriately vetted elements of the 
Syrian opposition and other appropriately vet-
ted Syrian groups and individuals achieve the 
purposes set forth in section 1209(a) of the Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2015 (Public Law 113–291; 128 Stat. 
3541). 
(B) A description of United States policy 
and strategy for addressing the Assad regime in 
Syria and the post-Assad regime in Syria.
677 
(C) A detailed explanation of how the mili-
tary campaigns in Syria and Iraq are integrated 
and a description of the goals, objectives, and 
the end states for Syria and Iraq, including a 
description of how the train and equip pro-
grams in Iraq and Syria support the goals, ob-
jectives, and end states in Iraq and Syria. 
(D) A description of the roles and respon-
sibilities of each coalition country under the 
strategy. 
(E) A description of the relevant agency 
roles and responsibilities and interagency co-
ordination under the strategy. 
(3) DEFINITION.—In this subsection, the term 
‘‘appropriate congressional committees’’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 1209(e)(2) of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2015 (Public Law 113–291; 128 Stat. 3543). 
SEC. 1226. ASSISTANCE TO THE GOVERNMENT OF JORDAN 
FOR BORDER SECURITY OPERATIONS. 
(a) AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense, 
with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, may 
provide assistance on a reimbursement basis to the 
Government of Jordan for purposes of supporting
678 
and enhancing efforts of the armed forces of Jordan 
to sustain security along the border of Jordan with 
Syria and Iraq. 
(2) FREQUENCY.—Assistance may be provided 
under this subsection on a quarterly basis. 
(b) FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR ASSISTANCE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Of the amounts authorized 
to be appropriated in this Act for ‘‘Assistance for 
the Border Security of Jordan’’ in title XV for fiscal 
year 2016, there are authorized to be appropriated 
$300,000,000 to carry out this section. 
(2) PROHIBITION
ON
CONTRACTUAL
OBLIGA-
TIONS.—The Secretary of Defense may not enter 
into any contractual obligation to provide assistance 
under the authority in subsection (a). 
(c) NOTICE BEFORE EXERCISE.—Not later than 15 
days before providing assistance under the authority in 
subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to 
the specified congressional committees a report setting 
forth a full description of the assistance to be provided, 
including the amount of assistance to be provided, and the 
timeline for the provision of such assistance. 
(d) SPECIFIED CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.—In 
the section, the term ‘‘specified congressional committees’’ 
means—
679 
(1) the congressional defense committees; and 
(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives. 
(e) EXPIRATION OF AUTHORITY.—No assistance may 
be provided under the authority in subsection (a) after De-
cember 31, 2016. 
SEC. 1227. REPORT ON EFFORTS OF TURKEY TO FIGHT 
TERRORISM. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit 
to Congress a report on the following: 
(1) Turkey’s bilateral and multilateral efforts to 
combat the flow of foreign fighters through its coun-
try into Syria. 
(2) Turkey’s relationship with Hamas, includ-
ing its harboring of leaders of Hamas. 
(3) The efforts of Turkey to fight terrorism, in-
cluding Turkey’s military and humanitarian role in 
the anti-ISIS coalition.
680 
SEC. 1228. REPORT TO ASSESS THE POTENTIAL EFFECTIVE-
NESS OF AND REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ES-
TABLISHMENT OF SAFE ZONES OR A NO-FLY 
ZONE IN SYRIA. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
ings: 
(1) March 2015 marked the fourth year of the 
crisis in Syria, which has resulted in the world’s 
largest ongoing humanitarian disaster. 
(2) Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and sup-
porting militias, including Hezbollah, continue to 
carry out sectarian mass atrocities, which have in-
cluded mass targeted killings, mass graves, the ex-
termination of entire families, including their chil-
dren, incidents of ethnic cleansing, sexual violence, 
widespread torture, aerial bombardment of residen-
tial areas, and forced displacement of certain Syrian 
civilians especially from areas in western Syria 
where Assad is attempting to increase the domi-
nance of his own loyalists. 
(3) Approximately 220,000 people have been 
killed, including thousands of children, many more 
have been seriously wounded, and civilian casualties 
continue to mount as widespread and systematic at-
tacks on schools, hospitals, and other civilian facili-
681 
ties persist in violation of international norms and 
principles. 
(4) Assad’s forces and supporting militias have 
used air power to target Syrian civilians, including 
the deployment of barrel bombs filled with explo-
sives, shrapnel, and chemical weapons. 
(5) Assad’s forces, supporting militias, and 
other parties to the conflict are systematically block-
ing humanitarian aid delivery, including food and 
medical care, from many civilian areas in violation 
of international norms and principles. 
(b) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of 
State, shall submit to the specified congressional 
committees a report that— 
(A) assesses the potential effectiveness, 
risks, and operational requirements of the es-
tablishment and maintenance of a no-fly zone 
over part or all of Syria, including— 
(i) the operational and legal require-
ments for United States and coalition air 
power to establish a no-fly zone in Syria;
682 
(ii) the impact a no-fly zone in Syria 
would have on humanitarian and counter-
terrorism efforts in Syria and the sur-
rounding region; 
(iii) the potential for force contribu-
tions from other countries to establish a 
no-fly zone in Syria; and 
(iv) the impact of the establishment of 
a no-fly zone in Syria on the recipients of 
training provided by section 1209 of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113–291; 
128 Stat. 3541); and 
(B) assesses the potential effectiveness, 
risks, and operational requirements for the es-
tablishment of one or more safe zones in Syria 
for internally displaced people or for the facili-
tation of humanitarian assistance, including— 
(i) the operational and legal require-
ments for United States and coalition 
forces to establish one or more safe zones 
in Syria; 
(ii) the impact one or more safe zones 
in Syria would have on humanitarian and
683 
counterterrorism efforts in Syria and the 
surrounding region; 
(iii) the potential for contributions 
from other countries and vetted non-state 
actor partners to establish and maintain 
one or more safe zones in Syria; and 
(iv) the impact of the establishment of 
one or more safe zones in Syria on the re-
cipients of training provided by section 
1209 of the National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 
113–291; 128 Stat. 3541). 
(2) FORM.—The report required by paragraph 
(1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may 
contain a classified annex if necessary. 
(3) DEFINITION.—In this subsection, the term 
‘‘specified congressional committees’’ means— 
(A) the congressional defense committees; 
and 
(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations of 
the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Af-
fairs of the House of Representatives.
684 
Subtitle D—Matters Relating to 
Iran 
SEC. 1231. EXTENSION OF ANNUAL REPORT ON MILITARY 
POWER OF IRAN. 
(a) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—Subsection (b) of 
section 1245 of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2010 (Public Law 111–84; 123 Stat. 
2544), as amended by section 1232 of the National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 (Public Law 
113–66; 127 Stat. 920), is further amended by adding at 
the end the following: 
‘‘(5) An assessment of transfers to Iran of mili-
tary equipment, technology, and training from non- 
Iranian sources.’’. 
(b) TERMINATION.—Subsection (d) of such section, 
as amended by section 1277 of the National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113– 
291; 128 Stat. 3592), is further amended by striking ‘‘De-
cember 31, 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2025’’. 
SEC. 1232. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON THE GOVERNMENT OF 
IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM AND ITS MALIGN 
MILITARY ACTIVITIES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) The understanding announced on April 2, 
2015, between the countries of the P5+1 (the
685 
United States, the United Kingdom, France, Ger-
many, Russia, and China) and Iran on a Com-
prehensive Joint Plan of Action (CJPOA) provides 
sanctions relief in exchange for constraints on Iran’s 
nuclear program for a limited period of time. 
(2) Iran continues to develop ballistic missiles 
in violation of United Nations Security Council Res-
olutions 1747 (2007) and 1929 (2010), has devel-
oped medium-range ballistic missiles to target Israel 
and other United States allies, is working towards 
an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capa-
bility and the CJPOA places no limitations on Iran’s 
ballistic and cruise missile development efforts. 
(3) The Secretary of State has designated Iran 
as a state-sponsor of terrorism since 1984 and for 
the past decade has characterized Iran as the ‘‘most 
active state sponsor of terrorism’’ in the world. 
(4) Iran continues to support Hezbollah in Leb-
anon, the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria, Shia mi-
litias in Iraq, Hamas in Gaza, the Houthi rebels in 
Yemen, and other terrorist organizations and ex-
tremists globally. 
(5) Iran continues to conduct malign military 
activities across the Middle East and around the 
globe, which has and will continue to destabilize the
686 
region. As the Commander of United States Central 
Command testified to the Committee on Armed 
Services of the House of Representatives on March 
3, 2015, ‘‘the leaders in the region. . . are also 
equally concerned about Iran’s ability to mine the 
Straits, Iran’s cyber capabilities, Iran’s. . . ballistic 
missile capability, as well as the activity of their 
Quds forces... And so whether we get a deal or don’t 
get a deal, I think they will still share those con-
cerns.’’. 
(6) Iran’s destabilizing activities throughout the 
region pose a threat to United States interests, the 
interests of United States allies in the region, and 
international security. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) Iran’s illicit pursuit, development, or acqui-
sition of a nuclear weapons capability and its malign 
military activities overall constitute a grave threat to 
regional stability and the national security interests 
of the United States and its allies and partners; 
(2) Iran continues to expand its malign activi-
ties in the Middle East and globally, which may well 
increase under a CJPOA;
687 
(3) sanctions relief under the CJPOA will pro-
vide Iran the ability to increase funding for its bal-
listic missile development programs, acquisition of 
destabilizing types and amounts of conventional 
weapons, support for terrorism, and other malign ac-
tivities throughout the Middle East and globally; 
(4) United States bilateral and multilateral 
sanctions against Iran, once relieved, will be ex-
tremely difficult to reconstitute in response to Ira-
nian violations of its international obligations; 
(5) Iran would be an internationally-approved 
nuclear-threshold state under the framework of the 
CJPOA, which will likely lead to the proliferation of 
nuclear weapons across the Middle East; 
(6) Congress should review and assess all ele-
ments of any agreement entered into between the 
countries of the P5+1 and Iran and it should ap-
prove or disapprove of any sanctions relief that re-
sults from such an agreement; 
(7) the United States must continue to support 
the defense of allies and partners in the region, in-
cluding Israel, strengthening ballistic missile defense 
capabilities, and increasing security assistance; 
(8) Congress supports efforts to reach a peace-
ful, diplomatic solution to permanently and verifiably
688 
end Iran’s pursuit, development, and acquisition of 
a nuclear weapons capability, and it reaffirms that 
it is United States policy that Iran will not be al-
lowed to develop a nuclear weapons capability and 
that all instruments of United States power must be 
considered to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear 
weapon; 
(9) Congress reaffirms the rights of United 
States allies to exercise their legitimate right to self- 
defense against the Government of Iran; 
(10) the sale of advanced weaponry to Iran, 
particularly advanced air defenses, encourages bad 
behavior by Iran and poses a high risk of desta-
bilizing the region and should be opposed; and 
(11) no terrorism-related sanctions should be 
lifted or loosened as a part of any nuclear agreement 
and additional sanctions should be considered 
against Iran due to Iran’s continued state sponsor-
ship of terrorism, its development and proliferation 
of ballistic missile technology, its continued biologi-
cal and chemical weapons programs, and the egre-
gious violation of the human rights of the Iranian 
people.
689 
SEC. 1233. REPORT ON MILITARY POSTURE REQUIRED IN 
THE MIDDLE EAST TO DETER IRAN FROM DE-
VELOPING A NUCLEAR WEAPON. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall submit to Congress a report regarding the military 
posture required in the Middle East to deter Iran from 
developing a nuclear weapon. 
(b) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The report re-
quired by subsection (a) shall include a discussion of the 
military forces, bases and capabilities required to— 
(1) maintain a military option of preventing 
Iran from achieving a nuclear weapon; 
(2) counter Iran’s military activities; and 
(3) protect the United States military and other 
interests in the region. 
SEC. 1234. LIMITATION ON MILITARY-TO-MILITARY EX-
CHANGES AND CONTACTS WITH IRAN. 
(a) LIMITATION.—The Secretary of Defense may not 
authorize any military-to-military exchange or contact de-
scribed in subsection (b) to be conducted by the Armed 
Forces or Department of Defense civilians with represent-
atives of the military or paramilitary forces (including the 
IRGC) of the Islamic Republic of Iran until the Secretary 
certifies that Iran— 
(1) has ended its ballistic missile program;
690 
(2) is no longer listed by the Secretary of State 
as a state sponsor of terrorism; and 
(3) has recognized the Israel as a Jewish state. 
(b) COVERED EXCHANGES AND CONTACTS.—Sub-
section (a) applies to any military-to-military exchange or 
contact that includes inappropriate exposure to any of the 
following: 
(1) Force projection operations. 
(2) Nuclear operations. 
(3) Advanced combined-arms and joint combat 
operations. 
(4) Advanced logistical operations. 
(5) Chemical and biological defense and other 
capabilities related to weapons of mass destruction. 
(6) Surveillance and reconnaissance operations. 
(7) Joint warfighting experiments. 
(8) Military space operations. 
(9) Other advanced capabilities of the Armed 
Forces. 
(10) Arms sales or military-related technology 
transfers. 
(11) Release of classified or restricted informa-
tion. 
(12) Access to a Department of Defense labora-
tory or base.
691 
(13) Military operations or exercises with allies 
and partners. 
(c) EXCEPTIONS.—Subsection (a) does not apply to 
any search-and-rescue or humanitarian operation or exer-
cise. 
(d) ANNUAL CERTIFICATION BY SECRETARY.—The 
Secretary of Defense shall, without delegation, submit to 
the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the 
Committee on Armed Services of the House of Represent-
atives, not later than December 31 each year, a certifi-
cation in writing as to whether or not any military-to-mili-
tary exchange or contact during that calendar year was 
conducted in violation of subsection (a). 
SEC. 1235. SECURITY GUARANTEES ASSOCIATED WITH 
IRAN’S NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of De-
fense, in coordination with the Secretary of State, shall 
provide the appropriate congressional committees a copy 
of any security agreement or commitment provided by the 
United States to any country in the Middle East, including 
the member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, as-
sociated with Iran’s nuclear weapons program. 
(b) ANALYSIS.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Chairman of the
692 
Joint Chiefs of staff shall provide the Secretary of Defense 
with a detailed analysis of the United States military force 
structure and posture, as well as the estimated costs asso-
ciated with such force structure and posture, required to 
meet any security agreement or commitment in the Middle 
East, including member countries of the Gulf Cooperation 
Council. The Secretary shall provide such analysis, with-
out change, along with any additional views the Secretary 
may offer, when the Secretary submits the materials re-
quired under subsection (a). 
(c) LIMITATION ON CERTAIN EXPENDITURES.—The 
Secretary of Defense may not obligate or expend any 
funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or other-
wise made available to the Department of Defense for fis-
cal year 2016 for meeting any security agreements or com-
mitments described in this section unless the Secretary 
certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that 
the Secretary has provided a copy of such agreement as 
required under subsection (a). 
(d) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMITTEES 
DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate con-
gressional committees’’ means the Committee on Armed 
Services and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Armed
693 
Services and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
Senate. 
SEC. 1236. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. 
Nothing in this Act shall be construed as authorizing 
the use of force against Iran. 
Subtitle E—Matters Relating to the 
Russian Federation 
SEC. 1241. NOTIFICATIONS AND UPDATES RELATING TO 
TESTING, PRODUCTION, DEPLOYMENT, AND 
SALE OR TRANSFER TO OTHER STATES OR 
NON-STATE ACTORS OF THE CLUB-K CRUISE 
MISSILE SYSTEM BY THE RUSSIAN FEDERA-
TION. 
(a) NOTIFICATIONS.— 
(1) REGARDING
TESTING, PRODUCTION, DE-
PLOYMENT, AND
SALE
OR
TRANSFER.—The Sec-
retary of Defense shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress quarterly notifications on 
the testing, production, deployment, and sale or 
transfer to other states or non-state actors of the 
Club-K cruise missile system by the Russian Federa-
tion. 
(2) UPON DEPLOYMENT OR SALE OR TRANS-
FER.—Not later than seven days after the Secretary 
determines that there is reasonable grounds to be-
694 
lieve that the Russian Federation has deployed or 
sold or transferred to other states or non-state ac-
tors the Club-K cruise missile system, the Secretary 
shall submit to the appropriate committees of Con-
gress a notification of such determination. 
(3) FORM.—A notification required under para-
graph (1) or (2) shall be submitted in unclassified 
form, but may contain a classified annex if nec-
essary. 
(b) QUARTERLY UPDATES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall submit 
to the appropriate committees of Congress not less 
than quarterly updates on the coordination of allied 
responses to the deployment or sale or transfer to 
other states or non-state actors of the Club-K cruise 
missile system by the Russian Federation. 
(2) FORM.—The update required under para-
graph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, 
but may contain a classified annex if necessary. 
(c) STRATEGY.— 
(1) DEVELOPMENT.—The Chairman of the 
Joint Chiefs of Staff shall develop a strategy to de-
tect, defend against, and defeat the Club-K cruise 
missile system, including opportunities for allied con-
695 
tributions to such efforts based on consultations 
with such allies. 
(2) SUBMISSION.—Not later than September 
30, 2016, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 
shall submit to the appropriate committees of Con-
gress the strategy developed under paragraph (1). 
(d) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘appro-
priate committees of Congress’’ means— 
(1) the congressional defense committees; and 
(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives. 
(e) SUNSET.—The provisions of this section shall not 
be in effect on and after the date that is 5 years after 
the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 1242. NOTIFICATIONS OF DEPLOYMENT OF NUCLEAR 
WEAPONS BY RUSSIAN FEDERATION TO TER-
RITORY OF UKRAINIAN REPUBLIC. 
(a) NOTIFICATIONS.— 
(1) REGARDING POSSIBLE DEPLOYMENT.—The 
Secretary of Defense shall submit to the appropriate 
congressional committees quarterly notifications on 
the status of the Russian Federation conducting ex-
ercises with, planning or preparing to deploy, or de-
696 
ploying covered weapons systems onto the territory 
of the Ukranian Republic. 
(2) UPON DEPLOYMENT.—Not later than seven 
days after the Secretary determines that there is 
reasonable grounds to believe that the Russian Fed-
eration has deployed covered weapons systems onto 
the territory of the Ukranian Republic, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees a notification of such determination. 
(3) FORM.—A notification required under para-
graph (1) or (2) shall be submitted in unclassified 
form, but may contain a classified annex if nec-
essary. 
(b) STRATEGY.— 
(1) DEVELOPMENT.—The Chairman of the 
Joint Chiefs of Staff shall develop a strategy to re-
spond to the military threat posed by the Russian 
Federation deploying covered weapons systems onto 
the territory of the Ukranian Republic, including op-
portunities for allied cooperation in developing such 
responses based on consultation with such allies. 
(2) SUBMISSION.—Not later than June 30, 
2016, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 
shall submit to the congressional defense committees 
the following:
697 
(A) The strategy developed under para-
graph (1). 
(B) The views of the Secretary of Defense 
with respect to the strategy developed under 
paragraph (1), if any. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
(A) the congressional defense committees; 
and 
(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations of 
the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Af-
fairs of the House of Representatives. 
(2) COVERED WEAPONS SYSTEMS.—The term 
‘‘covered weapons systems’’ means weapons systems 
that can perform both conventional and nuclear mis-
sions, nuclear weapon delivery systems, and nuclear 
warheads. 
(d) SUNSET.—The provisions of this section shall not 
be in effect on and after the date that is 5 years after 
the date of the enactment of this Act.
698 
SEC. 1243. NON-COMPLIANCE BY THE RUSSIAN FEDERA-
TION WITH ITS OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE INF 
TREATY. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) The Department of State, on July 31, 
2014, released the Annual Report on the ‘‘Adher-
ence to and Compliance With Arms Control, Non-
proliferation, and Disarmament Agreements and 
Commitments’’ which included the finding that, 
‘‘The United States has determined that the Russian 
Federation is in violation of its obligations under the 
INF Treaty not to possess, produce, or flight-test a 
ground-launched cruise missile (GLCM) with a 
range capability of 500 km to 5,500 km, or to pos-
sess or produce launchers of such missiles.’’. 
(2) According to the testimony of senior offi-
cials of the Department of State, the Russian Fed-
eration is not complying with numerous treaties and 
agreements, including the INF Treaty, the Open 
Skies Treaty, the Biological Weapons Convention, 
the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Vienna Doc-
ument, the Budapest Memorandum, the Istanbul 
Commitments, the Presidential Nuclear Initiatives, 
the Missile Technology Control Regime, and the 
Russian Federation has recently withdrawn from the
699 
Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe 
(CFE). 
(3) The Commander of U.S. European Com-
mand, and Supreme Allied Commander of Europe, 
General Philip Breedlove, USAF, stated that ‘‘[a] 
weapon capability that violates the I.N.F., that is in-
troduced into the greater European land mass is ab-
solutely a tool that will have to be dealt with . . . 
I would not judge how the alliance will choose to 
react, but I would say they will have to consider 
what to do about it, [i]t can’t go unanswered.’’. 
(4) General Breedlove has further stated that ‘‘ 
we need to first and foremost signal that we cannot 
accept this change and that, if this change is contin-
ued, that we will have to change the cost calculus for 
Russia in order to help them to find their way to a 
less bellicose position.’’. 
(5) General Martin Dempsey, Chairman, Joint 
Chiefs of Staff testified that, ‘‘I think we have to 
make it very clear that things like their compliance 
with the INF treaty that there will be political, dip-
lomatic and potentially military costs in terms of the 
way we posture ourselves and the way we plan and 
work with our allies to address those provo-
700 
cations. . .It concerns me greatly. I certainly would 
counsel them not to roll back the clock.’’. 
(6) The Secretary of Defense, Ashton B. Car-
ter, testified that, ‘‘On the military side, we have 
begun to consider . . . what our options are, because 
the INF treaty is a treaty, meaning that it’s a two- 
way street. We accepted constraints in return for 
constraints of the then Soviet Union. It is a two-way 
street, and we need to remind them that it’s a two- 
way street, meaning that we, without an INF treaty, 
can take action also that we both decided years ago 
was best for neither of us to take.’’. 
(7) The Department of Defense has been con-
sidering a range of military options to respond to 
the Russian Federation’s violation of the INF Trea-
ty and these options would ‘‘aim to negate any ad-
vantage Russia might gain from deploying an INF- 
prohibited system, and all of these would be de-
signed to make us more secure’’, and these options 
‘‘fall into three broad categories: active defenses to 
counter intermediate-range ground-launched cruise 
missiles; counterforce capabilities to prevent inter-
mediate-range ground-launched cruise missile at-
tacks; and countervailing strike capabilities to en-
hance U.S. or allied forces.’’.
701 
(8) President Barack Obama stated in Prague 
in 2009 that, ‘‘Rules must be binding. Violations 
must be punished. Words must mean something.’’. 
(b) SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.—It is the sense of 
the Congress that— 
(1) the Russian Federation should return to 
compliance with the INF Treaty; 
(2) the continuing violation of the INF Treaty 
by the Russian Federation threatens the viability of 
the INF Treaty; 
(3) the United States has reportedly been un-
dertaking diplomatic efforts to address with the 
Russia Federation its violations of the INF Treaty 
since 2013, and the Russian Federation has failed to 
respond to these efforts in any meaningful way; 
(4) not only should the Russian Federation end 
its cheating with respect to the INF Treaty, but also 
its illegal occupation of the sovereign territory of an-
other nation, its plans for stationing nuclear weap-
ons on that nation’s territory, and its cheating and 
violation of as many as eight of its 12 arms control 
obligations and agreements; and 
(5) there are several United States military re-
quirements that would be addressed by the develop-
702 
ment and deployment of systems currently prohib-
ited by the INF Treaty. 
(c) NOTIFICATION OF RUSSIAN VIOLATIONS OF INF 
TREATY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The President shall submit 
to the appropriate congressional committees a notifi-
cation of— 
(A) whether the Russian Federation has 
flight-tested, deployed, or possesses a military 
system that has achieved an initial operating 
capability of a covered missile system; and 
(B) whether the Russian Federation has 
begun steps to return to full compliance with 
the INF Treaty, including by agreeing to in-
spections and verification measures necessary to 
achieve high confidence that any covered missile 
system will be eliminated, as required by the 
INF Treaty upon its entry into force. 
(2) 
DEADLINE.—The 
notification 
required 
under paragraph (1) shall be submitted not later 
than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act and not later than 30 days after the date on 
which the Russian Federation meets any of the re-
quirements of subparagraphs (A) and (B) of para-
graph (1).
703 
(3) FORM.—The notification required under 
paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified 
form, but may contain a classified annex if nec-
essary. 
(d) NOTIFICATION OF COORDINATION WITH ALLIES 
REGARDING INF TREATY.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days 
after the date of the enactment, and every 120-day 
period thereafter for a period of 5 years, the Sec-
retary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint 
Chiefs of Staff, in coordination with the Secretary of 
State and the Director of National Intelligence, shall 
jointly submit to the appropriate congressional com-
mittees a notification on the status and content of 
updates provided to the North Atlantic Treaty Orga-
nization (NATO) and allies of the United States in 
East Asia, on the Russian Federation’s flight test-
ing, operating capability and deployment of a cov-
ered missile system, including updates on the status 
and a description of efforts with such allies to de-
velop collective responses, including economic and 
military responses, to the Russian Federation’s arms 
control violations, including violations of the INF 
Treaty.
704 
(2) FORM.—The notification required under 
paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified 
form, but may contain a classified annex if nec-
essary. 
(e) MILITARY RESPONSE OPTIONS TO RUSSIAN FED-
ERATION VIOLATION OF THE TREATY ON INTERMEDIATE 
RANGE NUCLEAR FORCES.— 
(1) DEVELOPMENT OF CAPABILITIES.—If, as of 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the President 
determines that the Russian Federation has not 
begun steps to return to full compliance with the 
INF Treaty, including by agreeing to inspections 
and verification measures necessary to achieve high 
confidence that any covered missile system will be 
eliminated, as required by the INF Treaty upon its 
entry into force, the President shall begin developing 
the following military capabilities: 
(A) Counterforce capabilities to prevent in-
termediate-range ground-launched ballistic mis-
sile and cruise missile attacks, including capa-
bilities that may be acquired from allies. 
(B) Countervailing strike capabilities to 
enhance the Armed Forces of the United States 
or allies of the United States, including capa-
bilities that may be acquired from allies.
705 
(2) 
AVAILABILITY
OF
FUNDS
FOR
REC-
OMMENDED
CAPABILITIES.—The Secretary of De-
fense may use funds authorized to be appropriated 
by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal 
year 2016 for research, development, test, and eval-
uation, Defense-wide, as specified in the funding 
table in section 4201, to carry out the development 
of capabilities pursuant to paragraph (1) that are 
recommended by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs 
of Staff to meet military requirements and current 
capability gaps. In making such a selection, the 
Chairman shall give priority to such capabilities that 
the Chairman determines could be tested and fielded 
most expediently, with the most priority given to ca-
pabilities that the Chairman determines could be 
fielded in two years. 
(3) REPORTS ON DEVELOPMENT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—During each 180-day 
period beginning on the date on which funds 
are first obligated to develop capabilities under 
paragraph (2), the Chairman shall submit to 
the appropriate congressional committees a re-
port on such capabilities, including the costs of 
development (and estimated total costs of each 
system if pursued to deployment) and the
706 
timeline for development flight testing and de-
ployment. 
(B) SUNSET.—The provisions of subpara-
graph (A) shall not be in effect on and after the 
date on which the President certifies to the ap-
propriate congressional committees that the 
INF Treaty is no longer in force or the Russian 
Federation has fully returned to compliance 
with its obligations under the INF Treaty. 
(4) REPORT ON DEPLOYMENT.—Not later than 
180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the 
Secretary of State, shall submit to the appropriate 
congressional committees a report on the following: 
(A) Potential deployment locations of the 
military capabilities described in paragraph (1) 
in East Asia and Eastern Europe, including 
any potential basing agreements that may be 
required to facilitate such deployments. 
(B) Any required safety and security meas-
ures, estimates of potential costs of deploy-
ments described in subparagraph (A) and an 
assessment of whether or not such deployments 
in Eastern Europe may require a decision of 
the North Atlantic Council.
707 
(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means the following: 
(A) The congressional defense committees. 
(B) The Committee on Foreign Affairs of 
the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Foreign Relations of the Senate. 
(C) The Permanent Select Committee on 
Intelligence of the House of Representatives 
and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the 
Senate. 
(2) COVERED
MISSILE
SYSTEM.—The term 
‘‘covered missile system’’ means ground-launched 
ballistic missiles or ground-launched cruise missiles 
with a flight-tested range of between 500 and 5500 
kilometers. 
(3) INF TREATY.—The term ‘‘INF Treaty’’ 
means the Treaty Between the United States of 
America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 
on the Elimination of Their Intermediate-Range and 
Shorter-Range Missiles, commonly referred to as the 
Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, 
signed at Washington, December 8, 1987, and en-
tered into force June 1, 1988.
708 
SEC. 1244. MODIFICATION OF NOTIFICATION AND ASSESS-
MENT OF PROPOSAL TO MODIFY OR INTRO-
DUCE NEW AIRCRAFT OR SENSORS FOR 
FLIGHT 
BY 
THE 
RUSSIAN 
FEDERATION 
UNDER OPEN SKIES TREATY. 
Section 1242(b)(1) of the National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113–291; 
128 Stat. 3563) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘30 days’’ and inserting ‘‘90 
days’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘and the Chairman of the Joint 
Chiefs of Staff’’ and inserting ‘‘, the Chairman of 
the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the commander of 
each relevant combatant command’’. 
SEC. 1245. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON SUPPORT FOR ESTO-
NIA, LATVIA, AND LITHUANIA. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) The Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia, and 
Lithuania are highly valued allies of the United 
States, and they have repeatedly demonstrated their 
commitment to advancing our mutual interests as 
well as those of the NATO Alliance. 
(2) Operation Atlantic Resolve is a series of ex-
ercises and coordinating efforts meant to dem-
onstrate the United States’ commitment to the Bal-
tic States of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and the
709 
United States-Baltic partnership’s shared goal of 
peace and stability in the region. Built upon the 
common values of peace, stability and prosperity, 
Operation Atlantic Resolve strengthens communica-
tion and understanding, and is an important effort 
to deter Russian aggression against the Baltic 
States. 
(3) As part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, the 
European Reassurance Initiative undertakes exer-
cises, training, and rotational presence necessary to 
reassure and integrate our Baltic State allies into a 
common defense framework. 
(4) All three Baltic States contributed to the 
NATO-led International Security Assistance Force 
in Afghanistan, sending disproportionate numbers of 
troops and operating with few caveats. They also 
continue to engage in the Resolute Support Mission 
in Afghanistan. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—Congress— 
(1) reaffirms its support for the principle of col-
lective defense as enshrined in Article 5 of the North 
Atlantic Treaty for our NATO allies, Estonia, Lat-
via, and Lithuania; 
(2) supports the sovereignty, independence, ter-
ritorial integrity, and inviolability of Estonia, Latvia,
710 
and Lithuania as well as their internationally recog-
nized borders, and expresses concerns over increas-
ingly aggressive military maneuvering by Russia 
near their borders and airspace; 
(3) expresses concerns over increasingly aggres-
sive military maneuvering by the Russian Federation 
near Baltic state borders and airspace, and con-
demns reported subversive and destabilizing activi-
ties by the Russian Federation within the Baltic 
states; and 
(4) encourages the Administration to further 
enhance defense cooperation efforts with Estonia, 
Latvia, and Lithuania and supports the efforts of 
their Governments to provide for the defense of their 
people and sovereign territory. 
SEC. 1246. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON SUPPORT FOR GEOR-
GIA. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) Georgia is a valued friend of the United 
States and has repeatedly demonstrated its commit-
ment to advancing the mutual interests of both 
countries, including the deployment of Georgian 
forces as part of the NATO-led International Secu-
rity Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan and the 
Multi-National Force in Iraq.
711 
(2) The European Reassurance Initiative builds 
the partnership capacity of Georgia so it can work 
more closely with the United States and NATO, as 
well as provide for their own defense. 
(3) In addition to the European Reassurance 
Initiative, Georgia’s participation in the NATO ini-
tiative Partnership for Peace is paramount to inter-
operability with the United States and NATO, and 
establishing a more peaceful environment in the re-
gion. 
(4) Despite the heavy and painful losses suf-
fered during the ISAF, as a NATO partner Georgia 
is engaged in the Resolute Support Mission in Af-
ghanistan with the second largest contingent on the 
ground. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—Congress— 
(1) reaffirms United States support for Geor-
gia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its 
internationally-recognized borders, and does not rec-
ognize the Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions, cur-
rently occupied by Russia, as independent; and 
(2) supports continued cooperation between the 
United States and Georgia and the efforts of the 
Government of Georgia to provide for the defense of 
its people and sovereign territory.
712 
SEC. 1247. PROHIBITION ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS RE-
LATING TO SOVEREIGNTY OF THE RUSSIAN 
FEDERATION OVER CRIMEA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—None of the funds authorized to 
be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available 
for fiscal year 2016 for the Department of Defense may 
be obligated or expended— 
(1) to implement any action or policy that rec-
ognizes the de jure or de facto sovereignty of the 
Russian Federation over Crimea, its airspace, or its 
territorial waters; or 
(2) to provide assistance for the central govern-
ment of a country that has taken affirmative steps 
intended to recognize or otherwise be supportive of 
the Russian Federation’s forcible and illegal occupa-
tion of Crimea. 
(b) WAIVER.—The Secretary of Defense may waive 
the restriction on assistance required by subsection (a)(2) 
if the Secretary certifies and reports to the Committee on 
Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on 
Armed Services of the House of Representatives that to 
do so is in the national interest of the United States. 
(c) SUNSET.—The requirements of subsection (a) 
shall cease to be in effect if the Secretary of Defense cer-
tifies and reports to the Committee on Armed Services of 
the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the
713 
House of Representatives that the armed forces of the 
Russian Federation have withdrawn from Crimea and the 
Government of Ukraine has reestablished sovereignty over 
Crimea. 
SEC. 1248. LIMITATION ON MILITARY CONTACT AND CO-
OPERATION BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES 
AND THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION. 
(a) LIMITATION.—None of the funds authorized to 
be appropriated or otherwise made available for fiscal year 
2016 for the Department of Defense may be used for any 
bilateral military-to-military contact or cooperation be-
tween the Governments of the United States and the Rus-
sian Federation until the Secretary of Defense, in con-
sultation with the Secretary of State, certifies to the ap-
propriate congressional committees that— 
(1) the armed forces of the Russian Federation 
are no longer illegally occupying Ukrainian territory; 
(2) the Russian Federation is respecting the 
sovereignty of all Ukrainian territory; 
(3) the Russian Federation is no longer taking 
actions that are inconsistent with the INF Treaty; 
and 
(4) the Russian Federation has not sold or oth-
erwise transferred the Club-K land attack cruise
714 
missile system to any foreign country or foreign per-
son during fiscal year 2015. 
(b) WAIVER.—The Secretary of Defense may waive 
the limitation in subsection (a) with respect to a certifi-
cation requirement specified in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) 
if— 
(1) the Secretary of Defense, in coordination 
with the Secretary of State, submits to the appro-
priate congressional committees— 
(A) a notification that such a waiver is in 
the national security interest of the United 
States and a description of the national security 
interest covered by the waiver; and 
(B) a report explaining why the Secretary 
of Defense cannot make the certification under 
subsection (a); and 
(2) a period of 30 days has elapsed following 
the date on which the Secretary of Defense submits 
the information in the report under paragraph 
(1)(B). 
(c) ADDITIONAL WAIVER.—The Secretary of Defense 
may waive the limitation required by subsection (a)(4) 
with respect to the sale or other transfer of the Club-K 
land attack cruise missile system if—
715 
(1) the United States has imposed sanctions 
against the manufacturer of such system by reason 
of such sale or other transfer; or 
(2) the Secretary has developed and submitted 
to the appropriate congressional committees a plan 
to prevent the sale or other transfer of such system 
in the future. 
(d) EXCEPTION FOR CERTAIN MILITARY BASES.— 
The certification requirement specified in paragraph (1) 
of subsection (a) shall not apply to military bases of the 
Russian Federation in Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula oper-
ating in accordance with its 1997 agreement on the Status 
and Conditions of the Black Sea Fleet Stationing on the 
Territory of Ukraine. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Armed Services and 
the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Sen-
ate; and 
(B) the Committee on Armed Services and 
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
of Representatives.
716 
(2) BILATERAL
MILITARY-TO-MILITARY
CON-
TACT OR COOPERATION.—The term ‘‘bilateral mili-
tary-to-military contact or cooperation’’— 
(A) means— 
(i) reciprocal visits and meetings by 
high-ranking delegations; 
(ii) information sharing, policy con-
sultations, security dialogues or other 
forms of consultative discussions; 
(iii) exchanges of military instructors, 
training personnel, and students; 
(iv) exchanges of information; 
(v) defense planning; and 
(vi) military training or exercises; but 
(B) does not include any contact or co-
operation that is in support of United States 
stability operations. 
(3) INF
TREATY.—The term ‘‘INF Treaty’’ 
means the Treaty Between the United States of 
America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 
on the Elimination of Their Intermediate-Range and 
Shorter-Range Missiles, commonly referred to as the 
Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, 
signed at Washington December 8, 1987, and en-
tered into force June 1, 1988.
717 
(f) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section takes effect on 
the date of the enactment of this Act and applies with 
respect to funds described in subsection (a) that are unob-
ligated as of such date of enactment. 
SEC. 1249. LIMITATION ON FUNDS FOR IMPLEMENTATION 
OF THE NEW START TREATY. 
(a) LIMITATION.—None of the funds authorized to 
be appropriated or otherwise made available for fiscal year 
2016 for the Department of Defense may be used for im-
plementation of the New START Treaty until the Presi-
dent certifies to the appropriate congressional committees 
that— 
(1) the armed forces of the Russian Federation 
are no longer illegally occupying Ukrainian territory; 
(2) the Russian Federation is respecting the 
sovereignty of all Ukrainian territory; 
(3) the Russian Federation is no longer taking 
actions that are inconsistent with the INF Treaty; 
(4) the Russian Federation is in compliance 
with the CFE Treaty and has lifted its suspension 
of Russian observance of its treaty obligations; and 
(5) there have been no inconsistencies by the 
Russian Federation with New START Treaty re-
quirements. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
718 
(1) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Armed Services and 
the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Sen-
ate; and 
(B) the Committee on Armed Services and 
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
of Representatives. 
(2) CFE TREATY.—The term ‘‘CFE Treaty’’ 
means the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in 
Europe, signed at Paris November 19, 1990, and 
entered into force July 17, 1992. 
(3) INF TREATY.—The term ‘‘INF Treaty’’ 
means the Treaty Between the United States of 
America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 
on the Elimination of Their Intermediate-Range and 
Shorter-Range Missiles, commonly referred to as the 
Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, 
signed at Washington December 8, 1987, and en-
tered into force June 1, 1988. 
(4) NEW
START
TREATU.—The term ‘‘New 
START Treaty’’ means the Treaty between the 
United States of America and the Russian Federa-
tion on Measures for the Further Reduction and
719 
Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, signed on 
April 8, 2010, and entered into force on February 
5, 2011 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section takes effect on 
the date of the enactment of this Act and applies with 
respect to funds described in subsection (a) that are unob-
ligated as of such date of enactment. 
Subtitle F—Matters Relating to the 
Asia-Pacific Region 
SEC. 1251. SENSE OF CONGRESS RECOGNIZING THE 70TH 
ANNIVERSARY OF THE END OF ALLIED MILI-
TARY ENGAGEMENT IN THE PACIFIC THE-
ATER. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
ings 
(1) September 2, 2015, marks the 70th anni-
versary of the end of Allied military engagement in 
the Pacific theater, also marking the end of the Sec-
ond World War. 
(2) The United States entered the Second 
World War in December 1941, following the Empire 
of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, and over the 
next four years Americans participated in what was 
arguably the greatest national endeavor in the Na-
tion’s history.
720 
(3) The casualty toll of Americans in the Pa-
cific theater during the Second World War was ap-
proximately 92,904 killed, 208,333 wounded, and 
tens of thousands missing in action and prisoners of 
war, with civilians and military forces of the Allied 
Powers suffering equally devastating tolls. 
(4) American military forces displayed extraor-
dinary courage and suffered significant casualties in 
battles across the Pacific theater, including in the 
Battle of the Philippine Sea, the Battle of Leyte 
Gulf, the Philippines Campaign, the Battle of Iwo 
Jima, and the Battle of Okinawa. 
(5) Japanese military forces and the Japanese 
civilian population also suffered staggering losses. 
(6) On August 15, 1945, Emperor Hirohito of 
Japan announced the unconditional surrender of Ja-
pan’s military forces, made formal on September 2, 
1945, aboard the U.S.S. Missouri in Tokyo Bay, 
Japan, thus ending the most devastating war in 
human history. 
(7) Japan is now a free and prosperous democ-
racy; a valued ally with shared values and mutual in-
terests based on the principles of democracy, indi-
vidual liberty, and the rule of law, who serves as a 
cornerstone for peace and security in the region and
721 
for whom the United States seeks to further enhance 
security, economic, and diplomatic ties. 
(8) The bravery and sacrifice of the members of 
the United States Armed Forces and the military 
forces of the Allied Powers who served valiantly to 
rescue the Pacific nations from tyranny and aggres-
sion should be always remembered. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—Congress— 
(1) recognizes the 70th anniversary of the end 
of Allied military engagement in the Pacific theater, 
and also marking the end of Second World War; 
(2) joins with a grateful nation in expressing 
respect and appreciation to the members of the 
United States Armed Forces who served in the Pa-
cific theater during the Second World War; 
(3) remembers and honors those Americans who 
made the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives for 
their country during the campaigns in the Pacific 
theater during the Second World War; and 
(4) preserves and applies the lessons learned 
from the history of the Second World War in the 
Pacific theater and recognizes the close alliance be-
tween the United States and Japan, codified in the 
1960 Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security be-
tween the United States and Japan, that continues
722 
to be enhanced to maintain peace and prosperity in 
the region. 
SEC. 1252. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING CONSOLIDA-
TION OF UNITED STATES MILITARY FACILI-
TIES IN OKINAWA, JAPAN. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) The defense alliance between the United 
States and Japan remains important and strong. 
(2) Progress continues to be made in the 
United States and Japan to fulfill the April 27, 
2012, agreement of the United States-Japan Secu-
rity Consultative Committee that modified the 
United States-Japan Roadmap for Realignment Im-
plementation, originally codified on May 1, 2006, in-
cluding the Governor of Okinawa signing the landfill 
permit for Henoko construction on December 27, 
2013, and the elimination of restrictions on Govern-
ment of Japan contributions for the realignment of 
Marine Corps forces in the Asia-Pacific region by 
section 2821 of the Military Construction Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (division B of Public 
Law 113–291). 
(3) The Government of Japan has made signifi-
cant and unprecedented direct financial contribu-
tions of more than $3,000,000,000 to the Support
723 
for United States Relocation to Guam Account pur-
suant to section 2350k of title 10, United States 
Code, for the relocation of Marine Corps forces from 
Okinawa to Guam and the relocation of certain 
training from Okinawa to the Marianas region, of 
which nearly $1,000,000,000 has already been re-
ceived from the Government of Japan, and a signifi-
cant amount of these funds has already been obli-
gated and expended to support the relocation of Ma-
rine Corps forces on Guam. 
(4) It is important to return formerly used 
United States military property in Okinawa to the 
local government. 
(5) Consolidation of United States facilities and 
the return of formerly used United States military 
property in Okinawa will be implemented as soon as 
possible, while ensuring operational capability, in-
cluding training capability, throughout the consolida-
tion process. 
(6) Under the April 27, 2012, agreement re-
ferred to in paragraph (2), the United States is au-
thorized to establish Marine Air-Ground Task 
Forces at additional locations in the Asia-Pacific re-
gion, including Guam, Hawaii, and Australia, which 
will enhance their readiness posture through flexi-
724 
bility and speed to respond to regional threats and 
maintain regional peace, stability, and security. 
(7) Even though realignment of Marine Corps 
forces from Okinawa to Guam is ‘‘de-linked’’ from 
progress on the construction of the Futenma Re-
placement Facility in Henoko, there must be contin-
ued progress on Guam and Okinawa to meet the 
agreement. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the Henoko location for the Futenma Replace-
ment Facility— 
(1) has been studied and analyzed for several 
decades, reaffirmed by both the United States and 
Japan on several occasions, including the 2010 
Futenma Replacement Facility Bilateral Experts 
study and the independent assessment required by 
section 346 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (Public Law 112–81; 125 
Stat. 1373); and 
(2) remains the only option for the Futenma 
Replacement Facility. 
SEC. 1253. STRATEGY TO PROMOTE UNITED STATES INTER-
ESTS IN THE INDO-ASIA-PACIFIC REGION. 
(a) STRATEGY.—The President shall develop an over-
all strategy to promote United States interests in the
725 
Indo-Asia-Pacific region. Such strategy shall be informed 
by the following: 
(1) The national security strategy of the United 
States for 2015 set forth in the national security 
strategy report required under section 108(a)(3) of 
the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 
5043(a)(3)), as such strategy relates to United 
States interests in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. 
(2) The strategy to prioritize United States de-
fense interests in the Asia-Pacific region as con-
tained in the report required by section 1251(a) of 
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2015 (Public Law 113–291). 
(3) The integrated, multi-year planning and 
budget strategy for a rebalancing of United States 
policy in Asia submitted to Congress pursuant to 
section 7043(a) of the Department of State, Foreign 
Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations 
Act, 2014 (division K of the Consolidated Appro-
priations Act, 2014 (Public Law 113–76)). 
(b) PRESIDENTIAL POLICY DIRECTIVE.—The Presi-
dent shall issue a Presidential Policy Directive to relevant 
Federal departments and agencies that contains the strat-
egy developed under subsection (a) and includes imple-
menting guidance to such departments and agencies.
726 
(c) RELATION TO AGENCY PRIORITY GOALS AND AN-
NUAL BUDGET.— 
(1) AGENCY PRIORITY GOALS.—In identifying 
agency priority goals under section 1120(b) of title 
31, United States Code, for each relevant Federal 
department and agency, the head of such depart-
ment or agency, or as otherwise determined by the 
Director of the Office of Management and Budget, 
shall take into consideration the strategy developed 
under subsection (a) and the Presidential Policy Di-
rective issued under subsection (b). 
(2) ANNUAL BUDGET.—The President, acting 
through the Director of the Office of Management 
and Budget, shall ensure that the annual budget 
submitted to Congress under section 1105 of title 
31, United States Code, includes a separate section 
that clearly highlights programs and projects that 
are being funded in the annual budget that relate to 
the strategy developed under subsection (a) and the 
Presidential Policy Directive issued under subsection 
(b). 
SEC. 1254. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON THE UNITED STATES 
ALLIANCE WITH JAPAN. 
It is the sense of Congress that—
727 
(1) the United States highly values its alliance 
with the Government of Japan as a cornerstone of 
peace and security in the region, based on shared 
values of democracy, the rule of law, free and open 
markets, and respect for human rights in order to 
promote peace, security, stability, and economic 
prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region; 
(2) the United States welcomes Japan’s deci-
sion to contribute more proactively to regional and 
global peace and security; 
(3) the United States supports recent changes 
in Japanese defense policy, including the adoption of 
collective self-defense and the new bilateral Guide-
lines for U.S.-Japan Defense Cooperation which 
were approved on April 27, 2015, and will promote 
a more balanced and effective alliance to meet the 
emerging security challenges of this century; 
(4) the United States and Japan should con-
tinue to improve joint interoperability and collabo-
rate on developing future capabilities with which to 
maintain regional stability in an increasingly uncer-
tain security environment; 
(5) the United States and Japan should con-
tinue efforts to strengthen regional multilateral in-
stitutions that promote economic and security co-
728 
operation based on internationally accepted rules 
and norms; 
(6) the United States acknowledges that the 
Senkaku Islands are under the administration of 
Japan and opposes any unilateral actions that would 
seek to undermine such administration and remains 
committed under the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation 
and Security to respond to any armed attack in the 
territories under the administration of Japan; and 
(7) the United States reaffirms its commitment 
to the Government of Japan under Article V of the 
Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security that 
‘‘[e]ach Party recognizes that an armed attack 
against either Party in the territories under the ad-
ministration of Japan would be dangerous to its own 
peace and safety and declares that it would act to 
meet the common danger in accordance with its con-
stitutional provisions and processes’’. 
SEC. 1255. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON OPPORTUNITIES TO 
ENHANCE THE UNITED STATES ALLIANCE 
WITH THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) the alliance between the United States and 
the Republic of Korea has served as an anchor for 
stability, security, and prosperity on the Korean Pe-
729 
ninsula, in the Asia-Pacific region, and around the 
world; 
(2) the United States and the Republic of 
Korea continue to strengthen and adapt the com-
prehensive strategic alliance of bilateral, regional, 
and global scope to serve as a linchpin of peace and 
stability in the Asia-Pacific region, recognizing the 
shared values of democracy, human rights, free and 
open market, and the rule of law, as reaffirmed in 
the May 2013 ‘‘Joint Declaration in Commemora-
tion of the 60th Anniversary of the Alliance between 
the Republic of Korea and the United States of 
America’’; 
(3) the United States and the Republic of 
Korea continue to broaden and deepen the scope and 
level of alliance cooperation by strengthening the 
combined defense posture on the Korean Peninsula, 
enhancing mutual security based on the Republic of 
Korea-United States Mutual Defense Treaty, and 
promoting cooperation for regional and global secu-
rity in the 21st century, recognizing the significance 
of 2015 as it marks the 70th anniversary of the end 
of World War II; 
(4) the United States and the Republic of 
Korea share deep concerns that North Korea’s nu-
730 
clear and ballistic missiles programs and its repeated 
provocations pose grave threats to peace and sta-
bility on the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia 
and recognize that both nations are determined to 
achieve the peaceful denuclearization of North 
Korea, and remain fully committed to continuing 
close cooperation on the full range of issues related 
to North Korea; 
(5) the United States supports the vision of a 
Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons, free from 
the fear of war, and peacefully reunited on the basis 
of democratic and free market principles, as articu-
lated in President Park’s Dresden address; and 
(6) the United States and the Republic of 
Korea share the future interests of both nations in 
securing peace and stability on the Korean Penin-
sula and in Northeast Asia. 
SEC. 1256. REQUIREMENT TO SUBMIT DEPARTMENT OF DE-
FENSE POLICY REGARDING FOREIGN DIS-
CLOSURE OR TECHNOLOGY RELEASE OF 
AEGIS ASHORE CAPABILITY TO ALLIES. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that a decision by the Government of Japan to pur-
chase Aegis Ashore for its self-defense, given that it al-
ready possesses sea-based Aegis weapons system-equipped
731 
naval vessels, could create a significant opportunity for 
promoting interoperability and integration of air- and mis-
sile defense capability with close allies, could provide for 
force multiplication benefits, and could potentially allevi-
ate force posture requirements on multi-mission assets. 
(b) REQUIREMENT TO SUBMIT POLICY.—Not later 
than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the appropriate 
congressional committees a copy of the Department of De-
fense policy regarding foreign disclosure or technology re-
lease of Aegis Ashore capability to allies, including Japan, 
that possess sea-based Aegis weapons system-equipped 
naval vessels. 
(c) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘appro-
priate congressional committees’’ means— 
(1) the congressional defense committees; and 
(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives. 
SEC. 
1257. 
REQUIREMENT 
TO 
INVITE 
THE 
MILITARY 
FORCES OF TAIWAN TO PARTICIPATE IN 
RIMPAC EXERCISES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall in-
vite the military forces of Taiwan to participate in any 
maritime exercise known as the Rim of the Pacific Exer-
732 
cise if the Secretary has invited the military forces of the 
People’s Republic of China to participate in such maritime 
exercise. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section takes effect on 
the date of the enactment of this Act and applies with 
respect to any maritime exercise described in subsection 
(a) that begins on or after such date of enactment. 
Subtitle G—Other Matters 
SEC. 1261. NON-CONVENTIONAL ASSISTED RECOVERY CA-
PABILITIES. 
(a) EXTENSION.—Subsection (h) of section 943 of 
the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law 110–417; 122 Stat. 
4579), as most recently amended by section 1261 of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 
(Public Law 113–291; 128 Stat. 3579), is further amend-
ed by striking ‘‘2016’’ and inserting ‘‘2017’’. 
(b) REVISION TO ANNUAL LIMITATION ON FUNDS.— 
Subsection (a) of such section is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘Upon’’ and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Upon’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘an amount’’ and all that fol-
lows through ‘‘may be’’ and inserting ‘‘amounts ap-
propriated or otherwise made available for the De-
733 
partment of Defense for operation and maintenance 
may be’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(2) ANNUAL LIMIT.—The total amount made 
available for support of non-conventional assisted re-
covery activities under this subsection in any fiscal 
year may not exceed $25,000,000.’’. 
SEC. 1262. AMENDMENT TO THE ANNUAL REPORT UNDER 
ARMS CONTROL AND DISARMAMENT ACT. 
Subsection (e) of section 403 of the Arms Control 
and Disarmament Act (22 U.S.C. 2593a) is amended to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(e) ANNUAL REPORT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than June 15 of 
each year described in paragraph (2), the Director 
of National Intelligence shall submit to the appro-
priate congressional committees a report that con-
tains a detailed assessment, consistent with the pro-
vision of classified information and intelligence 
sources and methods, of the adherence of other na-
tions to obligations undertaken in all arms control, 
nonproliferation, and disarmament agreements or 
commitments to which the United States is a party, 
including information of cases in which any such na-
734 
tion has behaved inconsistently with respect to its 
obligations undertaken in such agreements or com-
mitments. 
‘‘(2) COVERED YEAR.—A year described in this 
paragraph is a year in which the President fails to 
submit the report required by subsection (a) by not 
later than April 15 of such year. 
‘‘(3) FORM.—The report required by this sub-
section shall be submitted in unclassified form, but 
may contain a classified annex if necessary.’’. 
SEC. 1263. PERMANENT AUTHORITY FOR NATO SPECIAL 
OPERATIONS HEADQUARTERS. 
Section 1244(a) of the National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (Public Law 111–84; 123 
Stat. 2541), as most recently amended by section 1272 
of the National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 
2013 (Public Law 112–239; 126 Stat. 2023), is further 
amended by striking ‘‘for each of fiscal years 2013, 2014, 
and 2015 pursuant to section 301’’ and inserting ‘‘for any 
fiscal year’’.
735 
SEC. 1264. EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION TO CONDUCT 
ACTIVITIES TO ENHANCE THE CAPABILITY 
OF FOREIGN COUNTRIES TO RESPOND TO IN-
CIDENTS INVOLVING WEAPONS OF MASS DE-
STRUCTION. 
Section 1204(h) of the National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2014 (Public Law 113–66; 127 
Stat. 897; 10 U.S.C. 401 note) is amended by striking 
‘‘September 30, 2017’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 
2020’’. 
SEC. 1265. LIMITATION ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS FOR 
RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST, AND EVAL-
UATION, AIR FORCE, FOR ARMS CONTROL IM-
PLEMENTATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not more than 50 percent of the 
funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or other-
wise made available for fiscal year 2016 for research, de-
velopment, test, and evaluation, Air Force, for arms con-
trol implementation (PE 0305145F) may be obligated or 
expended until the Secretary of Defense, in coordination 
with the Secretary of State, submits to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a report on the following: 
(1) A description of any meetings of the Open 
Skies Consultative Commission during the prior 
year.
736 
(2) A description of any agreements entered 
into during such meetings of the Open Skies Con-
sultative Commission. 
(3) A description of any future year proposals 
for modifications to the aircraft or sensors of any 
State Party to the Open Skies Treaty that will be 
subject to the Open Skies Treaty. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) 
APPROPRIATE
COMMITTEES
OF
CON-
GRESS.—The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Con-
gress’’ means— 
(A) the congressional defense committees; 
and 
(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations of 
the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Af-
fairs of the House of Representatives. 
(2) OPEN
SKIES
TREATY.—The term ‘‘Open 
Skies Treaty’’ means the Treaty on Open Skies, 
done at Helsinki March 24, 1992, and entered into 
force January 1, 2002. 
SEC. 1266. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY FOR SUPPORT OF 
SPECIAL 
OPERATIONS 
TO 
COMBAT 
TER-
RORISM. 
(a) AUTHORITY.—Subsection (a) of section 1208 of 
the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization
737 
Act for Fiscal Year 2005 (Public Law 108–375; 118 Stat. 
2086), as most recently amended by section 1208(a) of 
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2015 (Public Law 113–291; 128 Stat. 3541), is further 
amended by striking ‘‘$75,000,000’’ and inserting 
‘‘$100,000,000’’. 
(b) ANNUAL REPORT.—Subsection (f)(1) of such sec-
tion 1208, as most recently amended by section 1202(c) 
of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2010 (Public Law 111–84; 123 Stat. 2512), is further 
amended by striking ‘‘120 days’’ and inserting ‘‘30 days 
and not later than 180 days’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
subsections (a) and (b) take effect on the date of the en-
actment of this Act and apply with respect to each fiscal 
year that begins on or after such date of enactment. 
SEC. 1267. UNITED STATES-ISRAEL ANTI-TUNNEL DEFENSE 
COOPERATION. 
(a) FINDINGS AND SENSE OF CONGRESS.— 
(1) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(A) Tunnels have been used for centuries 
around the world as a means of avoiding detec-
tion or circumventing defenses. 
(B) Tunnels can be used for criminal pur-
poses, such as smuggling drugs, weapons, or
738 
humans, or for terrorist or military purposes, 
such as launching surprise attacks or deto-
nating explosives underneath infrastructure. 
(C) Tunnels have been a growing threat on 
the southern border of the United States for 
more than 11 years, and the Department of 
Homeland Security has been working to address 
this threat. 
(D) The conflict in Gaza in 2014 showed 
that terrorists are now actively using tunnels as 
a means of attack, and news reports indicate 
that tunnels are being used in Syria as well. 
(E) Terrorist organizations are quick to 
adopt successful tactics, and it is only a matter 
of time before other terrorist organizations 
begin using tunnels. 
(F) The facilities of the United States, and 
those of the allies of the United States, could 
be under threat very quickly if tunnel threats 
continue to proliferate. 
(G) Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Palestinian 
Islamic Jihad are United States-designated ter-
rorist organizations. 
(H) Designated Palestinian terrorist orga-
nizations have killed hundreds of Israelis and
739 
dozens of Americans in rocket attacks and sui-
cide bombings. 
(I) Hamas has used underground tunnels 
to Israel and Egypt to smuggle weapons, 
money, and supplies into Gaza and to send 
members of Hamas out of Gaza for training 
and to bring trainers in to Gaza to teach 
Hamas how to manufacture rockets and build 
better tunnels. Tunnels in Gaza have also been 
used as underground rocket launching sites, 
weapons caches, bunkers, transportation net-
works and command and control centers. 
(J) In 2006, Hamas kidnapped Israeli sol-
dier Gilad Shalit through a tunnel and held him 
for five years. 
(K) The Israel Defense Forces discovered 
32 tunnels during the conflict with Hamas in 
the summer of 2014, 14 of which crossed into 
Israel. 
(L) Hamas intentionally uses civilians as 
human shields by placing its underground tun-
nel network in densely populated areas and 
schools, hospitals, and mosques. 
(M) Hamas’s placement of explosive mate-
rial in its vast network of tunnels in Gaza has
740 
caused civilian casualties through secondary 
and tertiary explosions. 
(N) While the unemployment rate in Gaza 
is at 38 percent, it is estimated that Hamas 
spends $3,000,000 per tunnel. 
(O) United Nations Secretary-General Ban 
Ki-moon said he was ‘‘shocked by the tunnels 
used for the infiltration of terrorists’’. 
(P) Hamas has claimed to be rebuilding 
tunnels in Gaza after the war with Israel in the 
summer of 2014. 
(Q) Hezbollah has used underground tun-
nels in southern Lebanon to move Hezbollah 
fighters and to launch attacks. 
(R) The Palestinian Islamic Jihad claims 
to be digging new tunnels on the Gaza border. 
Israel has a right to defend itself from the vio-
lence of Palestinian terrorist groups, including 
the violence that is facilitated through terrorist 
tunnel networks. 
(S) The United States is working coopera-
tively with the Government of Israel to develop 
technologies to detect and neutralize tunnels 
penetrating the territory of Israel.
741 
(2) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of 
Congress that— 
(A) it is in the best interests of the United 
States to develop technology to detect and 
counter tunnels, and the best way to do this is 
to partner with other affected countries; and 
(B) Israel is facing serious threats posed 
by tunnels and should be the first partner of 
the United States in addressing this significant 
challenge. 
(b) ASSISTANCE TO ISRAEL TO ESTABLISH AN ANTI- 
TUNNELING DEFENSE SYSTEM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The President, upon request 
of the Government of Israel, is authorized to carry 
out research, development, and test activities on a 
joint basis with Israel to establish an anti-tunneling 
defense system to detect, map, and neutralize under-
ground tunnels into and directed at the territory of 
Israel. 
(2) CERTIFICATION.—None of the funds au-
thorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
may be obligated or expended to carry out sub-
section (a) until the President certifies to Congress 
the following:
742 
(A) The President has finalized a memo-
randum of understanding or other formal 
agreement between the United States and Israel 
regarding sharing of research and development 
costs for the system described in paragraph (1). 
(B) The understanding or agreement— 
(i) requires sharing of costs of 
projects, including the cost of claims and 
in-kind support, between the United States 
and Israel on an equitable basis unless the 
President determines, on a case-by-case 
basis, the Government of Israel is unable 
to contribute on an equitable basis; 
(ii) requires the designation of pay-
ment of non-recurring engineering costs in 
connection with the establishment of a ca-
pacity for co-production in the United 
States; 
(iii) establishes a framework to nego-
tiate the rights to any intellectual property 
developed under the cooperative research 
and development projects; and 
(iv) requires the United States Gov-
ernment to receive quarterly reports on ex-
penditure of funds by the Government of
743 
Israel, including a description of what the 
funds have been used for, when funds were 
expended, and an identification of entities 
that expended the funds. 
(3) ASSISTANCE.—The President, upon request 
of the Government of Israel, is authorized to provide 
assistance to Israel for the procurement, mainte-
nance, and sustainment of an anti-tunneling system 
described in paragraph (1). 
(c) ASSISTANCE TO OTHER ALLIES TO ESTABLISH 
AN ANTI-TUNNELING DEFENSE SYSTEM.—In addition to 
the memorandum of understanding or other formal agree-
ment described in subsection (b), the President is author-
ized to seek to enter into a similar memorandum of under-
standing or other formal agreement with any other ally 
of the United States upon request of the government of 
such ally. 
(d) DESIGNATION OF LEAD DEVELOPMENT AGEN-
CY.—The Secretary of Defense, with the concurrence of 
the Secretary of State, shall designate a military depart-
ment or other element of the Department of Defense to 
carry out subsections (b) and (c) as the lead agency of 
the Federal Government for developing technology to de-
tect and counter tunnels. 
(e) REPORTING.—
744 
(1) INITIAL REPORT.—The President shall sub-
mit to Congress a report that contains a copy of the 
memorandum of understanding or other formal 
agreement between the United States and Israel as 
described in subsection (b)(2)(A) or similar agree-
ment described in subsection (c). 
(2) QUARTERLY REPORTS.—The President shall 
submit to Congress a quarterly report that contains 
a copy of the most-recent quarterly report provided 
by the Government of Israel to the Department of 
Defense pursuant to subsection (b)(2)(B)(iv). 
(3) COMPREHENSIVE REPORT.—Not later than 
1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a 
report containing the following: 
(A) Instances of tunnels being used to at-
tack installations of the United States or allies 
of the United States. 
(B) Trends or developments in tunnel at-
tacks throughout the world. 
(C) Key technologies used and challenges 
faced by potential adversaries of the United 
States with respect to using tunnels.
745 
(D) The capabilities of the Department of 
Defense for defending fixed or forward locations 
from tunnel attacks. 
(E) Partnerships entered into with allies of 
the United States under this section, and poten-
tial opportunities for increased partnerships 
with other allies with respect to researching 
tunnel detection technologies and the opportuni-
ties for co-development or co-production. 
(F) The plans, including with respect to 
funding, of the Secretary for countering threats 
posed by tunnels. 
SEC. 1268. EFFORTS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TO 
PREVENT AND RESPOND TO GENDER-BASED 
VIOLENCE GLOBALLY. 
(a) FINDINGS AND STATEMENT OF POLICY.— 
(1) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(A) Gender-based violence reaches every 
corner of the world, affecting millions of people 
ever year and one in three women in her life-
time. This epidemic not only undermines the 
safety, dignity, and human rights of the indi-
vidual, family and community, it affects public 
health, economic stability, and security of na-
tions, which in turn has a direct impact upon
746 
United States foreign policy, defense interests, 
democracy, governance, and peace-building ef-
forts. 
(B) With one of the largest international 
footprints in the United States government, the 
Department of Defense is an integral part of 
combating the epidemic of gender-based vio-
lence, especially in conflict regions. 
(C) Section 7061 of the Joint Explanatory 
Statement of the Committee of Conference ac-
companying the Consolidated Appropriations 
Act, 2012 directed the Secretary of State and 
the Administrator of the United States Agency 
for International Development to develop and 
submit to Congress a multi-year strategy to 
prevent and respond to gender-based violence. 
(D) Executive Order No. 13623 of August 
10, 2012 (77 Fed. Reg. 49345) established the 
United States Strategy to Prevent and Respond 
to Gender-Based Violence Globally, which re-
quired the Department of Defense to partici-
pate in an Interagency Working Group co- 
chaired by the Department of State and the 
United States Agency for International Devel-
opment to implement the Strategy.
747 
(E) The Joint Explanatory Statement of 
the Committee of Conference accompanying the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2015 (H.R. 3979, Public Law 113–291), 
encouraged the Department of Defense to sup-
port the continued implementation of the 
United States Strategy to Prevent and Respond 
to Gender-Based Violence Globally and to par-
ticipate in the Interagency Working Group. 
(F) Executive Order No. 13623 requires 
within 3 years of August 12, 2012, that the 
Interagency Working Group shall complete a 
final evaluation of the Strategy and within 180 
days of completing its final evaluation, the 
Interagency Working Group shall update or re-
vise the Strategy to take into account the infor-
mation learned and the progress made during 
and through the implementation of the Strat-
egy. 
(2) STATEMENT OF POLICY.—It is in the na-
tional security interest of the United States to— 
(A) prevent gender-based violence which 
will promote regional and global stability and 
advance sustainable peace and security;
748 
(B) have a multi-year strategy in place 
that will effectively prevent and respond to gen-
der-based violence globally; and 
(C) ensure that existing laws and regula-
tions relating to the Department of Defense are 
fully implemented to prevent gender-based vio-
lence globally. 
(b) REQUIREMENT TO CONTINUE IMPLEMENTATION 
OF A UNITED STATES GLOBAL STRATEGY ON GENDER- 
BASED VIOLENCE PREVENTION
AND RESPONSE.—The 
Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the Department of 
Defense— 
(1) continues to implement the United States 
Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based 
Violence Globally, as appropriate; and 
(2) pursuant to the intent laid out in Executive 
Order No. 13623, continues to participate in any 
Interagency Working Group described in subsection 
(a)(1)(D) or in interagency collaborative efforts to 
develop or update a United States Strategy to Pre-
vent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence Glob-
ally, as appropriate 
(c) DEPARTMENT
OF
DEFENSE
GENDER-BASED 
TRAINING.—The Secretary of Defense is authorized to—
755 
made it difficult for Yemeni-Americans to depart 
Yemen. 
(2) United States citizen Jamal al-Labani of 
Hayward, California, was killed in Yemen after the 
closure of the United States Embassy while attempt-
ing to bring his pregnant wife and 2-year-daughter 
back to the United States. 
(3) Over 550 Yemeni-Americans have registered 
as being unable to leave Yemen after the closure of 
the United States Embassy in Yemen in February 
2015. 
(4) In 2006, the Department of Defense helped 
the Department of State remove 15,000 Americans 
from Lebanon during Hezbollah’s war against Israel. 
(5) Many other nations, including China, Ethi-
opia, India, and Russia are evacuating or have evac-
uated their citizens from Yemen. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the President should exercise all available au-
thorities as expeditiously as possible to evacuate United 
States citizens and nationals from Yemen.