In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''Theater Missile Defense Improvement
Act of 1998''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Development of medium-range ballistic missiles by
potential adversaries, such as Iran, has proceeded much more
rapidly than previously anticipated by the United States
Government.
(2) Existence of such missiles in potentially hostile
nations constitutes a serious threat to United States forces,
allies, and friends in the Middle East and Persian Gulf region
and cannot be adequately countered by currently deployed
ballistic missile defense systems.
(3) It is a matter of high national interest to quickly
reduce the vulnerability of United States forces, allies, and
friends to these threats.
(4) Meaningful and cost effective steps to reduce these
vulnerabilities are available and should be pursued
expeditiously.

SEC. 3. ACCELERATION OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PROGRAMS TO COUNTER
ENHANCED BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT.

Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for the Department
of Defense for fiscal year 1998 for Defense-wide research, development,
test, and evaluation in the amount of $147,000,000, to be available as
follows:
(1) Joint composite tracking network.--$35,000,000 to be
available for the Joint Composite Tracking Network program.
(2) Patriot remote launch capability.--$15,000,000 to be
available to accelerate development of the remote launch
capability for the Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-3) missile
defense system.
(3) PAC-3 and navy area defense tests.--$40,000,000 to be
available to test the capabilities of the Patriot Advanced
Capability (PAC-3) missile defense system, and to test the
capabilities of the Navy Area Defense System, against missiles
with the range of the Iranian ballistic missiles under
development.
(4) Early warning enhancement.--$6,000,000 to be available
for improved integration of the various elements of the SHIELD
system.
(5) PAC-3 production rate enhancements.--$41,000,000 to be
available for production rate enhancements for the Patriot
Advanced Capability (PAC-3) missile defense system.
(6) Israeli arrow missile defense system.--$10,000,000 to
be available to improve interoperability of the Israeli Arrow
tactical ballistic missile defense system with United States
theater missile defense systems.

SEC. 4. IDENTIFICATION OF OTHER POSSIBLE ACTIONS.

(a) Identification.--The Secretary of Defense shall identify
actions in addition to those authorized by section 3 that could be
taken by the Department of Defense to counter the threats posed to the
United States and its national security interests by the development or
acquisition of medium-range ballistic missiles by Iran and other
nations.
(b) Specific Actions To Be Taken.--The Secretary specifically shall
explore--
(1) additional cooperative measures between the Department
of Defense and the Ministry of Defense of Israel to further
enhance Israel's ability to defend itself against the threat
posed by ballistic missiles deployed by Iran and other nations;
and
(2) actions within the existing Navy Theater Wide Missile
Defense System program that could provide additional
capabilities useful to addressing the threat posed by medium-
range ballistic missiles within one to two years.
(c) Intergovernmental Coordination.--The Secretary shall undertake
appropriate intergovernmental and interagency coordination that would
be necessary to the conduct of any of the actions identified pursuant
to subsection (a).

SEC. 5. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act,
the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report providing--
(1) a description of the Secretary's plans for use of funds
appropriated pursuant to the authorizations of appropriations
in this Act; and
(2) a description of possible additional actions identified
by the Secretary pursuant to section 4(a) and the steps taken
or planned (as of the time of the report) to carry out section
4(c).

SEC. 6. OFFSETTING REDUCTIONS IN AUTHORIZATIONS.

The total amount authorized in section 201 of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1998 (Public Law 105-85) to be
appropriated for fiscal year 1998 for research, development, test, and
evaluation for the Department of Defense is hereby reduced by
$147,000,000, of which--
(1) $126,000,000 is to be derived from savings from the use
of advisory and assistance services by the Department of
Defense in accordance with section 8041 of the Department of
Defense Appropriations Act, 1998 (Public Law 105-56; 111 Stat.
1230); and
(2) $21,000,000 is to be derived from savings from the use
by the Department of Defense of defense federally funded
research and development centers in accordance with section
8035 of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 1998
(Public Law 105-56; 111 Stat. 1227).

Passed the House of Representatives March 30, 1998.

Attest:

ROBIN H. CARLE,

Clerk.
Theater Missile Defense Improvement Act of 1998 - Authorizes appropriations for the Department of Defense (DOD) for FY 1998 for defense-wide research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E), as specified, for: (1) the Joint Composite Tracking Network program; (2) testing, development of the remote launch capability, and production rate enhancements of the Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-3) missile defense system; (3) Navy Area Defense System testing; (4) SHIELD system element integration; and (5) Israeli Arrow tactical ballistic missile defense system integration with U.S. theater missile defense systems.
Directs the Secretary of Defense to identify other actions that could be taken to counter threats posed by the development or acquisition by Iran or other nations of medium-range ballistic missiles.
Requires the Secretary to report to the Congress on the use of such funds and additional actions taken under this Act.
Provides an offsetting reduction in amounts provided under the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1998 for DOD RDT&E, to be achieved through savings from the DOD use of: (1) advisory and assistance services; and (2) defense federally funded research and development centers.