II 118th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 5528 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES December 12, 2024 Mr. Cruz introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To require an updated assessment of the public schools on installations of the Department of Defense, and for other purposes.

1. Assessment of public schools on installations of Department of Defense (a) Report required (1) Update of assessment on school capacity and condition Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees an updated assessment of the capacity and facility condition deficiencies of elementary and secondary public schools on military installations conducted by the Secretary in July 2011 under section 8109 of the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 ( Public Law 112–10 ; 125 Stat. 82), as updated by the Secretary in July 2017 under section 2814 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 ( Public Law 114–328 ; 130 Stat. 2717). (2) Consideration of factors In conducting the updated assessment required under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall take into consideration factors including— (A) schools that have had changes in their condition or capacity since the updated assessment in July 2017; and (B) the capacity and facility condition deficiencies of schools omitted from the updated assessment in July 2017. (3) Additional information The Secretary shall include in the updated assessment required under paragraph (1) a report on the status of the funds already appropriated, and a schedule for the completion of projects already approved, under the programs funded under section 8127 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 ( Public Law 115–141 ; 132 Stat. 492), section 8128 of the Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2019 ( Public Law 115–245 ; 123 Stat. 3029), section 8121 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 ( Public Law 116–93 ; 133 Stat. 2365), section 8118 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 ( Public Law 116–260 ; 134 Stat. 1332), and section 8109 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 ( Public Law 117–103 ; 136 Stat. 201). (b) Updating prohibition on use of certain assessment of public schools on Department of Defense installations To supersede funding of certain projects Paragraph (3) of section 2814(a) of the of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 ( Public Law 114–328 ; 130 Stat. 2717), as added by section 2818(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 115– 91; 131 Stat. 1852) and amended by section 2824(a) of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 ( Public Law 115–232 ; 132 Stat. 2269), is further amended by striking 38 projects and inserting 71 projects . (c) Comptroller General evaluation Not later than 180 days after the date of the submission of the updated assessment under subsection (a)(1), the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the congressional defense committees an evaluation of issues relating to the Public Schools on Military Installations program of the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation of the Department of Defense, including— (1) program operations and oversight; (2) use of funding; (3) criteria for selecting and prioritizing schools; (4) any interaction between such program and the Impact Aid program of the Department of Education; and (5) the extent to which such program is achieving the goals of such program.