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2015 (Public Law 113–291; 128 Stat. 3376), is further 
amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as 
subsections (d) and (e), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following 
new subsection (c): 
‘‘(c) QUALITY ASSURANCE OF CERTIFICATION PRO-
GRAMS AND STANDARDS.—(1) Commencing not later than 
three years after the date of the enactment of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016, each Sec-
retary concerned shall ensure that any credentialing pro-
gram used in connection with the program under subsection 
(a) is accredited by an accreditation body that meets the 
requirements specified in paragraph (2). 
‘‘(2) The requirements for accreditation bodies speci-
fied in this paragraph are requirements that an accredita-
tion body— 
‘‘(A) be an independent body that has in place 
mechanisms to ensure objectivity and impartiality in 
its accreditation activities; 
‘‘(B) meet a recognized national or international 
standard that directs its policy and procedures re-
garding accreditation; 
‘‘(C) apply a recognized national or inter-
national certification standard in making its accredi-
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
tation decisions regarding certification bodies and 
programs; 
‘‘(D) conduct on-site visits, as applicable, to 
verify the documents and records submitted by 
credentialing bodies for accreditation; 
‘‘(E) have in place policies and procedures to en-
sure due process when addressing complaints and ap-
peals regarding its accreditation activities; 
‘‘(F) conduct regular training to ensure con-
sistent and reliable decisions among reviewers con-
ducting accreditations; and 
‘‘(G) meet such other criteria as the Secretary 
concerned considers appropriate in order to ensure 
quality in its accreditation activities.’’. 
SEC. 538. SUPPORT FOR ATHLETIC PROGRAMS OF THE 
UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 403 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following 
new section: 
‘‘§ 4362. Support of athletic and physical fitness pro-
grams 
‘‘(a) AUTHORITY.— 
‘‘(1) CONTRACTS
AND
COOPERATIVE
AGREE-
MENTS.—The Secretary of the Army may enter into 
contracts and cooperative agreements with the Army
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West Point Athletic Association for the purpose of 
supporting the athletic and physical fitness programs 
of the Academy. Notwithstanding section 2304(k) of 
this title, the Secretary may enter such contracts or 
cooperative agreements on a sole source basis pursu-
ant to section 2304(c)(5) of this title. Notwithstanding 
chapter 63 of title 31, a cooperative agreement under 
this section may be used to acquire property or serv-
ices for the direct benefit or use of the Academy. 
‘‘(2) FINANCIAL CONTROLS.—(A) Before entering 
into a contract or cooperative agreement under para-
graph (1), the Secretary shall ensure that such con-
tract or agreement includes appropriate financial 
controls to account for Academy and Association re-
sources in accordance with accepted accounting prin-
ciples. 
‘‘(B) Any such contract or cooperative agreement 
shall contain a provision that allows the Secretary, at 
the Secretary’s discretion, to review the financial ac-
counts of the Association to determine whether the op-
erations of the Association— 
‘‘(i) are consistent with the terms of the con-
tract or cooperative agreement; and
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
‘‘(ii) will not compromise the integrity or 
appearance of integrity of any program of the 
Department of the Army. 
‘‘(3) LEASES.—Section 2667(h) of this title shall 
not apply to any leases the Secretary may enter into 
with the Association for the purpose of supporting the 
athletic and physical fitness programs of the Acad-
emy. 
‘‘(b) SUPPORT SERVICES.— 
‘‘(1) AUTHORITY.—To the extent required by a 
contract or cooperative agreement under subsection 
(a), the Secretary may provide support services to the 
Association while the Association conducts its support 
activities at the Academy. The Secretary may provide 
support services described in paragraph (2) only if 
the Secretary determines that the provision of such 
services is essential for the support of the athletic and 
physical fitness programs of the Academy. 
‘‘(2) SUPPORT SERVICES DEFINED.—(A) In this 
subsection, the term ‘support services’ includes utili-
ties, office furnishings and equipment, communica-
tions services, records staging and archiving, audio 
and video support, and security systems in conjunc-
tion with the leasing or licensing of property. 
‘‘(B) Such term includes—
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‘‘(i) housing for Association personnel on 
United States Army Garrison, West Point, New 
York; and 
‘‘(ii) enrollment of dependents of Associa-
tion personnel in elementary and secondary 
schools under the same criteria applied to de-
pendents of Federal employees under section 
2164(a) of this title, except that educational serv-
ices provided pursuant to this clause shall be 
provided on a reimbursable basis. 
‘‘(3) NO LIABILITY OF THE UNITED STATES.— 
Any such support services may only be provided with-
out any liability of the United States to the Associa-
tion. 
‘‘(c) ACCEPTANCE OF SUPPORT.— 
‘‘(1) SUPPORT RECEIVED FROM THE ASSOCIA-
TION.—Notwithstanding section 1342 of title 31, the 
Secretary may accept from the Association funds, 
supplies, and services for the support of the athletic 
and physical fitness programs of the Academy. For 
the purposes of this section, employees or personnel of 
the Association may not be considered to be employees 
of the United States. 
‘‘(2) FUNDS RECEIVED FROM NCAA.—The Sec-
retary may accept funds from the National Collegiate
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
Athletic Association to support the athletic and phys-
ical fitness programs of the Academy. 
‘‘(3) LIMITATION.—The Secretary shall ensure 
that contributions under this subsection and expendi-
ture of funds pursuant to subsection (e) do not reflect 
unfavorably on the ability of the Department of the 
Army, any of its employees, or any member of the 
armed forces to carry out any responsibility or duty 
in a fair and objective manner, or compromise the in-
tegrity or appearance of integrity of any program of 
the Department of the Army, or any individual in-
volved in such a program. 
‘‘(d) TRADEMARKS AND SERVICE MARKS.— 
‘‘(1) LICENSING, MARKETING, AND SPONSORSHIP 
AGREEMENTS.—An agreement under subsection (a) 
may, consistent with section 2260 of this title (other 
than subsection (d) of such section), authorize the As-
sociation to enter into licensing, marketing, and 
sponsorship agreements relating to trademarks and 
service marks identifying the Academy, subject to the 
approval of the Secretary of the Army. 
‘‘(2) LIMITATIONS.—No licensing, marketing, or 
sponsorship agreement may be entered into under 
paragraph (1) if—
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‘‘(A) such agreement would reflect unfavor-
ably on the ability of the Department of the 
Army, any of its employees, or any member of 
the armed forces to carry out any responsibility 
or duty in a fair and objective manner; or 
‘‘(B) the Secretary determines that the use 
of the trademark or service mark would com-
promise the integrity or appearance of integrity 
of any program of the Department of the Army, 
or any individual involved in such a program. 
‘‘(e) RETENTION AND USE OF FUNDS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Any funds received by the 
Secretary under this section other than money rentals 
received for property leased pursuant to section 2667 
of this title shall be used by the Academy for one or 
more of the following purposes: 
‘‘(A) To benefit participating cadets. 
‘‘(B) To enhance the ability of the Academy 
to compete against other colleges and univer-
sities. 
‘‘(2) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Funds described 
in paragraph (1) shall remain available until ex-
pended. 
‘‘(f) SERVICE
ON ASSOCIATION BOARD
OF DIREC-
TORS.—The Association is a designated entity for which au-
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
thorization under sections 1033(a) and 1589(a) of this title 
may be provided. 
‘‘(g) CONDITIONS.—The authority provided in this sec-
tion with respect to the Association is available only so long 
as the Association continues— 
‘‘(1) to qualify as a nonprofit organization 
under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code 
of 1986 and operates in accordance with this section, 
the law of the State of New York, and the constitution 
and bylaws of the Association; and 
‘‘(2) to operate exclusively to support the athletic 
and physical fitness programs of the Academy. 
‘‘(h) ASSOCIATION DEFINED.—In this section, the term 
‘Association’ means the Army West Point Athletic Associa-
tion.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 
the beginning of chapter 403 of such title is amended by 
adding at the end the following new item: 
‘‘4362. Support of athletic and physical fitness programs.’’. 
SEC. 539. ONLINE ACCESS TO THE HIGHER EDUCATION 
COMPONENT OF THE TRANSITION ASSIST-
ANCE PROGRAM. 
(a) NOTICE TO PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS OF AVAIL-
ABILITY OF COMPONENT ONLINE THROUGH THE DEPART-
MENT OF DEFENSE.—If a member of the Armed Forces, vet-
eran, or dependent requests a certificate of eligibility from
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to prove the eligibility of 
the member, veteran, or dependent, as the case may be, for 
educational assistance under chapter 33 of title 38, United 
States Code, the Secretary shall notify the member, veteran, 
or dependent of the availability of the higher education com-
ponent of the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) on the 
Transition GPS Standalone Training Internet website of 
the Department of Defense. 
(b) AVAILABILITY OF COMPONENT ONLINE THROUGH 
THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall, in collaboration with the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs, assess the feasibility of— 
(A) providing access for veterans and de-
pendents to the higher education component of 
the Transition Assistance Program on the 
eBenefits Internet website of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs; and 
(B) tracking the completion of that compo-
nent through that Internet website. 
(2) REPORT
TO
CONGRESS.—The Secretary of 
Defense shall submit to Congress a report setting forth 
a description of the cost and length of time required 
to provide access and begin tracking completion of the
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
higher education component of the Transition Assist-
ance Program as described in paragraph (1). 
Subtitle E—Military Justice 
SEC. 546. MODIFICATION OF RULE 304 OF THE MILITARY 
RULES OF EVIDENCE RELATING TO THE COR-
ROBORATION OF A CONFESSION OR ADMIS-
SION. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, Rule 304(c) of the Military Rules of Evidence 
shall be modified as follows: 
(1) To provide that an admission or a confession 
of the accused may be considered as evidence against 
the accused on the question of guilt or innocence only 
if independent evidence, either direct or circumstan-
tial, has been admitted into evidence which would 
tend to establish the trustworthiness of the admission 
or confession. 
(2) To provide that not every element or fact 
contained in the admission or confession must be 
independently proven for the admission or confession 
to be admitted into evidence in its entirety. 
(3) To strike the rule that if independent evi-
dence raises an inference of the truth of some but not 
all of the essential facts admitted, the confession or 
admission may be considered as evidence against the
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
accused only with respect to those essential facts stat-
ed in the confession or admission that are corrobo-
rated by the independent evidence. 
(4) With respect to the quantum of evidence 
needed to establish corroboration, to provide that the 
independent evidence need raise only an inference of 
the truth of the admission or confession. 
SEC. 547. MODIFICATION OF RULE 104 OF THE RULES FOR 
COURTS-MARTIAL TO ESTABLISH CERTAIN 
PROHIBITIONS CONCERNING EVALUATIONS 
OF SPECIAL VICTIMS’ COUNSEL. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, Rule 104(b) of the Rules for Courts-Martial shall 
be modified to provide that the prohibitions concerning 
evaluations established by that Rule shall apply to the giv-
ing of a less favorable rating or evaluation to any member 
of the Armed Forces serving as a Special Victims’ Counsel 
because of the zeal with which such counsel represented a 
victim.
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SEC. 548. RIGHT OF VICTIMS OF OFFENSES UNDER THE 
UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE TO 
TIMELY DISCLOSURE OF CERTAIN MATERIALS 
AND INFORMATION IN CONNECTION WITH 
PROSECUTION OF OFFENSES. 
Section 806b(a) of title 10, United States Code (article 
6b(a) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amend-
ed— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (8) 
as paragraphs (4) through (9), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the fol-
lowing new paragraph (3): 
‘‘(3) The right to the timely disclosure by trial 
counsel to the victim (or the Special Victims’ Counsel 
of the victim if the victim is so represented) of the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(A) Any charges and specifications related 
to the offense. 
‘‘(B) Any motions filed by trial counsel or 
defense counsel in connection with the court-mar-
tial of the offense, unless otherwise protected from 
disclosure. 
‘‘(C) All statements by the accused related 
to the offense.
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‘‘(D) Any statement by the victim in con-
nection with the offense that is in the possession 
of the government. 
‘‘(E) Any portions relating to the victim in 
any report of an investigation of the offense that 
is in the possession of the government. 
‘‘(F) In the event the staff judge advocate 
advises pursuant to section 834 of this title (arti-
cle 34) that any charge or specification in con-
nection with the offense not be referred for trial, 
the advice making such recommendation, with 
such advice to be so provided before the con-
vening authority acts on the advice.’’. 
SEC. 549. ENFORCEMENT OF CERTAIN CRIME VICTIMS’ 
RIGHTS BY THE COURT OF CRIMINAL AP-
PEALS. 
Section 806b of title 10, United States Code (article 
6b of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection 
(e); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following 
new subsection (d): 
‘‘(d) ENFORCEMENT OF CERTAIN RIGHTS BY COURT 
OF CRIMINAL APPEALS.—(1)(A) If the victim of an offense 
under this chapter believes that a preliminary hearing rul-
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
ing under section 832 of this title (article 32), or a court- 
martial ruling, violates the victim’s rights afforded by a 
section (article) or rule specified in paragraph (2), the vic-
tim may file an interlocutory appeal of such ruling by peti-
tioning the Court of Criminal Appeals for an order to re-
quire the judge advocate conducting such preliminary hear-
ing, or the court-martial, as the case may be, to comply 
with the section (article) or rule, as applicable. 
‘‘(B) A victim of an offense under this chapter who 
is subject to an order to submit to a deposition notwith-
standing the fact that the victim shall be available to testify 
at the court-martial of the offense may file an interlocutory 
appeal of such order by petitioning the Court of Criminal 
Appeals for an order to quash such order. 
‘‘(C) The Court of Criminal Appeals shall provide a 
de novo review of the question or questions raised by a peti-
tion filed under this paragraph. A single judge or panel 
of judges shall take up and decide the petition within 72 
hours after the petition is filed. 
‘‘(2) Paragraph (1)(A) applies with respect to the pro-
tections afforded by the following: 
‘‘(A) This section (article). 
‘‘(B) Military Rule of Evidence 412, relating to 
the admission of evidence regarding a victim’s sexual 
background.
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‘‘(C) Military Rule of Evidence 513, relating to 
the psychotherapist-patient privilege. 
‘‘(D) Military Rule of Evidence 514, relating to 
the victim advocate-victim privilege. 
‘‘(E) Military Rule of Evidence 615, relating to 
the exclusion of witnesses. 
‘‘(3) The proceedings of a preliminary hearing under 
section 832 of this title (article 32), or a court-martial, may 
not be stayed or subject to a continuance of more than five 
days for purposes of enforcing this subsection. If the Court 
of Criminal Appeals denies the relief sought, the reasons 
for the denial shall be clearly stated on the record in a writ-
ten opinion.’’. 
SEC. 550. RELEASE TO VICTIMS UPON REQUEST OF COM-
PLETE RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AND TESTI-
MONY OF COURTS-MARTIAL IN CASES IN 
WHICH SENTENCES ADJUDGED COULD IN-
CLUDE PUNITIVE DISCHARGE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 854(e) of title 10, United 
States Code (article 54(e) of the Uniform Code of Military 
Justice), is amended— 
(1) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ after ‘‘(e)’’; 
(2) in paragraph (1), as so designated, by insert-
ing ‘‘or the victim requests such records’’ before the 
period at the end of the first sentence; and
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
(3) by adding at the end the following new para-
graphs: 
‘‘(2) In the case of a general or special court-martial 
involving an offense (other than an offense covered by para-
graph (1)) for which the sentence as adjudged could include 
punitive discharge from the armed forces, a copy of all pre-
pared records of the proceedings of the court-martial shall 
be given to the victim of the offense if the victim requests 
such records. 
‘‘(3) Records given to a victim under this subsection 
at the request of the victim in a case where the court-mar-
tial concerned resulted in the acquittal of the accused may 
include restrictions on release or use of such records or in-
formation in such records in order to protect the privacy 
or other interests of the accused.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by sub-
section (a) shall take effect on the date of the enactment 
of this Act, and shall apply with respect to courts-martial 
first convened on or after that date. 
SEC. 551. REPRESENTATION AND ASSISTANCE OF VICTIMS 
BY SPECIAL VICTIMS’ COUNSEL IN QUES-
TIONING BY MILITARY CRIMINAL INVESTIGA-
TORS. 
Section 1044e(f) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
‘‘(3)(A) In carrying out paragraph (1), a military 
criminal investigator seeking to question an individual eli-
gible for the assistance of a Special Victims’ Counsel under 
this section shall inform the individual of the individual’s 
right to be represented by a Special Victims’ Counsel in 
connection with such questioning. 
‘‘(B) If an individual described in subparagraph (A) 
requests representation by a Special Victims’ Counsel in 
connection with questioning described in that subpara-
graph— 
‘‘(i) a Special Victims’ Counsel shall represent 
and assist the individual during and in connection 
with such questioning; 
‘‘(ii) the military criminal investigator shall 
contact and question the individual only through the 
Special Victims’ Counsel representing the individual; 
and 
‘‘(iii) the military criminal investigation may 
not contact or question the individual without the 
consent of such Special Victims’ Counsel. 
‘‘(C) Nothing in this paragraph confers any right on 
an accused under investigation. 
‘‘(D) A violation of this paragraph shall not be a basis 
for the suppression of any statement of an individual de-
scribed in subparagraph (A), or derivative evidence of such
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
a statement, in a proceeding against a person accused with 
committing an offense against such individual.’’. 
SEC. 552. AUTHORITY OF SPECIAL VICTIMS’ COUNSEL TO 
PROVIDE LEGAL CONSULTATION AND ASSIST-
ANCE IN CONNECTION WITH VARIOUS GOV-
ERNMENT PROCEEDINGS. 
Section 1044e(b) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraph (9) as para-
graph (10); and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (8) the fol-
lowing new paragraph (9): 
‘‘(9) Legal consultation and assistance in con-
nection with— 
‘‘(A) any complaint against the Govern-
ment, including an allegation under review by 
an inspector general and a complaint regarding 
equal employment opportunities; 
‘‘(B) any request to the Government for in-
formation, including a request under section 
552a of title 5 (commonly referred to as a ‘Free-
dom of Information Act request’); and 
‘‘(C) any correspondence or other commu-
nications with Congress.’’.
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
SEC. 553. ENHANCEMENT OF CONFIDENTIALITY OF RE-
STRICTED REPORTING OF SEXUAL ASSAULT 
IN THE MILITARY. 
(a) PREEMPTION OF STATE LAW TO ENSURE CON-
FIDENTIALITY OF REPORTING.—Subsection (b) of section 
1565b of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(3) In the case of information disclosed pursuant to 
paragraph (1), any State law or regulation that would re-
quire an individual specified in paragraph (2) to disclose 
the personally identifiable information of the adult victim 
or alleged perpetrator of the sexual assault to a State or 
local law enforcement agency shall not apply, except when 
reporting is necessary to prevent or mitigate a serious and 
imminent threat to the health or safety of an individual.’’. 
(b) CLARIFICATION OF SCOPE.—Paragraph (1) of such 
subsection is amended by striking ‘‘a dependent’’ and in-
serting ‘‘an adult dependent’’. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—Such section is further amended by 
adding at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) SEXUAL
ASSAULT.—The term ‘sexual as-
sault’ includes the offenses of rape, sexual assault, 
forcible sodomy, aggravated sexual contact, abusive 
sexual contact, and attempts to commit such offenses, 
as punishable under applicable Federal or State law.
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
‘‘(2) STATE.—The term ‘State’ includes the Dis-
trict of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, 
and any territory or possession of the United States.’’. 
SEC. 554. ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE OF COMPLEX INVES-
TIGATIONS WITHIN THE NATIONAL GUARD 
BUREAU. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 1101 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following 
new section: 
‘‘§ 10509. Office of Complex Investigations 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—There is in the National Guard 
Bureau an Office of Complex Investigations (in this section 
referred to as the ‘Office’) under the authority, direction, 
and control of the Chief of the National Guard Bureau. 
‘‘(b) DISPOSITION AND FUNCTIONS.—The Office shall 
be organized, trained, equipped, and managed to conduct 
administrative investigations in order to assist the States 
in the organization, maintenance, and operation of the Na-
tional Guard as follows: 
‘‘(1) In investigations of allegations of sexual as-
sault involving members of the National Guard. 
‘‘(2) In Investigations in circumstances involv-
ing members of the National Guard in which other 
law enforcement agencies within the Department of
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
Defense do not have, or have limited, jurisdiction or 
authority to investigate. 
‘‘(3) In investigations in such other cir-
cumstances involving members of the National Guard 
as the Chief of the National Guard Bureau may di-
rect. 
‘‘(c) SCOPE OF INVESTIGATIVE AUTHORITY.—Individ-
uals performing investigations described in subsection 
(b)(1) are authorized— 
‘‘(1) to have access to all records, reports, audits, 
reviews, documents, papers, recommendations, or 
other material available to the applicable establish-
ment which relate to programs and operations with 
respect to the National Guard; and 
‘‘(2) to request such information or assistance as 
may be necessary for carrying out those duties from 
any Federal, State, or local governmental agency or 
unit thereof.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 
the beginning of chapter 1101 of such title is amended by 
adding at the end the following new item: 
‘‘10509. Office of Complex Investigations.’’.
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
SEC. 555. MODIFICATION OF DEADLINE FOR ESTABLISH-
MENT OF DEFENSE ADVISORY COMMITTEE 
ON INVESTIGATION, PROSECUTION, AND DE-
FENSE OF SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE ARMED 
FORCES. 
Section 546(a)(2) of the Carl Levin and Howard P. 
‘‘Buck’’ McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113–291; 128 Stat. 3374; 
10 U.S.C. 1561 note) is amended by striking ‘‘not later 
than’’ and all that follows and inserting ‘‘not later than 
90 days after the date of the enactment of the National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016.’’. 
SEC. 556. COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES 
REPORTS ON PREVENTION AND RESPONSE 
TO SEXUAL ASSAULT BY THE ARMY NATIONAL 
GUARD AND THE ARMY RESERVE. 
(a) INITIAL REPORT.—Not later than April 1, 2016, 
the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit 
to Congress a report on the preliminary assessment of the 
Comptroller General (made pursuant to a review conducted 
by the Comptroller General for purposes of this section) of 
the extent to which the Army National Guard and the Army 
Reserve— 
(1) have in place policies and programs to pre-
vent and respond to incidents of sexual assault in-
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
volving members of the Army National Guard or the 
Army Reserve, as applicable; 
(2) provide medical and mental health care serv-
ices to members of the Army National Guard or the 
Army Reserve, as applicable, following a sexual as-
sault; and 
(3) have identified whether the nature of service 
in the Army National Guard or the Army Reserve, as 
the case may be, poses challenges to the prevention of 
or response to sexual assault. 
(b) ADDITIONAL REPORTS.—If after submitting the re-
port required by subsection (a) the Comptroller General 
makes additional assessments as a result of the review de-
scribed in that subsection, the Comptroller General shall 
submit to Congress such reports on such additional assess-
ments as the Comptroller General considers appropriate. 
SEC. 557. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON THE SERVICE OF MILI-
TARY FAMILIES AND ON SENTENCING RE-
TIREMENT-ELIGIBLE 
MEMBERS 
OF 
THE 
ARMED FORCES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) Military families serve alongside their mem-
ber of the Armed Forces, enduring hardships, lending 
support, and contributing to the member’s career. 
These family members endure frequent moves, long pe-
183 
† HR 1735 EAS1S 
riods of separation, and other unique hardships asso-
ciated with military life. 
(2) Innocent family members are sometimes in-
advertently punished when the member they depend 
on forfeits retirement benefit eligibility due to a 
court-martial sentence. 
(3) When a retirement-eligible member forfeits 
retirement eligibility, that member’s innocent family 
members lose the security of benefits they had planned 
for and helped earn. 
(4) Military juries may choose to impose un-
justly light sentences on convicted members out of con-
cern for the innocent family members when a just 
sentence would require stripping the member of retire-
ment eligibility. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress— 
(1) that military juries should not face the dif-
ficult choice between imposing a fair sentence or pro-
tecting the benefits of a member of the Armed Forces 
for the sake of innocent family members; 
(2) that innocent military family members of re-
tirement-eligible members should not be made to forgo 
benefits they have sacrificed for and helped to earn; 
and
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
(3) to welcome the opportunity to work with the 
Department of Defense to develop the necessary laws 
and regulations to improve the military justice sys-
tem and to protect the benefits that military families 
have helped earn. 
Subtitle 
F—Defense 
Dependents 
Education and Military Family 
Readiness 
SEC. 561. CONTINUATION OF AUTHORITY TO ASSIST LOCAL 
EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES THAT BENEFIT DE-
PENDENTS OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED 
FORCES AND DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CI-
VILIAN EMPLOYEES. 
(a) ASSISTANCE
TO SCHOOLS WITH SIGNIFICANT 
NUMBERS OF MILITARY DEPENDENT STUDENTS.—Of the 
amount authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2016 
by section 301 and available for operation and maintenance 
for Defense-wide activities as specified in the funding table 
in section 4301, $25,000,000 shall be available only for the 
purpose of providing assistance to local educational agen-
cies under subsection (a) of section 572 of the National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 (Public Law 
109–163; 20 U.S.C. 7703b). 
(b) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY DEFINED.—In this 
section, the term ‘‘local educational agency’’ has the mean-
185 
† HR 1735 EAS1S 
ing given that term in section 8013(9) of the Elementary 
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7713(9)). 
SEC. 562. IMPACT AID FOR CHILDREN WITH SEVERE DIS-
ABILITIES. 
Of the amount authorized to be appropriated for fiscal 
year 2016 pursuant to section 301 and available for oper-
ation and maintenance for Defense-wide activities as speci-
fied in the funding table in section 4301, $5,000,000 shall 
be available for payments under section 363 of the Floyd 
D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2001 (as enacted into law by Public Law 106–398; 
114 Stat. 1654A–77; 20 U.S.C. 7703a). 
SEC. 563. AUTHORITY TO USE APPROPRIATED FUNDS TO 
SUPPORT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE STU-
DENT MEAL PROGRAMS IN DOMESTIC DE-
PENDENT 
ELEMENTARY 
AND 
SECONDARY 
SCHOOLS LOCATED OUTSIDE THE UNITED 
STATES. 
(a) AUTHORITY.—Section 2243 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘the defense dependents’ 
education system’’ and inserting ‘‘overseas de-
fense dependents’ schools’’; and
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(B) by striking ‘‘students enrolled in that 
system’’ and inserting ‘‘students enrolled in such 
a school’’; 
(2) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘Department of 
Defense dependents’ schools which are located outside 
the United States’’ and inserting ‘‘overseas defense de-
pendents’ schools’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(e) OVERSEAS DEFENSE DEPENDENTS’ SCHOOL DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘overseas defense depend-
ents’ school’ means the following: 
‘‘(1) A school established as part of the defense 
dependents’ education system provided for under the 
Defense Dependents’ Education Act of 1978 (20 
U.S.C. 921 et seq.). 
‘‘(2) An elementary or secondary school estab-
lished pursuant to section 2164 of this title that is lo-
cated in a territory, commonwealth, or possession of 
the United States.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) HEADING AMENDMENT.—The heading of such 
section is amended by inserting ‘‘defense’’ after 
‘‘overseas’’.
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(2) TABLE OF SECTIONS.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of subchapter I of chapter 134 of 
such title is amended in the item relating to section 
2243 by inserting ‘‘defense’’ after ‘‘overseas’’. 
SEC. 564. BIENNIAL SURVEYS OF MILITARY DEPENDENTS 
ON MILITARY FAMILY READINESS MATTERS. 
(a) BIENNIAL SURVEYS REQUIRED.—The Director of 
the Office of Family Policy of the Department of Defense 
shall undertake every other year a survey of adult depend-
ents of members of the Armed Forces on the matters speci-
fied in subsection (b). Participation by dependents in the 
survey shall be voluntary. 
(b) MATTERS.—The matters specified in this sub-
section are the following: 
(1) Mental health of dependents of members of 
the Armed Forces. 
(2) Incidence of suicide and suicidal ideation 
among dependents of members of the Armed Forces. 
(3) Incidence of divorce among dependents of 
members of the Armed Forces. 
(4) Incidence of spousal abuse, child abuse, sex-
ual assault, and harassment among dependents of 
members of the Armed Forces. 
(5) Financial health and financial literacy of 
military families.
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(6) Employment and education of dependents of 
members of the Armed Forces. 
(7) Adequacy and availability of child care for 
dependents of members of the Armed Forces. 
(8) Quality of programs for military families. 
(9) Such other matters relating to military fam-
ily readiness as the Director considers appropriate. 
Subtitle G—Miscellaneous 
Reporting Requirements 
SEC. 571. EXTENSION OF SEMIANNUAL REPORTS ON THE 
INVOLUNTARY SEPARATION OF MEMBERS OF 
THE ARMED FORCES. 
Section 525(a) of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (Public Law 112–239; 126 Stat. 
1724) is amended by striking ‘‘calendar years 2013 and 
2014’’ and ‘‘each of calendar years 2013 through 2017’’. 
SEC. 572. REMOTELY PILOTED AIRCRAFT CAREER FIELD 
MANNING SHORTFALLS. 
(a) LIMITATION.—Of the funds authorized to be appro-
priated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal 
year 2016 for operation and maintenance for the Office of 
the Secretary of the Air Force, not more than 85 percent 
may be obligated or expended until a period of 15 days 
has elapsed following the date on which the Secretary of
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the Air Force submits to the congressional defense commit-
tees the report described in subsection (b). 
(b) REPORT REQUIRED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the 
Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense 
committees a report on remotely piloted aircraft ca-
reer field manning levels and actions the Air Force 
will take to rectify personnel shortfalls. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The report required under 
paragraph (1) shall include the following elements: 
(A) A description of current and projected 
manning requirements and inventory levels for 
remotely piloted aircraft systems. 
(B) A description of rated and non-rated of-
ficer and enlisted manning policies for author-
ization and inventory levels in effect for remotely 
piloted aircraft systems and units, to include 
whether remotely piloted aircraft duty is consid-
ered as a permanent Air Force Specialty Code or 
treated as an ancillary single assignment duty, 
and if both are used, the division of authoriza-
tions between permanently assigned personnel 
and those who will return to a different primary 
career field.
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(C) Comparisons to other Air Force manned 
combat aircraft systems and units with respect 
to personnel policies, manpower authorization 
levels, and projected personnel inventory. 
(D) Identification and assessment of miti-
gation actions to increase unit manning levels, 
including recruitment and retention bonuses, in-
centive pay, use of enlisted personnel, and in-
creased weighting to remotely piloted aircraft 
personnel on promotion boards, and to ensure 
the school house for remotely piloted aircraft per-
sonnel is sufficient to meet increased manning 
demands. 
(E) Analysis demonstrating the require-
ments determination for how remotely piloted 
aircraft pilot and sensor operators are selected, 
including whether individuals are prior rated or 
non-rated qualified, what prerequisite training 
or experience is necessary, and required and 
types of basic and advanced qualification train-
ing for each mission design series of remotely pi-
loted aircraft in the Air Force inventory. 
(F) Recommendations for changes to exist-
ing legislation required to implement mitigation 
actions.
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(G) An assessment of the authorization lev-
els of government civilian and contractor sup-
port required for sufficiency of remotely piloted 
aircraft career field manning. 
(H) A description and associated timeline 
of actions the Air Force will take to increase re-
motely piloted aircraft career field manpower 
authorizations and manning levels to at least the 
equal of the normative levels of manning and 
readiness of all other combat aircraft career 
fields. 
(I) A description of any other matters con-
cerning remotely piloted aircraft career field 
manning levels the Secretary of the Air Force de-
termines to be appropriate. 
(3) FORM.—The report required under para-
graph (1) may be submitted in classified form, but 
shall also contain an unclassified executive summary 
and may contain an unclassified annex. 
(4) NONDUPLICATION OF EFFORT.—If any infor-
mation required under paragraph (1) has been in-
cluded in another report or notification previously 
submitted to Congress by law, the Secretary of the Air 
Force may provide a list of such reports and notifica-
tions at the time of submitting the report required
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under this subsection in lieu of including such infor-
mation in the report. 
Subtitle H—Other Matters 
PART I—FINANCIAL LITERACY AND PREPARED-
NESS OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES 
SEC. 581. IMPROVEMENT OF FINANCIAL LITERACY AND 
PREPAREDNESS OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED 
FORCES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 992 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking 
‘‘CONSUMER EDUCATION’’ and inserting ‘‘FINAN-
CIAL LITERACY TRAINING’’; 
(B) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘edu-
cation’’ in the matter preceding subparagraph 
(A) and inserting ‘‘financial literacy training’’; 
(C) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) in the matter preceding subpara-
graph (A), by striking ‘‘as’’; 
(ii) in subparagraph (A)— 
(I) by inserting ‘‘as’’ before ‘‘a 
component’’; 
(II) by striking ‘‘orientation’’; 
and
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(III) by striking ‘‘and’’ after the 
semicolon; 
(iii) by redesignating subparagraph 
(B) as subparagraph (J); and 
(iv) by inserting after subparagraph 
(A) the following new subparagraphs: 
‘‘(B) upon arrival at the first duty station; 
‘‘(C) upon arrival at each duty station following 
the first duty station in the case of each member in 
pay grade E–4 or below or in pay grade O–3 or 
below; 
‘‘(D) on the date of promotion, in the case of 
each member in pay grade E–5 or below or in pay 
grade O–4 or below; 
‘‘(E) when the member vests in the Thrift Sav-
ings Plan (TSP); 
‘‘(F) at each major life event during the mem-
ber’s service, such as— 
‘‘(i) marriage; 
‘‘(ii) divorce; 
‘‘(iii) birth of first child; or 
‘‘(iv) disabling sickness or condition; 
‘‘(G) during leadership training; 
‘‘(H) during pre-deployment training and dur-
ing post-deployment training;
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‘‘(I) at transition points in military service, 
such as— 
‘‘(i) transition from a regular component to 
a reserve component; 
‘‘(ii) separation from service; or 
‘‘(iii) retirement; and’’; and 
(v) in subparagraph (J), as redesig-
nated by clause (iii), by inserting ‘‘as’’ be-
fore ‘‘a component’’; 
(D) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘(2)(B)’’ 
and inserting ‘‘(2)(J)’’; and 
(E) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(4) The Secretary concerned shall prescribe regula-
tions setting forth any additional events and circumstances 
(other than those described in paragraph (2)) for which the 
Secretary determines that training under this subsection 
shall be required.’’. 
(b) FINANCIAL LITERACY AND PREPAREDNESS SUR-
VEY.—Such section is further amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection 
(e); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following 
new subsection (d):
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‘‘(d) FINANCIAL LITERACY AND PREPAREDNESS SUR-
VEY.—(1) The Director of the Defense Manpower Data Cen-
ter shall annually include in the status of forces survey a 
survey of the status of the financial literacy and prepared-
ness of members of the armed forces. 
‘‘(2) The results of the annual financial literacy and 
preparedness survey— 
‘‘(A) shall be used by each of the Secretaries con-
cerned as a benchmark to evaluate and update train-
ing provided under this section; and 
‘‘(B) shall be submitted to the Committees on 
Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Rep-
resentatives.’’. 
(c) ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES COVERED BY 
LITERACY TRAINING.—Subsection (e) of such section, as re-
designated by subsection (b)(1) of this section, is amended 
by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(4) Health insurance, budget management, 
Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), retirement lump sum 
payments (including rollover options and tax con-
sequences), and Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP).’’. 
(d) CONFORMING AND CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) SECTION HEADING.—The heading of such sec-
tion is amended to read as follows:
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‘‘§ 992. Financial literacy training: financial serv-
ices’’. 
(2) TABLE OF SECTIONS.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 50 of such title is amend-
ed by striking the item related to section 992 and in-
serting the following new item: 
‘‘992. Financial literacy training: financial services.’’. 
SEC. 582. FINANCIAL LITERACY TRAINING WITH RESPECT 
TO CERTAIN FINANCIAL SERVICES FOR MEM-
BERS OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary concerned shall pro-
vide the financial literacy training under section 992 of 
title 10, United States Code, for the financial services de-
scribed in paragraph (4) of section 992(e) of such title (as 
amended and added by section 581 of this Act) to members 
of the uniformed services under the jurisdiction of such Sec-
retary commencing not later than six months after the date 
of the enactment of this Act. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the terms ‘‘uni-
formed services’’ and ‘‘Secretary concerned’’ have the mean-
ing given such terms in section 101(a) of title 10, United 
States Code. 
SEC. 583. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON FINANCIAL LITERACY 
AND PREPAREDNESS OF MEMBERS OF THE 
ARMED FORCES. 
It is the sense of Congress that—
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(1) the Secretary of Defense should strengthen 
arrangements with other departments and agencies of 
the Federal Government, as well as with nonprofit or-
ganizations, in order to improve the financial literacy 
and preparedness of members of the Armed Forces; 
and 
(2) the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 
and the Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces should 
provide support for the financial literacy and pre-
paredness training carried out under section 992 of 
title 10, United States Code (as amended by section 
581 of this Act). 
PART II—OTHER MATTERS 
SEC. 586. AUTHORITY FOR APPLICATIONS FOR CORREC-
TION OF MILITARY RECORDS TO BE INITI-
ATED BY THE SECRETARY CONCERNED. 
Section 1552(b) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘or his heir or legal representa-
tive’’ and inserting ‘‘(or the claimant’s heir or legal 
representative) or the Secretary concerned’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘he discovers’’ and inserting ‘‘dis-
covering’’.
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SEC. 587. RECORDATION OF OBLIGATIONS FOR INSTALL-
MENT PAYMENTS OF INCENTIVE PAYS, AL-
LOWANCES, AND SIMILAR BENEFITS WHEN 
PAYMENT IS DUE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 19 of title 37, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following 
new section: 
‘‘§ 1015. Recordation of installment payment obliga-
tions for incentive pays and similar bene-
fits 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—In the case of any pay, allowance, 
bonus, or other benefit described in subsection (b) that is 
paid to a member of the uniformed services on an install-
ment basis, each installment payment shall be charged to 
appropriations that are available for obligation at the time 
such payment is payable. 
‘‘(b) COVERED PAY AND BENEFITS.—Subsection (a) 
applies to any incentive pay, special pay, or bonus, or simi-
lar periodic payment of pay or allowances, or of edu-
cational benefits or stipends, that is paid to a member of 
the uniformed services under this title or title 10.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 
the beginning of chapter 19 of such title is amended by add-
ing at the end the following new item: 
‘‘1015. Recordation of installment payment obligations for incentive pays and 
similar benefits.’’.
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SEC. 588. ENHANCEMENTS TO YELLOW RIBBON REINTEGRA-
TION PROGRAM. 
(a) SCOPE AND PURPOSE.—Section 582 of the Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (10 
U.S.C. 10101 note) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘combat vet-
eran’’; and 
(2) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘informational 
events and activities’’ and inserting ‘‘information, 
events, and activities’’. 
(b) ELIGIBILITY.—Such section is further amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘National 
Guard and Reserve members and their families’’ and 
inserting ‘‘eligible individuals’’; 
(2) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘members of the 
reserve components of the Armed Forces, their fami-
lies,’’ and inserting ‘‘eligible individuals’’; 
(3) in subsection (d)(2)(C), by striking ‘‘members 
of the Armed Forces and their families’’ and inserting 
‘‘eligible individuals’’; 
(4) in subsection (h), in the matter preceding 
paragraph (1)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘members of the Armed 
Forces and their family members’’ and inserting 
‘‘eligible individuals’’; and
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(B) by striking ‘‘such members and their 
family members’’ and inserting ‘‘such eligible in-
dividuals’’; 
(5) in subsection (j), by striking ‘‘members of the 
Armed Forces and their families’’ and inserting ‘‘eli-
gible individuals’’; 
(6) in subsection (k), by striking ‘‘individual 
members of the Armed Forces and their families’’ and 
inserting ‘‘eligible individuals’’; and 
(7) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(l) ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS.—For the purposes of this 
section, the term ‘eligible individual’ means a member of 
a reserve component, a member of their family, or a des-
ignated representative who the Secretary of Defense deter-
mines to be eligible for the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration 
Program.’’. 
(c) OFFICE FOR REINTEGRATION PROGRAMS.— 
(1) OVERSIGHT OF YELLOW RIBBON REINTEGRA-
TION PROGRAM.—Paragraph (1)(A) of subsection (d) 
of such section is amended by striking the second and 
third sentence and inserting ‘‘The office shall exercise 
oversight over the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Pro-
gram, and shall be responsible for coordination with
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State National Guard and Reserve organizations, in-
cluding existing family and support programs.’’. 
(2) PARTNERSHIPS
TO
PROVIDE
QUALITY
OF 
LIFE SERVICES.—Paragraph (1)(B) of such subsection 
is amended by striking ‘‘substance abuse and mental 
health treatment services’’ and inserting ‘‘substance 
abuse, mental health treatment, and other quality of 
life services’’. 
(3) GRANT AUTHORITY.—Such subsection is fur-
ther amended by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(3) GRANTS.—The Office for Reintegration Pro-
grams may make grants to conduct data collection, 
trend analysis, and curriculum development, and to 
prepare reports, in support of activities under this 
section.’’. 
(d) COORDINATION WITH COAST GUARD RESERVE.— 
Such section is further amended— 
(1) in subsection (d)(1)(A), by striking ‘‘and Air 
Force Reserve’’ and inserting ‘‘Air Force Reserve, and 
Coast Guard Reserve’’; and 
(2) in subsection (e)(1), by striking ‘‘and Air 
Force Reserve’’ and inserting ‘‘Air Force Reserve, and 
Coast Guard Reserve’’.
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(e) DUE DATE OF ADVISORY BOARD ANNUAL RE-
PORT.—Subsection (e)(4) of such section is amended by 
striking ‘‘March’’ and inserting ‘‘April’’. 
(f) SUPPORT TEAMS.—Subsection (f) of such section 
is amended— 
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
striking ‘‘administer the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration 
Program at the State level’’ and inserting ‘‘support 
and assist State National Guard and Reserve organi-
zation reintegration efforts’’; and 
(2) by amending paragraph (1) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(1) to provide reintegration curriculum and in-
formation;’’. 
(g) OPERATION OF PROGRAM.— 
(1) ENHANCED FLEXIBILITY.—Subsection (g) of 
such section is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(g) OPERATION OF PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Office for Reintegration 
Programs shall assist State National Guard and Re-
serve organizations with the development and provi-
sion of information, events, and activities to support 
the health and well-being of eligible individuals be-
fore, during, and after periods of activation, mobiliza-
tion, or deployment.
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‘‘(2) FOCUS OF INFORMATION, EVENTS, AND AC-
TIVITIES.— 
‘‘(A) BEFORE
ACTIVATION, MOBILIZATION, 
OR DEPLOYMENT.—Before such a period, the in-
formation, events, and activities described in 
paragraph (1) should focus on preparing eligible 
individuals and affected communities for the rig-
ors of activation, mobilization, and deployment. 
‘‘(B) DURING
ACTIVATION, MOBILIZATION, 
OR DEPLOYMENT.—During such a period, the in-
formation, events, and activities described in 
paragraph (1) should focus on— 
‘‘(i) helping eligible individuals cope 
with the challenges and stress associated 
with such period; 
‘‘(ii) decreasing the isolation of eligible 
individuals during such period; and 
‘‘(iii) preparing eligible individuals for 
the challenges associated with reintegration. 
‘‘(C) AFTER ACTIVATION, MOBILIZATION, OR 
DEPLOYMENT.—After such a period, the informa-
tion, events, and activities described in para-
graph (1) should focus on— 
‘‘(i) reconnecting the member with 
their families, friends, and communities;
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‘‘(ii) providing information on em-
ployment opportunities; 
‘‘(iii) helping eligible individuals deal 
with the challenges of reintegration; 
‘‘(iv) ensuring that eligible individuals 
understand what benefits they are entitled 
to and what resources are available to help 
them overcome the challenges of reintegra-
tion; and 
‘‘(v) providing a forum for addressing 
negative behaviors related to operational 
stress and reintegration. 
‘‘(3) MEMBER PAY.—Members shall receive ap-
propriate pay for days spent attending such events 
and activities. 
‘‘(4) MINIMUM NUMBER OF EVENTS AND ACTIVI-
TIES.—State National Guard and Reserve organiza-
tions shall provide to eligible individuals— 
‘‘(A) one event or activity before a period of 
activation, mobilization, or deployment; 
‘‘(B) one event or activity during a period 
of activation, mobilization, or deployment; and 
‘‘(C) two events or activities after a period 
of activation, mobilization, or deployment.’’.
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(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Such section is 
further amended— 
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘through-
out the entire deployment cycle’’; 
(B) in subsection (b)— 
(i) in the subsection heading, by strik-
ing ‘‘; DEPLOYMENT CYCLE’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘well-being through the 
4 phases’’ through the end of the subsection 
and inserting ‘‘well-being.’’; 
(C) in subsection (d)(2)(C), by striking 
‘‘throughout the deployment cycle described in 
subsection (g)’’; and 
(D) in subsection (f), by striking ‘‘STATE 
DEPLOYMENT CYCLE’’ in the subsection heading. 
(h) ADDITIONAL PERMITTED OUTREACH SERVICE.— 
Subsection (h) of such section is amended by adding at the 
end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(16) Stress management and positive coping 
skills.’’. 
(i) SUPPORT OF DEPARTMENT-WIDE SUICIDE PRE-
VENTION EFFORTS.—Such section is further amended by 
inserting after subsection (h) the following new subsection: 
‘‘(i) SUPPORT OF SUICIDE PREVENTION EFFORTS.— 
The Office for Reintegration Programs shall assist the De-
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fense Suicide Prevention Office and the Defense Centers of 
Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain 
Injury to collect and analyze information, suggestions, and 
best practices from State National Guard and Reserve orga-
nizations with respect to suicide prevention and community 
response programs.’’. 
(j) TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.—Such section is further 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (d)(1)(B), by striking ‘‘Sub-
stance Abuse and the Mental Health Services Admin-
istration’’ and inserting ‘‘Substance Abuse and Men-
tal Health Services Administration’’; and 
(2) in subsection (e)(3)(C), by striking ‘‘Office of 
Reintegration Programs’’ and inserting ‘‘Office for 
Reintegration Programs’’. 
SEC. 589. PRIORITY PROCESSING OF APPLICATIONS FOR 
TRANSPORTATION WORKER IDENTIFICATION 
CREDENTIALS FOR MEMBERS UNDERGOING 
DISCHARGE OR RELEASE FROM THE ARMED 
FORCES. 
(a) PRIORITY PROCESSING.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall consult with the Secretary of Homeland Security to 
afford a priority in the processing of applications for a 
Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) to 
applications submitted by members of the Armed Forces
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
who are undergoing separation, discharge, or release from 
the Armed Forces under honorable conditions, with such 
priority to provide for the review and adjudication of such 
an application by not later than 14 days after submittal, 
unless an appeal or waiver applies or further application 
documentation is necessary. The priority shall be so af-
forded commencing not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act to members who undergo sepa-
ration, discharge, or release from the Armed Forces after 
the date on which the priority so commences being afforded. 
(b) MEMORANDUM
OF UNDERSTANDING.—The Sec-
retary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security 
shall enter into a memorandum of understanding in con-
nection with achieving the requirement in subsection (a). 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and 
the Secretary of Homeland Security shall jointly submit to 
the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the 
House of Representatives a report on the implementation 
of the requirements of this section. The report shall set forth 
the following: 
(1) The memorandum of understanding required 
pursuant to subsection (b). 
(2) A description of the number of individuals 
who applied for, and the number of individuals who
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have been issued, a Transportation Worker Identifica-
tion Credential pursuant to the memorandum of un-
derstanding as of the date of the report. 
(3) If any applications for a Transportation 
Worker Identification Credential covered by para-
graph (2) were not reviewed and adjudicated within 
the deadline specified in subsection (a), a description 
of the reasons for the failure and of the actions being 
taken to assure that future applications for a Creden-
tial are reviewed and adjudicated within the dead-
line. 
SEC. 590. ISSUANCE OF RECOGNITION OF SERVICE ID 
CARDS TO CERTAIN MEMBERS SEPARATING 
FROM THE ARMED FORCES. 
(a) ISSUANCE REQUIRED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
issue to each covered individual a card that identifies 
such individual as a veteran and includes a photo of 
the individual and the name of the individual. 
(2) DESIGNATION.—A card issued under para-
graph (1) may be known as a ‘‘Recognition of Service 
ID Card’’. 
(b) COVERED INDIVIDUALS.—For purposes of this sec-
tion, a ‘‘covered individual’’ is an individual who is under-
going discharge or release from the Armed Forces (other
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
than as the result of a punitive discharge adjudicated as 
part of a sentence at a court-martial after the effective date 
of this section) on or after the effective date provided for 
in subsection (e). 
(c) COLLECTION OF AMOUNTS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary may collect 
from civilian employees of the Department of Defense 
and contractor personnel of the Department who are 
issued a replacement card for a lost or stolen Depart-
ment of Defense identification card such amount as 
the Secretary considers appropriate to defray the cost 
of the issuance of cards under subsection (a), and to 
implement the issuance of cards without the assign-
ment of additional personnel for that purpose. 
(2) TREATMENT
OF
AMOUNTS.—The Secretary 
shall deposit amounts collected under this subsection 
to the account or accounts providing funds for the 
issuance of cards under subsection (a). 
(d) RECOGNITION OF SERVICE ID CARDS FOR RE-
DUCED PRICES OF SERVICES, CONSUMER PRODUCTS, AND 
PHARMACEUTICALS.—The Secretary of Defense may work 
with national retail chains that offer reduced prices on serv-
ices, consumer products, and pharmaceuticals to veterans 
to ensure that such retail chains recognize cards issued
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under subsection (a) for purposes of offering reduced prices 
on services, consumer products, and pharmaceuticals. 
(e) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall take effect on 
the date that is one year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act. 
SEC. 591. REVISED POLICY ON NETWORK SERVICES FOR 
MILITARY SERVICES. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF POLICY.—It is the policy of 
the United States that the Secretary of Defense shall mini-
mize and reduce, to the maximum extent practicable, the 
number of uniformed military personnel providing network 
services to military installations within the United States. 
(b) PROHIBITION.—Except as provided in subsection 
(c), each military service shall be prohibited from using 
uniform military personnel to provide network services to 
military installations within the United States 2 years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(c) EXCEPTION.—Nothing in subsection (b) shall be 
construed as prohibiting the use of military personnel pro-
viding network services in support of combatant commands, 
special operations, the intelligence community, or the 
United States Cyber Command, including training for these 
organizations. 
(d) WAIVER.—The Secretary of Defense or the Chief 
Information Officer may waive the prohibition in sub-
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section (b) if necessary for the safety of human life, protec-
tion of property, or providing network services in support 
of a combat operation. 
(e) REPORT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than March 30, 
2016, the Chief Information Officer shall submit to 
the congressional defense committees a plan for the 
transition of the current performance of network serv-
ices from military personnel to other means. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The report required under 
paragraph (1) shall include the following elements: 
(A) An assessment of the costs of using mili-
tary personnel versus other means to provide net-
work services for the military services. 
(B) 
An 
estimate 
of 
the 
savings 
of 
transitioning the current performance of network 
services from military personnel to other means. 
(C) An estimate of the number of military 
personnel that could be reallocated for military- 
unique missions. 
(f) VALIDATION OF COST AND SAVINGS ESTIMATES.— 
The report required under subsection (e) shall be validated 
by the Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evalua-
tion.
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SEC. 592. INCREASE IN NUMBER OF DAYS OF ACTIVE DUTY 
REQUIRED TO BE PERFORMED BY RESERVE 
COMPONENT MEMBERS FOR DUTY TO BE 
CONSIDERED FEDERAL SERVICE FOR PUR-
POSES OF UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION 
FOR EX-SERVICEMEMBERS. 
(a) INCREASE
OF
NUMBER
OF
DAYS.—Section 
8521(a)(1) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ‘‘90 days’’ in the matter preceding subparagraph 
(A) and inserting ‘‘180 days’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by sub-
section (a) shall take effect on the date of the enactment 
of this Act, and shall apply with respect to periods of Fed-
eral service commencing on or after that date. 
SEC. 593. IMPROVED ENUMERATION OF MEMBERS OF THE 
ARMED FORCES IN ANY TABULATION OF 
TOTAL POPULATION BY SECRETARY OF COM-
MERCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 141 of title 13, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection 
(h); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (f) the following: 
‘‘(g) Effective beginning with the 2020 decennial cen-
sus of population, in taking any tabulation of total popu-
lation by States, the Secretary shall take appropriate meas-
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
ures to ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that all 
members of the Armed Forces deployed abroad on the date 
of taking such tabulation are— 
‘‘(1) fully and accurately counted; and 
‘‘(2) properly attributed to the State in which 
their permanent duty station or homeport is located 
on such date.’’. 
(b) CONSTRUCTION.—The amendments made by sub-
section (a) shall not be construed to affect the residency sta-
tus of any member of the Armed Forces under any provision 
of law other than title 13, United States Code. 
TITLE VI—COMPENSATION AND 
OTHER PERSONNEL BENEFITS 
Subtitle A—Pay and Allowances 
SEC. 601. FISCAL YEAR 2016 INCREASE IN MILITARY BASIC 
PAY. 
(a) WAIVER OF SECTION 1009 ADJUSTMENT.—The ad-
justment to become effective during fiscal year 2016 re-
quired by section 1009 of title 37, United States Code, in 
the rates of monthly basic pay authorized members of the 
uniformed services shall not be made. 
(b) INCREASE IN BASIC PAY.—Effective on January 
1, 2016, the rates of monthly basic pay for members of the 
uniformed services are increased by 1.3 percent for enlisted
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
member pay grades, warrant officer pay grades, and com-
missioned officer pay grades below pay grade O–7. 
(c) APPLICATION OF EXECUTIVE SCHEDULE LEVEL II 
CEILING ON PAYABLE RATES FOR GENERAL AND FLAG OF-
FICERS.—Section 203(a)(2) of title 37, United States Code, 
shall be applied for rates of basic pay payable for commis-
sioned officers in pay grades O–7 through O–10 during cal-
endar year 2016 by using the rate of pay for level II of 
the Executive Schedule in effect during 2014. 
SEC. 602. MODIFICATION OF PERCENTAGE OF NATIONAL 
AVERAGE MONTHLY COST OF HOUSING USA-
BLE IN COMPUTATION OF BASIC ALLOWANCE 
FOR HOUSING INSIDE THE UNITED STATES. 
(a) MODIFICATION OF PERCENTAGE USABLE.—Sec-
tion 403(b)(3)(B) of title 37, United States Code, is amend-
ed by striking ‘‘one percent’’ and inserting ‘‘five percent’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by sub-
section (a) shall take effect on January 1, 2016, and shall 
apply with respect to computations of monthly amounts of 
basic allowance for housing inside the United States that 
occur for years beginning on or after that date.
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
SEC. 603. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE TEM-
PORARY INCREASE IN RATES OF BASIC AL-
LOWANCE FOR HOUSING. 
Section 403(b)(7)(E) of title 37, United States Code, 
is amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2015’’ and inserting 
‘‘December 31, 2016’’. 
SEC. 604. BASIC ALLOWANCE FOR HOUSING FOR MARRIED 
MEMBERS OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES AS-
SIGNED FOR DUTY WITHIN NORMAL COM-
MUTING DISTANCE AND FOR OTHER MEM-
BERS LIVING TOGETHER. 
(a) BAH FOR MARRIED MEMBERS ASSIGNED FOR 
DUTY WITHIN NORMAL COMMUTING DISTANCE.—Section 
403 of title 37, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(p) SINGLE ALLOWANCE FOR MARRIED MEMBERS 
ASSIGNED FOR DUTY WITHIN NORMAL COMMUTING DIS-
TANCE.—In the event two members of the uniformed services 
entitled to receive a basic allowance for housing under this 
section are married to one another and are each assigned 
for duty within normal commuting distance, basic allow-
ance for housing under this section shall be paid only to 
the member having the higher pay grade, or to the member 
having rank in grade if both members have the same pay 
grade, and at the rate payable for a member of such pay
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
grade with dependents (regardless of whether or not such 
members have dependents).’’. 
(b) BAH FOR OTHER MEMBERS LIVING TOGETHER.— 
Such section is further amended by adding at the end the 
following new subsection: 
‘‘(q) REDUCED ALLOWANCE FOR MEMBERS LIVING 
TOGETHER.—(1) In the event two or more members of the 
uniformed services who are entitled to receive a basic allow-
ance for housing under this section live together, basic al-
lowance for housing under this section shall be paid to each 
such member at the rate as follows: 
‘‘(A) In the case of such a member in a pay 
grade below pay grade E–4, the rate otherwise pay-
able to such member under this section. 
‘‘(B) In the case of such a member in a pay 
grade above pay grade E–3, the rate equal to the 
greater of— 
‘‘(i) 75 percent of the rate otherwise payable 
to such member under this section; or 
‘‘(ii) the rate payable for a member in pay 
grade E–4 without dependents. 
‘‘(2) This subsection does not apply to members covered 
by subsection (p).’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The amendments made by 
this section shall take effect on October 1, 2015, and 
shall, except as provided in paragraph (2), apply 
with respect to allowances for basic housing payable 
for months beginning on or after that date. 
(2) PRESERVATION OF CURRENT BAH FOR MEM-
BERS WITH UNINTERRUPTED ELIGIBILITY FOR BAH.— 
Notwithstanding any amendment made by this sec-
tion, the monthly amount of basic allowance for hous-
ing payable to a member of the uniformed services 
under section 403 of title 37, United States Code, as 
of September 30, 2015, shall not be reduced by reason 
of such amendment so long as the member retains un-
interrupted eligibility for such basic allowance for 
housing within an area of the United States or with-
in an overseas location (as applicable). 
(3) PRESERVATION OF CURRENT BAH FOR CER-
TAIN
OTHER
MARRIED
MEMBERS.—Notwithstanding 
paragraph (1), the amount of basic allowance for 
housing payable to a member of the uniformed serv-
ices under section 403 of title 37, United States Code, 
as of September 30, 2015, shall not be reduced by rea-
son of the amendment made by subsection (a) un-
less—
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
(A) the member and the member’s spouse 
undergo a permanent change of station requiring 
a change of residence; 
(B) the member and the member’s spouse 
move into or commence living in on-base hous-
ing; 
SEC. 605. REPEAL OF INAPPLICABILITY OF MODIFICATION 
OF BASIC ALLOWANCE FOR HOUSING TO BEN-
EFITS UNDER THE LAWS ADMINISTERED BY 
THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) REPEAL.—Subsection (b) of section 604 of the Carl 
Levin and Howard P. ‘‘Buck’’ McKeon National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113– 
291) is repealed. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by sub-
section (a) shall take effect on January 1, 2016. 
SEC. 606. LIMITATION ON ELIGIBILITY FOR SUPPLEMENTAL 
SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCES TO MEMBERS 
SERVING OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES AND 
ASSOCIATED TERRITORY. 
Section 402a(b) of title 37, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘and para-
graph (4)’’ after ‘‘subsection (d)’’; and
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
(2) by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(4) After September 30, 2016, a member is eligible 
for a supplemental subsistence allowance under this section 
only if the member is serving outside the United States, 
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin 
Islands, or Guam.’’. 
SEC. 607. AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION. 
In administering the supplemental nutrition assist-
ance program established under the Food and Nutrition Act 
of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), the Secretary of Agriculture 
shall ensure that any safeguards that prevent the use or dis-
closure of information obtained from applicant households 
shall not prevent the use of that information by, or the dis-
closure of that information to, the Secretary of Defense for 
purposes of determining the number of applicant households 
that contain one or more members of a regular component 
or reserve component of the Armed Forces.
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
Subtitle B—Bonuses and Special 
and Incentive Pays 
SEC. 611. ONE-YEAR EXTENSION OF CERTAIN BONUS AND 
SPECIAL PAY AUTHORITIES FOR RESERVE 
FORCES. 
The following sections of title 37, United States Code, 
are amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2015’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘December 31, 2016’’: 
(1) Section 308b(g), relating to Selected Reserve 
reenlistment bonus. 
(2) Section 308c(i), relating to Selected Reserve 
affiliation or enlistment bonus. 
(3) Section 308d(c), relating to special pay for 
enlisted members assigned to certain high-priority 
units. 
(4) Section 308g(f)(2), relating to Ready Reserve 
enlistment bonus for persons without prior service. 
(5) Section 308h(e), relating to Ready Reserve 
enlistment and reenlistment bonus for persons with 
prior service. 
(6) Section 308i(f), relating to Selected Reserve 
enlistment and reenlistment bonus for persons with 
prior service.
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
(7) Section 478a(e), relating to reimbursement of 
travel expenses for inactive-duty training outside of 
normal commuting distance. 
(8) Section 910(g), relating to income replace-
ment payments for reserve component members expe-
riencing extended and frequent mobilization for active 
duty service. 
SEC. 612. ONE-YEAR EXTENSION OF CERTAIN BONUS AND 
SPECIAL PAY AUTHORITIES FOR HEALTH 
CARE PROFESSIONALS. 
(a) TITLE 10 AUTHORITIES.—The following sections 
of title 10, United States Code, are amended by striking 
‘‘December 31, 2015’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2016’’: 
(1) Section 2130a(a)(1), relating to nurse officer 
candidate accession program. 
(2) Section 16302(d), relating to repayment of 
education loans for certain health professionals who 
serve in the Selected Reserve. 
(b) TITLE 37 AUTHORITIES.—The following sections of 
title 37, United States Code, are amended by striking ‘‘De-
cember 31, 2015’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2016’’: 
(1) Section 302c–1(f), relating to accession and 
retention bonuses for psychologists. 
(2) Section 302d(a)(1), relating to accession 
bonus for registered nurses.
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
(3) Section 302e(a)(1), relating to incentive spe-
cial pay for nurse anesthetists. 
(4) Section 302g(e), relating to special pay for 
Selected Reserve health professionals in critically 
short wartime specialties. 
(5) Section 302h(a)(1), relating to accession 
bonus for dental officers. 
(6) Section 302j(a), relating to accession bonus 
for pharmacy officers. 
(7) Section 302k(f), relating to accession bonus 
for medical officers in critically short wartime spe-
cialties. 
(8) Section 302l(g), relating to accession bonus 
for dental specialist officers in critically short war-
time specialties. 
SEC. 613. ONE-YEAR EXTENSION OF SPECIAL PAY AND 
BONUS AUTHORITIES FOR NUCLEAR OFFI-
CERS. 
The following sections of title 37, United States Code, 
are amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2015’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘December 31, 2016’’: 
(1) Section 312(f), relating to special pay for 
nuclear-qualified officers extending period of active 
service.
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
(2) Section 312b(c), relating to nuclear career 
accession bonus. 
(3) Section 312c(d), relating to nuclear career 
annual incentive bonus. 
SEC. 614. ONE-YEAR EXTENSION OF AUTHORITIES RELAT-
ING TO TITLE 37 CONSOLIDATED SPECIAL 
PAY, INCENTIVE PAY, AND BONUS AUTHORI-
TIES. 
The following sections of title 37, United States Code, 
are amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2015’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘December 31, 2016’’: 
(1) Section 331(h), relating to general bonus au-
thority for enlisted members. 
(2) Section 332(g), relating to general bonus au-
thority for officers. 
(3) Section 333(i), relating to special bonus and 
incentive pay authorities for nuclear officers. 
(4) Section 334(i), relating to special aviation 
incentive pay and bonus authorities for officers. 
(5) Section 335(k), relating to special bonus and 
incentive pay authorities for officers in health profes-
sions. 
(6) Section 336(g), relating to contracting bonus 
for cadets and midshipmen enrolled in the Senior Re-
serve Officers’ Training Corps.
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
(7) Section 351(h), relating to hazardous duty 
pay. 
(8) Section 352(g), relating to assignment pay or 
special duty pay. 
(9) Section 353(i), relating to skill incentive pay 
or proficiency bonus. 
(10) Section 355(h), relating to retention incen-
tives for members qualified in critical military skills 
or assigned to high priority units. 
SEC. 615. ONE-YEAR EXTENSION OF AUTHORITIES RELAT-
ING TO PAYMENT OF OTHER TITLE 37 BO-
NUSES AND SPECIAL PAYS. 
The following sections of title 37, United States Code, 
are amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2015’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘December 31, 2016’’: 
(1) Section 301b(a), relating to aviation officer 
retention bonus. 
(2) Section 307a(g), relating to assignment in-
centive pay. 
(3) Section 308(g), relating to reenlistment 
bonus for active members. 
(4) Section 309(e), relating to enlistment bonus. 
(5) Section 316a(g), relating to incentive pay for 
members of precommissioning programs pursuing for-
eign language proficiency.
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
(6) Section 324(g), relating to accession bonus 
for new officers in critical skills. 
(7) Section 326(g), relating to incentive bonus 
for conversion to military occupational specialty to 
ease personnel shortage. 
(8) Section 327(h), relating to incentive bonus 
for transfer between Armed Forces. 
(9) Section 330(f), relating to accession bonus for 
officer candidates. 
SEC. 616. INCREASE IN MAXIMUM ANNUAL AMOUNT OF NU-
CLEAR OFFICER BONUS PAY. 
(a) INCREASE.—Section 333(d)(1)(A) of title 37, 
United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘$35,000’’ and 
inserting ‘‘$50,000’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by sub-
section (a) shall take effect on January 1, 2016, and shall 
apply with respect to agreements entered into under section 
333 of title 37, United States Code, on or after that date. 
SEC. 617. REPEAL OF OBSOLETE AUTHORITY TO PAY BONUS 
TO ENCOURAGE ARMY PERSONNEL TO REFER 
PERSONS FOR ENLISTMENT IN THE ARMY. 
(a) REPEAL.—Section 3252 of title 10, United States 
Code, is repealed.
226 
† HR 1735 EAS1S 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 
the beginning of chapter 333 of such title is amended by 
striking the item relating to section 3252. 
Subtitle C—Travel and 
Transportation Allowances 
SEC. 621. REPEAL OF OBSOLETE SPECIAL TRAVEL AND 
TRANSPORTATION 
ALLOWANCE 
FOR 
SUR-
VIVORS OF DECEASED MEMBERS FROM THE 
VIETNAM CONFLICT. 
Section 481f of title 37, United States Code, is amend-
ed by striking subsection (d). 
SEC. 622. STUDY AND REPORT ON POLICY CHANGES TO THE 
JOINT TRAVEL REGULATIONS. 
(a) STUDY.—The Comptroller General of the United 
States shall conduct a study on the impact of the policy 
changes to the Joint Travel Regulations for the Uniformed 
Service Members and Department of Defense Civilian Em-
ployees related to flat rate per diem for long term tem-
porary duty travel that took effect on November 1, 2014. 
The study shall assess the following: 
(1) The impact of such changes on shipyard 
workers who travel on long-term temporary duty as-
signments. 
(2) Whether such changes have discouraged em-
ployees of the Department of Defense, including civil-
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
ian employees at shipyards and depots, from volun-
teering for important temporary duty travel assign-
ments. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than June 1, 2016, the Comp-
troller General shall submit to the Committee on Armed 
Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Serv-
ices of the House of Representatives a report on the study 
required by subsection (a). 
SEC. 623. TRANSPORTATION TO TRANSFER CEREMONIES 
FOR FAMILY AND NEXT OF KIN OF MEMBERS 
OF THE ARMED FORCES WHO DIE OVERSEAS 
DURING HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS. 
Section 481f(e)(1) of title 37, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting ‘‘(including during a humanitarian 
relief operation)’’ after ‘‘located or serving overseas’’. 
SEC. 624. POLICIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ON 
TRAVEL OF NEXT OF KIN TO PARTICIPATE IN 
THE DIGNIFIED TRANSFER OF REMAINS OF 
MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND CIVIL-
IAN EMPLOYEES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DE-
FENSE WHO DIE OVERSEAS. 
(a) REVIEW OF POLICIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
carry out a review of the current policies of the De-
partment of Defense on the travel for next of kin to
228 
† HR 1735 EAS1S 
participate in the dignified transfer of remains of 
members of the Armed Forces and civilian employees 
of the Department who die overseas. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The review required by this 
subsection shall include the following: 
(A) An assessment of the changes to Depart-
ment instructions and Federal regulations nec-
essary to provide Government funded travel to 
the next of kin to participate in the dignified 
transfer of remains of members of the Armed 
Forces and civilian employees of the Department 
who die overseas, regardless whether the death oc-
curred in a combat area or a non-combat area. 
(B) An action plan and timeline for mak-
ing the changes described in subparagraph (A). 
(b) MODIFICATION OF POLICIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), not later than February 1, 2016, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall take appropriate actions to 
modify the policies of the Department in order to pro-
vide Government funded travel for the next of kin to 
participate in the dignified transfer of remains of 
members of the Armed Forces and civilian employees 
of the Department of Defense who die overseas, re-
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
gardless whether the death occurs in a combat area or 
a non-combat area. 
(2) EXCEPTION.—The Secretary is not required 
to modify the policies of the Department as described 
in paragraph (1) if, by not later than March, 1, 2016, 
the Secretary certifies, in writing, to the congressional 
defense committees that such action is not in the best 
interest of the United States. The certification shall 
include the following: 
(A) An assessment and reevaluation by the 
Secretary of the rational for excluding the next 
of kin from Government funded travel if the 
death of a member of the Armed Forces or civil-
ian employee of the Department overseas occurs 
in a non-combat area. 
(B) Recommendations for alternative plans 
to ensure that the next of kin of members of the 
Armed Forces and civilian employees of the De-
partment who die overseas in a non-combat area 
may participate in the dignified transfer of the 
remains of the deceased at Dover Port Mortuary, 
including through the actions of appropriate 
non-governmental organizations.
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
Subtitle D—Disability Pay, Retired 
Pay, and Survivor Benefits 
PART I—RETIRED PAY REFORM 
SEC. 631. THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN PARTICIPATION FOR MEM-
BERS OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES. 
(a) MODERNIZED
RETIREMENT
SYSTEM.—Section 
8440e of title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking 
subsection (e) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(e) MODERNIZED RETIREMENT SYSTEM.— 
‘‘(1) TSP CONTRIBUTIONS.—The Secretary con-
cerned shall make contributions to the Thrift Savings 
Fund, in accordance with section 8432, except to the 
extent the requirements under such section are modi-
fied by this subsection, for the benefit of a member 
who— 
‘‘(A) first enters a uniformed service on or 
after January 1, 2018; or 
‘‘(B) makes an election described in section 
1409(b)(4)(B) or 12739(f) of title 10. 
‘‘(2) MAXIMUM AMOUNT.—The amount contrib-
uted under this subsection by the Secretary concerned 
for the benefit of a member described in paragraph 
(1) for any pay period shall be not more than 5 per-
cent of such member’s basic pay for such pay period.
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
‘‘(3) TIMING
AND
DURATION
OF
CONTRIBU-
TIONS.— 
‘‘(A) 
AUTOMATIC
CONTRIBUTIONS.—The 
Secretary concerned shall make a contribution 
described in section 8432(c)(1) under this sub-
section for the benefit of a member described in 
paragraph (1) for any pay period during the pe-
riod that— 
‘‘(i) begins on or after the day that is 
60 days after the date the member first en-
ters a uniformed service; and 
‘‘(ii) ends on the day such member 
completes 20 years of service as a member 
of the uniformed services. 
‘‘(B) MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS.—The Sec-
retary concerned shall make a contribution de-
scribed in section 8432(c)(2) under this sub-
section for the benefit of a member described in 
paragraph (1) for any pay period during the pe-
riod that— 
‘‘(i) begins on or after the day that is 
2 years and 1 day after the date the mem-
ber first enters a uniformed service; and
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
‘‘(ii) ends on the day such member 
completes 20 years of service as a member 
of the uniformed services. 
‘‘(4) PROTECTIONS FOR SPOUSES AND FORMER 
SPOUSES.—Section 8435 shall apply to a member de-
scribed in paragraph (1) in the same manner as such 
section is applied to an employee or Member under 
such section. 
‘‘(5) DEFINITION OF SECRETARY CONCERNED.— 
In this subsection the term ‘Secretary concerned’ has 
the meaning given the term in section 101 of title 
37.’’. 
(b) AUTOMATIC
ENROLLMENT
IN
TSP.—Section 
8432(b)(2) of title 5, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (D)(ii)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘(ii) Members’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘(ii)(I) Except as provided in subclause (II), 
members’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(II) A member described in section 8440e(e)(1) shall 
be an eligible individual for purposes of this paragraph.’’; 
and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(F) Notwithstanding any other provision of this 
paragraph, a member described in section 8440e(e)(1) who
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
has declined automatic enrollment into the Thrift Savings 
Plan shall be automatically reenrolled, on January 1 of the 
year succeeding the year for which the determination is 
made, to make contributions under subsection (a) at the de-
fault percentage of basic pay. 
‘‘(G) In this paragraph the term ‘member’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 211 of title 37.’’. 
(c) VESTING.—Section 8432(g) of title 5, United States 
Code, is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A)(iii), by striking 
‘‘or’’ after the semicolon; 
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking the 
period and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(C) 2 years of service in the case of a member 
of the uniformed services.’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(6) For purposes of this subsection, a member of the 
uniformed services shall be considered to have separated 
from Government employment if the member is discharged 
or released from service in the uniformed services.’’. 
(d) THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN DEFAULT INVESTMENT 
FUND.—Section 8438(c)(2) of title 5, United States Code,
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
as amended by section 2(a) of the Smarter Savings Act 
(Public Law 113–255), is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘(A) Con-
sistent with the requirements of subparagraph (B), if 
an’’ and inserting ‘‘If an’’; and 
(2) by striking subparagraph (B). 
(e) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) Section 211 of title 37, United States Code, 
is amended— 
(A) by striking subsection (d); and 
(B) by redesignating subsection (e) as sub-
section (d). 
(2) Section 8432b(c)(2)(B) of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘(including pur-
suant to an agreement under section 211(d) of title 
37)’’. 
(f) ACTIONS TO ASSURE IMPLEMENTATION BY EFFEC-
TIVE DATE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretaries concerned, the 
Director of the Office of Personnel Management, and 
the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board shall 
each and jointly take appropriate actions to ensure 
the full and effective commencement of the implemen-
tation of the amendments made by this section as of 
January 1, 2018.
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
(2) SECRETARY CONCERNED DEFINED.—In this 
subsection, the term ‘‘Secretary concerned’’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 101 of title 37, 
United States Code. 
(g) EFFECTIVE DATES.— 
(1) MODERNIZED
RETIREMENT
SYSTEM.—The 
amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect 
on the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(2) OTHER
AMENDMENTS.—The amendments 
made by subsections (b) through (e) shall take effect 
on January 1, 2018. 
SEC. 632. MODERNIZED RETIREMENT SYSTEM FOR MEM-
BERS OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES. 
(a) MODERNIZED RETIREMENT SYSTEM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 1409(b) of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(4) MODERNIZED RETIREMENT SYSTEM.— 
‘‘(A) REDUCED MULTIPLIERS FOR MEMBERS 
RECEIVING
TSP
MATCHING
CONTRIBUTIONS.— 
Notwithstanding paragraphs (1), (2), and (3), in 
the case of a member who first becomes a member 
of the uniformed services after January 1, 2018, 
or a member who makes the election described in 
subparagraph (B)—
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
‘‘(i) subparagraph (A) of paragraph 
(1) shall be applied by substituting ‘2’ for 
‘21⁄2’’; 
‘‘(ii) clause (i) of paragraph (3)(B) 
shall be applied by substituting ‘60 percent’ 
for ‘75 percent’; and 
‘‘(iii) subclause (I) of paragraph 
(3)(B)(ii) shall be applied by substituting 
‘2’ for ‘21⁄2’. 
‘‘(B) ELECTION TO PARTICIPATE IN MOD-
ERNIZED RETIREMENT SYSTEM.— 
‘‘(i) ELECTION.—A member of a uni-
formed service serving on January 1, 2018, 
may elect to accept the reduced multipliers 
described in subparagraph (A) for purposes 
of calculating the retired pay of the mem-
ber. 
‘‘(ii) EFFECT OF ELECTION.—A mem-
ber making the election described in clause 
(i) shall— 
‘‘(I) have the retired pay of the 
member calculated using the reduced 
multipliers described in subparagraph 
(A);
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
‘‘(II) receive Thrift Savings Plan 
(TSP) matching contributions pursu-
ant to section 8440e(e) of title 5 for pe-
riods of service between the completion 
of 2 years of service and the completion 
of 20 years of service in accordance 
with paragraph (3)(B) of such section; 
and 
‘‘(III) be eligible for lump sum 
payments under section 1415 of this 
title. 
‘‘(iii) ELECTION PERIOD.— 
‘‘(I) IN GENERAL.—Except as pro-
vided in subclauses (II) and (III), a 
member of a uniformed service may 
make the election described in clause 
(i) during the period that begins on 
July 1, 2018, and ends on December 
31, 2018. 
‘‘(II) HARDSHIP
EXTENSION.— 
The Secretary concerned may extend 
the election period described in sub-
clause (I) for a member who experi-
ences a hardship as determined by the 
Secretary concerned.
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
‘‘(III) MEMBERS
EXPERIENCING 
BREAK IN SERVICE.—A member of a 
uniformed service returning to service 
after a break in service in which falls 
the election period specified in sub-
clause (I) shall make the election de-
scribed in clause (i) on the date of the 
reentry into service of the member. 
‘‘(iv) NO RETROACTIVE MATCHING CON-
TRIBUTIONS
PURSUANT
TO
ELECTION.— 
Thrift Savings Plan matching contributions 
may not be made for a member under this 
subparagraph for any pay period beginning 
before the date of the member’s election 
under clause (i). 
‘‘(C) REGULATIONS.—Each Secretary con-
cerned shall prescribe regulations to implement 
this paragraph.’’. 
(2) NON-REGULAR SERVICE.—Section 12739 of 
such title is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(f) MODERNIZED RETIREMENT SYSTEM.— 
‘‘(1) REDUCED MULTIPLIERS FOR PERSONS RE-
CEIVING TSP MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS.—In the case 
of a person who first performs reserve component
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
service after January 1, 2018, after not having per-
formed regular or reserve component service on or be-
fore that date, or a person who makes the election de-
scribed in paragraph (2)— 
‘‘(A) paragraph (2) of subsection (a) shall 
be applied by substituting ‘2 percent’ for ‘21⁄2 
percent’; 
‘‘(B) subparagraph (A) of subsection (c)(2) 
shall be applied by substituting ‘60 percent’ for 
‘75 percent’; and 
‘‘(C) clause (ii) of subsection (c)(2)(B) shall 
be applied by substituting ‘2 percent’ for ‘21⁄2 
percent’. 
‘‘(2) ELECTION TO PARTICIPATE IN MODERNIZED 
RETIREMENT SYSTEM.— 
‘‘(A) ELECTION.—A person performing re-
serve component service on January 1, 2018, 
may elect to accept the reduced multipliers de-
scribed in paragraph (1) for purposes of calcu-
lating the retired pay of the person. 
‘‘(B) EFFECT
OF
ELECTION.—A person 
making the election described in subparagraph 
(A) shall—
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
‘‘(i) have the retired pay of the person 
calculated using the reduced multipliers de-
scribed in paragraph (1): 
‘‘(ii) receive Thrift Savings Plan 
(TSP) matching contributions pursuant to 
section 8440e(e) of title 5 for periods of 
service between the completion of 2 years of 
service and the completion of 20 years of 
service in accordance with paragraph 
(3)(B) of such section; and 
‘‘(iii) be eligible for lump sum pay-
ments under section 1415 of this title. 
‘‘(C) ELECTION PERIOD.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided 
in clauses (ii) and (iii), a person per-
forming reserve component service may 
make the election described in subparagraph 
(A) during the period that begins on July 
1, 2018, and ends on December 31, 2018. 
‘‘(ii) HARDSHIP EXTENSION.—The Sec-
retary concerned may extend the election 
period described in clause (i) for a person 
who experiences a hardship as determined 
by the Secretary concerned.
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
‘‘(iii) PERSONS EXPERIENCING BREAK 
IN SERVICE.—A person returning to reserve 
component service after a break in reserve 
component service in which falls the election 
period specified in clause (i) shall make the 
election described in subparagraph (A) on 
the date of the reentry into service of the 
person. 
‘‘(iv) NO RETROACTIVE MATCHING CON-
TRIBUTIONS
PURSUANT
TO
ELECTION.— 
Thrift Savings Plan matching contributions 
may not be made for a person under this 
paragraph for any pay period beginning be-
fore the date of the person’s election under 
subparagraph (A). 
‘‘(3) REGULATIONS.—Each Secretary concerned 
shall prescribe regulations to implement this sub-
section.’’. 
(b) COORDINATING AMENDMENTS TO OTHER RETIRE-
MENT AUTHORITIES.— 
(1) DISABILITY, WARRANT OFFICERS, AND DOPMA 
RETIRED PAY.— 
(A) COMPUTATION OF RETIRED PAY.—The 
table in section 1401(a) of title 10, United States 
Code, is amended—
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
(i) in paragraph (1) in column 2 of 
formula number 1, by striking ‘‘21⁄2% of 
years of service credited to him under sec-
tion 1208’’ and inserting ‘‘the retired pay 
multiplier determined for the member under 
section 1409 of this title’’; 
(ii) in paragraph (1) in column 2 of 
formula number 2, by striking ‘‘21⁄2% of 
years of service credited to him under sec-
tion 1208’’ and inserting ‘‘the retired pay 
multiplier determined for the member under 
section 1409 of this title’’; and 
(iii) in column 2 of each of formula 
number 4 and formula number 5, by strik-
ing ‘‘section 1409(a)’’ and inserting ‘‘sec-
tion 1409’’. 
(B) CLARIFICATION
REGARDING
MODERN-
IZED RETIREMENT SYSTEM.—Section 1401a(b) of 
such title is amended— 
(i) by redesignating paragraph (5) as 
paragraph (6); and 
(ii) by inserting after paragraph (4) 
the following new paragraph (5): 
‘‘(5) ADJUSTMENTS FOR PARTICIPANTS IN MOD-
ERNIZED
RETIREMENT
SYSTEM.—Notwithstanding
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
paragraph (3), if a member makes the election de-
scribed in section 1409(b)(4) of this title, the Sec-
retary shall increase the retired pay of such member 
in accordance with paragraph (2).’’. 
(2) NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC AD-
MINISTRATION COMMISSIONED OFFICER CORPS ACT OF 
2002.—Paragraph (2) of section 245(a) of the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
Commissioned Officer Corps Act of 2002 (33 U.S.C. 
3045(a)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(2) the retired pay multiplier determined under 
section 1409 of such title for the number of years of 
service that may be credited to the officer under sec-
tion 1405 of such title as if the officer’s service were 
service as a member of the Armed Forces.’’. 
(3) TITLE 37, UNITED STATES CODE.— 
(A) 15-YEAR CAREER STATUS BONUS RE-
PAYMENT.—Subsection (f) of section 354 of title 
37, United States Code, is amended— 
(i) by striking ‘‘If a’’ and inserting 
‘‘(1) If a’’; and 
(ii) by adding at the end the following 
new paragraph: 
‘‘(2) If a person who is paid a bonus under this section 
subsequently makes an election described in section
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
1409(b)(4) or 12739(f) of title 10, the person shall repay 
any bonus payments received under this section in the same 
manner as repayments are made under section 373 of this 
title.’’. 
(B) SUNSET
AND
CONTINUATION
OF
PAY-
MENTS.—Such section 354 is further amended by 
adding at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(g) SUNSET AND CONTINUATION OF PAYMENTS.—(1) 
A Secretary concerned may not pay a new bonus under 
this section after December 31, 2017. 
‘‘(2) Subject to subsection (f)(2), the Secretary con-
cerned may continue to make payments after December 31, 
2017, for bonuses that were awarded under this section on 
or before that date.’’. 
(4) PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT.—Paragraph 
(4) of section 211(a) of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 212) is amended— 
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
(A), by striking ‘‘at the rate of 2 1⁄2 per centum 
of the basic pay of the highest grade held by him 
as such officer’’ and inserting ‘‘calculated by 
multiplying the retired pay base determined 
under section 1406 of title 10, United States 
Code, by the retired pay multiplier determined 
under section 1409 of such title for the numbers
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
of years of service credited to the officer under 
this paragraph’’; and 
(B) in the matter following subparagraph 
(B)(iii)— 
(i) in subparagraph (C), by striking 
‘‘such pay, and’’ and inserting ‘‘such pay,’’; 
and 
(ii) in subparagraph (D), by striking 
‘‘such basic pay.’’ and inserting ‘‘such basic 
pay, and (E) in the case of any officer who 
makes the election described in section 
1409(b)(4) of title 10, United States Code, 
subparagraph (C) shall be applied by sub-
stituting ‘40 per centum’ for ‘50 per cen-
tum’ each place the term appears and sub-
paragraph (D) shall be applied by sub-
stituting ‘60 per centum’ for ‘75 per cen-
tum’.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATES.— 
(1) MODERNIZED
RETIREMENT
SYSTEMS.—The 
amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect 
on the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(2) COORDINATING AMENDMENTS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
subparagraph (B), the amendments made by
246 
† HR 1735 EAS1S 
subsection (b) shall take effect on January 1, 
2018. 
(B) TITLE 37 AMENDMENTS.—The amend-
ments made by paragraph (3) of subsection (b) 
shall take effect on the date of the enactment of 
this Act. 
SEC. 633. LUMP SUM PAYMENTS OF CERTAIN RETIRED PAY. 
(a) LUMP SUM PAYMENTS
OF CERTAIN RETIRED 
PAY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 71 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘§ 1415. Lump sum payment of certain retired pay 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) COVERED RETIRED PAY.—The term ‘covered 
retired pay’ means retired pay under— 
‘‘(A) this title; 
‘‘(B) title 14; 
‘‘(C) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration Commissioned Officer Corps Act 
of 2002 (33 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.); or 
‘‘(D) the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 201 et seq.). 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE PERSON.—The term ‘eligible per-
son’ means a person who—
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
‘‘(A)(i) first becomes a member of a uni-
formed service on or after January 1, 2018; or 
‘‘(ii) makes the election described in section 
1409(b)(4) or 12739(f) of this title; and 
‘‘(B) does not retire or separate under chap-
ter 61 of this title. 
‘‘(3) RETIREMENT AGE.—The term ‘retirement 
age’ has the meaning given the term in section 216(l) 
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 416(l)). 
‘‘(b) ELECTION OF LUMP SUM PAYMENT OF CERTAIN 
RETIRED PAY.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—An eligible person entitled to 
covered retired pay (including an eligible person who 
is entitled to such pay by reason of an election de-
scribed in subsection (a)(2)(A)(ii)) may elect— 
‘‘(A) to receive a lump sum payment of the 
discounted present value at the time of the elec-
tion of the amount of the covered retired pay 
that the eligible person is otherwise entitled to 
receive for the period beginning on the date of re-
tirement and ending on the date the eligible per-
son attains the eligible person’s retirement age; 
or 
‘‘(B) to receive—
248 
† HR 1735 EAS1S 
‘‘(i) a lump sum payment of an 
amount equal to 50 percent of the amount 
otherwise receivable by the eligible person 
pursuant to subparagraph (A); and 
‘‘(ii) a monthly amount during the pe-
riod described in subparagraph (A) equal to 
50 percent of the amount of monthly covered 
retired pay the eligible person is otherwise 
entitled to receive during such period. 
‘‘(2) DISCOUNTED
PRESENT
VALUE.—The Sec-
retary of Defense shall compute the discounted present 
value of amounts of covered retired pay that an eligi-
ble person is otherwise entitled to receive for a period 
for purposes of paragraph (1)(A) by— 
‘‘(A) estimating the aggregate amount of re-
tired pay the person would receive for the period, 
taking into account cost-of-living adjustments 
under section 1401a of this title projected by the 
Secretary at the time the person separates from 
service and would otherwise begin receiving cov-
ered retired pay; and 
‘‘(B) reducing the aggregate amount esti-
mated pursuant to subparagraph (A) by an ap-
propriate percentage determined by the Sec-
retary—
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
‘‘(i) using average personal discount 
rates (as defined and calculated by the Sec-
retary taking into consideration applicable 
and reputable studies of personal discount 
rates for military personnel and past actu-
arial experience in the calculation of per-
sonal discount rates under this paragraph); 
and 
‘‘(ii) in accordance with generally ac-
cepted actuarial principles and practices. 
‘‘(3) TIMING OF ELECTION.—An eligible person 
shall make the election under this subsection not later 
than 90 days before the date of the retirement of the 
eligible person from the uniformed services. 
‘‘(4) SINGLE PAYMENT OR COMBINATION OF PAY-
MENTS.—An eligible person may elect to receive a 
lump sum payment under this subsection in a single 
payment or in a combination of payments. 
‘‘(5) COMMENCEMENT OF PAYMENT.—An eligible 
person who makes an election under this subsection 
shall receive the lump sum payment, or the first in-
stallment of a combination of payments of the lump 
sum payment if elected under paragraph (4), as fol-
lows:
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
‘‘(A) Not later than 60 days after the date 
of the retirement of the eligible person from the 
uniformed services. 
‘‘(B) In the case of an eligible person who 
is a member of a reserve component, not later 
than 60 days after the later of— 
‘‘(i) the date on which the eligible per-
son attains 60 years of age; or 
‘‘(ii) the date on which the eligible per-
son first becomes entitled to covered retired 
pay. 
‘‘(6) NO SUBSEQUENT ADJUSTMENT.—An eligible 
person who accepts payment of a lump sum under 
this subsection may not seek the review of or otherwise 
challenge the amount of the lump sum in light of any 
variation in cost-of-living adjustments under section 
1401a of this title, actuarial assumptions, or other 
factors used by the Secretary in calculating the 
amount of the lump sum that occur after the Sec-
retary pays the lump sum. 
‘‘(c) RESUMPTION OF MONTHLY ANNUITY.— 
‘‘(1) GENERAL RULE.—Subject to paragraph (2), 
an eligible person who makes an election described in 
subsection (b) shall be entitled to receive the eligible 
person’s monthly covered retired pay calculated in ac-
251 
† HR 1735 EAS1S 
cordance with paragraph (2) after the eligible person 
attains the eligible person’s retirement age. 
‘‘(2) 
RESTORATION
OF
FULL
RETIREMENT 
AMOUNT AT RETIREMENT AGE.—The retired pay of an 
eligible person who makes an election described in 
subsection (a) shall be recomputed, effective on the 
first day of the first month beginning after the person 
attains the eligible person’s retirement age, so as to 
be an amount equal to the amount of covered retired 
pay to which the eligible person would otherwise be 
entitled on that date if the annual increases, in the 
retired pay of the eligible person made to reflect 
changes in the Consumer Price Index, had been made 
in accordance with section 1401a of this title. 
‘‘(d) PAYMENT OF RETIRED PAY TO PERSONS NOT 
MAKING ELECTION.—An eligible person who does not make 
the election described in subsection (b) shall be paid the re-
tired pay to which the eligible person is otherwise entitled 
under the applicable provisions of law referred to in sub-
section (a)(1). 
‘‘(e) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary of Defense con-
cerned shall prescribe regulations to carry out the provi-
sions of this section.’’.
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of chapter 71 of such title is 
amended by adding at the end the following new item: 
‘‘1415. Lump sum payment of certain retired pay.’’. 
(3) PAYMENTS FROM DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
MILITARY RETIREMENT FUND.—Section 1463(a)(1) of 
title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking 
‘‘or 1414’’ and inserting ‘‘, 1414, or 1415’’. 
(b) OFFSET OF VETERANS PENSION AND COMPENSA-
TION BY AMOUNT OF LUMP SUM PAYMENTS.—Section 5304 
of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at 
the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(d)(1) Other than amounts payable under section 
1413a or 1414 of title 10, the amount of pension and com-
pensation benefits payable to a person under this title shall 
be reduced by the amount of any lump sum payment made 
to such person under section 1415 of title 10. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall collect any reduction under 
paragraph (1) from amounts otherwise payable to the per-
son under this title, including pension and compensation 
payable under this title, before any pension and compensa-
tion payments under this title may be paid to the person.’’.
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
SEC. 634. CONTINUATION PAY AFTER 12 YEARS OF SERVICE 
FOR MEMBERS OF THE UNIFORMED SERV-
ICES PARTICIPATING IN THE MODERNIZED 
RETIREMENT SYSTEMS. 
(a) CONTINUATION PAY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 5 of 
title 37, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new sections: 
‘‘§ 356. Continuation pay after 12 years of service: 
members participating in modernized re-
tirement systems 
‘‘(a) CONTINUATION PAY.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary concerned 
shall make a payment of continuation pay to each 
member of the uniformed services under the jurisdic-
tion of the Secretary who— 
‘‘(A)(i) first becomes a member of a uni-
formed service after January 1, 2018; or 
‘‘(ii) subject to paragraph (2), makes the 
election described in section 1409(b)(4) or 
12739(f) of title 10; and 
‘‘(B) after the date on which the member 
satisfies the applicable requirement in subpara-
graph (A)— 
‘‘(i) completes 12 years of service; and
254 
† HR 1735 EAS1S 
‘‘(ii) enters into an agreement with the 
Secretary to serve for an additional 4 years 
of obligated service. 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBILITY DEPENDENT ON ELECTION BE-
FORE
COMPLETION
OF
YEARS
OF
SERVICE.—A 
member who makes an election described in para-
graph (1)(A)(ii) after the member completes 12 years 
of service is not eligible for continuation pay under 
this section. 
‘‘(b) AMOUNT.—The amount of continuation pay pay-
able to a member under this section shall be the amount 
that is equal to— 
‘‘(1) in the case of a member of a regular compo-
nent— 
‘‘(A) the monthly basic pay of the member 
at 12 years of service multiplied by 2.5; plus 
‘‘(B) at the discretion of the Secretary con-
cerned, the monthly basic pay of the member at 
12 years of service multiplied by such number of 
months (not to exceed 13 months) as the Sec-
retary concerned shall specify in the agreement 
of the member under subsection (a); and 
‘‘(2) in the case of a member of a reserve compo-
nent—
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
‘‘(A) the amount of monthly basic pay to 
which the member would be entitled at 12 years 
of service if the member were a member of a reg-
ular component multiplied by 0.5; plus 
‘‘(B) at the discretion of the Secretary con-
cerned, the amount of monthly basic pay de-
scribed in subparagraph (A) multiplied by such 
number of months (not to exceed 6 months) as 
the Secretary concerned shall specify in the 
agreement of the member under subsection (a). 
‘‘(c) TIMING OF PAYMENT.—The Secretary concerned 
shall pay continuation pay under this section to a member 
when the member completes 12 years of service. 
‘‘(d) LUMP SUM OR INSTALLMENTS.—A member may 
elect to receive continuation pay under this section in a 
lump sum or in a series of not more than 4 payments. 
‘‘(e) RELATIONSHIP
TO OTHER PAY
AND ALLOW-
ANCES.—Continuation pay under this section is in addi-
tion to any other pay or allowance to which the member 
is entitled. 
‘‘(f) REPAYMENT.—A member who receives continu-
ation pay under this section and fails to complete the obli-
gated service required under subsection (a)(2)(B)(ii) shall 
be subject to the repayment provisions of section 373 of this 
title.
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
‘‘(g) REGULATIONS.—Each Secretary concerned shall 
prescribe regulations to carry out this section.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of chapter 5 of such title is 
amended by adding at the end the following new item: 
‘‘356. Continuation pay after 12 years of service: members participating in mod-
ernized retirement systems.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by sub-
section (a) shall take effect on January 1, 2018, and shall 
apply with respect to agreements entered into under section 
356 of title 37, United States Code, after that date. 
SEC. 635. AUTHORITY FOR RETIREMENT FLEXIBILITY FOR 
MEMBERS OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES. 
(a) AUTHORITY
FOR RETIREMENT FLEXIBILITY.— 
Chapter 63 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following new item: 
‘‘§ 1276. Retirement flexibility: authority to modify 
years of service required for retirement 
for particular occupational specialities or 
other groupings 
‘‘(a) AUTHORITY.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of law, the Secretary concerned may modify the years 
of service required for an eligible member to retire, to great-
er than or fewer than 20 years of service, in order to facili-
tate management actions that shape the personnel profile 
or correct manpower shortages within an occupational spe-
257 
† HR 1735 EAS1S 
cialty or other grouping of members of the uniformed serv-
ices. 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE MEMBER DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘eligible member’ means a member of the uniformed 
services working in an occupational specialty or other 
grouping designated by the Secretary concerned as in need 
of a management action described in subsection (a). 
‘‘(c) NOTICE-AND-WAIT.— 
‘‘(1) NOTICE
REQUIRED.—The Secretary con-
cerned shall submit to Congress notice of any pro-
posed modification under subsection (a). 
‘‘(2) LIMITATION.—The Secretary concerned may 
not implement a proposed modification under sub-
section (a) until one year after the day on which the 
notice of the modification is submitted to Congress 
under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(d) APPLICABILITY.—The Secretary concerned may 
only modify the required years of service under subsection 
(a) for an eligible member who first becomes a member of 
a uniformed service on or after the date of the expiration 
of the one year period described in subsection (c)(2) that 
is applicable to the occupational specialty or other grouping 
in which the eligible member works.’’.
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 
the beginning of chapter 63 of such title is amended by add-
ing at the end the following new item: 
‘‘1276. Retirement flexibility: authority to modify years of service required for re-
tirement for particular occupational specialities or other 
groupings.’’. 
PART II—OTHER MATTERS 
SEC. 641. DEATH OF FORMER SPOUSE BENEFICIARIES AND 
SUBSEQUENT 
REMARRIAGES 
UNDER 
SUR-
VIVOR BENEFIT PLAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1448(b) of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following 
new paragraph: 
‘‘(7) EFFECT
OF
DEATH
OF
FORMER
SPOUSE 
BENEFICIARY.— 
‘‘(A) TERMINATION
OF
PARTICIPATION
IN 
PLAN.—A person who elects to provide an annu-
ity to a former spouse under paragraph (2) or 
(3) and whose former spouse subsequently dies is 
no longer a participant in the Plan, effective on 
the date of death of the former spouse. 
‘‘(B) AUTHORITY
FOR
ELECTION
OF
NEW 
SPOUSE BENEFICIARY.—If a person’s participa-
tion in the Plan is discontinued by reason of the 
death of a former spouse beneficiary, the person 
may elect to resume participation in the Plan 
and to elect a new spouse beneficiary as follows:
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
‘‘(i) MARRIED ON THE DATE OF DEATH 
OF
FORMER
SPOUSE.—A person who is 
married at the time of the death of the 
former spouse beneficiary may elect to pro-
vide coverage to that person’s spouse. Such 
an election must be received by the Sec-
retary concerned within one year after the 
date of death of the former spouse bene-
ficiary. 
‘‘(ii) MARRIAGE
AFTER
DEATH
OF 
FORMER SPOUSE BENEFICIARY.—A person 
who is not married at the time of the death 
of the former spouse beneficiary and who 
later marries may elect to provide spouse 
coverage. Such an election must be received 
by the Secretary concerned within one year 
after the date on which that person marries. 
‘‘(C) EFFECTIVE DATE OF ELECTION.—The 
effective date of election under this paragraph 
shall be as follows: 
‘‘(i) An election under subparagraph 
(B)(i) is effective as of the first day of the 
first calendar month following the death of 
the former spouse beneficiary.
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
‘‘(ii) An election under subparagraph 
(B)(ii) is effective as of the first day of the 
first calendar month following the month in 
which the election is received by the Sec-
retary concerned. 
‘‘(D) LEVEL OF COVERAGE.—A person mak-
ing an election under subparagraph (B) may not 
reduce the base amount previously elected. 
‘‘(E) PROCEDURES.—An election under this 
paragraph shall be in writing, signed by the 
participant, and made in such form and manner 
as the Secretary concerned may prescribe. 
‘‘(F) IRREVOCABILITY.—An election under 
this paragraph is irrevocable.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Paragraph (7) of section 
1448(b) of title 10, United States Code, as added by sub-
section (a), shall apply with respect to any person whose 
former spouse beneficiary dies on or after the date of the 
enactment of this Act. 
(c) APPLICABILITY TO FORMER SPOUSE DEATHS BE-
FORE ENACTMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A person— 
(A) who before the date of the enactment of 
this Act had a former spouse beneficiary under
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the Survivor Benefit Plan who died before that 
date; and 
(B) who on the date of the enactment of this 
Act is married, 
may elect to provide spouse coverage for such spouse 
under the Plan, regardless of whether the person mar-
ried such spouse before or after the death of the former 
spouse beneficiary. Any such election may only be 
made during the one-year period beginning on the 
date of the enactment of this Act. 
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE OF ELECTION IF MARRIED 
AT LEAST A YEAR AT DEATH FORMER SPOUSE.—If the 
person providing the annuity was married to the 
spouse beneficiary for at least one year at the time of 
the death of the former spouse beneficiary, the effective 
date of such election shall be the first day of the first 
month after the death of the former spouse bene-
ficiary. 
(3) OTHER EFFECTIVE DATE.—If the person pro-
viding the annuity married the spouse beneficiary 
after (or during the one-year period preceding) the 
death of the former spouse beneficiary, the effective 
date of the election shall be the first day of the first 
month following the first anniversary of the person’s 
marriage to the spouse beneficiary.
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(4) RESPONSIBILITY FOR PREMIUMS.—A person 
electing to participate in the Plan under this sub-
section shall be responsible for payment of all pre-
miums due from the effective date of the election. 
SEC. 642. TRANSITIONAL COMPENSATION AND OTHER BEN-
EFITS FOR DEPENDENTS OF MEMBERS OF 
THE ARMED FORCES INELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE 
RETIRED PAY AS A RESULT OF COURT-MAR-
TIAL SENTENCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 53 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1059 the 
following new section: 
‘‘§ 1059a. Dependents of members of the armed forces 
ineligible to receive retired pay as a result 
of court-martial sentence: transitional 
compensation and other benefits; com-
missary and exchange benefits 
‘‘(a) AUTHORITY TO PAY COMPENSATION.—The Sec-
retary of Defense, with respect to the armed forces (other 
than the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service 
in the Navy), and the Secretary of Homeland Security, with 
respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a 
service in the Navy, may each carry out a program under 
which the Secretary may pay monthly transitional com-
pensation in accordance with this section to dependents or
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former dependents of a member of the armed forces described 
in subsection (b) who is under the jurisdiction of the Sec-
retary. 
‘‘(b) MEMBERS COVERED.—This section applies in the 
case of a member of the armed forces eligible for retired or 
retainer pay under this title for years of service who— 
‘‘(1) is separated from the armed forces pursuant 
to the sentence of a court-martial as a result of mis-
conduct while a member; and 
‘‘(2) has eligibility to receive retired pay termi-
nated pursuant to such sentence. 
‘‘(c) RECIPIENT OF PAYMENTS.—(1) In the case of a 
member of the armed forces described in subsection (b), the 
Secretary may pay compensation under this section to de-
pendents or former dependents of the member as follows: 
‘‘(A) If the member was married at the time of 
the commission of the offense resulting in separation 
from the armed forces, such compensation may be 
paid to the spouse or former spouse to whom the 
member was married at that time, including an 
amount for each, if any, dependent child of the mem-
ber who resides in the same household as that spouse 
or former spouse. 
‘‘(B) If there is a spouse or former spouse who 
is or, but for subsection (d)(2), would be eligible for
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compensation under this section and if there is a de-
pendent child of the member who does not reside in 
the same household as that spouse or former spouse, 
compensation under this section may be paid to each 
such dependent child of the member who does not re-
side in that household. 
‘‘(C) If there is no spouse or former spouse who 
is or, but for subsection (d)(2), would be eligible 
under this section, compensation under this section 
may be paid to the dependent children of the member. 
‘‘(2) A dependent or former dependent of a member 
described in subsection (b) is not eligible for transitional 
compensation under this section if the Secretary concerned 
determines (under regulations prescribed under subsection 
(g)) that the dependent or former dependent either— 
‘‘(A) was an active participant in the conduct 
constituting the offense under chapter 47 of this title 
(the Uniform Code of Military Justice) for which the 
member was convicted and separated from the armed 
forces; or 
‘‘(B) did not cooperate with the investigation of 
such conduct. 
‘‘(d) COMMENCEMENT AND DURATION OF PAYMENT.— 
(1) Payment of transitional compensation under this sec-
tion shall commence—
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‘‘(A) as of the date the court-martial sentence is 
adjudged if the sentence, as adjudged, includes— 
‘‘(i) a dismissal, dishonorable discharge, or 
bad conduct discharge; and 
‘‘(ii) forfeiture of all pay and allowances; or 
‘‘(B) if there is a pretrial agreement that pro-
vides for disapproval or suspension of the dismissal, 
dishonorable discharge, bad conduct discharge, or for-
feiture of all pay and allowances, as of the date of the 
approval of the court-martial sentence by the person 
acting under section 860(c) of this title (article 60(c) 
of the Uniform Code of Military Justice) if the sen-
tence, as approved, includes— 
‘‘(i) an unsuspended dismissal, dishonorable 
discharge, or bad conduct discharge; and 
‘‘(ii) forfeiture of all pay and allowances. 
‘‘(2) Paragraphs (2) and (3) of subsection (e), para-
graphs (1) and (2) of subsection (g), and subsections (f) and 
(h) of section 1059 of this title shall apply in determining— 
‘‘(A) the amount of transitional compensation to 
be paid under this section; 
‘‘(B) the period for which such compensation 
may be paid; and 
‘‘(C) the circumstances under which the payment 
of such compensation may or will cease.
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‘‘(e) COMMISSARY AND EXCHANGE BENEFITS.—A de-
pendent or former dependent who receives transitional com-
pensation under this section shall, while receiving such pay-
ments, be entitled to use commissary and exchange stores 
in the same manner as provided in subsection (j) of section 
1059 of this title. 
‘‘(f) COORDINATION OF BENEFITS.—(1) The Secretary 
concerned may not make payments to a spouse or former 
spouse under both this section, on the one hand, and section 
1059, 1408(h), or 1408(i) of this title, on the other hand. 
In the case of a spouse or former spouse for whom a court 
order provides for payments pursuant to section 1408(h) 
or 1408(i) of this title and to whom the Secretary offers 
payments under this section or section 1059 of this title, 
the spouse or former spouse shall elect which payments to 
receive. 
‘‘(2) Upon the cessation of payments of transitional 
compensation to a spouse or former spouse under this sec-
tion pursuant to subsection (d)(2), a spouse or former 
spouse who elected payments of transitional compensation 
under this section and either remains or becomes eligible 
for payments under section 1408(h) or 1408(i) of this title, 
as applicable, may commence receipt of payments under 
such section 1408(h) or 1408(i) in accordance with such sec-
tion.
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‘‘(g) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
prescribe regulations to carry out this section with respect 
to the armed forces (other than the Coast Guard when it 
is not operating as a service in the Navy). The Secretary 
of Homeland Security shall prescribe regulations to carry 
out this section with respect to the Coast Guard when it 
is not operating as a service in the Navy. 
‘‘(h) DEPENDENT CHILD DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘dependent child’, with respect to a member or 
former member of the armed forces referred to in subsection 
(b), has the meaning given such term in subsection (l) of 
section 1059 of this title, except that status as a ‘dependent 
child’ shall be determined as of the date on which the mem-
ber described in subsection (b) is convicted of the offense 
concerned.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 
the beginning of chapter 53 of such title is amended by in-
serting after the item relating to section 1059 the following 
new item: 
‘‘1059a. Dependents of members of the armed forces ineligible to receive retired 
pay as a result of court-martial sentence: transitional compensa-
tion and other benefits; commissary and exchange benefits.’’. 
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Subsection (i) of sec-
tion 1059 of title 10, United States Code, is amended to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(i) COORDINATION
OF BENEFITS.—The Secretary 
concerned may not make payments to a spouse or former
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spouse under both this section, on the one hand, and section 
1059a, 1408(h), or 1408(i) of this title, on the other hand. 
In the case of a spouse or former spouse for whom a court 
order provides for payments pursuant to section 1408(h) 
or 1408(i) of this title and to whom the Secretary offers 
payments under this section or section 1059a of this title, 
the spouse or former spouse shall elect which payments to 
receive.’’. 
Subtitle E—Commissary and Non- 
Appropriated Fund Instrumen-
tality Benefits and Operations 
SEC. 651. COMMISSARY SYSTEM MATTERS. 
(a) OPERATING EXPENSES.—Section 2483 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘supplies 
and’’; 
(B) by striking (5); and 
(C) by redesignating paragraph (6) as 
paragraph (5); and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
sections: 
‘‘(d) TRANSPORTATION COSTS FOR CERTAIN GOODS 
AND SUPPLIES.—Appropriated funds may be used to pay 
any costs associated with the transportation of commissary
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goods and supplies to overseas areas, but only to the extent 
that the working capital fund for commissary operations 
is reimbursed for the payment of such costs. The sales prices 
in commissary stores worldwide shall be adjusted in an 
equal percentage to the extent necessary to provide sufficient 
gross revenues from such sales to make such reimburse-
ments. 
‘‘(e) UNIFORM SYSTEM-WIDE PRICING.—The defense 
commissary system shall be managed with the objective of 
attaining uniform system-wide pricing.’’. 
(b) PRICING AND SURCHARGES.—Section 2484 of such 
title is amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (e) and inserting the 
following new subsection (e): 
‘‘(e) SALES PRICE ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary 
of Defense shall establish the sales price of merchandise sold 
in, at, or by commissary stores in amounts sufficient to 
finance operating expenses as prescribed in section 2483(b) 
of this title and the replenishment of inventories.’’; and 
(2) in subsection (h)— 
(A) in the subsection caption, by striking 
‘‘AND MAINTENANCE’’ and inserting ‘‘MAINTE-
NANCE, AND PURCHASE
OF OPERATING SUP-
PLIES’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (1)(A)—
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(i) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(ii) in clause (ii), by striking the pe-
riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(iii) by adding at the end the following 
new clause: 
‘‘(iii) to purchase operating supplies for com-
missary stores.’’. 
(c) OVERSEAS TRANSPORTATION.—Section 2643(b) of 
such title is amended by striking the first sentence and in-
serting the following new sentence: ‘‘Defense working capital 
funds may be used to cover the transportation costs of com-
missary goods and supplies as provided in section 2483(d) 
of this title.’’. 
SEC. 652. PLAN ON PRIVATIZATION OF THE DEFENSE COM-
MISSARY SYSTEM. 
(a) PLAN REQUIRED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than March 1, 2016, 
the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Commit-
tees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House 
of Representatives a report setting forth a plan for the 
privatization, in whole or in part, of the defense com-
missary system of the Department of Defense.
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(2) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall consult 
with major grocery retailers in the continental United 
States in developing the plan. 
(b) ELEMENTS.— 
(1) PLAN ELEMENTS.—The plan required by sub-
section (a) shall ensure the provision of high quality 
grocery goods and products, discount savings to pa-
trons, and high levels of customer satisfaction while 
achieving savings for the Department of Defense. 
(2) REPORT ELEMENTS.—The report required by 
subsection (a) should include— 
(A) an evaluation of the current rates of 
basic pay and basic allowance for subsistence 
payable to members of the Armed Forces, and an 
assessment whether such pay and allowance 
should be adjusted to ensure that members main-
tain purchasing power for grocery goods and 
products under the plan; 
(B) an estimate of any initial and long- 
term costs or savings to the Department as a re-
sult of the implementation of the plan; 
(C) an assessment whether the privatized 
defense commissary system under the plan can 
sustain the current savings to patrons of the de-
fense commissary system;
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
(D) an assessment of the impact that pri-
vatization of the defense commissary system 
under the plan would have on all eligible bene-
ficiaries; 
(E) an assessment whether the privatized 
defense commissary system under the plan can 
sustain the continued operation of existing com-
missaries; and 
(F) an assessment whether privatization of 
the defense commissary system is feasible for 
overseas commissaries. 
(3) RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR
LEGISLATIVE
AC-
TION.—The plan shall include recommendations for 
such legislative action as the Secretary considers ap-
propriate to implement the plan. 
(c) COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES 
ASSESSMENT OF PLAN.—Not later than 120 days after the 
submittal of the report required by subsection (a), the 
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to 
the committees of Congress referred to in that subsection a 
report setting forth an assessment by the Comptroller Gen-
eral of the plan set forth in the report required by that sub-
section. 
(d) PILOT PROGRAM ON PRIVATIZATION.—
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
(1) PILOT
PROGRAM
REQUIRED.—Commencing 
as soon as practicable after the submittal to Congress 
of the report required by subsection (c), the Secretary 
shall carry out a pilot program to assess the feasi-
bility and advisability of the plan set forth in the re-
port required by subsection (a). 
(2) 
NUMBER
AND
LOCATION
OF
COM-
MISSARIES.—The pilot program shall involve not 
fewer than five commissaries selected by the Secretary 
for purposes of the pilot program from among com-
missaries in the largest markets of the defense com-
missary system in the United States. 
(3) SCOPE OF PILOT PROGRAM.—The Secretary 
shall carry out the pilot program in accordance with 
the plan described in paragraph (1) as modified by 
the Secretary in light of the assessment of the plan by 
the Comptroller General pursuant to subsection (c). 
The Secretary shall submit to the Committees on 
Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Rep-
resentatives a notice on any modifications made to 
the plan for purposes of the pilot program in light of 
the assessment. 
(4) ADDITIONAL
ELEMENT
ON
ONLINE
PUR-
CHASES.—In an addition to any requirements under 
paragraph (3), the Secretary may include in the pilot
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
program a component designed to permit eligible 
beneficiaries of the defense commissary system in the 
catchment areas of the commissaries selected for par-
ticipation in the pilot program to order and purchase 
grocery goods and products otherwise available 
through the defense commissary system through the 
Internet and to receive items so ordered through home 
delivery. 
(5) DURATION.—The duration of the pilot pro-
gram shall be two years. 
(6) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the 
completion of the pilot program, the Secretary shall 
submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the 
Senate and the House of Representatives a report on 
the pilot program, including— 
(A) an assessment of the feasibility and ad-
visability of carrying out the plan described in 
paragraph (1), as modified, if at all, as de-
scribed in paragraph (3); and 
(B) a description of any modifications to 
the plan the Secretary considers appropriate in 
light of the pilot program.
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
SEC. 653. COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES 
REPORT ON THE COMMISSARY SURCHARGE, 
NON-APPROPRIATED FUND, AND PRIVATELY- 
FINANCED MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 
of the United States shall submit to the Committees on 
Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representa-
tives a report on the Commissary Surcharge, Non-appro-
priated Fund and Privately-Financed Major Construction 
Program of the Department of Defense. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report under subsection (a) shall 
include the following: 
(1) An assessment whether the Secretary of De-
fense has established policies and procedures to ensure 
the timely submittal to the committees of Congress re-
ferred to in subsection (a) of notice on construction 
projects proposed to be funded through the program 
referred to in that subsection. 
(2) An assessment whether the Secretaries of the 
military departments have developed and imple-
mented policies and procedures to comply with the 
policies and directives of the Department of Defense 
for the submittal to such committees of Congress of 
notice on such construction projects.
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
(3) An assessment whether the Secretary of De-
fense has established policies and procedures to notify 
such committees of Congress when such construction 
projects have been commenced without notice to Con-
gress. 
(4) An assessment whether construction projects 
described in paragraph (3) have been completed before 
submittal of notice to Congress as described in that 
paragraph and, if so, a list of such projects. 
TITLE VII—HEALTH CARE 
PROVISIONS 
Subtitle A—TRICARE and Other 
Health Care Benefits 
SEC. 701. URGENT CARE AUTHORIZATION UNDER THE 
TRICARE PROGRAM. 
(a) URGENT CARE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In accordance with the regu-
lations prescribed under this section, a covered bene-
ficiary under the TRICARE program shall have ac-
cess to up to four urgent care visits per year under 
that program without the need for preauthorization 
for such visits. 
(2) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
retary shall prescribe regulations to carry out para-
graph (1). 
(b) PUBLICATION.—The Secretary shall— 
(1) publish information on any modifications 
made pursuant to subsection (a) to the authorization 
requirements for the receipt of urgent care under the 
TRICARE program— 
(A) on the primary Internet website that is 
available to the public of the Department; and 
(B) on the primary Internet website that is 
available to the public of each military medical 
treatment facility; and 
(2) ensure that such information is made avail-
able on the primary Internet website that is available 
to the public of each current managed care contractor 
that has established a health care provider network 
under the TRICARE program. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the terms ‘‘covered 
beneficiary’’ and ‘‘TRICARE program’’ have the meaning 
given such terms in section 1072 of title 10, United States 
Code.
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
SEC. 702. MODIFICATIONS OF COST-SHARING REQUIRE-
MENTS FOR THE TRICARE PHARMACY BENE-
FITS PROGRAM. 
Paragraph (6) of section 1074g(a) of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(6)(A) In the case of any of the years 2016 through 
2025, the cost-sharing amounts under this subsection shall 
be determined in accordance with the following table: 
‘‘For: 
The cost-shar-
ing amount 
for 30-day 
supply of a re-
tail generic is: 
The cost-shar-
ing amount 
for 30-day 
supply of a re-
tail formulary 
is: 
The cost-shar-
ing amount 
for a 90-day 
supply of a 
mail order ge-
neric is: 
The cost-shar-
ing amount 
for a 90-day 
supply of a 
mail order for-
mulary is: 
The cost-shar-
ing amount 
for a 90-day 
supply of a 
mail order 
non-formulary 
is: 
2016 
$8 
$28 
$0 
$28 
$54 
2017 
$8 
$30 
$0 
$30 
$58 
2018 
$8 
$32 
$0 
$32 
$62 
2019 
$9 
$34 
$9 
$34 
$66 
2020 
$10 
$36 
$10 
$36 
$70 
2021 
$11 
$38 
$11 
$38 
$75 
2022 
$12 
$40 
$12 
$40 
$80 
2023 
$13 
$43 
$13 
$43 
$85 
2024 
$14 
$45 
$14 
$45 
$90 
2025 
$14 
$46 
$14 
$46 
$92 
‘‘(B) For any year after 2025, the cost-sharing 
amounts under this subsection shall be equal to the cost- 
sharing amounts for the previous year adjusted by an 
amount, if any, determined by the Secretary to reflect 
changes in the costs of pharmaceutical agents and prescrip-
tion dispensing, rounded to the nearest dollar.
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
‘‘(C) Notwithstanding subparagraphs (A) and (B), the 
cost-sharing amounts under this subsection for any year for 
a dependent of a member of the uniformed services who dies 
while on active duty, a member retired under chapter 61 
of this title, or a dependent of such a member shall be equal 
to the cost-sharing amounts, if any, for 2015.’’. 
SEC. 703. EXPANSION OF CONTINUED HEALTH BENEFITS 
COVERAGE TO INCLUDE DISCHARGED AND 
RELEASED MEMBERS OF THE SELECTED RE-
SERVE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (b) of section 1078a of 
title 10, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (4) 
as paragraphs (3) through (5), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol-
lowing new paragraph (2): 
‘‘(2) A member of the Selected Reserve of the 
Ready Reserve of a reserve component of the armed 
forces who— 
‘‘(A) is discharged or released from service 
in the Selected Reserve, whether voluntarily or 
involuntarily, under other than adverse condi-
tions, as characterized by the Secretary con-
cerned;
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
‘‘(B) immediately preceding that discharge 
or release, is eligible to enroll in TRICARE 
Standard coverage under section 1076d of this 
title; and 
‘‘(C) after that discharge or release, would 
not otherwise be eligible for any benefits under 
this chapter.’’. 
(b) NOTIFICATION OF ELIGIBILITY.—Subsection (c)(2) 
of such section is amended by inserting ‘‘or subsection 
(b)(2)’’ after ‘‘subsection (b)(1)’’. 
(c) ELECTION OF COVERAGE.—Subsection (d) of such 
section is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (4) 
as paragraphs (3) through (5), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol-
lowing new paragraph (2): 
‘‘(2) In the case of a member described in sub-
section (b)(2), the written election shall be submitted 
to the Secretary concerned before the end of the 60- 
day period beginning on the later of— 
‘‘(A) the date of the discharge or release of 
the member from service in the Selected Reserve; 
and 
‘‘(B) the date the member receives the notifi-
cation required pursuant to subsection (c).’’.
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
(d) COVERAGE OF DEPENDENTS.—Subsection (e) of 
such section is amended by inserting ‘‘or subsection (b)(2)’’ 
after ‘‘subsection (b)(1)’’. 
(e) PERIOD OF CONTINUED COVERAGE.—Subsection 
(g)(1) of such section is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) through 
(D) as subparagraphs (C) through (E); and 
(2) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the fol-
lowing new subparagraph (B): 
‘‘(B) in the case of a member described in sub-
section (b)(2), the date which is 18 months after the 
date the member ceases to be eligible to enroll in 
TRICARE Standard coverage under section 1076d of 
this title;’’. 
(f) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Such section is fur-
ther amended— 
(1) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘sub-
section (b)(2)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (b)(3)’’; 
and 
(B) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘sub-
section (b)(3)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (b)(4)’’; 
(2) in subsection (d)—
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
(A) in paragraph (3), as redesignated by 
subsection (c)(1), by striking ‘‘subsection (b)(2)’’ 
and inserting ‘‘subsection (b)(3)’’; 
(B) in paragraph (4), as so redesignated, by 
striking ‘‘subsection (b)(3)’’ and inserting ‘‘sub-
section (b)(4)’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (5), as so redesignated, by 
striking ‘‘subsection (b)(4)’’ and inserting ‘‘sub-
section (b)(5)’’; 
(3) in subsection (e), by striking ‘‘subsection 
(b)(2) or subsection (b)(3)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection 
(b)(3) or subsection (b)(4)’’; and 
(4) in subsection (g)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) in subparagraph (C), as redesig-
nated by subsection (e)(1), by striking ‘‘sub-
section (b)(2)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection 
(b)(3)’’; 
(ii) in subparagraph (D), as so redes-
ignated, by striking ‘‘subsection (b)(3)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘subsection (b)(4)’’; and 
(iii) in subparagraph (E), as so redes-
ignated, by striking ‘‘subsection (b)(4)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘subsection (b)(5)’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2)—
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
(i) by striking ‘‘paragraph (1)(B)’’ 
and inserting ‘‘paragraph (1)(C)’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘subsection (b)(2)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘subsection (b)(3)’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (3)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘paragraph (1)(C)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘paragraph (1)(D)’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘subsection (b)(3)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘subsection (b)(4)’’. 
SEC. 704. EXPANSION OF REIMBURSEMENT FOR SMOKING 
CESSATION SERVICES FOR CERTAIN TRICARE 
BENEFICIARIES. 
Section 713(f) of the Duncan Hunter National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law 110– 
417; 122 Stat. 4503) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking ‘‘during fis-
cal year 2009’’; 
(2) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking ‘‘during 
such period’’; and 
(3) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘during fiscal 
year 2009’’ and inserting ‘‘after September 30, 2008’’.
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SEC. 705. PILOT PROGRAM ON TREATMENT OF MEMBERS OF 
THE ARMED FORCES FOR POST-TRAUMATIC 
STRESS DISORDER RELATED TO MILITARY 
SEXUAL TRAUMA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense may con-
duct a pilot program to provide intensive outpatient pro-
grams to treat members of the Armed Forces suffering from 
post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from military sex-
ual trauma, including treatment for substance abuse, de-
pression, and other issues related to such conditions. 
(b) GRANTS TO COMMUNITY PARTNERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense may 
carry out the pilot program through the award of 
grants to community partners described in paragraph 
(2). 
(2) COMMUNITY PARTNERS.—A community part-
ner described in this paragraph is a private health 
care organization or institution that— 
(A) provides health care to members of the 
Armed Forces; 
(B) provides evidence-based treatment for 
psychological and neurological conditions that 
are common among members of the Armed 
Forces, including post-traumatic stress disorder, 
traumatic brain injury, substance abuse, and de-
pression;
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(C) provides health care, support, and other 
benefits to family members of members of the 
Armed Forces; and 
(D) 
provides 
health 
care 
under 
the 
TRICARE program (as that term is defined in 
section 1072 of title 10, United States Code). 
(c) REQUIREMENTS
OF GRANT RECIPIENTS.—Each 
community partner awarded a grant under subsection (b) 
shall— 
(1) carry out intensive outpatient programs of 
short duration to treat members of the Armed Forces 
suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder resulting 
from military sexual trauma, including treatment for 
substance abuse, depression, and other issues related 
to such conditions; 
(2) use evidence-based and evidence-informed 
treatment strategies in carrying out such programs; 
(3) share clinical and outreach best practices 
with other community partners participating in the 
pilot program; and 
(4) annually assess outcomes for members of the 
Armed Forces individually and throughout the com-
munity partner with respect to the treatment of con-
ditions described in paragraph (1).
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(d) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of the costs 
of a program carried out by a community partner using 
a grant under this section may not exceed 50 percent. 
(e) TERMINATION.—The Secretary of Defense may not 
carry out the conduct of the pilot program after the date 
that is three years after the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
Subtitle B—Health Care 
Administration 
SEC. 711. ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE UNDER THE TRICARE 
PROGRAM. 
(a) ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
ensure that covered beneficiaries under the TRICARE 
program seeking an appointment for health care 
under such program at a military medical treatment 
facility obtain such an appointment at such facility 
within the wait-time goals specified for the receipt of 
such health care pursuant to the health care access 
standards established under subsection (b). 
(2) USE OF CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—If a covered 
beneficiary is unable to obtain an appointment with-
in the wait-time goals described in paragraph (1), 
such covered beneficiary shall be offered an appoint-
ment within such wait-time goals with a health care
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provider with which a contract has been entered into 
under the TRICARE program. 
(b) STANDARDS FOR ACCESS TO CARE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall establish health care access standards, including 
wait-time goals for appointments, for the receipt of 
health care under the TRICARE program, whether re-
ceived at military medical treatment facilities or 
from health care providers with which a contract has 
been entered into under such program. 
(2) CATEGORIES OF CARE.—The health care ac-
cess standards established under paragraph (1) shall 
include standards with respect to the following cat-
egories of health care: 
(A) Primary care, including pediatric care, 
maternity care, gynecological care, and other 
subcategories of primary care. 
(B) Specialty care, including behavioral 
health care and other subcategories of specialty 
care. 
(3) MODIFICATIONS.—The Secretary may modify 
the health care access standards established under 
paragraph (1) whenever the Secretary considers the 
modification of such standards appropriate.
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(4) PUBLICATION.—The Secretary shall publish 
the health care access standards established under 
paragraph (1), and any modifications to such stand-
ards, in the Federal Register and on a publicly acces-
sible Internet website of the Department of Defense. 
(c) PUBLICATION OF APPOINTMENT WAIT TIMES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall publish on a publicly accessible Internet website 
of each military medical treatment facility that offers 
a category or subcategory of health care covered by the 
standards under subsection (b)(2) the average wait- 
time for a covered beneficiary for an appointment at 
such facility for the receipt of each such category and 
subcategory of health care. 
(2) MODIFICATIONS.—Whenever there is a modi-
fication of a wait-time for a category or subcategory 
of health care published under this subsection, the 
Secretary shall publish on a publicly accessible Inter-
net website of each military medical treatment facil-
ity that provides such category or subcategory of 
health care the modified wait-time for such category 
or subcategory of health care. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the terms ‘‘covered 
beneficiary’’ and ‘‘TRICARE program’’ have the meaning
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given such terms in section 1072 of title 10, United States 
Code. 
SEC. 712. PORTABILITY OF HEALTH PLANS UNDER THE 
TRICARE PROGRAM. 
(a) HEALTH PLAN PORTABILITY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
ensure that covered beneficiaries under the TRICARE 
program who are covered under a health plan under 
such program are able to seamlessly access health care 
under such health plan in each TRICARE program 
region. 
(2) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall prescribe regulations to carry out para-
graph (1). 
(b) MECHANISMS TO ENSURE PORTABILITY.—In car-
rying out subsection (a), the Secretary shall do the fol-
lowing: 
(1) Provide for the automatic electronic transfer 
of demographic, enrollment, and claims information 
between the contractors responsible for administering 
the TRICARE program in each TRICARE region 
when covered beneficiaries under the TRICARE pro-
gram relocate between such regions.
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(2) Ensure such covered beneficiaries are able to 
obtain a new primary health care provider within ten 
days of undergoing such relocation. 
(3) Develop a process for such covered bene-
ficiaries 
to 
receive 
urgent 
care 
without 
preauthorization while undergoing such relocation. 
(c) PUBLICATION.—The Secretary shall— 
(1) publish information on any modifications 
made pursuant to subsection (a) with respect to the 
ability of covered beneficiaries under the TRICARE 
program who are covered under a health plan under 
such program to access health care in each TRICARE 
region on the primary Internet website of the Depart-
ment that is available to the public; and 
(2) ensure that such information is made avail-
able on the primary Internet website that is available 
to the public of each current contractor responsible for 
administering the TRICARE program. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the terms ‘‘covered 
beneficiary’’ and ‘‘TRICARE program’’ have the meaning 
given such terms in section 1072 of title 10, United States 
Code.
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SEC. 713. IMPROVEMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH CARE PRO-
VIDED BY HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS OF THE 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 
(a) TRAINING ON RECOGNITION AND MANAGEMENT OF 
RISK OF SUICIDE.— 
(1) INITIAL TRAINING.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall ensure that all primary care 
and mental health care providers of the Department 
of Defense receive, or have already received, evidence- 
based training on the recognition and assessment of 
individuals at risk for suicide and the management 
of such risk. 
(2) ADDITIONAL TRAINING.—The Secretary shall 
ensure that providers who receive, or have already re-
ceived, training described in paragraph (1) receive 
such additional training thereafter as may be re-
quired based on evidence-based changes in health care 
practices. 
(b) ASSESSMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH WORKFORCE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed 
Services of the Senate and the House of Representa-
tives a report assessing the mental health workforce of 
the Department of Defense and the long-term mental
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health care needs of members of the Armed Forces and 
their dependents for purposes of determining the long- 
term requirements of the Department for mental 
health care providers. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The report submitted under 
paragraph (1) shall include an assessment of the fol-
lowing: 
(A) The number of mental health care pro-
viders of the Department of Defense as of the 
date of the submittal of the report, disaggregated 
by specialty, including psychiatrists, psycholo-
gists, social workers, mental health counselors, 
and marriage and family therapists. 
(B) The number of mental health care pro-
viders that are anticipated to be needed by the 
Department. 
(C) The types of mental health care pro-
viders that are anticipated to be needed by the 
Department. 
(D) Locations in which mental health care 
providers are anticipated to be needed by the De-
partment. 
(c) PLAN FOR DEVELOPMENT OF PROCEDURES TO 
MEASURE MENTAL HEALTH DATA.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
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retary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed 
Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a 
plan for the Department of Defense to develop procedures 
to compile and assess data relating to the following: 
(1) Outcomes for mental health care provided by 
the Department. 
(2) Variations in such outcomes among different 
medical facilities of the Department. 
(3) Barriers, if any, to the implementation by 
mental health care providers of the Department of the 
clinical practice guidelines and other evidence-based 
treatments and approaches recommended for such 
providers by the Secretary. 
SEC. 714. COMPREHENSIVE STANDARDS AND ACCESS TO 
CONTRACEPTION 
COUNSELING 
FOR 
MEM-
BERS OF THE ARMED FORCES. 
(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to ensure 
that all health care providers employed by the Department 
of Defense who provide care for members of the Armed 
Forces, including general practitioners, are provided, 
through clinical practice guidelines, the most current evi-
dence-based and evidence-informed standards of care with 
respect to methods of contraception and counseling on meth-
ods of contraception. 
(b) CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES.—
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(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Defense shall compile clinical practice guidelines for 
health care providers described in subsection (a) on 
standards of care with respect to methods of contra-
ception and counseling on methods of contraception 
for members of the Armed Forces. 
(2) SOURCES.—The Secretary shall compile clin-
ical practice guidelines under this subsection from 
among clinical practice guidelines established by ap-
propriate health agencies and professional organiza-
tions, including the following: 
(A) The United States Preventive Services 
Task Force. 
(B) The Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention. 
(C) The Office of Population Affairs of the 
Department of Health and Human Services. 
(D) The American College of Obstetricians 
and Gynecologists. 
(E) The Association of Reproductive Health 
Professionals. 
(F) The American Academy of Family Phy-
sicians.
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(G) The Agency for Healthcare Research 
and Quality. 
(3) UPDATES.—The Secretary shall from time to 
time update the list of clinical practice guidelines 
compiled under this subsection to incorporate into 
such guidelines new or updated standards of care 
with respect to methods of contraception and coun-
seling on methods of contraception. 
(4) DISSEMINATION.— 
(A) INITIAL
DISSEMINATION.—As soon as 
practicable after the compilation of clinical prac-
tice guidelines pursuant to paragraph (1), but 
commencing not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall provide for rapid dissemination of the clin-
ical practice guidelines to health care providers 
described in subsection (a). 
(B) UPDATES.—As soon as practicable after 
the adoption under paragraph (3) of any update 
to the clinical practice guidelines compiled pur-
suant to this subsection, the Secretary shall pro-
vide for the rapid dissemination of such clinical 
practice guidelines, as so updated, to health care 
providers described in subsection (a).
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(C) PROTOCOLS.—Clinical practice guide-
lines, and any updates to such guidelines, shall 
be disseminated under this paragraph in accord-
ance with administrative protocols developed by 
the Secretary for that purpose. 
(c) CLINICAL DECISION SUPPORT TOOLS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall, in order to assist health care providers de-
scribed in subsection (a), develop and implement clin-
ical decision support tools that reflect, through the 
clinical practice guidelines compiled pursuant to sub-
section (b), the most current evidence-based and evi-
dence-informed standards of care with respect to 
methods of contraception and counseling on methods 
of contraception. 
(2) UPDATES.—The Secretary shall from time to 
time update the clinical decision support tools devel-
oped under this subsection to incorporate into such 
tools new or updated guidelines on methods of contra-
ception and counseling on methods of contraception. 
(3) DISSEMINATION.—Clinical decision support 
tools, and any updates to such tools, shall be dissemi-
nated under this subsection in accordance with ad-
ministrative protocols developed by the Secretary for
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that purpose. Such protocols shall be similar to the 
administrative protocols developed under subsection 
(b)(4)(C). 
(d) ACCESS
TO CONTRACEPTION COUNSELING.—As 
soon as practicable after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary shall ensure that women members of the 
Armed Forces have access to comprehensive counseling on 
the full range of methods of contraception provided by 
health care providers described in subsection (a) during 
health care visits, including visits as follows: 
(1) During predeployment health care visits, in-
cluding counseling that provides specific information 
women need regarding the interaction between antici-
pated deployment conditions and various methods of 
contraception. 
(2) During health care visits during deployment. 
(3) During annual physical examinations. 
(e) INCORPORATION INTO SURVEYS OF QUESTIONS ON 
SERVICEWOMEN EXPERIENCES WITH FAMILY PLANNING 
SERVICES AND COUNSELING.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall integrate into the surveys by the Department of 
Defense specified in paragraph (2) questions designed
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to obtain information on the experiences of women 
members of the Armed Forces— 
(A) in accessing family planning services 
and counseling; 
(B) in using family planning methods, in-
cluding information on which method was pre-
ferred and whether deployment conditions af-
fected the decision on which family planning 
method or methods to be used; and 
(C) with respect to women members of the 
Armed Forces who are pregnant, whether the 
pregnancy was intended. 
(2) COVERED SURVEYS.—The surveys into which 
questions shall be integrated as described in para-
graph (1) are the following: 
(A) The Health Related Behavior Survey of 
Active Duty Military Personnel. 
(B) The Health Care Survey of Department 
of Defense Beneficiaries. 
(f) EDUCATION ON FAMILY PLANNING FOR MEMBERS 
OF THE ARMED FORCES.— 
(1) EDUCATION PROGRAMS.—Not later than one 
year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Defense shall establish a uniform stand-
ard curriculum to be used in education programs on
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family planning for all members of the Armed Forces, 
including both men and women members. 
(2) SENSE
OF
CONGRESS.—It is the sense of 
Congress that the education programs described in 
paragraph (1) should use the latest technology avail-
able to efficiently and effectively deliver information 
to members of the Armed Forces. 
(3) ELEMENTS.—The uniform standard cur-
riculum under paragraph (1) shall include the fol-
lowing: 
(A) Information for members of the Armed 
Forces on active duty to make informed decisions 
regarding family planning. 
(B) Information about the prevention of un-
intended pregnancy and sexually transmitted in-
fections, including human immunodeficiency 
virus (HIV). 
(C) Information on the importance of pro-
viding comprehensive family planning for mem-
bers of the Armed Forces, and their commanding 
officers, and on the positive impact family plan-
ning can have on the health and readiness of the 
Armed Forces. 
(D) Current, medically accurate informa-
tion.
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(E) Clear, user-friendly information on the 
full range of methods of contraception and where 
members of the Armed Forces can access their 
chosen method of contraception. 
(F) Information on all applicable laws and 
policies so that members are informed of their 
rights and obligations. 
(G) Information on patients’ rights to con-
fidentiality. 
(H) 
Information 
on 
the 
unique 
cir-
cumstances encountered by members of the 
Armed Forces, and the effects of such cir-
cumstances on the use of contraception. 
SEC. 715. WAIVER OF RECOUPMENT OF ERRONEOUS PAY-
MENTS DUE TO ADMINISTRATIVE ERROR 
UNDER THE TRICARE PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 55 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1095f 
the following new section: 
‘‘§ 1095g. TRICARE program: waiver of recoupment of 
erroneous payments due to administrative 
error 
‘‘(a) WAIVER OF RECOUPMENT.—The Secretary of De-
fense may waive recoupment from a covered beneficiary who
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has benefitted from an erroneous TRICARE payment in a 
case in which each of the following applies: 
‘‘(1) The payment was made due to an adminis-
trative error by an employee of the Department of De-
fense or a contractor under the TRICARE program. 
‘‘(2) The covered beneficiary (or in the case of a 
minor, the parent or guardian of the covered bene-
ficiary) had a good faith, reasonable belief that the 
covered beneficiary was entitled to the benefit of such 
payment under this chapter. 
‘‘(3) The covered beneficiary relied on the expec-
tation of such entitlement. 
‘‘(4) The Secretary determines that a waiver of 
recoupment of such payment is necessary to prevent 
an injustice. 
‘‘(b) RESPONSIBILITY OF CONTRACTOR.—In any case 
in which the Secretary waives recoupment under subsection 
(a) and the administrative error was on the part of a con-
tractor under the TRICARE program, the Secretary shall, 
consistent with the requirements and procedures of the ap-
plicable contract, impose financial responsibility on the 
contractor for the erroneous payment. 
‘‘(c) FINALITY OF DETERMINATIONS.—Any determina-
tion by the Secretary under this section to waive or decline 
to waive recoupment under subsection (a) is a final deter-
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
mination and shall not be subject to appeal or judicial re-
view.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 
the beginning of chapter 55 of such title is amended by in-
serting after the item relating to section 1095f the following 
new item: 
‘‘1095g. TRICARE program: waiver of recoupment of erroneous payments due to 
administrative error.’’. 
SEC. 716. DESIGNATION OF CERTAIN NON-DEPARTMENT 
MENTAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS WITH 
KNOWLEDGE RELATING TO TREATMENT OF 
MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES. 
(a) MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDER READINESS DES-
IGNATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Defense shall develop a system by which any non-De-
partment mental health care provider that meets eli-
gibility criteria established by the Secretary relating 
to the knowledge described in paragraph (2) receives 
a mental health provider readiness designation from 
the Department of Defense. 
(2) KNOWLEDGE
DESCRIBED.—The knowledge 
described in this paragraph is the following: 
(A) Knowledge and understanding with re-
spect to the culture of members of the Armed
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Forces and family members and caregivers of 
members of the Armed Forces. 
(B) Knowledge with respect to evidence- 
based treatments that have been approved by the 
Department for the treatment of mental health 
issues among members of the Armed Forces. 
(b) AVAILABILITY
OF INFORMATION
ON DESIGNA-
TION.— 
(1) REGISTRY.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
establish and update as necessary a registry that is 
available to the public of all non-Department mental 
health care providers that are currently designated 
under subsection (a)(1). 
(2) PROVIDER LIST.—The Secretary shall update 
all lists maintained by the Secretary of non-Depart-
ment mental health care providers that provide men-
tal health care under the laws administered by the 
Secretary by indicating the providers that are cur-
rently designated under subsection (a)(1). 
(c) NON-DEPARTMENT MENTAL HEALTH CARE PRO-
VIDER DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘non-Depart-
ment mental health care provider’’— 
(1) means a health care provider that— 
(A) specializes in mental health;
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(B) is not a health care provider of the De-
partment of Defense; and 
(C) provides health care to members of the 
Armed Forces; and 
(2) includes psychiatrists, psychologists, psy-
chiatric nurses, social workers, mental health coun-
selors, marriage and family therapists, and other 
mental health care providers designated by the Sec-
retary of Defense. 
SEC. 717. LIMITATION ON CONVERSION OF MILITARY MED-
ICAL AND DENTAL POSITIONS TO CIVILIAN 
MEDICAL AND DENTAL POSITIONS. 
(a) LIMITED AUTHORITY FOR CONVERSION.—Chapter 
49 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
after section 976 the following new section: 
‘‘§ 977. Conversion of military medical and dental po-
sitions to civilian medical and dental po-
sitions: limitation 
‘‘(a) REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO CONVERSION.—A 
military medical or dental position within the Department 
of Defense may not be converted to a civilian medical or 
dental position unless the Secretary of Defense determines 
that— 
‘‘(1) the position is not a military essential posi-
tion;
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
‘‘(2) conversion of the position would not result 
in the degradation of medical or dental care or the 
medical or dental readiness of the armed forces; and 
‘‘(3) conversion of the position to a civilian med-
ical or dental position is more cost effective than re-
taining the position as a military medical or dental 
position, consistent with Department of Defense In-
struction 7041.04. 
‘‘(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘military medical or dental posi-
tion’ means a position for the performance of health 
care functions within the armed forces held by a 
member of the armed forces. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘civilian medical or dental posi-
tion’ means a position for the performance of health 
care functions within the Department of Defense held 
by an employee of the Department or of a contractor 
of the Department. 
‘‘(3) The term ‘military essential’, with respect 
to a position, means that the position must be held 
by a member of the armed forces, as determined in ac-
cordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary. 
‘‘(4) The term ‘conversion’, with respect to a 
military medical or dental position, means a change 
of the position to a civilian medical or dental posi-
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
tion, effective as of the date of the manning authoriza-
tion document of the military department making the 
change (through a change in designation from mili-
tary to civilian in the document, the elimination of 
the listing of the position as a military position in 
the document, or through any other means indicating 
the change in the document or otherwise).’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 
the beginning of chapter 49 of such title is amended by in-
serting after the item relating to section 976 the following 
new item: 
‘‘977. Conversion of military medical and dental positions to civilian medical and 
dental positions: limitation.’’. 
(c) REPEAL OF RELATED PROHIBITION.—Section 721 
of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2008 (10 U.S.C. 129c note) is repealed. 
SEC. 718. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR JOINT DEPART-
MENT OF DEFENSE-DEPARTMENT OF VET-
ERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL FACILITY DEM-
ONSTRATION FUND. 
Section 1704(e) of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (Public Law 111–84; 123 Stat. 
2573), as amended by section 722 of the Carl Levin and 
Howard P. ‘‘Buck’’ McKeon National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113–291), is
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further amended by striking ‘‘September 30, 2016’’ and in-
serting ‘‘September 30, 2017’’. 
SEC. 719. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR DOD–VA HEALTH 
CARE SHARING INCENTIVE FUND. 
Section 8111(d)(3) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘September 30, 2015’’ and inserting 
‘‘September 30, 2020’’. 
SEC. 720. PILOT PROGRAM ON INCENTIVE PROGRAMS TO 
IMPROVE HEALTH CARE PROVIDED UNDER 
THE TRICARE PROGRAM. 
(a) PILOT PROGRAM.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
carry out a pilot program to assess whether a reduction 
in the rate of increase in health care spending by the De-
partment of Defense and an enhancement of the operation 
of the military health system may be achieved by developing 
and implementing value-based incentive programs to en-
courage health care providers under the TRICARE program 
(including physicians, hospitals, and others involved in 
providing health care to patients) to improve the following: 
(1) The quality of health care provided to cov-
ered beneficiaries under the TRICARE program. 
(2) The experience of covered beneficiaries in re-
ceiving health care under the TRICARE program. 
(3) The health of covered beneficiaries. 
(b) INCENTIVE PROGRAMS.—
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(1) DEVELOPMENT.—In developing an incentive 
program under this section, the Secretary shall— 
(A) consider the characteristics of the popu-
lation of covered beneficiaries affected by the in-
centive program; 
(B) consider how the incentive program 
would impact the receipt of health care under the 
TRICARE program by such covered bene-
ficiaries; 
(C) establish or maintain a reasonable as-
surance that such covered beneficiaries will have 
timely access to health care during operation of 
the incentive program; 
(D) ensure that there are no additional fi-
nancial costs to such covered beneficiaries of im-
plementing the incentive program; and 
(E) consider such other factors as the Sec-
retary considers appropriate. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—With respect to an incentive 
program developed and implemented under this sec-
tion, the Secretary shall ensure that— 
(A) the size, scope, and duration of the in-
centive program is reasonable in relation to the 
purpose of the incentive program; and
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(B) appropriate criteria and data collection 
are used to ensure adequate evaluation of the fea-
sibility and advisability of implementing the in-
centive program throughout the TRICARE pro-
gram. 
(3) USE OF EXISTING MODELS.—In developing 
an incentive program under this section, the Sec-
retary may adapt a value-based incentive program 
conducted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 
Services or any other governmental or commercial 
health care program. 
(c) TERMINATION.—The authority of the Secretary to 
carry out the pilot program under this section shall termi-
nate on December 31, 2019. 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than March 15, 2019, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the congressional defense committees 
a report on the pilot program that includes the following: 
(1) An assessment of each incentive program de-
veloped and implemented under this section, includ-
ing whether such incentive program— 
(A) improves the quality of health care pro-
vided to covered beneficiaries, the experience of 
covered beneficiaries in receiving health care 
under the TRICARE program, or the health of 
covered beneficiaries;
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(B) reduces the rate of increase in health 
care spending by the Department of Defense; or 
(C) enhances the operation of the military 
health system. 
(2) Such recommendations for administrative or 
legislative action as the Secretary considers appro-
priate in light of the pilot program, including to im-
plement any such incentive program or programs 
throughout the TRICARE program. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the terms ‘‘covered 
beneficiary’’ and ‘‘TRICARE program’’ have the meanings 
given those terms in section 1072 of title 10, United States 
Code. 
Subtitle C—Reports and Other 
Matters 
SEC. 731. PUBLICATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION ON 
HEALTH CARE PROVIDED BY THE DEPART-
MENT OF DEFENSE THROUGH THE HOSPITAL 
COMPARE WEBSITE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. 
(a) MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING REQUIRED.— 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall enter into a memo-
randum of understanding with the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services for the provision by the Secretary of De-
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fense of such information as the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services may require to report and make publicly 
available information on quality of care and health out-
comes regarding patients at military medical treatment fa-
cilities through the Hospital Compare Internet website of 
the Department of Health and Human Services, or any suc-
cessor Internet website. 
(b) INFORMATION PROVIDED.—The information pro-
vided by the Secretary of Defense to the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services under subsection (a) shall include the 
following: 
(1) Measures of the timeliness and effectiveness of 
the health care provided by the Department of De-
fense. 
(2) Measures of the prevalence of— 
(A) readmissions, including the 30-day re-
admission rate; 
(B) complications resulting in death, in-
cluding the 30-day mortality rate; 
(C) surgical complications; and 
(D) health care related infections. 
(3) Survey data of patient experiences, including 
the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Pro-
viders and Systems or any similar survey developed 
by the Department of Defense.
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(4) Any other measures or data required of or re-
ported with respect to hospitals participating in the 
Medicare program under title XVIII of the Social Se-
curity Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.). 
SEC. 732. PUBLICATION OF DATA ON PATIENT SAFETY, 
QUALITY 
OF 
CARE, 
SATISFACTION, 
AND 
HEALTH OUTCOME MEASURES UNDER THE 
TRICARE PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall publish on an Internet website of the Department of 
Defense that is available to the public data on all measures 
used by the Department to assess patient safety, quality of 
care, patient satisfaction, and health outcomes for health 
care provided under the TRICARE program at each mili-
tary medical treatment facility. 
(b) UPDATES.—The Secretary shall publish an update 
to the data published under subsection (a) not less fre-
quently than once each quarter during each fiscal year. 
(c) ACCESSIBILITY.—The Secretary shall ensure that 
the data published under subsection (a) and updated under 
subsection (b) is accessible to the public through the pri-
mary Internet website of the Department and the primary 
Internet website of the military medical treatment facility 
with respect to which such data applies.
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(d) TRICARE PROGRAM DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘TRICARE program’’ has the meaning given such 
terms in section 1072 of title 10, United States Code. 
SEC. 733. ANNUAL REPORT ON PATIENT SAFETY, QUALITY 
OF CARE, AND ACCESS TO CARE AT MILITARY 
MEDICAL TREATMENT FACILITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than March 1 each year 
beginning in 2016, the Secretary of Defense shall submit 
to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the 
House of Representatives a comprehensive report on patient 
safety, quality of care, and access to care at military med-
ical treatment facilities. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—Each report required by subsection 
(a) shall include the following: 
(1) The number of sentinel events, as defined by 
the Joint Commission, that occurred at military med-
ical treatment facilities during the year preceding the 
submittal of the report, disaggregated by— 
(A) military medical treatment facility; 
and 
(B) military department with jurisdiction 
over such facilities. 
(2) With respect to each sentinel event described 
in paragraph (1)— 
(A) a synopsis of such event; and
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(C) data on surgical and maternity care 
outcomes during such year; 
(D) data on appointment wait times during 
such year; and 
(E) data on patient safety, quality of care, 
and access to care as compared to standards es-
tablished by the Department with respect to pa-
tient safety, quality of care, and access to care. 
SEC. 734. REPORT ON PLANS TO IMPROVE EXPERIENCE 
WITH AND ELIMINATE PERFORMANCE VARIA-
BILITY OF HEALTH CARE PROVIDED BY THE 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 
(a) COMPREHENSIVE REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of De-
fense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Serv-
ices of the Senate and the House of Representatives a 
comprehensive report setting forth the current and fu-
ture plans of the Secretary, with estimated dates of 
completion, to carry out the following: 
(A) To improve the experience of bene-
ficiaries with health care provided in military 
medical treatment facilities and through pur-
chased care.
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(B) To eliminate performance variability 
with respect to the provision of such health care. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The comprehensive report re-
quired by paragraph (1) shall include the plans of the 
Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secre-
taries of the military departments, as follows: 
(A) To align performance measures for 
health care provided in military medical treat-
ment facilities with performance measures for 
health care provided through purchased care. 
(B) To improve underperformance in the 
provision of health care by the Department of 
Defense by eliminating performance variability 
with respect to the provision of health care in 
military 
medical 
treatment 
facilities 
and 
through purchased care. 
(C) To use innovative, high-technology serv-
ices to improve access to care, coordination of 
care, and the experience of care in military med-
ical treatment facilities and through purchased 
care. 
(D) To collect and analyze data throughout 
the Department with respect to health care pro-
vided in military medical treatment facilities 
and through purchased care to improve the qual-
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ity of such care, patient safety, and patient sat-
isfaction. 
(E) To develop a performance management 
system, including by adoption of common meas-
ures for access to care, quality of care, safety, 
and patient satisfaction, that holds medical lead-
ership throughout the Department personally ac-
countable for sustained improvement of perform-
ance. 
(F) To use such other methods as the Sec-
retary considers appropriate to improve the ex-
perience of beneficiaries with and eliminate per-
formance variability with respect to health care 
received from the Department. 
(b) COMPTROLLER GENERAL REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after 
the submittal of the comprehensive report required by 
subsection (a), the Comptroller General of the United 
States shall submit to the Committees on Armed Serv-
ices of the Senate and the House of Representatives a 
report on the plans of the Secretary of Defense set 
forth in the comprehensive report submitted under 
such subsection. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para-
graph (1) shall include the following:
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(A) An assessment whether the plans in-
cluded in the comprehensive report submitted 
under subsection (a) will, with respect to mem-
bers of the Armed Forces and covered bene-
ficiaries under the TRICARE program— 
(i) improve health outcomes; 
(ii) create lasting health value; and 
(iii) ensure that such individuals are 
able to equitably obtain quality health care 
in all military medical treatment facilities 
and through purchased care. 
(B) An assessment whether such plans can 
be reasonably achieved within the estimated 
dates of completion set forth by the Department 
under such subsection. 
(C) An assessment whether any such plan 
would require legislative action for the imple-
mentation of such plan. 
(D) An assessment whether the Department 
of Defense has adequately budgeted amounts to 
fund the carrying out of such plans. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘purchased care’’ means health care 
provided pursuant to a contract entered into under 
the TRICARE program.
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(2) 
The 
terms 
‘‘covered 
beneficiary’’ 
and 
‘‘TRICARE program’’ have the meaning given such 
terms in section 1072 of title 10, United States Code. 
SEC. 735. REPORT ON PLAN TO IMPROVE PEDIATRIC CARE 
AND RELATED SERVICES FOR CHILDREN OF 
MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the 
Senate and the House of Representatives a report setting 
forth a plan of the Department of Defense to improve pedi-
atric care and related services for children of members of 
the Armed Forces. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required by subsection (a) 
shall include the following: 
(1) In order to ensure that children receive devel-
opmentally-appropriate and age-appropriate health 
care services from the Department, a plan to align 
preventive pediatric care under the TRICARE pro-
gram with— 
(A) standards for such care as required by 
the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 
(Public Law 111–148); 
(B) guidelines established for such care by 
the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis,
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
and Treatment program under the Medicaid pro-
gram carried out under title XIX of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.); and 
(C) recommendations by organizations that 
specialize in pediatrics. 
(2) A plan to develop a uniform definition of 
‘‘pediatric medical necessity’’ for the Department that 
aligns with recommendations of organizations that 
specialize in pediatrics in order to ensure that a con-
sistent definition of such term is used in providing 
health care in military medical treatment facilities 
and by health care providers under the TRICARE 
program. 
(3) A plan to revise certification requirements 
for residential treatment centers of the Department to 
expand the access of children of members of the Armed 
Forces to services at such centers. 
(4) A plan to develop measures to evaluate and 
improve access to pediatric care, coordination of pedi-
atric care, and health outcomes for such children. 
(5) A plan to include an assessment of access to 
pediatric specialty care in the annual report to Con-
gress on the effectiveness of the TRICARE program. 
(6) A plan to improve the quality of and access 
to behavioral health care under the TRICARE pro-
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gram for such children, including intensive outpatient 
and partial hospitalization services. 
(7) A plan to mitigate the impact of permanent 
changes of station and other service-related relocations 
of members of the Armed Forces on the continuity of 
health care services received by such children who 
have special medical or behavioral health needs. 
(8) A plan to mitigate deficiencies in data collec-
tion, data utilization, and data analysis to improve 
pediatric care and related services for children of 
members of the Armed Forces. 
(c) TRICARE PROGRAM DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘TRICARE program’’ has the meaning given such 
term in section 1072 of title 10, United States Code. 
SEC. 736. REPORT ON PRELIMINARY MENTAL HEALTH 
SCREENINGS FOR INDIVIDUALS BECOMING 
MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES. 
(a) REPORT ON RECOMMENDATIONS IN CONNECTION 
WITH SCREENINGS.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall 
submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate 
and the House of Representatives a report on mental health 
screenings of individuals enlisting or accessioning into the 
Armed Forces before enlistment or accession.
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(b) ELEMENTS.—The report under subsection (a) shall 
include the following: 
(1) Recommendations with respect to estab-
lishing a secure, electronically-based preliminary 
mental health screening of members of the Armed 
Forces to bring mental health screenings to parity 
with physical screenings of members. 
(2) Recommendations with respect to the com-
position of the mental health screening, evidenced- 
based best practices, and how to track changes in 
mental health screenings relating to traumatic brain 
injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other 
conditions. 
(c) COORDINATION
AND CONSULTATION.—The Sec-
retary shall prepare the report under subsection (a)— 
(1) in coordination with the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs, the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services, and the surgeons general of the military de-
partments; and 
(2) in consultation with experts in the field, in-
cluding the National Institute of Mental Health of the 
National Institutes of Health.
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SEC. 737. COMPTROLLER GENERAL REPORT ON USE OF 
QUALITY OF CARE METRICS AT MILITARY 
TREATMENT FACILITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 
of the United States shall submit to the Committees on 
Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representa-
tives a report on the use by the Department of Defense of 
metrics with respect to the quality of care provided at mili-
tary treatment facilities. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required by subsection (a) 
shall include the following: 
(1) The extent to which the Department of De-
fense and each military department use metrics to 
monitor and assess the quality of care provided at 
military treatment facilities. 
(2) How, if at all, the use of such metrics varies 
among the Department of Defense and each military 
department. 
(3) The extent to which the Department of De-
fense and each military department use the informa-
tion from such metrics to identify and address issues 
such as the performance of individual health care pro-
viders and areas in need of improvement system-wide. 
(4) The extent to which the Department of De-
fense and each military department oversee the proc-
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
ess of using metrics to monitor and assess the quality 
of care provided at military treatment facilities. 
SEC. 738. REPORT ON INTEROPERABILITY BETWEEN ELEC-
TRONIC HEALTH RECORDS SYSTEMS OF DE-
PARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND DEPARTMENT 
OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall jointly submit to Congress a report 
that sets forth a timeline with milestones for achieving 
interoperability between the electronic health records sys-
tems of the Department of Defense and the Department of 
Veterans Affairs. 
SEC. 739. SUBMITTAL OF INFORMATION TO SECRETARY OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS RELATING TO EXPOSURE 
TO AIRBORNE HAZARDS AND OPEN BURN 
PITS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, and periodically there-
after, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs such information in the possession of 
the Secretary of Defense as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
considers necessary to supplement and support— 
(1) the development of information to be in-
cluded in the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
Registry established by the Department of Veterans 
Affairs under section 201 of the Dignified Burial and 
Other Veterans’ Benefits Improvement Act of 2012 
(Public Law 112–260; 38 U.S.C. 527 note); and 
(2) research and development activities con-
ducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs to ex-
plore the potential health risks of exposure by mem-
bers of the Armed Forces to environmental factors in 
Iraq and Afghanistan, in particular the connection of 
such exposure to respiratory illnesses such as chronic 
cough, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, con-
strictive bronchiolitis, and pulmonary fibrosis. 
(b) INCLUSION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION.—The Sec-
retary of Defense shall include in the information submitted 
to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under subsection (a) 
information on any research and surveillance efforts con-
ducted by the Department of Defense to evaluate the inci-
dence and prevalence of respiratory illnesses among mem-
bers of the Armed Forces who were exposed to open burn 
pits while deployed overseas. 
SEC. 740. COMPTROLLER GENERAL STUDY ON GAMBLING 
AND PROBLEM GAMBLING BEHAVIOR AMONG 
MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General of the 
United States shall conduct a study on gaming facilities
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
at military installations and problem gambling among 
members of the Armed Forces. 
(b) MATTERS INCLUDED.—The study conducted under 
subsection (a) shall include the following: 
(1) With respect to gaming facilities at military 
installations, disaggregated by each branch of the 
Armed Forces— 
(A) the number, type, and location of such 
gaming facilities; 
(B) the total amount of cash flow through 
such gaming facilities; and 
(C) the amount of revenue generated by 
such gaming facilities for morale, welfare, and 
recreation programs of the Department of De-
fense. 
(2) An assessment of the prevalence of and par-
ticular risks for problem gambling among members of 
the Armed Forces, including such recommendations 
for policies and programs to be carried out by the De-
partment to address problem gambling as the Sec-
retary considers appropriate. 
(3) An assessment of the ability and capacity of 
military health care personnel to adequately diagnose 
and provide dedicated treatment for problem gam-
bling, including—
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
(A) a comparison of treatment programs of 
the Department for alcohol abuse, illegal sub-
stance abuse, and tobacco addiction with treat-
ment programs of the Department for problem 
gambling; and 
(B) an assessment of whether additional 
training for military health care personnel on 
providing treatment for problem gambling would 
be beneficial. 
(4) An assessment of the financial counseling 
and related services that are available to members of 
the Armed Forces and their dependents who are im-
pacted by problem gambling. 
(c) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller 
General shall submit to the appropriate committees of 
Congress a report on the results of the study con-
ducted under subsection (a). 
(2) APPROPRIATE
COMMITTEES
OF
CONGRESS 
DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate 
committees of Congress’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Armed Services and 
the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; 
and
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
(B) the Committee on Armed Services and 
the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
Representatives. 
SEC. 741. REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF DATA SECU-
RITY AND TRANSMISSION STANDARDS FOR 
ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than June 1, 2016, the 
Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall jointly submit to Congress a report on the standards 
for security and transmission of data to be implemented 
by the Department of Defense and the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs in deploying the new or updated, as the case 
may be, electronic health record system of each such Depart-
ment (required to be deployed by each such Department 
under section 713 of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2014 (Public Law 113–66; 10 U.S.C. 1071 
note)) at military installations and in field environments. 
(b) TRANSMISSION OF DATA.—The report required by 
subsection (a) shall include information on standards for 
transmission of data between the Department of Defense 
and the Department of Veterans Affairs and standards for 
transmission of data between each such Department and 
private sector entities.
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
TITLE VIII—ACQUISITION POL-
ICY, ACQUISITION MANAGE-
MENT, AND RELATED MAT-
TERS 
Subtitle A—Acquisition Policy and 
Management 
SEC. 801. ROLE OF SERVICE CHIEFS IN THE ACQUISITION 
PROCESS. 
(a) SERVICE CHIEFS AS CUSTOMER OF ACQUISITION 
PROCESS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Chapter 149 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after sec-
tion 2546 the following new section: 
‘‘§ 2546a. Customer-oriented acquisition system 
‘‘(a) OBJECTIVE.—It shall be the objective of the de-
fense acquisition system to meet the needs of its customers 
in the most cost-effective manner practicable. The acquisi-
tion policies, directives, and regulations of the Department 
of Defense shall be modified as necessary to ensure the devel-
opment and implementation of a customer-oriented acquisi-
tion system. 
‘‘(b) CUSTOMER.—The customer of the defense acquisi-
tion system is the military service that will have primary 
responsibility for fielding the system or systems acquired. 
The customer is represented with regard to a major defense
330 
† HR 1735 EAS1S 
acquisition program by the Secretary of the relevant mili-
tary department and the Chief of the relevant military serv-
ice. 
‘‘(c) ROLE OF CUSTOMER.—The customer of a major 
defense acquisition program shall be responsible for bal-
ancing resources against priorities on the acquisition pro-
gram and ensuring that appropriate trade-offs are made 
among cost, schedule, technical feasibility, and performance 
on a continuing basis throughout the life of the acquisition 
program.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of chapter 149 of such title is 
amended by inserting after the item relating to sec-
tion 2546 the following new item: 
‘‘2546a. Customer-oriented acquisition system.’’. 
(b) RESPONSIBILITIES OF CHIEFS.—Section 2547(a) 
of title 10, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (6) 
as paragraphs (3) through (7), respectively; 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
‘‘(2) Decisions regarding the balancing of re-
sources and priorities, and associated trade-offs 
among cost, schedule, technical feasibility, and per-
formance on major defense acquisition programs.’’; 
and
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
(3) in paragraph (6), as redesignated by para-
graph (1) of this subsection, by striking ‘‘The develop-
ment’’ and inserting ‘‘The development and manage-
ment’’. 
(c) RESPONSIBILITIES OF MILITARY DEPUTIES.—Sec-
tion 908(d) of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2008 (Public Law 110–181; 122 Stat. 278; 10 
U.S.C. 2430 note) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(d) DUTIES OF PRINCIPAL MILITARY DEPUTIES.— 
Each Principal Military Deputy to a service acquisition 
executive shall be responsible for— 
‘‘(1) keeping the Chief of Staff of the Armed 
Force concerned informed of the progress of major de-
fense acquisition programs; 
‘‘(2) informing the Chief of Staff on a continuing 
basis of any developments on major defense programs, 
which may require new or revisited trade-offs among 
cost, schedule, technical feasibility, and performance, 
including— 
‘‘(A) significant cost growth or schedule 
slippage; and 
‘‘(B) requirements creep (as defined in sec-
tion 2547(c)(1) of title 10, United States Code); 
and
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‘‘(3) ensuring that the views of the Chief of Staff 
on cost, schedule, technical feasibility, and perform-
ance trade-offs are strongly considered by program 
managers and program executive officers in all phases 
of the acquisition process.’’. 
(d) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) JOINT
REQUIREMENTS
OVERSIGHT
COUN-
CIL.—Section 181(d) of title 10, United States Code, 
is amended by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(3) The Council shall seek, and strongly consider, the 
views of the Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces, in their 
roles as customers of the acquisition system, on matters per-
taining to trade-offs among cost, schedule, technical feasi-
bility, and performance under subsection (b)(1)(C) and the 
balancing of resources with priorities pursuant to sub-
section (b)(3).’’. 
(2) MILESTONE A DECISIONS.—The chief of the 
relevant military service shall advise the milestone de-
cision authority for a major defense acquisition pro-
gram of the chief’s views on cost, schedule, technical 
feasibility, and performance trade-offs that have been 
made with regard to the program, as provided in sec-
tion 2366a(a)(2) of title 10, United States Code, as
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
amended by section 844 of this Act, prior to a Mile-
stone A decision on the program. 
(3) MILESTONE B DECISIONS.—The chief of the 
relevant military service shall advise the milestone de-
cision authority for a major defense acquisition pro-
gram of the chief’s views on cost, schedule, technical 
feasibility, and performance trade-offs that have been 
made with regard to the program, as provided in sec-
tion 2366b(b)(3) of title 10, United States Code, as 
amended by section 845 of this Act, prior to a Mile-
stone B decision on the program. 
(4) DUTIES OF CHIEFS.— 
(A) Section 3033(d)(5) of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘section 
171’’ and inserting ‘‘sections 171 and 2547’’. 
(B) Section 5033(d)(5) of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘section 
171’’ and inserting ‘‘sections 171 and 2547’’. 
(C) Section 5043(e)(5) of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘section 
171’’ and inserting ‘‘sections 171 and 2547’’. 
(D) Section 8033(d)(5) of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘section 
171’’ and inserting ‘‘sections 171 and 2547’’.
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
SEC. 802. EXPANSION OF RAPID ACQUISITION AUTHORITY. 
Section 806(c) of the Bob Stump National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 (Public Law 107–314; 
10 U.S.C. 2302 note) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(c) RESPONSE TO COMBAT EMERGENCIES AND CER-
TAIN URGENT OPERATIONAL NEEDS.— 
‘‘(1) DETERMINATION OF NEED FOR RAPID AC-
QUISITION AND DEPLOYMENT.—(A) In the case of any 
supplies and associated support services that, as de-
termined in writing by the Secretary of Defense, are 
urgently needed to eliminate a documented deficiency 
that has resulted in combat casualties, or is likely to 
result in combat casualties, the Secretary may use the 
procedures developed under this section in order to ac-
complish the rapid acquisition and deployment of the 
needed supplies and associated support services. 
‘‘(B) In the case of any supplies and associated 
support services that, as determined in writing by the 
Secretary of Defense, are urgently needed to eliminate 
a documented deficiency that impacts an ongoing or 
anticipated contingency operation and that, if left 
unfulfilled, could potentially result in loss of life or 
critical mission failure, the Secretary may use the 
procedures developed under this section in order to ac-
complish the rapid acquisition and deployment of the 
needed supplies and associated support services.
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
‘‘(C)(i) In the case of any supplies and associ-
ated support services that, as determined in writing 
by the Secretary of Defense without delegation, are 
urgently needed to eliminate a deficiency that as the 
result of a cyber attack has resulted in critical mis-
sion failure, the loss of life, property destruction, or 
economic effects, or if left unfilled is likely to result 
in critical mission failure, the loss of life, property 
destruction, or economic effects, the Secretary may use 
the procedures developed under this section in order 
to accomplish the rapid acquisition and deployment 
of the needed offensive or defensive cyber capabilities, 
supplies, and associated support services. 
‘‘(ii) In this subparagraph, the term ‘cyber at-
tack’ means a deliberate action to alter, disrupt, de-
ceive, degrade, or destroy computer systems or net-
works or the information or programs resident in or 
transiting these systems or networks. 
‘‘(2) DESIGNATION OF SENIOR OFFICIAL RESPON-
SIBLE.—(A) Whenever the Secretary makes a deter-
mination under subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of 
paragraph (1) that certain supplies and associated 
support services are urgently needed to eliminate a 
deficiency described in that subparagraph, the Sec-
retary shall designate a senior official of the Depart-
336 
† HR 1735 EAS1S 
ment of Defense to ensure that the needed supplies 
and associated support services are acquired and de-
ployed as quickly as possible, with a goal of awarding 
a contract for the acquisition of the supplies and asso-
ciated support services within 15 days. 
‘‘(B) Upon designation of a senior official under 
subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall authorize that 
official to waive any provision of law, policy, direc-
tive, or regulation described in subsection (d) that 
such official determines in writing would unneces-
sarily impede the rapid acquisition and deployment 
of the needed supplies and associated support services. 
In a case in which the needed supplies and associated 
support services cannot be acquired without an exten-
sive delay, the senior official shall require that an in-
terim solution be implemented and deployed using the 
procedures developed under this section to minimize 
adverse consequences resulting from the urgent need. 
‘‘(3) USE OF FUNDS.—(A) In any fiscal year in 
which the Secretary makes a determination described 
in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of paragraph (1), 
the Secretary may use any funds available to the De-
partment of Defense for acquisitions of supplies and 
associated support services if the determination in-
cludes a written finding that the use of such funds is
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† HR 1735 EAS1S 
necessary to address the deficiency in a timely man-
ner. 
‘‘(B) The authority of this section may only be 
used to acquire supplies and associated support serv-
ices— 
‘‘(i) in the case of determinations by the 
Secretary under paragraph (1)(A), in an 
amount aggregating not more than $200,000,000 
during any fiscal year; 
‘‘(ii) in the case of determinations by the 
Secretary under paragraph (1)(B), in an 
amount aggregating not more than $200,000,000 
during any fiscal year; and 
‘‘(iii) in the case of determinations by the 
Secretary under paragraph (1)(C), in an 
amount aggregating not more than $200,000,000 
during any fiscal year. 
‘‘(4) NOTIFICATION TO CONGRESSIONAL DEFENSE 
COMMITTEES.—(A) In the case of a determination by 
the Secretary under paragraph (1)(A), the Secretary 
shall notify the congressional defense committees of 
the determination within 15 days after the date of the 
determination. 
‘‘(B) In the case of a determination by the Sec-
retary under paragraph (1)(B) the Secretary shall
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notify the congressional defense committees of the de-
termination at least 10 days before the date on which 
the determination is effective. 
‘‘(C) A notice under this paragraph shall include 
the following: 
‘‘(i) The supplies and associated support 
services to be acquired. 
‘‘(ii) The amount anticipated to be ex-
pended for the acquisition. 
‘‘(iii) The source of funds for the acquisi-
tion. 
‘‘(D) A notice under this paragraph shall be suf-
ficient to fulfill any requirement to provide notifica-
tion to Congress for a new start program. 
‘‘(E) A notice under this paragraph shall be pro-
vided in consultation with the Director of the Office 
of Management and Budget. 
‘‘(5) TIME FOR TRANSITIONING TO NORMAL AC-
QUISITION SYSTEM.—Any acquisition initiated under 
this subsection shall transition to the normal acquisi-
tion system not later than two years after the date on 
which the Secretary makes the determination de-
scribed in paragraph (1) with respect to the supplies 
and associated support services concerned.
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‘‘(6) LIMITATION ON OFFICERS WITH AUTHORITY 
TO MAKE A DETERMINATION.—The authority to make 
a determination under subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) 
of paragraph (1) may be exercised only by the Sec-
retary or Deputy Secretary of Defense.’’. 
SEC. 803. MIDDLE TIER OF ACQUISITION FOR RAPID PROTO-
TYPING AND RAPID FIELDING. 
(a) GUIDANCE REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Sec-
retary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, 
in consultation with the Comptroller of the Department of 
Defense and the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 
shall establish guidance for a ‘‘middle tier’’ of acquisition 
programs that are intended to be completed in a period of 
two to five years. 
(b) ACQUISITION PATHWAYS.—The guidance required 
by subsection (a) shall cover the following two acquisition 
pathways: 
(1) RAPID
PROTOTYPING.—The rapid proto-
typing pathway shall provide for the use of innova-
tive technologies to rapidly develop fieldable proto-
types to demonstrate new capabilities and meet 
emerging military needs. The objective of an acquisi-
tion program under this pathway shall be to field a 
prototype that can be demonstrated in an operational