Consortium To Study Irregular Warfare Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.5130 | Sponsor: Rep. Brown, Anthony G. (D-MD)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Consortium To Study Irregular Warfare Act of 2021
This bill requires the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering within the Department of Defense to establish a research consortium of institutions of higher education to study irregular warfare and the responses to irregular threats.
The office must coordinate activities related to the research consortium with the U.S. Special Operations Command.

To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish a research consortium 
of institutions of higher education to study irregular warfare and the 
                    responses to irregular threats.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Consortium To Study Irregular 
Warfare Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. CONSORTIUM TO STUDY IRREGULAR WARFARE.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Defense, acting through the 
Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, shall 
establish a research consortium of institutions of higher education to 
study irregular warfare and the responses to irregular threats.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of the consortium under subsection (a) 
are as follows:
            (1) To shape the formulation and application of policy 
        through the conduct of research and analysis regarding 
        irregular warfare.
            (2) To maintain open-source databases on issues relevant to 
        understanding terrorism, irregular threats, and social and 
        environmental change.
            (3) To serve as a repository for datasets regarding 
        research on security, social change, and irregular threats 
        developed by institutions of higher education that receive 
        Federal funding.
            (4) To support basic research in social science on emerging 
        threats and stability dynamics relevant to irregular threat 
        problem sets.
            (5) To transition promising basic research--
                    (A) to higher stages of research and development; 
                and
                    (B) into operational capabilities, as appropriate, 
                by supporting applied research and developing tools to 
                counter irregular threats.
            (6) To facilitate the collaboration of research centers of 
        excellence relating to irregular threats to better distribute 
        expertise to specific issues and scenarios regarding such 
        threats.
            (7) To enhance educational outreach and teaching at 
        professional military education schools to improve--
                    (A) the understanding of irregular threats; and
                    (B) the integration of data-based responses to such 
                threats.
            (8) To support classified research when necessary in 
        appropriately controlled physical spaces.
    (c) Coordination.--The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and 
Engineering shall coordinate activities conducted under this section 
with the Commander of the United States Special Operations Command.
    (d) Partnerships.--The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and 
Engineering shall encourage partnerships between the consortium and 
university-affiliated research centers and other research institutions.
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