H.R. 8800

119 HR 8800 EH: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027
 U.S. House of Representatives
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 I
 119th CONGRESS   2d Session
 H. R. 8800
 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 AN ACT
To authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027  .
2.
Organization of Act into divisions; table of contents
(a)
Divisions
This Act is organized into four divisions as follows:
(1)
Division A—Department of Defense Authorizations.
(2)
Division B—Military Construction Authorizations.
(3)
Division C—Department of Energy National Security Authorizations and Other Authorizations.
(4)
Division D—Funding Tables.
(5)
Division E—SAVE America Act.
(b)
Table of contents
The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Organization of Act into divisions; table of contents.
Sec. 3. Congressional defense committees.
Division A—Department of Defense Authorizations
Title I—Procurement
Subtitle A—Authorization of Appropriations
Sec. 101. Authorization of appropriations.
Subtitle B—Army Programs
Sec. 111. Standards for networked, autonomous, kinetic capabilities to protect against small unmanned aircraft systems.
Sec. 112. Report on production of 155mm artillery ammunition.
Sec. 113. Sense of Congress on domestic production of artillery projectiles.
Sec. 114. Report on fielding of Link 16 tactical data link networking capabilities on UH–60M and CH–47F aircraft.
Sec. 115. Minimum inventory requirement for Stryker A1 combat vehicles.
Sec. 116. Multiyear procurement authority for armored multi-purpose vehicles.
Subtitle C—Navy Programs
Sec. 121. Temporary unavailability of amphibious warfare ships.
Sec. 122. Authority to use incremental funding for long lead-time components for Virginia class submarines.
Sec. 123. Multiyear procurement authority for Arleigh Burke Class Destroyers.
Sec. 124. Multiyear procurement authority for John Lewis class Oilers.
Sec. 125. Procurement authorities for certain amphibious shipbuilding programs.
Sec. 126. Contract authority for submarine tender program.
Sec. 127. Multiyear procurement authority for E–2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft.
Sec. 128. Authority to use incremental funding for the construction of a Guided Missile Destroyer (DDG).
Sec. 129. Authority for advance procurement of components for Ship-to-Shore Connector class craft.
Sec. 130. Torpedo modernization, testing, and inventory sufficiency for two simultaneous regional conflicts.
Sec. 131. Limitation on construction of Battleship pending certification on technology readiness levels.
Sec. 132. Strategy for iterative development and flight modifications for FF(X) class frigates.
Sec. 133. Report on continuity of mission and readiness during transition of F–5 to F/A–18E/F aircraft for the Navy Reserve.
Sec. 134. Minimum inventory of P–8A Poseidon aircraft.
Subtitle D—Air Force Programs
Sec. 141. Inventory requirements for certain fighter aircraft.
Sec. 142. Extension of prohibition on retirement of F–22 aircraft.
Sec. 143. Limitation on retirement of E–3 airborne warning and control system aircraft and requirements relating to E–7 aircraft.
Sec. 144. Evaluation for potential transfer of certain A–10 aircraft among military departments.
Sec. 145. Extension of requirements relating to C–130 aircraft.
Sec. 146. Limitation on availability of funds for C–37 aircraft recapitalization program.
Sec. 147. Limitation on retirement of MQ–9 Reaper aircraft.
Sec. 148. Analysis of alternatives for next generation airlift capabilities.
Sec. 149. Authorization of transitional activities to improve airlift operations.
Sec. 150. Conveyance of certain F–14 aircraft to U.S. Space and Rocket Center Commission in Huntsville, Alabama.
Sec. 151. Report on the feasibility of restoring nuclear capability to the B–1B Lancer bomber aircraft.
Sec. 152. Limitation on retirement of E–11 battlefield airborne communications node aircraft.
Subtitle E—Defense-wide, Joint, and Multiservice Matters
Sec. 161. Multiyear procurement authority for F–15EX aircraft.
Sec. 162. Multiyear procurement authority for F–35 aircraft.
Sec. 163. Prohibition on procurement and use of humanoid robotic systems produced, developed, or controlled by foreign adversaries.
Sec. 164. Limitation on availability of funds to retire or decommission certain radar systems.
Sec. 165. Standards for common operating system for small unmanned aircraft systems.
Sec. 166. Minimum annual procurement goal for AbilityOne Program.
Sec. 167. Implementation of Comptroller General recommendations on F–35 Joint Strike Fighter technical data needs for sustainment.
Sec. 168. Implementation of GAO recommendation on F–35 joint strike fighter use of contract incentive fees.
Sec. 169. Study on fuel procurement practices of the Department of Defense.
Sec. 170. Limitation on procurement of cut flowers and cut greens.
Sec. 171. Modification to multiyear procurement authority for domestically processed critical minerals.
Sec. 172. Assessment of Department of Defense display supply chain vulnerabilities.
Sec. 173. Sense of Congress on fielding of combat collaborative aircraft capabilities to support warfighters.
Title II—RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST, AND EVALUATION
Subtitle A—Authorization of Appropriations
Sec. 201. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 202. Funding for compact semiconductor-based fast neutron detectors.
Sec. 203. Funding for environmental and thermal protection coatings.
Sec. 204. Funding for reactive material to enhance the lethality of munitions.
Sec. 205. Funding for next generation combat vehicle advanced technology.
Sec. 206. Funding for rapid airborne and waterborne chemical and biological threat detection.
Sec. 207. Funding for the Rapid Prototyping Program.
Sec. 208. Funding for ultra-light Group 1 small unmanned aircraft systems for special operations forces.
Sec. 209. Funding for National Defense Education Program.
Sec. 209A. Funding for software-defined and AI-powered counter unmanned aerial systems.
Sec. 209B. Funding for blast overpressure mitigation devices for small and medium caliber weapons.
Sec. 209C. Funding for high-hypersonic detonation propulsion research and flight demonstrations.
Sec. 209D. Increase in funding for Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities.
Sec. 209E. Funding for advanced naval casting for hardware and operational repairs.
Sec. 209F. Funding for accelerating the adoption of naval aviation advanced manufacturing processes.
Sec. 209G. Funding for Air Force materials research.
Sec. 209H. Funding for university innovative materials processing modernization research.
Sec. 209I. Funding for autonomous high-altitude long-endurance aircraft and pseudo-satellites.
Subtitle B—Program Requirements, Restrictions, and Limitations
Sec. 211. Budget review and certification for certain categories of research and development.
Sec. 212. Deputy Directors of Operational Test and Evaluation.
Sec. 213. Repeal of pilot authority for use of other transactions for installation or facility prototyping.
Sec. 214. Modifications to responsibilities of the Defense Innovation Unit.
Sec. 215. Test and evaluation repository and regional test hubs of the Test Resource Management Center.
Sec. 216. Weapon system platform modernization and cyber hardening.
Sec. 217. Repeal of requirement for Secretary of Defense to act through a specified official for NATO innovation program.
Sec. 218. Modification to test program for engineering plant of certain vessels.
Sec. 219. United States–Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative.
Sec. 220. Establishment of synthetic training environment to support Indo-Pacific operations.
Sec. 221. Requirement to establish test and training corridors for small unmanned aircraft systems and associated capabilities.
Sec. 222. Operational autonomy requirements for unmanned surface vessels.
Sec. 223. Realignment of the National Strategic Research Institute to the Department of the Air Force.
Sec. 224. Reimbursement of National Guard for research, development, test, and evaluation expenses.
Sec. 225. Use of innovative and emerging food production technologies for components of military rations.
Sec. 226. Support for advanced technologies that strengthen United States agricultural production, agrifood systems, and associated bioindustrial manufacturing capacity.
Sec. 227. Prize competitions to support the research and development of biotechnology for the Department of Defense.
Sec. 228. Pilot program to recognize outstanding achievements in technology and prototype development.
Sec. 229. Pilot program on forward deployable biomanufacturing capabilities.
Sec. 230. Pilot program on the use of automated data security posture management technologies for artificial intelligence systems.
Sec. 231. Pilot program on technologies to strengthen authentication and attribution of human authorization for consequential actions.
Sec. 232. Cloud laboratory pilot program.
Sec. 233. Pilot program to test and evaluate muzzle blast overpressure mitigation devices.
Sec. 234. Space technology demonstration of advanced nuclear propulsion technologies.
Sec. 235. Prohibition on pilot trainees operating T–7 aircraft pending testing and corrective actions.
Sec. 236. Prohibition on availability of funds for gain of function research.
Sec. 237. Prohibition on availability of funds for animal research in collaboration with foreign countries of concern.
Sec. 238. Prioritization of partnerships with institutions of higher education in certain research areas.
Sec. 239. Mobile device force protection against commercial surveillance threats.
Sec. 240. Modifications to joint artificial intelligence research, development, and transition activities.
Sec. 241. Pilot program on use of subscription-based funding model at Major Range and Test Facility Base.
Sec. 242. Secure artificial intelligence data center demonstration program.
Sec. 243. Comprehensive shared database for research and development.
Sec. 244. Development, test, evaluation, demonstration, and transition to production of alternative low-cost weapon systems.
Sec. 245. Modification to use of partnership intermediaries to promote defense research and education.
Subtitle C—Plans, Reports, and Other Matters
Sec. 251. Policy to guide the development and acquisition of quantum computing systems for the Department of Defense.
Sec. 252. Plan for competitive experimentation relating to autonomous and nontraditional capabilities relevant to the A–10 mission set.
Sec. 253. Plan for establishment and evaluation of experimental, drone-centric reconnaissance and security formations.
Sec. 254. Plan for use of certain aircraft for research and development purposes.
Sec. 255. Sonobuoy modernization, testing, and inventory sufficiency for two simultaneous regional conflicts.
Sec. 256. Review and implementation of strategies to accelerate the qualification process for domestically produced advanced energetic materials.
Sec. 257. Funding for rotary wing aviation lift upgrade enhancement.
Sec. 258. Strategy for the adoption and integration of artificial intelligence.
Sec. 259. Report on Gun-Launched Electromagnetic Obscuration Capabilities for Naval Systems.
Sec. 260. Plan to support advanced manufacturing and materials for hypersonics research and development.
Sec. 261. Strategy for the development of friction stir additive manufacturing technologies.
Sec. 262. Annual report on the transition of successful prototype projects.
Title III—Operation and Maintenance
Subtitle A—Authorization of Appropriations
Sec. 301. Authorization of appropriations.
Subtitle B—Energy and Environment
Sec. 311. Inclusion of nuclear energy in energy policy of Department of Defense and related matters.
Sec. 312. Modification to pilot program on Navy installation nuclear energy.
Sec. 313. Standardized document on scope of projects carried out under Military Munitions Response Program.
Sec. 314. Pilot program for secure recycling of domestic electronic waste.
Sec. 315. Program for deployment of transportable nuclear microreactor in area of responsibility of the United States Indo-Pacific Command.
Sec. 316. Prohibition on operation of connected vehicles designed, developed, manufactured, or supplied by persons owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction of a foreign entity of concern on Department of Defense property.
Sec. 317. Pilot program on off-grid tactical power.
Sec. 318. Clarification of certain authorities independent from designated Executive Agent for installation or operational nuclear energy.
Sec. 319. Assessment of geothermal energy potential with respect to military installations.
Sec. 319A. Report on PFAS destruction and water reclamation.
Sec. 319B. Geothermal resource confirmation for Saipan under Energy Resilience and Conservation Investment Program.
Sec. 319C. Study on energy fuel source conversion at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant.
Subtitle C—Logistics and Sustainment
Sec. 321. Requirement for quarterly reports on munitions inventory numbers.
Sec. 322. Increase of capital investment program threshold for working-capital funds.
Sec. 323. Establishment of Civil Reserve Industrial Base.
Sec. 324. Modification of minimum capital investment for certain depots of Department of Defense.
Sec. 325. Expansion of covered depots to include Crane Army Ammunition Activity, Indiana.
Sec. 326. Expansion of space-available travel program for members of the Armed Forces stationed at United States Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Sec. 327. Authorization of sustainable aviation fuel procurement.
Sec. 328. Modification and extension of pilot program on optimization of aerial refueling and fuel management in contested logistics environments through use of artificial intelligence.
Sec. 329. Army expansion of production of 155mm artillery ammunition.
Sec. 330. Requirements relating to aerial refueling capability of Air Force tanker fleet.
Sec. 331. Navy containerized expeditionary advanced manufacturing capabilities pilot program.
Sec. 332. Expansion of transportation services on Navy installations.
Sec. 333. Requirements relating to sustainment of A–10 aircraft and related training.
Sec. 334. Requirement for standardized munitions with respect to certain unmanned aircraft.
Sec. 335. Requirement to ensure sufficiency of naval mine inventory.
Sec. 336. Improvements to management of tactical vehicles of the Navy and Marine Corps.
Sec. 337. Pilot program on integrated road and railroad logistics capabilities for United States Transportation Command.
Subtitle D—Reports
Sec. 341. Strategy to support Joint Strike Fighter sustainment and maintenance in contested operating environments.
Sec. 342. Assessment of capacity for ground-safety programs with respect to tactical vehicle operations.
Sec. 343. Report on reduction of training-related accidents across military departments.
Sec. 344. Study on potential establishment of Strategic Infrastructure Partnership Initiative.
Sec. 345. Report on accelerating military posture within area of responsibility of United States Indo-Pacific Command.
Sec. 346. Requirement to provide briefing on insect repellent uniform treatments.
Sec. 347. Study and report on use of next-generation geothermal technologies to support energy capabilities of the Department of Defense.
Sec. 348. Report on certain water and wastewater infrastructure systems at military installations.
Subtitle E—Other Matters
Sec. 351. Establishment of Center for the Study of the National Guard.
Sec. 352. Disposition of accountable property in designated theaters of operation.
Sec. 353. Certification requirement for motor carriers transporting Department of Defense freight.
Sec. 354. Establishment of national security registry for motor carriers handling Department of Defense freight.
Sec. 355. Protection of property owned, possessed, or shipped by the Department of Defense from lien, arrest, or seizure during shipment.
Sec. 356. Establishment of United States Marine Corps Museum System.
Sec. 357. Requirement for FireGuard program.
Sec. 358. Pilot program for testing and evaluation of counter-fire unmanned fire suppression aircraft systems on military installations.
Sec. 359. Pilot program on data collection and analysis in connection with Army combat training center rotations.
Sec. 360. Minimum maritime firefighting capability standards for naval installations that berth large naval vessels.
Sec. 361. Minimum staffing requirements for fire apparatus at certain Space Force installations.
Sec. 362. Activities for evaluating integration and interoperability of technologies for subterranean operations.
Sec. 363. Improvements to Osprey aircraft safety efforts.
Sec. 364. Army pilot program on electronic ammunition simulation for small arms training.
Sec. 365. Pilot program on hydrophobin-based biomanufactured treatment as flame-resistant and water-repellent treatments for military uniforms.
Sec. 366. Federal financial assistance for operation and maintenance of National Guard facilities.
Title IV—MILITARY PERSONNEL AUTHORIZATIONS
Subtitle A—Active Forces
Sec. 401. End strengths for active forces.
Subtitle B—Reserve Forces
Sec. 411. End strengths for Selected Reserve.
Sec. 412. End strengths for Reserves on active duty in support of the Reserves.
Sec. 413. End strengths for military technicians (dual status).
Sec. 414. Maximum number of reserve personnel authorized to be on active duty for operational support.
Sec. 415. Authorized strengths: Senior enlisted members on active duty or on full-time National Guard Duty for administration of the Marine Corps Reserve.
Sec. 416. Removal of end strength limitation for National Guard support for counterdrug activities.
Subtitle C—Authorization of Appropriations
Sec. 421. Military personnel.
Title V—MILITARY PERSONNEL POLICY
Subtitle A—Officer Policy and Reserve Component Management
Sec. 501. Flexibility in requirements of selection boards: composition; convening.
Sec. 502. Requirements for removal of certain general and flag officers.
Sec. 503. Limited consideration of satisfactory non-regular service towards service-in-grade requirement of a reserve officer who retires voluntarily.
Sec. 504. Ranks of Judge Advocates General.
Sec. 505. Grades of certain chiefs of reserve components.
Sec. 506. Grade of Chief of the Veterinary Corps of the Army.
Sec. 507. Report on effect of equipment shortfalls on National Guard ability to assist in disaster response.
Sec. 508. Continuation in office of Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau when necessary to ensure leadership continuity.
Sec. 509. Limitation on the transfer to the Space Force of certain functions of the Air National Guard.
Sec. 509A. Change in evaluation criteria for officers: notification; consultation.
Sec. 509B. Inclusion of Judge Advocates in Global Force Management processes.
Sec. 509C. Role of military chaplains.
Subtitle B—Recruitment, General Service Authorities and Prohibitions, and Military Records
Sec. 511. Recruitment: improvements relating to secondary schools.
Sec. 512. Prohibition on reduction in personnel assigned to duty with a service review agency; report on reviews of certain discharges related to PTSD.
Sec. 513. Selective Service System: omission of deceased persons from registration.
Sec. 514. Requirement of equal opportunity, racial neutrality, and exclusive use of merit in military personnel actions.
Sec. 515. Prohibition of hate symbols: regulations; guidance; training.
Sec. 516. Timely resolution of career-impacting administrative investigations.
Sec. 517. Prohibition on use of prediction markets by personnel of the Department of Defense.
Sec. 518. Soldier Digital Lifecycle Modernization Initiative.
Sec. 519. Authority to study the propensity of certain students to serve in the Armed Forces.
Sec. 519A. Prohibition on enlistment or appointment of foreign nationals from foreign adversaries.
Sec. 519B. Report on educational partnerships to support military recruitment, readiness, and end strength requirements.
Sec. 519C. Prohibited dietary supplement ingredients and performance-enhancing substances.
Subtitle C—Member Training
Sec. 521. Ineligibility of a national of a non-allied foreign nation to attend a Service Academy.
Sec. 522. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics program for Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps.
Sec. 523. Additional nominees to the Service Academies from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Sec. 524. Elimination of cap on the number of cadets or midshipmen who may receive alternative service obligations to become professional athletes.
Sec. 525. Elimination of the right of cadets to automatic reexamination.
Sec. 526. Congressional communications officials of the Service Academies.
Sec. 527. Revision to decision timeframe for expedited transfers at the military service academies.
Sec. 528. Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps instructor pay.
Sec. 529. Establishment of program to promote participation of foreign students in the Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps.
Sec. 529A. Establishment of the Military Service Academy Panel on Athletics.
Sec. 529B. Limitation on authority to eliminate the 70th Flying Training Squadron of the United States Air Force Academy.
Sec. 529C. Modifications to payment of tuition for off-duty training or education.
Sec. 529D. Update of guidance and evaluation of Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps instructor pay scale.
Sec. 529E. Expansion of personalized financial and housing counseling for members of the Armed Forces.
Sec. 529F. Strategy to improve academic outcomes at the United States Air Force Academy.
Subtitle D—Member Education
Sec. 531. Establishment of a doctor of psychology program and a master of social work program at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.
Sec. 532. Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship and Financial Assistance program: eligible institutions; continuity of payments.
Sec. 533. Inclusion of National Intelligence College as part of the National Defense University.
Sec. 534. Defense Information School: authority to grant associate’s degree in communications.
Sec. 535. Eligibility of an enlisted member to receive a degree from the Naval Postgraduate School.
Sec. 536. Redesignation of Dean of the Faculty of United States Air Force Academy as Provost and Dean of the Faculty.
Sec. 537. Joint Special Operations University.
Subtitle E—Military Justice
Sec. 541. Clarification of qualifications for judge advocates.
Sec. 542. Authority of special trial counsel to enter into pretrial agreements with respect to certain offenses.
Sec. 543. Clarifying amendment to completion of appellate review under article 57 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Sec. 544. Review of courts-martial records.
Sec. 545. Uniform Code of Military Justice: prohibition of review of factual sufficiency in certain appeals before a Court of Criminal Appeals.
Sec. 546. Clarification of court of criminal appeals review of sentencing.
Sec. 547. Expansion of victim access to Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.
Sec. 548. Modifications to offense of wrongful broadcast or distribution of intimate visual images under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Sec. 549. Authorization of death penalty for offense of rape of a child under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Sec. 549A. Punitive article on retaliation for reporting of sexual harassment under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Sec. 549B. Revision of Department of Defense Instruction regarding early release eligibility for offenders convicted of certain sexual offenses under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Sec. 549C. Notification required to implement changes to military legal system recommended by Special Review Panel activities.
Sec. 549D. Analysis of potential establishment of separate punitive article on hazing under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Subtitle F—Investigations and Other Legal Matters
Sec. 551. Extension of Special Victims’ Counsel services to domestic violence victims.
Sec. 552. Policies regarding the reporting of missing members of the Armed Forces.
Sec. 553. Authority of Naval Criminal Investigative Service to investigate sexual harassment.
Sec. 554. Cross-service data sharing regarding substantiated allegations of sexual misconduct.
Sec. 555. Inclusion of sexual harassment in Catch a Serial Offender program.
Sec. 556. Military domestic violence emergent housing policy.
Sec. 557. Requirement for standardized policies and processes to ensure the timely review, documentation, and resolution of requests for military protective orders.
Sec. 558. Reestablishment of Defense Advisory Committee for the Prevention of Sexual Misconduct.
Sec. 559. Pilot program on use of advanced monitoring and rehabilitative technologies in Army correctional facilities.
Sec. 559A. Establishment of Department of Defense automated victim notification system.
Subtitle G—Career Transition
Sec. 561. Establishment of separation oath for members of the Armed Forces.
Sec. 562. Designation of senior official for military-to-civilian transition.
Sec. 563. Authorization of pilot program to help members separating from certain Armed Forces obtain employment as teachers.
Sec. 564. Study on separation of members of the Armed Forces due to the mandate to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and the transfer of education benefits by such members.
Sec. 565. Pilot program to provide benefits and services to Army explosive ordnance disposal members who are separating.
Sec. 566. Additional funding for Skillbridge.
Sec. 567. GAO study and report on mental health effectiveness of Transition Assistance Program and Solid Start Program.
Subtitle H—Family Programs, Child Care, and Dependent Education
Sec. 571. Extension of non-medical counseling services program for military families.
Sec. 572. Pilot program to increase payments for child care services in high-cost areas.
Sec. 573. Pilot program to provide financial assistance to members of the Armed Forces for in-home child care: inclusion of au pairs.
Sec. 574. Modifications to pilot program to provide financial assistance to members of the Armed Forces for in-home child care.
Sec. 575. Certain assistance to local educational agencies that benefit dependents of military and civilian personnel.
Sec. 576. Policies to support military families subject to court-ordered child custody arrangements.
Sec. 577. Authority for pilot program for certain military spouses to become special education teachers in DODEA schools.
Sec. 578. Pilot program for push-text notifications to members and dependents.
Sec. 579. Classroom Safe Haven Force Protection Pilot Program.
Sec. 579A. Comptroller General study of child care services provided or paid for by the Department of Defense.
Sec. 579B. Prohibition on male participation in female sports at DODEA schools.
Sec. 579C. Study on weekend drill child care programs.
Sec. 579D. Report on strengthening the military child care workforce.
Sec. 579E. Support for expanding early child care options for members of the Armed Forces and their families.
Sec. 579F. Limitation on provision of funds to elementary and secondary schools hosting Confucius Institutes and Classrooms.
Sec. 579G. Department of Defense education activity emergency response mapping.
Subtitle I—Decorations and Awards
Sec. 581. Gold star survivor: definition prescribed by Secretary of Defense.
Sec. 582. Medal of Honor recipients: access to any military installation; liaison.
Sec. 583. Technical correction to authorization to award the Distinguished-Service Cross to Isaac  Ike  Camacho.
Sec. 584. Authorization of service ribbon for a member of the National Guard who performs homeland defense duty.
Sec. 585. Authorization for posthumous award of Medal of Honor to Rafael Peralta for acts of valor.
Sec. 586. Authorization for posthumous award of Medal of Honor to Robert A. Lodge for acts of valor.
Sec. 587. Authorization for award of the Distinguished-Service Cross for James O. Ratliff for acts of valor during the Vietnam War.
Sec. 588. Authorization to award the Distinguished-Service Cross to Joseph P. Lynch for acts of valor as a member of the Army during the Vietnam War.
Sec. 589. Sense of Congress regarding award of medal of honor to Thomas J. Grasso for acts of valor during Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.
Sec. 589A. Sense of Congress regarding award of Medal of Honor to retired Colonel Philip J. Conran for acts of valor in Laos during the Vietnam war.
Sec. 589B. Sense of Congress regarding award of award of Medal of Honor to Gregory McManus for acts of valor.
Sec. 589C. Study on timely process of award and decoration recommendations.
Sec. 589D. Sense of Congress regarding award of medal of honor to Robert J. Graham for acts of valor.
Sec. 589E. Authorization for award of medal of honor to certain battle of midway torpedo squadron commanders and dive bomber flight leads for acts of valor.
Subtitle J—Other Matters and Miscellaneous Reports
Sec. 591. Expansion of eligibility of veterans for certain military adaptive sports program.
Sec. 592. Expanded goals of authorized program regarding the National September 11 Memorial and Museum.
Sec. 593. Local agricultural procurement in Guam commissaries.
Sec. 594. Submission of review of operational effectiveness of Army and Marine Corps ground combat units.
Sec. 595. Pilot program of anonymous nonmedical counseling for special operations forces.
Sec. 596. Assessment of antisemitism in the Service Academies.
Subtitle K—Military Chaplains Modernization Act of 2026
Sec. 597. Short title.
Sec. 598. Findings.
Sec. 599. Duties, responsibilities, requirements, and protections for Army chaplains.
Sec. 599A. Duties, responsibilities, requirements, and protections for Navy chaplains.
Sec. 599B. Duties, responsibilities, requirements, and protections for Air Force chaplains.
Sec. 599C. Definition of chaplain for title 10, United States Code.
Sec. 599D. Effect of violations.
Sec. 599E. Regulations.
Sec. 599F. Conforming amendments.
Title VI—MILITARY COMPENSATION AND OTHER BENEFITS
Subtitle A—Bonus and Incentive Pays
Sec. 601. One-year extension of certain expiring bonus and special pay authorities.
Sec. 602. Authorizing board certification incentive pay for medical officers with doctoral degrees.
Sec. 603. One-time corrective increase and annual adjustments for certain special and incentive pays for members of the armed forces; clarification of special and incentive pay authorities for members of reserve components.
Sec. 604. Payment of maximum amount of aviation incentive pay to aviation officers with more than 8 years of aviation service; enhancement of retention incentives available to aviation officers.
Sec. 605. Expansions of authorities to contract with members of the Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps.
Sec. 606. Retroactive granting of waivers for aviation incentive pay.
Sec. 607. Improvements to incentive pay for explosive ordnance disposal duty.
Sec. 608. Modification of implementation determination for special and incentive pay authorities for members of reserve components.
Subtitle B—Allowances
Sec. 611. Basic needs allowance: exclusion of basic allowance for housing from the calculation of gross household income of an eligible member of the Armed Forces.
Sec. 612. Basic allowance for housing: permanent authority to make certain temporary increases.
Sec. 613. Temporary adjustment to a rate of the basic allowance for housing for members of the uniformed services: lower threshold; permanent authority.
Sec. 614. Modifications to cost-of-living allowance in the continental United States for members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force.
Sec. 615. Payment of costs to ship breast milk of a member performing certain duty.
Sec. 616. Prohibition on charging members of the Armed Forces for meals while serving on naval vessels.
Subtitle C—Leave
Sec. 621. Accrual of leave for members of the Armed Forces.
Sec. 622. Accumulation of leave for members of the Armed Forces.
Sec. 623. Bereavement leave for a member of the Armed Forces in the case of a loss of pregnancy or stillbirth.
Sec. 624. Authorization of more than one period of rest and recuperation absence for certain members extending duty at designated locations overseas.
Subtitle D—Family and Survivor Benefits
Sec. 631. Payment to participant in Survivor Benefit Plan whose spouse dies before the participant.
Sec. 632. Increase in and cost-of-living adjustment of death gratuity.
Subtitle E—Defense Resale Matters
Sec. 641. Use of commissary stores by employees of the Department of Defense Education Activity and military child development centers.
Sec. 642. Single-use shopping bags in commissary stores.
Sec. 643. Limitation on implementation of Supply Chain Transformation Initiative of the Defense Commissary Agency.
Sec. 644. Prohibition on procurement and commissary sales of seafood originating or processed in the People’s Republic of China.
Subtitle F—Other Benefits, Reports, and Briefings
Sec. 651. Career flexibility programs: eligibility of a member already subject to a period of obligated service; minimum length of program.
Sec. 652. Provision of information regarding food access and child care for members receiving orders for a change of permanent station.
Sec. 653. Reserves and retired members: acceptance of employment, payments, and awards from foreign governments through private entities.
Sec. 654. Program to provide to certain patrons a discount on motor fuel sold at exchange stores.
Sec. 655. Independent study on military personnel tempo, workload, and compensation in comparison to civilians with similar duties.
Sec. 656. Department of Defense Military Retirement Fund: payment of retired pay for all members of the uniformed services.
Sec. 657. Report on military camping and recreational park program.
Title VII—Health Care Provisions
Subtitle A—TRICARE and Other Health Benefits
Sec. 701. Dental readiness for certain members of Selected Reserve.
Sec. 702. Expanded access to dental care for certain dependents.
Sec. 703. Fertility treatment for certain members of the Armed Forces and dependents.
Sec. 704. Limitation on ability of Secretary of Defense to modify scope of medical services.
Sec. 705. Prohibition on and reversal of actions to modify scope of medical services provided at certain military medical treatment facilities.
Sec. 706. TRICARE coverage for increased supply for contraception.
Sec. 707. Pilot program to help certain members of the Armed Forces stop smoking.
Sec. 708. Continuity of maternity care during permanent change of station.
Sec. 709. Prohibition on coverage of gender-related medical treatment under TRICARE.
Sec. 710. Coverage of cranial orthotic devices for deformational plagiocephaly under TRICARE program.
Sec. 711. TRICARE coverage for anesthesia for in-office dental procedures for pediatric dentistry for children age 5 and under.
Sec. 712. Education on newborn screening options for TRICARE beneficiaries.
Sec. 713. Improvement to continuation of transitional health care.
Subtitle B—Health Care Administration
Sec. 721. Improvements to Defense Health Agency.
Sec. 722. Improvements to administration of military medical treatment facilities.
Sec. 723. Designation of Defense Health Agency as Combat Support Agency.
Sec. 724. Accounts for medical and health care programs of the Department of Defense.
Sec. 725. Availability of Combat and Operational Medicine Program Account and other funds for certain medical countermeasures.
Sec. 726. Inclusion of Defense Health Agency in reporting requirements relating to unfunded priorities.
Sec. 727. Joint trauma system.
Sec. 728. Clarification of consistent evaluations of medical malpractice claims.
Sec. 729. Chaperones for certain sensitive examinations at military medical treatment facilities.
Sec. 730. Requirement to offer medical chaperones during sensitive medical examinations.
Sec. 731. Uniform protocols on screening for unwanted sexual behavior.
Sec. 732. Requirement to notify Committees on Armed Services of hospitalization of combat wounded members of the Armed Forces.
Sec. 733. Authority to provide residencies, internships, and similar postgraduate programs for civilian health care professionals of the Department of Defense.
Sec. 734. Notification to TRICARE beneficiaries of coverage transition requirements.
Sec. 735. Waiver of referral requirement under TRICARE Prime for certain physical therapy.
Sec. 736. Rates of pay for a provider of care or services furnished under TRICARE program.
Sec. 737. Plans on military health system.
Sec. 738. Modification to qualification waiver authority for applicants for nursing or practical nurse positions in the Department of Defense.
Sec. 739. Aerial transport and Department-wide capability for high-consequence infectious diseases.
Sec. 740. Availability of obstetrician-gynecologists and certified nurse-midwifes at military medical treatment facilities.
Sec. 741. Availability of sexual assault nurse examiner services at military medical treatment facilities.
Sec. 742. Improvement of process for filing of complaints and reporting of issues under TRICARE program.
Sec. 743. Pilot program on filling primary care management positions at remote military medical treatment facilities.
Sec. 744. Establishment of pilot program on use of health care assessments other than periodic health assessments.
Sec. 745. Pilot program to test standalone technology to improve efficiencies in supply-chain management, medical readiness, and medical processes.
Sec. 746. Improvement to the TRICARE competitive plans demonstration project.
Subtitle C—Studies, Reports, and Other Matters
Sec. 751. Quarterly briefing on military treatment facilities.
Sec. 752. Enhanced medical coverage for civilian employees of the Department of Defense and dependents in certain locations.
Sec. 753. Modifications to pilot program to assist certain members of the Armed Forces and dependents with additional supplemental coverage relating to cancer.
Sec. 754. Modifications to evaluation and report on TRICARE program effectiveness.
Sec. 755. Extension of extramedical maternal health providers demonstration project.
Sec. 756. Modification of traumatic brain injury oversight strategy and action plan of the Department of Defense.
Sec. 757. Expansion of prohibition on painful research on certain animals.
Sec. 758. Pilot program to treat pregnancy as a qualifying event for enrollment in TRICARE Select.
Sec. 759. Access to automated external defibrillators during military physical training.
Sec. 760. Pilot program on remote blood pressure monitoring for certain pregnant and postpartum TRICARE beneficiaries.
Sec. 761. Continuous glucose monitoring pilot program.
Sec. 762. Pilot program on secure, mobile personal health record for members of the Armed Forces.
Sec. 763. Pilot program to provide for the use of blue-light dissipating displays to certain individuals.
Sec. 764. Extension and improvement of pilot program of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences on pharmaceutical supply chain.
Sec. 765. Working group on digital strategy for traumatic brain injuries.
Sec. 766. Study on long-term effects of military flight operations on brain health and mental health.
Sec. 767. Study on feasibility of establishing military medical treatment facility at Homestead Air Reserve Base.
Sec. 768. Study on feasibility of establishing digital system relating to access to care at military medical treatment facilities.
Sec. 769. Review by Inspector General of the Department of Defense on efforts to prevent suicide.
Sec. 770. Requirements relating to wellness checks for health and welfare of certain members of the Armed Forces.
Sec. 771. Reports on Department of Defense Comprehensive Autism Care Demonstration program.
Sec. 772. Transition of medics to civilian workforce.
Sec. 773. Strategic plan to address mental health of certain members of the Armed Forces.
Sec. 774. Briefing on prostate cancer incidence and emerging diagnostic technologies.
Sec. 775. Assessment of access, fairness, and transparency under TRICARE pharmacy benefits program.
Sec. 776. Report on feasibility of pilot program on behavioral neurology fellowships.
Sec. 777. Government Accountability Office study on reserve component dental readiness and benefit sufficiency.
Sec. 778. Review of the occupational health and safety conditions of operational facilities associated with the LGM–30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile system.
Sec. 779. Continued evaluation of the TRICARE program through beneficiary experience surveys.
Sec. 780. Removal of peptides from prohibited performance enhancing substances list.
Sec. 781. Study on long-term effects of exposure to toxic substances on reproductive health and fertility.
Sec. 782. Identification of best practices relating to nutrition, fitness, and chronic disease prevention programs.
Sec. 783. Report on Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs.
Sec. 784. Funding for research on alpha-gal syndrome.
Sec. 785. Medical supply chain risk identification and transparency enhancement.
Sec. 786. Research and analysis on optimal protection strategies for preventing traumatic brain injury in members of the Armed Forces.
Sec. 787. Briefing on medical and safety resources at Edwards Air Force Base.
Sec. 788. Improvements to pilot program on wastewater surveillance system of the Department.
Sec. 789. Pilot program on pre-programming of suicide prevention resources into smart devices issued to members of the Armed Forces.
Sec. 790. Extension of study on treatment of certain conditions using certain psychedelic substances.
Sec. 791. Inclusion on a website of the Department of Defense of certain information with respect to a patient booking an appointment at a military medical treatment facility.
Sec. 792. Report and standards on timeliness of electronic health records during transition from the Armed Forces.
Sec. 793. Assessment of noninvasive focused ultrasound technologies.
Sec. 794. Study on use of routine neuroimaging modalities in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of brain injury due to blast pressure exposure during combat and training.
Sec. 795. Report on emergency medical services capabilities at military installations.
Sec. 796. Review of chaperone policies within facilities of the Defense Health Agency.
Title VIII—Acquisition Policy, Acquisition Management, and Related Matters
Subtitle A—Acquisition Policy and Management
Sec. 801. Responsibilities and authorities of portfolio acquisition executives with respect to contractors.
Sec. 802. Ensuring best value in procurement.
Sec. 803. Limitation on certain contract clauses for commercial products or commercial services.
Sec. 804. Elimination of late cost and pricing data submission defense.
Sec. 805. Reporting of price increases.
Sec. 806. Limitation on suspension of progress payments.
Sec. 807. Uniform requirements for electronic contract writing systems and acquisition management systems.
Sec. 808. Risk-based approach to monitoring contractor business systems.
Sec. 809. Procurement of initial spares.
Sec. 810. Procurement of local produce, seafood, and meat in the area of responsibility of the United States Indo-Pacific Command.
Sec. 811. Review of defense audit agencies.
Sec. 812. Prohibition on acquiring, procuring, or leasing non-tactical electric vehicle components produced by child and slave labor.
Sec. 813. Insider threat risk assessment and voluntary guidance for certain artificial intelligence contractors.
Subtitle B—Amendments to General Contracting Authorities, Procedures, and Limitations
Sec. 821. Modification to certain acquisition thresholds.
Sec. 822. Use of accrued interest by certain consortium managers.
Sec. 823. Amendment to other transaction authority.
Sec. 824. Requirement for modular open system approach and modifications to rights in technical data.
Sec. 825. Modifications to requirements relating to long-term concessions agreements with certain retailers.
Sec. 826. Prohibition on contracting with employers of convicted traffickers.
Sec. 827. Acquisition thresholds for certain materials.
Sec. 828. Clarification of certain elements of Department of Defense Mentor-Protege Program.
Sec. 829. Codification of program for negotiation of comprehensive small business subcontracting plans.
Sec. 830. Consumption-based procurements and associated payments.
Sec. 831. Extension of briefing and certification requirement.
Sec. 832. Preference for recycled strategic and critical materials.
Sec. 833. Transfer authority for rapid transition of other transaction authority prototypes.
Sec. 834. Portfolio-based acquisition of autonomous capability.
Sec. 835. Establishment of Pathfinder Programs to inform requirements reform.
Sec. 836. Requirements for certain unmanned surface vessels to be manufactured in the United States.
Sec. 837. Procurement and use of domestic silicon anode materials.
Sec. 838. Amendment to requirement for domestic stainless steel flatware and dinnerware.
Subtitle C—Provisions Relating to Acquisition Workforce Development
Sec. 851. Acquisition workforce data analytics capability.
Sec. 852. Chief Acquisition Talent Officer.
Sec. 853. Codification of acquisition workforce key performance objectives.
Sec. 854. Demonstrated proficiency requirements for critical acquisition positions.
Sec. 855. Extension and modification of acquisition workforce demonstration project.
Subtitle D—Intellectual Property Matters
Sec. 861. Reform of technical data and software rights to support competition, sustainment, and readiness.
Sec. 862. Intellectual Property Ombudsman; voluntary expert mediation for certain intellectual property matters.
Sec. 863. Expansion of reverse engineering authority for prototype projects.
Sec. 864. Clarifications to sustainment planning requirements for covered systems.
Sec. 865. Software accountability improvements over lifecycles.
Sec. 866. Assessment of a Pay-to-Print Program.
Sec. 867. Prioritizing maintenance, repair, and overhaul for readiness.
Subtitle E—Other Matters
Sec. 871. Enhancement to defense supply chain resilience and secondary source qualification.
Sec. 872. Tailored acquisition pathways for non-traditional intermediate-range fires capabilities.
Sec. 873. Pilot program for domestic antimony and copper production for defense applications.
Sec. 874. Addressing the backlog of open cases related to the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement.
Sec. 875. Limitation on availability of funds for purchase of photovoltaic cells, modules, or inverters from foreign entities of concern.
Sec. 876. Ensuring Department of Defense contractor compliance with disability hiring goals.
Sec. 877. Expedited implementation of commercial acquisition reforms.
Sec. 878. Elimination of use of certain payment processing equipment, systems, or services.
Sec. 879. Report on supply of rare earth materials and elements.
Sec. 880. Report on contractors seeking compensatory relief from inflation.
Sec. 881. Oversight of Department of Defense compliance with certain requirements for domestic food supply chains.
Title IX—Department of Defense Organization and Management
Sec. 901. Transfer of responsibility to supervise activities of Department of Defense relating to export controls.
Sec. 902. Membership of Commandant of the Coast Guard on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Sec. 903. Oversight of geographic combatant commands.
Sec. 904. Coast Guard input to the Joint Requirements Oversight Council.
Sec. 905. Eligibility of Chief of the National Guard Bureau for appointment as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Title X—General Provisions
Subtitle A—Financial Matters
Sec. 1001. General transfer authority.
Sec. 1002. Annual report on unfunded priorities of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.
Sec. 1003. Equivalency standards for financial management positions.
Sec. 1004. Compliance with Payment Integrity Information Act requirements and strengthening improper payments detection.
Sec. 1005. Authority to establish Joint Task Force Audit.
Sec. 1006. Budget transparency for Army multi-domain task force and Marine Littoral Regiment.
Sec. 1007. Department of Defense spending reductions in absence of submitted financial statements or failure to achieve unqualified or qualified independent audit opinion.
Sec. 1008. Other transaction authority reporting.
Sec. 1009. Use of technology using artificial intelligence to facilitate audit of the financial statements of the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2026.
Subtitle B—Naval Vessels and Shipyards
Sec. 1011. Modification of authority to purchase used vessels with National Defense Sealift Fund.
Sec. 1012. Requirement for procurement of components for naval vessels from manufacturers in national technology and industrial base.
Sec. 1013. Settlement of admiralty claims against the United States.
Sec. 1014. Amphibious fleet force structure.
Sec. 1015. Armament of naval auxiliary vessels.
Sec. 1016. Additional measures for Navy strategy for investment in and support for the maritime industrial base.
Sec. 1017. Inclusion of Navy surface combat ship maintenance as a separate line item in operation and maintenance budget.
Sec. 1018. Contracting reform for surface ship maintenance, repair, and overhaul.
Sec. 1019. Realignment of contract management for Polar Security Cutter program.
Sec. 1020. Domestic sourcing of bulk fuel to support Tanker Security Program.
Sec. 1021. Requirements relating to unmanned surface vessels.
Sec. 1022. Enhancement of Navy submarine rescue capabilities.
Sec. 1023. Navy–Coast Guard maritime workforce and capacity coordination plan.
Sec. 1024. Pilot program on use of additive and advanced manufacturing to support naval shipbuilding.
Sec. 1025. Limitation on use of funds for procurement of a battle force ship.
Sec. 1026. Strategy for distributed shipbuilding.
Sec. 1027. Strategy of Department of Defense relating to small uncrewed surface vessels.
Sec. 1028. Arctic-focused forecasting, ice modeling, and naval readiness assessment.
Sec. 1029. Renaming of USNS Cesar Chavez.
Sec. 1030. Sense of Congress regarding naming of vessel for Battle of Dai Do.
Sec. 1031. Sense of Congress regarding naming of a vessel  USS Guadalcanal .
Sec. 1032. Sense of Congress regarding naming of a naval vessel for Battle of Midway.
Sec. 1033. Sense of Congress regarding naming of a naval vessel in honor of Casimir Pulaski.
Sec. 1034. Sense of Congress regarding naming of vessel for Rear Admiral Alene Duerk.
Sec. 1035. Sense of Congress regarding naming a warship the USS Phoenix.
Sec. 1036. Report on transition to light-emitting diode lighting on naval vessels.
Sec. 1037. Conveyance of certain retired naval vessels to State of Florida for use as offshore reefs.
Sec. 1038. Study to evaluate alternative materials and emerging hull technologies with respect to naval vessels.
Sec. 1039. Sense of Congress regarding naming an aircraft carrier after the United States.
Sec. 1039A.  Sense of Congress on naming a future naval vessel USS Shangri-La.
Subtitle C—Counterterrorism
Sec. 1041. Extension of prohibition on use of funds for transfer or release of individuals detained at United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the United States.
Sec. 1042. Extension of prohibition on use of funds to construct or modify facilities in the United States to house detainees transferred from United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Sec. 1043. Extension of prohibition on use of funds for transfer or release of individuals detained at United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to certain countries.
Sec. 1044. Extension of prohibition on use of funds to close or relinquish control of United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Sec. 1045. Limitation on authority of Armed Forces to detain citizens of the United States.
Subtitle D—Miscellaneous Authorities and Limitations
Sec. 1051. Establishment of the Secretaries of Defense historical series and priority declassification authority.
Sec. 1052. Inclusion of National Guard Relief Foundation as a military welfare society for certain purposes.
Sec. 1053. Joint Experimentation and Training Range Innovation Office.
Sec. 1054. Establishment of Army Information Operations Center of Excellence.
Sec. 1055. Extension of limitation on retirement or divestment of EA–18G Aircraft.
Sec. 1056. Authority for Secretary of Defense waiver relating to certain training.
Sec. 1057. Expansion of prohibition on destruction or scrapping of World War II–era aircraft.
Sec. 1058. Prohibition on Department of Defense contracts with certain foreign-owned online tutoring services.
Sec. 1059. Prohibition on display of unapproved flags.
Sec. 1060. Prohibition on lobbying activities with respect to the Department of Defense by certain officers of the Armed Forces and civilian employees of the Department following separation from military service or employment with the Department.
Sec. 1061. Integration of small unmanned aircraft systems and counter-unmanned aircraft systems training into initial, officer, and joint collective training.
Sec. 1062. Eastern Regional Range Complex demonstration project.
Sec. 1063. Pilot program on total replacement value for Air Force Test Center ground test infrastructure.
Sec. 1064. Pilot program for blockchain-enabled inventory management.
Sec. 1065. Extended deadline to reassess necessity of use of immediate response authority of Department of Defense.
Sec. 1066. Reconstitution of A–10 demonstration team.
Sec. 1067. Implementation of cognitive performance enhancement program for special operations forces.
Sec. 1068. Senator Robert J. Dole Greatest Generation Education Program.
Sec. 1069. Recognition program for working dogs.
Sec. 1070. Prohibition on availability of funds for closure of Rock Island Arsenal Museum.
Sec. 1071. Limitation on availability of funds for deactivation of Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigades.
Sec. 1072. Limitation on availability of funds for travel expenses of the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
Sec. 1073. Limitation on availability of funds for travel expenses of Office of the Secretary of Defense until submission certain assessment.
Sec. 1074. Strategy for countering foreign malign influence activities conducted in cognitive domain.
Sec. 1075. Disclosure of foreign gifts made to military colleges.
Sec. 1076. Authority to maintain Department of the Navy library.
Sec. 1077. Ceremonial horses adoption program of the Army.
Subtitle E—Studies and Reports
Sec. 1081. Repeal of obsolete reporting requirements.
Sec. 1082. Extension of briefing requirement regarding civil authorities at the Southwest border.
Sec. 1083. Extension of requirement for annual briefings on national biodefense strategy.
Sec. 1084. Annual report and briefing on implementation of Army Transformation Initiative.
Sec. 1085. Quarterly reports on effects of unplanned global taskings on operations, deterrence, and readiness in the area of operations of United States Indo-Pacific Command.
Sec. 1086. Biannual reports on operational adaptation and fielding of Defense Autonomous Warfare Group.
Sec. 1087. Service-wide enterprise strategies for human performance.
Sec. 1088. Mobility capabilities strategic plan.
Sec. 1089. Required doctrine on use of unmanned autonomous systems and autonomous formations.
Sec. 1089A. Strategy for sustainment of certain unmanned aircraft systems.
Sec. 1089B. Strategy for use of low-cost and attritable Group 4 and 5 unmanned aircraft systems in contested logistics operations.
Sec. 1089C. Feasibility study on tactical information operations command authority.
Sec. 1089D. Public availability of findings of Inspector General investigation of certain targeting operations.
Sec. 1089E. Report on cost of United States military operations in Iran.
Sec. 1089F. Report on Operation Southern Spear.
Sec. 1089G. Report on civilian harm investigation relating to Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School.
Sec. 1089H. Report on Port Shuaiba investigation.
Sec. 1089I. ACAS–X action plan.
Sec. 1089J. Plan for protection of military installations located in the United States from unmanned aircraft threats.
Sec. 1089K. Report on institutions of higher education receiving Department of Defense funds that have hosted Confucius Institutes.
Sec. 1089L. Threat of artificial intelligence-powered attacks, scams, and fraud.
Sec. 1089M. Assessment of installation-wide food programs of army and navy.
Sec. 1089N. Independent review of Department of Defense financial management execution benchmarks.
Sec. 1089O. Audit of Chinese Communist Party-linked participation in Department of Defense contracts and supply chains.
Sec. 1089P. Army report on resilient tactical power and battery safety.
Sec. 1089Q. Quarterly reporting requirement for National Security Capital Forum.
Sec. 1089R. Plan for domain awareness at the southern land border.
Sec. 1089S. Report on planned investment in advanced sensor and electronic warfare systems specific to collaborative combat aircraft.
Sec. 1089T. Strategy and report on storage, sustainment, and deployment of collaborative combat aircraft.
Sec. 1089U. Report on funding barriers for sUAS.
Sec. 1089V. Report on red flags missed in fraud scheme perpetrated by Janet Yamanaka Mello.
Sec. 1089W. Study on tool and die casting industry.
Sec. 1089X. Naval construction force readiness and contested logistics.
Sec. 1089Y. Review and report on UAS activity in the vicinity of critical installations.
Sec. 1089Z. Report on costs associated with basing locations for F–35 aircraft.
Sec. 1089AA. Additional determination regarding certain unmanned ground vehicle systems.
Subtitle F—Other Matters
Sec. 1091. Deeming references to the Department of Defense and Secretary of Defense as references to the Department of War and Secretary of War.
Sec. 1092. Definition of special operations activities.
Sec. 1093. Definition of counter-sUAS system for purposes of Joint Interagency Task Force 401.
Sec. 1094. Increase in cap for support of small scale construction projects of foreign partners in support of counterdrug activities and activities to counter transnational organized crime.
Sec. 1095. Modification to funding limitation for procurement of equipment for certain drug interdiction and counter-drug activities.
Sec. 1096. National Guard attorney license portability.
Sec. 1097. Oversight and direction of Irregular Warfare Exercise Laboratory.
Sec. 1098. Ubiquitous technical surveillance and digital force protection.
Sec. 1099. Potential designation of information as a domain of warfare.
Sec. 1099A. Designation of southwest land border activities, support, and operations as named operation.
Sec. 1099B. Pilot program on the use of clinically tested digital faith-based platforms to support spiritual fitness and readiness.
Sec. 1099C. Plan on recapitalization of F–16 aircraft of 140th Wing of the Colorado Air National Guard.
Sec. 1099D. Report on Go for Green nutrition program.
Sec. 1099E. Codification and revision of process by which certain Department of Defense personnel may be permitted to carry firearms on a military installation or other Defense facility.
Sec. 1099F. Pilot program on the Army National Guard as the homeland defense integrator for defeating explosive ordnance.
Sec. 1099G. Briefing on low cost, platform agnostic autonomy modules for sUAS.
Sec. 1099H. Briefing on test mission accident at Edwards Air Force Base.
Sec. 1099I. Sense of Congress regarding Rock Island Arsenal Child Care Development Center.
Sec. 1099J. Designation of lead agency service delivery official for the Department of Defense.
Sec. 1099K. Pilot program for integrated warfighter cognitive performance and readiness.
Sec. 1099L. Revocation of Security Clearances for Certain Persons.
Title XI—Civilian Personnel
Sec. 1101. Limitation on outside income for individuals in Office of the Secretary of Defense.
Sec. 1102. Skills-based hiring for Department of Defense civilian positions.
Sec. 1103. Establishment of a student internship program for military child and youth programs.
Sec. 1104. Expansion of eligible educational programs under the Smart Defense Education Program.
Sec. 1105. Military technician (dual status): elimination of title 32 authority; conversions of existing positions.
Sec. 1106. One-year extension of authority to waive annual limitation on premium pay and aggregate limitation on pay for Federal civilian employees working overseas.
Sec. 1107. One-year extension of temporary authority to grant allowances, benefits, and gratuities to civilian personnel on official duty in a combat zone.
Sec. 1108. Living quarter allowance for Department of Defense civilian employees with permanent duty station in Guam.
Sec. 1109. Pilot program on integration of United States tech force with skills-based hiring authorities.
Sec. 1110. Enhanced hiring authority for instructor pilots and civilian simulator instructors.
Sec. 1111. Pilot program on tech talent competitiveness.
Sec. 1112. Civilian employee and contractor financial management workforce within the Department of Defense.
Sec. 1113. Department of Defense best practices guide for Family Child Care homes.
Sec. 1114. Delegation of authority for corrective action for nonappropriated fund employees in cases of complaint of reprisal.
Sec. 1115. Limitation on use of funds to limit collective bargaining.
Sec. 1116. Hiring freeze exceptions.
Sec. 1117. Prohibition on availability of funds for termination of DODEA, childcare, and healthcare workers.
Sec. 1118. Demonstration project relating to pay and personnel policies for employees at ground-based intercontinental ballistic missile development and maintenance facilities.
Sec. 1119. Demonstration project relating to pay and personnel policies for employees at Naval shipyards, Navy regional maintenance centers, and Navy trident refit facilities.
Sec. 1120. Demonstration project relating to pay and personnel policies for prevailing rate employees at covered depots.
Sec. 1121. Prohibition on carrying out hiring freeze, reduction in force, or hiring delay without cause at public shipyards of Department of Defense.
Sec. 1122. Codification of direct hire authority for domestic defense industrial base facilities, Major Range and Test Facilities Base, and Office of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation.
Sec. 1123. Report on workforce shortages among aviation maintenance technicians supporting military aircraft and maintenance.
Sec. 1124. Extension of postage stamp for breast cancer research.
Title XII—Matters relating to Foreign Nations
Subtitle A—Assistance and Training
Sec. 1201. Modification of authority for support of special operations for irregular warfare.
Sec. 1202. Authority to build capacity for space domain awareness.
Sec. 1203. Establishment of Inter-Pacific Air Forces Academy.
Sec. 1204. Review of execution of programs to build partner capacity.
Sec. 1205. Establishment of partnership programs on military trauma care and research between the United States and foreign countries.
Sec. 1206. Increase in funding threshold for the Regional Defense Fellowship Program.
Subtitle B—Matters relating to the Near and Middle East
Sec. 1211. Extension of counter-terrorism support authority.
Sec. 1212. Extension of authority for reimbursement of certain coalition nations for support provided to United States military operations.
Sec. 1213. Deadline for Afghanistan War Commission final report.
Sec. 1214. Prohibition on use of funds to support the Taliban.
Sec. 1215. Extension of authority to provide assistance to counter the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
Sec. 1216. Extension of limitation on availability of funds for the Iraqi Security Forces.
Sec. 1217. Prohibition on transfers to the Badr Organization.
Sec. 1218. Sense of congress on international defense exhibitions.
Subtitle C—Matters relating to Israel
Sec. 1221. Extension of war reserve stockpile authority for Israel.
Sec. 1222. United States-Israel subterranean cooperation.
Sec. 1223. United States-Israel cooperation to counter unmanned systems in all warfighting domains.
Subtitle D—Matters relating to Europe
Sec. 1231. Arms sales and weapons system transfers to NATO countries.
Sec. 1232. Extension and modification of oversight of United States military posture in Europe.
Sec. 1233. Modification of certification with respect to oversight of United States military posture in Europe.
Sec. 1234. Poland defense industrial cooperation program.
Sec. 1235. Policy on NATO standardization and allied production for next-generation small arms ammunition.
Sec. 1236. Review of the analytical basis for United States force posture adjustments in Europe.
Sec. 1237. NATO defense planning and burden sharing activities.
Sec. 1238. United States–Poland military space cooperation program.
Sec. 1239. United States–Poland Special Operations Cooperation Program.
Sec. 1239A. Report on Moldova airspace defense requirements and options.
Subtitle E—Matters relating to the Indo-Pacific
Sec. 1241. Sense of Congress on defense alliances and partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region.
Sec. 1242. Extension of Pacific Deterrence Initiative.
Sec. 1243. Extension of requirement for public reporting of Chinese military companies operating in the United States.
Sec. 1244. Modifications to public reporting of Chinese military companies operating in the United States.
Sec. 1245. Extension and modification of annual report on military and security developments involving the People’s Republic of China.
Sec. 1246. Modification of Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative.
Sec. 1247. Oversight of United States military posture on the Korean peninsula.
Sec. 1248. Extension and modification of Indo-Pacific Maritime Security Initiative.
Sec. 1249. Plan to counter People’s Republic of China influence and activities in the Freely Associated States.
Sec. 1249A. Modification of authorization of sale to Australia of in-service Virginia Class submarines to provide for sale of additional in-service submarine in lieu of new construction submarine.
Sec. 1249B. Strategic partnership on defense industrial priorities between the United States and Taiwan.
Sec. 1249C. Joint United States–Taiwan research, development, test, and evaluation program.
Sec. 1249D. Plan required for full participation by Taiwan in the Rim of the Pacific exercise.
Sec. 1249E. Annual report on space capabilities of the People’s Republic of China.
Subtitle F—Reports
Sec. 1251. Oversight of military-to-military exchanges and contacts between the United States and the Russian Federation.
Sec. 1252. Report on Russia’s targeting of religious infrastructure in Ukraine.
Sec. 1253. Study on effectiveness of United States-Somalia policy.
Sec. 1254. Study and report on international security measures on the border between Gaza and Egypt.
Sec. 1255. Annual report on Taiwan capabilities and intelligence support.
Subtitle G—Other matters
Sec. 1261. Repeal of temporary authority to provide training to military forces or national security forces of Costa Rica and Panama.
Sec. 1262. Study and report on advancing United States interests in the Western Hemisphere.
Title XIV—Other Authorizations
Subtitle A—Military Programs
Sec. 1401. Working capital funds.
Sec. 1402. Chemical agents and munitions destruction, defense.
Sec. 1403. Drug interdiction and counter-drug activities, defense-wide.
Sec. 1404. Defense Inspector General.
Sec. 1405. Defense Health Program.
Sec. 1406. Cable security fleet expansion.
Subtitle B—Other Matters
Sec. 1411. Extension of authorities for funding and management of joint Department of Defense-Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Demonstration Fund for Captain James A. Lovell Health Care Center, Illinois.
Sec. 1412. Authorization of appropriations for Armed Forces Retirement Home.
Sec. 1413. Critical minerals traceability pilot program.
Sec. 1414. Government-wide critical mineral procurement and resale authorities feasibility study.
Title XV—Cyberspace-related Matters
Subtitle A—Cybersecurity
Sec. 1501. Data recovery requirements and strategy.
Sec. 1502. Department of Defense AI incident and vulnerability reporting program.
Sec. 1503. Review and realignment of Department of Defense cybersecurity responsibilities.
Sec. 1504. Inclusion of critical infrastructure and operational technology security in combatant command planning and readiness exercises.
Sec. 1505. Pilot program for autonomous mission integration of unmanned surface vehicles.
Sec. 1506. Civilian cybersecurity reserve corps pilot program.
Sec. 1507. Federal contractor vulnerability disclosure policy.
Sec. 1508. Cyber incident reporting requirements for operationally critical contractors.
Sec. 1509. Interim data protection measures for the Department of Defense.
Sec. 1510. Report on integration of commercial cyber capabilities into the joint cyber warfighting architecture.
Sec. 1511. Department of Defense cloud security authorization reciprocity pilot program.
Subtitle B—Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence
Sec. 1521. Software planning, programming, budgeting, and execution reform.
Sec. 1522. Requirement for guidance and prohibition on use of artificial intelligence of certain artificial intelligence companies.
Sec. 1523. Artificial Intelligence Model Rapid Deployment Framework.
Sec. 1524. Update of policy on autonomous and artificial intelligence-enabled systems.
Sec. 1525. Expansion of AI-enabled maintenance intelligence platforms across Air Education and Training Command.
Sec. 1526. Requirement for memoranda of agreement regarding vulnerability disclosure and prohibition on procurement from IT providers who share cyber vulnerabilities with countries of concern.
Sec. 1527. Army Quantum Readiness and Advanced Computing Initiative.
Subtitle C—Reports and Other Matters
Sec. 1541. Roadmap for modernization of Top Secret and Special Access Program network architectures.
Sec. 1542. Semiannual reports on Cyber Operational Readiness Assessment program.
Sec. 1543. Comptroller General assessment on sharing of cyber intelligence with State, local, Tribal, territorial, and private sector partners.
Sec. 1544. Report on threat of cyber attacks on university-affiliated research centers.
Title XVI—Space Activities, Strategic Programs, and Intelligence Matters
Subtitle A—Space Activities
Sec. 1601. Reorganization of acquisition responsibilities of the Space Force.
Sec. 1602. Reorganization of oversight of the Department of Defense positioning, navigation, and timing enterprise.
Sec. 1603. Space launch support services and alternative launch procurement process.
Sec. 1604. Spaceport of the Future initiative.
Sec. 1605. Procurement of commercial space-based data and to support wildfire resilience.
Sec. 1606. Continuation of Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Polar program of the Department of the Air Force.
Sec. 1607. Study on Indo-Pacific critical commercial satellite ground stations.
Sec. 1608. Sense of Congress on distributed commercial radar satellite constellations.
Sec. 1609. Report on optical communications and networking standards for national security space architectures.
Sec. 1609A. Global Positioning System modernization.
Subtitle B—Defense Intelligence and Intelligence-Related Activities
Sec. 1611. Expenditure of funds across fiscal years for Department of Defense intelligence and counterintelligence activities.
Sec. 1612. Permanent authority for military intelligence collection and analysis partnerships.
Sec. 1613. Repeal of certain reporting and briefing requirements.
Sec. 1614. Modification of authority of Army counterintelligence agents to execute warrants and make arrests.
Sec. 1615. Periodic strategy and assessment of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities to meet intelligence collection priorities.
Sec. 1616. Integration of open-source intelligence training and tradecraft into all-source intelligence analysis curricula.
Sec. 1617. Object-based generative artificial intelligence for open-source intelligence.
Sec. 1618. Report on protection from disclosure of members of the Armed Forces under cover.
Sec. 1619. Assessment of foreign adversary-controlled digital platforms.
Sec. 1620. Office for Bombing Prevention.
Sec. 1621. Protection of identities of certain members of the Armed Forces who are special operators or perform sensitive activities.
Sec. 1622. Open-source intelligence integration into Department of Defense collection management.
Sec. 1623. Open-source intelligence definitions.
Subtitle C—Nuclear Forces
Sec. 1631. Matters relating to intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Sec. 1632. Designation of Air Force Global Strike Command as National Center for Conventional–Nuclear Integration.
Sec. 1633. Quadrennial report on the plan for the nuclear weapons stockpile, nuclear weapons complex, nuclear weapons delivery systems, and nuclear weapons command and control system.
Sec. 1634. Prohibition on reduction of intercontinental ballistic missiles of the United States.
Sec. 1635. Limitation on reallocation of funds for Ronald Reagan Space and Missile Test Range and United States Army Garrison Kwajalein Atoll.
Sec. 1636. Feasibility assessment for potential designation of Joint Global Strike Operations Center as Global Operations Center–Alternate.
Sec. 1637. Space Launch Complex 46.
Sec. 1638. Modification of report requirement for certain decisions relating to nuclear weapons employment strategy of the United States.
Sec. 1639. Independent assessment of bone marrow radiation shielding for nuclear survivability.
Sec. 1640. Extension of annual assessment of cyber resilience of nuclear command and control system.
Subtitle D—Missile Defense Programs
Sec. 1651. Prohibition of unauthorized use of name or seal of the Missile Defense Agency.
Sec. 1652. Removal of duplicative Missile Defense Agency testing requirement.
Sec. 1653. Updated Middle East integrated air and missile defense strategy.
Sec. 1654. Next-generation integrated air and missile defense system munitions strategy.
Sec. 1655. Space-based interceptors.
Sec. 1656. Low-cost exo-atmospheric interceptor development.
Sec. 1657. Assessment of resilient missile defense sensing architectures.
Sec. 1658. Report on modernization of the Aegis Ashore missile defense site at Devesselu, Romania.
Subtitle E—Other Matters
Sec. 1661. Briefings and reports on cross-functional team for anomalous health incidents.
Sec. 1662. Cooperative threat reduction funds.
Sec. 1663. Solid rocket motor industrial base.
Subtitle F—Matters Relating to Adversary Supply Chains
Sec. 1671. Strategy for disruption of adversary defense-industrial supply chains.
Sec. 1672. Defense Industrial Intelligence Integration Cell.
Sec. 1673. Assessment of adversary artillery and munitions production capacity.
Title XVII—Other Defense Matters
Subtitle A—Miscellaneous Authorities and Limitations
Sec. 1701. Availability of funds for Department of Defense State Partnership Program.
Sec. 1702. Inclusion of members of special operations forces in preseparation counseling.
Sec. 1703. Copyright to a literary work produced by a civilian faculty member of a Space Force professional military education program in the course of employment: free use by the Federal Government.
Sec. 1704. Inapplicability of Defense Base Act to Guam.
Sec. 1705. Extension of admission for certain nonimmigrant H-2B workers.
Sec. 1706. Reauthorization of the Cybersecurity Act of 2015.
Sec. 1707. United States-Abraham Accords Defense Cooperation Initiative.
Sec. 1708. Establishment of the Atomic Civilians Commemorative Service Medal.
Sec. 1709. Establishment of the Blast Overpressure Task Force of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 1710. Authorization of transfer of certain land near Dayton National Cemetery to Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 1711. Internal base hardening assessments and logistics-node threat mitigation.
Sec. 1712. Taiwan-Five Eyes cyber defense cooperation initiative.
Sec. 1713. Extension of special emergency procurement authority to special operations procurement.
Subtitle B—Other Matters
Sec. 1721. Technical and conforming amendments.
Sec. 1722. Countering China’s control of the Caucasus.
Sec. 1723. Comptroller General study on Skillbridge programs.
Sec. 1724. Clarification of supervisory chain for political appointees at the Department of Defense.
Sec. 1725. Sense of Congress with respect to execution of warrants of the International Criminal Court.
Sec. 1726. Termination of pilot programs.
Sec. 1727. Disclosure requirements for persons performing research or development projects for Department of Defense.
Sec. 1728. Operational pilot program on orbital data center services.
Sec. 1729. Report on usage of wearable devices.
Sec. 1730. Report on interagency coordination targeting fentanyl and precursor chemicals.
Sec. 1731. GAO study on Department of Defense reliance on Chinese-sourced materials.
Sec. 1732. Prohibition on telecommunication awards to certain entities subject to foreign influence.
Sec. 1733. Assessment of Counter-Subterranean Technologies.
Sec. 1734. Study relating to development of supersonic airspace corridor.
Sec. 1735. Extension of the Defense Production Act of 1950.
Sec. 1736. Limitation regarding certain export controls.
Sec. 1737. Sense of Congress.
Sec. 1738. Annual report on military power and illicit activities of certain drug cartels.
Sec. 1739. Amendments to requirements for railroad freight cars placed into service in the United States and transporting Department of Defense cargo.
Sec. 1740. Report on average response times to requests for DD-214s.
Sec. 1741. Prohibition on use of CCP-linked financial services providers on Department of Defense devices.
Sec. 1742. Partnership with Scouting America.
Subtitle C—Initiating biomedical outcomes to garner advancements into innovative efficacy
Sec. 1751. Designation of senior official for emerging therapeutic interventions within the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 1752. Emerging therapeutic interventions at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 1753. Report on accelerating medical treatments for serious mental illness.
Subtitle D—Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Records Collection At the National Archives and Records Administration
Sec. 1761. Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Records Collection at the National Archives and Records Administration.
Sec. 1762. Review, identification, transmission to the National Archives, and public disclosure of unidentified anomalous phenomena records by Government offices.
Sec. 1763. Grounds for postponement of public disclosure of unidentified anomalous phenomena records.
Sec. 1764. Establishment and powers of the Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Records Review Board.
Sec. 1765. Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Records Review Board personnel.
Sec. 1766. Review of records by the Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Records Review Board.
Sec. 1767. Disclosure of recovered technologies of unknown origin and biological evidence of non-human intelligence.
Sec. 1768. Disclosure of other materials and additional study.
Sec. 1769. Rules of construction.
Sec. 1770. Termination and effect of Act.
Sec. 1771. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 1772. Conforming repeal and transitional provisions.
Sec. 1773. Definitions.
Title XVIII—Revitalization of the Defense Industrial Base
Subtitle A—Provisions to Protect and Strengthen Supply Chains
Sec. 1801. Requirements for information relating to supply chain risk.
Sec. 1802. Oversight of specialty metals procurements under exception relating to agreements with foreign governments.
Sec. 1803. Critical materials: tiered sourcing restrictions and requirements.
Sec. 1804. Changes with respect to the Federal Acquisition Security Council.
Sec. 1805. Modifications to strategy to eliminate sourcing of computer displays from certain nations.
Sec. 1806. Extension of Comptroller General assessments and reports on compliance with procurement requirements relating to rare earth elements and strategic and critical materials.
Sec. 1807. Requirements related to detection and avoidance of counterfeit electronic parts.
Sec. 1808. Analysis and report on sourcing of certain items.
Sec. 1809. Assessment and implementation plan for sourcing of synthetic diamond and super abrasive materials used in defense applications.
Sec. 1810. Defense Supply Chain Intelligence and Risk Response Program.
Sec. 1811. Identification of supply chain dependencies.
Sec. 1812. Federal Acquisition Security Council exclusion orders for Chinese military company designees.
Sec. 1813. Domestic preference in the procurement of professional services.
Sec. 1814. Prohibition on the use of Chinese-manufactured optical fiber by the Department of Defense.
Sec. 1815. Report on primary aluminum sector industrial base assessment.
Sec. 1816. Assessment of risk related to adversarial capital in the defense industrial base.
Sec. 1817. Integration of demand for foreign military sales into industrial base planning.
Sec. 1818. Report on the feasibility of requiring Bills of Materials for defense acquisition.
Sec. 1819. Assessment of military medical supply chains.
Sec. 1820. Assessment of Department of Defense supply chain vulnerabilities related to displays used in defense systems.
Sec. 1821. Report on national security implications of restrictions on the cross-border movement of rare earth elements containing scrap equipment and components.
Sec. 1822. Prohibitions relating to covered distributed ledger technology and blockchain equipment or services.
Sec. 1823. Feasibility study on combatant command critical minerals management.
Subtitle B—Provisions Relating to Defense Industrial Base Manufacturing
Sec. 1831. Clarification of eligible uses of Defense Industrial Base Fund.
Sec. 1832. Inclusion of biotechnology in uses of the Industrial Base Fund.
Sec. 1833. Development and application of alternative material sources.
Sec. 1834. Report and implementation of plan for advanced manufacturing for certain critical readiness items of supply.
Sec. 1835. Additional guidance related to advanced manufacturing.
Sec. 1836. Modifications to advanced manufacturing policy review and guidance.
Sec. 1837. Enhanced domestic content requirement for shipbuilding programs.
Sec. 1838. Triennial review of merger and acquisition activity associated with major defense suppliers.
Sec. 1839. Multiyear procurement authority for certain munitions.
Sec. 1840. Multiyear procurement authority for platforms and components systems.
Sec. 1841. Increased maximum production capacity plans for key munitions and weapons systems.
Sec. 1842. Managing and mitigating risks in major munitions programs.
Sec. 1843. Comptroller General assessment on improving weapon systems and technology procurement.
Sec. 1844. Combat tracked vehicle drivetrain reciprocity and supply chain security.
Sec. 1845. Feasibility of original equipment manufacturer designation of sources of supply for ground support equipment parts.
Sec. 1846. Feasibility of common certifications for naval aviation and naval sea systems supply chains.
Sec. 1847. Report on dependency on China for processing materials for Department of Defense supply chains.
Sec. 1848. Prohibition on acquisition of certain silicon carbide-based semiconductors manufactured in China.
Subtitle C—Organic Industrial Base
Sec. 1861. Modification to annual report on depot-level maintenance and repair workloads by public and private sectors.
Sec. 1862. Authority to write off capital expenditures for certain depots of Department of Defense.
Sec. 1863. Reforms relating to Army organic industrial base.
Sec. 1864. Exclusion of manufacturing arsenal workload from depot carryover calculation.
Sec. 1865. Temporary authority for use of operation and maintenance funds to provide training for certain employees performing services or work funded by working-capital funds.
Sec. 1866. Demonstration and prototyping program for qualification of organic industrial base as alternate source for manufacture of casts and forged components for legacy aircraft.
Sec. 1867. Briefing and report on Defense industrial base chokepoints and organic industrial base modernization.
Subtitle D—Small Business Matters
Sec. 1871. Exception to contract price requirement relating to use of test and evaluation installations by commercial entities.
Sec. 1872. Amendments to the procurement technical assistance cooperative agreement program.
Sec. 1873. Pilot program on digital engineering and advanced manufacturing to address no-bid solicitations.
Sec. 1874. Pilot program to improve participation by small business concerns in certain Department of Defense contracts.
Sec. 1875. Guidance to ensure protection of covered information during covered preaward engagements.
Sec. 1876. Authorization of use of APEX Accelerators.
Sec. 1877. Report on barriers for small and medium-sized businesses competing for classified contracts.
Sec. 1878. Report on aligning Small Business Investment Company program with defense industrial base requirements.
Subtitle E—Defense Industrial Base Workforce Matters
Sec. 1881. Skills-based requirements for Department of Defense contractor personnel.
Sec. 1882. Modification of working group on the advanced manufacturing workforce.
Sec. 1883. Workforce development initiatives to support mining of critical minerals.
Sec. 1884. Establishment of Schedule V for veteran employment reporting by defense contractors.
Subtitle F—Other Matters
Sec. 1891. Exemption from trademark licensing fees for certain military exchange contractors.
Sec. 1892. Major system cost growth oversight.
Sec. 1893. Inapplicability of Berry Amendment exceptions to certain seafood purchases.
Sec. 1894. Clarification of commercial solicitation restrictions during initial entry training for memorabilia and photography.
Sec. 1895. Inventory of legacy semiconductor dependencies.
Sec. 1896. Critical minerals recovery from unconventional feedstocks.
Sec. 1897. Report on use of copper by Armed Forces.
Sec. 1898. Preference for domestically sourced uranium and other critical minerals by Department of Defense and National Nuclear Security Administration.
Sec. 1899. Assessment of industrial base for turbojet pyrotechnic devices.
Sec. 1899A. Funding for fan-out wafer level packaging program of industrial base analysis and sustainment program.
Division B—Military Construction Authorizations
Sec. 2001. Short title.
Sec. 2002. Expiration of authorizations and amounts required to be specified by law.
Sec. 2003. Effective date.
Title XXI—Army Military Construction
Sec. 2101. Authorized Army construction and land acquisition projects.
Sec. 2102. Family Housing.
Sec. 2103. Authorization of appropriations, Army.
Sec. 2104. Extension of authority to carry out fiscal year 2021 project at Fort Gillem, Georgia.
Sec. 2105. Extension of authority to carry out certain fiscal year 2022 projects.
Sec. 2106. Modification of authority to carry out fiscal year 2022 project at Fort Stewart, Georgia.
Sec. 2107. Extension of authority to carry out certain fiscal year 2023 projects.
Sec. 2108. Extension of authority to carry out certain fiscal year 2024 projects.
Sec. 2109. Modification of authority to carry out fiscal year 2025 project at Grafenwoehr, Germany.
Sec. 2110. Modification of authority to carry out fiscal year 2026 project at Joint Region Marianas, Guam.
Title XXII—Navy Military Construction
Sec. 2201. Authorized Navy construction and land acquisition projects.
Sec. 2202. Family Housing.
Sec. 2203. Authorization of appropriations, Navy.
Sec. 2204. Extension of authority to carry out certain fiscal year 2023 projects.
Sec. 2205. Extension of authority to carry out certain fiscal year 2024 projects.
Sec. 2206. Extension and modification of authority to carry out fiscal year 2024 project at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia.
Sec. 2207. Modification of authority to carry out fiscal year 2026 project at Pacific Missile Range Facility Barking Sands, Hawaii.
Sec. 2208. Transfer of amounts for mitigation for projects located at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington.
Title XXIII—Air Force Military Construction
Sec. 2301. Authorized Air Force construction and land acquisition projects.
Sec. 2302. Family Housing.
Sec. 2303. Authorization of appropriations, Air Force.
Sec. 2304. Extension of authority to carry out certain fiscal year 2019 projects.
Sec. 2305. Extension of authority to carry out certain fiscal year 2020 projects.
Sec. 2306. Extension of authority to carry out certain fiscal year 2023 projects.
Sec. 2307. Extension of authority to carry out certain fiscal year 2024 projects.
Sec. 2308. Authority to carry out project at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.
Title XXIV—Defense Agencies Military Construction
Sec. 2401. Authorized Defense Agencies construction and land acquisition projects.
Sec. 2402. Authorized Energy Resilience and Conservation Investment Program projects.
Sec. 2403. Authorization of appropriations, Defense Agencies.
Sec. 2404. Extension of authority to carry out certain fiscal year 2023 projects.
Sec. 2405. Extension of authority to carry out certain fiscal year 2024 projects.
Title XXV—International Programs
Subtitle A—North Atlantic Treaty Organization Security Investment Program
Sec. 2501. Authorized NATO construction and land acquisition projects.
Sec. 2502. Authorization of appropriations, NATO.
Subtitle B—Host Country In-Kind Contributions
Sec. 2511. Republic of Korea funded construction projects.
Sec. 2512. Republic of Poland funded construction projects.
Title XXVI—Guard and Reserve Forces Facilities
Sec. 2601. Authorized Army National Guard construction and land acquisition projects.
Sec. 2602. Authorized Army Reserve construction and land acquisition projects.
Sec. 2603. Authorized Navy Reserve and Marine Corps Reserve construction and land acquisition projects.
Sec. 2604. Authorized Air National Guard construction and land acquisition projects.
Sec. 2605. Authorized Air Force Reserve construction and land acquisition projects.
Sec. 2606. Authorization of appropriations, National Guard and Reserve.
Sec. 2607. Extension of authority to carry out certain fiscal year 2023 projects.
Sec. 2608. Extension of authority to carry out certain fiscal year 2024 projects.
Sec. 2609. Modification of authority to carry out fiscal year 2026 project at Colonie, New York.
Sec. 2610. Extension and modification of authority to carry out fiscal year 2022 project at Sumpter Smith Air National Guard Base, Birmingham, Alabama.
Title XXVII—Base Realignment and Closure Activities
Sec. 2701. Authorization of appropriations for base realignment and closure activities funded through Department of Defense base closure account.
Title XXVIII—Military Construction General Provisions
Subtitle A—Military Construction Programs
Sec. 2801. Execution of projects under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Security Investment Program.
Sec. 2802. Inclusion of Tribal governments in Defense Community Infrastructure Program.
Sec. 2803. Briefing required for certain basing actions of the Department of the Air Force.
Sec. 2804. Unspecified minor military construction dollar thresholds.
Sec. 2805. Repeal of limitation on available funds for research, development, test, and evaluation military construction projects.
Sec. 2806. Modification of approval and notification thresholds for repair projects on military facilities.
Sec. 2807. Department of Defense military installation stormwater project acceleration program.
Sec. 2808. Expansion of annual report on unfunded requirements for certain military construction projects.
Subtitle B—Military Housing Reforms
Sec. 2811. Congressional notification of window fall incidents in certain privatized military housing.
Sec. 2812. Expansion of protections against reprisal or retaliation for certain tenants of privatized military housing.
Sec. 2813. Treatment of nondisclosure agreements with respect to privatized military housing.
Sec. 2814. Expansion of pilot program to include authority to replace certain Department of Defense laboratories.
Sec. 2815. Modification to pilot program for military construction projects to replace certain military unaccompanied housing facilities.
Sec. 2816. Establishment of timeliness standards with respect to maintenance work orders for covered military unaccompanied housing; annual report.
Sec. 2817. Expansion of elements included in annual reports on the condition of covered military unaccompanied housing.
Sec. 2818. Modification to required investments in improving military unaccompanied housing.
Sec. 2819. Inapplicability of National Historic Preservation Act to certain military housing.
Sec. 2819A. Notification to tenants of complaint database.
Subtitle C—Real Property and Facilities Administration
Sec. 2821. Authorization for certain planning, design, and construction contracts in support of military service academies.
Sec. 2822. Exemption of certain military installations from guidance with respect to aggregate square footage requirements.
Sec. 2823. Matching requirement for the public schools on military installations program.
Sec. 2824. Improvement to procedures for processing visitors to Department of Defense military installations.
Sec. 2825. Restrictions on data facility equipment placed on facilities leased from the Department of Defense.
Sec. 2826. Name of Department of the Army military installation, Augusta, Georgia.
Sec. 2827. Name of the Department of the Army military installation located in Muscogee County and Chattahoochee County, Georgia.
Sec. 2828. Military installation renamings.
Sec. 2829. Report on counterintelligence risks associated with real property transactions near military installations.
Sec. 2829A. Study on construction of child development centers.
Sec. 2829B. Expansion of priority list for the public schools on military installations program.
Sec. 2829C. Prohibition on use of automated speed enforcement cameras on military installations.
Subtitle D—Land Conveyances and Withdrawals
Sec. 2831. Withdrawal and reservation of lands located on the Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, to support military readiness and security.
Sec. 2832. Land conveyance, State Armory Board, Utah National Guard, Camp Williams State Military Reservation, Lehi, Utah.
Sec. 2833. Land conveyance, Milan Army Ammunition Plant, Tennessee.
Sec. 2834. Land conveyance, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Anchorage, Alaska.
Sec. 2835. Acquisition of easements for defense fuel supply infrastructure.
Sec. 2836. Land exchange, Camp Pike and Camp Joseph T. Robinson, Arkansas.
Sec. 2837. Removal of conditions on use of certain land conveyed to the State of Indiana.
Subtitle E—Pilot Programs
Sec. 2841. Digital twin models at certain military installations.
Sec. 2842. Pilot program on wastewater monitoring and pathogen-agnostic monitoring system of certain military installations.
Sec. 2843. Department of Defense pilot program for development and use of online real estate inventory tool.
Sec. 2844. Pilot program to provide integrated connectivity service.
Subtitle F—Miscellaneous Authorities
Sec. 2851. Authority for Secretary of Defense to acquire real property and facilities in the National Capital Region and to administer such property as part of the Pentagon Reservation.
Sec. 2852. Establishment of a dashboard for military construction projects for Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation facilities.
Sec. 2853. Additional authority for defense site reimbursement in the Federated States of Micronesia.
Sec. 2854. Recognition of certain aspects of the National Navy UDT–SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce, Florida, as a national memorial, national memorial garden, and national K9 memorial.
Sec. 2855. Forward operating base readiness assessment, St. Croix.
Sec. 2856. Forward operating base readiness assessment, St. Thomas.
Subtitle G—Reports and Other Matters
Sec. 2861. Annual report on supervision, inspection, and overhead costs for military construction projects.
Sec. 2862. Requirements relating to the Multi-Mission Dry Dock military construction project at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Washington.
Sec. 2863. Comptroller General review of Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program.
Sec. 2864. Conditions on transfer of Department of Defense power grid infrastructure in Guam.
Sec. 2865. Annual report on military construction projects supporting readiness and public interest in Guam.
Sec. 2866. Annual report on effects of extreme weather on Department of Defense military installations and combatant commander requirements.
Sec. 2867. Reports to Census Bureau with respect to military and civilian personnel on military installations.
Sec. 2868. Report on intergovernmental support agreements for certain defense installations.
Sec. 2869. Assessment of the use of intergovernmental support agreements for unspecified minor military construction projects.
Sec. 2870. Sense of Congress with respect to wargaming center at Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Alabama.
Sec. 2871. Report on Powertrain Facility and facility modernization at Corpus Christi Army Depot, Corpus Christi, Texas.
Sec. 2872. Report on underutilized Air National Guard airfield infrastructure.
Sec. 2873. Report on biological readiness of military installations under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Army.
Division C—Department of Energy National Security Authorizations and Other Authorizations
Title XXXI—Department of Energy National Security Programs
Subtitle A—National Security Programs and Authorizations
Sec. 3101. National Nuclear Security Administration.
Sec. 3102. Defense environmental cleanup.
Sec. 3103. Other defense activities.
Sec. 3104. Nuclear energy.
Subtitle B—Program Authorizations, Restrictions, and Limitations
Sec. 3111. Modifications to requirements for plutonium pit production capacity.
Sec. 3112. Modification to implementation of programs for acceleration of replacement of cesium blood irradiation sources.
Sec. 3113. Other transaction authority.
Sec. 3114. Extension of alternative personnel system of the National Nuclear Security Administration.
Sec. 3115. Deadline for commencement of High Explosive Synthesis, Formulation, and Production Facility.
Sec. 3116. Contracting authority to acquire commercial testing services for effects of radiation.
Sec. 3117. Prohibition relating to reclassification of high-level waste.
Sec. 3118. Prohibition on availability of funds for National Laboratories that admit certain foreign national visitors.
Sec. 3119. Designation of National Nuclear Security Administration as technical nuclear forensics lead.
Subtitle C—Reports and Other Matters
Sec. 3121. Technical and conforming amendments relating to codification of atomic energy defense provisions.
Sec. 3122. Modification of submission deadline for certain Selected Acquisition Reports.
Title XXXII—Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board
Sec. 3201. Authorization.
Title XXXIV—Naval Petroleum Reserves
Sec. 3401. Authorization of appropriations.
Title XXXV—Maritime Administration
Subtitle A—Authorization of Appropriations
Subtitle A—Maritime Administration
Sec. 3501. Authorization of appropriations for Maritime Administration.
Subtitle B—Merchant Marine Academy
Sec. 3511. Transferring the Administration of the United States Merchant Marine Academy to the Department.
Sec. 3512. Establishment of the United States Merchant Marine Academy as an office within the Office in the Department.
Sec. 3513. Support for athletic programs of the United States Merchant Marine Academy.
Subtitle C—Other Matters
Sec. 3521. Limitation on waiver of navigation and vessel-inspection laws to address foreign entities of concern.
Sec. 3522. Federal ship financing program improvements.
Sec. 3523. Cranes; shore power.
Sec. 3524. Cargoes procured, furnished, or financed by United States Government.
Sec. 3525. Assistance for small shipyards.
Sec. 3526. Committee on the Marine Transportation System.
Sec. 3527. Assessment of channel depths and placement of aids to navigation.
Sec. 3528. Waiver.
Sec. 3529. Technical corrections to chapter 3 analysis.
Sec. 3530. Enhancing United States maritime workforce.
Sec. 3531. Enhancing United States shipyards and shipbuilding.
Sec. 3532. United States Coast Guard Corrosion Control Assistance Team Pilot Program.
Sec. 3533. Domestic procurement of Coast Guard buoy, anchor and mooring chain.
Subtitle D—Coast Guard
Sec. 3541. Vice admirals.
Sec. 3542. Chief Prevention Officer.
Sec. 3543. Cyber coordination and support in foreign territories.
Sec. 3544. Authority to enter into transactions other than contracts, cooperative agreements, and grants.
Sec. 3545. Coast guard academy adjunct professors.
Sec. 3546. Designation of officers with particular expertise in highly skilled professional fields.
Sec. 3547. The effect of failure of selection for promotion.
Sec. 3548. Service credit for national oceanic and atmospheric administration or the public health service.
Sec. 3549. Remote appearance before a board of inquiry.
Sec. 3550. Captain of the port authorities over unmanned maritime systems.
Sec. 3551. Technical amendments to surveillance requirements.
Sec. 3552. Reception facilities.
Sec. 3553. Support.
Sec. 3554. Report and recommendations on integration of autonomous and remotely operated vessels.
Sec. 3555. Remotely crewed offshore supply vessel pilot program.
Sec. 3556. Change of homeports or air stations.
Sec. 3557. Architectural and engineering services and construction design; design-build selection procedures.
Subtitle E—Maritime Workforce and Education
Sec. 3561. Commercial shipbuilding infrastructure program.
Sec. 3562. Designation of centers of excellence for domestic maritime workforce training and education.
Sec. 3563. Civilian mariner education and development payments.
Sec. 3564. Maritime service employment reimbursement.
Sec. 3565. Student incentive payment agreements.
Sec. 3566. State maritime academy reimbursement for training ship cadet tuition and fees.
Sec. 3567. Modification of cargo preference three-year eligibility rule.
Sec. 3568. Cargo preference enforcement.
Sec. 3569. United States vessel preference requirement.
Title XXXVI—SHIPs for America
Sec. 3601. Short title.
Sec. 3602. Findings.
Sec. 3603. Sense of Congress.
Sec. 3604. Definitions.
Subtitle A—Oversight and Accountability
Sec. 3611. Maritime Security Advisor; Maritime Security Board.
Sec. 3612. Maritime Transportation System National Advisory Committee.
Sec. 3613. Direct hire authority; Authorization for administrative expenses.
Sec. 3614. Federal Maritime Commission report on vessels of the United States.
Subtitle B—Maritime Security Trust Fund
Sec. 3621. Maritime Security Trust Fund established.
Subtitle C—Sealift capability
Sec. 3631. Sealift capability.
Sec. 3632. National Freight Strategic Plan.
Sec. 3633. Foreign shipping practices; controlled carriers.
Subtitle D—Vessels of the United States in international commerce
Chapter 1—Strategic sealift programs
Sec. 3641. Fleet testing and briefing requirement.
Sec. 3642. Assessment of undersea cable repair contingencies.
Sec. 3643. Shipbuilding financial incentives.
Chapter 2—Cargo preference
Sec. 3644. United States Government cargo.
Sec. 3645. Cargo preference implementation regulations.
Sec. 3646. Cargo preference oversight and audit.
Sec. 3647. Priority for vessels of the United States.
Sec. 3648. Transportation requirements for certain exports sponsored by the Secretary of Agriculture.
Sec. 3649. Ship America Office.
Chapter 3—Regulatory reform
Sec. 3655. Alternate standards.
Sec. 3656. Rulemaking committee on commercial maritime regulations and standards.
Sec. 3657. Amendments to Shipowners’ Limitation of Liability Act of 1851.
Subtitle E—Shipbuilding
Chapter 1—Shipbuilding financial incentives
Sec. 3661. Anticipated commercial vessel construction survey.
Sec. 3662. Streamlined environmental review.
Sec. 3663. Reports.
Sec. 3664. Export control report.
Chapter 2—Department of Defense Programs
Sec. 3665. Assessment of the use of commercial best practices for Navy shipbuilding.
Sec. 3666. Plan of action for use of Defense Production Act of 1950 authorities.
Sec. 3667. Military Sealift Command.
Chapter 3—Shipbuilding innovation and infrastructure
Sec. 3668. United States Center for Maritime Innovation.
Sec. 3669. National Shipbuilding Research Program.
Sec. 3670. Assessment on maritime infrastructure readiness.
Subtitle F—Workforce Development
Chapter 1—Workforce incentives
Sec. 3671. Eligibility for educational assistance.
Sec. 3672. Eligibility of mariners to attend Naval Postgraduate School.
Sec. 3673. Reimbursement of qualifying spouse relicensing costs and business costs.
Sec. 3674. Noncompetitive eligibility for Federal employment.
Sec. 3675. United States Merchant Marine Career Retention Program.
Chapter 2—Workforce Pipeline
Sec. 3676. Maritime workforce promotion and recruitment.
Sec. 3677. Centers of Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education.
Sec. 3678. Maritime Career and Technical Education Advisory Committee.
Sec. 3679. Military candidates to Mariner Careers Recruitment Exchange.
Sec. 3680. Maritime worker data collection.
Sec. 3681. Military to maritime transition.
Sec. 3682. Early maritime education and youth involvement.
Sec. 3683. International scholarship for mariner and naval architecture exchanges.
Chapter 3—United States Merchant Marine Academy and State maritime academies
Sec. 3684. United States Merchant Marine Academy.
Sec. 3685. State maritime academies.
Sec. 3686. Enforcement of service obligation requirements.
Sec. 3687. Fuel funding for training ships operated by State maritime academies.
Sec. 3688. State Maritime Academy Sea Term Scholarship Programs.
Sec. 3689. Naval joint exercise involvement for training ships operated by State maritime academies.
Chapter 4—Maritime Credentialing Modernization
Sec. 3690. Merchant mariner credentialing modernization.
Sec. 3691. Inspections for transportation security.
Sec. 3692. Renewal of merchant mariner licenses and documents.
Sec. 3693. Reactivation of expired license.
Division D—Funding Tables
Sec. 4001. Authorization of amounts in funding tables.
Title XLI—Procurement
Sec. 4101. Procurement.
Title XLII—Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation
Sec. 4201. Research, development, test, and evaluation.
Title XLIII—Operation and Maintenance
Sec. 4301. Operation and maintenance.
Title XLIV—Military Personnel
Sec. 4401. Military personnel.
Title XLV—Other Authorizations
Sec. 4501. Other authorizations.
Title XLVI—Military Construction
Sec. 4601. Military construction.
Title XLVII—Department of Energy National Security Programs
Sec. 4701. Department of Energy national security programs.
Division E—SAVE America Act
Sec. 4801. Short title.
Sec. 4802. Ensuring only citizens are registered to vote in elections for Federal office.
Sec. 4803. Requiring voters to provide photo identification.
3.
Congressional defense committees
In this Act, the term  congressional defense committees  has the meaning given that term in section 101(a)(16) of title 10, United States Code.
A
Department of Defense Authorizations
I
Procurement
A
Authorization of Appropriations
101.
Authorization of appropriations
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2027 for procurement for the Army, the Navy and the Marine Corps, the Air Force and the Space Force, and Defense-wide activities, as specified in the funding table in section 4101.
B
Army Programs
111.
Standards for networked, autonomous, kinetic capabilities to protect against small unmanned aircraft systems
(a)
In general
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall establish standards to guide the development, procurement, and fielding of covered capabilities to protect ground combat, support, and mobility platforms against small unmanned aircraft systems.
(b)
Requirements
The standards established under subsection (a) shall provide for the development, procurement, and fielding of covered capabilities that—
(1)
are interoperable across brigade combat team elements, including interoperability of capabilities for the detection, tracking, and kinetic interception of small unmanned aircraft systems;
(2)
ensure seamless networking between a wide variety of sensors and ground platforms; and
(3)
meet such other requirements as the Secretary of the Army determines appropriate.
(c)
Report to Congress
Not later than 90 days after the date on which the Secretary of the Army establishes the standards under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report that includes—
(1)
an explanation of the standards; and
(2)
identification of any hardware or software components that—
(A)
potentially meet such standards; and
(B)
would be appropriate for incorporation into covered capabilities.
(d)
Covered capabilities defined
In this section, the term  covered capabilities  means platforms and other capabilities that—
(1)
are networked and autonomous;
(2)
are capable of the detection, tracking, and kinetic interception of small unmanned aircraft systems; and
(3)
incorporate—
(A)
passive and active sensors for the persistent detection and tracking of threats posed by unmanned aircraft systems;
(B)
autonomous kinetic effects capable of neutralizing threats with minimal operator intervention; and
(C)
mesh networking to allow for sensor-to-shooter handoffs between multiple ground platforms.
112.
Report on production of 155mm artillery ammunition
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report that includes—
(1)
an explanation of the status of efforts to produce 155mm artillery ammunition for the Department of Defense; and
(2)
recommendations, if any, for accelerating the production of such ammunition to support the Army’s minimum production goal of 100,000 rounds per month for each type of 155mm artillery round.
113.
Sense of Congress on domestic production of artillery projectiles
It is the sense of Congress that—
(1)
maintaining robust domestic production of M795 155mm artillery projectiles is critical to ensuring the operational effectiveness of the Army; and
(2)
the Secretary of Defense should take such steps as may be necessary to ensure that the United States has sufficient stockpiles of such projectiles to protect the interests of the United States and its allies and partners throughout the world.
114.
Report on fielding of Link 16 tactical data link networking capabilities on UH–60M and CH–47F aircraft
Not later than December 1, 2026, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the efforts of the Army to field Link 16 tactical data link networking capabilities on UH–60M and CH–47F aircraft. The report shall include—
(1)
a description of how Link 16 tactical data link networking capabilities on the AH–64E, UH–60M, and CH–47F aircraft contribute to the Next Generation Command and Control efforts of the Army; and
(2)
such other information as the Secretary determines appropriate.
115.
Minimum inventory requirement for Stryker A1 combat vehicles
(a)
Minimum inventory requirement
During the period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and ending on December 31, 2030, the Secretary of the Army shall ensure that the Army maintains a minimum inventory of not fewer than 1,524 deployable Stryker DVH A1 combat vehicles in its Stryker Brigade Combat Teams.
(b)
Exception
The requirement under subsection (a) shall not apply to individual Stryker DVH A1 combat vehicles that the Secretary of the Army determines, on a case-by-case basis, to be no longer mission capable and uneconomical to repair because of accidents, mishaps, or excessive material degradation.
116.
Multiyear procurement authority for armored multi-purpose vehicles
(a)
Authority for multiyear procurement
Subject to section 3501 of title 10, United States Code, the Secretary of the Army may enter into one or more multiyear contracts, beginning with the fiscal year 2027 program year, for the procurement of armored multipurpose vehicles.
(b)
Condition for out-year contract payments
A contract entered into under subsection (a) shall provide that any obligation of the United States to make a payment under the contract for a fiscal year after fiscal year 2027 is subject to the availability of appropriations or funds for that purpose for such later fiscal year.
(c)
Authority for advance procurement
The Secretary of the Army may enter into one or more contracts, beginning in fiscal year 2028, for advance procurement associated with the vehicles for which authorization to enter into a multiyear procurement contract is provided under subsection (a), which may include procurement of economic order quantities of material and equipment for such vehicles when cost savings are achievable.
C
Navy Programs
121.
Temporary unavailability of amphibious warfare ships
Section 8062(b) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
by inserting
(1)    before  The naval ; and
(2)
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(2)
In this subsection, the term  temporarily unavailable , when used with respect to an amphibious warfare ship, means that the ship has not surpassed its planned availability by a margin of—
(A)
greater than 100 percent of the nominal duration of that availability in 2026 or 2027;
(B)
greater than 75 percent of the nominal duration of that availability in 2028 or 2029;
(C)
greater than 50 percent of the nominal duration of that availability in 2030 or 2031; and
(D)
greater than 25 percent of the nominal duration of that availability in 2032 or any year thereafter.
 .
122.
Authority to use incremental funding for long lead-time components for Virginia class submarines
Section 126 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 ( Public Law 119–60 ; 139 Stat. 755) is amended—
(1)
by redesignating subsections (b) through (d) as subsections (c) through (e), respectively; and
(2)
by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
(b)
Authority to use incremental funding
In exercising the authority under subsection (a), the Secretary of the Navy may enter into incrementally funded contracts for the procurement of covered components that are long lead-time items.
 .
123.
Multiyear procurement authority for Arleigh Burke Class Destroyers
(a)
Authority for multiyear procurement
Subject to section 3501 of title 10, United States Code, the Secretary of the Navy may enter into one or more multiyear contracts for the procurement of up to 15 Arleigh Burke class Flight III guided missile destroyers.
(b)
Authority for advance procurement
The Secretary of the Navy may enter into one or more contracts, beginning in fiscal year 2027, for advance procurement associated with the destroyers for which authorization to enter into a multiyear procurement contract is provided under subsection (a), and for systems and subsystems associated with such destroyers in economic order quantities when cost savings are achievable.
(c)
Condition for out-year contract payments
A contract entered into under subsection (a) shall provide that any obligation of the United States to make a payment under the contract for a fiscal year after fiscal year 2027 is subject to the availability of appropriations or funds for that purpose for such later fiscal year.
(d)
Mandatory inclusion of prepriced option in certain circumstances
(1)
In general
In the event the total base quantity of destroyers to be procured through all contracts entered into under subsection (a) is less than 15, the Secretary of the Navy shall ensure that one or more of the contracts includes a prepriced option for the procurement of additional destroyers such that the sum of such base quantity and the number of destroyers that may be procured through the exercise of such options is equal to 15 destroyers.
(2)
Definitions
In this subsection:
(A)
Base quantity
The term  base quantity  means the quantity of destroyers to be procured under a contract entered into under subsection (a) excluding any quantity of destroyers that may be procured through the exercise of an option that may be part of such contract.
(B)
Prepriced option
The term  prepriced option  means a contract option for a contract entered into under subsection (a) that, if exercised, would allow the Secretary of the Navy to procure a destroyer at a predetermined price specified in such contract.
(e)
Limitation
The Secretary of the Navy may not modify a contract entered into under subsection (a) if the modification would increase the target price of the destroyer by more than 10 percent above the target price specified in the original contract for the destroyer under subsection (a).
124.
Multiyear procurement authority for John Lewis class Oilers
(a)
Authority for multiyear procurement
Subject to section 3501 of title 10, United States Code, the Secretary of the Navy may enter into one or more multiyear contracts for the procurement of John Lewis class Oilers and systems, components, and long-lead time materials associated with such vessels.
(b)
Authority for advance procurement
The Secretary of the Navy may enter into one or more contracts, beginning in fiscal year 2027, for advance procurement associated with the oilers for which authorization to enter into a multiyear procurement contract is provided under subsection (a), including economic order quantity purchases and advance procurement of long-lead time materials, to support the continuous production of such vessels and to achieve cost savings.
(c)
Condition for out-year contract payments
A contract entered into under subsection (a) shall provide that any obligation of the United States to make a payment under the contract for a fiscal year after fiscal year 2027 is subject to the availability of appropriations or funds for that purpose for such later fiscal year.
(d)
Termination liability
A contract entered into under subsection (a) shall provide that the total liability to the Federal Government for termination of the contract shall be limited to the total amount of funding obligated for the contract at the time of termination.
125.
Procurement authorities for certain amphibious shipbuilding programs
(a)
Contract authority
(1)
Procurement authorized
The Secretary of the Navy may enter into one or more contracts for the procurement of covered ships.
(2)
Procurement in conjunction with existing contracts
The ships authorized to be procured under paragraph (1) may be procured as additions to existing contracts covering programs for covered ships.
(b)
Certification required
A contract may not be entered into under subsection (a) unless the Secretary of the Navy certifies to the congressional defense committees, in writing, not later than 30 days before entry into the contract, each of the following, which shall be prepared by the milestone decision authority for the covered ship program concerned:
(1)
The use of such a contract is consistent with the Commandant of the Marine Corps’ projected force structure requirements for amphibious ships.
(2)
The use of such a contract will result in savings compared to the total anticipated costs of carrying out the program through annual contracts. In certifying cost savings under the preceding sentence, the Secretary shall include a written explanation of—
(A)
the estimated end cost and appropriated funds by fiscal year, by hull, without the authority provided in subsection (a);
(B)
the estimated end cost and appropriated funds by fiscal year, by hull, with the authority provided in subsection (a);
(C)
the estimated cost savings or increase by fiscal year, by hull, with the authority provided in subsection (a); and
(D)
the contractual actions that will ensure the estimated cost savings are realized.
(3)
The Secretary of the Navy has a reasonable expectation that throughout the contemplated contract period funding will be available for the contract at the level required to avoid contract cancellation.
(4)
There is a stable design for the property to be acquired and the technical risks associated with such property are not excessive.
(5)
The estimates of both the cost of the contract and the anticipated cost avoidance through the use of a contract authorized under subsection (a) are realistic.
(6)
The use of such a contract will promote the national security of the United States.
(7)
During the fiscal year in which such contract is to be awarded, sufficient funds will be available to perform the contract in such fiscal year.
(c)
Authority for advance procurement
The Secretary of the Navy may enter into one or more contracts for advance procurement or advance construction associated with a ship or ships for which authorization to enter into a contract is provided under subsection (a), and for systems, sub systems, spare parts, and major shore based spares associated with such ships in economic order quantities when cost savings are achievable.
(d)
Authority to use incremental funding
The Secretary of the Navy may incrementally fund a contract entered into under subsection (a) or (c).
(e)
Condition for out-year contract payments
A contract entered into under subsection (a) shall provide that any obligation of the United States to make a payment under the contract for a fiscal year is subject to the availability of appropriations for that purpose for such fiscal year.
(f)
Termination
The authority of the Secretary of the Navy to enter into contracts under subsection (a) shall terminate on September 30, 2030.
(g)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  covered ship  means a San Antonio-class or America-class ship.
(2)
The term  milestone decision authority  has the meaning given that term in section 4251(e) of title 10, United States Code.
126.
Contract authority for submarine tender program
(a)
Contract authority
The Secretary of the Navy may enter into one or more contracts for the procurement of not more than two AS(X) submarine tenders.
(b)
Use of incremental funding
With respect to a contract entered into under subsection (a), the Secretary of the Navy may use incremental funding to make payments under the contract.
(c)
Liability
Any contract entered into under subsection (a) shall provide that—
(1)
any obligation of the United States to make a payment under the contract is subject to the availability of appropriations for that purpose; and
(2)
the total liability of the Federal Government for termination of the contract shall be limited to the total amount of funding obligated to the contract at the time of termination.
127.
Multiyear procurement authority for E–2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft
(a)
Authority for multiyear procurement
Subject to section 3501 of title 10, United States Code, the Secretary of the Navy may enter into one or more multiyear contracts, beginning with the fiscal year 2027 program year, for the procurement of twelve E–2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft.
(b)
Authority for economic order quantity
The Secretary of the Navy may enter into one or more contracts, beginning in fiscal year 2027, for advance procurement associated with the aircraft for which authorization to enter into a multiyear procurement contract is provided under subsection (a), which may include procurement of economic order quantities of material and equipment for such aircraft when cost savings are achievable.
(c)
Liability
Any contract entered into under subsection (a) shall provide that—
(1)
any obligation of the United States to make a payment under the contract is subject to the availability of appropriations for that purpose; and
(2)
the total liability of the Federal Government for termination of the contract shall be limited to the total amount of funding obligated to the contract at the time of termination.
128.
Authority to use incremental funding for the construction of a Guided Missile Destroyer (DDG)
(a)
In general
Amounts authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for the Navy for Shipbuilding and Conversion for fiscal year 2027 may be used by the Secretary of the Navy to enter into an incrementally funded contract for the construction of one Guided Missile Destroyer (DDG).
(b)
Availability of funds and termination liability
A contract entered into under subsection (a) shall provide that any obligation of the United States to make a payment under the contract is subject to the availability of appropriations for that purpose, and that total liability to the Government for the termination of the contract shall be limited to the total amount of funding obligated at time of termination.
129.
Authority for advance procurement of components for Ship-to-Shore Connector class craft
(a)
Authority for advance procurement
The Secretary of the Navy may enter into one or more contracts, prior to ship authorization, for the advance procurement of components for Ship-to-Shore Connector class craft, including procurement of such components in economic order quantities when cost savings are achievable.
(b)
Condition for out-year contract payments
A contract entered into under subsection (a) shall provide that any obligation of the United States to make a payment under the contract for a fiscal year is subject to the availability of appropriations for that purpose for such fiscal year.
130.
Torpedo modernization, testing, and inventory sufficiency for two simultaneous regional conflicts
(a)
Strategy and inventory requirement
(1)
In general
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Navy shall develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for torpedo modernization, testing, production, and inventory sufficiency.
(2)
Elements
The strategy required under subsection (a) shall include the following:
(A)
An assessment of the minimum required inventory levels of—
(i)
MK–48 heavyweight torpedoes;
(ii)
lightweight torpedoes, including MK–54 torpedoes;
(iii)
advanced torpedo variants;
(iv)
exercise, training, and telemetry torpedoes; and
(v)
torpedo countermeasure systems, necessary to support not fewer than two simultaneous regional conflicts.
(B)
An assessment of wartime torpedo expenditure assumptions for combat operations against peer and near-peer maritime adversaries.
(C)
An evaluation of current torpedo production capacity, including limitations associated with—
(i)
energetics;
(ii)
propulsion systems;
(iii)
acoustic seekers;
(iv)
guidance electronics;
(v)
specialty metals;
(vi)
undersea weapon integration facilities; and
(vii)
single-source suppliers.
(D)
A plan to increase annual torpedo production capacity and reduce production lead times during contingencies.
(E)
An assessment of the adequacy of existing torpedo testing infrastructure, including—
(i)
undersea warfare test ranges;
(ii)
target vessels and unmanned targets;
(iii)
telemetry and instrumentation systems;
(iv)
contested electromagnetic environment testing capabilities;
(v)
digital engineering and modeling environments;
(vi)
Arctic and deep-water testing capacity;
(vii)
shallow water testing capability; and
(viii)
opportunities to cooperate on testing activities with allies and partners of the United States.
(F)
A description of efforts to improve torpedo survivability and effectiveness against advanced countermeasures and adversary electronic warfare systems.
(G)
An assessment of storage, transportation, reload, and expeditionary rearmament capacity for torpedoes during wartime operations.
(H)
A description of any statutory or regulatory barriers limiting expansion of torpedo production, testing, or procurement.
(I)
Recommendations for legislative or administrative action necessary to improve torpedo readiness and wartime sufficiency.
(b)
Industrial base expansion plan
Not later 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Navy shall develop a plan to expand the undersea weapons industrial base to support sustained wartime production requirements. Such plan shall include—
(1)
options for second-source suppliers;
(2)
expansion of Government-owned, contractor-operated facilities;
(3)
use of multiyear procurement authorities pursuant to section 3501 of title 10, United States Code;
(4)
opportunities to expand public-private partnerships for undersea weapons manufacturing and sustainment;
(5)
measures to improve supply chain resilience for critical components; and
(6)
options for surge production during national emergencies or armed conflict.
(c)
Reports required
Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Navy shall submit to the congressional defense committees—
(1)
a report on the strategy developed under subsection (a); and
(2)
a report on the plan developed under subsection (b).
(d)
Briefing required
Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Navy shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing on—
(1)
the highest-risk shortfalls in torpedo inventory and testing capacity;
(2)
operational testing methodology for torpedos and efforts to test for real world scenarios;
(3)
projected wartime torpedo inventory depletion timelines; and
(4)
investments required during period covered by the future-years defense program to ensure torpedo sufficiency for two simultaneous regional conflicts.
131.
Limitation on construction of Battleship pending certification on technology readiness levels
The Secretary of the Navy may not enter into a contract or other agreement that includes a scope of work for the construction of the lead ship of the Battleship program until the date on which the Secretary certifies to the congressional defense committees that the weapon systems planned for inclusion in such lead ship are at a sufficiently mature technology readiness level.
132.
Strategy for iterative development and flight modifications for FF(X) class frigates
(a)
Strategy required
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Navy shall submit to the congressional defense committees a strategy for the iterative development of the FF(X) class frigate. Such strategy shall include the following:
(1)
Information on the estimated timeline for each planned variant (commonly known as a  Flight ) of the FF(X) class frigate.
(2)
Details on the integration of additional capabilities for future Flights of the frigate, such as vertical launch systems or improved sensors, and implications for the space, weight, power, and cost of the hull form.
(3)
Any additional mission sets or combat functions that may be added to the concept of operation for FF(X) class frigates.
(b)
Interim briefing
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Navy shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing on the development of the strategy required under subsection (a).
(c)
FF(X) class frigate defined
In this section, the term  FF(X) class frigate  means the new class of frigate vessel under development by the Secretary of the Navy (as of the date of the enactment of this Act) based on a design derived from the Legend class Coast Guard cutter.
133.
Report on continuity of mission and readiness during transition of F–5 to F/A–18E/F aircraft for the Navy Reserve
(a)
Report required
Not later than March 1, 2027, and annually thereafter for four years, the Secretary of the Navy shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the status of efforts to transfer F/A–18E/F aircraft to the Navy Reserve to replace the F–5 aircraft.
(b)
Elements
Each report under subsection (a) shall include an explanation of—
(1)
how the Secretary will mitigate risk to any degradation, gap, or delay in mission execution, fleet readiness, or pilot and maintainer qualification during the period in which aircraft are being transferred and replaced as described in subsection (a);
(2)
the Secretary’s plans for retaining key Navy Reserve personnel to support operational readiness during such period;
(3)
how the Secretary plans, if possible, to ensure that assigned operational and adversary training missions are executed during such period;
(4)
how the Secretary plans to maintain pilot and maintenance personnel proficiency, currency, and qualifications during such period; and
(5)
the timelines associated with the transfer and replacement of aircraft described in subsection (a), including timelines associated with—
(A)
support equipment and initial spares;
(B)
pilot and maintenance personnel training;
(C)
achievement of initial operational capability and full operational capability; and
(D)
execution of all contracts supporting the transfer and replacement of such aircraft.
134.
Minimum inventory of P–8A Poseidon aircraft
(a)
In general
The Secretary of the Navy shall ensure that the total number of P–8A Poseidon aircraft in the inventory of the Navy is not less than 136 aircraft.
(b)
Authority to increase planned procurement
Beginning on October 1, 2026, the Secretary of the Navy may increase the total planned procurement of P–8A Poseidon aircraft to beyond 136 aircraft.
(c)
Limitation
None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for the Department of Defense may be obligated or expended to retire, divest, transfer to a nonoperational status, place in storage, prepare for retirement, or otherwise reduce the total active inventory of P–8A Poseidon aircraft below the number specified in subsection (a).
(d)
Waiver
The Secretary of Defense may waive the limitation under subsection (c) if the Secretary certifies to the congressional defense committees that—
(1)
the reduction is required due to the loss of an aircraft through combat, accident, or other unforeseen circumstance; and
(2)
the reduction will not materially degrade the ability of the Navy to conduct maritime patrol, antisubmarine warfare, antisurface warfare, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and fleet support missions.
D
Air Force Programs
141.
Inventory requirements for certain fighter aircraft
(a)
Modification of inventory requirements for Air Force fighter aircraft
(1)
In general
Subsection (i) of section 9062 of title 10, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
(i)
(1)(A)
During the period beginning on October 1, 2026, and ending on October 1, 2035, the Secretary of the Air Force shall maintain a total aircraft inventory of fighter aircraft of not less than 1,800 aircraft.
(B)
The Secretary of the Air Force shall maintain a total aircraft inventory of combat-coded fighter aircraft of—
(i)
not less than 1,369 aircraft by December 31, 2030; and
(ii)
not less than 1,558 aircraft by December 31, 2035.
(2)
In this subsection:
(A)
The term  fighter aircraft —
(i)
means an aircraft that—
(I)
is designated by a mission design series prefix of F– or A–;
(II)
is manned by one or two crewmembers; and
(III)
executes single-role or multi-role missions, including air-to-air combat, air-to-ground attack, air interdiction, suppression or destruction of enemy air defenses, close air support, strike control and reconnaissance, combat search and rescue support, or airborne forward air control; and
(ii)
does not include collaborative combat aircraft.
(B)
The term  primary mission aircraft inventory  means aircraft assigned to meet the primary aircraft authorization to a unit for the performance of its wartime mission.
 .
(2)
Effective date
The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall take effect on October 1, 2026.
(b)
Authority to increase planned procurement
Beginning on October 1, 2026, the Secretary of the Air Force may increase the total planned procurement of F–15EX aircraft to beyond 267 aircraft.
142.
Extension of prohibition on retirement of F–22 aircraft
Section 9062(k)(1) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking  September 30, 2027  and inserting  September 30, 2032 .
143.
Limitation on retirement of E–3 airborne warning and control system aircraft and requirements relating to E–7 aircraft
(a)
Extension and modification of minimum inventory requirement
Section 149 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 ( Public Law 119–60 ) is amended—
(1)
by striking  below 16  each place it appears and inserting  below 15 ; and
(2)
in subsection (a), by striking  fiscal year 2026  and inserting  fiscal year 2026 or 2027 .
(b)
Requirement to plan and budget for E–7 program of record
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees—
(1)
a detailed schedule for procurement, fielding, and achievement of initial and full operating capability for E–7 Wedgetail aircraft; and
(2)
a funding profile across the period covered by the Future Years Defense Program sufficient to meet the requirements of paragraph (1).
(c)
Capability assurance
The Secretary of Air Force shall certify to the congressional defense committees that—
(1)
the plan under subsection (b) will ensure there is no degradation in the airborne early warning, battle management, and command and control capabilities available to support combatant commands; and
(2)
any proposed retirement of E–3 aircraft will not result in a gap in operational coverage, mission availability, or responsiveness to the demands of the combatant commands.
144.
Evaluation for potential transfer of certain A–10 aircraft among military departments
Section 137(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 ( Public Law 118–31 ; 137 Stat. 174) is amended—
(1)
by striking  by this Act or by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 ( Public Law 117–263 )  and inserting  to the Department of Defense for any of fiscal years 2023 through 2030 ; and
(2)
by inserting  to another military department or  after  evaluated for potential transfer .
145.
Extension of requirements relating to C–130 aircraft
(a)
Extension of minimum inventory requirement
Section 146(a)(3)(B) of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 ( Public Law 117–263 ; 136 Stat. 2455), as most recently amended by section 145(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 ( Public Law 119–60 ; 139 Stat. 760), is further amended by striking  2026  and inserting  2028 .
(b)
Extension of prohibition on reduction of C–130 aircraft assigned to National Guard
Section 146(b)(1) of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 ( Public Law 117–263 ; 136 Stat. 2455), as most recently amended by section 145(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 ( Public Law 119–60 ; 139 Stat. 760), is further amended by striking  2026  and inserting  2028 .
(c)
Report requirement
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report detailing the following:
(1)
The total number and variant types of C–130 aircraft in the inventory of the Air Force.
(2)
Any planned retirements, divestments, or reductions to the fleet of such aircraft.
(3)
Modernization and recapitalization efforts, including block upgrades and procurement schedules.
(4)
Planned basing actions for fielding C–130J aircraft to recapitalize C–130H aircraft.
146.
Limitation on availability of funds for C–37 aircraft recapitalization program
Of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2027 for the Air Force for the procurement of C–37 aircraft, not more than 50 percent may be obligated or expended until a period of 30 days has elapsed following the date on which the Secretary of the Air Force submits to the congressional defense committees—
(1)
the acquisition strategy for such aircraft; and
(2)
a justification for using other than competitive procedures under section 3204 of title 10, United States Code, for the award of a contract for the procurement of such aircraft.
147.
Limitation on retirement of MQ–9 Reaper aircraft
(a)
Limitation on retirement or divestment
None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Air Force may be obligated or expended to retire, divest, place in storage, transfer to nonoperational status, or prepare for retirement any MQ–9 Reaper aircraft.
(b)
Certification requirement for future retirement or divestment
Beginning after September 30, 2027, the Secretary of the Air Force may not retire, divest, or transfer to nonoperational status any MQ–9 Reaper aircraft until the Secretary certifies in writing to the congressional defense committees that—
(1)
a replacement capability has achieved initial operational capability;
(2)
such replacement capability provides comparable or superior—
(A)
persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capability;
(B)
strike capability;
(C)
survivability in a dynamic and high-threat environment;
(D)
maritime surveillance capability;
(E)
communications relay capability; and
(F)
operational availability and sortie generation capacity;
(3)
the replacement capability is available in sufficient operational quantities to meet requirements of the combatant commands;
(4)
the retirement or divestment will not increase operational risk to ongoing contingency operations, homeland defense missions, maritime domain awareness missions, or crisis response operations;
(5)
the Secretary has conducted a force structure assessment evaluating the impact of such retirement on—
(A)
globally deployed operations;
(B)
distributed operations in the Indo-Pacific region;
(C)
operations in the United States Central Command area of responsibility;
(D)
support to special operations forces; and
(E)
support to allied and partner nation operations; and
(6)
the Secretary has submitted the assessments required under subsection (c).
(c)
Combatant commander sufficiency assessment
Not later than 30 days prior to submitting a certification under subsection (b), the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees an assessment from—
(1)
each of the commanders of the combatant commands regarding the operational sufficiency of the remaining remotely piloted aircraft force to execute approved operational plans and ongoing missions;
(2)
the Commander of United States Special Operations Command regarding the impact of such retirement on support to special operations missions;
(3)
the Commander of United States Indo-Pacific Command regarding the impact on distributed maritime surveillance and targeting operations in the Indo-Pacific theater; and
(4)
the Commander of United States Central Command regarding the impact on ongoing counterterrorism, force protection, and crisis response operations.
(d)
Replacement capability defined
In this section, the term  replacement capability  means a platform, family of systems, or operational capability intended to replace the operational functions currently performed by the MQ–9 Reaper fleet, including—
(1)
intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance;
(2)
precision strike;
(3)
maritime domain awareness;
(4)
electronic warfare; and
(5)
communications relay.
148.
Analysis of alternatives for next generation airlift capabilities
(a)
In general
The Secretary of the Air Force, in coordination with the Commander of the United States Transportation Command, shall conduct an analysis of alternatives for next generation airlift capabilities.
(b)
Elements
In conducting the analysis of alternatives required under subsection (a), the Secretary of the Air Force shall—
(1)
evaluate a range of options for next generation airlift capabilities, including recapitalization of existing platforms, service life extension and modernization efforts, and development of new airlift platforms;
(2)
in evaluating such options, consider operational effectiveness, survivability in contested environments, fuel efficiency, lifecycle costs, connectivity, basing, and interoperability with joint and coalition forces and battle networks; and
(3)
assess the feasibility of incorporating unmanned or optionally crewed systems and innovative concepts of operations.
(c)
Report
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the results of the analysis of alternatives conducted under subsection (a). The report shall include—
(1)
the findings and conclusions of the analysis;
(2)
recommendations, if any, for future investment in next generation airlift capabilities; and
(3)
such other information as the Secretary determines appropriate.
149.
Authorization of transitional activities to improve airlift operations
(a)
In general
The Secretary of the Air Force may carry out activities, prior to fielding the next generation airlift aircraft, to improve the readiness, reliability, capacity, and capabilities of the Air Force with respect to airlift operations.
(b)
Activities
The activities carried out under subsection (a) may include—
(1)
entering into partnerships with commercial entities—
(A)
to provide the Air Force with access to commercially developed aircraft capable of handling outsized airlift payloads; and
(B)
to modify such aircraft, as necessary, to meet military requirements;
(2)
carrying out a pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of using commercial providers to test, certify, and operate select C–5 aircraft in support of the Air Force; and
(3)
such other activities as the Secretary of the Air Force determines appropriate.
(c)
Funding
This section shall be carried out using amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated to the Department of the Air Force and no additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section.
150.
Conveyance of certain F–14 aircraft to U.S. Space and Rocket Center Commission in Huntsville, Alabama
(a)
Authority
The Secretary of the Navy may convey, without consideration, to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center Commission in Huntsville, Alabama (in this section referred to as the  Commission ), all right, title, and interest of the United States in the following:
(1)
F–14 aircraft (Bureau number 159437).
(2)
F–14 aircraft (Bureau number 164341).
(3)
F–14 aircraft (Bureau number 164602).
(b)
Form of conveyance
Any conveyance under subsection (a) shall be made by means of a conditional deed of gift.
(c)
Conveyance at no cost to the United States
Any conveyance under subsection (a) shall be made at no cost to the United States. Any costs associated with such conveyance, costs of determining compliance with terms of the conveyance, and costs of operation and maintenance of the aircraft conveyed shall be borne by the Commission.
(d)
Condition of aircraft
The aircraft being conveyed under subsection (a) do not have any capability for use as a platform for launching or releasing munitions or any other combat capability that it was designed to have.
(e)
Conditions
The Secretary shall include in the instrument of conveyance of the aircraft under subsection (a)—
(1)
a condition that the Secretary is not required to repair or alter the condition of the aircraft before conveying ownership of the aircraft;
(2)
a condition that the Secretary shall provide any maintenance and operations manuals that—
(A)
are specific to the F–14 aircraft; and
(B)
the Secretary has sufficient intellectual property rights to convey;
(3)
a condition that the Secretary may provide excess spare parts to make one of the F–14 aircraft flyable or able to complete a static display, provided that any part transferred from existing Navy stock is reimbursed at fair market value by the Commission, with no items being procured by the Secretary on behalf of the Commission; and
(4)
a condition that the Secretary will not be responsible for transferring any additional parts or providing any additional support beyond what is stated in this section, during or after the conveyance of the aircraft.
(f)
Agreements for restoration and operation
The Secretary may—
(1)
authorize the Commission to enter into agreements with qualified nonprofit organizations for the purpose of restoring and operating the aircraft transferred under subsection (a) for public display, airshows, and commemorative events to preserve naval aviation heritage; and
(2)
if the Secretary authorizes any such agreement, require such additional terms and conditions in the instrument of conveyance as appropriate to protect the interests of the United States.
(g)
Reverter upon breach of conditions
The Secretary shall include in the instrument of conveyance of the aircraft under subsection (a)—
(1)
a condition that the Commission shall operate and maintain the aircraft in compliance with all applicable limitations and maintenance requirements imposed by the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration;
(2)
a condition that the Commission shall not convey any ownership interest in, or transfer possession of, the aircraft to another party without the prior approval of the Secretary; and
(3)
a condition that if the Secretary determines at any time that the Commission has failed to comply with the conditions set forth in paragraphs (1) and (2), all right, title, and interest in and to the aircraft, including any repair or alteration of the aircraft, shall revert to the United States, and the United States shall have the right of immediate possession of the aircraft.
(h)
Clarification of liability
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, upon the conveyance to the Commission of interests in the aircraft under subsection (a), the United States may not be liable for any death, injury, loss, or damage that results from any use of such aircraft by any person other than the United States.
(i)
Applicable law
The conveyance of an aircraft under subsection (a), and the use of such aircraft following such conveyance, shall be subject to all applicable Federal and State laws and regulations, including the Arms Export Control Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq. ), the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 ( 50 U.S.C. 4801 et seq. ),  chapter 37  of title 18, United States Code (commonly referred to as the  Espionage Act ), the regulations set forth in subchapter M of chapter I of title 22, Code of Federal Regulations (commonly referred to as the  International Traffic in Arms Regulations ), subchapter C of chapter VII of title 15, Code of Federal Regulations (commonly referred to as the  Export Administration Regulations ), and chapter V of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations (commonly referred to as the  Foreign Assets Control Regulations ).
151.
Report on the feasibility of restoring nuclear capability to the B–1B Lancer bomber aircraft
(a)
In general
Not later than December 1, 2026, the Secretary of the Air Force, in coordination with the Commander of the United States Strategic Command, shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report assessing the feasibility of restoring nuclear capability to the B–1B Lancer bomber aircraft.
(b)
Elements
The report required under subsection (a) shall include the following:
(1)
A description of any structural, electronic, software, and weapons-integration modifications required to enable the B–1B aircraft to deliver nuclear weapons.
(2)
An assessment of the compatibility of such aircraft with currently fielded and planned nuclear gravity bombs and air-launched cruise missiles.
(3)
Identification of any military construction, storage, security, and certification infrastructure that would be required at forward operating locations within the continental United States should nuclear capability be restored to such aircraft.
(4)
Requirements related to aircrew certification, maintenance training, security forces training, nuclear surety inspections, and personnel reliability programs should nuclear capability be restored to such aircraft.
(5)
Estimated research, development, test, evaluation, procurement, operations, and sustainment costs over a the five-year period following the initiation of any efforts to restore nuclear capability to such aircraft.
(6)
An assessment of the expected remaining service life of the B–1B aircraft fleet.
(7)
The estimated time required to achieve initial operational capability and full operational capability should the Air Force pursue restoring nuclear capability to such aircraft.
(8)
An assessment of the military utility and strategic deterrence value of restoring nuclear capability to the B–1B aircraft.
(9)
An assessment of any costs and additional requirements to restore nuclear capability across bomber bases.
(c)
Form
The report required under subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex.
152.
Limitation on retirement of E–11 battlefield airborne communications node aircraft
None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Air Force may be obligated or expended to retire, divest, place in storage, transfer to nonoperational status, or prepare for retirement any E–11 Battlefield Airborne Communications Node aircraft.
E
Defense-wide, Joint, and Multiservice Matters
161.
Multiyear procurement authority for F–15EX aircraft
(a)
Authority for multiyear procurement
Subject to section 3501 of title 10, United States Code, and except as provided in subsection (b), the Secretary of Defense may enter into one or more multiyear contracts, beginning with the fiscal year 2027 program year, for the procurement of—
(1)
F–15EX aircraft; and
(2)
initial spare parts, alternate mission equipment, and conformal fuel tanks for such aircraft.
(b)
Limitation
The Secretary of Defense may not enter into a contract for the procurement of an aircraft under subsection (a) until the date on which the Secretary certifies to the congressional defense committees that such contract will provide for the procurement of the full complement of initial spare parts, alternate mission equipment, and conformal fuel tanks for each aircraft to be procured under the contract.
(c)
Condition for out-year contract payments
A contract entered into under subsection (a) shall provide that any obligation of the United States to make a payment under the contract for a fiscal year after fiscal year 2027 is subject to the availability of appropriations or funds for that purpose for such later fiscal year.
(d)
Authority for advance procurement
The Secretary of Defense may enter into one or more contracts, beginning in fiscal year 2027, for advance procurement associated with the aircraft for which authorization to enter into a multiyear procurement contract is provided under subsection (a), which may include procurement of economic order quantities of material and equipment for such aircraft when cost savings are achievable.
162.
Multiyear procurement authority for F–35 aircraft
(a)
Authority for multiyear procurement
Subject to section 3501 of title 10, United States Code, and except as provided in subsections (b) and (c), the Secretary of Defense may enter into one or more multiyear contracts, beginning with the fiscal year 2027 program year, for the procurement of—
(1)
F–35 aircraft; and
(2)
initial spare parts and alternate mission equipment for such aircraft.
(b)
Limitation
The Secretary of Defense may not enter into a contract for the procurement of an aircraft under subsection (a) until the date on which the Secretary certifies to the congressional defense committees that such contract will provide for the procurement of the full complement of initial spare parts and alternate mission equipment for each aircraft to be procured under the contract.
(c)
Additional requirements and limitations
(1)
In general
The Secretary of Defense may not enter into a contract for the procurement of an aircraft under subsection (a) until the date on which all of the following requirements have been met:
(A)
The Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment has certified to the congressional defense committees that—
(i)
any multiyear contracts for the procurement of F–35 aircraft units will achieve savings of not less than 5 percent compared with the estimated cost of procuring the same number and configuration of F–35 aircraft through annual contracts over the same period; and
(ii)
the Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation reviewed and validated such savings estimate.
(B)
The Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment has submitted to the congressional defense committees a report on the plan of the Department of Defense to improve operational readiness rates of F–35 aircraft. The report shall include—
(i)
funding requirements, by fiscal year, that achieve readiness to the required rates of full mission capability, mission capability, and aircraft availability, as defined by the Air Force and the Department of the Navy; and
(ii)
funding requirements across the period covered by the future-years defense program that demonstrate full resources budgeted and programmed to achieve annual readiness requirements as identified in clause (i).
(2)
Limitation on availability of funds
Of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2027 for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment for official travel, not more than 50 percent may be obligated or expended until the date on which the Under Secretary submits to the congressional defense committees a certification—
(A)
that funding for fiscal year 2026 has been obligated and expended to meet the fiscal year 2026 readiness requirements as identified in paragraph (1)(B)(i); and
(B)
that funding for fiscal year 2027 has been requested to meet fiscal year 2027 readiness requirements as identified in such paragraph.
(d)
Condition for out-year contract payments
A contract entered into under subsection (a) shall provide that any obligation of the United States to make a payment under the contract for a fiscal year after fiscal year 2027 is subject to the availability of appropriations or funds for that purpose for such later fiscal year.
(e)
Authority for advance procurement
The Secretary of Defense may enter into one or more contracts, beginning in fiscal year 2027, for advance procurement associated with the aircraft for which authorization to enter into a multiyear procurement contract is provided under subsection (a), which may include procurement of economic order quantities of material and equipment for such aircraft when cost savings are achievable.
163.
Prohibition on procurement and use of humanoid robotic systems produced, developed, or controlled by foreign adversaries
(a)
Prohibition
(1)
In general
The Secretary of Defense may not procure, lease, or otherwise obtain a covered humanoid robotic system that—
(A)
is produced or developed by a foreign adversary or foreign adversary entity;
(B)
incorporates firmware, software, artificial intelligence models, remote update capability, or cloud services provided by a foreign adversary or foreign adversary entity; or
(C)
is subject to remote access, maintenance, data transmission, or update authority controlled by a foreign adversary or foreign adversary entity.
(2)
Applicability
The prohibition under paragraph (1) shall apply with respect to contracts and other agreements entered into after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(b)
Limited waiver for controlled testing and counterintelligence purposes
The Secretary of Defense may waive the prohibition under subsection (a)(1) with respect to a covered humanoid robotic system if—
(1)
the system is to be used solely for counterintelligence, cybersecurity testing, vulnerability assessment, or research purposes;
(2)
the system operates in a physically isolated or air-gapped environment;
(3)
the system is not connected to operational Department of Defense networks; and
(4)
the Secretary notifies the congressional defense committees not later than 30 days after issuing such waiver.
(c)
Implementation
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall issue any rules, regulations, policies, and guidance necessary for the implementation of this section.
(d)
Rule of construction
Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the procurement or use of a covered humanoid robotic system solely on the basis that such system incorporates commercially available, off-the-shelf components not specifically designed for humanoid robotic systems, provided that such components do not enable remote access, data transmission, or control by a foreign adversary or foreign adversary entity.
(e)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
(A)
The term  covered humanoid robotic system  means a commercially available robotic system that—
(i)
is designed for general-purpose interaction within human-occupied environments;
(ii)
possesses articulated upper extremities capable of dexterous manipulation;
(iii)
is capable of autonomous or semi-autonomous operation using artificial intelligence or machine learning systems; and
(iv)
is equipped with wired or wireless networking connectivity, including internet, cellular, satellite, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, radio-frequency communication, or cloud-based data storage or processing services.
(B)
Such term does not include—
(i)
industrial robotic systems permanently installed in controlled manufacturing environments;
(ii)
robotic systems incapable of network connectivity; or
(iii)
assistive medical devices regulated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act ( 21 U.S.C. 301 et seq. ).
(2)
The term  foreign adversary  means a covered nation as defined in section 4872(f)(2) of title 10, United States Code.
(3)
The term  foreign adversary entity  means an entity that—
(A)
is organized under the laws of, headquartered in, or subject to the jurisdiction of a foreign adversary;
(B)
is owned or controlled by the government of a foreign adversary; or
(C)
is owned or controlled by an entity that meets any of the criteria described in subparagraph (A) or (B).
164.
Limitation on availability of funds to retire or decommission certain radar systems
(a)
Limitation
Except as provided in subsection (b), none of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of Defense may be obligated or expended to retire, decommission, divest, or otherwise remove from active operational service, any covered radar system.
(b)
Exception
The limitation under subsection (a) shall not apply to any individual unit of a covered radar system that the Secretary of the military department concerned determines has been damaged or degraded beyond economical repair.
(c)
Covered radar system
In this section, the term  covered radar system  means the following:
(1)
The AN/SPN–43 shipboard air traffic control and air marshaling radar system.
(2)
The AN/SPY–1 phased-array radar system for the Aegis Combat System.
(3)
The AN/TPQ–36 Firefinder counter-battery radar system.
(4)
The AN/TPQ–37 Firefinder counter-battery radar system.
(5)
Airborne Station Keeping Equipment radar systems, including the AN/APN–243.
165.
Standards for common operating system for small unmanned aircraft systems
(a)
In general
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretaries of the military departments, shall establish standards for a common operating system for small unmanned aircraft systems.
(b)
Elements
The standards established under subsection (a) shall provide for a common operating system for small unmanned aircraft systems that—
(1)
enables interoperability between small unmanned aircraft system platforms from different vendors and classes across the joint force;
(2)
enables modular integration of mission applications, including by enabling the use of applications and features from multiple different vendors on the same platform;
(3)
facilitates rapid deployment of autonomy and command and control functions;
(4)
facilitates rapid deployment of autonomy and operating capabilities in contested, degraded, and denied environments, including capabilities enabling operation in contested electromagnetic and degraded positioning, navigation, and timing environments;
(5)
integrates operating software that can function on multiple hardware platforms from different vendors;
(6)
supports secure software updates and cybersecurity improvements;
(7)
avoids vendor lock by enabling multiple vendors of hardware and software to develop and field applications and capabilities; and
(8)
establishes baseline standards for aided target recognition capabilities.
(c)
Implementation
(1)
In general
Not later than 90 days after the date on which the Secretary of Defense finalizes the standards under subsection (a), the Secretary, in coordination with the Secretaries of the military departments, shall develop and commence implementation of a plan for equipping small unmanned aircraft systems of the Department of Defense with a common operating system that meets such standards.
(2)
Use of commercially available solutions
In implementing the plan under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense shall make use of commercially available solutions to the maximum extent practicable.
166.
Minimum annual procurement goal for AbilityOne Program
Beginning in fiscal year 2027, the Secretary of Defense shall establish the goal that the total amount of funds obligated for the procurement of products and services from nonprofit concerns pursuant to  chapter 85  of title 41, United States Code, in a fiscal year is equal to not less than one percent of the total amount of funds obligated for all procurement contracts entered into by the Department of Defense in such fiscal year.
167.
Implementation of Comptroller General recommendations on F–35 Joint Strike Fighter technical data needs for sustainment
(a)
Plan required
(1)
In general
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees and to the Comptroller General of the United States a plan to address the following recommendations made by the Government Accountability Office:
(A)
Recommendation 5 in the report titled  F–35 Sustainment: Need for Affordable Strategy, Greater Attention to Risks, and Improved Cost Estimates  (GA–14–778).
(B)
Recommendations 1 through 7 in the report titled  F–35 Aircraft: DOD and the Military Services Need to Reassess the Future Sustainment Strategy  (GAO–23–105341).
(C)
Recommendations 1 and 2 in the report titled  F–35 Aircraft: Actions Needed to Address Long-Standing Risks to Operational Effectiveness  (GAO–25–107101C).
(2)
Elements
The plan under paragraph (1) shall include the following:
(A)
With respect to each recommendation specified in paragraph (1) that the Secretary has implemented or intends to implement—
(i)
a summary of actions that have been taken or will be taken to implement the recommendation; and
(ii)
a schedule, with specific milestones, for completing implementation of the recommendation.
(B)
Identification of any recommendations specified in paragraph (1) that the Secretary does not intend to implement, together with a discussion of the reasons for not implementing the recommendations and any alternative actions taken or intended to be taken to address the matters identified by the Government Accountability Office in connection with such recommendations.
(b)
Plan implementation report
Not later than one year after the date on which the Secretary of Defense submits the implementation plan under subsection (a), the Secretary shall carry out activities to implement the plan and submit to the congressional defense committees and the Comptroller General of the United States a report on the following:
(1)
All critical technical data rights requirements for F–35 Joint Strike Fighter sustainment, including for both organizational-level and depot-level sustainment and repair.
(2)
Estimated costs for acquiring identified critical technical data rights for sustainment.
(3)
The status of efforts for acquiring identified critical technical data rights for sustainment.
(4)
Any known challenges for acquiring identified critical technical data rights for sustainment.
168.
Implementation of GAO recommendation on F–35 joint strike fighter use of contract incentive fees
(a)
Implementation plan
(1)
In general
The Secretary of Defense shall develop and implement a plan to address recommendation 3 from the report of the Government Accountability Office titled  F–35 Joint Strike Fighter: Actions Needed to Address Late Deliveries and Improve Future Development  (GAO-25-107632).
(2)
Report
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees and to the Comptroller General of the United States a report on the plan developed under paragraph (1). Such report shall include—
(A)
(i)
a summary of actions that have been taken or will be taken to implement the recommendation specified in paragraph (1); and
(ii)
a schedule, with specific milestones, for completing implementation of the recommendation; or
(B)
if the Secretary does not intend to implement the recommendation, discussion of the reasons and alternative actions taken or intended to be taken to address the issues to which the recommendation pertains.
(b)
Report on implementation
Not later than one year after the submittal of the plan under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees and the Comptroller General of the United States a report on the status of the implementation of the plan. Such report shall include, at a minimum—
(1)
the results of a reevaluation of contract incentive fees for inclusion in future F135 and F–35 production contracts;
(2)
a timeframe for implementing a new incentive fee structure in future F135 and F–35 production contracts;
(3)
a plan for determining the effectiveness of a new incentive fee structure in achieving desired production outcomes; and
(4)
an explanation of any efforts to apply a new incentive fee structure more broadly across the F–35 contracting enterprise.
169.
Study on fuel procurement practices of the Department of Defense
(a)
Study required
The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Commander of the United States Transportation Command and the Director of the Defense Logistics Agency, shall conduct a study on the fuel procurement practices of the Department of Defense.
(b)
Elements
The study under subsection (a) shall address the following:
(1)
The projected amount budgeted by the Department of Defense for fuel procurement and consumption for fiscal year 2026, set forth separately by military department and Defense Agency.
(2)
The actual amount spent by the Department of Defense for fuel procurement and consumption for fiscal year 2026, set forth separately by military department and Defense Agency.
(3)
Any changes to fuel cost and fuel cost projections for fiscal year 2026 that have occurred since February 28, 2026, including an examination of—
(A)
the magnitude of such changes (expressed in total dollars and as a percentage change from prior projections);
(B)
the factors driving such changes, including changes in market crude oil prices, changes in the standard price of fuel established by the Defense Logistics Agency, changes in operational demand, and any other relevant factors;
(C)
the effects of such changes on the budget of the Department of Defense as a whole and the budget of each military department; and
(D)
the effects of such changes on the ability of the military departments to meet readiness standards, including—
(i)
any exercises (including joint exercises with allies and partners), training, or other operational activities that were modified, delayed, or canceled as a result of such changes, set forth separately by Armed Force;
(ii)
any reductions in readiness accounts resulting from such changes, set forth separately by account, amount, and Armed Force, including—
(I)
operation and maintenance accounts; and
(II)
accounts for depot maintenance and spare parts; and
(iii)
any effects of such changes on prepositioned fuel stocks or bulk fuel inventories.
(4)
Any transfers, reprogramming actions, or other budgetary adjustments made or anticipated to be made during the period of fiscal years 2026 through 2031 as a result of fuel cost variances.
(c)
Report
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the results of the study conducted under subsection (a), including the findings of the study with respect to each element specified in subsection (b).
170.
Limitation on procurement of cut flowers and cut greens
(a)
Requirement
(1)
In general
Funds appropriated or otherwise available to the Department of Defense may only be used for the procurement of a cut flower or cut green if the cut flower or cut green is grown in a qualifying area.
(2)
Applicability
This subsection shall apply to a procurement made or contracted for—
(A)
in the United States; and
(B)
on or after the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section.
(b)
Gifts for displays
(1)
In general
The Department of Defense may only accept a gift of a cut flower or cut green that is not grown in a qualifying area from a covered entity for the purpose of displaying the cut flower or cut green if the origin of the cut flower or cut green is clearly displayed at the time of delivery.
(2)
Requirement
If the Department of Defense accepts a gift of a cut flower or cut green from a covered entity under paragraph (1), it shall clearly display the origin of the cut flower or cut green during the period of display of the cut flower or cut green.
(c)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  covered entity  means—
(A)
a foreign government; and
(B)
an agent of a foreign principal (as defined section 1 of the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 ( 22 U.S.C. 611 )).
(2)
The term  cut flower  means a flower removed from a living plant for decorative use.
(3)
The term  cut green  means a green, foliage, or branch removed from a living plant for decorative use.
(4)
The term  qualifying area  means—
(A)
a State;
(B)
the District of Columbia;
(C)
a territory or possession of the United States; or
(D)
an area subject to the jurisdiction of a federally recognized Indian Tribe.
171.
Modification to multiyear procurement authority for domestically processed critical minerals
Section 152 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 ( Public Law 118–31 ;  50 U.S.C. 98e–2 ) is amended—
(1)
by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and
(2)
by inserting after subsection (d) the following new subsection:
(e)
Consideration of recycled and reused materials
In exercising the authority under this section, the Secretary of Defense shall give special consideration the procurement of critical minerals derived from recycled and reused minerals and metals, to the maximum extent practicable.
 .
172.
Assessment of Department of Defense display supply chain vulnerabilities
(a)
Assessment required
The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of Commerce, shall conduct an assessment of supply chain vulnerabilities related to displays used in Department of Defense weapon systems and platforms.
(b)
Elements
The assessment shall include—
(1)
identification of defense systems dependent on displays sourced from the People’s Republic of China or Taiwan;
(2)
assessment of supply disruption risks and potential operational impacts;
(3)
evaluation of domestic or allied manufacturing capabilities for advanced display technologies;
(4)
analysis of emerging display technologies, including microLED displays; and
(5)
recommendations for reducing foreign dependence in critical display applications.
(c)
Report
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the results of the assessment conducted under subsection (a).
(d)
Form
The report under subsection (c) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.
173.
Sense of Congress on fielding of combat collaborative aircraft capabilities to support warfighters
It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Defense should take such steps as may be necessary to prioritize funding for the procurement of combat collaborative aircraft to ensure there is a minimal viable fielded and operational combat collaborative aircraft capability by the end of fiscal year 2028 to meet operational requirements of combatant commanders.
II
RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST, AND EVALUATION
A
Authorization of Appropriations
201.
Authorization of appropriations
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2027 for the use of the Department of Defense for research, development, test, and evaluation, as specified in the funding table in section 4201.
202.
Funding for compact semiconductor-based fast neutron detectors
(a)
Increase
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 201 for Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation, Air Force, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4201, for Aerospace Sensors (PE 0602204F), Line 9, is hereby increased by $4,300,000 for Compact Semiconductor-Based Fast Neutron Detectors.
(b)
Offset
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 101 for Aircraft Procurement, Navy, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4101, for F–18 Series, Line 028, is hereby reduced by $4,300,000.
203.
Funding for environmental and thermal protection coatings
(a)
Increase
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 201 for Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation, Air Force, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4201, for Aerospace Sensors (PE 0602204F), Line 9, is hereby increased by $8,500,000 for ultra-high-temperature metallic oxide environmental and thermal protection coatings for hypersonic vehicle leading edges, hot structures, and space vehicle heat shields.
(b)
Offset
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 101 for Aircraft Procurement, Navy, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4101, for F–18 Series, Line 028, is hereby reduced by $8,500,000.
204.
Funding for reactive material to enhance the lethality of munitions
(a)
Increase
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 201 for research, development, test and evaluation, Defense-wide, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4201, for industrial base analysis and sustainment support, line 233 (PE 0607210D8Z) for domestic manufacturing capability for advanced reactive materials is hereby increased by $5,000,000 (to be available for the purpose of accelerating the manufacture of a reactive material to enhance the lethality of munitions).
(b)
Offset
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 301 for operation and maintenance, Defense-wide, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4301, for defense media activity, line 330 is hereby reduced by $5,000,000.
205.
Funding for next generation combat vehicle advanced technology
(a)
Increase
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 201 for research, development, test, and evaluation, Army as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4201, for advanced technology development for Next Generation Combat Vehicle Advanced Technology, Line 050, is hereby increased by $7,000,000 (with the amount of such increase to be used to support Virtual Engineering and Army Readiness and Sustainment (VEARS)).
(b)
Offset
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 301 for operation and maintenance, Navy, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4301, for Ship Depot Operations Support, Line 090, is hereby reduced by $7,000,000.
206.
Funding for rapid airborne and waterborne chemical and biological threat detection
(a)
Increase
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 201 for research, development, test, and evaluation, Army, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4201, for applied research for Ground Technology, Line 012, is hereby increased by $10,000,000 (with the amount of such increase to be used to support Rapid Airborne and Waterborne Chemical and Biological Threat Detection (RAW CBTD)).
(b)
Offset
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 301 for operation and maintenance, Navy, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4301, for Ship Depot Operations Support, Line 090, is hereby reduced by $10,000,000.
207.
Funding for the Rapid Prototyping Program
(a)
Increase
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 201 for Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4201, for Rapid Prototyping Program is hereby increased by $4,900,000.
(b)
Offset
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 301 for Operation and Maintenance, Navy, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4301, for Ship Depot Operations Support is hereby reduced by $4,900,000.
208.
Funding for ultra-light Group 1 small unmanned aircraft systems for special operations forces
(a)
Increase
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 201 for research, development, test, and evaluation, Defense-wide, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4201, for intelligence systems development (PE 1160405BB), line 303, is hereby increased by $10,000,000 (with the amount of such increase to be made available for ultra-light Group 1 small unmanned aircraft systems for the United States Special Operations Command).
(b)
Offset
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 201 for research, development, test, and evaluation, Defense-wide, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4201, for Office of the Secretary of Defense, OUSD(C) IT development initiatives (PE 0605027D8Z), line 153, is hereby reduced by $10,000,000.
209.
Funding for National Defense Education Program
(a)
Increase
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 201 for research, development, test, and evaluation, Defense-wide, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4201, for basic research, National Defense Education Program, line 6, is hereby increased by $5,000,000 (with the amount of such increase to be used to strengthen and expand STEM education opportunities and workforce initiatives targeted at military students).
(b)
Offset
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 4301 for Operation and Maintenance, Defense-wide, for Washington Headquarters Services, line 510, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4301, is hereby reduced by $5,000,000.
209A.
Funding for software-defined and AI-powered counter unmanned aerial systems
(a)
Increase
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 201 for research, development, test, and evaluation, Army, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4201, for Landmine Warfare/Barrier—Eng Dev (PE 0604808A), line 122, is hereby increased by $10,000,000 for software-defined and AI-powered counter unmanned aerial systems.
(b)
Offset
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 301 for operation and maintenance, Defense-wide, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4301, for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, line 480, is hereby reduced by $10,000,000.
209B.
Funding for blast overpressure mitigation devices for small and medium caliber weapons
(a)
Increase
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 4201 for Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation, Defense-wide, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4201, for Warrior Systems, line 305, is hereby increased by $5,000,000 (with the amount of such increase to be used for blast overpressure mitigation devices for small and medium caliber weapons).
(b)
Offset
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 4201 for Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation, Army, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4201, line 128 for Artillery Systems—EMD is hereby reduced by $5,000,000.
209C.
Funding for high-hypersonic detonation propulsion research and flight demonstrations
(a)
Increase
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 201 for research, development, test, and evaluation, Air Force, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4201, for Aerospace Systems Technologies (PE 0602203F), line 008, is hereby increased by $5,000,000 for the acceleration of high-hypersonic detonation propulsion research and flight demonstrations.
(b)
Offset
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 301 for operation and maintenance, Defense-wide, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4301, for administration and service-wide activities, Office of the Secretary of Defense, line 480, is hereby reduced by $5,000,000.
209D.
Increase in funding for Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities
(a)
Increase
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 201 for research, development, test, and evaluation, Air Force, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4201, for Future AF Capabilities Applied Research (PE 0602020F), line 003, is hereby increased by $1,200,000 for Secure Research Facilities in fast-growing metropolitan areas located in proximity to aerospace industries and facilities.
(b)
Offset
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 301 for operation and maintenance, Defense-wide, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4301, for administration and service-wide activities, Office of the Secretary of Defense, line 480, is hereby reduced by $1,200,000.
209E.
Funding for advanced naval casting for hardware and operational repairs
(a)
Increase
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 201 for research, development, test, and evaluation, Navy, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4201, for Ship Concept Advanced Design (PE 0603563N), line 044, is hereby increased by $16,000,000 for Advanced Naval Casting for Hardware and Operational Repairs.
(b)
Offset
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 301 for operation and maintenance, Navy, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4301, for Administration, line 410, is hereby reduced by $16,000,000.
209F.
Funding for accelerating the adoption of naval aviation advanced manufacturing processes
(a)
Increase
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 201 for research, development, test, and evaluation, Navy, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4201, for Navy Advanced Manufacturing (PE 0604286N), line 084, is hereby increased by $15,000,000 for Accelerating the Adoption of Naval Aviation Advanced Manufacturing Processes.
(b)
Offsets
(1)
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 201 for research, development, test, and evaluation, Defense-wide, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4201, for Cyber Operations Technology Support, line 293, is hereby reduced by $5,000,000.
(2)
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 201 for research, development, test, and evaluation, Navy, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4201, for Marine Corps Ground Combat/Support System, line 057, is hereby reduced by $10,000,000.
209G.
Funding for Air Force materials research
(a)
Increase
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 201 for research, development, test, and evaluation, Air Force, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4201, for applied research, materials (PE 0602102F), line 005, is hereby increased by $6,400,000 to secure U.S. silicon carbide for national security and critical technologies.
(b)
Offset
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 301 for operation and maintenance, Air Force, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4301, for other servicewide activities, line 410, is hereby reduced by $6,400,000.
209H.
Funding for university innovative materials processing modernization research
(a)
Increase
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 201 for research development, test, and evaluation, Defense-wide, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4201, for Defense-wide manufacturing science and technology program (PE 0603680D8Z), line 062, is hereby increased by $5,000,000 for university innovative materials processing modernization research.
(b)
Offset
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 301 for operation and maintenance, Defense-wide, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4301, for Washington Headquarters Services, line 510, is hereby reduced by $5,000,000.
209I.
Funding for autonomous high-altitude long-endurance aircraft and pseudo-satellites
(a)
Increase
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 201 for research, development, test, and evaluation, Defense-wide, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4201, for the Rapid Prototyping Program (PE 604331D8Z), line 111, is hereby increased by $5,000,000 for the development, prototyping, and demonstration of autonomous High-Altitude Long-Endurance Aircraft (HALE) and High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellites (HAPS) capable of providing resilient intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, communications, and sensing capabilities in contested environments.
(b)
Offset
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 201 for research, development, test, and evaluation, Defense-wide, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4201, for JADC2 Development and Experimentation Activities (PE 0604122D8Z), line 169, is hereby reduced by $5,000,000.
B
Program Requirements, Restrictions, and Limitations
211.
Budget review and certification for certain categories of research and development
Section 133a of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in subsection (b)—
(A)
in paragraph (4), by striking  and  at the end;
(B)
in paragraph (5), by striking the period at the end and inserting  ; and ; and
(C)
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(6)
in addition to the duties described in subsection (c), promulgating guidance and recommended standards on adequate levels of science and technology spending by elements of the Department of Defense with responsibilities associated with basic research, applied research, and advanced technology development (budget activities 6.1 through 6.3, respectively, as set forth in the Department of Defense Financial Management Regulation (DOD 7000.14-R), or any successor budget classification) and developmental test and evaluation that could be incorporated into budget and planning guidance of the Department as appropriate.
 ;
(2)
by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and
(3)
by inserting after subsection (b) the following new subsection:
(c)
Budget review and certification
(1)
Transmittal
The Secretary of Defense, acting through the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller), shall require the Secretaries of the military departments and the heads of the Defense Agencies with responsibilities associated with basic research, applied research, and advanced technology development (budget activities 6.1 through 6.3, respectively, as set forth in the Department of Defense Financial Management Regulation (DOD 7000.14-R), or any successor budget classification) and developmental test and evaluation to transmit the proposed budget for such activities for a fiscal year and for the period covered by the future-years defense program submitted to Congress under section 221 of this title for that fiscal year to the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering for review under paragraph (2) before submitting the proposed budget to the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller).
(2)
Report and certification
The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering shall review each proposed budget transmitted under paragraph (1) and, not later than January 31 of the year preceding the fiscal year for which the budget is proposed, shall submit to the Secretary of Defense a report containing the comments of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering with respect to all such proposed budgets, together with the certification of the Under Secretary regarding whether each proposed budget is adequate.
(3)
Report to Congress
Not later than 15 days after the date on which the budget of the President for each fiscal year is submitted to Congress pursuant to section 1105(a) of title 31, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report specifying each proposed budget contained in the most-recent report submitted under paragraph (2) that the Under Secretary of Defense for Research Engineering did not certify to be adequate. The report of the Secretary shall include the following matters:
(A)
A discussion of the actions that the Secretary proposes to take, together with any recommended legislation that the Secretary considers appropriate, to address the inadequacy of the proposed budgets specified in the report.
(B)
Any additional comments that the Secretary considers appropriate regarding the inadequacy of the proposed budgets.
 .
212.
Deputy Directors of Operational Test and Evaluation
Section 139 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
by redesignating subsection (l) as subsection (m); and
(2)
by inserting after subsection (k) the following new subsection (l):
(l)
The Director shall have a sufficient number of Deputy Directors to supervise the activities of the Office and to carry out the duties and responsibilities prescribed by law. Each such Deputy Director shall be a appointed from the Senior Executive Service.
 .
213.
Repeal of pilot authority for use of other transactions for installation or facility prototyping
Section 4022 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking subsection (i).
214.
Modifications to responsibilities of the Defense Innovation Unit
(a)
In general
Section 4127(d) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
by redesignating paragraph (11) as paragraph (12); and
(2)
by inserting after paragraph (10) the following new paragraph:
(11)
Coordinate with the portfolio acquisition executives of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force to—
(A)
identify priority acquisition problems and capability needs and gaps;
(B)
identify platforms, capabilities, and solutions developed by entities working with the Unit that have the potential to address the priority acquisition problems and capability needs and gaps identified under subparagraph (A); and
(C)
assist such portfolio acquisition executives in establishing and carrying out programs for the acquisition of such platforms, capabilities, and solutions.
 .
(b)
Clarifying amendment to BOOST program
Section 1833 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 ( Public Law 119–60 ;  10 U.S.C. 3453  note) is amended by striking  commercial  each place it appears.
215.
Test and evaluation repository and regional test hubs of the Test Resource Management Center
(a)
In general
Section 4173 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in subsection (c)(1) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
(G)
To carry out the activities described in subsections (j) and (k).
 ;
(2)
by redesignating subsection (j) as subection (l);
(3)
by inserting after subsection (i) the following new subsections:
(j)
Repository of test and evaluation facilities
(1)
The Director shall establish and maintain a digital repository that identifies and provides relevant information on all testing and evaluation facilities in the United States that could be made available for use by the Department of Defense and qualified partners for the testing and evaluation of weapon systems and innovative technologies.
(2)
The repository established under paragraph (1) shall—
(A)
 identify all testing and evaluation facilities that meet the criteria specified in paragraph (1), including—
(i)
 facilities owned or operated by the Federal Government, including—
(I)
facilities in the Major Range and Test Facility Base;
(II)
facilities not included in the Major Range and Test Facility Base; and
(III)
National Guard facilities; and
(ii)
facilities owned or operated by—
(I)
State or local governments;
(II)
academic institutions;
(III)
nonprofit organizations; or
(IV)
for-profit entities; and
(B)
with respect to each testing and evaluation facility identified in the repository, provide—
(i)
a description of the facility, including a description of the capabilities and instrumentation available at the facility;
(ii)
points of contact for scheduling range time at the facility; and
(iii)
such other information as the Director determines appropriate.
(3)
The Director shall update the repository under paragraph (1) not less frequently than annually.
(4)
The Director shall make the repository established under paragraph (1) accessible to such elements of the Department of Defense and qualified partners as the Director determines appropriate.
(k)
Authority to establish regional test and evaluation hubs
(1)
The Director may establish and maintain regional test and evaluation hubs at locations within and outside the United States for purposes of facilitating or conducting test and evaluation activities.
(2)
In the event the Director exercises the authority to establish and maintain regional test and evaluation hubs under paragraph (1), the Director shall develop a strategy and criteria for the selection of locations for such hubs, which shall include consideration of whether the geographic region served by the hub provides an environment conducive to the simulation of realistic threats and environmental conditions.
 ; and
(4)
in subsection (l), as so redesignated—
(A)
in the subsection heading, by striking
Definition   and inserting
Definitions  ;
(B)
by striking  In this section, the term  and inserting
In this section:
(1)
The term
 ; and
(C)
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(2)
The term  qualified partner  means an entity that the Director determines—
(A)
is engaged in the development of capabilities for the Department of Defense, such as a contractor, academic institution, or other private sector organization; and
(B)
is qualified to conduct test and evaluation activities at a facility described in subsection (j) or a regional test and evaluation hub described in subsection (k).
 .
(b)
Deadline
The Director of the Test Resource Management Center shall establish the repository required under section 4173(j) of title 10, United States Code (as added by subsection (a) of this section), by not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
216.
Weapon system platform modernization and cyber hardening
Section 228 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 ( Public Law 119–60 ; 139 Stat. 786;  10 U.S.C. 4001  note) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (b), by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new paragraph:
(3)
The Secretary shall, not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, select not fewer than three additional weapon system platforms for participation in the demonstration.
 ;
(2)
by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d), and in such subsection—
(A)
in paragraph (1)—
(i)
by inserting after  2027,  the following:  and again on January 1, 2028, and January 1, 2029, ; and
(ii)
by striking  with respect to the demonstration conducted pursuant to subsection (a)  and inserting  with respect to the activities carried out under subsections (a), (b), and (c) ;
(B)
in each of paragraphs (2) and (3), by striking  The report  and inserting  Each report ; and
(C)
in paragraph (2)—
(i)
by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C); and
(ii)
by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following new subparagraph:
(B)
The results of the evaluation carried out under subsection (c)(1) and any pilot efforts carried out under subsection (c)(2).
 ;
(3)
by inserting after subsection (b) the following new subsection:
(c)
Operational integration
The Secretary of Defense shall—
(1)
evaluate opportunities to integrate data collected and analyzed from the demonstration into command and control, logistics, sustainment, and maintenance systems of the Department of Defense, prioritizing systems with the greatest operational value; and
(2)
conduct pilot efforts to integrate the monitoring capabilities included in the demonstration into the platforms included in the demonstration, as appropriate.
 ; and
(4)
by adding at the end the following new subsection:
(e)
Duration of authority
The authority provided under this section shall remain in effect until September 30, 2028.
 .
217.
Repeal of requirement for Secretary of Defense to act through a specified official for NATO innovation program
(a)
Repeal of requirement to act through specified official
Subsections (a) and (b) of section 222 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 ( Public Law 118–31 ; 137 Stat. 189) are amended by striking  , acting through the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering,  each place it appears.
(b)
Repeal of executed requirement
Such section is further amended—
(1)
by striking subsection (c); and
(2)
by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections (c) and (d), respectively.
218.
Modification to test program for engineering plant of certain vessels
Section 221 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 ( Public Law 117–81 ; 135 Stat. 1599) is amended—
(1)
in the section heading, by inserting
and other large surface combatant   before
vessels  ;
(2)
in subsection (a), by inserting  or any subsequent class of large surface combatant vessels  after  destroyer class of vessels ;
(3)
in subsection (b), by striking  Senior Technical Authority for the DDG(X) destroyer class of vessels  and inserting  Senior Technical Authority for the class of vessels involved (as designated pursuant to section 8669b of title 10, United States Code) ;
(4)
in subsection (d), by striking  for the DDG(X) destroyer class of vessels  and inserting  for the class of vessels involved ;
(5)
in subsection (e), by striking  by not later than the delivery date of the lead ship in the DDG(X) destroyer class of vessels  and inserting  for a class of vessels by not later than the delivery date of the lead ship in that class of vessels ; and
(6)
by amending subsection (f) to read as follows:
(f)
Delivery date defined
In this section, term  delivery date  has the meaning given that term in section 8671 of title 10, United States Code.
 .
219.
United States–Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative
(a)
Establishment
The Secretary of Defense shall designate an executive agent, as such term is defined in Department of Defense Directive 5101.01 (relating to DoD Executive Agent, issued February 7, 2022), responsible for synchronizing cooperative efforts between the United States and Israel, to expand and accelerate bilateral defense technology research, development, testing, evaluation, and industrial cooperation, by—
(1)
identifying jointly developed or Israeli-origin technologies with operational utility for potential integration into United States systems and programs of record;
(2)
ensuring collaborative research initiatives involving government, private sector, and academic institutions in the United States and Israel, is done in a manner that protects sensitive technology and information and the national security interests of the United States and Israel;
(3)
facilitating the transition of technologies from research and development into procurement and acquisition pathways;
(4)
establishing frameworks for joint ventures, licensing agreements, and United States-based co-production or manufacturing partnerships with Israeli industry;
(5)
coordinating with relevant Department of Defense components, including the Irregular Warfare Technical Support Directorate, capability development and innovation divisions, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, the Defense Innovation Unit, the United States-Israel Operations Technology Working Group, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Missile Defense Agency, the United States Space Command, the military departments, and other Department of Defense entities, as appropriate, to align efforts and avoid duplication; and
(6)
promoting joint training exercises and information-sharing mechanisms to enhance operational readiness to deploy jointly developed technologies.
(b)
Cooperative efforts
The synchronized cooperative efforts under subsection (a) may be carried out through the following domains:
(1)
Counter-Unmanned Systems including aerial, maritime, and ground platforms.
(2)
Anti-tunneling and subterranean threats.
(3)
Missile and air defense technologies.
(4)
Artificial intelligence, quantum, machine learning, and autonomous systems.
(5)
Directed energy and advanced sensing.
(6)
Cyber defense, electronic warfare, and digital resilience.
(7)
Biotechnology, biomanufacturing, and medical defense.
(8)
Networks, data fusion, and contested logistics.
(9)
Defense industrial base cooperation, manufacturing, and co-production.
(10)
Other emerging technologies as jointly agreed by the United States and Israel.
(c)
Activities in coordination with other federal departments and agencies
The Secretary of Defense shall coordinate activities, as appropriate, with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Commerce, and the heads of other relevant Federal departments and agencies, to ensure consistency with existing laws and regulations.
(d)
Interim progress update
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the congressional defense committees an interim briefing on—
(1)
the executive agent designated pursuant to subsection (a) and the efforts undertaken by such executive agent to lead Department of Defense implementation of the synchronized cooperative efforts described in such subsection;
(2)
the status of coordination, Department-wide, with Israeli counterparts;
(3)
initial technology areas identified for accelerated cooperation and technologies with operational utility for United States systems and programs of record; and
(4)
any early transition, prototyping, or integration activities initiated during the period covered by the update.
(e)
Annual report
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter until the date on which there is no longer an executive agent designated under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on implementation of the cooperative efforts described in subsection (a). Each such report shall include—
(1)
a description of activities conducted;
(2)
an assessment of progress made in advancing shared national security interests;
(3)
an assessment of collaboration with other relevant Federal programs;
(4)
a description of technologies transitioned into United States acquisition programs or fielded systems;
(5)
a description of partnerships established with United States and Israeli industry; and
(6)
recommendations for future opportunities to promote the long-term joint capabilities between the United States and Israel.
(f)
Form
Each report required under subsection (e) shall be submitted in unclassified form and may include a classified annex.
(g)
Public transparency
The Secretary of Defense shall make available on a publicly accessible website of the Department of Defense periodic, unclassified updates, to the maximum extent practicable, on the synchronized cooperative efforts carried out under subsection (a), including a description of how these efforts contribute to United States technological and military supremacy. Such updates shall be made in a manner that ensures that classified information or other information that would compromise operational security, export controls, or sensitive technology are not released.
220.
Establishment of synthetic training environment to support Indo-Pacific operations
(a)
Establishment
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, shall establish a synthetic training environment that meets the requirements of subsection (b) to support operations in the Indo-Pacific Region.
(b)
Requirements
The synthetic training environment established under subsection (a) shall—
(1)
incorporate live, virtual, and constructive elements;
(2)
integrate training, testing, and simulation capabilities across the area of responsibility of the United States Indo-Pacific Command;
(3)
provide integrated synthetic training and mission rehearsal capabilities across all warfighting domains, including land, maritime, air, space, cyberspace, and the electromagnetic spectrum;
(4)
integrate and synchronize, to the maximum extent practicable, existing training, experimentation, and simulation capabilities of the Department of Defense;
(5)
enable distributed training of joint and combined forces;
(6)
support rehearsal of operational plans and crisis response;
(7)
enable experimentation for emerging capabilities;
(8)
be scalable to support additional combatant command requirements as directed by the Secretary of Defense; and
(9)
be accessible to allies and partners of the United States, consistent with applicable law and security requirements.
(c)
Report to Congress
Before establishing the training environment under subsection (a), but not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report that includes—
(1)
an explanation of how the Secretary intends to implement the synthetic training environment required under subsection (a);
(2)
a cost estimate for the training environment;
(3)
a plan for making the training environment accessible to allies and partners of the United States; and
(4)
an assessment of the potential effects of the training environment on readiness.
221.
Requirement to establish test and training corridors for small unmanned aircraft systems and associated capabilities
(a)
In general
The Secretary of Defense shall establish or designate, and operate, one or more test and training corridors for small unmanned aircraft systems, counter-unmanned aircraft system platforms, and associated capabilities within the national airspace system.
(b)
Facilities
The Secretary of Defense may construct new facilities, or use existing facilities available to the Department of Defense, to support one or more test and training corridors established or designated under subsection (a) that collectively address each of the functions described in subsection (c).
(c)
Functions
The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that any test and training corridor established or designated under subsection (a) enables the research, development, testing, and evaluation of, and training for members of the Armed Forces on—
(1)
small unmanned aircraft systems and associated autonomy software, kinetic and nonkinetic payloads, sensors, communications, and navigation technology;
(2)
kinetic and nonkinetic counter small-unmanned aircraft system capabilities, including high power microwave, high energy laser, and electronic warfare capabilities, and any requisite autonomy software, sensors, and command and control capabilities;
(3)
small to medium caliber counter unmanned aircraft systems ammunition and weapon systems, low collateral damage weapons and munitions, and drone-versus-drone capabilities;
(4)
the acceleration of the integration of modular payloads onto multiple unmanned aircraft systems and counter unmanned aircraft systems and platforms;
(5)
the reduction in time-to-field for lethal and non-lethal drone-enabled munitions and munition payload capabilities; and
(6)
standardization of payload-to-platform interfaces.
(d)
Site selection
In establishing or designating one or more test and training corridors under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Director of the Test Resource Management Center and the Secretaries of the military departments, shall—
(1)
identify potential locations within the national airspace system that would be conducive to conducting testing, evaluation, and training activities with respect to small unmanned aircraft systems and counter-small unmanned aircraft capabilities, with prioritization of sites that best support the test and training corridor functions described in subsection (c);
(2)
assess whether existing test and evaluation facilities, including Government-owned and non-Government owned facilities, could be used to meet current and future requirements with respect to such testing, evaluation and training;
(3)
identify any additional resources required to establish or designate, and operate the corridor, including military construction costs and personnel and manning costs;
(4)
identify any sensors and capabilities needed to adequately simulate operationally realistic environments in the corridor, including environments with denied or degraded—
(A)
communications;
(B)
electromagnetic spectrum; and
(C)
global positioning system;
(5)
identify any interagency, legal, regulatory, or policy impediments to carrying out testing, evaluation, and training activities with respect to small unmanned aircraft systems and counter-small unmanned aircraft capabilities within the national airspace system, including any impediments to the use of—
(A)
electronic warfare;
(B)
directed energy (such as high-powered microwave and high energy lasers);
(C)
GPS jamming and spoofing;
(D)
spectrum enabled and cellular-network enabled systems and capabilities; and
(E)
other relevant capabilities;
(6)
consult with interagency partners to develop recommendations for—
(A)
addressing any impediments identified under paragraph (4); and
(B)
ensuring the safety of testing and training activities conducted in the national airspace system; and
(7)
consider diverse geographic regions across the United States.
(e)
Notification to Congress
Not later than 90 days after establishing or designating a test and training corridor under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a written notification that describes—
(1)
the location of the corridor;
(2)
any funding, personnel, or other resources required to support the corridor;
(3)
any agreements with other Federal agencies that may be required to safely operate the corridor in the national airspace system; and
(4)
specific statutory changes necessary to allow for rapid development, testing, and operational evaluation of unmanned systems and counter-unmanned system platforms within the designated corridors, including draft legislative text necessary to expedite development for such systems.
222.
Operational autonomy requirements for unmanned surface vessels
(a)
In general
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Navy shall take such actions as may be necessary, including modification of research and development and acquisition procedures as appropriate, to ensure that unmanned surface vessels are capable of autonomous operation—
(1)
during periods in which communications capabilities are denied, degraded, intermittent, or limited; and
(2)
during periods in which positioning, navigation, and timing capabilities are degraded or unavailable.
(b)
Briefing
Following implementation of the actions required under subsection (a), but not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Navy shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing on such actions. The briefing shall include an explanation of each of the following:
(1)
The ability of unmanned surface vessels to execute preauthorized mission tasks without continuous human control.
(2)
The ability of such vessels to adhere to defined autonomy behaviors, decision logic, and safety constraints governing mission execution.
(3)
The ability of such vessels to adapt, recover, retask, or terminate missions in accordance with preestablished operational parameters when communications or positioning, navigation, and timing are degraded or unavailable.
(c)
Unmanned surface vessels
In this section, the term  unmanned surface vessels  includes—
(1)
unmanned surface vessels in use by the Navy or Marine Corps; and
(2)
unmanned surface vessels planned for development or procurement for the Navy or Marine Corps.
223.
Realignment of the National Strategic Research Institute to the Department of the Air Force
(a)
Transfer of responsibility
Not later than two years after the date of the enactment this Act, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering shall—
(1)
designate the Air Force as the primary sponsor of the National Strategic Research Institute University Affiliated Research Center (referred to in this section as the  Center ); and
(2)
coordinate with the Secretary of the Air Force and the Commander of the United States Strategic Command to ensure that the Center receives the funding and other resources necessary to meet the applicable requirements of the UARC Management Plan following such designation.
(b)
Resourcing plan
Not later than 90 days after the date on which the designation under subsection (a)(1) occurs, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees a plan for providing funding and other resources to the Center in accordance with subsection (a)(2).
(c)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  prime sponsor  has the meaning given that term in the UARC Management Plan.
(2)
The term  UARC Management Plan  means the publication of the Department of Defense titled  Department of Defense University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) Management Plan , dated July 2010 (or any successor to such plan).
224.
Reimbursement of National Guard for research, development, test, and evaluation expenses
(a)
Availability
Amounts authorized to be appropriated after the date of the enactment of this Act for the Department of Defense for research, development, test, and evaluation shall be available for reimbursement of pay, allowances, and other expenses which would otherwise be incurred against appropriations for the reserve components of the Armed Forces, including the National Guard, in cases in which members of the such reserve components provide support to research, development, test, and evaluation projects in which their involvement furthers the project because of a member’s or unit’s availability, qualifications, experience, or education.
(b)
Rule of construction
Nothing in this section shall be construed—
(1)
to authorize a deviation from established personnel and training procedures of the reserve components of the Armed Forces, including the National Guard; or
(2)
to authorize the direct engagement of members or units of such components to conduct independent research, development, test, and evaluation projects.
225.
Use of innovative and emerging food production technologies for components of military rations
(a)
Sense of Congress
It is the sense of Congress that requirements for the future battlefield include dealing with contested logistics that—
(1)
cannot be achieved with the size and weight of currently fielded rations; and
(2)
could be mitigated by incorporating within rations, components produced with emerging and innovative technologies developed in partnership with the Department of Defense Combat Feeding Research and Engineering Program.
(b)
Activities required
Subject to the availability of appropriations for such purpose, the Secretary of Defense shall carry out the following activities with respect to military rations:
(1)
The Secretary shall seek to enter into one or more contracts for the procurement of rations produced using emerging food technologies such as sonic agglomeration and vacuum microwave drying to reduce size and weight.
(2)
The Secretary shall maximize the use of the technologies described in paragraph (1) for individual combat ration components to ensure successful technology transition from small business innovation research and research, development, test, and evaluation.
(3)
As operational needs allow, the Secretary shall prioritize clean-label, nutrient-dense components that do not contain unhealthy fats or artificial preservatives.
(c)
Report to Congress
Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report that includes the following:
(1)
A description of any emerging and innovative food processing technologies that have been developed or are being developed using research, development, test, and evaluation investments of the Department of Defense.
(2)
The total amount of Department of Defense investments in the development of sonic agglomeration and vacuum microwave drying technology for military rations, disaggregated by research, development, test, and evaluation budget activity, including small business innovation research.
(3)
The results of warfighter field testing of potential ration components produced with the technologies described in paragraph (2).
(4)
An explanation of quantitative and qualitative logistical and nutritional benefits of ration components produced using such technologies.
(5)
A description of any procurement processes for military rations that may be barriers to the acquisition of components produced with new and emerging food processing technologies.
(6)
A description of any activities carried out to advance the transition and adoption of such technologies to better meet the challenges of military operations in a contested logistics environment.
226.
Support for advanced technologies that strengthen United States agricultural production, agrifood systems, and associated bioindustrial manufacturing capacity
(a)
In general
The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, in coordination with the Secretary of Agriculture, may carry out activities to support the development, testing, validation, demonstration, and transition of advanced technologies that strengthen the resilience, security, and operational continuity of United States agricultural production, agrifood systems, and associated bioindustrial manufacturing capacity against biological threats, supply chain disruptions, natural disasters, and other risks to national security, including technologies relating to—
(1)
agricultural biosecurity, including detection, prevention, mitigation, and recovery relating to plant disease, livestock disease, invasive species, and other biological threats;
(2)
advanced plant, animal, microbial, and bioindustrial technologies supporting defense readiness, domestic manufacturing capacity, and supply chain security;
(3)
engineering, automation, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and data systems supporting agricultural production, logistics, and operational resilience;
(4)
natural resource management technologies relating to water, energy, soil, forests, and food systems that reduce scarcity risks and enhance civilian and military resilience; and
(5)
wildfire prediction, prevention, mitigation, response, and recovery technologies relevant to agricultural productivity, infrastructure resilience, and military readiness.
(b)
Activities
The activities carried out under subsection (a) shall include—
(1)
interagency collaboration to accelerate research, development, testing, evaluation, field validation, demonstration, deployment, and transition of technologies described in subsection (a);
(2)
collaboration with Federal agencies, federally funded research and development centers, national laboratories, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and private sector entities; and
(3)
prioritization, to the extent practicable, of projects demonstrating clear potential to enhance food security, operational readiness, domestic production resilience, or defense supply chain security.
(c)
Reporting
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, in coordination with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall submit to the congressional defense committees an implementation plan for activities to be carried out under this section.
(d)
Rule of construction
Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit authorities of the Department of Defense or the Department of Agriculture that—
(1)
were in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act; and
(2)
authorize or require conduct or support of research, development, testing, evaluation, or operational activities.
227.
Prize competitions to support the research and development of biotechnology for the Department of Defense
(a)
Program required
(1)
In general
Pursuant to the authority provided under section 4025 of title 10, United States Code, the Secretary of Defense shall carry out a program (referred to in this section as the  Program ) to award prizes to support the research, development, and commercialization of biotechnology-based capabilities that address priority areas identified by the Secretary under subsection (b).
(2)
Additional requirements
The Secretary shall—
(A)
before commencing prize competitions under the Program, establish requirements for the prize competition process, including—
(i)
eligibility criteria for participants consistent with paragraph (3); and
(ii)
procedures for the testing, judging, and verification of submissions to the competitions; and
(B)
ensure that information on the prize competitions is made available to eligible participants, including by conducting outreach and posting such information to a publicly accessible website of the Department of Defense.
(3)
Eligible participants
To be eligible for a prize award under the Program, an individual or entity shall meet the requirements described in section 24(g)(3) of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 ( 15 U.S.C. 3719(g)(3) ).
(4)
Judges
In accordance with section 24(k) of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 ( 15 U.S.C. 3719(k) ), an individual from the private sector may be appointed as a judge for a prize competition under the Program.
(5)
Coordination
The Secretary of Defense shall carry out the Program acting through the head of the Biotechnology Management Office of the Department of Defense and in consultation with the Secretaries of the military departments and relevant officials from laboratories of the Armed Forces and other appropriate elements of the Department of Defense.
(6)
Deadline
The Secretary of Defense shall commence implementation of the Program not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(b)
Selection of priority areas
(1)
In general
Before commencing prize competitions under the Program, but not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall identify and select specific, well-defined, and measurable priority areas of biotechnology research and development to be advanced through the award of prizes under the Program.
(2)
Biotechnology applications
In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary is encouraged to identify and select priority areas that support the following applications of biotechnology for defense purposes:
(A)
Bioenergetics.
(B)
Biobased material, including for use in existing and planned systems where such materials could provide improved performance over traditional material.
(C)
Biomining, including for critical minerals.
(D)
Biomanufacturing platforms and processes, including for modular or deployable systems.
(E)
Biotechnology convergence with other technologies and subject areas, including artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and advanced computing.
(3)
Public input and other considerations
In identifying and selecting priority areas under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall—
(A)
solicit and consider public input; and
(B)
consider—
(i)
relevant existing and planned programs and activities of Department of Defense and other research and development entities of the Federal Government;
(ii)
the likelihood of relevant research or development being conducted by the private sector without further support from the Federal Government;
(iii)
the likelihood that investment in an area by the Department of Defense will result in improved capabilities or readiness, including by increasing supply chain resilience; and
(iv)
whether such an investment would foster innovation beyond the primary goal of the proposed priority area.
228.
Pilot program to recognize outstanding achievements in technology and prototype development
(a)
Pilot program
The Director of the Defense Innovation Unit (referred to in this section as the Director) shall carry out a pilot program under which the Director awards prizes, on a competitive basis, to recognize outstanding achievements in technology development and prototype development that—
(1)
have the potential to address operational problems and capability gaps identified by the Secretary of Defense, the Secretaries of the military departments, and combatant commanders; or
(2)
have potential for application to the performance of the military missions of the Department of Defense.
(b)
Form of prizes
Prizes awarded under this section may include—
(1)
cash prizes; or
(2)
the award of contracts or other agreements.
(c)
Information dissemination
The Director shall carry out activities to publicize the prize competitions carried out under this section and to solicit participation in such competitions from eligible individuals and entities.
(d)
Prize maximum and coinvestment requirements
(1)
Maximum value
The value of a prize awarded under this section may not exceed $15,000,000.
(2)
Coinvestment
The Director may award a prize under this section without receiving approval from the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering if—
(A)
the value of the prize is not more than $2,000,000; or
(B)
in the case of a prize with a value exceeding $2,000,000, at least half of the funds for the portion of the prize in excess of $2,000,000 are provided by the portfolio acquisition executive of an organization of the Department of Defense outside the Defense Innovation Unit.
(e)
Use of prize authority
Use of prize authority under this section shall be considered the use of competitive procedures for the purposes of  chapter 221  of title 10, United States Code.
(f)
Commencement and termination
(1)
Deadline for commencement
The Director shall commence implementation of the pilot program under subsection (a) not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(2)
Termination
The authority to carry out the pilot program under subsection (a) shall terminate on the date that is three years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(g)
Congressional notice
(1)
In general
Not later than 15 days after a contract or other agreement that exceeds a fair market value of $2,000,000 is awarded under this section, the Director shall submit to the congressional defense committees written notice of such award.
(2)
Contents
Each notice submitted under paragraph (1) shall include—
(A)
the value of the relevant contract or other agreement, as applicable, including all options;
(B)
an identification of any portfolio acquisition executive responsible for implementation or oversight of technology development or prototype development (as applicable) for which an award was made under this section, and a brief summary of lessons learned by such portfolio acquisition executive in carrying out such implementation or oversight;
(C)
a brief description of the technology development or prototype for which such contract or other agreement, as applicable, was awarded; and
(D)
an explanation of the benefit to the performance of the military mission of the Department of Defense resulting from the award.
(h)
Portfolio acquisition executive defined
In this section, the term  portfolio acquisition executive  has the meaning given that term in section 1737 of title 10, United States Code.
229.
Pilot program on forward deployable biomanufacturing capabilities
(a)
Authorization
The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, in coordination with the Secretary of the Army, may carry out a pilot program—
(1)
to identify near-term and long-term use cases for forward deployable mobile biomanufacturing capabilities; and
(2)
to conduct demonstrations of such capabilities.
(b)
Activities
In carrying out the pilot program under subsection (a), the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering may—
(1)
consider the use of novel manufacturing processes and equipment, including automation, modularity, and miniaturization of production capabilities;
(2)
collaborate with industry to develop forward deployable mobile biomanufacturing capabilities; and
(3)
consider the security measures required for such capabilities when forward deployed.
(c)
Report
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the status of the pilot program under subsection (a). The report shall include—
(1)
an assessment of existing Department of Defense capabilities related to biomanufacturing and an explanation of whether and how those capabilities may be used as part of the pilot program;
(2)
identification of near-term and long-term use cases for the deployment of mobile biomanufacturing;
(3)
for each use case identified under paragraph (2), a comparison of the estimated cost of fulfilling such use case through domestic biomanufacturing at an industrial scale versus the cost of fulfilling such use case using mobile biomanufacturing at the miniaturized scale;
(4)
an assessment of security measures required to deploy forward deployable mobile biomanufacturing capabilities; and
(5)
an assessment of the viability of transitioning technology developed under the pilot program into operational use within the Department, including the resources needed for further development and scaling of such technology and the potential benefits of such technology.
230.
Pilot program on the use of automated data security posture management technologies for artificial intelligence systems
(a)
Establsihiment
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall establish and commence implementation of a pilot program to evaluate the use of commercially available automated data security posture management technologies to enhance the cybersecurity, effectiveness, and reliability of artificial intelligence systems.
(b)
Elements
In carrying out pilot program under subsection (a) the Secretary of the Army shall—
(1)
identify, select, and deploy at least one commercially available data security posture management technology platform that is capable of continuous, automated monitoring and assessment of artificial intelligence systems for security threats specific to such systems;
(2)
designate at least one artificial intelligence system currently deployed by the Army to demonstrate the data security posture managed technology platform selected under paragraph (1);
(3)
complete the demonstration described in paragraph (2);
(4)
train relevant personnel on the deployment, maintenance, and data interpretation of the demonstrated data security posture management technology platform;
(5)
evaluate the demonstrated data security posture management technologies—
(A)
across the different tasks involved in development, deployment, storage, or hosting of components of such artificial intelligence system;
(B)
to determine the ability of such technologies to identify, mitigate and restore any corruption or malicious manipulation of the applications or data of such artificial intelligence system; and
(C)
for compatibility and ease of adoption into the value chains of existing artificial intelligence systems of the Army;
(6)
assess the feasibility of broader deployment of commercially available automated data security posture management technologies to improve the trustworthiness, resilience and integrity of artificial intelligence systems maintained by the Army.
(c)
Reports
(1)
Progress report
Not later than 120 days after the date on which the Secretary of the Army commences the pilot program under subsection (a), and annually thereafter until the termination date specified un subsection (d), the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the status of implementation and preliminary findings of the pilot program, including with respect to each element described in subsection (b).
(2)
Final report
Not later than 180 days after the termination date specified in subsection (d), the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a final report on the results of the pilot program. The report shall include—
(A)
any recommendations of the Secretary with respect to the broader implementation commercially available automated data security posture management technologies to support artificial intelligence systems of the Army; and
(B)
an assessment of the costs and benefits of such technologies.
(d)
Termination
The pilot program under subsection (a) shall terminate on the date that is three years after the date on which the Secretary of the Army commences the pilot program.
231.
Pilot program on technologies to strengthen authentication and attribution of human authorization for consequential actions
(a)
Pilot program authorized
The Secretary of Defense may carry out a pilot program to evaluate commercially available technologies that strengthen authentication and attribution of human authorization for consequential actions in order to improve the cybersecurity and physical security posture of the Department of Defense.
(b)
Objectives
Under the pilot program, the Secretary of Defense shall evaluate technologies that—
(1)
strengthen access controls for systems and physical areas of the Department of Defense; and
(2)
can be integrated across various environments of the Department without requiring specialized hardware.
(c)
Comencement and duration
If the Secretary of Defense exercises the authority to carry out the pilot program under subsection (a), the program shall—
(1)
commence not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act; and
(2)
terminate not later than one year after the date on which the program is commenced.
(d)
Report
Not later than March 1, 2028, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report that includes—
(1)
a summary of the results of the pilot program under subsection (a); and
(2)
recommendations regarding adoption the technologies evaluated under the program at a wider scale across the Department of Defense.
232.
Cloud laboratory pilot program
(a)
Cloud laboratory pilot program
(1)
Program required
(A)
In general
The Secretary of Defense shall carry out a pilot program to support the establishment of cloud laboratories at the Department of Defense.
(B)
Requirements
Each cloud laboratory supported under the pilot program shall generate high-quality data that shall be collected for use and analysis by authorized researchers.
(2)
Implementation
(A)
Initial laboratory
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act and subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary shall establish at least one fully operational cloud laboratory.
(B)
Additional laboratories
Not later than three years after the date of the enactment of this Act and subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary shall, on a competitive basis, establish not fewer than two additional fully operational cloud laboratories.
(C)
Biotechnology-focused laboratory
At least one of the cloud laboratories established under this paragraph shall be focused on advancing research and development of biotechnology.
(3)
Implementation plan
Not later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report that includes the following:
(A)
A plan to establish the cloud laboratories.
(B)
A plan for building in considerations related to cybersecurity, biosecurity, and research security from the beginning of development for each cloud laboratory.
(b)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  artificial intelligence  has the meaning given such term in section 5002 of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 ( Public Law 116–283 ; 15 U.S.C. 9401 ).
(2)
The term  authorized researcher  refers to an individual who has been appropriately authorized to access data generated by the cloud laboratories supported under the pilot program, as determined by the Secretary using an authorization process established by the Secretary for such purpose.
(3)
The term  cloud laboratory  means a physical laboratory that is equipped with automation and data storage to conduct continuous experiments.
(4)
The term  Secretary  means the Secretary of Defense.
233.
Pilot program to test and evaluate muzzle blast overpressure mitigation devices
(a)
Program required
The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretaries of the military departments, shall carry out a pilot program to evaluate, test, and implement muzzle blast overpressure mitigation devices for small and medium caliber weapons in relevant training and operational environments.
(b)
Activities
Under the pilot program, the Secretary of Defense shall—
(1)
assess the effectiveness of commercially available and emerging muzzle blast overpressure mitigation devices in reducing blast exposure to operators and nearby personnel;
(2)
evaluate the operational suitability, durability, and performance effects of such devices across representative weapon systems and mission sets; and
(3)
collect information to inform future Department of Defense policies, requirements, procurement decisions, and force-wide implementation strategies relating to blast overpressure mitigation.
234.
Space technology demonstration of advanced nuclear propulsion technologies
(a)
Establishment
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Air Force, acting through the Commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory, may establish a pilot program to conduct in-space technology demonstrations, and related risk reduction technology development activities, with respect to both advanced nuclear fission propulsion systems and advanced nuclear fusion propulsion systems.
(b)
Purpose
If the Secretary carries out the pilot program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall carry out the pilot program in a manner that reduces technical risk and informs future development requirements relating to nuclear propulsion for national security missions in space, including potential operations beyond geosynchronous orbit, including in cislunar orbit.
(c)
Selection
If the Secretary carries out the pilot program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall select entities to carry out activities under the pilot program. In determining the criteria for making such selection, the Secretary shall emphasize previous subcomponent and prototype development and the ability to demonstrate within reasonable timeframes.
(d)
Demonstration required
If the Secretary carries out the pilot program under subsection (a), not later than three years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall conduct in-space demonstrations described in subsection (a), with oversight by the Air Force Research Laboratory Rocket Propulsion Division at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
(e)
Activities
In carrying out the pilot program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall, at a minimum—
(1)
establish technical objectives and success criteria for the in-space demonstrations described in subsection (a);
(2)
develop a concept of operations and test and evaluation approach for the demonstrations;
(3)
conduct ground test activities necessary to support the demonstrations;
(4)
assist in the acquisition of launch services;
(5)
plan for collection and analysis of on-orbit data sufficient to assess propulsion performance, operability, and reliability; and
(6)
assess potential use cases for applications in cislunar operations pending the conclusion of the demonstrations.
(f)
Plan
Before commencing the pilot program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a plan on the pilot program.
(g)
Report
If the Secretary carries out the pilot program under subsection (a), not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the pilot program. The report shall include—
(1)
a description of the activities carried out under the pilot program, including the planned demonstration concept of operations and the associated timeline;
(2)
the technical objectives and success criteria established under subsection (e)(1);
(3)
an assessment of major technical risks and planned risk-mitigation activities; and
(4)
an assessment of parallel efforts by the People’s Republic of China to develop and deploy advanced space propulsion technologies for strategic purposes.
235.
Prohibition on pilot trainees operating T–7 aircraft pending testing and corrective actions
(a)
In general
A pilot trainee may not operate a T–7 aircraft of the Air Force until the Secretary of the Air Force certifies to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives that each of the following conditions have been met:
(1)
All corrections to flight control laws and mission systems discovered in developmental testing of such aircraft are fully implemented.
(2)
The subsonic, transonic, and supersonic full operational flight and performance envelopes of such aircraft are fully tested and characterized.
(3)
Qualification testing of the Ground Based Training System for such aircraft is fully completed and all deficiencies are resolved.
(b)
Pilot trainee defined
In this section, the term  pilot trainee  means a non-rated officer of the Air Force enrolled as a student participating in a formal undergraduate pilot training course.
236.
Prohibition on availability of funds for gain of function research
(a)
Prohibition
None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of Defense may be obligated or expended—
(1)
to conduct gain-of-function research on any potential pandemic pathogen at any facility operated by or on behalf of the Department; or
(2)
to award contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, or any other form of financial assistance to any institution of higher education, nonprofit organization, private entity, or other research institute that is conducting gain-of-function research on potential pandemic pathogens.
(b)
Waiver
(1)
In general
The Secretary of Defense may waive the prohibition under subsection (a) on a case-by-case basis, with respect to an individual research project, grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, if the Secretary determines that such a waiver is in the national interests of the United States.
(2)
Congressional notice
Not later than 30 days before the date on which an award is made, a project is initiated, or an agreement entered into, with respect to which a waiver is made under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives notice of such waiver.
(c)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  gain-of-function research  means any research that may be reasonably anticipated to confer an attribute to a pathogen such that the pathogen would have enhanced pathogenicity or transmissibility in mammals.
(2)
The term  potential pandemic pathogen  means a pathogen that, as a result of any gain-of-function research—
(A)
is likely more transmissible or likely capable of wide and uncontrollable spread in human populations;
(B)
is likely more virulent or likely to cause modest or greater morbidity or mortality in humans; or
(C)
is likely to pose a severe threat to public health, the capacity of the public health systems to function, or national security.
237.
Prohibition on availability of funds for animal research in collaboration with foreign countries of concern
(a)
Prohibition
None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of Defense may be obligated or expended—
(1)
to carry out research, development, test, evaluation, or training activities involving animals—
(A)
in collaboration with a foreign country of concern; or
(B)
at any facility located in, or owned or controlled (directly or indirectly) by, a foreign country of concern; or
(2)
to enter into a contract or other agreement, or make a grant, pursuant to which such activities would be carried out.
(b)
Foreign country of concern defined
In this section, the term  foreign country of concern  has the meaning given that term in section 9901 of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 ( Public Law 116–283 ;  15 U.S.C. 4651 ).
238.
Prioritization of partnerships with institutions of higher education in certain research areas
(a)
In general
In exercising the authority to enter into partnerships to support the research, development, test, and evaluation activities of the Department of Defense, the Secretary of Defense shall prioritize partnerships with institutions of higher education conducting research on hypersonics, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence.
(b)
Report
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 that identifies any ongoing partnerships with institutions of higher education as described in subsection (a).
239.
Mobile device force protection against commercial surveillance threats
(a)
Pilot program
(1)
Establishment
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a pilot program to evaluate mobile device force protection technologies intended to reduce the operational exposure of covered personnel arising from application-generated signals.
(2)
Participation
The Secretary shall make participation in the pilot program available to the military departments, the combatant commands, and other covered organizations seeking to participate.
(3)
Acquisition authorities
The Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, use existing rapid acquisition authorities and other transaction authorities to minimize administrative barriers to participation in the pilot program.
(4)
Measures of effectiveness
The Secretary shall establish objective, outcome-based measures of effectiveness before the initiation of the pilot program.
(b)
Minimum operational requirements
A technology evaluated under the pilot program shall demonstrate the ability to—
(1)
identify applications generating signals relevant to force protection;
(2)
determine the destinations receiving such signals;
(3)
characterize the categories of information transmitted in sufficient detail to assess operational exposure;
(4)
distinguish legitimate application functionality from analytics, diagnostics, advertising, profiling, and related exploitation activities;
(5)
maintain auditable records and generate commander-level reporting sufficient to support force protection decisions;
(6)
actively control application-generated transmissions, including the ability to block, throttle, or otherwise govern which signals leave the device and the destinations to which they may be sent, and not merely to observe, characterize, or report them;
(7)
enable the Department of Defense, and not solely a vendor, to independently verify the matters described in paragraphs (1) through (6) and to confirm measured reductions in operational exposure; and
(8)
adapt as commercial surveillance techniques evolve.
(c)
Transition and operational adoption
(1)
Determination
Not later than 90 days after the evaluation of a technology is completed under the pilot program, the Secretary shall determine whether the evaluated technology demonstrated measurable reductions in operational exposure associated with commercial mobile surveillance.
(2)
Adoption
If the Secretary determines that the effectiveness of a technology evaluated under the pilot program has been adequately demonstrated, the Secretary may authorize operational deployment of the technology without initiating a duplicative requirements process.
(3)
Transition pathways
The Secretary shall identify potential transition pathways for a technology before evaluating the technology under the pilot program.
(d)
Continuous assessment
(1)
Framework
The Secretary shall establish a continuous assessment framework applicable to deployed mobile device force protection technologies, under which each such technology is reviewed not less frequently than annually to evaluate whether it continues to reduce operational exposure arising from commercial mobile surveillance.
(2)
Annual report
Not less frequently than annually, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report that summarizes the findings of the assessments conducted under paragraph (1), identifies emerging commercial surveillance techniques, documents the effectiveness of deployed technologies, and recommends modifications to standards and procurement approaches.
(e)
Degradation and reassessment
If the Secretary determines that a deployed mobile device force protection technology no longer provides meaningful protection against identified threats, the Secretary shall initiate a review of alternative capabilities using the authorities established under this section.
(f)
Rule of construction
Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the use of a particular technical architecture, implementation methodology, or commercial vendor. The requirements established under this section are intended to define the operational outcomes necessary to support force protection and not to prescribe the means by which those outcomes are achieved.
(g)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  application-generated signal  means any data transmitted from a mobile device by, or on behalf of, a software application, including data derived from device sensors, network and environmental observations, diagnostic and behavioral telemetry, and embedded software development kits, whether or not the data includes a persistent identifier.
(2)
The term  covered personnel  means—
(A)
members of the Armed Forces;
(B)
civilian employees of the Department of Defense;
(C)
contractors supporting the Department of Defense;
(D)
employees of entities engaged in the development or manufacture of weapons systems or other defense articles; and
(E)
any other category of personnel designated by the Secretary of Defense whose duties involve heightened operational security considerations.
(3)
The term  mobile device force protection technology  means a technology or capability intended to identify, observe, characterize, audit, report upon, restrict, suppress, or otherwise manage application-generated signals that may contribute to operational surveillance or pattern-of-life reconstruction affecting covered personnel.
(4)
The term  Secretary  means the Secretary of Defense.
240.
Modifications to joint artificial intelligence research, development, and transition activities
(a)
In general
Section 238 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 ( Public Law 115–232 ;  10 U.S.C. 4061  note prec.) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a)—
(A)
by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
(1)
In general
The Secretary of Defense shall maintain within the Department of Defense a set of activities, led by the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer (referred to in this section as the  CDAO ), to coordinate the efforts of the Department to develop, mature, and transition artificial intelligence technologies into operational use, and to prepare the Department for the national security implications of artificial general intelligence and other forms of highly advanced artificial intelligence.
 ; and
(B)
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(3)
Artificial general intelligence preparedness
The set of activities established under paragraph (1) shall include a dedicated initiative (referred to in this section as the  AGI Preparedness Initiative ) to—
(A)
study and prepare for the national security implications of artificial general intelligence;
(B)
analyze strategic competition with the People’s Republic of China and other adversaries with respect to artificial general intelligence and highly advanced artificial intelligence; and
(C)
develop countermeasures against adversary artificial intelligence-enabled military capabilities.
 ;
(2)
in subsection (d)—
(A)
in paragraph (2)—
(i)
in subparagraph (J), by striking  and  at the end;
(ii)
in subparagraph (K), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and
(iii)
by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
(L)
review relevant industry, scientific, and classified documents describing artificial general intelligence and other forms of highly advanced artificial intelligence, including the preparedness frameworks, scaling policies, and risk management frameworks of advanced artificial intelligence developers;
(M)
develop and maintain an internal set of definitions for the Department that characterizes tiers of artificial general intelligence to inform intelligence collection requirements, program and procurement requirements, and national strategy around advanced artificial intelligence competition, with emphasis on describing the capabilities of artificial intelligence systems with the most significant impacts for national security and strategic competition, including chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear capabilities, advanced cyber capabilities, model autonomy, strategic deception, advanced research and development capabilities in military domains, and advanced research and development capabilities for producing increasingly powerful artificial intelligence;
(N)
develop and conduct unclassified and classified scenario exercises, wargames, tabletop exercises, and other similar efforts to understand how artificial general intelligence and advanced artificial intelligence capabilities could present acute national security risks or crises, pose risks to existing Department operational plans, or create strategic opportunities for the United States;
(O)
develop preparedness plans detailing governmental response strategies to scenarios described in subparagraph (N), including detailed information describing how the Department would coordinate with relevant United States entities, including advanced artificial intelligence developers, compute cluster providers, and relevant government officials, in the event of an acute national security risk or crisis;
(P)
identify potential gaps in the Department’s authorities, relationships, personnel, or other factors that could affect the Department’s ability to address scenarios described in subparagraph (N) or execute plans described in subparagraph (O);
(Q)
develop a detailed approach to limit the proliferation of artificial general intelligence and other highly advanced artificial intelligence systems by defining artificial intelligence systems with critical capabilities that would pose a grave national security threat if acquired or stolen by adversaries, reviewing and potentially drawing from approaches derived from Department of Energy practices for handling Restricted Data and Formerly Restricted Data, as well as approaches for handling other national security information;
(R)
assess the value of creating a centralized, highly secure, Department-led project to develop artificial general intelligence or other highly advanced artificial intelligence in a secure environment, including examination of the chain-of-command, size and location of such project, resources and personnel required, cyber and physical security protocols, counterintelligence and anti-espionage measures against the People’s Republic of China and other foreign adversaries, contingency and emergency response plans, and geopolitical considerations; and
(S)
prepare strategies to protect the weights of advanced artificial intelligence systems, core insights required to develop or deploy advanced artificial intelligence systems, and other sensitive technical information from highly resourced adversaries, including nation-states.
 ; and
(B)
by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
(4)
Adversary artificial intelligence analysis
(A)
In general
The CDAO shall establish a dedicated analytical cell to continuously monitor, assess, and report on the progress of the People’s Republic of China and other adversaries designated by the Secretary in developing artificial general intelligence and advanced artificial intelligence capabilities for military and intelligence applications.
(B)
Duties
Such analytical cell shall—
(i)
coordinate with the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, the Central Intelligence Agency, and other elements of the intelligence community to ensure timely access to classified reporting on adversary artificial intelligence development programs;
(ii)
produce, not less frequently than annually, classified assessments of adversary artificial intelligence military capabilities, including identified applications in autonomous weapons systems, command and control, intelligence analysis, cyber operations, electronic warfare, and information operations;
(iii)
develop and maintain a classified database of identified People’s Republic of China artificial intelligence military programs, key personnel, institutional relationships, supply chain dependencies, and assessed capability timelines;
(iv)
assess the effectiveness of existing United States technology control and denial measures in constraining adversary artificial intelligence capabilities and recommend modifications as needed, in coordination with other relevant interagency bodies;
(v)
develop specific countermeasure recommendations and identify vulnerabilities in adversary artificial intelligence systems that could be exploited to maintain United States military advantage; and
(vi)
identify strategies for improving strategic competition relating to advanced artificial intelligence, including strategies to ensure United States leadership in global artificial intelligence competition and strategies to avoid or mitigate national security threats from such competition.
(C)
Personnel
The analytical cell required by this paragraph shall include personnel with demonstrated expertise in People’s Republic of China military modernization, technical artificial intelligence competence, and intelligence analysis.
(5)
Countermeasure development
The CDAO shall, in coordination with the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and the Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, develop and maintain a classified program of research and development focused on countermeasures against adversary artificial intelligence-enabled military capabilities, including autonomous weapons systems, artificial intelligence-directed cyber operations, artificial intelligence-enhanced intelligence collection, and artificial intelligence-enabled command and control systems.
(6)
Workforce requirements
(A)
In general
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this paragraph, the CDAO shall develop and submit to the congressional defense committees minimum qualification standards for personnel assigned to artificial general intelligence preparedness functions under this section, including requirements for technical expertise in machine learning, neural network architectures, computational infrastructure, and artificial intelligence safety and alignment research.
(B)
Hiring authority
The CDAO shall establish a competitive hiring authority, consistent with section 1599f of title 10, United States Code, to recruit and retain individuals with demonstrated expertise in advanced artificial intelligence research and development from private industry, academia, and national laboratories.
(C)
Technical staff
Not less than 50 percent of the technical staff assigned to artificial general intelligence preparedness functions under this section shall possess graduate-level education or equivalent professional experience in artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer science, or a directly related field.
(D)
Exchange program
The Secretary of Defense shall establish an exchange program with leading artificial intelligence research laboratories and companies to provide personnel assigned to functions under this section with rotational assignments of not less than 90 days to maintain current technical expertise.
(E)
Report
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this subparagraph, and annually thereafter, the CDAO shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the status of workforce recruitment and retention for functions under this section, including the number of billets authorized and filled, attrition rates, average tenure, and an assessment of the competitiveness of Department compensation relative to the private sector for comparable artificial intelligence positions.
(7)
Senior leader artificial intelligence education
(A)
In general
The CDAO, in coordination with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, shall develop and implement an artificial intelligence education program for all general and flag officers, members of the Senior Executive Service within the Department, and combatant command staff principals.
(B)
Elements
Such program shall include—
(i)
technical foundations of current artificial intelligence capabilities and limitations;
(ii)
the current state and projected trajectory of artificial general intelligence development;
(iii)
adversary artificial intelligence military capabilities and doctrine, with emphasis on People’s Republic of China programs;
(iv)
artificial intelligence-enabled operational concepts and their implications for force design and employment; and
(v)
artificial intelligence safety, alignment, and control challenges relevant to military applications.
(8)
Operational integration
The CDAO shall, in coordination with the Joint Staff and the combatant commands, develop a plan to integrate artificial general intelligence preparedness findings into joint operational planning processes, including updates to contingency plans, campaign plans, and global force management allocation plans, not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this paragraph.
(9)
Interagency coordination on export controls and technology protection
The CDAO shall coordinate with the Bureau of Industry and Security of the Department of Commerce, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, the Department of Energy, and other relevant interagency bodies to—
(A)
assess the effectiveness of technology control measures in constraining adversary access to artificial intelligence capabilities;
(B)
recommend modifications to export control lists, end-use restrictions, and investment screening criteria as needed to address emerging artificial intelligence-related threats; and
(C)
ensure that classification guidance developed under subsection (d)(2)(G) is updated to address artificial general intelligence and advanced artificial intelligence systems.
 ;
(3)
by redesignating subsections (f) and (g) as subsections (g) and (h), respectively;
(4)
by inserting after subsection (e) the following new subsection:
(f)
Reports, briefings, and accountability
(1)
Initial report and briefing
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this subsection, the Secretary of Defense shall—
(A)
submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report detailing—
(i)
the organizational structure, staffing requirements, and initial objectives of the AGI Preparedness Initiative described in subsection (a)(3);
(ii)
a comprehensive assessment of the performance of the CDAO in executing the duties established under this section since the date of the original enactment of this section, including an identification of specific deficiencies in organizational structure, personnel qualifications, interagency coordination, and operational impact; and
(iii)
the initial objectives and milestones for the duties added by the amendments to this section made by title II of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027; and
(B)
provide to such Committees a briefing on the matters set forth in the report.
(2)
Periodic reports and briefings
Not later than 180 days after the submission of the initial report under paragraph (1), and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall—
(A)
submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the activities carried out under this section since the date of the last report under this paragraph, including—
(i)
any findings, assessments, and recommendations with respect to the national security implications of artificial general intelligence and advanced artificial intelligence;
(ii)
the progress of the CDAO against each benchmark established under paragraph (3); and
(iii)
a classified annex containing specific assessments of People’s Republic of China artificial intelligence military capabilities, the effectiveness of current export control measures with respect to adversary artificial intelligence development, and identified countermeasure priorities; and
(B)
provide to such Committees a briefing on the matters set forth in the report.
(3)
Performance metrics and accountability
(A)
In general
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this paragraph, the CDAO shall submit to the congressional defense committees a set of measurable performance benchmarks and milestones for each duty described in subsection (d).
(B)
Elements
Each report required under paragraph (2) shall include a detailed assessment of progress against each benchmark established under subparagraph (A), including specific explanations for any benchmarks not met and corrective actions planned.
(4)
Policy recommendations
The CDAO shall provide policy recommendations to the Secretary of Defense, the President, and Congress relating to the national security implications of artificial general intelligence and advanced artificial intelligence, including recommendations for legislative action.
 ; and
(5)
by adding at the end the following new subsection:
(i)
Additional definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  artificial general intelligence  means artificial intelligence systems that match or exceed human expert performance across a wide variety of domains, including chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear applications, cyber offense, model autonomy, persuasion, research and development, and self-improvement.
(2)
The term  CDAO  means the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer of the Department of Defense, or such successor official as the Secretary of Defense may designate.
 .
(b)
Conforming amendment
The heading of section 238 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 ( Public Law 115–232 ;  10 U.S.C. 4061  note prec.) is amended by striking
Joint artificial intelligence research, development, and transition activities   and inserting
Department of Defense artificial intelligence and artificial general intelligence activities  .
(c)
Rule of construction
Nothing in this section or the amendments made by this section shall be construed to limit or otherwise affect any authority of the Secretary of Defense or the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer under section 238 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 ( Public Law 115–232 ; 10 U.S.C. note prec. 4061), as in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act.
241.
Pilot program on use of subscription-based funding model at Major Range and Test Facility Base
(a)
In general
Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and subject to the availability of appropriations for such purpose, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering shall, acting through the Director of the Test Resource Management Center, commence carrying out a pilot program to determine the feasibility, effectiveness, and operational impacts of implementing a subscription-based funding model for test and evaluation facilities.
(b)
Requirements
The pilot program required by subsection (a) shall—
(1)
be conducted during the two-year period beginning on the date of the commencement of the pilot program;
(2)
include not fewer than two cyber-physical test and training ranges designated by the Director of the Test Resource Management Center;
(3)
include at least one cyber-physical test and training range operated by, or under the authority of, the National Guard of a State;
(4)
provide for participation by military departments, defense agencies, combat support agencies, federally funded research and development centers, and such other Department of Defense entities as the Director considers appropriate; and
(5)
evaluate the applicability of subscription-based funding to cyber, cyber-physical, electronic warfare, modeling and simulation, and integrated test environments associated with the participating ranges.
(c)
Subscription-based funding model
For purposes of the pilot program required by subsection (a), the Under Secretary shall establish a funding structure under which participating organizations pay recurring subscription fees in exchange for access to specified range capabilities, infrastructure, services, test environments, cybersecurity resources, data management capabilities, and related support functions, in lieu of or in combination with traditional reimbursable or direct-user funding mechanisms. The Under Secretary shall ensure that any subscription fees are commensurate with the services provided.
(d)
Elements
In carrying out the pilot program required by subsection (a), the Under Secretary shall—
(1)
establish subscription tiers or other recurring funding arrangements designed to support baseline operational, sustainment, modernization, and cybersecurity costs of participating ranges;
(2)
assess the extent to which a subscription-based model improves funding predictability, resource utilization, infrastructure availability, and mission readiness;
(3)
evaluate impacts on range scheduling, access, interoperability, and support for developmental testing, operational testing, training, experimentation, and rapid prototyping activities;
(4)
identify authority constraints or other challenges associated with broader implementation of such a model;
(5)
measure effects on cost recovery, user demand, and long-term sustainment of cyber-physical range capabilities; and
(6)
develop recommendations regarding whether and how a subscription-based funding model could be expanded to additional test and evaluation facilities.
(e)
Selection of participating ranges
In selecting ranges for participation in the pilot program required by subsection (a), the Under Secretary shall prioritize cyber-physical ranges that—
(1)
support joint testing, training, or experimentation activities;
(2)
integrate operational technology, cyber, communications, electronic warfare, or weapon-system testing capabilities; and
(3)
can provide representative data regarding the scalability of subscription-based funding approaches across test and evaluation facilities.
(f)
Report
Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives a report describing the following:
(1)
The actions taken under subsection (a).
(2)
The status of implementation of integration required by such subsection.
(3)
Any exceptions to full integration under subsection (b)(2).
(4)
The reasons for the exceptions described in paragraph (3).
(g)
Briefing
Not later than 30 days after the date on which the Under Secretary submits the report required by subsection (f), the Under Secretary shall provide the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives a briefing on the matters covered by the report.
242.
Secure artificial intelligence data center demonstration program
(a)
Demonstration program
The Secretary of Defense shall, acting through the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and in consultation with the Director of the National Security Agency and the head of the Center for Artificial Intelligence Standards and Innovation at the Department of Commerce, carry out a program to construct, prototype, and perform testing and evaluation on highly secure data centers, and to assess security requirements for such facilities, focused on—
(1)
resisting attacks by nation-state adversaries;
(2)
securing the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of artificial intelligence models and inference pipelines; and
(3)
assessing whether existing security frameworks are sufficient to protect artificial intelligence capabilities supporting classified workloads.
(b)
Focus
The program required by subsection (a) shall be focused on—
(1)
prototyping technologies and security controls needed to protect artificial intelligence data centers from attacks by nation-state adversaries;
(2)
protecting model weights and other sensitive assets from theft, sabotage, or unauthorized access;
(3)
assessing physical security, cybersecurity, supply chain, insider threat, and incident response requirements for such facilities;
(4)
prototyping secure inference-only clusters or devices designed to prevent unauthorized model weight extraction or modification, including mechanisms to securely or cryptographically verify that only authorized workloads are executed; and
(5)
developing plans, budgets, and cost estimates and recommended courses of action for constructing or retrofitting such facilities.
(c)
Briefing and report
(1)
Briefing
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing on progress made under the program required by subsection (a), including key findings from prototype activities, threats, vulnerabilities, capability gaps, and resourcing requirements.
(2)
Report
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the results of the program required by subsection (a), including—
(A)
prototype results, technologies, or operational measures needed to improve the security of artificial intelligence data centers; and
(B)
recommendations for further investments to address threats from nation-state adversaries.
243.
Comprehensive shared database for research and development
(a)
Establishment
The Secretary of Defense shall, in collaboration with Federal laboratories, establish a comprehensive shared database of research and technology developed to help improve public and private cooperation in order to benefit national security. Such database shall meet necessary security standards, as determined by the Secretary.
(b)
Federal laboratories
In establishing the database under subsection (a), the Secretary shall collaborate with Federal laboratories that focus on a variety of technologies, sectors, and needs within the national security sector.
244.
Development, test, evaluation, demonstration, and transition to production of alternative low-cost weapon systems
(a)
In general
The Secretary of Defense, acting through the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment and in coordination with Secretaries of the military departments and the Director of the Missile Defense Agency, shall develop, test, evaluate, demonstrate, and transition to production, as appropriate, a portfolio of alternative, affordable, low-cost weapon systems in each of the following categories:
(1)
Hypersonic strike systems.
(2)
Cruise missiles.
(3)
Shoulder-launched missiles.
(4)
Extended range munitions.
(5)
Mid-range integrated air and missile defense interceptors.
(6)
Exoatmospheric interceptors.
(7)
Short-range integrated air and missile defense interceptors.
(8)
Medium-range air-to-air missiles.
(9)
Autonomous systems, counter-unmanned systems, and loitering munitions.
(b)
Requirements
In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall—
(1)
employ innovative acquisition strategies, including rapid prototyping, digital engineering, modular open-system architectures, commercial-off-the-shelf components where feasible, and other cost-reduction initiatives to achieve significantly lower unit costs than current baseline systems while maintaining operationally relevant performance;
(2)
prioritize expendable designs optimized for attritable, high-volume employment, compatibility with existing launch platforms, logistics infrastructure, and command-and-control networks, and the ability to complement existing programs of record;
(3)
ensure systems are designed to enable production at scale in significantly greater quantities than current program of record systems through the prioritization of manufacturing ease and speed;
(4)
include technology maturation, risk reduction, testing, and transition planning to low-rate initial production not later than fiscal year 2030 for each category of weapon system specified in subsection (a);
(5)
establish specific cost and performance targets through competitive analysis, market research, prototyping, and experimentation;
(6)
maximize the use of commercial acquisition procedures, commercial solutions openings, other transaction authority, and other rapid acquisition authorities to increase participation by nontraditional defense contractors, commercial suppliers, and small businesses;
(7)
treat autonomous systems described in subsection (a)(9) as consumable combat equipment, including for purposes of acquisition, budgeting, sustainment, inventory, training, fielding, expenditure, replenishment, repair, upgrade, and replacement, unless the Secretary of Defense, or a covered designee, determines in writing that such treatment is inappropriate based on cost, complexity, expected service life, safety requirements, operational role, or replenishment requirements; and
(8)
ensure that autonomous systems described in subsection (a)(9) are not subjected to acquisition, sustainment, inventory, training, or fielding requirements applicable to aircraft, vessels, or enduring major platforms solely on the basis that such systems operate in the air, on the surface of the sea, or undersea, unless the Secretary of Defense, or a covered designee, determines in writing that such requirements are necessary based on safety, operational, or legal requirements.
(c)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  alternative low-cost  systems means weapon systems in the categories listed in subsection (a) that are designed to achieve unit procurement costs significantly lower than existing program of record systems while delivering the minimum requirements set forth by the Secretary.
(2)
The term  autonomous systems  means unmanned, remotely operated, optionally unmanned, autonomous, or semiautonomous systems, including associated software, sensors, payloads, communications equipment, and mission autonomy capabilities, that operate in the air, on land, on or below the surface of the sea, or across multiple domains.
(3)
The term  counter-unmanned systems  means systems designed to detect, track, and defeat unmanned platforms through kinetic, directed energy, electronic warfare, cyber, or other means.
(4)
The term  covered designee  means the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, the Secretary of a military department, or a service acquisition executive.
(5)
The term  cruise missiles  means turbojet-powered missiles designed for standoff precision strikes against land or sea targets at ranges generally exceeding 250 nautical miles, with simplified guidance, propulsion, and airframe designs.
(6)
The term  exoatmospheric interceptors  means kinetic hit-to-kill interceptors designed for ballistic missile defense in the exoatmosphere, with engagement ranges generally exceeding 300 nautical miles (or equivalent altitudes above 50 nautical miles) and closing speeds of not less than Mach 8.
(7)
The term  extended range munitions  means ground-launched precision munitions designed for extended standoff strikes at ranges generally exceeding 50 nautical miles.
(8)
The term  hypersonic strike systems  means systems capable of Mach 5 or greater flight with maneuverability, designed for long-range precision strikes against time-sensitive, defended, or high-value targets at ranges generally exceeding 400 nautical miles.
(9)
The term  loitering munitions  means expendable unmanned aerial systems designed to loiter in a target area and deliver kinetic effects against surface targets, capable of autonomous or semiautonomous terminal guidance.
(10)
The term  medium-range air-to-air missiles  means guided missiles providing beyond-visual-range air-to-air intercept capability with diverse target-set engagement potential, performing intercepts at not less than 60 nautical miles and with a maximum speed of not less than Mach 3.
(11)
The term  mid-range integrated air and missile defense interceptors  means interceptors optimized for integrated air and missile defense against cruise missiles, aircraft, and short- to medium-range ballistic missiles, with engagement ranges of not less than 30 nautical miles and speeds of not less than Mach 3.5.
(12)
The term  short-range integrated air and missile defense interceptors  means interceptors for terminal defense against aircraft, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial systems, with engagement ranges of not less than five nautical miles and maximum speeds of not less than Mach 2.
(13)
The term  shoulder-launched missiles  means man-portable or vehicle-launched missiles providing fire-and-forget or command-guided antiarmor capability at ranges of not less than one nautical mile.
245.
Modification to use of partnership intermediaries to promote defense research and education
Section 4124(f) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
by inserting  or Department of Defense laboratory  after  Center  each place it appears;
(2)
by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3);
(3)
by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new paragraph:
(2)
A Department of Defense laboratory may pay the Federal costs of a contract, memorandum of understanding, or other transaction entered into under this subsection out of funds available to the laboratory for the support of technology transfer and transition functions, research and development, or operation and maintenance.
 ; and
(4)
in paragraph (3)(B), as so redesignated, by adding  , or that can assist a Center or Department of Defense laboratory with technology transition, either out of, or into, the Center or laboratory  before the semicolon.
C
Plans, Reports, and Other Matters
251.
Policy to guide the development and acquisition of quantum computing systems for the Department of Defense
(a)
Policy required
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall issue a policy to guide the development and acquisition of quantum computing systems for the Department of Defense. Under the policy, the Secretary shall—
(1)
establish a definition of  quantum computing system  for purposes of the policy;
(2)
establish a process for validating and verifying quantum computing systems before such systems are developed or acquired by the Department; and
(3)
ensure that the development and acquisition of such systems is consistent with and informed by the findings and processes of the Quantum Benchmarking Initiative of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (or any successor initiative).
(b)
Limitation and waiver
(1)
Limitation
Following issuance of the policy under subsection (a), a quantum computing system may not be developed or acquired by an element of the Department of Defense unless the system has been validated and verified in accordance with such policy.
(2)
Waiver
The Secretary of Defense may waive the limitation under paragraph (1), on a case by case basis, with respect to a specific quantum computing system. In the event the Secretary issues such a waiver, the Secretary shall provide to the congressional defense committees, not later than 15 days after date on which the waiver was issued—
(A)
written notice of such waiver; and
(B)
the Secretary’s justification for the waiver.
252.
Plan for competitive experimentation relating to autonomous and nontraditional capabilities relevant to the A–10 mission set
(a)
Plan required
The Secretary of the Air Force shall develop a plan to carry out competitive experimentation, prototyping, and operational assessment of autonomous, semi-autonomous, artificial intelligence-enabled, and adjunct aircraft capabilities relevant to the A–10 mission set.
(b)
Elements
The plan under subsection (a) shall include the following:
(1)
Appropriate opportunities for participation by nontraditional defense contractors, commercial technology firms, venture-backed defense firms, and other private-sector entities capable of rapidly developing relevant hardware, software, autonomy, sensing, communications, or mission system capabilities.
(2)
Measures to ensure operational experimentation is conducted in a manner consistent with meaningful human command and control, by a qualified military aviator, over mission-critical functions, including target engagement, weapons release, mission abort, and such other functions as the Secretary of the Air Force determines appropriate.
(3)
An estimated annual budget for implementing the plan.
(4)
Consideration of how to make available to a qualified United States entity a limited number of A–10 aircraft, components, or associated support equipment for the sole purpose of research, development, test, and evaluation activities relevant to the A–10 mission set, autonomous or semi-autonomous aircraft integration, mission systems development, digital battlefield communications, or other related capabilities.
(c)
Report
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives report on the plan developed under subsection (a).
(d)
Qualified United States entity
In this section, the term  qualified United States entity  means—
(1)
a nontraditional defense contractor;
(2)
a traditional defense contractor;
(3)
a federally funded research and development center;
(4)
a university-affiliated research center; or
(5)
another domestic entity the Secretary determines is capable of carrying out the activities described in subsection (a) in a manner consistent with national security and public safety.
253.
Plan for establishment and evaluation of experimental, drone-centric reconnaissance and security formations
(a)
Plan required
The Secretary of the Army shall develop a plan for establishing and evaluating one or more experimental, battalion-sized formations that integrate unmanned aircraft systems to carry out intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance and precision strike operations at-scale.
(b)
Elements
The plan required under subsection (a) shall—
(1)
provide for the establishment of at least one experimental formation, as described in subsection (a), attached to a division;
(2)
include mechanisms to enable the Secretary of the Army to evaluate the operational effectiveness, survivability, targeting capacity, and cost-efficiency of such a formation relative to legacy cavalry and scout formations, and to inform future force design decisions;
(3)
identify any modifications to organizational design, personnel structure, and training pipelines that may be needed to facilitate the establishment of such a formation;
(4)
as appropriate, provide for the use of rapid acquisition pathways to procure unmanned aircraft systems for such a formation; and
(5)
coordinate with the Defense Autonomous Working Group to ensure that defense-wide research, development, testing, procurement, and fielding of mass-produced small unmanned aircraft systems will meet current and emerging Army requirements.
(c)
Report
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report that includes—
(1)
the plan developed under subsection (a); and
(2)
an estimate of the funding required to establish and sustain the initial experimental formation under the plan, disaggregated by individual appropriation.
254.
Plan for use of certain aircraft for research and development purposes
(a)
Plan required
The Secretary of the Air Force shall develop a plan to regenerate, restore, modify, and use a limited number of covered aircraft for research, development, test, and evaluation activities relevant to—
(1)
autonomous and semi-autonomous aircraft capabilities;
(2)
human-machine teaming;
(3)
mission autonomy software;
(4)
mission systems integration;
(5)
sensing, communications, and digital battlefield networking;
(6)
operational experimentation and tactics development; and
(7)
such other defense innovation purposes as the Secretary determines appropriate.
(b)
Elements
The plan under subsection (a) shall include the following:
(1)
Plans for the use of covered aircraft for—
(A)
developmental flight testing;
(B)
operational evaluation;
(C)
autonomy experimentation;
(D)
software, sensor, communications, and mission systems integration;
(E)
optionally piloted, remotely assisted, or other autonomy-related flight experimentation, to the extent authorized by applicable law and regulation; and
(F)
associated ground test, simulation, mission rehearsal, and related research activities.
(2)
Consideration of how to make available to qualified United States entities a limited number of covered aircraft for the sole purpose of conducting the research, development, test, and evaluation activities described in this section, including any demilitarization requirements, cost reimbursements, and access to approved testing and evaluation facilities that may be required to facilitate the participation of such entities.
(c)
Report
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives report on the plan developed under subsection (a).
(d)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  covered aircraft  means an aircraft preserved at, inducted into, or proposed for induction into the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group, including an aircraft stored or preserved on behalf of another military department or Department of Defense component, that the Secretary of the Air Force, in coordination with the head of the relevant military department or component, as appropriate, determines—
(A)
is structurally viable for regeneration, modification, test, evaluation, or other authorized use under this section;
(B)
is not required to meet current operational, training, test, contingency reserve, heritage, or security cooperation requirements; and
(C)
may be useful for research, development, test, and evaluation, autonomy experimentation, mission systems integration, uncrewed conversion, or related defense innovation purposes.
(2)
The term  qualified United States entity  means a domestic entity that the Secretary determines has the technical, security, financial, safety, and programmatic capability to support activities under this section, including—
(A)
a nontraditional defense contractor;
(B)
a commercial technology company;
(C)
a small business concern;
(D)
a traditional defense contractor;
(E)
a federally funded research and development center;
(F)
a university-affiliated research center; or
(G)
a consortium, team, or other arrangement composed of entities described in subparagraphs (A) through (F).
255.
Sonobuoy modernization, testing, and inventory sufficiency for two simultaneous regional conflicts
(a)
Strategy and inventory requirement
(1)
In general
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Navy shall develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for sonobuoy modernization, testing, production, and inventory sufficiency.
(2)
Elements
The strategy required under paragraph (1) shall include the following:
(A)
An assessment of the minimum required inventory levels of——
(i)
passive sonobuoys;
(ii)
active sonobuoys;
(iii)
multistatic sonobuoys;
(iv)
air-deployed anti-submarine warfare sensor systems;
(v)
exercise, training, and telementry sonobuoys;
(vi)
extended-duration and deep-water sonobuoys;
(vii)
Arctic-capable sonobuoys; and
(viii)
next-generation networked or autonomous sonobuoy systems.
(B)
An assessment of wartime sonobuoy expenditure assumptions for combat operations against peer and near-peer maritime adversaries, including assumptions associated with high-tempo anti-submarine warfare operations in the Indo-Pacific and North Atlantic theaters.
(C)
An evaluation of current sonobuoy production capacity, including limitations associated with—
(i)
acoustic transducers;
(ii)
signal processing electronics;
(iii)
microelectronics and semiconductors;
(iv)
batteries and power systems;
(v)
radio frequency transmitters and receivers;
(vi)
specialty materials and rare earth elements;
(vii)
air deployment integration systems; and
(viii)
single-source supplies.
(D)
A plan to increase annual sonobuoy production capacity and reduce production lead times during contingencies.
(E)
An assessment of the adequacy of existing sonobuoy testing infrastructure, including—
(i)
undersea warfare test ranges;
(ii)
acoustic measurement and calibration facilities;
(iii)
contested electromagnetic spectrum testing capabilities;
(iv)
Arctic and deep-water testing environments;
(v)
shallow water and littoral testing capabilities;
(vi)
digital engineering, modeling, and synthetic testing environments;
(vii)
unmanned systems integration and testing capabilities; and
(viii)
opportunities for allied and partner nation testing and interoperability.
(F)
A description of efforts to improve sonobuoy survivability, persistence, networking capability, and effectiveness against advanced adversary submarine quieting, decoys, electronic warfare systems, and acoustic countermeasures.
(G)
An assessment of storage, transportation, prepositioning, and expeditionary resupply capacity for sonobuoys during wartime operations.
(H)
A description of efforts to integrate sonobuoys with—
(i)
maritime patrol aircrafts;
(ii)
carrier-based aircrafts;
(iii)
rotary-wing anti-submarine warfare platforms;
(iv)
tiltrotor aircrafts;
(v)
unmanned aerial systems;
(vi)
unmanned surface vessels;
(vii)
unmanned undersea vehicles; and
(viii)
joint and allied anti-submarine warfare networks.
(I)
An assessment of any statutory or regulatory barriers limiting expansion of sonobuoy production, testing, procurement, or fielding.
(J)
Recommendations for legislative or administrative action necessary to improve sonobuoy readiness and wartime sufficiency.
(b)
Industrial base expansion plan
Not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Navy shall develop a plan to expand the sonobuoy industrial base to support sustained wartime production requirements. Such plan shall include—
(1)
options for second-source suppliers;
(2)
the potential for Government-owned, contractor-operated facilities;
(3)
use of multiyear procurement authorities pursuant to section 3501 of title 10, United States Code;
(4)
opportunities to expand public-private partnerships for anti-submarine warfare sensor manufacturing and sustainment;
(5)
measures to improve supply chain resilience for critical components;
(6)
options for surge production during national emergencies or armed conflict; and
(7)
opportunities for allied co-production and stockpile interoperability.
(c)
Operational test events
Beginning not later than fiscal year 2028, the Secretary of the Navy shall conduct recurring operationally realistic sonobuoy exercises that include—
(1)
congested elecromagnetic spectrum conditions;
(2)
integrated fleet anti-submarine warfare operations;
(3)
multiple simultaneous submarine targets;
(4)
degraded communications and positioning, navigation, and timing environments;
(5)
unmanned systems integration;
(6)
distributed maritime operations;
(7)
Arctic and littoral anti-submarine warfare scenarios; and
(8)
joint and allied participation, as appropriate.
(d)
Briefing requirement
Not later than 120 days after the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Navy shall provide a briefing to the congressional defense committees on—
(1)
the highest-risk shortfalls in sonobuoy inventory and testing capacity;
(2)
projected wartime inventory depletion timelines;
(3)
vulnerabilities associated with single-source suppliers and critical materials dependencies; and
(4)
investments required during the future-years defense program to achieve sufficiency for two simultaneous regional conflicts.
256.
Review and implementation of strategies to accelerate the qualification process for domestically produced advanced energetic materials
(a)
Acceleration of formulation-to-system qualification for advanced energetic materials
(1)
Review and implementation
The Secretary of Defense, acting through the head of the Joint Energetics Transition Office shall—
(A)
conduct a review to identify opportunities to accelerate the qualification process for the integration of novel advanced energetic materials into military systems; and
(B)
based on the results of such review, implement measures to accelerate such qualification process.
(2)
Elements
In conducting the review required under paragraph (1)(A), the Secretary of Defense shall—
(A)
conduct a detailed analysis of the feasibility of—
(i)
expediting the qualification of new formulations derived from advanced energetic materials, including developmental classification, insensitive munitions testing, and hazard classification activities;
(ii)
streamlining nonstatutory administrative requirements for warhead-level and system-level qualification of advanced energetic materials in cases in which modeling, simulation, and surrogate testing of such materials provide sufficient evidence of equivalent or superior performance and safety compared to legacy energetic materials, without compromising statutorily prescribed safety or environmental standards;
(iii)
implementing integrated test campaigns that enable concurrent or overlapping evaluations of the formulation, warhead, and system performance of advanced energetic materials to reduce total time to fielding, aiming for full system qualification within 18 months to the extent feasible, while ensuring no compromise to safety or operational reliability; and
(iv)
prioritizing advanced energetic materials for inclusion in mission-aligned prototyping, live-fire demonstrations, and portfolio-level experimentation under rapid acquisition authorities;
(B)
identify any barriers to the integration of novel advanced energetic materials into military systems;
(C)
develop a set of prioritized measures that may be implemented to address such barriers, including potential near-term measures achievable under existing authorities; and
(D)
determine—
(i)
estimated timelines for implementing such measures;
(ii)
the organizations and elements of the Department of Defense that could carry out such measures; and
(iii)
any statutory, regulatory, or administrative barriers inhibiting the implementation of such measures.
(b)
Report
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 a report on the findings of the review conducted under subsection (a)(1)(A) and the measures implemented under subsection (a)(1)(B). The report shall include—
(1)
a list of advanced energetic materials for which the Secretary accelerated the formulation-to-system qualification process as a result of the review under subsection (a)(1)(A) and a list of advanced energetic materials that were identified as candidates for acceleration;
(2)
a comparison of the timelines to qualification milestones for materials identified under paragraph (1) compared to such timelines if the formulation-to-system qualification process had not been accelerated for such materials, including quantitative estimates of time savings and measurable milestones to the extent practicable;
(3)
a description of any other actions taken to accelerate the qualification process for such materials, with justifications; and
(4)
recommendations for further legislative or administrative actions to enhance domestic energetics production and qualification.
(c)
Rule of construction
Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize the waiver of any statutory requirement, including any statutory requirement related to safety, environmental protection, or national security.
(d)
Advanced energetic material defined
The term  advanced energetic material  means a domestically produced substance or mixture, such as explosives, propellants, or pyrotechnics, that releases energy rapidly and demonstrates performance improvements over legacy energetic materials in areas such as energy density, as determined by the Secretary of Defense in accordance with established Department of Defense standards.
257.
Funding for rotary wing aviation lift upgrade enhancement
(a)
Increase
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in Division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 201 for Research, Development, Testing and Evaluation, Defense-Wide, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4201 for system development for Aviation Systems (PE1160403BB) Line 302 is hereby increased by $12,000,000 (with the amount of such increase to be used to support Rotary Wing Aviation Lift Upgrade Enhancement).
(b)
Offset
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in Division D the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 301 for operation and maintenance, Army, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4301, for Aviation Assets, Line 060, is hereby reduced by $12,000,000.
258.
Strategy for the adoption and integration of artificial intelligence
(a)
In general
The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of Commerce, shall develop a strategy regarding the adoption, fielding, integration, and scaling of artificial intelligence technologies across the Department of Defense and the defense industrial base.
(b)
Report
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report that includes—
(1)
the strategy developed under subsection (a); and
(2)
with respect to artificial intelligence technologies, a description of any—
(A)
barriers to adoption and integration;
(B)
workforce and infrastructure requirements;
(C)
opportunities to strengthen collaboration with private industry and institutions of higher education; and
(D)
recommendations to improve the deployment of such technologies.
259.
Report on Gun-Launched Electromagnetic Obscuration Capabilities for Naval Systems
(a)
In general
Not later than March 1, 2027, the Secretary of the Navy, in coordination with the Chief of Naval Research and the Commander of the Naval Surface and Undersea Warfare Centers, shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives a report on the feasibility and operational utility of integrating electromagnetic obscurant payloads into existing 5-inch naval cargo rounds.
(b)
Contents
The report under subsection (a) shall include the following:
(1)
An assessment of the feasibility of integrating radiofrequency chaff or other electromagnetic obscurant payloads into existing 5-inch naval cargo rounds and Mk 45 naval gun systems.
(2)
An assessment of the operational utility of gun-launched electromagnetic obscuration capabilities for degrading adversary radar tracking, targeting, and sensor fusion in contested maritime environments.
(3)
A description of ongoing or planned prototyping, testing, or live-fire demonstration activities related to ship-launched electromagnetic countermeasure payload delivery.
(4)
An assessment of integration considerations, including shipboard storage, handling, payload dispersion, range, and compatibility with existing naval gun systems.
(5)
An assessment of opportunities to leverage existing cargo munition technologies, infrastructure, or cross-service technical expertise relevant to electromagnetic payload delivery.
(c)
Form
The report required under subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex.
260.
Plan to support advanced manufacturing and materials for hypersonics research and development
(a)
Plan required
The Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment shall develop a plan to develop a comprehensive set of advanced manufacturing practices and advanced materials for hypersonics research and development.
(b)
Elements
At a minimum, the plan under subsection (a) shall—
(1)
address—
(A)
intelligence-optimized robotic forming;
(B)
additive and subtractive manufacturing methods;
(C)
precision joining (laser, e-beam, friction stir) for dissimilar metals and metal/CMC interfaces; and
(D)
advanced materials and processing; and
(2)
define qualification artifacts (process allowable, non-destructive inspection procedures, and digital-thread data standards) and pilot lines executed by consortia of primes, startups, and Federal labs, with TRL/MRL, cost, and lead-time objectives.
(c)
Report
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the plan developed under subsection (a).
261.
Strategy for the development of friction stir additive manufacturing technologies
(a)
In general
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering shall submit to the congressional defense committees a comprehensive report outlining the strategy of the Department of Defense for the research, development, and deployment of friction stir additive manufacturing technologies.
(b)
Elements
The report required by subsection (a) shall include the following:
(1)
An assessment of the strategic importance of developing and deploying friction stir additive manufacturing technologies for national defense, including their potential to enhance supply chain resilience, manufacturing agility, and operational readiness.
(2)
A detailed summary of current and planned Department of Defense programs and initiatives that are supporting the development, testing, or implementation of friction stir additive manufacturing technologies.
(3)
An analysis of key areas of operational impact of such technologies, including—
(A)
expeditionary manufacturing and sustainment capabilities;
(B)
deployable micro-factory systems for forward operating bases or contested environments; and
(C)
development of ultra-large-scale friction stir additive manufacturing techniques for critical defense infrastructure and platforms.
262.
Annual report on the transition of successful prototype projects
(a)
In general
Not later than the last day of each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the transition of successful prototype projects into procurement, follow-on production, or operational deployment.
(b)
Annual reporting requirements
Each report required under subsection (a) shall include the following information:
(1)
The average time between the successful completion of a prototype project and a determination regarding procurement, follow-on production, operational deployment, additional testing, or program termination.
(2)
The number and percentage of successful prototype projects that transitioned into procurement, follow-on production, or programs of record during the preceding year.
(3)
The number and percentage of successful prototype projects that failed to transition into procurement or production capabilities during the preceding year.
(4)
Explanations for delays exceeding 365 days between prototype completion and procurement or production decisions.
(5)
Data on prototype projects funded through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program, Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreements, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), and other defense innovation and prototyping initiatives.
(6)
Data broken down by military department, defense agency, and technology category, including artificial intelligence, autonomy, cyber capabilities, microelectronics, advanced manufacturing, and other critical emerging technologies.
(c)
One-time reporting requirements
In addition to the information required under subsection (b), the final report required under subsection (a) shall include the following information:
(1)
An identification of acquisition, contracting, budgeting, testing, or requirements-related bottlenecks that delay the transition of innovative technologies into operational capability.
(2)
Recommendations to improve procurement efficiency and accelerate transition timelines for prototype projects.
(3)
An assessment of barriers faced by small businesses and nontraditional defense contractors participating in defense innovation programs, including challenges related to financing, cybersecurity compliance, intellectual property protection, and access to follow-on procurement opportunities.
(d)
Successful prototype project defined
In this section, the term  successful prototype project  means a prototype project that achieved the operational, technical, or mission requirements identified by the sponsoring military department or defense agency.
(e)
Form of report
Each report required under subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex.
III
Operation and Maintenance
A
Authorization of Appropriations
301.
Authorization of appropriations
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2027 for the use of the Armed Forces and other activities and agencies of the Department of Defense for expenses, not otherwise provided for, for operation and maintenance, as specified in the funding table in section 4301.
B
Energy and Environment
311.
Inclusion of nuclear energy in energy policy of Department of Defense and related matters
(a)
Inclusion in energy policy
Section 2911 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in subsections (b) and (e), by inserting  or nuclear energy  after  renewable energy sources  each place it appears;
(2)
in subsection (g)—
(A)
in the heading, by inserting  and nuclear energy  after  renewable energy ;
(B)
in paragraphs (1) and (2), by inserting  or nuclear energy  after  renewable energy sources  each place it appears; and
(C)
in paragraph (2), by inserting  and nuclear energy  after  the use of renewable energy ; and
(3)
in subsection (h)(2)—
(A)
in subparagraph (C), by inserting  or nuclear energy  after  renewable energy source, other than solar energy, ; and
(B)
in subparagraph (D), by inserting  or nuclear energy  after  a renewable energy source .
(b)
Inclusion in matters relating to use of energy for facilities
Section 2915 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in the section heading, by striking  renewable forms of energy  and inserting  nuclear energy, renewable forms of energy, ;
(2)
by striking  solar energy or other renewable forms of energy  each place it appears and inserting  nuclear energy, or solar energy or other renewable forms of energy, ; and
(3)
in subsection (b), by striking  a renewable form of energy  and inserting  such a form of energy .
312.
Modification to pilot program on Navy installation nuclear energy
Section 321(b)(2)(B) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 ( Public Law 119–60 ; 10 U.S.C. note prec. 8751) is amended by striking  needed capacity of the reactor is in the range of 20MW to 300MW  and inserting  needed capacity of the reactor is a minimum of 20MW .
313.
Standardized document on scope of projects carried out under Military Munitions Response Program
(a)
Establishment
Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall establish a standardized document for the scope of munitions responses (in this section referred to as a  scope document ) for each project carried out under the Military Munitions Response Program at a covered site.
(b)
Required certification and approval
The Secretary of Defense shall require that, for each project specified in subsection (a), the Secretary of the military department or head of the Defense Agency concerned certifies and approves the scope document for the project prior to the issuance of any task order for the project.
(c)
Elements
Each scope document shall include, with respect to the applicable project and at a minimum, the following:
(1)
A description of the scope of the project, including an identification of the applicable phase or phases of munitions responses under the project and the key assumptions, data gaps, and principal risk drivers, affecting such scope.
(2)
A cost and schedule estimate for the completion of such phase or phases, with contingencies sufficient to account for uncertainty in subsurface conditions, anomaly or contaminant quantity, access limitations, and explosives safety constraints.
(3)
A summary of explosives safety, human health, environmental, and mission risks, applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, and the consequences of delayed action with respect to the project, set forth in a format that supports the prioritization of projects across covered sites.
(4)
Documented certification and approval of the scope document, consistent with the requirement under subsection (b).
(d)
Guidance
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall issue guidance specifying the required form of, and additional details on the matters required to be included in, each scope document based on the complexity of the covered site at which the applicable project is carried out and the phase of munitions response under such project.
(e)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The terms  base closure law  and  Defense Agency  have the meanings given such terms in section 101(a) of title 10, United States Code.
(2)
The term  covered site  means a military installation under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Defense, a National Guard facility, a military installation closed or realigned under a base closure law, or a formerly used defense site.
314.
Pilot program for secure recycling of domestic electronic waste
(a)
Pilot program
The Secretary of Defense shall establish a pilot program to evaluate the use of domestic, integrated electronic waste recycling infrastructure to support the secure destruction of data and the recovery of critical materials from electronic equipment of the Department of Defense.
(b)
Scope
In carrying out the pilot program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall—
(1)
use existing facilities capable of end-to-end processing of the electronic waste referred to in such subsection, including the secure dismantling and shredding of such waste and metallurgical recovery from such waste;
(2)
assess the potential for reuse in the defense industrial base of critical minerals and other materials so recovered;
(3)
assess the environmental and supply chain benefits associated with the domestic recycling of such electronic waste; and
(4)
ensure compliance with applicable standards of the Department of Defense and the National Security Agency, respectively, for the destruction of data.
(c)
Report
Not later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the results of the pilot program under subsection (a), including an assessment of—
(1)
the cost effectiveness of the pilot program;
(2)
security benefits realized through the pilot program, including with respect to data protection;
(3)
the effect of the pilot program on supply chain resilience; and
(4)
recommendations of the Secretary regarding the potential expansion of the pilot program across the Department of Defense.
315.
Program for deployment of transportable nuclear microreactor in area of responsibility of the United States Indo-Pacific Command
(a)
Establishment
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall commence the conduct of a program for the deployment, operation, and evaluation of a transportable nuclear microreactor in the area of responsibility of the United States Indo-Pacific Command.
(b)
Designation
The program under subsection (a) shall be known as the  Operational Energy Deployable Nuclear Power Program .
(c)
Leadership and coordination
(1)
Executive agent
The Secretary of Defense shall designate the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy, and Environment as the Department of Defense executive agent for carrying out the program under subsection (a) and ensuring budget accountability for such program.
(2)
Coordination
In carrying out the program under subsection (a), the Assistant Secretary designated pursuant to paragraph (1) shall coordinate with—
(A)
the Commander of United States Indo-Pacific Command, who shall be responsible for validating operational requirements under the program, the demonstration of technologies to be deployed under the program, and the operational use of such technologies; and
(B)
as appropriate, the Secretary of Energy and the Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, for the purpose of ensuring the deployment and operation of any nuclear microreactor under the program is carried out in a manner that is safe, secure, and in compliance with applicable requirements of the Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, respectively.
(d)
Objectives
The objective of the program under subsection (a) shall be to deploy and operate, by not later than January 1, 2030, a transportable nuclear microreactor in support of distributed and expeditionary operations in contested logistics environments within the area of responsibility of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, with a priority for deployment in such an environment within the Western Pacific area.
(e)
Required activities
The activities of the program under subsection (a) shall include the following:
(1)
The validation of operational requirements of the United States Indo-Pacific Command with respect to the transportable nuclear microreactor to be deployed under the program, and the integration of such nuclear microreactor with expeditionary and dispersed power architectures in the area of responsibility of such Command.
(2)
The development and implementation of a plan for the test and evaluation of such nuclear microreactor, including with respect to sustainment, safety, cybersecurity, and physical security requirements.
(3)
The conduct of joint operational demonstrations with the United States Indo-Pacific Command in connection with not fewer than one major exercise within the area of responsibility of such Command, to evaluate the deployment, integration, sustainment, survivability, and operational use of such nuclear microreactor under realistic conditions.
(f)
Budget mechanism
Beginning with respect to fiscal year 2028, the Secretary of Defense shall establish a dedicated program element, or equivalent budget mechanism, for the program under subsection (a), including to support the transition of technologies under such program from demonstration to operational capability.
(g)
Nuclear microreactor defined
In this section, the term  nuclear microreactor  means a nuclear reactor with a rated electric generating capacity of not greater than 50 megawatts.
316.
Prohibition on operation of connected vehicles designed, developed, manufactured, or supplied by persons owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction of a foreign entity of concern on Department of Defense property
(a)
Prohibition of operation of prohibited connected vehicles
(1)
Phase 1
After January 1, 2027, no covered connected vehicle, as designated by the Department of Commerce under part 791 of title 15 of the Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation, may be operated on a military installation or on any other property of the Department of Defense.
(2)
Phase 2
After January 1, 2029, no connected vehicle on the list required under subsection (b) may be operated on a military installation or on any other property of the Department of Defense.
(3)
Exception
The Secretary of Defense may waive the application of a prohibition under paragraph (1) or (2) to a connected vehicle if the Secretary determines the waiver is in the interest of national security.
(b)
List of prohibited connected vehicles
(1)
In general
Not later than January 1, 2028, the Secretary of Defense shall establish and make publicly available on a website of the Department of Defense a list of prohibited connected vehicles that—
(A)
are designed, developed, manufactured, or supplied by persons owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction of a foreign entity of concern; and
(B)
the Secretary determines pose—
(i)
an undue risk of sabotage to or subversion of the design, integrity, manufacturing, production, distribution, installation, operation, or maintenance of information and communications technology and services in the United States;
(ii)
an undue risk of catastrophic effects on the security or resiliency of critical infrastructure in the United States or the digital economy of the United States; or
(iii)
an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States or the security and safety of United States persons.
(2)
Incorporation of existing Federal rules
In establishing the list required under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall incorporate Federal rules in effect as of the date of the enactment of this Act for identifying prohibited connected vehicles.
(3)
Annual review
(A)
In general
The Secretary shall review the list required under paragraph (1) not less frequently than once each year and shall make such additions, subtractions, supplements, or amendments to the list as the Secretary determines appropriate.
(B)
Explanation of subtractions
Any review under subparagraph (A) that makes subtractions from the list required under paragraph (1) shall include an explanation of why the subtraction was made.
(4)
Notice
If the Secretary adds a vehicle to the list under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall provide public notice of the addition.
(5)
Consultation
(A)
In general
The Secretary shall consult with the head of any Federal department or agency that the Secretary determines is appropriate in making the list required under paragraph (1) and conducting any annual review under paragraph (3).
(B)
Transmittal of list
The Secretary shall transmit a copy of the list required under paragraph (1), and any modification to that list, to the heads of each Federal department or agency determined appropriate under subparagraph (A).
(c)
Implementation plan and briefing
(1)
In general
Not later than June 1, 2027, the Secretary of Defense shall establish and provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing on an implementation plan for carrying out the prohibition under subsection (a).
(2)
Elements
The implementation plan required under paragraph (1) shall include—
(A)
an identification of the lead organization within the Department of Defense responsible for implementing and overseeing the prohibition under subsection (a);
(B)
a description of the process by which the Department will identify and assess prohibited connected vehicles;
(C)
a description of the means by which the Department will conduct coordination with appropriate Federal departments and agencies;
(D)
an identification of the metrics by which the Department will assess connected vehicles for threats to national security;
(E)
a description of the means by which military installations will ensure compliance with such prohibition; and
(F)
an assessment of resource requirements necessary to implement and maintain such prohibition.
(3)
Applicability of prohibitions
A prohibition under subsection (a) shall not take effect before the date on which the Secretary submits to the congressional defense committees certification that the implementation of the prohibition is possible.
(d)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  connected vehicle  has the meaning given that term in section 791.301 of title 15, Code of Federal Regulations, or successor regulations.
(2)
The term  foreign entity of concern  has the meaning given that term in section 9901 of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 ( 15 U.S.C. 4651 ).
(3)
The term  military installation  has the meaning given that term in section 2801(c) of title 10, United States Code.
317.
Pilot program on off-grid tactical power
(a)
In general
The Secretary of Defense may establish a pilot program on employing expeditionary off-grid power generation capabilities across the Joint Force.
(b)
Requirements
If the Secretary carries out the pilot program authorized in subsection (a), the Secretary shall carry out the following activities under the pilot program:
(1)
The exploration of the research, development, procurement, and operational integration of mobile expeditionary tactical microgrid systems to provide resilient power supply to forward-deployed formations and critical command, control, and communications elements at the tactical edge.
(2)
The incorporation of novel power generation and advanced battery storage that can integrate with secure satellite communications or other mission-essential electronic systems.
(3)
The conduct of operational assessments and testing of systems in conditions that simulate contested logistics and degraded infrastructure.
(c)
Report
If the Secretary carries out the pilot program authorized in subsection (a), the Secretary shall provide to the congressional defense committees, not later than one year after the commencement of the pilot program, a briefing on the status and results of the pilot program. The briefing shall include—
(1)
an assessment of the technologies used in the program;
(2)
an overview of the operational assessments and testing of the systems, including system performance; and
(3)
recommendations for fielding across the Joint Force, as appropriate.
318.
Clarification of certain authorities independent from designated Executive Agent for installation or operational nuclear energy
(a)
Military departments
Notwithstanding the designation of the Secretary of the Army or any other official as the Department of Defense Executive Agent for installation or operational nuclear energy, and except as expressly otherwise provided in another provision of law, the sole authority to transfer, reprogram, obligate, expend, and otherwise manage any funds authorized to be appropriated for a military department for advanced nuclear energy for installation or operational energy capabilities shall be vested in the Secretary of such military department.
(b)
Nuclear fuel allocation
The Secretary of Defense shall make determinations regarding the allocation of nuclear fuel among the military departments, including determinations for the prioritization of such allocation between the military departments.
(c)
Rule of construction
Nothing in this section shall be construed as limiting any previously authorized program of the Department of Defense.
319.
Assessment of geothermal energy potential with respect to military installations
(a)
Assessment
The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy, shall conduct an assessment of geothermal energy resources located on or underlying military installations.
(b)
Contents
The assessment under subsection (a) shall include an identification of the following:
(1)
Each military installation with significant geothermal energy potential.
(2)
Opportunities to improve the energy resilience (as such term is defined in section 101(f) of title 10, United States Code) of military installations through geothermal energy development.
(3)
Opportunities for collaboration between the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy with respect to resource characterization, technology demonstration, and future geothermal energy development.
(c)
Report
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 a report containing the results of the assessment under subsection (a).
319A.
Report on PFAS destruction and water reclamation
(a)
Report
Not later than June 1, 2027, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on available technology that leverages recent developments in single-pass high PFAS-destruction technology in water.
(b)
Elements
The report described in subsection (a) shall include the following:
(1)
A list and a description of available technology that allows—
(A)
an air-water interface to serve as the primary heat transfer surface; and
(B)
for the core operating temperature to enable single-pass high PFAS-destruction technology to ensure rapid destruction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water.
(2)
A proposal to establish a pilot program under which single-pass high PFAS destruction technology shall be tested for Department of Defense uses.
(3)
A list of potential locations that could host such a pilot program.
(4)
Any other matters the Secretary determines relevant.
(c)
Single-pass high PFAS-destruction technology defined
In this section, the term  single-pass high PFAS-destruction technology  means a technology that—
(1)
destroys per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances;
(2)
is portable and able to operate in remote areas; and
(3)
can process up to 20,000 gallons of water per day.
319B.
Geothermal resource confirmation for Saipan under Energy Resilience and Conservation Investment Program
(a)
Assessment required
As part of the Energy Resilience and Conservation Investment Program, the Secretary of Defense shall conduct an assessment of the viability of geothermal resources through drilling and other means on the island of Saipan in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, for the purposes of improving the energy security of Department of Defense facilities and operations. Such assessment shall include each of the following:
(1)
The collection and analysis of geophysical, geochemical, and subsurface data relevant to geothermal resource viability.
(2)
Field investigations, including geophysical surveys and test well drilling, to confirm the capacity of geothermal resources.
(3)
An evaluation of the potential of geothermal resources to support resilient power for Department of Defense activities on Saipan, as well on Tinian via undersea cable.
(b)
Execution; coordination
In carrying out the assessment under subsection (a), the Secretary—
(1)
may act through the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations and Environment, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, or such other component of the Department of Defense as the Secretary considers appropriate; and
(2)
shall coordinate, as appropriate, with the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Energy, the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation, and the Government of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
(c)
Report
Upon the completion of the assessment required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee as on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the findings of the assessment, including a determination regarding the viability of geothermal resources and recommended next steps.
319C.
Study on energy fuel source conversion at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant
(a)
In general
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of the Army shall, using funds otherwise made available to the Army, conduct a study to assess the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of converting the energy fuel source at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant from propane to natural gas.
(b)
Elements
The study under subsection (a) shall include the following:
(1)
A determination of the current annual propane consumption at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant, including consumption by use category and seasonal variation.
(2)
An estimate of the equivalent annual natural gas demand required to meet the energy needs of the plant.
(3)
An analysis of the projected costs and savings associated with converting from propane to natural gas, including any capital costs for the conversion of plant infrastructure.
(4)
An assessment of the energy reliability and resilience implications of such a conversion.
(5)
An evaluation of the availability of natural gas supply to the plant, including any infrastructure, such as pipeline access, that would be required to deliver natural gas to the facility.
(c)
Submission
Not later than 30 days after the completion of the study under subsection (a), the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report containing the findings of such study.
C
Logistics and Sustainment
321.
Requirement for quarterly reports on munitions inventory numbers
Section 222c of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in the section heading, by inserting
; current inventory numbers   after
Out-Year inventory numbers  ;
(2)
in subsection (a), by striking  subsection (c)  and inserting  subsection (d) ;
(3)
by redesignating subsections (b) through (h) as subsections (c) through (i), respectively;
(4)
by inserting after subsection (a) the following new subsection:
(b)
Quarterly reports
At the same time each year that the budget for the fiscal year beginning in such year is submitted to Congress pursuant to section 1105(a) of title 31, and on a quarterly basis thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report setting forth munitions inventory numbers current as of the date of the submission of such report, presented in the aggregate and disaggregated by armed force.
 ;
(5)
in subsection (d), as so redesignated, by striking  described in subsection (d)  and inserting  described in subsection (e) ;
(6)
in subsection (g), as so redesignated, by striking  subsection (e)(1)  and inserting  subsection (f)(1) ; and
(7)
in subsection (h), as so redesignated, by striking  subsection (c)(10)  and inserting  subsection (d)(10) .
322.
Increase of capital investment program threshold for working-capital funds
Section 2208(k)(2) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking  installation or a science and technology reinvention laboratory and not less than $250,000 for procurements at all other facilities  and inserting  installation, science and technology reinvention laboratory, or any other facility .
323.
Establishment of Civil Reserve Industrial Base
(a)
In general
 Chapter 131  of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after  section 2224a  the following new section:
2224b.
Civil Reserve Industrial Base
(a)
In general
The Secretary of Defense, acting through the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, shall establish the Civil Reserve Industrial Base program under which the Secretary shall enter into agreements under subsection (c) with covered commercial facilities—
(1)
to enhance the availability and responsiveness of sustainment and repair capabilities in support of military operations; and
(2)
to strengthen the collaboration during peacetime between the Department of Defense and the defense industrial base in theater by leveraging the capacity of covered commercial facilities and the co-sustainment capabilities of allies and partners of the United States, including through the assignment of recurring low-volume or mid-volume workloads, to ensure the availability of logistics, sustainment, and repair surge capacity during contingency operations.
(b)
Program elements
In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall—
(1)
identify covered commercial facilities that are located within the area of operations of each of the geographic combatant commands, including facilities in allied and partner nations;
(2)
develop arrangements to store, maintain, and manage replenishment parts and related equipment at covered commercial facilities identified under paragraph (1) that enter into agreements with the Secretary under subsection (c);
(3)
enter into agreements under subsection (c) with such facilities under which such facilities agree to provide peacetime workload or sustainment activities or receive other incentives to ensure such facilities and personnel employed by such facilities remain qualified, ready, and available to support contingency operations; and
(4)
integrate the participating facilities and the capabilities such facilities provide into the product support strategy developed in accordance with section 4324 of this title, other relevant sustainment planning, logistics posture efforts, and the operational plans of the geographic combatant commands.
(c)
Agreements
In carrying out this section, the Secretary of Defense may enter into contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, or other appropriate agreements with covered commercial facilities under which such facilities agree to provide for the storage, maintenance, repair, overhaul, and distribution of replenishment parts and related equipment. An agreement under this subsection may—
(1)
provide for the use of commercial facilities and personnel during peacetime and contingency operations;
(2)
include terms addressing force protection, continuity of operations, and security requirements;
(3)
provide for the sustainment of capability through recurring peacetime workload, as appropriate;
(4)
provide for support for commercial entities headquartered in the United States in order to provide surge operational support when required by the Secretary; and
(5)
support and encourage the negotiation of voluntary license agreements directly between original equipment manufacturers and third parties in accordance with section 3771(b)(9)(C) of this title.
(d)
Contractor and subcontractor technical data
Sections 3771 through 3775 of this title shall apply to contractor and subcontractor technical data in contracts or agreements entered into under this section.
(e)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  covered commercial facility  means a commercial facility owned by a United States entity that is capable of providing one or more of the following:
(A)
Warehousing and secure storage.
(B)
Supply chain management and distribution.
(C)
Maintenance, repair, and overhaul.
(D)
Repairable management, component repair, and test capability.
(E)
Other sustainment-related capabilities identified by the Secretary.
(2)
The term  replenishment parts  means repair parts, components, or other items to support the sustainment of Department of Defense systems and equipment through replacement, repair, or overhaul.
 .
(b)
Report
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 a report on the implementation of section 2224b of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a). Such report shall include each of the following:
(1)
A description of the structure and governance of the Civil Reserve Industrial Base program, as established by such section.
(2)
A description of the types of covered commercial facilities and capabilities identified under subsection (b)(1) of such section, including the number of such facilities identified that are located in the area of operations of each of geographic combatant commands.
(3)
An assessment of the sustainment, readiness, and resiliency benefits of leveraging commercial facilities for in-theater replenishment parts storage and maintenance, including the expected effect on time-to-repair and time-to-resupply for key platforms.
(4)
A description of the contracting mechanisms, incentives, or public-private partnership authorities required to enable recurring peacetime use by the Department of Defense of covered commercial facilities under the Civil Reserve Industrial Base program.
(5)
A description of any force protection, operational security, or continuity-of-operations requirements applicable to covered commercial facilities participating in the Civil Reserve Industrial Base in the event of conflict.
(6)
An identification of statutory, regulatory, or policy barriers that limit the ability of the Department to implement the Civil Reserve Industrial Base, including barriers related to contracting, logistics policy, or cross-border sustainment.
(7)
Any recommendations for additional authorities needed to expand or sustain the Civil Reserve Industrial Base.
324.
Modification of minimum capital investment for certain depots of Department of Defense
Section 2476(a)(1) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking  the preceding three fiscal years  and inserting  the preceding fiscal year, the current fiscal year, and the estimated amount for the following fiscal year .
325.
Expansion of covered depots to include Crane Army Ammunition Activity, Indiana
Section 2476(f)(1) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
(J)
Crane Army Ammunition Activity, Indiana.
 .
326.
Expansion of space-available travel program for members of the Armed Forces stationed at United States Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
Section 2641b of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (h); and
(2)
by inserting after subsection (f) the following new subsection (g):
(g)
Purchased transportation to and from United States Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
(1)
Notwithstanding subsection (b), an individual eligible for the travel program under subsection (c)(1) and stationed at United States Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, may purchase transportation on Department of Defense aircraft, at commercially-competitive rates as determined by the Secretary of Defense, for travel to and from Naval Station Guantanamo Bay on a space-available basis.
(2)
An individual who purchases transportation pursuant to paragraph (1) shall receive a priority consistent with members of the armed forces traveling in a space-required status, as determined by the Secretary.
(3)
Amounts collected pursuant to paragraph (1) for transportation shall be credited to the applicable appropriation of the Armed Force providing such transportation, shall be merged with funds in the appropriation to which credited, and shall be available for the same purposes and period as the appropriation with which merged.
 .
327.
Authorization of sustainable aviation fuel procurement
Section 2911 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
(k)
Sustainable aviation fuel procurement
The Secretary of Defense may procure sustainable aviation fuel for operational or training purposes at a cost that exceeds the cost of conventional petroleum based aviation fuel.
 .
328.
Modification and extension of pilot program on optimization of aerial refueling and fuel management in contested logistics environments through use of artificial intelligence
Section 346 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 ( Public Law 118–31 ) is amended—
(1)
by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:
(c)
Deadline for implementation
The Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, in coordination with the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, shall implement the pilot program under this section, by not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027.
 ;
(2)
by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (g);
(3)
in subsection (g) as so redesignated, by striking  January 1, 2027  and inserting  January 1, 2030 ; and
(4)
by inserting after subsection (d) the following new subsections (e) and (f):
(e)
Responsibility
Beginning on the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, in coordination with the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, shall be responsible for carrying out the pilot program under this section.
(f)
Briefing
Not later than January 1, 2028, the Under Secretary shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing on the status of the implementation of the pilot program under this section. Such briefing shall address—
(1)
outcomes and performance metrics of the pilot program;
(2)
any barriers identified for integration of the pilot program into operational planning; and
(3)
recommendations regarding continuation, modification, or expansion of the pilot program.
 .
329.
Army expansion of production of 155mm artillery ammunition
(a)
Sense of Congress
It is the sense of Congress that—
(1)
the production of 155mm artillery ammunition at a minimum rate to reach total munition requirements is a national priority; and
(2)
the production rate of such ammunition should be sustained or increased over the next five years in order to—
(A)
fully meet all Army and Marine Corps annual training requirements;
(B)
rebuild war reserve inventories for both the Army and the Marine Corps to fully comply with the planning guidance of the Secretary of Defense and ensure that associated inventory and war reserve levels are met;
(C)
modernize the stockpile with the best performing weapons; and
(D)
continue foreign military sales of ammunition manufactured in the United States to generate the domestic workforce and assures wartime interoperability with United States allies.
(b)
Production expansion
The Secretary of the Army shall—
(1)
expand and upgrade facilities of the Army that are used to produce propellant, metal parts, explosive fill, load assemble pack, and components of 155mm artillery; and
(2)
increase the production of propellant, metal parts, explosive fill, load assemble pack, and components of 155mm artillery to ensure that—
(A)
the total production capacity of all such facilities reaches 100,000 rounds each month; and
(B)
the Out-Year Unconstrained Total Munitions Requirement for 155mm artillery ammunition in effect for the Army pursuant to section 222c of title 10, United States Code, is met.
(c)
Report
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the steps taken by the Secretary to carry out the requirements of this section. Such report shall include—
(1)
an identification of the amount of funds required to reach the production capacity under subsection (b)(2)(A);
(2)
a plan for—
(A)
expanding and upgrading facilities of the Army used to produce 15mm artillery ammunition; and
(B)
increasing the rate of production of such munitions;
(3)
an estimated time frame for when the production capacity under subsection (b)(2)(A) will be reached;
(4)
an estimated time frame for the production of sufficient munitions to replenish stocks to reach total munition requirements under the Out-Year Unconstrained Total Munitions Requirement for 155mm artillery in effect for the Army pursuant to section 222c of title 10, United States Code; and
(5)
a long-term plan to sustain munitions production facilities as demand for artillery ammunition may increase or decrease.
330.
Requirements relating to aerial refueling capability of Air Force tanker fleet
(a)
Requirements
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Air Force shall—
(1)
adopt the use of metrics and standards for specifically assessing the aerial refueling capability of the tanker fleet of the Air Force;
(2)
direct the Commander of the Air Mobility Command, in coordination with any program offices and entities of such command that the Commander determines relevant, to submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives periodic reports on the application of the metrics and standards required under paragraph (1) to assess the aerial refueling capability of the tanker fleet;
(3)
conduct a comprehensive Air Force-wide assessment of risks associated with the sustainment of the aerial refueling tanker fleet of the Air Force, including, for each such risk, an assessment of the likelihood of the risk occurring and the likely effects of the risk if it occurs; and
(4)
develop a mitigation plan based on the results of the risk assessment required under paragraph (3).
(b)
Report
(1)
In general
Not later than September 30, 2027, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the progress of implementing the requirements under subsection (a). Such report shall include a comprehensive readiness improvement plan for addressing the sustainment challenges of the aerial refueling capability of the tanker fleet.
(2)
Form of report
The report required under paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.
331.
Navy containerized expeditionary advanced manufacturing capabilities pilot program
(a)
Establishment
(1)
Authority
Beginning not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Navy, acting through the Commander of the Naval Sea Systems Command and in coordination with the Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command and the heads of such other Navy organizations as the Secretary considers appropriate, shall carry out a pilot program to—
(A)
field, evaluate, and assess compact containerized expeditionary advanced manufacturing capabilities in support of naval and joint forces operating in contested, remote, and expeditionary environments;
(B)
expand the use of advanced and additive manufacturing within the Department of Defense;
(C)
support the objectives of the Department of the Navy Advanced Manufacturing Strategy, including warfighter self-sufficiency and distributed sustainment; and
(D)
evaluate and define validated Navy requirements for containerized expeditionary advanced manufacturing capabilities rather than replace traditional industrial base production, depot-level repair, or established logistics systems.
(2)
Execution
(A)
Lead agent
The Naval Sea Systems Command Technology Office, in coordination with the Naval Surface Warfare Centers, shall serve as the lead technical and programmatic agent for the pilot program.
(B)
Support
The Secretary may use the Naval Postgraduate School, and seek to enter into agreements with other appropriate public or private entities, to support experimentation, operational execution, data collection, digital integration, sustainment planning, training development, and requirements capture activities conducted under the pilot program.
(b)
Design of program
The Secretary shall design the pilot program to—
(1)
evaluate the operational utility of compact, containerized expeditionary advanced manufacturing systems capable of producing metal and polymer components in contested and austere environments;
(2)
assess how such capabilities may provide commanders with additional options to restore readiness in remote or denied conditions when traditional resupply or depot support is unavailable or delayed;
(3)
evaluate the appropriate role of commander discretion and commander risk in the production and installation of expeditionary-manufactured parts;
(4)
identify categories of components suitable for edge production and establish associated qualification, documentation, and digital traceability requirements;
(5)
assess operator training, workforce development, and certification requirements necessary to normalize safe and effective use of compact, containerized advanced manufacturing systems;
(6)
evaluate sustainment requirements for expeditionary manufacturing systems, including maintenance, consumables, digital integration, configuration management, and supply chain implications;
(7)
measure effects such systems on readiness, maintenance timelines, logistics demand, and operational availability; and
(8)
inform future Navy requirements, acquisition pathways, standards, and resourcing decisions regarding expeditionary manufacturing as a complementary sustainment capability.
(c)
System characteristics
To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall ensure that advanced manufacturing systems evaluated under the pilot program shall—
(1)
consist of containerized platforms not exceeding a 10-foot by 10-foot footprint;
(2)
provide multi-material additive manufacturing capabilities;
(3)
integrate additive and subtractive manufacturing processes;
(4)
support secure digital engineering workflows and configuration control;
(5)
be compatible with naval and expeditionary power sources; and
(6)
be operable by trained military personnel in deployed maritime and expeditionary environments.
(d)
Elements
The pilot program shall consist of the following two elements:
(1)
A forward-oriented element carried out in support of exercises and deployed maritime operations of the United States Indo-Pacific Command to evaluate—
(A)
operational employment;
(B)
test and evaluation under expeditionary conditions;
(C)
commander use authorities; and
(D)
training in distributed and contested environments.
(2)
An element carried out at one or more naval installations designated by the Secretary that are located in the continental United States and that may support surface, subsurface, and aviation forces to conduct—
(A)
real-time fleet feedback;
(B)
operator training development;
(C)
sustainment refinement;
(D)
digital integration; and
(E)
iterative requirements development.
(e)
Procurement authority
To carry out the pilot program under this section, subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary of the Navy shall procure not fewer than two expeditionary advanced manufacturing systems using amounts authorized to be appropriated for the Navy for research, development, test and evaluation, operations, or sustainment, consistent with applicable law.
(f)
Reporting requirement
Not later than one year after the date of the establishment of the pilot program, and annually thereafter for the duration of the pilot program, the Secretary of the Navy shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report that includes—
(1)
an identification of the units and locations selected for purposes of the pilot program;
(2)
a description of the operational outcomes of the pilot program, including case studies;
(3)
an assessment of the employment authorities of the Commander of United States Pacific Command and associated risk frameworks that are relevant to the pilot program;
(4)
an identification of part categories appropriate for expeditionary production;
(5)
training, workforce, and certification requirements for the pilot program;
(6)
an identification of the sustainment and digital integration requirements of the pilot program;
(7)
the effects of the pilot program on readiness, logistics demand, and maintenance timelines; and
(8)
the recommendations of the Secretary regarding formal requirement validation and transition of expeditionary point-of-need advanced manufacturing to an enduring complementary capability.
(g)
Duration
The duration of the pilot program required under subsection (a) shall be not fewer than three years and not more than five years.
332.
Expansion of transportation services on Navy installations
(a)
In general
The Secretary of the Navy shall seek to enter into a contract with a public transportation services provider for the purpose of expanding transportation services available on Navy installations for members of the Armed Forces and their families. A contract under this section shall prioritize expanding transportation services between lodging facilities, dining facilities, fitness and recreation centers, administrative offices, air terminals, and other activity centers of a Naval installation to improve security and personnel safety at the Navy installation.
(b)
Selection of installations and providers
The Secretary shall—
(1)
select one or more Navy installations at which to expand transportation services pursuant to a contract under subsection (a); and
(2)
for each selected Navy installation, identify a public transportation services provider that—
(A)
provides public transportation services in the geographic area where the Navy installation is located; and
(B)
the Secretary determines is capable of carrying out the contract in a manner that—
(i)
addresses the transportation needs of installation personnel, including junior enlisted personnel without access to personal vehicles;
(ii)
improves the quality of life and military readiness of installation personnel; and
(iii)
implements best practices for partnerships between the installation and the provider.
(c)
Termination
The period of a contract authorized under this section may not exceed three years.
(d)
Report
(1)
Initial report
Not later than 90 days after the conclusion of the second year of a contract authorized under this section, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees an initial report on the contract that includes—
(A)
preliminary findings on the transportation services provided under the contract, including ridership levels and service effectiveness;
(B)
an initial evaluation of effects of the transportation services on the quality of life and military readiness of Navy installation personnel;
(C)
the cost to the Secretary of the contract for the first two years; and
(D)
the recommendation of the Secretary as to whether to extend the contract or to enter into similar contracts for the provision of transportation services at additional Navy installations.
(2)
Final report
Not later than 180 days after the conclusion of the contract, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a final report on the contract that includes—
(A)
a comprehensive assessment of ridership levels and service effectiveness of the transportation services provided under the contract;
(B)
a complete evaluation of effects of the mass transit services on the quality of life and military readiness of Navy installation personnel;
(C)
the cost to the Secretary of the contract;
(D)
the recommendation of the Secretary as to whether to extend the contract or to enter into similar contracts for the provision of transportation services at additional Navy installations; and
(E)
such other matters as the Secretary determines appropriate.
(e)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  congressional defense committees  has the meaning given that term in section 101(a)(16) of title 10, United States Code.
(2)
The term  Navy installation  means a military installation (as such term is defined in section 2801 of title 10, United States Code) under the jurisdiction of the Chief of Naval Operations.
(3)
The term  public transportation services  means—
(A)
public transportation, as defined in section 5302 of title 49, United States Code;
(B)
over-the-road bus transportation, as defined in section 1501 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 ( 6 U.S.C. 1151 ), and school bus transportation;
(C)
intercity rail passenger transportation, as defined in section 24102 of title 49, United States Code;
(D)
the transportation of passengers onboard a passenger vessel, as defined in section 2101 of title 46, United States Code; and
(E)
other regularly scheduled waterborne transportation service of passengers by vessel of at least 20 gross tons.
(4)
The term  public transportation services provider  means—
(A)
a State, local, or Federal government entity that provides public transportation services; or
(B)
or a non-government entity that—
(i)
receives financial assistance from a State, local, or Federal government entity; and
(ii)
provides public transportation services.
333.
Requirements relating to sustainment of A–10 aircraft and related training
(a)
Limitation on relocation of A–10 training unit
The Secretary of the Air Force may not relocate the formal training unit of the Air Force for providing to pilots the qualifications necessary for the operation of A–10 aircraft, including by reassigning the primary training activities carried out by such unit to another military installation, unless—
(1)
the Secretary submits to the congressional defense committees an analysis comparing the costs and benefits of such relocation versus preserving the unit at its current location; and
(2)
a period of 90 days has elapsed following the date of such submission.
(b)
Sustainment requirements
(1)
In general
The Secretary of the Air Force shall maintain, as necessary, sufficient training capacity, development, test, and evaluation capacity, depot-level maintenance and repair capacity, supply, logistics, and contractor capacity, and other sustainment-related capacity to ensure the A–10 fleet remains operationally viable through fiscal year 2030, including with respect to each mission and capability of such fleet as of the date of the enactment of this Act (including combat search and rescue missions).
(2)
Formal training unit
In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary shall, as necessary, maintain a formal training unit of the Air Force for providing to pilots the qualifications necessary for the operation of A–10 aircraft, and a process for the requalification of pilots formerly so qualified.
(3)
Budget materials
Concurrent with the submission to Congress of a budget pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, United States Code, for each of fiscal years 2028 through 2030, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the amounts necessary to implement this subsection.
(c)
Annual briefing on A–10 sustainment
(1)
Annual briefing
Not later than March 1, 2027, and annually thereafter until March 1, 2030, the Secretary of the Air Force shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing describing the extent to which the Department of the Air Force met the requirements under subsection (b) during the preceding fiscal year.
(2)
Elements
Each briefing required under paragraph (1) shall include, at a minimum, the following:
(A)
An identification of the number of pilots that received the qualifications necessary for the operation of A–10 aircraft during the preceding fiscal year, disaggregated by whether such qualifications were an initial qualification or a requalification.
(B)
An identification of the number of officers that received advanced instructor qualifications through the weapons instructor course for A–10 aircraft offered through the United States Air Force Weapons School, disaggregated by whether such qualifications were an initial qualification or a requalification.
(C)
A description of the status of actions taken to meet the requirement under subsection (b)(2) during the preceding fiscal year, and any related instructor shortfalls.
(D)
A description of the status of operational test and evaluation capacity with respect to the A–10 fleet, including major limitations affecting airworthiness, weapons integration, tactics development, or mission effectiveness.
(E)
The status of programmed depot-level maintenance and repair with respect to A–10 aircraft or related infrastructure, and any resulting effect on the ability of the Department to meet the requirements under subsection (b).
(F)
The status of logistics, supply, contractor maintenance, and other sustainment functions for the A–10 fleet, and any resulting effect on the ability of the Department to meet the requirements under subsection (b).
(G)
An assessment as to whether the Department met the requirements under subsection (b) during the preceding fiscal year.
(H)
A description of any shortfall, delay, or other deviation resulting in a failure to meet any such requirement, including any corrective action planned or underway.
(d)
Roadmap for A–10 fleet sustainment
(1)
Roadmap required
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees a roadmap setting forth proposed actions to meet the requirements under subsection (b).
(2)
Briefing
Not later than 15 days after the date of the submission of the roadmap under paragraph (1), the Secretary of the Air Force shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing on such roadmap and any anticipated material shortfall in meeting a requirement under subsection (b).
(3)
Annual updates
Not later than one year after the date of the submission of the roadmap under paragraph (1), and annually thereafter until September 30, 2030, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees a written update to such roadmap.
(e)
Program to preserve knowledge and history relating to A–10 aircraft
(1)
Establishment
The Secretary of the Air Force shall establish a program to preserve technical and historical knowledge relating to the operation and sustainment of the A–10 fleet.
(2)
Lead entity
The Director of the Air Force Historical Research Agency shall serve as the lead entity carrying out the program under paragraph (1), in coordination with the Commander of the Air Combat Command, the head of the National Museum of the United States Air Force, and such other organizations of the Department of the Air Force as the Secretary of the Air Force determines appropriate.
(3)
Required activities
The program established under paragraph (1) shall include, at a minimum the following activities:
(A)
The collection of oral histories relating to the A–10 fleet from pilots, advanced instructor-qualified aircrew, maintainers, joint terminal attack controllers, and other personnel involved in the operation (including operational support for combat search and rescue missions) or sustainment of aircraft within such fleet.
(B)
The collection and preservation of records associated with the A–10 fleet, including technical data, operational tactics, weapons integration records, upgrade and modification history, and records relating to the sustainment of aircraft within such fleet.
(C)
The digital archiving of materials collected under subparagraphs (A) and (B) in a searchable repository accessible to appropriate users within the Department of Defense.
(D)
The identification of lessons learned pursuant to the materials so collected.
(E)
The development of recommendations for collecting, preserving, and transferring knowledge relating to the A–10 fleet with respect to design, doctrine, training, and sustainment activities relating to successor aircraft.
(4)
Report
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report containing a summary of—
(A)
the activities carried out under the program established under paragraph (1);
(B)
the status of the archive established pursuant to paragraph (3)(C); and
(C)
the principal lessons learned identified pursuant to paragraph (3)(D).
(f)
Depot-level maintenance and repair defined
In this section, the term  depot-level maintenance and repair  has the meaning given such term in section 2460 of title 10, United States Code.
334.
Requirement for standardized munitions with respect to certain unmanned aircraft
(a)
Requirement
The Secretary of Defense shall establish standardized munitions for use in one-way attack operations by covered unmanned aircraft.
(b)
Covered unmanned aircraft defined
In this section, the term  covered unmanned aircraft  means an unmanned aircraft (as such term is defined in section 130i(j) of title 10, United States Code), that is categorized as Group 1 or Group 2 pursuant to the Joint Publication 3–30 of the Department of Defense, titled  Joint Air Operations  and dated July 25, 2019, or such successor publication.
335.
Requirement to ensure sufficiency of naval mine inventory
(a)
Requirement
To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary of the Navy shall ensure that the inventory of naval mines of the Department of the Navy is sufficient to meet validated operational requirements for not fewer than two simultaneous major regional contingencies.
(b)
Annual certification
(1)
Submission
Not later than March 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of the Navy shall submit to the congressional defense committees a certification that includes the following:
(A)
A determination of whether the requirement under subsection (a) is met.
(B)
If the requirement under subsection (a) is not met—
(i)
a description of the shortfall in the inventory referred to in such subsection; and
(ii)
a remediation plan, including timelines and funding requirements, to achieve compliance with such requirement.
(2)
Form
Each certification required under paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.
336.
Improvements to management of tactical vehicles of the Navy and Marine Corps
The Secretary of the Navy shall improve the management of tactical vehicles of the Navy and the Marine Corps by—
(1)
establishing clearly defined responsibilities for vehicle commanders; and
(2)
implementing standardized procedures that enable first-line supervisors to identify, assess and mitigate operational risks relating to such vehicles during training and mission execution.
337.
Pilot program on integrated road and railroad logistics capabilities for United States Transportation Command
(a)
Establishment
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Commander of the United States Transportation Command, shall establish a pilot program to assess the operational utility of integrated road and railroad logistics capabilities at the initial and final stages of the transportation process, to improve the resilience, throughput, and safety of surface distribution in support of joint force operations, including in austere and contested environments.
(b)
Activities
The pilot program under subsection (a) shall, to the maximum extent practicable and consistent with applicable safety and security requirements, include the following activities:
(1)
The demonstration and evaluation of surface logistics platforms capable of—
(A)
operating on public roads and on standard-gauge rail infrastructure, including yards, spurs, sidings, and railheads; and
(B)
transitioning between such modes without requiring the construction of new fixed terminal infrastructure.
(2)
The demonstration and evaluation of capabilities to transport standardized cargo platforms, including loads compatible with international intermodal containers (commonly referred to as  ISO containers ) and other modular payloads, between public roads and rail infrastructure in a manner that reduces reliance on multiple specialized assets for handling cargo and reduces cargo dwell time at railheads and yards.
(3)
The assessment of plans for the operational deployment of such platforms, capabilities, and associated systems, for—
(A)
distribution to military installations and use with respect to depots;
(B)
port and strategic mobility support activities; and
(C)
distributed logistics in austere and contested environments where infrastructure is damaged, constrained, or unavailable.
(4)
The demonstration and evaluation of a software-enabled capability to coordinate transportation on public roads and rail infrastructure at the initial and final stages of the transportation process, including to coordinate the scheduling of yard and terminal availability, mission assignment, and exception management, and to generate auditable performance data on such activities.
(5)
The assessment of cybersecurity and data integrity measures for any networked command-and-control, dispatch, or audit logging function relating to such pilot program, including authentication, encryption in transit, access controls, and tamper-evident recordkeeping, consistent with applicable cybersecurity policies of the Department of Defense.
(6)
The evaluation of safety considerations (including with respect to human involvement in supervision activities, as appropriate) and compliance pathways for operations on or adjacent to rail infrastructure and in controlled environments, including geofenced areas.
(c)
Locations
The Commander of the United States Transportation Command shall carry out the pilot program under subsection (a) at one or more locations selected by the Commander. Such locations may include the following:
(1)
A strategic distribution node, port, or other surface distribution hub supporting the Defense Transportation System.
(2)
A railhead located at a military installation, a depot, a location at which logistics readiness activities are conducted, or another facility of the Department of Defense with recurring surface distribution requirements.
(d)
Metrics and evaluation
In carrying out the pilot program under subsection (a), the Commander of the United States Transportation Command shall establish metrics and, to the maximum extent practicable, collect and assess performance data for the activities conducted under such pilot program. Such data may include the following:
(1)
Cargo dwell time and throughput.
(2)
Labor hour requirements and safety incidents.
(3)
Operational availability and maintenance burden.
(4)
Energy use and fuel consumption.
(5)
Integration burden with existing logistics information systems.
(6)
Cybersecurity observations and data integrity outcomes.
(e)
Termination
The pilot program under subsection (a) shall terminate on the date that is two years after the date on which the pilot program is established.
(f)
Report
Not later than 180 days after the date of the termination of the pilot program under subsection (e), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report containing a description of the results of such pilot program, including the following:
(1)
A summary of the activities conducted under such pilot program and the locations selected pursuant to subsection (c).
(2)
An assessment of the performance of such activities against the metrics established pursuant to subsection (d).
(3)
An identification of any safety or regulatory constraint encountered in carrying out such activities, including as a result of railroad operating rules.
(4)
An assessment of cybersecurity and data integrity considerations.
(5)
A cost-informed assessment of the scalability of such pilot program and related sustainment considerations.
(6)
Recommendations regarding future experimentation relating to the capabilities demonstrated and evaluated under such pilot program or similar capabilities, the development of related requirements, and potential transition pathways for such capabilities.
D
Reports
341.
Strategy to support Joint Strike Fighter sustainment and maintenance in contested operating environments
(a)
Strategy required
The Secretary of the Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of the Air Force, the Secretary of the Navy, the Commander of the United States Transportation Command, and the Director of the Defense Logistics Agency, shall develop a strategy to support the sustainment and maintenance of Joint Strike Fighter aircraft in contested operating environments. Such strategy shall address, at a minimum, the following:
(1)
The transportation of spares and repair parts for such aircraft into and across contested theaters of operation.
(2)
Communications requirements necessary for the transportation of such parts in a denied, degraded, intermittent, or limited environment.
(3)
Requirements relating to relevant supply chain management software.
(4)
Prepositioned stocks of spares and repair parts for Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, including measures to ensure the currency and serviceability of ready for issue parts and to require that the statuses of such prepositioned stocks include instructions for the disposition and replacement of any such parts that are not current or ready for issue.
(5)
Spares and repair parts packages deployed on naval vessels in which Joint Strike Fighter aircraft are embarked, including measures relating to prepositioning, currency, and serviceability described in paragraph (4) with respect to spares and repair parts packages deployed on such vessels.
(6)
The incorporation of sustainment efforts for deployed Joint Strike Fighter aircraft into the framework of the Air Force for agile combat employment and the framework of the Navy for distributed maritime operations.
(7)
The international system for managing spare parts for Joint Strike Fighter aircraft commonly referred to as the  global spares pool .
(8)
Support from, and coordination with, allies and partners of the United States.
(b)
Report
(1)
Submission to Congress
Not later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the strategy required under subsection (a).
(2)
Form
The report required under paragraph (1) shall be submitted in an unclassified form but may include a classified annex.
342.
Assessment of capacity for ground-safety programs with respect to tactical vehicle operations
(a)
Assessment
The Secretary of the Army shall conduct an assessment as to whether operational units of the Army have sufficient personnel, resources, and organizational capacity to effectively implement ground-safety programs with respect to tactical vehicle operations.
(b)
Report
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report containing the results of the assessment conducted under subsection (a).
343.
Report on reduction of training-related accidents across military departments
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 a report on progress made by each military department to reduce training-related accidents, fatalities, and serious injuries. Such report shall include, with respect to each military department—
(1)
data trends, including year-over-year comparisons of such data;
(2)
an assessment of the effectiveness of any action taken in response to prior congressional concerns expressed regarding training safety; and
(3)
a description of ongoing and planned efforts to further reduce training-related incidents, improve risk management practices, and enhance the safety of the members of the Armed Forces during training operations.
344.
Study on potential establishment of Strategic Infrastructure Partnership Initiative
(a)
Study
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, shall conduct a study on the potential benefits of establishing an initiative, to be known as the  Strategic Infrastructure Partnership Initiative , to conduct strategic assessments and leverage regional engagement to—
(1)
advance the identification, development, and implementation of high-quality, resilient, and secure infrastructure projects across the area of responsibility of the United States Indo-Pacific Command;
(2)
prioritize, with respect to such infrastructure projects, dual-use infrastructure (including ports, airfields, energy systems, digital networks, and logistics facilities) that supports civilian economic development and regional stability and security objectives;
(3)
incorporate into the design and implementation of such infrastructure projects best practices for infrastructure resilience, including through the adoption of cybersecurity and physical security standards; and
(4)
align assistance and security priorities by coordinating with the heads of relevant Federal departments and agencies, including the Director of the United States Trade and Development Agency, with respect to such infrastructure projects.
(b)
Report
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report containing the results of the study required under subsection (a).
345.
Report on accelerating military posture within area of responsibility of United States Indo-Pacific Command
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commander of United States Indo-Pacific Command shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on options to accelerate the posture of the Armed Forces within the area of responsibility of such Command. Such report shall include the following:
(1)
A comprehensive list of each planned or underway initiative to establish or enhance access by the Armed Forces to locations within such area of responsibility, including access to headquarters, military installations, prepositioned stocks, and forward operating locations within such area.
(2)
For each initiative listed pursuant to paragraph (1)—
(A)
an expected timeline for the completion of the initiative, including an identification of major milestones during the periods ending in 2030, 2035, and 2040, respectively;
(B)
a description of any opportunities to accelerate such expected timeline;
(C)
an analysis of any financial, diplomatic, logistical, or other impediment to such accelerated timeline;
(D)
recommendations to overcoming any such impediment, including an identification of resources required; and
(E)
an evaluation of the operational and strategic benefits of such acceleration.
(3)
A prioritized list of candidate initiatives, and corresponding locations, suitable for the acceleration described in paragraph (2), including an identification of any resources or actions required for such acceleration.
346.
Requirement to provide briefing on insect repellent uniform treatments
(a)
Requirement
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall provide a briefing to the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate regarding validated insect repellent available to the Army on the date of the enactment of this Act.
(b)
Elements
The briefing under paragraph (1) shall include the following:
(1)
Ongoing evaluations to validate fabric treatments to improve insect repellency for combat uniforms.
(2)
An analysis of fabric treatment and garment treatment performance results.
(3)
Established research and development programs to improve uniform insect repellency.
347.
Study and report on use of next-generation geothermal technologies to support energy capabilities of the Department of Defense
(a)
In general
The Secretary of Defense shall carry out a study to evaluate the potential and feasibility of implementing next-generation geothermal technologies to meet the power needs of the Department of Defense and strengthen national security.
(b)
Elements
The study under subsection (a) shall evaluate—
(1)
the potential for next-generation geothermal technologies to be used to meet energy resilience requirements under section 2920 of title 10, United States Code;
(2)
the long-term cost of increasing the use of next-generation geothermal technologies to meet Department of Defense power needs, including cost estimates for—
(A)
point-of-use power production;
(B)
reduced transmission requirements;
(C)
reduced reliance on fuel costs; and
(D)
reduced reliance on fuel delivery; and
(3)
how next-generation geothermal technologies may be used to—
(A)
provide district heating and cooling for military quarters, hospitals, or other relevant facilities of the Department of Defense;
(B)
reduce exposure of the military departments to cybersecurity threats;
(C)
reduce the reliance of the military departments on vulnerable supply chains; and
(D)
improve natural disaster resiliency on military installations and in areas in geographic proximity to military installations.
(c)
Report
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that includes the results of the study under subsection (a).
348.
Report on certain water and wastewater infrastructure systems at military installations
(a)
Report
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report identifying any water and wastewater infrastructure system—
(1)
that is located at a military installation;
(2)
the age of which exceeds 60 years;
(3)
that the Secretary determines requires substantial deferred maintenance, or replacement, to maintain compliance with applicable environmental or public health requirements; and
(4)
the failure of which the Secretary determines—
(A)
presents a significant risk to installation readiness, force health protection, continuity of operations, or mission execution; and
(B)
would result in significant contingency operating costs.
(b)
Matters
The report under subsection (a) shall include the following:
(1)
For each system identified pursuant to such report, the following information:
(A)
The age and condition of the system.
(B)
The estimated cost to maintain, restore, modernize, or replace the system.
(C)
The estimated contingency operating costs associated with the failure of the system.
(D)
An assessment of the effect such failure would have with respect to installation readiness, force health protection, continuity of operations, and mission execution.
(E)
An assessment of the effect such failure would have with respect to members of the Armed Forces, military families, and quality of life at the military installation, including such effects on access to safe drinking water, sanitation, housing, healthcare, and other essential services.
(2)
A prioritized ranking across the systems so identified, based on an assessment of the lifecycle condition of such systems, the operational risks, and effects on installation readiness, that would result from the failure of such systems, and the compliance requirements specified in subsection (a)(3) applicable to such systems.
(3)
Recommendations for addressing, through maintenance, restoration, modernization, or replacement activities, the systems ranked as the highest priority pursuant to paragraph (2).
E
Other Matters
351.
Establishment of Center for the Study of the National Guard
(a)
Establishment
 Chapter 1  of title 32, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
116.
Center for the Study of the National Guard
(a)
Establishment
The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, shall establish a center, to be known as the  Center for the Study of the National Guard  at an appropriate academic institution that—
(1)
maintains an established relationship with the National Guard Bureau;
(2)
possesses a strong academic program in military history; and
(3)
is situated in proximity to a major National Guard installation.
(b)
Responsibilities
The Center for the Study of the National Guard shall—
(1)
serve as the principal repository for historical documents, oral histories, and other records related to the National Guard;
(2)
conduct research, analysis, and educational programs related to the history, evolution, and operational contributions of the National Guard;
(3)
facilitate outreach efforts to increase public awareness of the role of the National Guard in national defense and domestic response operations; and
(4)
support the Department of Defense in shaping policy decisions and strategic planning related to National Guard operations carried out under this title and title 10.
(c)
Collaboration and support
The Chief of the National Guard Bureau may—
(1)
collaborate with the Center for the Study of the National Guard in the collection, preservation, and dissemination of National Guard history;
(2)
provide historical documents, records, and resources to support the research and archival efforts of the Center; and
(3)
facilitate joint initiatives between the National Guard Bureau and the Center to enhance historical preservation, education, and public awareness.
(d)
Public-private partnership
The Secretary of Defense shall seek to establish and maintain the Center for the Study of the National Guard as a public-private partnership to minimize costs to the Federal Government.
 .
(b)
Deadline for establishment
The Secretary of Defense shall establish the Center for the Study of the National Guard required under section 116 of title 32, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), by not later than the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(c)
Congressional briefing
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing that includes—
(1)
a description of the selection of the academic institution where the Center for the Study of the National Guard required under section 116 of title 32, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), is located;
(2)
an identification of the status of the establishment and initial operations of the Center;
(3)
a description of any ongoing efforts between the National Guard Bureau and the Center; and
(4)
the recommendations of the Secretary to enhance the preservation and study of National Guard history.
352.
Disposition of accountable property in designated theaters of operation
(a)
Oversight of disposition
 Chapter 153  of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after  section 2581  the following new section:
2582.
Disposition of accountable property in designated theaters of operation
(a)
Reporting requirement
Not later than 60 days after initiating any significant force reposturing or withdrawal within or from a covered theater of operations, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report that includes, with respect to accountable property used in connection with the operations associated with such reposturing or withdrawal, the following elements:
(1)
A comprehensive inventory of such property (including, to the extent practicable, the serial number and end-item identity of any such property that is a controlled inventory item), including an identification of—
(A)
whether such property remains under the custody and control of the United States;
(B)
to the extent known and consistent with available records, whether such property was previously sold or otherwise transferred to an ally or partner of the United States;
(C)
whether the Secretary has proposed a disposition for such property and if so, which disposition; and
(D)
to the extent known or assessed, the status of such property, including, if known, the disposition of such property and the end user of such property.
(2)
For each category of major defense equipment, an assessment of the feasibility, timeline, operational effect, and security, accountability, and end-user monitoring considerations, associated with potential dispositions for accountable property within each such category.
(3)
For any covered disposition assessed under paragraph (2), a description of any operational or logistical constraint rendering other dispositions unfeasible or impracticable.
(4)
For each potential disposition for accountable property assessed as feasible pursuant to paragraph (2), an estimate of the incremental costs of such option relative to baseline costs of withdrawal and redeployment activities, including an identification of—
(A)
costs associated with the shipping and handling of such property; and
(B)
costs associated with the sustainment and storage for such property.
(5)
A plan to mitigate the risk of diversion or misuse resulting from dispositions of accountable property that includes the following:
(A)
An identification of relevant end-use monitoring requirements of the Department of Defense, including the office of the Department responsible for implementing such requirements, the frequency of monitoring under such requirements, and any procedures for addressing noncompliance with such requirements, including in the event of the loss of the property.
(B)
An identification of any feasible remote disablement capability that may be used with respect to such property, and, for any such capability the use of which is not feasible, an explanation of any technical, operational, or legal constraints to such use.
(C)
Procedures for the implementation of the plan with respect to accountable property that is sensitive technology (including communications security items, cryptographic material, biometrics collection devices, and associated databases) prior to determining a disposition for such technology.
(D)
A plan to secure, retrieve, disable, or otherwise neutralize accountable property in the event of the ally or partner of the United States to which such property was sold or transferred experiencing a collapse or regime change.
(E)
A chain-of-custody plan for the transport, storage, and transfer of accountable property, including an identification of responsible units, storage site controls, and inspection checkpoints.
(6)
For any accountable property previously sold or otherwise transferred to an ally or partner of the United States, or proposed to be so sold or transferred, an assessment of the following:
(A)
The capacity of the end user, or prospective end user, to sustain such property absent support by the United States Armed Forces or contractors of the Department of Defense.
(B)
To the extent practicable, whether the end user, or prospective end user—
(i)
has been subject to any security vetting or monitoring by the Secretary, including an identification of any period of continuous monitoring;
(ii)
maintains effective command-and-control structures; or
(iii)
is subject to infiltration, coercion, or substantial influence by any foreign terrorist organization or other hostile actor.
(C)
The effect, or anticipated effect, of the sale or transfer on morale and retention with respect to the United States Armed Forces.
(D)
Whether there is a history of accountable property previously sold or transferred to the ally or partner being diverted to an unauthorized end user, including, as applicable, an identification of any such prior diversion, the assessed end user, and the quantity and type of any major defense equipment so diverted.
(E)
The risk of the ally or partner experiencing rapid collapse.
(7)
An assessment of the significant force reposturing or withdrawal with respect to applicable lessons learned from the operations of United States Armed Forces in Iraq in 2014, and the withdrawal of such forces from Afghanistan in 2021, including an assessment of—
(A)
specific decision points with respect to such operations in which diversion risk was underestimated; and
(B)
any mitigation measures that would have reduced such risk.
(b)
Notification of certain sales and transfers
Not later than 30 days after the date of a sale or transfer of accountable property in connection with a significant force reposturing or withdrawal within or from a covered theater of operations, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a notification the contains, to the extent known—
(1)
a description of the accountable property sold or otherwise transferred;
(2)
a description of the end user of such property; and
(3)
a certification of the conduct of the assessment required under paragraph (1)(A).
(c)
Senior approval requirement
(1)
The Secretary of Defense or the Deputy Secretary of Defense shall approve, in writing, any determination to proceed with a disposition described in paragraph (2) for accountable property with an aggregate replacement value exceeding $10,000,000.
(2)
A disposition described in this paragraph is, with respect to accountable property, the abandonment or loss of such property without continuous custody and control by the United States or a partner or ally of the United States, the destruction of such property, or the demilitarization of such property.
(d)
Annual report and notification requirements
(1)
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this section, and annually thereafter for five years, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report containing, with respect to the year preceding the date of submission of the report, the following:
(A)
A summary of the dispositions of accountable property in covered theaters of operation, including any covered dispositions.
(B)
A summary of any incidents in which major defense equipment was diverted, including an identification of the quantity and type of equipment so diverted and, to the extent practicable, the assessed end user.
(C)
A summary of risk mitigation measures implemented, consistent with the plan under subsection (a)(5).
(D)
Any material changes in the resilience of allies or partners of the United States relevant to determinations regarding dispositions for accountable property, including with respect to the risk of infiltration or diversion.
(2)
Not later than 30 days after any date on which the Secretary of Defense becomes aware of a collapse of an ally or partner force or other event that the Secretary determines materially increases the risk of accountable property being diverted in a covered theater of operations, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees written notification that includes a description of the event, the categories of property at risk of diversion, and any mitigation measure implemented.
(3)
(A)
Not later than 30 days after any date on which the Secretary of Defense becomes aware that accountable property subject to a covered disposition in a covered theater of operations has been diverted and used in an attack conducted by a foreign terrorist organization or other hostile actor against the United States, allies or partners of the United States, or local populations, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a written notification.
(B)
Each notification under subparagraph (A) shall include, to the extent practicable—
(i)
an identification of the accountable property used in the attack;
(ii)
an identification of the date on which, and the location from which, the property left the custody and control of the United States or an ally or partner of the United States;
(iii)
an attribution as to the actor responsible for the attack; and
(iv)
the total number of casualties caused by the attack.
(e)
Form of reports
Each report required under this section shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex.
(f)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  accountable property  means any accountable property of the Department of Defense, as described in Department of Defense Instruction 5000.64, titled  Accountability and Management of DoD Equipment and Other Accountable Property  and dated June 10, 2019 (or any such successor instruction).
(2)
The term  aggregate replacement value , with respect to accountable property, means the total replacement value of such property as reflected in property accountability systems of the Department of Defense, or, if not recorded therein, the best available estimate for such value as determined by the Secretary.
(3)
The term  controlled inventory item  means any item designated as such pursuant to Department of Defense Instruction 5000.64, titled  Accountability and Management of DoD Equipment and Other Accountable Property  and dated June 10, 2019 (or any such successor instruction).
(4)
The term  covered disposition , with respect to accountable property—
(A)
means disposition of such property other than a retrograde, destruction, demilitarization, sale, or other transfer, carried out in accordance with applicable provisions of law; and
(B)
includes the abandonment of such property without continuous custody and control by the United States or a partner or ally of the United States.
(5)
The term  covered theater of operations  means any geographic area designated by the Secretary of Defense for purposes of this section in which the United States Armed Forces are conducting contingency operations, advising or assisting ally or partner forces engaged in hostilities, or conducting operations in an environment with respect to which the Secretary determines there is a material risk of the loss or abandonment of such property without continuous custody and control by the United States or a partner or ally of the United States as a result of armed conflict, terrorist activity, collapse of an ally or partner force, or seizure by a hostile actor, taking into account any history of diversion of such property to an unauthorized end user.
(6)
The term  disposition , with respect to accountable property, includes the retrograde, destruction, demilitarization, sale, transfer, loss, and abandonment of such property.
(7)
The term  foreign terrorist organization  means an organization so designated by the Secretary of State under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1189 ).
(8)
The term  major defense equipment  has the meaning given such term in section 47 of the Arms Export Control Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2794 ).
(9)
The term  significant force reposturing or withdrawal  means a reduction, redeployment, or consolidation of the United States Armed Forces that the Secretary of Defense determines is significant for purposes of this section, including any action that—
(A)
closes, transfers, or materially reduces the capacity of a facility of the Department of Defense;
(B)
results in the disposition of accountable property with an aggregate value exceeding $10,000,000; or
(C)
reduces United States Armed Forces personnel levels by more than 20 percent in a given covered theater of operations over a 90-day period.
 .
(b)
Initial baseline report
(1)
Report required
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report that provides baseline information regarding the disposition of accountable property in covered theaters of operation during fiscal year 2026 and contains plans for the implementation of section 2582 of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a).
(2)
Elements
The report under paragraph (1) shall include the following:
(A)
A description of the processes and systems of the Department of Defense for the disposition of accountable property in covered theaters of operations, including any such systems used to record inventories of, or dispositions for, such property.
(B)
A description of any policies or procedures of the Department of Defense governing dispositions for accountable property, including the approval procedures for covered dispositions, and any planned updates to such policies to conform with the requirements of such section 2582.
(C)
An assessment of any gaps in data that would affect compliance with such requirements, and a plan and timeline to resolve any such gaps.
(3)
Form
The report required under this subsection shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex.
(c)
Report on senior leader accountability for certain dispositions
(1)
Report
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report describing processes to determine accountability for covered dispositions of accountable property in connection with a significant force reposturing or withdrawal.
(2)
Elements
The report under paragraph (1) shall include the following:
(A)
A description of the policies and standards applied to assess individual and command responsibility for the covered dispositions referred to in paragraph (1), including distinctions, if any, by grade, position, or component.
(B)
A description of any adverse personnel action available, and (as applicable) taken, with respect to members of the Armed Forces as a result of such covered dispositions.
(C)
An identification of the criteria used to determine whether such covered dispositions trigger a formal investigation or accountability review.
(D)
Any recommendations for statutory, regulatory, or policy changes to ensure accountability standards are applied consistently and proportionately across ranks and responsibilities.
(3)
Form
The report required under this subsection shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex.
(d)
GAO review
(1)
Review
The Comptroller General of the United States shall review the implementation of section 2582 of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), including with respect to—
(A)
the completeness of any inventories submitted under such section;
(B)
the validity of cost comparisons used in implementing such section, including any assumptions used in such comparisons;
(C)
the adequacy of any plan developed under subsection (a)(5) of such section; and
(D)
the frequency of, justifications for, and execution of, sales or transfers of accountable property for which a waiver is issued under subsection (b)(2)(A) of such section, including compliance with the notification and reporting requirements of such subsection.
(2)
Briefing
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing on the results of the review under paragraph (1).
(e)
Definitions
In this section, the terms  accountable property ,  covered disposition ,  disposition , and  significant force reposturing or withdrawal  have the meanings given such terms in section 2582(f) of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a).
353.
Certification requirement for motor carriers transporting Department of Defense freight
 Chapter 157  of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after  section 2631a  the following new section:
2631b.
Certification regarding affiliations with Chinese military companies for surface transportation contracts
(a)
Certification required
(1)
No contract for the transportation of cargo by motor carrier for the Department of Defense (including contracts awarded by the United States Transportation Command or the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command) may be awarded to, or performed by, any covered carrier unless such covered carrier submits a certification described in subsection (b).
(2)
The requirement under paragraph (1) shall apply to prime contractors, subcontractors, and owner-operators at all tiers.
(b)
Contents of certification
A certification under this section shall state that, to the best of the covered carrier's knowledge after reasonable inquiry—
(1)
the covered carrier is not owned or controlled by, and does not have significant business relationships with, any entity identified on the most recent list of Chinese military companies required under section 1260H of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 ( Public Law 116–283 ;  10 U.S.C. 113  note); and
(2)
the covered carrier will require the same certification from any subcontractor or owner-operator it engages for performance of the contract.
(c)
Flow-down and recordkeeping
Prime contractors shall include the substance of this certification requirement in all subcontracts and lease agreements for Department of Defense freight transportation. Covered carriers shall maintain records of certifications for not less than 5 years.
(d)
Penalties
Any covered carrier that knowingly provides a false certification under this section shall be subject to suspension or debarment from Department of Defense contracting and civil penalties under section 1001 of title 18.
(e)
Implementation
The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe regulations to implement this section not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section, including integration into existing carrier approval processes of the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command.
(f)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
Covered carrier
The term  covered carrier  means any motor carrier, subcontractor, or owner-operator providing surface transportation services.
(2)
Significant business relationships
The term  significant business relationships  shall have the meaning given by the Secretary of Defense in regulations.
 .
354.
Establishment of national security registry for motor carriers handling Department of Defense freight
(a)
In general
Subtitle IV of title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting after chapter 139 the following:
140
Secure Defense Freight Carrier Registry
14001. Definition of registry.
14002. Establishment of registry.
14003. Eligibility and approval.
14004. Use of registry.
14001.
Definition of registry
In this chapter, the term  registry  means the Secure Defense Freight Carrier Registry established under section 14002.
14002.
Establishment of registry
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this chapter, the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, shall establish and maintain a registry, to be known as the  Secure Defense Freight Carrier Registry , of motor carriers approved to transport freight for the Department of Defense.
14003.
Eligibility and approval
(a)
Eligibility requirements
To be included in the registry, a motor carrier shall—
(1)
hold valid operating authority from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration;
(2)
meet all applicable Department of Defense carrier qualification standards;
(3)
undergo enhanced national security vetting, including—
(A)
screening for ownership, control, or significant business relationships with—
(i)
an entity identified on the list maintained by the Department of Defense under section 1260H of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 ( 10 U.S.C. 113  note;  Public Law 116–283 ); or
(ii)
any other foreign adversary entity designated by the Secretary of Defense; and
(B)
verification that drivers and personnel with access to Department of Defense freight meet security standards comparable to those required under Transportation Worker Identification Credential programs or other relevant Federal security programs; and
(4)
submit to periodic revetting not less frequently than once every 2 years.
(b)
Application and approval process
(1)
In general
The Secretary shall establish a streamlined application process for inclusion on the registry.
(2)
Requirement
The process established under paragraph (1) shall include coordination with existing Department of Defense carrier approval systems.
14004.
Use of registry
(a)
Prohibition
Subject to subsection (b), beginning 1 year after the date of the enactment of this chapter, a motor carrier may not bid on or perform a Department of Defense freight transportation contract unless the motor carrier is included in the registry.
(b)
Waivers
The Secretary of Defense may grant waivers from the prohibition under subsection (a) for exigent circumstances.
  .
(b)
Clerical amendment
The analysis for subtitle IV of title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to chapter 139 the following:
       140.  SECURE DEFENSE FREIGHT CARRIER REGISTRY  14001    .
355.
Protection of property owned, possessed, or shipped by the Department of Defense from lien, arrest, or seizure during shipment
(a)
In general
 Chapter 157  of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
2655.
Property owned, possessed, or shipped by the Department of Defense: protection from lien, arrest, or seizure during shipment
(a)
Prohibition
No carrier, port agent, warehouseman, freight forwarder, broker, or other person involved in the transportation of cargo owned, possessed, or shipped by the Department of Defense may have any lien on, or hold, impound, or otherwise interfere with the transportation of, such cargo.
(b)
Exemption from arrest or seizure
The following are not subject to lien, arrest, or seizure by judicial process in the United States:
(1)
A vessel, aircraft, motor vehicle, rail car, or other conveyance owned by, possessed by, or operated by or for the Department of Defense.
(2)
Cargo owned, possessed, or shipped by the Department of Defense.
(c)
Authority to accomplish delivery
The Secretary of Defense may take such actions as may be necessary to recoup, recover, arrange for, or accomplish transportation and delivery of cargo owned, possessed, or shipped by the Department of Defense.
(d)
Delay of shipment for undeclared, mispackaged, or mislabeled hazardous material
Nothing in this section shall preclude a carrier from stopping the movement of undeclared, mispackaged, mislabeled, or otherwise noncompliant hazardous material shipments until the hazardous material is properly offered for transportation in accordance with section 5103 of title 49 and regulations prescribed under that section.
(e)
Arrest or seizure of property pursuant to Federal criminal or forfeiture law
Nothing in this section shall preclude the United States from arresting or seizing personal property of a member of the armed forces or employee of the Department of Defense pursuant to Federal criminal or forfeiture law.
(f)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  broker  means a person, other than a carrier or an employee or agent of a carrier, that as a principal or agent sells, offers for sale, negotiates for, or holds itself out by solicitation, advertisement, or otherwise as selling, providing, or arranging for, transportation by carrier for compensation.
(2)
The term  carrier  means a person, including a freight forwarder, that transports passengers or property in commerce by pipeline, rail, motor, air, or water.
(3)
The term  freight forwarder  means a person holding such person out to the general public (other than as a pipeline, rail, motor, air, or water carrier) to provide transportation of property for compensation and in the ordinary course of the business of such person—
(A)
assembles and consolidates, or provides for assembling and consolidating, shipments and performs or provides for break-bulk and distribution operations of the shipments; and
(B)
assumes responsibility for the transportation from the place of receipt to the place of destination.
 .
(b)
Expansion of coverage
Section 453(c)(5) of title 37, United States Code, is amended by striking  baggage and household goods  and inserting  personal property .
356.
Establishment of United States Marine Corps Museum System
 Chapter 861  of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
8617B.
United States Marine Corps Museum System
(a)
In general
The Secretary of the Navy shall support a system of official Marine Corps museums within the Department of the Navy. Such system shall include the National Museum of the United States Marine Corps and may contain other museums honoring individual installations, units, and branches, as designated by the Secretary of the Navy, that meet criteria established under subsection (b).
(b)
Criteria for designation
The Secretary of the Navy shall establish criteria for designating museums of subsection (a) for inclusion in the Marine Corps museum system. Such criteria shall include—
(1)
historical significance to Marine Corps operations, technology, or personnel;
(2)
public accessibility and educational outreach programs; and
(3)
alignment with the mission of the Marine Corps to preserve the heritage of the Marine Corps.
(c)
Criteria for closure
The Secretary of the Navy shall establish criteria for the closure of museums within the Marine Corps museum system. No museum within such system may be closed until—
(1)
the Secretary of the Navy submits to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate notice that includes—
(A)
a plan for the preservation, storage, or alternate display of historical collections contained in the museum;
(B)
how any issues relating to museum personnel will be resolved;
(C)
an identification of any efforts to maintain museum operations through public-private partnerships; and
(D)
an analysis of the cost to transport, consolidate, and preserve the historical collections contained in the museum; and
(2)
period of 90 days has elapsed after the date on which such notice is received by such committees.
(d)
Funding and support
Consistent with applicable law, the Secretary may enter into partnerships, including with nonprofit organizations, to enhance the financial sustainability and public engagement of the museums in the Marine Corps museum system.
 .
357.
Requirement for FireGuard program
Section 510(a) of title 32, United States Code, is amended by striking  may  and inserting  shall .
358.
Pilot program for testing and evaluation of counter-fire unmanned fire suppression aircraft systems on military installations
(a)
Establishment
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall commence a three-year pilot program under which the Secretary shall conduct testing and evaluation of counter-fire unmanned fire suppression and remote sensing aircraft systems at military installations selected for participation in the program. In carrying out the pilot program, the Secretary shall—
(1)
evaluate the effectiveness of counter-fire unmanned aircraft systems with respect to suppressing wildfire, improving the safety of prescribed burns, monitoring wildfire, and responding to other fire emergencies on military installations;
(2)
assess the integration of fire suppression drone capabilities with existing fire protection and emergency response systems on military installations;
(3)
determine operational parameters, safety protocols, and certification requirements for counter-fire unmanned aircraft systems;
(4)
for each counter-fire unmanned aircraft system, evaluate—
(A)
suppression payload delivery accuracy;
(B)
refill and turnaround time;
(C)
night operations capabilities;
(D)
beyond visual line-of-sight flight operations;
(E)
swarm capabilities; and
(F)
sustained sortie rates;
(5)
analyze the cost-effectiveness and scalability of counter-fire drone capabilities; and
(6)
develop training curricula and operational procedures for personnel operating counter-fire unmanned aircraft systems.
(b)
Selection of installations
The Secretary shall select at least one military installation to participate in the pilot program. In making such a selection, the Secretary shall consider—
(1)
geographic diversity, including climate zones and fire risk profiles;
(2)
existing fire suppression infrastructure and capabilities;
(3)
airspace availability and compatibility with unmanned aircraft operations;
(4)
proximity to civilian communities that could benefit from enhanced fire response capabilities; and
(5)
availability of qualified personnel and training facilities.
(c)
Reporting requirements
(1)
Interim report
Not later than 18 months after the date of the commencement of the pilot program, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees an interim report on the pilot program.
(2)
Final report
Not later than six months after the date of the completion of the pilot program, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a final report on the pilot program.
(3)
Elements of reports
Each report required under this subsection shall include, for the period covered by the report—
(A)
a description of each counter-fire unmanned aircraft system tested and the performance metrics for each such system;
(B)
an assessment of operational effectiveness of each such system in fire detection and suppression scenarios;
(C)
an analysis of the integration of each such system with existing fire protection systems;
(D)
an identification of any supplementary mission critical use cases for each such system at military installations;
(E)
a description of any safety incidents and lessons learned for each such system;
(F)
a cost analysis and projection of return on investment for each such system;
(G)
any recommendations for the potential broader implementation of each such system across the Department of Defense; and
(H)
any recommendations for potential dual-use applications of each such system in support of civilian fire authorities.
359.
Pilot program on data collection and analysis in connection with Army combat training center rotations
(a)
Establishment
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall establish a pilot program to collect, store, and analyze covered data generated during rotations of members of the Armed Forces at combat training centers.
(b)
Purposes
The purposes of the pilot program under subsection (a) shall be to improve the realism of training for members of the Armed Forces, enhance unit readiness, collect observational data for application to efforts of the Department relating to agentic artificial intelligence, and support the development of secure systems and analytic tools that enable the responsible deployment and interoperability of the sensors specified in subsection (c)(2)(A).
(c)
Activities
In carrying out the pilot program under subsection (a), the Secretary of the Army shall—
(1)
designate not fewer than one rotation at a combat training center for the conduct of the pilot program;
(2)
identify and evaluate technologies and processes for the collection, storage, and analysis of covered data from multiple sources during such rotation, including—
(A)
soldier-borne artificial intelligence small arms weapon sensors and related networked systems; and
(B)
unmanned systems;
(3)
collect, store, and analyze covered data during such rotation using such technologies and processes;
(4)
analyze how data generated by the sensors specified in paragraph (2)(A) may contribute to improved lethality, survivability, and situational awareness in multi-domain operations; and
(5)
evaluate the cost, feasibility, and operational benefits of permanently establishing a program for the collection, storage, and analysis of covered data generated during rotations of members of the Armed Forces across combat training centers.
(d)
Briefing
Not later than 180 days after the completion of the pilot program under subsection (a), the Secretary of the Army shall provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a briefing on the activities, findings, and recommendations resulting from such pilot program, including the following:
(1)
An assessment of the effectiveness and security of incorporating data derived from sensors specified in subsection (c)(2)(A) into training and readiness analyses.
(2)
Recommendations regarding the potential expansion or permanent establishment of a program for the collection, storage, and analysis of covered data generated during rotations of members of the Armed Forces across combat training centers and across the Armed Forces.
(e)
Termination
Not later than three years after the date of enactment of this Act, the pilot program under subsection (a) shall terminate.
(f)
Covered data defined
In this section, the term  covered data  means data relating to the tactical performance and decision-making of, and training effectiveness for, members of the Armed Forces (at the individual, team, and unit levels).
360.
Minimum maritime firefighting capability standards for naval installations that berth large naval vessels
(a)
In general
The Secretary of the Navy shall establish minimum maritime firefighting capability standards for naval installations that berth large naval vessels. Such standards shall include each of the following:
(1)
The minimum pumping capacity required to support firefighting operations aboard naval vessels moored at piers or within harbor areas.
(2)
Required response times for waterside firefighting assets.
(3)
The availability of firefighting foam systems and hazardous material response capability suitable for aviation fuel and shipboard fires.
(4)
The integration of waterside firefighting assets with shipboard damage control systems.
(5)
The availability of redundant maritime firefighting capability in the event of simultaneous emergencies.
(b)
Implementation plan
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Navy shall submit to the congressional defense committees a plan to implement the standards established under subsection (a) and to improve fire prevention at private sector repair yards. Such plan shall include each of the following:
(1)
An identification of installations that do not meet the standards, as of the date of the submission of the plan.
(2)
Options for addressing capability gaps, including procurement of fireboats, modernization of existing vessels, or agreements with municipal or port authority fire departments.
(3)
Estimated costs associated with implementing the plan.
(4)
Mechanisms to maximize available resources across organizations responsible for fire safety oversight to better ensure contractor fire safety oversight and alleviate the burden on members of the Navy.
(5)
Options to reassess progress payment retention rate for surface ship maintenance contracts based on an assessment of the risk to the Government.
(6)
Options to reassess the ship repair limitation of liability clause.
(7)
The incorporation of safety performance standards into the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan of the Secretary.
361.
Minimum staffing requirements for fire apparatus at certain Space Force installations
The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that at any Space Force installation with launch and landing facilities—
(1)
the minimum staffing requirements for firefighters and the requirements relating to structural and aircraft, rescue, and firefighting apparatus pursuant to section 388 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 ( Public Law 117–263 ;  10 U.S.C. 2661  note) and section 1110 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 ( Public Law 118–159 ; 10 U.S.C. note prec. 9771) apply on a permanent basis;
(2)
all firefighting structural and aircraft, rescue, and firefighting apparatus are maintained at optimum staffing levels and optimum levels of service at all times; and
(3)
the cross-manning of firefighter personnel is not permitted between a first due structural fire engine response apparatus and an aircraft, rescue, and firefighting apparatus.
362.
Activities for evaluating integration and interoperability of technologies for subterranean operations
(a)
Requirement
The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of the Army and the Commander of the United States Special Operations Command, shall conduct recurring evaluation activities in subterranean environments for the purpose of assessing the integration and interoperability of technologies supporting operations in such environments, including in conditions involving the denial or degradation of the Global Positioning System (GPS) or other contested communications conditions.
(b)
Activities
Activities conducted pursuant to subsection (a) shall include the evaluation of technologies supporting sensing, mapping, navigation, communications, command and control, and situational awareness across multiple operational systems and platforms in the denied, degraded, and contested conditions described in subsection (a).
(c)
Use of existing resources
In carrying out this section, the Secretary of Defense shall use existing facilities, authorities, training activities, and amounts appropriated or otherwise available for the Department of Defense for such purpose. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the construction of a new facility or the establishment of a new program office or standalone training activity.
(d)
Briefing
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing describing—
(1)
the activities conducted pursuant to subsection (a);
(2)
any operational integration or interoperability challenge identified in the course of conducting such activities; and
(3)
recommendations for improving the integration and interoperability of technologies supporting subterranean operations in denied, degraded, and contested communications environments, including with respect to potential transition pathways for such technologies.
363.
Improvements to Osprey aircraft safety efforts
(a)
In general
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of the Air Force, in coordination with the Chief of Naval Operations, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and the Commandant of the Marine Corps—
(1)
refine the joint program’s process for identifying, analyzing, and responding to all Osprey aircraft safety risks, including incorporating and prioritizing systems and nonsystem safety risks;
(2)
refine existing oversight structures with clearly defined roles and responsibilities for resolving known system and nonsystem safety risks in a timely manner and conduct periodic reviews of efforts to resolve those risks;
(3)
assess safety-related information sharing agreements and update the agreements as needed to ensure that a process exists to proactively share relevant safety information from hazard and accident reporting with Osprey units and unit safety personnel across the Armed Forces and ensure timely receipt of such information;
(4)
establish a routine method, such as a recurring multiservice conference, to share information on Osprey aircraft knowledge and emergency procedures across the joint force; and
(5)
maintain a method to share information, immediately or near-immediately, on essential Osprey aircraft safety of flight information and changes to safety processes across the joint force.
(b)
Certification to Congress
Not later than 60 days after the requirements under subsection (a) have been implemented, the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of the Air Force shall each provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of representatives a certification—
(1)
verifying that the requirements have been implemented; and
(2)
identifying any changes made to comply with such requirements by the Armed Forces under the jurisdiction of the certifying Secretary.
364.
Army pilot program on electronic ammunition simulation for small arms training
(a)
Establishment
The Secretary of the Army shall carry out a pilot program to evaluate the integration of electronic ammunition simulation systems into small arms training across the Army.
(b)
Purposes
The purposes of the pilot program are to—
(1)
improve individual and collective small arms proficiency through increased training repetitions and enhanced training realism;
(2)
enable safe training with assigned weapon systems in a broad range of environments, including non-range locations, as determined appropriate by the Secretary;
(3)
reduce costs and logistics burdens associated with the procurement, storage, distribution, and disposal of blank ammunition;
(4)
reduce safety risks associated with blank ammunition, including negligent discharges and live-blank ammunition mixing incidents; and
(5)
assess the feasibility and scalability of integrating electronic ammunition simulation systems with training environments of the Armed Forces.
(c)
Administration
(1)
In general
The Secretary of the Army shall designate the Capability Program Executive for Simulation, Training, Test, and Threat as the lead actor responsible for carrying out the pilot program.
(2)
Oversight
The Secretary of the Army shall designate a senior official within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology as the lead actor responsible for providing oversight of the pilot program.
(d)
Selection of training environments
The Secretary of the Army shall select not fewer than four training environments with respect to which the Secretary shall carry out the pilot program under subsection (a), which shall include, at a minimum—
(1)
one Advanced Camp training event, regional training event, or other training event carried out at a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps training site;
(2)
one rotation at a combat training center;
(3)
one basic combat training activity; and
(4)
one brigade-level or battalion-level collective training event carried out at an operational military installation.
(e)
Activities
In carrying out the pilot program, the Secretary of the Army shall—
(1)
integrate electronic ammunition simulation systems into training for legacy and next-generation small arms provided through the training environments selected under subsection (d), including in connection with qualification ranges and force-on-force exercises;
(2)
evaluate the interoperability of electronic ammunition simulation systems with legacy and successor systems for simulated engagement, including the Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System and synthetic training environments;
(3)
assess the integrated training carried out pursuant to paragraph (1) with respect to effectiveness, cost savings, safety improvements, and scalability across training environments of the Armed Forces, including the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps of the Armed Forces; and
(4)
develop and validate associated training tactics, procedures, and sustainment requirements for potential expansion of such integrated training.
(f)
Coordination of efforts
The pilot program under subsection (a) shall supplement, and neither supplant nor duplicate, modernization efforts relating to synthetic training environments and other activities for the modernization of force-on-force training.
(g)
Briefings
(1)
Interim briefing
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall provide to the congressional defense committees an interim briefing on the pilot program under subsection (a) that includes—
(A)
evaluation metrics for the pilot program;
(B)
an identification of the training environments selected under subsection (d); and
(C)
the plan of the Secretary for the integration of activities under the pilot program with respect to such selected training environments.
(2)
Final briefing
Not later than March 1, 2028, the Secretary of the Army shall provide to the congressional defense committees a final briefing on the pilot program under subsection (a) that includes—
(A)
the results of the assessment required under subsection (e)(3), including, with respect to cost savings, a comparison between the cost of the integrated training provided pursuant to the pilot program with the cost of training using blank ammunition; and
(B)
recommendations regarding—
(i)
the continuation, expansion, or termination of the pilot program; and
(ii)
with respect to such potential continuation or expansion, recommendations for the transition to acquisition of electronic ammunition simulation systems.
(h)
Termination
The authority to carry out the pilot program under subsection (a) shall terminate on September 30, 2031.
365.
Pilot program on hydrophobin-based biomanufactured treatment as flame-resistant and water-repellent treatments for military uniforms
(a)
Establishment
The Secretary of the Army shall establish a pilot program, to be carried out through the United States Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center, to evaluate the feasibility, performance, and scalability of hydrophobin-based biomanufactured treatments as flame-resistant and water-repellent treatments for military textile systems, including as potential alternatives to conventional chemical treatments currently used in Department of Defense uniforms.
(b)
Selection of contractors
In carrying out the pilot program, the Secretary shall prioritize partnerships with entities that—
(1)
demonstrate domestic biomanufacturing capability within the United States;
(2)
use advanced biotechnology to produce hydrophobin proteins or related bioderived compounds suitable for textile performance applications; and
(3)
possess the capability to transition successful pilot outcomes into large-scale textile finishing or coating processes supporting Department of Defense procurement.
(c)
Report to congress
Not later than three years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the results of the pilot program, including recommendations regarding potential integration of hydrophobin-based biomanufactured treatments into Department of Defense military textile systems.
(d)
Duration
The authority to carry out a pilot program under this section shall terminate four years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
366.
Federal financial assistance for operation and maintenance of National Guard facilities
 Chapter 1  of title 32, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
116.
Federal financial assistance for operation and maintenance of National Guard facilities
The Secretary of Defense may provide assistance, through a grant or cooperative agreement entered into with the Governor of a State (or, in the case of the District of Columbia, with the commanding general of the District of Columbia National Guard), a local government, or other recipient for the purpose of operating or maintaining National Guard facilities required to organize, train, and equip the National Guard to perform State and Federal operations and missions.
 .
IV
MILITARY PERSONNEL AUTHORIZATIONS
A
Active Forces
401.
End strengths for active forces
The Armed Forces are authorized strengths for active duty personnel as of September 30, 2027, as follows:
(1)
The Army, 469,000.
(2)
The Navy, 356,600.
(3)
The Marine Corps, 173,700.
(4)
The Air Force, 330,400.
(5)
The Space Force, 13,200.
B
Reserve Forces
411.
End strengths for Selected Reserve
(a)
In general
The Armed Forces are authorized strengths for Selected Reserve personnel of the reserve components as of September 30, 2027, as follows:
(1)
The Army National Guard of the United States, 331,300.
(2)
The Army Reserve, 172,000.
(3)
The Navy Reserve, 56,500.
(4)
The Marine Corps Reserve, 34,700.
(5)
The Air National Guard of the United States, 107,400.
(6)
The Air Force Reserve, 67,400.
(7)
The Coast Guard Reserve, 8,500.
(b)
End strength reductions
The end strengths prescribed by subsection (a) for the Selected Reserve of any reserve component shall be proportionately reduced by—
(1)
the total authorized strength of units organized to serve as units of the Selected Reserve of such component which are on active duty (other than for training) at the end of the fiscal year; and
(2)
the total number of individual members not in units organized to serve as units of the Selected Reserve of such component who are on active duty (other than for training or for unsatisfactory participation in training) without their consent at the end of the fiscal year.
(c)
End strength increases
Whenever units or individual members of the Selected Reserve of any reserve component are released from active duty during any fiscal year, the end strength prescribed for such fiscal year for the Selected Reserve of such reserve component shall be increased proportionately by the total authorized strengths of such units and by the total number of such individual members.
412.
End strengths for Reserves on active duty in support of the Reserves
Within the end strengths prescribed in section 411(a), the reserve components of the Armed Forces are authorized, as of September 30, 2027, the following number of Reserves to be serving on full-time active duty or full-time duty, in the case of members of the National Guard, for the purpose of organizing, administering, recruiting, instructing, or training the reserve components:
(1)
The Army National Guard of the United States, 31,154.
(2)
The Army Reserve, 16,511.
(3)
The Navy Reserve, 10,409.
(4)
The Marine Corps Reserve, 2,400.
(5)
The Air National Guard of the United States, 25,533.
(6)
The Air Force Reserve, 6,278.
413.
End strengths for military technicians (dual status)
The minimum number of military technicians (dual status) as of the last day of fiscal year 2027 for the reserve components of the Army and the Air Force (notwithstanding section 129 of title 10, United States Code) shall be the following:
(1)
For the Army National Guard of the United States, 21,294.
(2)
For the Army Reserve, 6,258.
(3)
For the Air National Guard of the United States, 10,405.
(4)
For the Air Force Reserve, 6,455.
414.
Maximum number of reserve personnel authorized to be on active duty for operational support
During fiscal year 2027, the maximum number of members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces who may be serving at any time on full-time operational support duty under section 115(b) of title 10, United States Code, is the following:
(1)
The Army National Guard of the United States, 17,000.
(2)
The Army Reserve, 13,000.
(3)
The Navy Reserve, 6,200.
(4)
The Marine Corps Reserve, 3,000.
(5)
The Air National Guard of the United States, 16,000.
(6)
The Air Force Reserve, 14,000.
415.
Authorized strengths: Senior enlisted members on active duty or on full-time National Guard Duty for administration of the Marine Corps Reserve
Section 12012(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking that part of the table pertaining to the Marine Corps Reserve and inserting the following:
“Marine Corps Reserve:
  1,100  68  18
  1,200  75  20
  1,300  81  21
  1,400  87  23
  1,500  93  24
  1,600  99  26
  1,700  106  28
  1,800  112  29
  1,900  118  31
  2,000  124  33
  2,100  130  34
  2,200  137  36
  2,300  143  37
  2,400  149  39
  2,500  155  41
  2,600  161  42
  2,700  168  44
  2,800  174  46
  2,900  180  47
  3,000  186  49”.
416.
Removal of end strength limitation for National Guard support for counterdrug activities
Section 112 of title 32, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
by striking subsection (e); and
(2)
by redesignating subsections (f) and (g) as subsections (g) and (h), respectively.
C
Authorization of Appropriations
421.
Military personnel
(a)
Authorization of appropriations
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2027 for the use of the Armed Forces and other activities and agencies of the Department of Defense for expenses, not otherwise provided for, for military personnel, as specified in the funding table in section 4401.
(b)
Construction of authorization
The authorization of appropriations in the subsection (a) supersedes any other authorization of appropriations (definite or indefinite) for such purpose for fiscal year 2027.
V
MILITARY PERSONNEL POLICY
A
Officer Policy and Reserve Component Management
501.
Flexibility in requirements of selection boards: composition; convening
(a)
Consideration of temporary appointments of officers of the Department of the Navy designated for limited duty
Section 612(a)(2) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in subparagraph (A), by inserting  and (C)  after  subparagraph (B) ; and
(2)
by inserting a new subparagraph (C):
(C)
A selection board need not include an officer from a competitive category to be considered by the board when considering officers designated for limited duty under section 8146 of this title.
 .
(b)
Selection of officers for continuation on active duty
(1)
Officers in the grade of O-3 or O-4
Section 637 of title 10, United States Code, is amended, in subsection (a)(1)—
(A)
by striking  he is selected for continuation on active duty by a selection board convened under section 611(b) of this title.  and inserting an em dash; and
(B)
by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
(A)
the officer is selected for continuation on active duty by a selection board convened under section 611(b) of this title; or
(B)
the Secretary concerned recommends all officers, whom the Secretary finds to be fully qualified, for continuation on active duty.
(2)
Regular officers in the grade of O-5 or O-6
Such section is further amended, in subsection (b)(1)—
(A)
by striking  he is selected for continuation on active duty by a selection board convened under section 611(b) of this title.  and inserting an em dash; and
(B)
by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
(A)
the officer is selected for continuation on active duty by a selection board convened under section 611(b) of this title; or
(B)
the Secretary concerned recommends all officers, whom the Secretary finds to be fully qualified, for continuation on active duty.
 .
502.
Requirements for removal of certain general and flag officers
 Chapter 49  of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after  section 974  the following new section:
975.
Notice of removal of certain general and flag officers
Not later than five days after the date on which an officer in a grade above O-8 is removed from, transferred from, or relieved of duty in, a position designated under section 601(a) of this title or by law to carry such grade, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report in writing that describes the performance concerns, actions, or inactions of that officer that are cause for such removal, transfer, or relief of duty.
 .
503.
Limited consideration of satisfactory non-regular service towards service-in-grade requirement of a reserve officer who retires voluntarily
Section 1370(b)(1) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in subparagraph (A), by striking  ; and  and inserting a semicolon;
(2)
in subparagraph (B), by striking the period at the end and inserting  ; and ; and
(3)
by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
(C)
in the case of a reserve officer, such period may include satisfactory non-regular service, but not for purposes of calculating—
(i)
the retired pay or other benefits from the United States to which such reserve officer would have been entitled based upon military service; or
(ii)
any benefit to which any other person may become entitled based on such military service.
 .
504.
Ranks of Judge Advocates General
(a)
Army
Section 7037(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:  The Judge Advocate General, while so serving, has the grade of lieutenant general. An officer appointed as Deputy Judge Advocate General who holds a lower regular grade shall be appointed in the regular grade of major general. .
(b)
Marine Corps
Section 8046(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:  If the officer to be appointed as the Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant of the Marine Corps holds a grade lower than the grade of lieutenant general immediately before the appointment, the officer shall be appointed in the grade of lieutenant general. .
(d)
Navy
(1)
The Judge Advocate General
Section 8088(b) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:  The Judge Advocate General, while so serving, has the grade of vice admiral or lieutenant general, as appropriate. .
(2)
The Deputy Judge Advocate General
Section 8089(a)(1) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:  If an officer appointed as the Deputy Judge Advocate General holds a lower regular grade, the officer shall be appointed in the regular grade of rear admiral or major general, as appropriate. .
(f)
Air Force
(1)
The Judge Advocate General
Section 9037(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:  The Judge Advocate General, while so serving, has the grade of lieutenant general. .
(2)
The Deputy Judge Advocate General
Section 9037(d)(1) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:  An officer appointed as Deputy Judge Advocate General who holds a lower regular grade shall be appointed in the regular grade of major general. .
505.
Grades of certain chiefs of reserve components
(a)
In general
(1)
Chief of Army Reserve
Section 7038(b) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following new paragraph:
(4)
The Chief of Army Reserve, while so serving, holds the grade of lieutenant general.
 .
(2)
Chief of Navy Reserve
Section 8083(b) of such title is amended by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following new paragraph:
(4)
The Chief of Navy Reserve, while so serving, holds the grade of vice admiral.
 .
(3)
Commander, Marine Forces Reserve
Section 8084(b) of such title is amended by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following new paragraph:
(4)
The Commander, Marine Forces Reserve, while so serving, holds the grade of lieutenant general.
 .
(4)
Chief of Air Force Reserve
Section 9038(b) of such title is amended by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following new paragraph:
(4)
The Chief of Air Force Reserve, while so serving, holds the grade of lieutenant general.
 .
(b)
Effective date
The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect on the day that is one year after the date of the enactment of this Act and shall apply to appointments made on or after such day.
506.
Grade of Chief of the Veterinary Corps of the Army
Section 7084 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
by striking  The Chief  and inserting
(a)  Appointment.— The Chief ; and
(2)
by adding at the end the following new subsection:
(b)
Grade
The Chief of the Veterinary Corps of the Army, while so serving, holds the grade of brigadier general.
 .
507.
Report on effect of equipment shortfalls on National Guard ability to assist in disaster response
 Chapter 9  of title 32, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
909.
Report on effect of equipment availability to assist in disaster response
Not later than March 31 of the next fiscal year, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Administration, shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate a report with respect to each fiscal year on—
(1)
equipment shortfalls in the National Guard of each State;
(2)
the effect of such shortfalls in the ability of the National Guard of a State to provide assistance or conduct operations related to disaster response, including with respect to hurricanes; and
(3)
recommendations for addressing the shortfalls, including through modernization and preposition of equipment in disaster-prone States.
 .
508.
Continuation in office of Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau when necessary to ensure leadership continuity
(a)
Extension of term when position of Chief of the National Guard Bureau is vacant
Section 10505(a)(3) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in subparagraph (A), by striking  subparagraph (B)  and inserting  subparagraphs (B) and (C) ; and
(2)
by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
(C)
If upon the date on which the term of the Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau would otherwise expire the position of Chief of the National Guard Bureau is vacant and a replacement for the position of Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau has not been confirmed by the Senate, the term of the Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau shall be extended until the date on which the Senate has confirmed a nominee for either position.
 .
(b)
Inclusion as a member of the Joint Requirements Oversight Council
Section 181 of such title is amended—
(1)
in subsection (c)(1), by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
(G)
The Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau.
 ; and
(2)
in subsection (d), by striking paragraph (4).
509.
Limitation on the transfer to the Space Force of certain functions of the Air National Guard
Section 514 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 ( Public Law 118–159 ;  10 U.S.C. 20001  note) is amended—
(1)
by redesignating subsection (k) as subsection (l); and
(2)
by inserting after subsection (j) the following new subsection (k):
(k)
Rules of construction
Nothing in this section shall be construed to—
(1)
authorize the transfer of a member of the Air National Guard of the United States more than once under subsection (c); or
(2)
establish a waiver of the applicability of any provision of section 104 of title 32, United States Code, or of section 18238 of title 10, United States Code.
 .
509A.
Change in evaluation criteria for officers: notification; consultation
(a)
In general
Not less than 180 days before the Secretary of Defense changes any criterion used in the evaluation of an officer of a covered Armed Force, the Secretary shall—
(1)
submit to the covered committees a written explanation of such proposed change; and
(2)
consult, in conversation, with the covered committees regarding such proposed change.
(b)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  covered Armed Force  means the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space Force.
(2)
The term  covered committees  means the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives.
509B.
Inclusion of Judge Advocates in Global Force Management processes
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that Global Force Management plans and processes—
(1)
specifically address the assignment and allocation of active duty and reserve judge advocates; and
(2)
convey information on the staffing availability of judge advocates in a manner that enables combatant commanders to readily determine the number of judge advocates who are available for permanent assignment to the combatant commands in the event of an armed conflict.
509C.
Role of military chaplains
(a)
In general
The Secretary of Defense shall ensure—
(1)
a covered military chaplain is able to provide pastoral counseling, including emotional, moral, or behavioral assistance counseling;
(2)
a covered military chaplain is able to provide pastoral counseling with respect to matters not strictly related to spiritual counseling; and
(3)
that privileged communications between covered military chaplains and members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Space Force are protected.
(b)
Covered military chaplain defined
In this section, the term  covered military chaplain  means a chaplain in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Space Force.
B
Recruitment, General Service Authorities and Prohibitions, and Military Records
511.
Recruitment: improvements relating to secondary schools
Section 503(c)(1)(A) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in clause (ii), by striking  ; and  and inserting a semicolon;
(2)
in clause (iii)—
(A)
by inserting  academic grades, sexes,  after  student names, ; and
(B)
by striking the period at the end and inserting  ; and ; and
(3)
by adding at the end the following new clause:
(iv)
in addition to the requirement under clause (ii), shall, upon the request of a military recruiter for the purpose described in clause (i), provide at least four visits to each secondary school across each academic year, between classes, when students are physically present, and in a manner that does not interfere with class attendance and, after reasonable notice, in meeting spaces (including auditoriums), at athletic functions, and at other group or social activities.
 .
512.
Prohibition on reduction in personnel assigned to duty with a service review agency; report on reviews of certain discharges related to PTSD
(a)
Prohibition on reduction in personnel assigned to duty with a service review agency
Section 1559(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking  Before December 31, 2025  and inserting  During the period beginning on the date of the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027 and ending on December 31, 2030 .
(b)
Report on time required for a board to consider a review of a discharge or dismissal from the Armed Forces based on matters relating to post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury
(1)
Report required
(A)
In general
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, in coordination with the Secretaries of the military departments, shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a report regarding the periods required for a board established under section 1552 or 1553 of title 10, United States Code, to make a determination in a case involving liberal consideration.
(B)
Elements
The report shall include the following:
(i)
An analysis of the time such periods, disaggregated by military department.
(ii)
An explanation of the differences between such periods, disaggregated by military department.
(iii)
The number of personnel assigned to review, process, and consider such cases.
(iv)
Recommendations of the Secretary of Defense to expedite the consideration of such cases.
(C)
Form
The report shall be submitted in unclassified form.
(D)
Publication
The executive summary of the report shall be published on a publicly accessible website of the Department of Defense.
(2)
Briefing
Not later than 30 days after submitting the report, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a briefing on the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of such report.
(3)
Liberal consideration defined
In this section, the term  liberal consideration  is used as such term is used in section 1552(h) and 1553(d) of title 10, United States Code.
513.
Selective Service System: omission of deceased persons from registration
(a)
In general
Section 3 of the Military Selective Service Act ( 50 U.S.C. 3802 ), as amended by section 535 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 ( Public Law 119–60 ), is further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
(c)
In carrying out subsection (a), the Director shall not register a person whose name appears in the Death Master File (as such term is defined in section 203 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 ( Public Law 113–167 ;  42 U.S.C. 1306c )).
 .
(b)
Effective date
The amendment made by this section shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026.
514.
Requirement of equal opportunity, racial neutrality, and exclusive use of merit in military personnel actions
(a)
Merit requirement
Any Department of Defense military personnel action related to accessions, promotions, nominative assignments, command selection, and military and civil schooling selection and training shall be based exclusively on individual merit, fitness, capability, and performance.
(b)
Consideration of race prohibited
Consideration of an individual’s race, ethnicity, or national origin in any military personnel action is prohibited throughout the Department of Defense.
(c)
Limited exception for tasking of specific missions
(1)
In general
This section shall not be construed to prohibit tasking for specific, unconventional missions in foreign countries, where the anticipated ground operating environment of indigenous populations may justify consideration of race, ethnicity, or national origin when tasking for the mission to optimize mission success.
(2)
Combatant commander approval required
Any tasking pursuant to the exception described in paragraph (1) shall require the approval of the combatant commander concerned.
(3)
Reporting requirement
Not later than 60 days after a tasking pursuant to the exception described in paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense shall report the tasking to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The report shall describe—
(A)
the mission, including location and duration;
(B)
the staffing of the mission;
(C)
the demographic factors warranting the tasking;
(D)
the number of personnel involved, including their rank, position, and race, ethnicity, and national origin; and
(E)
the rationale for the tasking.
515.
Prohibition of hate symbols: regulations; guidance; training
(a)
Prohibition
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall prescribe in regulations—
(1)
a policy of the Department of Defense that prohibits the display, possession for display, or use of a hate symbol in the workplace or in connection with official duties, including on the body, uniform, civilian work attire, personal equipment, government property, or digital work platforms, including through a tattoo, brand, insignia, patch, apparel, or electronic imagery;
(2)
standards for identifying and addressing prohibited hate symbols; and
(3)
procedures to review a determination under such policy, order the removal of a symbol determined to be a hate symbol, or other remediation consistent with applicable law.
(b)
Exception
The policy under subsection (a) shall not prohibit the good-faith display or use of a symbol for a legitimate religious, educational, intelligence, law enforcement, or investigative purpose. To determine whether such display or use is subject to an exception under this subsection, the Secretary shall consider—
(1)
the historical and cultural meaning of the symbol;
(2)
the manner, context, and location in which the symbol is displayed;
(3)
whether the symbol is associated with an extremist organization or ideology;
(4)
whether the display would reasonably be interpreted as communicating support for hatred, discrimination, or violent extremism;
(5)
applicable constitutional and statutory law; and
(6)
religious accommodations.
(c)
Guidance
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall—
(1)
issue guidance and reference materials, developed in consultation with subject matter experts, to assist commanding officers, supervisors, human resources personnel, and investigators, regarding the identification of hate symbols; and
(2)
review, in consultation with civil rights experts and organizations with recognized expertise in hate and extremist symbols, and update such guidance not less than once every 36 months after such issuance.
(d)
Training
The Secretary shall incorporate instruction on the policy and guidance under this section into existing training programs for members of the covered Armed Forces and civilian employees of the Department of Defense.
(e)
Certification
Not later than 180 days after the Secretary prescribes regulations under subsection (a), the Secretary of a military department or head of a Defense agency shall certify to the Secretary of Defense whether their subordinate members of the covered Armed Forces or civilian employees subordinate have implemented the regulations. guidance, and training under this section.
(f)
Briefing
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 House of Representatives a briefing detailing the implementation of this section.
(g)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  hate symbol  means any symbol, image, insignia, emblem, tattoo, sign, coded designation, or other visual representation that, in context, would be reasonably understood to promote violence or unlawful discrimination against a person or group based on a protected identity characteristic.
(2)
The term  covered Armed Force  means the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space Force.
516.
Timely resolution of career-impacting administrative investigations
(a)
Policy required
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall prescribe a policy applicable to covered administrative investigations. Such policy shall include—
(1)
standard timelines for initiation, investigation, legal review, command action, and final disposition of covered administrative investigations;
(2)
a requirement that an extension of a standard timeline described in paragraph (1) be approved by an appropriate official in writing that includes an explanation of the reasons for the extension, an identification of the investigative steps remaining, and an expected date of completion of those steps;
(3)
a requirement that any covered administrative investigation of a member of the Armed Forces that includes the suspension of a favorable personnel action for such member during the period of investigation—
(A)
that is open for 90 days or more may only continue if the investigation is approved by the first general officer, flag officer, or member of the Senior Executive Service in the chain of command of the member of the Armed Forces that is the subject of such investigation; and
(B)
is reviewed not less than once every 30 days during the period of investigation to determine whether such suspension is necessary and narrowly tailored to address the particular concern being investigated;
(4)
a requirement that prior to initiation of a covered administrative investigation, or continuation of a closed covered administrative investigation, based substantially on allegations occurring outside of an applicable reporting period, the investigating authority make a determination in writing as to—
(A)
the reason for the delay in reporting such allegations;
(B)
the availability and reliability of witnesses;
(C)
the availability of documentary or electronic evidence;
(D)
whether a complete and fair inquiry can be conducted; and
(E)
whether an alternative to an investigation is more appropriate;
(5)
a requirement that a member who is the subject of a covered administrative investigation be given reasonable opportunity to provide evidence and identify witnesses;
(6)
a requirement that a member who is the subject of a covered administrative investigation be given written notice of proposed actions, findings, recommendations, and supporting evidence prior to a final adverse administrative action;
(7)
a requirement that investigators assigned to a covered administrative investigation be screened for potential conflicts of interest prior to being so assigned;
(8)
a requirement that a member who is the subject a covered administrative investigation be given an opportunity to request relief from a suspension of a favorable personnel action for purposes of a permanent change of station, reassignment, military schooling, retirement, or other personnel action when no derogatory finding has been made within the standard timelines required by paragraph (1); and
(9)
a requirement that the Secretaries of the military departments regularly review policy and practices with respect to covered administrative investigations to ensure such investigations comply with the requirements of this section and other applicable laws and policies.
(b)
Report
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 a report on the implementation of the policy required by subsection (a), including—
(1)
the number of covered administrative investigations initiated during the preceding fiscal year;
(2)
the number of such investigations exceeding 30, 60, 90, and 180 days in length;
(3)
the number of such investigations that included a suspension of favorable personnel action during the period of the investigation;
(4)
the number of such investigations that resulted in a delay of a permanent change of station, reassignment, military schooling, retirement, or other personnel action;
(5)
the number of such investigations resulting in substantiated, partially substantiated, unsubstantiated, or dismissed findings;
(6)
the average and median duration of covered administrative investigations by military department;
(7)
the number of such investigations based substantially on allegations reported outside an applicable regulatory reporting period;
(8)
the number of covered administrative investigations reviewed for consistency with this section and other applicable laws and policies; and
(9)
recommendations for legislative or administrative action.
(c)
Covered administrative investigation defined
In this section, the term  covered administrative investigation  means any non-criminal inquiry or investigation that results in or is reasonably like to result in—
(1)
suspension of a favorable personnel action during the period of investigation or as a result of the investigation;
(2)
delay or denial of permanent change of station, reassignment, military schooling, retirement, or other personnel action;
(3)
adverse administrative action;
(4)
filing of adverse information in the personnel file of the member; or
(5)
other material career impact, as determined by the Secretary concerned.
517.
Prohibition on use of prediction markets by personnel of the Department of Defense
(a)
Regulations required
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretaries of the military departments, shall issue regulations prohibiting members of the covered Armed Forces and civilian employees of the Department of Defense from entering into transactions on prediction markets in cases in which the member or employee—
(1)
at the time of the transaction, possesses material nonpublic information relevant to such transaction; or
(2)
may reasonably obtain such material nonpublic information in the course of performing official duties, including when such information would not otherwise be available to a member of the public exercising reasonable diligence.
(b)
Enforcement
The regulations under subsection (a) shall specify a range of punishments for the use of prediction markets in violation of the regulations.
(c)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  covered Armed Forces  means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force.
(2)
Term  material nonpublic information  means information—
(A)
that a reasonable investor would consider important in making an investment decision; and
(B)
that is not publicly available.
518.
Soldier Digital Lifecycle Modernization Initiative
(a)
In general
The Secretary of the Army shall carry out a pilot program to design, develop, and implement an initiative to be known as the  Soldier Digital Lifecycle Modernization Initiative  to provide members of the Army, prospective recruits to the Army, and veterans of the Army with a secure, digital experience through the lifecycle of a member of the Army, including during recruitment and after separation.
(b)
Elements
The pilot program under subsection (a) shall—
(1)
be carried out consistent with Executive Order 14338 (90 Fed. Reg. 163, relating to Improving Our Nation Through Better Design) and Office of Management and Budget Memorandum M-23-22 relating to Delivering a Digital-First Public Experience or any successor Executive order or Office of Management and Budget memorandum;
(2)
make use of existing digital infrastructure and systems of the Army;
(3)
include establishment a secure digital identity record enabling continuity of data from recruitment into the Army through separation and transition to being a veteran;
(4)
include development of a unified experience platform for members of the Army that provides integrated, role-based, and personalized digital services;
(5)
include modernization of routine administrative workflows to reduce manual processing and data reentry;
(6)
include deployment of analytics and decision-support tools to inform readiness and retention decisions; and
(7)
include enhancement of digital transition pathways to support separation from the Armed Forces and continued engagement with veterans.
(c)
Commercial best practices
In carrying out the pilot program required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable and cost-effective, make use of commercially available technologies, modular architectures, and open standards to accelerate delivery and improve user experience.
(d)
Report
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report describing—
(1)
the implementation plan for the initiative;
(2)
key design and integration milestones;
(3)
estimated costs by fiscal year;
(4)
performance metrics to measure improvements in user experience, administrative burden reduction, retention indicators, and transition outcomes; and
(5)
any additional authorities the Secretary determines are required.
(e)
Termination
The pilot program required by subsection (a) shall terminate on the date that is three years after the date of the establishment of such pilot program.
519.
Authority to study the propensity of certain students to serve in the Armed Forces
(a)
Study
(1)
Agreement
The Secretary of Defense shall seek to enter into an agreement—
(A)
with an entity described in paragraph (2) pursuant to which such entity shall conduct a comprehensive study on the propensity to serve of military-connected students; and
(B)
not later than year after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(2)
Eligible entity
An entity described in this paragraph is a national nonprofit organization that—
(A)
focuses on the educational environment of military-connected youth;
(B)
is a partner to an institution of higher education; and
(C)
has demonstrated expertise in research, mixed-methods methodology, or adolescent development.
(3)
Scope
Such study shall—
(A)
examine the relationship between family military tradition and legacy, including generational service, parental attitudes toward service in the Armed Forces, and household military culture, and a student’s propensity to serve in the Armed Forces;
(B)
assess the relationship between academic environmental factors (including participation in JROTC, access to military-affiliated mentors and counselors, and type of school) and the propensity to serve;
(C)
evaluate the role of peer support programming in shaping plans after secondary school among military-connected students;
(D)
catalog factors that enhance or detract from the propensity to serve identified by military-connected students, their parents or guardians, and school personnel; and
(E)
aggregate findings by subgroup, including by grade level, gender, race, ethnicity, geographic region, and school type.
(4)
Methodology
Study shall be conducted—
(A)
using mixed methods, including—
(i)
a quantitative survey administered to a nationally representative sample of not fewer than 1,500 military-connected students, using a purpose-built and validated instrument measuring the propensity to serve, family military legacy, JROTC participation, and school environment; and
(ii)
semi-structured qualitative interviews with not fewer than 60 participants, including military-connected students, their parents or guardians, JROTC instructors, school counselors, school liaison officers, and program coordinators; and
(B)
in accordance with—
(i)
the Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects (part 46 of title 45, Code of Federal Regulations including provisions applicable to research involving minors;
(ii)
the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act ( Public Law 93–380 ;  20 U.S.C. 1232g ); and
(iii)
applicable guidance of the Department of Defense governing the conduct of research on human subjects.
(5)
Optional participation
Participation in the study shall be voluntary. A military-connected student who is under 18 years of age may not participate without the informed written consent of a parent or legal guardian.
(b)
Reports
(1)
Interim report
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives an interim report on such a study, including—
(A)
whether the Secretary has entered into an agreement under subsection (a);
(B)
whether such study has begun; and
(C)
any preliminary findings available at the time of the report.
(2)
Final report
Not later than two years after the Secretary enters into an agreement under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a final report on the results of the study. Such a final report shall include—
(A)
a detailed description of the study methodology, sample characteristics, and data collection procedures;
(B)
the quantitative findings, including statistical analyses of the relationship between family military legacy, school environment, JROTC participation, peer-to-peer program participation, and the propensity to serve;
(C)
the qualitative findings, including key themes derived from interviews with military-connected students, their parents or guardians, and school personnel;
(D)
an integrated analysis of quantitative and qualitative findings;
(E)
findings disaggregated by grade level, gender, race, ethnicity, geographic region, and school type;
(F)
recommendations for the Secretary regarding military recruitment strategy, development of JROTC programs, and support services for military-connected students; and
(G)
recommendations to Congress regarding legislative action based on such findings.
(3)
Form
The reports required under this subsection shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex if the Secretary determines such annex is necessary.
(c)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  military-connected student  means a secondary school student—
(A)
enrolled in grade 11 or 12; and
(B)
who has at least one parent or guardian who is currently serving, or who previously served, in the Armed Forces.
(2)
The term  propensity to serve  means a student’s self-reported likelihood of joining the Armed Forces after graduation from secondary school.
(3)
The term  JROTC  means the Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps program authorized under  chapter 102  of title 10, United States Code.
519A.
Prohibition on enlistment or appointment of foreign nationals from foreign adversaries
(a)
Enlistment
Section 504 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
(d)
Nationals of foreign adversary countries
Notwithstanding subsection (b), no person who is a national of a covered nation (as defined in section 4872(f) of this title) may be enlisted in an armed force.
 .
(b)
Appointment
Section 532(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (3), by striking  ; and  and inserting a semicolon;
(2)
by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (5); and
(3)
by inserting after paragraph (3) the following new paragraph:
(4)
has not been a national of a covered nation (as defined in section 4872(f) of this title) during the five-year period ending on the date of such appointment; and
 .
(c)
Review of existing personnel
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 House of Representatives and the Senate a report that—
(1)
identifies the number of members of the Armed Forces who—
(A)
are foreign nationals of a covered nation (as defined in section 4872(f) of title 10, United States Code); and
(B)
were lawfully admitted for permanent residence (as defined in section 101(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1101(a) )) on the date of accession to the Armed Forces;
(2)
identifies the date of accession to the Armed Forces of each member identified in paragraph (1);
(3)
identifies the number of years of service of each member identified in paragraph (1); and
(4)
identifies how many members identified in paragraph (1) are in the process of seeking citizenship in the United States.
(d)
Applicability
The amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) shall apply to the original enlistment or original appointment of a person as a member of the Armed Forces on or after the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
519B.
Report on educational partnerships to support military recruitment, readiness, and end strength requirements
(a)
Report required
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Education, shall submit to the congressional defense committees, the Committee on Education and Workforce of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a report on opportunities to strengthen military recruitment and support the readiness and end strength requirements of the Armed Forces through partnerships with secondary schools, institutions of higher education, and career and technical education programs.
(b)
Matters included
The report required under subsection (a) shall include the following:
(1)
An assessment of current and projected recruiting challenges affecting the Armed Forces and the ability of the military departments to meet authorized end strength requirements.
(2)
An assessment of the extent to which academic preparedness, physical fitness, workforce readiness, and awareness of military service opportunities impact the pool of qualified applicants available to the Armed Forces.
(3)
An evaluation of existing Department of Defense engagement with secondary schools, institutions of higher education, and career and technical education programs and the effectiveness of such engagement in supporting recruiting objectives and military readiness.
(4)
An assessment of the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program and the Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program, including—
(A)
participation levels and recent enrollment trends;
(B)
geographic distribution and accessibility of those programs;
(C)
barriers to program expansion, including in areas experiencing recruiting shortfalls; and
(D)
opportunities to increase participation, improve awareness of military service pathways, and strengthen leadership development among participants.
(5)
An assessment of opportunities to expand partnerships between the Department of Defense and educational institutions to support recruitment into mission-critical military career fields, including science, technology, engineering, mathematics, cybersecurity, aviation, logistics, healthcare, artificial intelligence, and other fields identified by the Secretary of Defense.
(6)
Recommendations for improving coordination between the Department of Defense and the Department of Education to increase awareness of military service opportunities, scholarships, service academies, Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps scholarships, military career pathways, and other programs that support military recruiting and readiness.
(7)
An assessment of opportunities to align existing educational, workforce development, and career readiness programs with current and projected Armed Forces personnel requirements.
(8)
Recommendations for legislative or administrative actions to strengthen the pipeline of qualified applicants for military service and support long-term military readiness and end strength requirements.
(9)
Recommendations to increase the attractiveness of military service as a career path and form of public service, including recommendations to improve awareness of military career opportunities, expand pathways to service through the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps and Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps programs, strengthen educational and workforce development partnerships, and increase the pool of qualified applicants available to meet military readiness and end strength requirements.
(c)
Briefing
Not later than 30 days after submitting the report required under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall provide a briefing to the congressional defense committees on the findings and recommendations contained in the report.
(d)
Form
The report required under subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.
519C.
Prohibited dietary supplement ingredients and performance-enhancing substances
(a)
Prohibition
 Chapter 49  of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after  section 978  the following new section:
978a.
Prohibited dietary supplement ingredients and performance-enhancing substances
(a)
Prohibited ingredient and substance lists
The Secretary shall publish and, not less frequently than once every 90 days, shall update a list of—
(1)
dietary supplement ingredients prohibited for use by members of the armed forces; and
(2)
performance-enhancing substances prohibited for use by members of the armed forces.
(b)
Required formats
The Secretary shall publish the list under subsection (a)—
(1)
on an internet website where such list may be viewed in full without use of a search function;
(2)
in a searchable database; and
(3)
in a digital file that may be downloaded from such internet website in a common format.
(c)
Commanding officer may elect not to discipline
The commanding officer of a member of the armed forces who possesses or uses a dietary supplement containing an ingredient (other than a substance included in the schedule under section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act ( 21 U.S.C. 812 )) appearing on the list under subsection (a)(1)—
(1)
may elect not to subject such member to discipline if—
(A)
such possession or use is the first disciplinary offense committed by such member;
(B)
such commanding officer determines that such member satisfies the good faith standard under subsection (e); and
(C)
such member agrees to participate in education, counseling, or drug testing in lieu of discipline; and
(2)
may elect not to subject such member to administrative separation.
(d)
Possession of prohibited ingredient not drug abuse
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, possession of a dietary supplement containing an ingredient (other than a substance included in the schedule under section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act ( 21 U.S.C. 812 )) appearing on the list under subsection (a)(1) shall not constitute drug abuse for purposes of this title.
(e)
Good faith standard
A member of the armed forces satisfies the good faith standard under this subsection if such member—
(1)
possesses or uses a dietary supplement containing an ingredient (other than a substance included in the schedule under section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act ( 21 U.S.C. 812 )) appearing on the list under subsection (a)(1) without actual knowledge that such dietary supplement contains such ingredient;
(2)
purchases such supplement from a retail facility affiliated with the Department of Defense;
(3)
reasonably relies, prior to purchasing or using such supplement, on a search of the list under subsection (a)(1) that fails to identify such ingredient as prohibited under subsection (a)(1), including due to a misspelling or variation in the name of such ingredient on such list; or
(4)
otherwise demonstrates a reasonable belief that such supplement does not contain such ingredient.
 .
(b)
Secretary to update Department of Defense Instruction
Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness, shall revise Department of Defense Instruction 6130.06 pursuant to section 978a of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a).
(c)
Secretary to update Operation Supplement Safety internet website
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall—
(1)
update the Operation Supplement Safety internet website to enhance functionality for—
(A)
vendors of dietary supplements; and
(B)
members of the Armed Forces; and
(2)
review possible improvements to such internet website, including with respect to—
(A)
search tools that employ—
(i)
autofill functionality; and
(ii)
autocorrect functionality;
(B)
artificial intelligence tools that can—
(i)
scan product labels; and
(ii)
search such internet website for information on the ingredients found on such labels; and
(C)
capacity to allow a user to register to receive a notification when a dietary supplement ingredient is added to the list under section 978a(a)(1) of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a).
(d)
Secretary to review dietary supplement safety education opportunities
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall review opportunities for incorporating into existing training programs for members of the Armed Forces education concerning—
(1)
dietary supplement safety; and
(2)
the list under section 978a(a) of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a).
(e)
Reports
(1)
Initial implementation report
Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report describing efforts made to ensure that retail facilities affiliated with the Department of Defense do not sell any products containing an ingredient appearing on the list under section 978a(a) of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a).
(2)
Final implementation report
Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report describing steps taken to implement section 978a of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a).
(3)
Annual reports
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this section, and annually thereafter for a period of five years, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report—
(A)
listing, for the one-year period ending on the date on which such report is submitted—
(i)
the total number of administrative separation actions initiated for possession or use of a dietary supplement containing an ingredient appearing on the list under section 978a(a)(1) of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), disaggregated by—
(I)
armed force;
(II)
pay grade;
(III)
characterization of discharge sought;
(IV)
whether the member subject to the administrative separation action contested such action; and
(V)
outcome; and
(ii)
the number of commanding officers who elected not to subject a member of the Armed Forces to discipline under section 978a(c) of such title; and
(B)
assessing the effectiveness of efforts to provide education relating to dietary supplement safety to members of the Armed Forces.
C
Member Training
521.
Ineligibility of a national of a non-allied foreign nation to attend a Service Academy
Section 347 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e); and
(2)
by inserting, after subsection (c), the following new subsection (d):
(d)
Ineligibility of foreign nationals from certain countries
(1)
A person who is a foreign national of a covered nation may not receive instruction at or otherwise attend a Service Academy pursuant to this section.
(2)
In this subsection, the term  covered nation  has the meaning given such term in section 4872 of this title.
 .
522.
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics program for Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps
(a)
In general
 Chapter 102  of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
2037.
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics program
(a)
Program
The Secretary of Defense shall develop and implement a program to assist units of the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps in providing participants opportunities in STEM fields.
(b)
Elements
The program required by subsection (a) shall include—
(1)
the provision of guidance and best practices for identifying, evaluating, formalizing, and managing partnerships with local educational agencies, community colleges and trade schools, institutions of higher education, private-sector entities (including non-profit organizations) with expertise in STEM field programming and career and technical education, the defense industrial base, and any other entities with capacity and capability to support learning and development in STEM fields;
(2)
the provision of templates for agreements to facilitate the establishment of such partnerships;
(3)
the establishment of a national directory of prospective partners for opportunities in STEM fields; and
(4)
the establishment of a directory of opportunities in STEM fields for participants in the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps.
(c)
Continuation of effective programs
In carrying out this section, the Secretary of Defense shall continue and maintain any Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps STEM field program that existed before the enactment of this section if such program demonstrates satisfactory participation and learning outcomes.
(d)
STEM field defined
In this section, the term  STEM field  means the fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.
 .
(b)
Briefing
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate a briefing on the development, implementation, and initial outcomes of the program required by section 2037 of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a).
523.
Additional nominees to the Service Academies from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
(a)
United States Military Academy
Section 7442 of title 10 is amended, in subsection (a)(10), by striking  Three  and inserting  Four .
(b)
United States Naval Academy
Section 8454 of title 10, United States Code is amended, in subsection (a)(10), by striking  Three  and inserting  Four .
(c)
United States Air Force Academy
Section 9442 of title 10, United States Code is amended, in subsection (a)(10), by striking  Three  and inserting  Four .
524.
Elimination of cap on the number of cadets or midshipmen who may receive alternative service obligations to become professional athletes
(a)
United States Military Academy
Section 7448(b)(4) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking  not more than five cadets, who obtain  and inserting  a cadet who obtains .
(b)
United States Naval Academy
Section 8459(b)(4) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking  not more than five midshipmen, who obtain  and inserting  a midshipman who obtains .
(c)
United States Air Force Academy
Section 9448(b)(4) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking  not more than five cadets, who obtain  and inserting  a cadet who obtains .
525.
Elimination of the right of cadets to automatic reexamination
(a)
United States Military Academy
Section 7451 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in the heading, by inserting
failure of an examination;   before
effect  ;
(2)
in subsection (a), by striking  studies and recommended  and inserting  studies, or who fails to pass a required examination, and is recommended ;
(3)
by striking subsection (b); and
(4)
by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (b).
(b)
United States Air Force Academy
Section 9451 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in the heading, by inserting
failure of an examination;   before
effect  ;
(2)
in subsection (a), by striking  studies and recommended  and inserting  studies, or who fails to pass a required examination, and is recommended ;
(3)
by striking subsection (b); and
(4)
by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (b).
(c)
Effective date
The amendments made by this section shall apply to the first academic year beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act.
526.
Congressional communications officials of the Service Academies
(a)
United States Military Academy
 Chapter 753  of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after  section 7455  the following new section:
7455a.
Congressional communications official
(a)
Appointment
The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of the Army, shall appoint a civilian employee of the Department of the Army to serve as the congressional communications official of the Board of Visitors under section 7455 of this title.
(b)
Duties
(1)
The congressional communications official shall communicate directly with a Member of Congress, congressional defense committee, or covered congressional employee regarding the activities of such Board of Visitors.
(2)
The Secretary of Defense may not require the congressional communications official to obtain approval, clearance, or review of a communication under paragraph (1) before submitting such communication to a Member of Congress, congressional defense committee, or covered congressional employee.
(c)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  covered congressional employee  means an employee of a Member of Congress, or of a congressional defense committee, without regard to—
(A)
whether such employee serves on a full-time or part-time basis; or
(B)
where such employee so serves.
(2)
The term  Member of Congress  has the meaning given such term in section 1563 of this title.
 .
(b)
United States Naval Academy
 Chapter 853  of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after  section 8468  the following new section:
8468a.
Congressional communications official
(a)
Appointment
The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of the Navy, shall appoint a civilian employee of the Department of the Navy to serve as the congressional communications official of the Board of Visitors under section 7455 of this title.
(b)
Duties
(1)
The congressional communications official shall communicate directly with a Member of Congress, congressional defense committee, or covered congressional employee regarding the activities of such Board of Visitors.
(2)
The Secretary of Defense may not require the congressional communications official to obtain approval, clearance, or review of a communication under paragraph (1) before submitting such communication to a Member of Congress, congressional defense committee, or covered congressional employee.
(c)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  covered congressional employee  means an employee of a Member of Congress, or of a congressional defense committee, without regard to—
(A)
whether such employee serves on a full-time or part-time basis; or
(B)
where such employee so serves.
(2)
The term  Member of Congress  has the meaning given such term in section 1563 of this title.
 .
(c)
United States Air Force Academy
 Chapter 953  of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after  section 9455  the following new section:
9455a.
Congressional communications official
(a)
Appointment
The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of the Air Force, shall appoint a civilian employee of the Department of the Air Force to serve as the congressional communications official of the Board of Visitors under section 9455 of this title.
(b)
Duties
(1)
The congressional communications official shall communicate directly with a Member of Congress, congressional defense committee, or covered congressional employee regarding the activities of such Board of Visitors.
(2)
The Secretary of Defense may not require the congressional communications official to obtain approval, clearance, or review of a communication under paragraph (1) before submitting such communication to a Member of Congress, congressional defense committee, or covered congressional employee.
(c)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  covered congressional employee  means an employee of a Member of Congress, or of a congressional defense committee, without regard to—
(A)
whether such employee serves on a full-time or part-time basis; or
(B)
where such employee so serves.
(2)
The term  Member of Congress  has the meaning given such term in section 1563 of this title.
 .
527.
Revision to decision timeframe for expedited transfers at the military service academies
(a)
United States Military Academy
Section 7461(e) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking  72 hours  each place it appears and inserting  five days .
(b)
United States Naval Academy
Section 8480(e) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking  72 hours  each place it appears and inserting  five days .
(c)
United States Air Force Academy
Section 9461(e) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking  72 hours  each place it appears and inserting  five days .
528.
Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps instructor pay
(a)
Non-foreign area COLA
Not later than July 1, 2027, the Secretary of Defense shall revise the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Standardized Instructor Pay Scale to increase the otherwise applicable minimum instructor pay for instructors located outside of the continental United States or in Alaska by the amount of the non-foreign area cost-of-living allowance rate pursuant to section 5941 of title 5, United States Code, or the post allowance rate pursuant to section 5924 of title 5, United States Code, as appropriate for the area in which the instructor is located and as would be applicable if the instructor were an employee eligible for such allowance.
(b)
Report
Not later than April 1, 2027, the Secretary of Defense shall complete an analysis of the impact of the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Standardized Instructor Pay Scale on recruitment and retention of Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps instructors and submit to the congressional defense committees a report containing such analysis. Such report shall include—
(1)
the total number of authorized Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps instructor positions, disaggregated by Armed Force, as of—
(A)
January 31, 2027;
(B)
January 31, 2026; and
(C)
January 31, 2025;
(2)
the total number of such instructor positions, disaggregated by Armed Force, that were vacant as of each of the dates specified in paragraph (1);
(3)
a description of the efforts of the Department of Defense to fill such instructor positions; and
(4)
any recommendations of the Secretary to address issues identified in such analysis.
529.
Establishment of program to promote participation of foreign students in the Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps
(a)
Establishment
(1)
In general
Not later than January 1, 2028, the Secretary of Defense shall establish a program using the authority provided under section 2103(b) of title 10, United States Code, to promote the participation of foreign students in the Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (in this section referred to as the  Program ).
(2)
Organization
The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the Secretaries of the military departments, the commanders of the combatant commands, the participant institutions in the Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps program, and any other individual the Secretary of Defense considers appropriate, shall be responsible for, and shall oversee, the Program.
(b)
Objective
The objective of the Program is to promote the readiness and interoperability of the United States Armed Forces and the military forces of partner countries by providing a high-quality, cost effective military-based educational experience for foreign students in furtherance of the military-to-military program objectives of the Department of Defense and to enhance the educational experience and preparation of future United States military leaders through increased, extended interaction with highly qualified potential foreign military leaders.
(c)
Activities
(1)
In general
Under the Program, the Secretary of Defense shall—
(A)
identify to the military services’ Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps program the foreign students who, based on criteria established by the Secretary, the Secretary recommends be considered for admission under the Program;
(B)
coordinate with partner countries to evaluate interest in and promote awareness of the Program;
(C)
establish a mechanism for tracking an alumni network of foreign students who participate in the Program; and
(D)
to the extent practicable, work with the participant institutions in the Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps program and partner countries to identify academic institutions and programs that—
(i)
have specialized academic programs in areas of study of interest to participating countries; or
(ii)
have high participation from or significant diaspora populations from participating countries.
(d)
Strategy
(1)
In general
Not later than September 30, 2027, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives a strategy for the implementation of the Program.
(2)
Elements
The strategy required by paragraph (1) shall include the following elements:
(A)
A governance structure for the Program, including—
(i)
the officials tasked to oversee the Program;
(ii)
the format of the governing body of the Program;
(iii)
the functions and duties of such governing body with respect to establishing and maintaining the Program; and
(iv)
mechanisms for coordinating with partner countries whose students are selected to participate in the Program.
(B)
A list of additional authorities, appropriations, or other congressional support necessary to ensure the success of the Program.
(C)
A description of targeted partner countries and participant institutions in the Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps for the first three fiscal years of the Program, including a rationale for selecting such initial partners.
(D)
A description of opportunities and potential timelines for future Program expansion, as appropriate.
(E)
A description of the mechanism for tracking the alumni network of participants of the Program.
(F)
Any other information the Secretary of Defense considers appropriate.
(e)
Report
(1)
In general
Not later than September 20, 2028, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees (as that term is defined in section 101 of title 10, United States Code) a report on the Program.
(2)
Elements
Each report required by paragraph (1) shall include the following elements:
(A)
A narrative summary of activities conducted as part of the Program during the preceding fiscal year.
(B)
An overview of participant Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps programs, individuals, and countries, to include a description of the areas of study entered into by the students participating in the Program.
(C)
A description of opportunities and potential timelines for future Program expansion, as appropriate.
(D)
Any other information the Secretary of Defense considers appropriate.
(f)
Limitation on authority
The Secretary of Defense may not use the authority provided under this section to pay for tuition or room and board for foreign students who participate in the Program.
(g)
Termination
The Program shall terminate on December 31, 2032.
529A.
Establishment of the Military Service Academy Panel on Athletics
(a)
Establishment
The Secretary of Defense shall establish within the Department of Defense a panel to be known as the  Military Service Academy Panel on Athletics  (referred to in this section as the  Panel ).
(b)
Review
The Panel shall conduct a comprehensive review and analysis of the effects of the following on athletics at the Service Academies:
(1)
Rules of the NCAA regarding the compensation of a collegiate athlete for use of the name, image, and likeness of such athlete.
(2)
The transfer portal of the NCAA.
(c)
Report
(1)
Report required
Not later than December 31, 2027, the Panel shall submit to the congressional defense committees a written report regarding the review under subsection (b).
(2)
Elements
The report shall include the following elements:
(A)
The evaluation of the Panel of the effects described in subsection (b) on the recruitment, retention, and military readiness of cadets and midshipmen at the Service Academies who are collegiate athletes.
(B)
The legal and ethical implications identified by the Panel, including with regards to the Uniform Code of Military Justice and regulations of the Department, of receipt of compensation described in subsection (b) by a member of a covered Armed Force on active duty or a cadet or midshipman subject to a commissioned service obligation.
(C)
The effect of the transfer portal on the rosters and cohesion of athletic teams at the Service Academies, given the unique attrition challenges faced by the Service Academies.
(3)
Publication
The Secretary shall publish the report on a publicly accessible website of the Department. The report—
(A)
shall be in unclassified form; and
(B)
may not contain any personally identifiable information of a cadet, midshipman, or member of a covered Armed Force.
(d)
Termination
The Panel shall terminate upon submission of the report under subsection (c).
(e)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  commissioned service obligation  has the meaning given such term in section 7448, 8459, or 9448 of title 10, United States Code, as applicable.
(2)
The term  covered Armed Force  means the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space Force.
(3)
The term  NCAA  means the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
(4)
The term  Service Academy  has the meaning given such term in section 347 of title 10, United States Code.
529B.
Limitation on authority to eliminate the 70th Flying Training Squadron of the United States Air Force Academy
(a)
Limitation
The Secretary of the Air Force may not perform a covered action regarding the 70th Flying Training Squadron of the USAFA until the earlier of the following:
(1)
October 1, 2031.
(2)
The day that is 90 days after the day that the Secretary submits, to the congressional defense committees and the Board of Visitors to USAFA, a report described in subsection (b).
(b)
Report
A report described in this subsection is a report on covered action regarding the 70th Flying Training Squadron of USAFA. Such a report includes the following elements:
(1)
An assessment of the effect of such covered action on the capacity to train cadets at USAFA, including the number of cadets so affected annually.
(2)
A plan to maintain capacity described in paragraph (1) provided by the 70th Flying Training Squadron, including the retention of advanced mission sets, simulator training, and evaluator pilot functions.
(3)
An analysis of alternatives to such covered action, including the reallocation of chronically vacant billets within Air Force Reserve Command.
(4)
An assessment of the cost differential between continued operation of the 70th Flying Training Squadron and replacement of its functions by active-duty personnel.
(5)
A plan to preserve the institutional knowledge and instructional capacity currently provided by aviators assigned to the 70th Flying Training Squadron.
(c)
Plan required
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a plan to sustain the 70th Flying Training Squadron until the earlier day under subsection (a).
(d)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  covered action  includes eliminating, deactivating, defunding, reducing the number of personnel, and reducing the number of aircraft.
(2)
The term  USAFA  means the United States Air Force Academy.
529C.
Modifications to payment of tuition for off-duty training or education
(a)
Authority
Section 2007 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in the heading, by inserting
and institution fees   after
tuition  ;
(2)
in subsection (a), by striking  tuition or expenses  and inserting  tuition, expenses, or institution fees ; and
(3)
in subsection (c), by striking  tuition or expenses  each place it appears and inserting  tuition, expenses, or institution fees .
(b)
Increase in per-semester hour cap
The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe regulations increasing the limit on tuition assistance per-semester-hour under section 2007 of title 10, United States Code, to $350.
(c)
Annual report
Section 2007 of title 10, United States Code, is further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
(h)
The Secretary of Defense shall annually submit to the congressional defense committees a report on outcomes related to off-duty and voluntary education and training for members of the armed forces. Such report shall include—
(1)
the amount of funds used to provide such education and training;
(2)
the number of members of the armed forces receiving assistance with such education and training sections 2005, 2006a, and 2007 of this title;
(3)
an analysis of the compliance of the use of such funds with the requirements of sections 2005, 2006a, and 2007 of this title;
(4)
an analysis of the relationship between the use of funds to provide such education and training to members and the educational attainment, retention, mission readiness, and transition readiness of such members and the recruitment of new members; and
(5)
an analysis of the potential severing of an annual limit per member on the provision of such funds and a per-semester-hour limit.
  .
529D.
Update of guidance and evaluation of Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps instructor pay scale
(a)
Update of guidance
Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretaries concerned (as that term is defined in section 101(a)(9) of title 10, United States Code), shall update Department of Defense guidance governing the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) program to include—
(1)
an evaluation plan to assess the effects of the JROTC Standardized Instructor Pay Scale (JSIPS), or any successor pay system, on recruitment and retention of JROTC instructors; and
(2)
standardized metrics for measuring JROTC instructor recruiting outcomes and retention rates across the military services.
(b)
Required metrics
The evaluation plan required under subsection (a) shall include, at a minimum, metrics relating to—
(1)
instructor vacancy rates and time-to-hire;
(2)
retention rates and length of service;
(3)
geographic variation in recruiting and retention outcomes, including high-cost-of-living areas, rural, urban, and geographically isolated locations;
(4)
comparisons between outcomes under the legacy pay system and the JSIPS;
(5)
the identification of recruiting efforts used to attract instructor applicants, including data on how applicants learned about available instructor positions;
(6)
the number of applicants who begin, complete, or withdraw from the instructor hiring process, including the interview and background investigation stages;
(7)
the number of applicants who accept or decline instructor position offers, including to the extent practicable, information on the reasons offers were declined; and
(8)
any other matters the Secretary determines appropriate.
(c)
Report to Congress
Not later than one year after the issuance of the updated guidance under subsection (a), and annually thereafter for two years, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives a report that includes—
(1)
a description of the updated guidance and implementation status;
(2)
baseline data and metrics collected using the metrics developed under subsection (a);
(3)
an assessment of the effects of the pay scale on recruitment and retention; and
(4)
any recommendations for legislative or administrative action.
529E.
Expansion of personalized financial and housing counseling for members of the Armed Forces
(a)
In general
Section 992 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a)(1)—
(A)
by redesignating subparagraphs (D) and (E) as subparagraphs (E) and (F), respectively; and
(B)
by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following new subparagraph:
(D)
practices relating to financial management, home buying and selling, renting during changing permanent station, rental planning, home loans available through the programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and other financial services that are routinely offered to private sector home loans;
 ;
(2)
by redesignating subsection (d) through (f) as subsections (e) through (g), respectively; and
(3)
by inserting after subsection (c) the following new subsection:
(d)
Individualized financial and housing counseling
(1)
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this subsection, the Secretary of Defense shall establish a program in accordance with this section and Department of Defense Instruction 1322.34, or any successor guidance, to provide one-on-one counseling tailored to the needs of each member of the armed forces on the following topics:
(A)
Credit management.
(B)
Budgeting.
(C)
Anti-predatory lending practices.
(D)
Changes of permanent station and rental planning.
(E)
Home loans available through the programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(F)
Protections under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act ( 50 U.S.C. 3901 et seq. ) and section 987 of this title.
(2)
For the purposes of carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall seek to enter an agreement with a counseling service organization that—
(A)
is a HUD-approved counseling agency (as defined in section 106(h) of the House and Urban Development Act of 1968 ( 12 U.S.C. 1701x(h) ));
(B)
is organized as a tax-exempt entity under  section 501(c)(19)  of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, defined by the Internal Revenue Service as a Veteran Service Organization serving the military-connected community;
(C)
has expertise in financial literacy, housing stability, and home loan benefits for veterans; and
(D)
is capable of developing, administering, maintaining, and providing specialized training and certification for HUD-Certified Housing Counselors serving members of the armed forces, veterans, and their families.
 .
(b)
Regulations
The Secretary of Defense may prescribe such regulations as are necessary to carry out the amendments made by subsection (a).
(c)
Report
Not later than 2 years after the date on which the services required under subsection (d) of section section 992 of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), are established, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the implementation of such services, including—
(1)
the number of members of the Armed Forces who received counseling for housing stability, home loan benefits for veterans, or rental planning;
(2)
the rate of completion of the counseling services offered under the pilot program; and
(3)
indicators of financial stress and housing instability for members of the Armed Forces participating in the pilot program and any metrics for mitigating risks to the members participating.
529F.
Strategy to improve academic outcomes at the United States Air Force Academy
Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy shall submit to the congressional defense committees and the Chairman of the Board of Visitors of the Academy a report containing a strategy to improve academic outcomes at the Academy. Such report shall include—
(1)
an assessment of the Cadet Honor Code and any recommendations of the Superintendent to update the Cadet Honor Code to address artificial intelligence, large language models, and other emerging technology;
(2)
an assessment of the effects of banning the use of mobile phones, smart watches, and other internet-connected devices in academic settings, including a review of publicly available data and outcomes from academic institutions other than military service academies that have implemented such a ban; and
(3)
any other policies or modifications to methods of instruction that the Superintendent considers appropriate to improve academic outcomes in support of the Air Force Core Values of  Integrity First. Service Before Self. Excellence in All We Do .
D
Member Education
531.
Establishment of a doctor of psychology program and a master of social work program at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
(a)
In general
Section 2113 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
(h)
Establishment of a doctor of psychology program and a master of social work program
(1)
The Secretary shall establish at the University a doctor of psychology program and a master of social work program.
(2)
A doctor of philosophy in clinical psychology shall not be considered to satisfy the requirement of paragraph (1).
 .
(b)
Establishment date
The Secretary shall establish the programs required by subsection (h) of section 2113 of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), not later than five years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(c)
Report
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the programs required by subsection (h) of section 2113 of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), including—
(1)
the estimated date of matriculation for the first class of students for each such program;
(2)
the estimated graduation date for the first class from each such program;
(3)
the expected class size of each such program during the 10-year period following the submission of the report;
(4)
the estimated number of faculty needed to operate each such program during the 10-year period following the submission of the report;
(5)
an estimate of facilities needs for each such program; and
(6)
the estimated cost to establish and operate each such program during the 10-year period following the submission of the report, categorized by—
(A)
personnel;
(B)
facilities; and
(C)
other costs, as determined by the Secretary.
532.
Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship and Financial Assistance program: eligible institutions; continuity of payments
Section 2127 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsections:
(f)
The Secretary of Defense shall consider an accredited civilian educational institution eligible for a payment, contract, or determination under this section unless the Secretary determines that the accreditation of such institution is under review for potential adverse action.
(g)
(1)
The Secretary of Defense may cease payments described in paragraph (2) only if—
(A)
the Secretary makes a determination described in subsection (f); or
(B)
the member of the program is dropped from the program as described in subsection (c) of section 2123 of this title.
(2)
Payments described in this paragraph are payments—
(A)
under this section;
(B)
to an accredited civilian educational institution;
(C)
for educational expenses of a member of the program; and
(D)
incurred in the course of study of such member of the program.
 .
533.
Inclusion of National Intelligence College as part of the National Defense University
Section 2165(b) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
by redesignating paragraph (7) as paragraph (8); and
(2)
by inserting after paragraph (6) the following new paragraph:
(7)
The National Intelligence College.
 .
534.
Defense Information School: authority to grant associate’s degree in communications
(a)
Authority
 Chapter 108  of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
2169a
Defense Information School: degree of associate of arts
(a)
Degree granting authority
Pursuant to regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, the Commandant of the Defense Information School may confer upon a student of the Defense Information School an associate of arts degree in communications.
(b)
Limitation
A degree may be conferred upon a student under this section only after the Provost of the Defense Information School certifies to the Commandant that the student has satisfied all the requirements prescribed for the degree.
 .
(b)
Reporting
(1)
Report required
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, subject to termination under paragraph (3), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report regarding the implementation of section 2169a of such title, as added by subsection (a).
(2)
Elements
A report under this subsection shall include the plan and timeline of the Secretary to carry out such implementation.
(3)
Termination
The report under this subsection shall terminate on the day that the Commandant of the Defense Information School first confers a degree under such section.
535.
Eligibility of an enlisted member to receive a degree from the Naval Postgraduate School
Section 8545 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking subsection (d).
536.
Redesignation of Dean of the Faculty of United States Air Force Academy as Provost and Dean of the Faculty
 Chapter 953  of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in section 9431(b)(2), by striking  Dean of the Faculty  and inserting  Provost and Dean of the Faculty ; and
(2)
in section 9435—
(A)
in the heading, by inserting
Provost and   before
Dean  ;
(B)
in subsection (a)—
(i)
in the first sentence, by striking  Dean of the Faculty  and inserting  Provost and Dean of the Faculty ; and
(ii)
by striking  the Dean  each place it appears in the second and third sentences and inserting  the Provost and Dean ; and
(C)
in subsection (b), by striking  Dean of the Faculty  and inserting  Provost and Dean of the Faculty .
537.
Joint Special Operations University
 Chapter 108  of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after  section 2165  the following new section:
2166.
Joint Special Operations University
(a)
Establishment
There is a Joint Special Operations University in the Department of Defense.
(b)
Functions
The Joint Special Operations University shall—
(1)
provide relevant joint special operation-peculiar education programs that strengthen the impact of special operations on the armed forces and the United States;
(2)
provide joint special operation-peculiar staff education and development programs tailored to the needs of joint special operations forces headquarters and commanders;
(3)
provide education and academic enabling programs required for special operations mission and activities for which no solution exists in an armed force to address critical special operations knowledge gaps;
(4)
provide accredited graduate-level programs, professional military education, and specialized short courses for special operations forces of the armed forces and associated personnel;
(5)
conduct and coordinate research and analysis on the full range of special operations activities to inform Department of Defense policy and strategy;
(6)
serve as a hub for collaboration with academic institutions, allied countries, and interagency partners to advance special operations capabilities;
(7)
provide outreach and education to enhance understanding of special operations roles within the Department of Defense and the Federal Government; and
(8)
provide input to service and joint professional military education institutions to ensure special operations capabilities and activities are incorporated into curricula and courses.
(c)
Administration
(1)
Subject to the authority, direction, and control of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, the Commander of United States Special Operations Command shall oversee the Joint Special Operations University.
(2)
The Commander of United States Special Operations Command shall appoint a President of the Joint Special Operations University, who shall be a senior officer of the armed forces or a civilian with expertise in special operations and education, to manage the operations and academic programs of the Joint Special Operations University.
 .
E
Military Justice
541.
Clarification of qualifications for judge advocates
Section 806(a)(1)(B) of title 10, United States Code (article 6(a)(1)(B) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amended by striking  license status that provides current eligibility to actively practice law before such court  and inserting  license status, in good standing, that provides eligibility to practice law .
542.
Authority of special trial counsel to enter into pretrial agreements with respect to certain offenses
Section 824a(c) of title 10, United States Code (article 24a(c) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (3)—
(A)
in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking  paragraph (5)  and inserting  paragraphs (4) and (6) ; and
(B)
in subparagraph (C), by inserting  or pretrial agreement  after  plea agreement ;
(2)
by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as paragraphs (5) and (6), respectively; and
(3)
by inserting after paragraph (3) the following new paragraph:
(4)
Pretrial agreements
If a special trial counsel exercises authority pursuant to subsection (d) over an offense that occurred before January 1, 2019, the special trial counsel may enter into a pretrial agreement with the accused in accordance with regulations prescribed by the President. Upon acceptance of such an agreement by the military judge of a general or special court-martial, the agreement shall bind the parties and the convening authority.
 .
543.
Clarifying amendment to completion of appellate review under article 57 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice
Section 857(c) of title 10, United States Code (article 57(c) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amended—
(1)
by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3);
(2)
in paragraph (1)(B), by striking  Appeals and—  and all that follows and inserting  Appeals and the review and time requirements described in paragraph (2) are satisfied. ; and
(3)
by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new paragraph:
(2)
Review and time requirements
The review and time requirements referred to in paragraph (1)(B) are satisfied if any of the following applies:
(A)
The time for the accused to file a petition for review by the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces has expired and the accused has not filed a petition for such review in a timely manner and the case is not otherwise under review by that Court.
(B)
A petition for review by the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces is withdrawn by the accused.
(C)
In the case of a petition for review by the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces that has been timely filed and not withdrawn, the petition—
(i)
(I)
is denied or otherwise rejected by the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces; or
(II)
the review requested by the petition is completed in accordance with the judgment of the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces; and
(ii)
with respect to subsequent review by the Supreme Court—
(I)
a petition for a writ of certiorari as provided in section 1259 of title 28 is not filed within the time limits prescribed by the Supreme Court;
(II)
such a petition for a writ of certiorari is rejected by the Supreme Court;
(III)
such a petition for a writ of certiorari is withdrawn by the petitioner; or
(IV)
review is otherwise completed in accordance with the judgment of the Supreme Court.
 .
544.
Review of courts-martial records
(a)
Review when direct appeal is waived, withdrawn, or not filed
Section 865(d) of title 10, United States Code (article 65(d) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amended—
(1)
by striking paragraph (2);
(2)
by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (2); and
(3)
in paragraph (2), as so redesignated—
(A)
in subparagraph (A)(ii), by striking  subparagraph (A), (B), or (C)  and inserting  subparagraph (A) or (B) ; and
(B)
in subparagraph (B), by striking  conclusions  and all that follows and inserting
a conclusion on each of the following matters:
(i)
Whether the court had jurisdiction over the accused and the offense.
(ii)
Whether the charge and specification stated an offense.
(iii)
Whether the sentence was within the limits prescribed as a matter of law.
 .
(b)
Technical correction
Section 869(c)(2) of title 10, United States Code (article 69(c)(2) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amended by striking  section 865(b) of this title (article 65(b))  and inserting  section 865(d) of this title (article 65(d)) .
545.
Uniform Code of Military Justice: prohibition of review of factual sufficiency in certain appeals before a Court of Criminal Appeals
Section 866 of title 10, United States Code (article 66 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amended in subsection (d)(1)(B)—
(1)
in clause (i)—
(A)
by striking
(i)   ;
(B)
by striking  may consider  and inserting  may not consider ; and
(C)
by striking  upon request of the accused if the accused makes a specific showing of a deficiency in proof ; and
(2)
by striking clauses (ii) and (iii).
546.
Clarification of court of criminal appeals review of sentencing
Section 866(e)(1) of title 10, United States Code (article 66(e)(1) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amended—
(1)
by amending subparagraph (B) to read as follows:
(B)
whether the portion of the sentence extending to confinement is inappropriately severe, except that in the case of an offense for which the President has established a sentencing parameter for such portion pursuant to section 539E(e) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022, the Court may not consider such portion inappropriately severe if such portion is at or below the upper range of such sentencing parameter;
 ; and
(2)
in subparagraph (C), by striking  the sentence  and inserting  the portion of the sentence extending to confinement .
547.
Expansion of victim access to Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces
(a)
Review by Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces
Section 867 of title 10, United States Code (article 67 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amended—
(1)
by redesignating subsections (c) through (e) as subsections (d) through (f), respectively; and
(2)
by inserting after subsection (b) the following new subsection:
(c)
(1)
The Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces may review all decisions taken by a Court of Criminal Appeals pursuant to a petition filed by a victim of an offense under this chapter under section 806b(e) of this title (article 6b(e)) and on good cause shown.
(3)
The victim of an offense under this chapter may petition the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces for review pursuant to paragraph (1) not later than 60 days after the earlier of—
(A)
the date on which the victim is notified of the decision of the Court of Criminal Appeals on a petition pursuant to section 806b(e) of this title (article 6b(e)); or
(B)
the date on which a copy of the decision of the Court of Criminal Appeals, after being served on counsel for the victim (if the victim has counsel), is deposited into the United States mails for delivery by first-class certified mail to the victim at an address provided by the victim or at the latest address listed for the victim in the record of any proceedings held pursuant to section 830a or 832 of this title (article 30a or 32) or during trial.
(4)
Review of any decision of a Court of Criminal Appeals on a petition for writ of mandamus described in section 806b(e) of this title (article 6b(e)) shall have priority in the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, as determined under the rules of the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.
 .
(b)
Conforming amendment
Section 806b(e)(3) of title 10, United States Code (article 6b(e)(3) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amended by striking subparagraph (C).
548.
Modifications to offense of wrongful broadcast or distribution of intimate visual images under the Uniform Code of Military Justice
Section 917a of title 10, United States Code (article 117a of the Uniform Code of Military Justice) is amended to read as follows:
917a. Art. 117a.
Wrongful broadcast, distribution, or publication of intimate visual images
(a)
Prohibition
Any person subject to this chapter who—
(1)
knowingly and wrongfully broadcasts, distributes, or publishes a covered image involving a person who—
(A)
is at least 18 years of age at the time the image was created;
(B)
is identifiable from the image, or from information displayed or provided in connection with the image;
(C)
did not consent to the broadcast, distribution, or publication of the image; and
(D)
did not, in a public or commercial setting, voluntarily—
(i)
display the private area depicted in the image; or
(ii)
engage in the sexually explicit conduct depicted in the image;
(2)
knowingly and wrongfully broadcasts, distributes, or publishes an authentic covered image and knows or reasonably should have known that the image was made under circumstances in which the identifiable individual in the image retained a reasonable expectation of privacy regarding any broadcast, distribution, or publication of the image; or
(3)
knowingly and wrongfully broadcasts, distributes, or publishes a covered image and knows or reasonably should have known that the broadcast, distribution, or publication of the covered image is likely—
(A)
to cause harm, harassment, intimidation, emotional distress, or financial loss for the identifiable individual in the image; or
(B)
to harm substantially the identifiable individual with respect to that person’s health, safety, business, calling, career, financial conduction, reputation, or personal relationships,
 is guilty of an offense under this section (article) and shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.
(b)
Definitions
In this section (article):
(1)
Authentic
The term  authentic , when used with respect to an image, means a visual image of an identifiable individual that accurately represents the individual, and has not been created, altered, manipulated, or generated through the use of machine learning or artificial intelligence in a manner that would cause a reasonable person to perceive the authentic visual image as anything other than a genuine, unmodified, or not digitally forged visual image.
(2)
Broadcast
The term  broadcast  means to electronically transmit a visual image with the intent that it be viewed by a person.
(3)
Covered image
The term  covered image  means an authentic or digitally forged visual image of—
(A)
the private area of a person; or
(B)
sexually explicit conduct involving a person.
(4)
Digitally forged
The term  digitally forged , when used with respect to an image, means any visual image of an identifiable individual created through the use of software, machine learning, artificial intelligence, or any other computer-generated or technological means, including by adapting, modifying, manipulating, or altering an authentic visual image, that, when viewed as a whole by a reasonable person, is indistinguishable from an authentic visual image of the individual and does not accurately reflect the original source or reality.
(5)
Distribute
The term  distribute  means to deliver to the actual or constructive possession of another person, including transmission by mail or electronic means.
(6)
Identifiable individual
The term  identifiable individual  means an individual whose face, likeness, other distinguishing characteristic (including a unique birthmark or other recognizable feature), or other personally identifiable information is displayed in connection with a covered image.
(7)
Private area
The term  private area  means the naked or underwear-clad genitalia, anus, buttocks, or female areola or nipple.
(8)
Publish
The term  publish  means to display, exhibit, present, or otherwise make a covered image available for viewing by another person in any medium without regard to whether such image is—
(A)
directly shown to another person; or
(B)
broadcast or distributed.
(9)
Reasonable expectation of privacy
The term  reasonable expectation of privacy  means circumstances in which a reasonable person would believe that a private area of the person, or sexually explicit conduct involving the person, would not be visible to the public.
(10)
Sexually explicit conduct
The term  sexually explicit conduct  means actual or simulated—
(A)
genital-genital contact, oral-genital contact, anal-genital contact, oral-anal contact, or the transfer of bodily sexual fluids on to any part of the body of an identifiable individual, whether between persons of the same or opposite sex;
(B)
bestiality;
(C)
masturbation; or
(D)
sadistic or masochistic abuse.
(11)
Visual image
The term  visual image  means—
(A)
any developed or undeveloped photograph, picture, film, or video;
(B)
any digital or computer image, picture, film, or video made by any means, including those transmitted by any means, even if not stored in a permanent format;
(C)
any digital or electronic data capable of conversion into a visual image; or
(D)
any visual image that is digitally forged.
 .
549.
Authorization of death penalty for offense of rape of a child under the Uniform Code of Military Justice
Section 920b(a) of title 10, United States Code (article 120b(a) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amended by inserting  by death, or such other punishment  after  shall be punished .
549A.
Punitive article on retaliation for reporting of sexual harassment under the Uniform Code of Military Justice
(a)
In general
Subchapter X of  chapter 47  of title 10, United States Code (the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amended by inserting after section 932 (article 132) the following new section (article):
932a. Art. 132a.
Retaliation for reporting of sexual harassment
(a)
In general
Any person subject to this chapter who, with the intent to retaliate against any person for reporting or planning to report sexual harassment or with the intent to discourage any person from reporting sexual harassment—
(1)
wrongfully takes or threatens to take an adverse personnel action against any person; or
(2)
wrongfully withholds or threatens to withhold a favorable personnel action with respect to any person;
 shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.
(b)
Sexual harassment defined
In this section, the term  sexual harassment  has the meaning given that term in section 1561 of this title.
 .
(b)
Conforming amendment
The heading of section 932 of title 10, United States Code (article 132 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice) is amended by striking
Retaliation   and inserting
Retaliation generally  .
549B.
Revision of Department of Defense Instruction regarding early release eligibility for offenders convicted of certain sexual offenses under the Uniform Code of Military Justice
(a)
Revision required
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall revise Department of Defense Instruction 1325.07, or any successor instruction, to provide that an individual serving a sentence of confinement imposed pursuant to a conviction by a general or special court-martial for an offense described in subsection (b) is ineligible for any reduction in the term of confinement based on good-conduct time.
(b)
Covered offenses
An individual is ineligible for any reduction in the term of confinement based on good-conduct time as described in subsection (a) if the individual is serving a sentence for a conviction under—
(1)
section 920 of title 10, United States Code (article 120 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), relating to rape and sexual assault;
(2)
section 920b of title 10, United States Code (article 120b of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), relating to rape and sexual assault of a child;
(3)
section 920c of title 10, United States Code (article 120c of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), relating to abusive sexual contact;
(4)
section 918 of title 10, United States Code (article 118 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), relating to murder, if the offense was committed in the course of conduct involving a sexual act or sexual contact as defined in section 920 of that title (article 120);
(5)
section 919 of title 10, United States Code (article 119 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), relating to manslaughter, if the offense was committed in the course of conduct involving a sexual act or sexual contact as defined in section 920 of that title (article 120);
(6)
section 925 of title 10, United States Code (article 125 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), relating to kidnapping, if the victim was a minor;
(7)
section 928 of title 10, United States Code (article 128 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), relating to assault, if the offense involved a sexual act or sexual contact as defined in section 920 of that title (article 120);
(8)
section 930 of title 10, United States Code (article 130 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), relating to stalking, if the offense involved a sexual motive or the victim was a minor;
(9)
section 934 of title 10, United States Code (article 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), relating to indecent conduct or indecent acts with another person;
(10)
section 934 of title 10, United States Code (article 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), relating to the possession, distribution, or production of child pornography;
(11)
section 880 of title 10, United States Code (article 80 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), relating to attempts, if the offense attempted is an offense described in paragraphs (1) through (10) of this subsection; or
(12)
section 881 of title 10, United States Code (article 81 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), relating to conspiracy, if the offense that is the object of the conspiracy is an offense described in paragraphs (1) through (10) of this subsection.
(c)
Applicability
The revision required by subsection (a) shall apply to sentences imposed after the date on which the revision takes effect. Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect a sentence imposed before the effective date of such revision.
(d)
Preservation of victim rights
Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the rights of a victim under section 806b of title 10, United States Code (article 6b of the Uniform Code of Military Justice). The Secretary of the military department concerned shall ensure that a victim retains the right to be reasonably heard at any clemency proceeding conducted outside the standard annual review cycle with respect to an individual described in subsection (a).
(e)
Certification
Not later than 30 days after completing the revision required by subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall certify to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives that Department of Defense Instruction 1325.07 has been revised in accordance with this section.
549C.
Notification required to implement changes to military legal system recommended by Special Review Panel activities
(a)
Prohibition
The Secretary of Defense may not implement a recommendation of the Special Review Panel until a period of 180 days has elapsed following the date on which the Secretary submits to the congressional defense committees all documentation required under subsection (b).
(b)
Documentation required
(1)
In general
The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees all recommendations and analysis delivered by the Special Review Panel to the Secretary of Defense.
(2)
Timing of submissions
(A)
Any documentation described in paragraph (1) that was delivered to the Secretary of Defense before the date of the enactment of this Act, shall be submitted to the congressional defense committees not later than 30 days after such date of enactment.
(B)
Any documentation described in paragraph (1) that is delivered to the Secretary of Defense on or after the date of the enactment of this Act, shall be submitted to the congressional defense committees not later than five days after the date of delivery to the Secretary.
(c)
Special Review Panel defined
In this section, the term  Special Review Panel  means the Special Review Panel established pursuant to the memorandum of the Secretary of Defense dated May 8, 2026, titled  Departmental Review of the Military Legal System and Its Impact on Service Members .
549D.
Analysis of potential establishment of separate punitive article on hazing under the Uniform Code of Military Justice
(a)
Analysis required
The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Joint Service Committee on Military Justice, shall analyze the feasibility and advisability of, and develop recommendations with respect to, modifying  chapter 47  of title 10, United States Code (the Uniform Code of Military Justice), to establish a separate punitive article on hazing. As part of such analysis, the Secretary shall develop a proposed definition of the term  hazing  for purposes of such article.
(b)
Report
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 the results of the analysis under subsection (a).
F
Investigations and Other Legal Matters
551.
Extension of Special Victims’ Counsel services to domestic violence victims
(a)
Amendments
Section 1044e of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in the section heading, by inserting
domestic violence and   before
sex-related offenses  ;
(2)
by inserting  domestic violence or  before  sex-related offense  each place it appears;
(3)
in subsection (b)(3), by striking  domestic abuse advocate  and inserting  domestic abuse victim advocate ;
(4)
in subsection (f)(1), by inserting  domestic abuse victim advocate,  after  healthcare provider, ; and
(5)
in subsection (h)—
(A)
in the subsection heading, by inserting
domestic violence or   before
sex-related offense  ; and
(B)
in paragraph (1), by striking  or 930 of this title (article 120, 120b, 120c,  and inserting  928b, or 930 of this title (article 120, 120b, 120c, 128b, .
(b)
Effective date
The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect two years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(c)
Briefing
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a briefing on the implementation of policies and procedures to carry out the changes required pursuant to subsection (a).
552.
Policies regarding the reporting of missing members of the Armed Forces
(a)
Policies required
 Chapter 80  of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section.
1568.
Policies regarding the reporting of missing members of the Armed Forces
The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe policies for the Department of Defense that establish minimum standards with respect to reporting the discovery that a member of the armed forces is missing. Such policies shall include—
(1)
standards for the categorization of absences of members of the armed forces;
(2)
a requirement that the appropriate military criminal investigative organization be notified not later than three hours after a member of the armed forces is discovered to be missing; and
(3)
a requirement that the primary next of kin of the member (as defined in section 1513 of this title) be notified not later than eight hours after a member of the armed forces is discovered to be missing.
 .
(b)
Implementation
The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe policies required by section 1568 of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a) of this section, not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
553.
Authority of Naval Criminal Investigative Service to investigate sexual harassment
 Chapter 871  of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
8750a.
Naval Criminal Investigative Service: authority to investigate sexual harassment.
(a)
In general
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service shall be the entity within the Department of the Navy with the sole and exclusive authority to conduct investigations of alleged sexual harassment by members of the Navy or Marine Corps.
(b)
Sexual harassment defined
In this section, the term  sexual harassment  means conduct that constitutes the offense of sexual harassment as punishable under section 934 of this title (article 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice) pursuant to the regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense for purposes of such section (article).
 .
554.
Cross-service data sharing regarding substantiated allegations of sexual misconduct
The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretaries of the military departments, shall establish a data sharing arrangement pursuant to which each Armed Force shall be required to collect and make available to the other Armed Forces data concerning substantiated allegations of sexual misconduct by members of that Armed Force.
555.
Inclusion of sexual harassment in Catch a Serial Offender program
(a)
Participation and notice
Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall—
(1)
modify the policies, procedures, and forms necessary to permit individuals who are members of the Armed Forces, adult dependents of such members, or employees of the Department of Defense to participate in the Catch a Serial Offender Program of the Department of Defense if the individual submits a confidential complaint or report of sexual harassment or an unrestricted report or informal complaint of sexual harassment without disclosing the name of the subject to a military criminal investigative organization; and
(2)
such individuals are notified of whether such individuals may participate in the Catch A Serial Offender Program when submitting a confidential complaint or report of sexual harassment or an unrestricted report or informal complaint of sexual harassment.
(b)
Applicability to existing reports
The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that individuals who submitted a confidential complaint or report of sexual harassment or an unrestricted report or informal complaint of sexual harassment before the effective date of the modifications to policies, procedures, and forms in accordance with subsection (a)(1)—
(1)
are eligibility to participate in the Catch a Serial Offender Program in the same manner and under the same conditions as an individual who submits such a complaint or report after such effective date; and
(2)
are notified of such eligibility.
556.
Military domestic violence emergent housing policy
(a)
In general
The Secretary of Defense shall establish and implement a policy under which unit level commanders in the covered Armed Forces, in response to domestic violence reports or complaints, shall be required to—
(1)
move alleged offenders into military housing separate from the victim; and
(2)
maintain emergent housing entitlements to basic allowance for housing or military housing units in support of domestic violence victims for up to one year.
(b)
Amendment of DD Form 2873
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall amend the Military Protective Order form, DD Form 2873, to incorporate the changes implemented pursuant to this section.
(c)
Covered Armed Forces defined
In this section, the term  covered Armed Forces  means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force.
557.
Requirement for standardized policies and processes to ensure the timely review, documentation, and resolution of requests for military protective orders
(a)
In general
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating when not operating as a service in the Navy with respect the Coast Guard, shall establish standardized policies and processes to ensure the timely review, documentation, and resolution of requests for military protective orders submitted to commanding officers of the Armed Forces.
(b)
Purposes
The purposes of this section are—
(1)
to ensure prompt, consistent, and transparent decision making regarding requests for military protective orders;
(2)
to enhance the safety of individuals affected by such orders; and
(3)
to improve accountability in command actions related to such orders.
(c)
Requirements
In establishing the policies and processes under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall—
(1)
require that any commanding officer of the Armed Forces who receives a request for a military protective order from an individual who is eligible to request such order—
(A)
make a determination as to whether to issue such order not later than three calendar days after receipt of the request, unless the officer certifies to the Secretary that extraordinary circumstances prevent the officer from meeting that deadline;
(B)
before making such determination, seek counsel and legal review from a Staff Judge Advocate or other qualified judge advocate to inform the decision-making process; and
(C)
in the event the commander denies the request for a military protective order, provide written notification of such denial to the individual who requested the order not later than two calendar days after making the denial decision;
(2)
update Department of Defense Form 2873 (or any successor form) to reflect enhanced documentation requirements for approved and denied military protective order requests; and
(3)
require that such form be completed, maintained, and retained in accordance with applicable records management and privacy policies of the Department of Defense.
(d)
Implementation plan
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees, and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate with respect to the Coast Guard, a report that includes—
(1)
a summary of the standardized policies and processes established under subsection (a);
(2)
a plan for the implementation of such policies and processes; and
(3)
a description of—
(A)
any revisions to Department of Defense Form 2873 and other changes to documentation procedures made as result of such policies and process; and
(B)
measures that will be implemented to ensure compliance with decision-making timelines and legal guidance requirements specified in subsection (c).
(e)
Oversight and reporting
Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for seven years, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees, and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate with respect to the Coast Guard, a report that includes, with respect to the year preceding the date of the report—
(1)
the number of military protective order requests received by commanding officers of the Armed Forces;
(2)
the number of military protective order requests that were approved and denied;
(3)
the average processing times for such approvals and denials; and
(4)
a description of any barriers to the timely review, documentation, and resolution of requests for military protective orders.
558.
Reestablishment of Defense Advisory Committee for the Prevention of Sexual Misconduct
(a)
Establishment required
(1)
In general
The Secretary of Defense shall establish and maintain within the Department of Defense an advisory committee to be known as the  Defense Advisory Committee for the Prevention of Sexual Misconduct  (in this section referred to as the  Advisory Committee ).
(2)
Deadline for establishment
The Secretary of Defense shall establish the Advisory Committee not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(b)
Membership
(1)
In general
The Advisory Committee shall consist of not more than 20 members, appointed by the Secretary of Defense from among individuals who have an expertise appropriate for the work of the Advisory Committee, including at least one individual with each expertise as follows:
(A)
Expertise in the prevention of sexual assault and behaviors on the sexual assault continuum of harm.
(B)
Expertise in adverse behaviors, including the prevention of suicide and the prevention of substance abuse.
(C)
Expertise in the change of culture of large organizations.
(D)
Expertise in implementation science.
(2)
Background of individuals
Individuals appointed to the Advisory Committee may include individuals with expertise in sexual assault prevention efforts of institutions of higher education, public health officials, and such other individuals as the Secretary of Defense considers appropriate.
(3)
Prohibition on membership of members of Armed Forces on active duty
A member of the Armed Forces serving on active duty may not serve as a member of the Advisory Committee.
(c)
Duties
(1)
In general
The Advisory Committee shall advise the Secretary of Defense on the following:
(A)
The prevention of sexual assault (including rape, forcible sodomy, other sexual assault, and other sexual misconduct (including behaviors on the sexual assault continuum of harm)) involving members of the Armed Forces.
(B)
The policies, programs, and practices of each military department, each Armed Force, and each military service academy for the prevention of sexual assault as described in subparagraph (A).
(2)
Basis for provision of advice
For purposes of providing advice to the Secretary of Defense pursuant to this subsection, the Advisory Committee shall review, on an ongoing basis, the following:
(A)
Closed cases involving allegations of sexual assault described in paragraph (1).
(B)
Efforts of institutions of higher education to prevent sexual assault among students.
(C)
Any other information or matters that the Advisory Committee or the Secretary considers appropriate.
(3)
Coordination of efforts
In addition to the reviews required by paragraph (2), for purposes of providing advice to the Secretary of Defense the Advisory Committee shall also consult and coordinate with the Defense Advisory Committee on Investigation, Prosecution, and Defense of Sexual Assault in the Armed Forces on matters of joint interest to the two Advisory Committees.
(d)
Annual report
Not later than March 30 each year, the Advisory Committee shall submit to the Secretary of Defense and the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the activities of the Advisory Committee pursuant to this section during the preceding year.
(e)
Sexual assault continuum of harm defined
In this section, the term  sexual assault continuum of harm  includes—
(1)
inappropriate actions (such as sexist jokes), sexual harassment, gender discrimination, hazing, cyber bullying, or other behavior that contributes to a culture that is tolerant of, or increases risk for, sexual assault; and
(2)
maltreatment or ostracism of a victim for a report of sexual misconduct.
(f)
Termination
(1)
In general
Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Advisory Committee shall terminate on the date that is five years after the date of the establishment of the Advisory Committee pursuant to subsection (a).
(2)
Continuation
The Secretary of Defense may continue the Advisory Committee after the termination date applicable under paragraph (1) if the Secretary determines that continuation of the Advisory Committee after that date is advisable and appropriate. If the Secretary determines to continue the Advisory Committee after that date, the Secretary shall notify the Committees on the Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives.
(g)
Conforming repeal
Section 550B of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 ( Public Law 116–92 ;  10 U.S.C. 1561  note) is repealed.
559.
Pilot program on use of advanced monitoring and rehabilitative technologies in Army correctional facilities
(a)
In general
Beginning not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Commanding General of the Army Corrections Command, shall carry out a pilot program (referred to in this section as the  Pilot Program ) to evaluate the use of advanced monitoring and rehabilitative technologies in Army correctional facilities to improve safety, accountability, rehabilitation outcomes, and operational efficiency.
(b)
Locations
The Secretary of the Army shall select one or more correctional facilities of the Army in which to implement the Pilot Program.
(c)
Additional requirements
In carrying out the Pilot Program, the Secretary of the Army shall—
(1)
ensure that personnel participating in the Program receive appropriate training;
(2)
establish safeguards to protect privacy and civil liberties; and
(3)
develop performance metrics to measure the effectiveness of the technologies evaluated under the Program in reducing misconduct, improving compliance, enhancing rehabilitation outcomes, and supporting reintegration efforts.
(d)
Reports
(1)
Initial report
Not later than one year after the date on which of the Pilot Program commences, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the congressional defense committees a initial report on the progress of the Program.
(2)
Final report
Not later than 30 days after the date on which the Pilot Program terminates under subsection (e), the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the congressional defense committees a final report on the Program.
(3)
Elements
Each of the reports under paragraphs (1) and (2) shall include—
(A)
an evaluation of the costs of the Program as of the date of the report, including the costs of the technologies evaluated under the Program;
(B)
any measurable outcomes achieved by the program as of such date;
(C)
recommendations as to whether any technologies evaluated under the Program are suitable for implementation across the Army Corrections Command; and
(D)
such other information as the Secretary of the Army determines appropriate.
(e)
Termination
The authority to carry out the Pilot Program shall terminate five years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(f)
Definition
In this section, the term  advanced monitoring and rehabilitative technologies  means emerging technologies appropriate for correctional environments such as secure digital platforms, biometric identification systems, data analytics, or other such technologies.
559A.
Establishment of Department of Defense automated victim notification system
(a)
Establishment
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall establish an automated notification system to ensure that a registered victim receives timely and accurate notification of each of the following:
(1)
Any proceeding of a service clemency and parole board relating to the offense, not later than 30 days before the date of such proceeding.
(2)
Any change in the confinement status of the offender, including release, transfer to a residential reentry center or halfway house, furlough, or escape.
(3)
Any grant of clemency or parole with respect to the offender.
(4)
The projected release date of the offender, not later than 60 days before such date, including notice of whether the offender has received good time credits for early release.
(b)
System requirements
In establishing the automated notification system required by subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall ensure the system incorporates the notification capabilities available in existing Federal and State automated victim notification platforms, including capabilities equivalent to those provided by the Department of Justice Victim Notification System and State-based Victim Information and Notification Everyday programs. At a minimum, the system shall—
(1)
provide each registered victim with a unique victim identification number and a personal identification number to enable secure access to case and custody information through an internet-accessible portal and a toll-free automated telephone call center, both available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year;
(2)
allow a registered victim to elect to receive notifications through any combination of—
(A)
automated telephone call, with persistent retry at regular intervals until receipt is confirmed by entry of the victim’s personal identification number, or until a 48-hour threshold is reached, after which a written notification shall be mailed to the victim’s address of record;
(B)
electronic mail;
(C)
short message service text message;
(D)
a secure, dedicated mobile application available on commonly used mobile operating systems; or
(E)
TTY or other accessible format for victims with hearing impairments;
(3)
make notifications available in English and Spanish, and provide access to live interpretation services in not fewer than 10 additional languages through the toll-free call center;
(4)
provide each registered victim with the ability to use the internet portal or toll-free call center to—
(A)
search for and verify the current custody status and facility location of the offender;
(B)
view the projected release date and any scheduled service clemency and parole board proceedings relating to the offense;
(C)
update the victim’s contact information; and
(D)
discontinue participation in the notification program;
(5)
continuously poll the military confinement records system for changes in offender custody status and transmit notifications to registered victims not later than 24 hours after a triggering event described in subsection (a);
(6)
generate a confirmation record for each notification transmitted, which shall be retained in the confinement record of the offender;
(7)
be accessible to victims regardless of the military department of the offender or the military correctional facility in which the offender is confined;
(8)
protect the privacy and confidentiality of each registered victim by—
(A)
encrypting all victim data at rest and in transit using encryption modules validated under Federal Information Processing Standard 140–3, or any successor standard, as certified by the National Institute of Standards and Technology;
(B)
limiting access to victim registration data and notification records to authorized personnel with a demonstrated need to know, and maintaining an audit log of all access to such data;
(C)
prohibiting the use of victim registration data for any purpose other than providing notifications authorized under this section, and prohibiting disclosure of such data to any person or entity not authorized under this section or applicable Federal law; and
(D)
providing each registered victim with a written privacy notice, at the time of registration and upon any material change to the system’s data practices, describing the categories of information collected, the purposes for which such information is used, the individuals authorized to access such information, and the procedures by which a victim may request correction or deletion of their registration data; and
(9)
be designed, implemented, and operated in a manner consistent with the guidelines for protecting personally identifiable information set forth in National Institute of Standards and Technology Special Publication 800–122, or any successor publication.
(c)
Verification before board proceedings
(1)
The Secretary of the military department concerned shall verify, before convening any proceeding of the applicable service clemency and parole board, that each registered victim, with respect to the offense at issue has been notified of the proceeding in accordance with subsection (a)(1). A record of such verification shall be included in the official record of the proceeding.
(2)
If the Board determines that timely notice was not given or that the victim was not adequately informed of the nature of the proceeding, the Board shall continue the hearing for the time necessary to notify the victim of the time, place, and nature of the proceeding.
(3)
Before making such determination, the Board shall make every effort to permit the fullest attendance possible by the victim and shall consider reasonable alternatives to the exclusion of the victim from the proceeding.
(d)
Coordination
In carrying out this section, the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the system established under subsection (a) is consistent with—
(1)
the rights of victims under section 806b of title 10, United States Code (article 6b of the Uniform Code of Military Justice); and
(2)
the victim and witness assistance programs established under Department of Defense Instruction 1030.02, or any successor instruction.
(e)
Report
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 Representatives a report on the implementation of this section, including—
(1)
a description of the automated notification system established under subsection (a), including the delivery channels and languages made available;
(2)
the number of registered victims enrolled to receive notifications as of the date of the report;
(3)
the number of notifications transmitted during the one-year period covered by the report, disaggregated by triggering event type and delivery channel; and
(4)
any recommended legislative changes to further strengthen victim notification under section 806b of title 10, United States Code (article 6b of the Uniform Code of Military Justice).
(f)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  registered victim  means a victim of an offense under  chapter 47  of title 10, United States Code (the Uniform Code of Military Justice), who—
(A)
has a right to receive notices under section 806b(a)(2) of such chapter (article 6b(a)(2)); and
(B)
informed the Department of Defense of their desire to receive such notices—
(i)
by submitting Department of Defense form 2705 (or a successor form); or
(ii)
through another method determined appropriate by the Secretary of Defense.
(2)
The term  service clemency and parole board  means a clemency and parole board established by the Secretary of a military department pursuant to sections 952 and 954 of title 10, United States Code.
G
Career Transition
561.
Establishment of separation oath for members of the Armed Forces
(a)
Findings
Congress makes the following findings:
(1)
The United States Armed Forces is the largest, all-volunteer military force in the world, yet less than one percent of the American population serves in the Armed Forces.
(2)
Each branch of the Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, and Coast Guard) instills in its members a sense of duty and obligation to the United States, their branch of service, and their comrades-in-arms.
(3)
The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that approximately 20 veterans of the Armed Forces commit suicide each day, and a veteran’s risk of suicide is 21 percent higher than an adult who has not served in the Armed Forces.
(4)
The Department of Veterans Affairs is aggressively undertaking measures to prevent these tragic outcomes, yet suicide rates among veterans remain unacceptably high.
(5)
Upon enlistment or appointment in the Armed Forces, a new member is obligated to take an oath of office or oath of enlistment.
(6)
Most members of the Armed Forces view this oath not as an imposition, but as a promise that they are bound to fulfill.
(b)
Establishment of separation oath
Section 502 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in subsection (b), by striking  The oath  and inserting  An oath established by this section ;
(2)
by redesignating subsection (b), as amended, as subsection (c); and
(3)
by inserting after subsection (a) the following new subsection (b):
(b)
Separation oath
Prior to retirement or other separation from the armed forces, other than separation pursuant to the sentence of a court-martial, a member of an armed force may take the following oath:
 I, __________, recognizing that my oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, has involved me and my fellow members in experiences that few persons, other than our peers, can understand, do solemnly swear (or affirm) to continue to be the keeper of my brothers- and sisters-in-arms and protector of the United States and the Constitution; to preserve the values I have learned; to maintain my body and my mind; to give help to, and seek help from, my fellow veterans; and to not bring harm to myself or others. I take this oath freely and without purpose of evasion, so help me God.
 .
(c)
Clerical amendments
(1)
Section heading
The heading of section 502 of title 10, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
502.
Enlistment oath and separation oath: who may administer
 .
(2)
Table of sections
The table of sections at the beginning of  chapter 31  of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking the item relating to section 502 and inserting the following new item:
502. Enlistment oath and separation oath: who may administer.
  .
562.
Designation of senior official for military-to-civilian transition
(a)
In general
 Chapter 58  of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
1156.
Senior official for military-to-civilian transition
(a)
Designation
The Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness shall designate a senior official of the Department of Defense to oversee policy and programs related to the transition of members of the armed forces from active duty to civilian life or reserve components.
(b)
Qualifications
The official designated under paragraph (1) shall be designated from among individuals with extensive experience with veterans services and knowledge of the transition from active duty to civilian life and reserve components.
(c)
Role, responsibility, and authority
(1)
Subject to paragraph (2), the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness shall prescribe the roles, responsibilities, and authorities of the official designated under subsection (a).
(2)
The roles, responsibilities, and authorities prescribed under paragraph (1) shall include, with respect to the transition of members of the armed forces from active duty to civilian life and reserve components and the families of such members experiencing such transition—
(A)
serving as the principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, and the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness on policies, operations, and programs and activities relating to the transition of members;
(B)
assisting the Secretary of Defense, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, and the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness with policies, operations, and programs and activities relating to the transition of members;
(C)
working, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Labor, and the Secretary of Education, to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of all activities relating to the transition of members;
(D)
serving as the chief transition officer of the Department of Defense, with the mission of coordinating and overseeing the effectiveness of transition programs of the Department of Defense and ensuring all members of the armed forces are well equipped for civilian life or the reserve components, as the case may be;
(E)
overseeing the implementation of transition programs in the Department of Defense;
(F)
conducting a review and assessment of all transition programs and services offered by the Department of Defense, including the programs under this chapter, and proposing legislative or administrative action—
(i)
to improve the efficacy and efficiency of the programs; and
(ii)
to ensure compliance with all legal requirements related to transition assistance; and
(G)
working with Federal agencies, State and local governments, and nongovernmental organizations to improve the delivery of transition support services to members and families of members.
 .
(b)
Implementation and briefing
(1)
Implementation
The Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness shall designate a senior official under section 1156(a) of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a) of this section, not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(2)
Briefing
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall provide a briefing to the congressional defense committees on—
(A)
the status of the designation of the official under subsection (a); and
(B)
the implementation of the roles, responsibilities, and authorities of the official under subsection (b).
563.
Authorization of pilot program to help members separating from certain Armed Forces obtain employment as teachers
(a)
Authority
The Secretary of Defense may carry out a pilot program to refer covered members for employment as teachers in elementary and secondary schools that elect to participate in the pilot program.
(b)
Priority
Under such a pilot program, the Secretary shall give priority to participating schools that need teachers of subjects in greater demand, including special education and STEM.
(c)
Report
Under such a pilot program, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees an annual report regarding such a pilot program. Elements of such a report include the following:
(1)
The number of covered members who apply for the pilot program, disaggregated by covered Armed Force and rank.
(2)
The number of covered members who obtain such employment under the pilot program, disaggregated by covered Armed Force and rank.
(3)
The locations of participating schools.
(4)
The percentages of participating covered members who teach in subjects described in subsection (b).
(5)
The number and percentages of participating covered members who—
(A)
obtain required teaching credentials by expedited means; or
(B)
receive exemptions from such requirements.
(6)
The results of a satisfaction survey of participating schools.
(7)
A summary of interviews with participating covered members who obtain such employment, including such covered members who do not complete an academic year of such employment.
(d)
Termination
This section shall cease to have any effect on the day that is five years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(e)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  covered member  means a member—
(A)
separating from a covered Armed Force; and
(B)
who wishes to obtain employment as a teacher in an elementary or secondary school.
(2)
The term  appropriate congressional committee  means—
(A)
the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives;
(B)
the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate;
(C)
the Committee on Education and Workforce of the House of Representatives; or
(D)
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate.
(3)
The term  covered Armed Force  means the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space Force.
(4)
The term  STEM  means science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
564.
Study on separation of members of the Armed Forces due to the mandate to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and the transfer of education benefits by such members
(a)
Study
The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a study on covered individuals and the transfer of education benefits by covered individuals to covered dependents.
(b)
Report
(1)
Requirement
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 House of Representatives and the Senate a report containing the results of the study required by subsection (a). Such report shall include—
(A)
the number of covered individuals;
(B)
the number of covered individuals who initiated a transfer of education benefits to a dependent in accordance with section 3319 of title 38, United States Code, before separation;
(C)
the number of covered individuals who initiated such a transfer and did not complete the years of service in the Armed Forces necessary for such dependent to commence use of such education benefits in accordance with such section before separation;
(D)
the number of members of the Armed Forces who were denied a religious exemption from the mandate to receive the COVID-19 vaccine during the period beginning on August 24, 2021, and ending on January 10, 2023;
(E)
the number of covered individuals who were denied such a religious exemption;
(F)
the number of covered individuals who returned to service in accordance with the terms of Executive Order 14184 (relating to reinstating service members discharged under the military's COVID–19 vaccination mandate);
(G)
the number of covered individuals who returned to service in accordance with the terms of Executive Order 14184 (relating to reinstating service members discharged under the military's COVID–19 vaccination mandate) who initiated a transfer of education benefits to a dependent in accordance with section 3319 of title 38, United States Code, before separation and return to service;
(H)
the number of covered individuals who returned to service in accordance with the terms of Executive Order 14184 (relating to reinstating service members discharged under the military's COVID–19 vaccination mandate) who initiated a transfer of education benefits to a dependent in accordance with section 3319 of title 38, United States Code, before separation and return to service and completed the years of service in the Armed Forces necessary for such dependent to commence use of such education benefits;
(I)
the number of covered dependents;
(J)
an analysis of the budgetary impact of allowing each covered dependent to commence use of education benefits that were transferred to such covered dependent in accordance with section 3319 of title 38, United States Code, without regard to whether the covered individual who transferred such education benefits to such covered dependent completed the years of service in the Armed Forces necessary for such covered dependent to commence such use; and
(K)
any recommendations of the Secretary to address the separation of covered individuals and to ensure covered individuals receive appropriate benefits as veterans of the Armed Forces.
(2)
Disaggregation
The Secretary of Defense shall disaggregate the elements of the report required by paragraph (1) that are described in subparagraphs (A) through (J) of such paragraph by—
(A)
Armed Force in which the covered individual served;
(B)
whether the covered individual served in an active component or a reserve component;
(C)
the grade of the covered individual;
(D)
the years of service in the Armed Forces of the covered individual at the time of separation; and
(E)
the characterization of the discharge of the covered individual.
(c)
Public availability
Not later than 60 days after the Secretary of Defense submits the report required by subsection (b), the Secretary shall make such report publicly available on the website of the Department of Defense.
(d)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  covered dependent  means a dependent of an individual who—
(A)
is a covered individual;
(B)
initiated a transfer of education benefits to such dependent in accordance with section 3319 of title 38, United States Code; and
(C)
did not complete the years of service in the Armed Forces necessary for such dependent to commence use of such benefits in accordance with such section.
(2)
The term  covered individual  means an individual who, during the period beginning on August 24, 2021, and ending on January 10, 2023, was involuntarily or voluntarily separated from an Armed Force solely on the basis of the refusal of such individual to receive a vaccination against COVID–19.
565.
Pilot program to provide benefits and services to Army explosive ordnance disposal members who are separating
(a)
Pilot Program
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall jointly establish a pilot program to provide members of the Army who are separating under honorable conditions who are qualified for explosive ordnance disposal to attend the Criminal Investigator Training Program of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers.
(b)
Requirements
In carrying out the pilot program required by subsection (a), the Secretary of the Army shall—
(1)
require participants in the pilot program to be separated from the Armed Forces or on terminal leave, as determined by the Secretary;
(2)
shall reimburse the Director of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers not more than $50,000 per participant in the pilot program for not more than 24 participants per fiscal year; and
(3)
shall not reimburse any other agency for any additional training provided to participants.
(c)
Reports
(1)
Annual Report
Not later than one year after the establishment of the pilot program required by subsection (a), and annually thereafter until the termination of the pilot program, the Secretary of the Army, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs of the Senate a report on the pilot program, including—
(A)
the number of participants in the pilot program who successfully complete the Criminal Investigator Training Program;
(B)
the recommendation of the Secretary as to whether the number of participants authorized to participate in the pilot program should be increased or decreased; and
(C)
an assessment of the viability of expanding the pilot program to members of other Armed Forces with expertise in explosive ordnance disposal.
(2)
Final Report
Not later than 90 days after the termination of the pilot program required by subsection (a), the Secretary of the Army, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall submit to the committees described in paragraph (1) a report that includes—
(A)
the elements described in subparagraphs (A) through (C) of paragraph (1); and
(B)
the recommendation of the Secretary as to whether to make the pilot program permanent.
(d)
Termination
The pilot program required by subsection (a) shall terminate on the date that is five years after the date on which such pilot program is established.
566.
Additional funding for Skillbridge
(a)
Funding
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 4301 for administration and service-wide activities for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, line 480, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4301, is hereby increased by $5,000,000 for the Skillbridge program.
(b)
Offset
Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 4301 for administration and service-wide activities for Washington Headquarters Services, line 510, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4301, is hereby reduced by $5,000,000.
567.
GAO study and report on mental health effectiveness of Transition Assistance Program and Solid Start Program
(a)
Study required
The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study on the effectiveness of TAP and the Solid Start program in identifying, counseling, and supporting members of the Armed Forces and veterans regarding mental health risks and transition-related stressors during their separation from the Armed Forces.
(b)
Elements
The study required under subsection (a) shall include an assessment of the following:
(1)
The extent to which counseling provided under TAP includes comprehensive information regarding post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, anxiety disorders, depression, chronic pain, sleep disorders, suicidal ideation, and other mental health conditions associated with service in the Armed Forces.
(2)
The effectiveness of TAP curriculum in educating separating members on the risk factors of suicide, including signs of severe relationship strain, isolation, unemployment, or loss of community support systems.
(3)
The baseline performance metrics and outreach success rates of the Solid Start program during the first year following separation from the Armed Forces, with a specific focus on the program’s success in facilitating veterans’ enrollment in the system of annual patient enrollment under section 1705 of title 38, United States Code.
(4)
The degree of interagency data-sharing and coordination between the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to track warm handoffs for high-risk members of the Armed Forces separating from active duty.
(5)
Gaps in current pre-separation counseling and post-separation outreach related to substance use disorder resources, including alcohol and prescription opioid abuse counseling.
(c)
Report
Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report containing the findings and recommendations of the Comptroller General based on the study conducted under subsection (a), including administrative or legislative recommendations to reduce veteran suicide during the first year following separation from the Armed Forces.
(d)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  appropriate congressional committee  means—
(A)
the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives;
(B)
the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate;
(C)
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives; or
(D)
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate.
(2)
The term  Solid Start program  means the program under section 6320 of title 38, United States Code.
(3)
The term  TAP  means the Transition Assistance Program under sections 1142 and 1144 of title 10, United States Code.
H
Family Programs, Child Care, and Dependent Education
571.
Extension of non-medical counseling services program for military families
Section 1781(d)(4) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking  three years after the date of the enactment of this subsection  and inserting  December 22, 2029 .
572.
Pilot program to increase payments for child care services in high-cost areas
Section 1798 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as subsection (d) and (e), respectively; and
(2)
by inserting after subsection (b) the following new subsection:
(c)
Pilot program for grants to increase infant and toddler capacity in high-cost areas
(1)
The Secretary of Defense may establish a pilot program to provide grants to eligible providers seeking to expand the capacity of such providers to provide care for infants and toddlers.
(2)
A grant awarded under the pilot program established under paragraph (1) shall—
(A)
be in an amount determined by the Secretary, but in no case more than 75 percent of the estimated cost of the expansion for which the grant is provided; and
(B)
require the recipient of a grant to—
(i)
make available not less than half of any additional capacity for infants and toddlers to children of members of the armed forces that results from the expansion for which a grant is awarded for the 10-year period that begins on the date on which such expansion is completed; and
(ii)
certify that the recipient will not displace children enrolled on the date described in clause (i) who are not children of members of the armed forces to meet the requirement of clause (i).
(3)
The Secretary—
(A)
shall award grants under the pilot program established under paragraph (1) to not less than 10 eligible providers located in areas with high child care services costs or a significant lack of accessible child care services, as determined by the Secretary; and
(B)
may award grants under the pilot program established under paragraph (1) to eligible providers located in other areas as the Secretary considers appropriate.
(4)
Not later than one year after the establishment of the pilot program under this subsection, and semiannually thereafter until the date of the termination of the pilot program, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the pilot program that includes—
(A)
the number of eligible providers participating in the pilot program, disaggregated by location;
(B)
the number of additional infant and toddler enrollments at eligible providers made available under the pilot program, disaggregated by location;
(C)
the determination of the Secretary as to whether grants provided under the pilot program—
(i)
helped reduce child care costs for applicable military families;
(ii)
increased child care provider participation in the financial assistance available under this section; and
(iii)
increased access to infant and toddler care for military families;
(D)
the determination of the Secretary with respect to the feasibility of expanding the pilot program to all communities;
(E)
any challenges identified by the Secretary in carrying out the pilot program;
(F)
legislation or administrative action that the Secretary determines necessary to make the pilot program permanent; and
(G)
any other information the Secretary determines appropriate.
(5)
Not later than 90 days after the date of the termination of the pilot program, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that includes—
(A)
the elements specified in subparagraphs (A) through (G) of paragraph (4); and
(B)
the recommendation of the Secretary as to whether to make the pilot program permanent.
(6)
The pilot program established under this subsection shall terminate on the date that is five years after the date on which such program is established.
(7)
In this subsection, the term  appropriate congressional committees  means—
(A)
the congressional defense committees;
(B)
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate; and
(C)
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives.
 .
573.
Pilot program to provide financial assistance to members of the Armed Forces for in-home child care: inclusion of au pairs
Section 589 of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 ( 10 U.S.C. 1791  note) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a)(4), by striking  subsection (b)  and inserting  subsection (c) ;
(2)
by redesignating subsections (b) through (e) as subsections (c) through (f), respectively; and
(3)
by inserting after subsection (a) the following new subsection (b):
(b)
Au pairs
(1)
The Secretary shall treat an au pair who is participating in the Au Pair program of the Department of State as an in-home child care provider who meets qualifications determined under subsection (a)(3)(B).
(2)
No State or local government may enact or enforce a law, regulation, rule, or requirement related to such Au Pair program that would impose an additional or different term or condition on a military family that is the host family for an au pair.
 .
574.
Modifications to pilot program to provide financial assistance to members of the Armed Forces for in-home child care
(a)
In general
Section 589 of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116‑283;  10 U.S.C. 1791  note) is amended—
(1)
by redesignating subsections (c), (d), and (e) as subsections (d), (e), and (f), respectively; and
(2)
by inserting after subsection (b) the following new subsection:
(c)
Direct payments
(1)
In general
Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Secretary of Defense shall provide financial assistance under the pilot program required by subsection (a) to members of the Armed Forces through monthly pay, direct deposit, or other form of direct payment to such members.
(2)
Payment to eligible providers
The Secretary of Defense may provide financial assistance under the pilot program required by subsection (a) directly to an in-home child care provider with the written consent of the member of the Armed Forces receiving such financial assistance.
 .
(b)
Implementation date
The requirements of subsection (c) of section 589 of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, as added by subsection (a) of this section—
(1)
except as provided in paragraph (2), shall apply to financial assistance under the pilot program established pursuant to such section provided on or after the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act; and
(2)
shall not apply to financial assistance under such pilot program provided to an in-home child care provider pursuant to an agreement between the Secretary of Defense until the end of the term of such agreement if—
(A)
the agreement is in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act; and
(B)
the agreement provides that the Secretary will make direct payments to such provider.
575.
Certain assistance to local educational agencies that benefit dependents of military and civilian personnel
(a)
Continuation of authority to assist local educational agencies that benefit dependents of members of the armed forces and department of defense civilian employees
(1)
Assistance to schools with significant numbers of military dependent students
Of the amount authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2027 by section 301 and available for operation and maintenance for Defense-wide activities as specified in the funding table in section 4301, $50,000,000 shall be available only for the purpose of providing assistance to local educational agencies under subsection (a) of section 572 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 ( Public Law 109–163 ;  20 U.S.C. 7703b ).
(2)
Local educational agency defined
In this subsection, the term  local educational agency  has the meaning given that term in section 7013(9) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 7713(9) ).
(b)
Impact aid for children with severe disabilities
(1)
In general
Of the amount authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2027 pursuant to section 301 and available for operation and maintenance for Defense-wide activities as specified in the funding table in section 4301, $10,000,000 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 ).
(2)
Additional amount
Of the amount authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2027 pursuant to section 301 and available for operation and maintenance for Defense-wide activities as specified in the funding table in section 4301, $10,000,000 shall be available for use by the Secretary of Defense to make payments to local educational agencies determined by the Secretary to have higher concentrations of military children with severe disabilities.
(3)
Briefing
Not later than March 31, 2027, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a briefing on the Department of Defense’s evaluation of each local educational agency with higher concentrations of military children with severe disabilities and subsequent determination of the amounts of impact aid each such agency shall receive.
576.
Policies to support military families subject to court-ordered child custody arrangements
(a)
Policies required
Beginning not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, each Secretary concerned shall maintain a policy pursuant to which a member of an Armed Force under the jurisdiction of the Secretary who is a party to a court-ordered child custody arrangement may, at the discretion of the Secretary, receive—
(1)
an exemption from orders for a permanent change of station or similar orders for a period of up to 24 months to enable that member to remain in geographic proximity to their child; and
(2)
such other accommodations as the Secretary determines appropriate to promote family stability.
(b)
Report to Congress
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, each Secretary concerned shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the policy required under subsection (a). The report shall include—
(1)
a summary of the policy;
(2)
the Secretary’s plan for implementation of the policy; and
(3)
an explanation of how policy meets the requirements of subsection (a) and otherwise promotes family stability among members of the Armed Forces.
(c)
Secretary concerned defined
In this section, the term  Secretary concerned  has the meaning given that term in section 101(a) of title 10, United States Code.
577.
Authority for pilot program for certain military spouses to become special education teachers in DODEA schools
(a)
Authority
The Secretary of Defense may carry out a pilot program under which certain military spouses may become special education teachers in schools operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity.
(b)
Eligibility
A military spouse eligible to participate in such a pilot program is a military spouse who—
(1)
is eligible for assistance under section 1784a of title 10, United States Code; and
(2)
has a bachelor’s or graduate degree from an institution of higher education.
(c)
Assistance
Under such a pilot program, the Secretary shall provide assistance under section 1784a of title 10, United States Code, to a participating military spouse to seek a certification or other credential as a special education teacher in the State in which the military spouse resides.
(d)
Service obligation
As a condition of receiving assistance under subsection (c), a military spouse who participates in such a pilot program shall agree to serve as a special education teacher in a school operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity for a period of three years.
(e)
State agreements
The Secretary may seek to enter into an agreement with a State government (or licensing body sanctioned by a State government) to expedite certification described in subsection (c).
(f)
Report
Not later than one year before the termination under subsection (g) of the authority to carry out a pilot program under this section, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report regarding such pilot program. Such report shall include the recommendation of the Secretary whether such authority should be extended or made permanent.
(g)
Termination
The authority under this section shall terminate five years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(h)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  appropriate congressional committee  means the following:
(A)
The Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives.
(B)
The Committee on Armed Services of the Senate.
(C)
The Committee on Education and Workforce of the House of Representatives.
(2)
The term  institution of higher education  has the meaning given such term in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1002 ).
(3)
The term  special education teacher  has the meaning given such term in section 103 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1003 ).
578.
Pilot program for push-text notifications to members and dependents
(a)
Establishment
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall establish a pilot program to be known as the  Push-Text Initiative  (in this section referred to as the  pilot program ) to provide members of the Armed Forces, assigned to one or more military installations located outside of the United States, and the adult dependents of such members, with timely and relevant information via text message.
(b)
Implementation
Under the pilot program—
(1)
a member of the Armed Forces assigned to a location participating in the pilot program, or the dependent of such a member, may elect to receive such information using all available text messaging contact information provided by such a member or dependent; and
(2)
a member or dependent who elects to receive information under paragraph (1) may opt out of receiving text messages under the pilot program at any time.
(c)
Covered information
Text messages transmitted under the pilot program shall include—
(1)
information on employment opportunities for military spouses, career counseling, and related support programs;
(2)
updates with respect to child care services available both on and off the installation, availability of child care, and child care fee assistance programs;
(3)
information regarding general TRICARE program benefits, enrollment deadlines, and other health-related resources;
(4)
notifications of changes in Department of Defense policies, regulations, or Federal laws that affect members or dependents of members; and
(5)
any other information or resources that the Secretary considers relevant to the well-being of members and dependents of members.
(d)
Report
Not later than October 1, 2027, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the pilot program. Such report shall include—
(1)
a description of how the pilot program was implemented, including the timeline, execution plan, and the official managing the pilot program;
(2)
data on participation and usage, including the number of individuals who elected to participate, the rates of enrollment and disenrollment, and the frequency and types of messages transmitted;
(3)
any observed benefits or outcomes of the pilot program, including feedback from participants;
(4)
an analysis of the costs of operating the pilot program and any cost savings or efficiencies achieved by consolidating or scaling back other outreach efforts with respect to issues addressed by the pilot program; and
(5)
the recommendations of the Secretary with respect to the feasibility and advisability of continuing or expanding the pilot program to the entire Department of Defense, including any proposed modifications to the program and an assessment of the anticipated costs, resource requirements, and potential benefits of Department-wide implementation.
(e)
Termination
The pilot program shall terminate on the day that is three years after the date on which the pilot program is established.
579.
Classroom Safe Haven Force Protection Pilot Program
(a)
Program
The Secretary of Defense, acting through the Director of the Department of Defense Education Activity, shall establish a Classroom Safe Haven Force Protection Pilot Program (in this section referred to as the  Program ) to enhance the physical security of classrooms in covered schools.
(b)
Objectives
The objectives of the Program shall be to—
(1)
provide enhanced security for the approximately 600 classrooms located in covered schools;
(2)
harden classroom entry points against armed attacks;
(3)
increase survivability by providing protected safe-haven spaces within classrooms;
(4)
improve emergency response effectiveness by extending the time available for law enforcement intervention;
(5)
evaluate the operational effectiveness of ballistic-resistant door systems in educational environments; and
(6)
assess the contribution of classroom hardening measures to the overall force protection posture and resilience of military communities and installations.
(c)
Use of funds
Under the Program, the Secretary of Defense shall provide support to covered schools to create protected safe havens within existing classrooms through the installation and evaluation of lightweight, fire-rated, ballistic-resistant door systems and related protective infrastructure designed to provide immediate protection for students and educators during an armed assault or active shooter incident. Such door systems shall—
(1)
provide ballistic protection meeting or exceeding UL 752 Level 8 standards, including protection against 7.62x51mm FMJ rounds;
(2)
be capable of defeating multiple impacts from high-velocity assault rifle rounds commonly associated with active shooter incidents;
(3)
be certified to applicable fire-resistance standards for educational occupancies;
(4)
be capable of retrofit installation within existing educational facilities without requiring substantial structural modification or major construction;
(5)
preserve the appearance and functionality of standard educational environments during normal operations;
(6)
maintain compliance with all applicable life-safety, accessibility, and emergency egress requirements; and
(7)
provide continuous passive protection without reliance on external power, electronics, or mechanical deployment during an emergency.
(d)
Report
Not later than 180 days after an initial round of security improvements have been completed in covered schools in accordance with this section, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report detailing—
(1)
participating schools and the number of classrooms protected;
(2)
implementation costs;
(3)
safety and operational outcomes;
(4)
lessons learned;
(5)
recommendations regarding expansion of the Program across additional covered schools and schools operated by the Department of Defense education activity outside the United States; and
(6)
an assessment of the effectiveness of classroom hardening measures in enhancing protection for military-connected students, educators, and school personnel and supporting military family readiness and force protection objectives.
(e)
Covered school defined
In this section, the term  covered school  means a school operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity in the United States.
579A.
Comptroller General study of child care services provided or paid for by the Department of Defense
(a)
Study
The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study to assess the child care programs of the Department of Defense, including military child development centers, family home day care, the Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood program, and the Child Care in Your Home program.
(b)
Report
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report containing the results of the study required by subsection (a). Such report shall include the following information, disaggregated by covered Armed Force:
(1)
The period of time military families in each priority category are on a waiting list from the time of submitting a request until the time of final approval.
(2)
The percentage of military families that submitted a request for child care services and did not receive an offer within 90 days of the date requested.
(3)
The average percentage of annual income a military family spends on child care per child.
(4)
The percentage of military families that require more than one child care program to meet child care needs.
(5)
The current amount of funds allocated to each covered Armed Force for the Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood and Child Care in Your Home programs.
(6)
How much of the amount described in paragraph (5) is spent on—
(A)
administration; and
(B)
child care services for military families.
(c)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  covered Armed Force  means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Space Force.
(2)
The terms  military child development center  and  family home day care  have the meaning given those terms in section 1800 of title 10, United States Code.
579B.
Prohibition on male participation in female sports at DODEA schools
(a)
In general
The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that no school operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity permits a person enrolled at such school whose sex is male to participate in an athletic program or activity that is designated for females.
(b)
Rule of construction
Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit any school operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity from permitting males to train or practice with an athletic program or activity that is designated for females so long as no female is deprived of a roster spot on a team or sport, opportunity to participate in a practice or competition, or any other benefit that accompanies participating in the athletic program or activity.
(c)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  athletic programs and activities  includes all programs or activities that are provided conditional upon participation with any athletic team.
(2)
The term  female  refers to an individual who naturally has, had, will have, or would have, but for a developmental or genetic anomaly or historical accident, the reproductive system that at some point produces, transports, and uses eggs for fertilization.
(3)
The term  male  refers to an individual who naturally has, had, will have, or would have, but for a developmental or genetic anomaly or historical accident, the reproductive system that at some point produces, transports, and uses sperm for fertilization.
579C.
Study on weekend drill child care programs
(a)
Study required
The Secretary of each military department that carries out a child care program for members of reserve components during inactive duty training on weekends shall conduct a study on the effectiveness of such program and any challenges in executing such program.
(b)
Report
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, each Secretary of a military department described in subsection (a) shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report containing the results of the study required under subsection (a).
579D.
Report on strengthening the military child care workforce
(a)
In general
Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report assessing workforce, readiness, and policy challenges associated with military child care and military child development centers.
(b)
Contents
The report under subsection (a) shall include the following:
(1)
An analysis of the current workforce of military child development centers, including—
(A)
the percentage of employees who are military spouses; and
(B)
the percentage of employees who are spouses of retired or separated members of the Armed Forces.
(2)
A feasibility assessment of increasing the transferability of licenses or certifications for military spouses employed at military child development centers when accompanying a service member on a permanent change of station.
(3)
An assessment of vacancy rates across military child development centers and the reasons for such vacancies.
(4)
An assessment of the number of additional children who could be served by military child development centers if such centers were fully staffed.
(5)
A feasibility assessment of permitting military spouses residing in on-post housing to provide childcare within their homes under a supervisory program coordinated by a military child development center.
(6)
Recommendations for incentives to attract and retain military spouses in the military child care workforce, including—
(A)
professional development opportunities;
(B)
stipend or subsidy programs; and
(C)
flexible scheduling options.
579E.
Support for expanding early child care options for members of the Armed Forces and their families
(a)
In general
The Secretary of Defense may—
(1)
direct the Secretaries of the military departments—
(A)
to identify gaps between existing early child care needs and available eligible child care providers;
(B)
to use resources of the Department of Defense to support eligible child care providers in recruitment and retention of employees, including through professional development and financial incentives for such employees; and
(C)
to seek to enter into an interagency partnership with a Federal agency with the ability to place national service participants and volunteers trained in education services, including senior volunteer programs, at military child development centers in accordance with applicable national service laws and with all the benefits accorded to such participants and volunteers; and
(2)
provide training and resource subsidies to eligible child care providers and networks of such providers.
(b)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
Eligible child care provider
The term “eligible child care provider” has the meaning given that term in section 658P of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 ( 42 U.S.C. 9858n ).
(2)
Military child development center
The term “military child development center” has the meaning given that term in section 1800 of title 10, United States Code.
579F.
Limitation on provision of funds to elementary and secondary schools hosting Confucius Institutes and Classrooms
(a)
Limitation
None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of Defense may be provided to an elementary school or secondary school that hosts a Confucius Institute or Classroom, other than amounts provided directly to students as educational assistance.
(b)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  Confucius Institute or Classroom  means a cultural institute or educational partnership directly or indirectly funded by the Government of the People’s Republic of China.
(2)
The terms  elementary school  and  secondary school  have the meanings given those terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 7801 ).
579G.
Department of Defense education activity emergency response mapping
(a)
In general
 Chapter 108  of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after  section 2164d  the following new section:
2164e.
Procurement of emergency response maps for schools operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity
(a)
In general
The Secretary of Defense, acting through the Director of the Department of Defense Education Activity, shall prioritize the procurement of emergency response maps for Defense Dependent Schools to ensure, to the greatest extent practicable, compatibility with public safety systems in the event of an emergency.
(b)
Requirements
Maps procured under subsection (a) shall—
(1)
be—
(A)
in a digital file format accessible through a standard or open-source file reader or image viewer on a laptop computer, tablet computer, smartphone, or other mobile platform;
(B)
verified through on-site walkthrough inspections by the entity producing the mapping data;
(C)
developed in coordination with industry partners possessing demonstrated expertise in emergency response mapping for schools;
(D)
capable of being updated, printed, and shared electronically;
(E)
accessible without a subscription fee or other restriction; and
(F)
verified for accuracy by a walkthrough inspection;
(2)
integrate with software used by Federal, State, and local public safety agencies;
(3)
not be stored in a data center outside of the United States;
(4)
display information oriented true north and on a coordinate grid; and
(5)
depict any floor of such site or such portion through overlaid, aerial imagery.
(c)
Defense Dependent School defined
In this section, the term  Defense Dependent School  means—
(1)
a school operated under the Defense Dependents’ Education System, as authorized under the Defense Dependents Education Act of 1978 ( 20 U.S.C. 921 et seq. ); or
(2)
a Department of Defense domestic dependent elementary and secondary school, as authorized under section 2164 of this title.
 .
(b)
Briefing
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing on the plan of the Department of Defense Education Activity for procuring emergency response maps under section 2164e of title 10, United States Code, as added by this section.
I
Decorations and Awards
581.
Gold star survivor: definition prescribed by Secretary of Defense
(a)
Definition prescribed by Secretary of Defense
Section 1126 of title 10, United States Code, is amended, in subsection (d)(1), by striking  as the Secretaries concerned shall jointly specify in regulations for purposes of this section  and inserting  as the Secretary of Defense prescribes in regulations .
(b)
Reference
Subsection (b) of such section is amended—
(1)
by inserting
(1)    before  Under regulations ; and
(2)
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(2)
(A)
An individual eligible for a gold star lapel button under paragraph (1) may be referred to as a  gold star survivor ,  member of a gold star family , or  gold star family member .
(B)
All of the individuals eligible for a gold star lapel button under paragraph (1) because of the loss of the life of one member under any circumstances prescribed in subsection (a) may be referred to as a  gold star family .
 .
(c)
Conforming amendment
Section 626 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 ( Public Law 117–81 ;  10 U.S.C. 101  note) is amended by striking subsection (c).
582.
Medal of Honor recipients: access to any military installation; liaison
(a)
Access
Section 1134a of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
(e)
Access
A person whose name is entered on the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard Medal of Honor Roll shall be issued a common access card (or successor identification) that grants such person unaccompanied access to any military installation and the Pentagon.
 .
(b)
Liaison
 Chapter 57  of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after  section 1134a  the following new section:
1134b.
Medal of honor liaison
(a)
Establishment
There is in the Department of Defense a Medal of Honor Liaison, appointed by the Secretary of Defense, who shall serve as liaison to MOH recipients.
(b)
Duties
The duties of the Medal of Honor Liaison include the following:
(1)
To serve as a primary point of contact in the Department for MOH recipients and their families.
(2)
To coordinate efforts within the Department, across the armed forces, and with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and other Federal entities regarding MOH recipients.
(3)
To coordinate replacement of military decorations under section 1135 of this title for MOH recipients.
(4)
To standardize protocol regarding MOH recipients across the armed forces.
(5)
To perform public affairs outreach regarding MOH recipients.
(6)
To make recommendations to the Secretary of Defense regarding service on active duty by MOH recipients, including in combat.
(c)
MOH recipient defined
In this section, the term  MOH recipient  means a person whose name is entered on the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard Medal of Honor Roll under section 1134a of this title.
 .
583.
Technical correction to authorization to award the Distinguished-Service Cross to Isaac  Ike  Camacho
Section 592 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 ( Public Law 119–60 ) is amended, in the section heading, by striking the third word.
584.
Authorization of service ribbon for a member of the National Guard who performs homeland defense duty
(a)
Ribbon authorized
The Secretary of the military department concerned may award a service ribbon to a member of the National Guard who performs duty in support of a homeland defense activity, as such term is defined in section 901 of title 32, United States Code.
(b)
Design
The ribbon shall be of an appropriate design approved by the Secretary of Defense.
(c)
Issuance to next-of-kin
If the member is deceased, the Secretary of the military department concerned may issue such a ribbon to the next-of-kin of the member.
(d)
Regulations
The award of a ribbon under this section shall be subject to such regulations as the Secretaries of the military departments concerned shall prescribe for purposes of this section. The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that any regulations prescribed under this subsection are uniform to the extent practicable.
585.
Authorization for posthumous award of Medal of Honor to Rafael Peralta for acts of valor
(a)
Authorization
Notwithstanding the time limitations specified in sections 8298(a) and 8300 of title 10, United States Code, or any other time limitation with respect to the awarding of certain medals to persons who served in the Armed Forces, the President is authorized to award the Medal of Honor, under section 8291 of such title, to Rafael Peralta for the acts of valor described in subsection (b).
(b)
Acts of valor described
 The acts of valor described in this subsection are the actions of Rafael Peralta as a member of the Marine Corps on November 15, 2004, for which he was previously awarded the Navy Cross.
586.
Authorization for posthumous award of Medal of Honor to Robert A. Lodge for acts of valor
(a)
Authorization
Notwithstanding the time limitations specified in section 9274 of title 10, United States Code, or any other time limitation with respect to the awarding of certain medals to persons who served in the Armed Forces, the President may award the Medal of Honor under section 9271 of such title to Robert A. Lodge for the acts of valor described in subsection (b).
(b)
Acts of valor described
The acts of valor described in this subsection are the actions of Robert A. Lodge as a Major in the Air Force on May 10, 1972.
587.
Authorization for award of the Distinguished-Service Cross for James O. Ratliff for acts of valor during the Vietnam War
(a)
Waiver of time limitations
Notwithstanding the time limitations specified in section 7274 of title 10, United States Code, or any other time limitation with respect to the awarding of certain medals to persons who served in the Armed Forces, the President may award a Distinguished-Service Cross under section 7272 of such title to James O. Ratliff for the acts of valor described in subsection (b).
(b)
Acts of valor described
The acts of valor described in this subsection are the actions of James O. Ratliff on June 18, 1968, as a member of the Army during a combat mission near the village of Ap Go Cong during the Vietnam War.
588.
Authorization to award the Distinguished-Service Cross to Joseph P. Lynch for acts of valor as a member of the Army during the Vietnam War
(a)
Waiver of time limitations
Notwithstanding the time limitations specified in section 7274 of title 10, United States Code, or any other time limitation with respect to the awarding of certain medals to persons who served in the Armed Forces, the Secretary of the Army may award the Distinguished-Service Cross under section 7272 of such title to Joseph P. Lynch for the acts of valor in described in subsection (b).
(b)
Acts of valor described
The acts of valor described in this subsection are the actions of Joseph P. Lynch on April 17, 1968, as a member of the Army, during a combat mission near Khe Sanh, Republic of Vietnam, for which he was previously awarded the Silver Star.
589.
Sense of Congress regarding award of medal of honor to Thomas J. Grasso for acts of valor during Operation Freedom’s Sentinel
It is the sense of Congress that—
(1)
the Secretary of Defense should review the acts of valor of Thomas J. Grasso as a Sergeant First Class in the Army during Operation Freedom’s Sentinel to determine whether to recommend to the President to award Thomas J. Grasso the Medal of Honor for such acts of valor; and
(2)
subject to the enactment of legislation to waive the time limitations in section 7274 of title 10, United States Code, the President should award the Medal of Honor to Thomas J. Grasso for such acts of valor if the Secretary so recommends.
589A.
Sense of Congress regarding award of Medal of Honor to retired Colonel Philip J. Conran for acts of valor in Laos during the Vietnam war
It is the sense of Congress that—
(1)
the Secretary of Defense should review the acts of valor of Philip J. Conran on October 6, 1969, as a member of the Air Force, during a combat mission in the Savannakhet Province of Laos to determine whether to recommend to the President to award Philip J. Conran the Medal of Honor for such acts of valor; and
(2)
subject to the enactment of legislation to waive the time limitations specified in section 9274 of title 10, United States Code, the President should award the Medal of Honor to Philip J. Conran for such acts of valor if the Secretary so recommends.
589B.
Sense of Congress regarding award of award of Medal of Honor to Gregory McManus for acts of valor
(a)
Sense of Congress
It is the sense of Congress that—
(1)
the Secretary of Defense should review the acts of valor of Gregory McManus described in subsection (b) to determine whether to recommend to the President to award Gregory McManus the Medal of Honor for such acts of valor; and
(2)
subject to the enactment of legislation to waive the time limitations in section 7274 of title 10, United States Code, the President should award the Medal of Honor to Gregory McManus for such acts of valor if the Secretary so recommends.
(b)
Acts of valor described
The acts of valor described in this subsection are the following:
(1)
Chief Warrant Officer Gregory McManus distinguished himself for his brave acts of valor while serving in the United States Army by risking his life to save the lives of his fellow servicemembers.
(2)
Chief Warrant Officer McManus deserves recognition for his acts of valor while serving as the commander of a single helicopter gunship on an important mission north of Chai Duc.
(3)
Discovering an envoy of hundreds of enemy troops along the Cambodian border, Chief Warrant Officer McManus attacked the enemy without hesitation.
(4)
Chief Warrant Officer McManus disregarded the tracers that rose to meet him, firing rockets the entire length of the convoy, confusing the enemy, and scattering the troop column.
(5)
Chief Warrant Officer McManus then attacked an armored vehicle with a mounted machine gun, destroying it and a large artillery piece which it was towing.
(6)
Over and over, Chief Warrant Officer McManus flew through heavy automatic weapons and machine gun fire to attack the enemy, only deciding to return when his ordinance was expended, and his ship had taken so much damage that further flight was inadvisable.
(7)
With this noble deed, Chief Warrant Officer McManus was able to destroy the enemy unit and scattered the rest in disorder with a single ship.
(8)
Disregarding the size and scope of the enemy troop’s convoy, Chief Warrant Officer McManus put his own life in danger, all in the service of his country and members of the Armed Forces.
(9)
Because of the heroic actions of Chief Warrant Officer McManus, countless American soldier’s lives were saved.
(10)
These actions of heroism by Chief Warrant Officer McManus deserves recognition and demonstrates this hero of the United States more than deserve the medal of honor.
589C.
Study on timely process of award and decoration recommendations
(a)
Study required
The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a study on the process for reviewing recommendations for the award of medals, decorations, or other honors to members of the Armed Forces.
(b)
Report
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report containing the results of the study, including any recommendations of the Secretary to ensure the process for reviewing recommendations for the award of medals, decorations, or other honors to members of the Armed Forces is timely, consistent, and transparent.
589D.
Sense of Congress regarding award of medal of honor to Robert J. Graham for acts of valor
It is the sense of Congress that—
(1)
the Secretary of Defense should review the acts of valor of Robert J. Graham as a Captain in the Air Force on May 1, 1966, to determine whether to recommend to the President to award Robert J. Graham the Medal of Honor for such acts of valor; and
(2)
subject to the enactment of legislation to waive the time limitations in section 9274 of title 10, United States Code, the President should award the Medal of Honor to Robert J. Graham for such acts of valor if the Secretary so recommends.
589E.
Authorization for award of medal of honor to certain battle of midway torpedo squadron commanders and dive bomber flight leads for acts of valor
(a)
Authorization
Notwithstanding the time limitations specified in sections 8298(a) and 8300 of title 10, United States Code, or any other time limitation with respect to the awarding of certain medals to persons who served in the Armed Forces, the President is authorized to award the Medal of Honor, under section 8291 of such title, to Commander Clarence W. McClusky, Lieutenant Commander Max F. Leslie, Lieutenant Commander Eugene E. Lindsey, Lieutenant Commander Lance E. Massey, Lieutenant Commander John C. Waldron, and Lieutenant Richard H. Best for the acts of valor described in subsection (b).
(b)
Acts of valor described
The acts of valor described in this subsection are the actions of the individuals described in subsection (a) on June 4, 1942, as members of the Navy, during combat operations near Midway Atoll that led to the sinking of four enemy aircraft carriers.
J
Other Matters and Miscellaneous Reports
591.
Expansion of eligibility of veterans for certain military adaptive sports program
Section 2564a of title 10, United States Code, is amended, in subsection (a)(1)(B), in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking  , during the one-year period following the veteran's date of separation, .
592.
Expanded goals of authorized program regarding the National September 11 Memorial and Museum
The Secretary of Defense shall seek to amend any agreement entered into by the Secretary pursuant to section 539 of the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 ( Public Law 118–159 ) to include promoting security at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum.
593.
Local agricultural procurement in Guam commissaries
(a)
Designation of liaison
The Director of the Defense Commissary Agency shall designate an official within the Defense Commissary Agency responsible for liaising with farmers, ranchers, fishermen, and food producers in Guam for the purpose of assisting those persons in doing business with the Defense Commissary Agency and increasing the availability of locally produced food products in commissaries located in Guam.
(b)
Plan to increase local procurement
(1)
Plan required
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Defense Commissary Agency shall submit to the congressional defense committees a plan to increase the volume of locally grown produce sold in commissaries located in Guam.
(2)
Elements
The plan required under paragraph (1) shall—
(A)
identify barriers to procuring locally grown produce from producers in Guam;
(B)
describe steps the Defense Commissary Agency will take to improve outreach, contracting, distribution, and procurement opportunities for producers in Guam;
(C)
establish measurable benchmarks and timelines for increasing the amount of locally grown produce sold in commissaries located in Guam; and
(D)
include a goal that not less than 15 percent of all produce sold in commissaries located in Guam be locally sourced from Guam producers.
(c)
Report on implementation
Not later than two years after the date of the submission of the plan required under subsection (b), the Director of the Defense Commissary Agency shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the implementation of the plan, including—
(1)
the percentage of produce sold in commissaries located in Guam that is locally sourced;
(2)
a description of progress made toward achieving the goal described in subsection (b)(2)(D);
(3)
any challenges encountered in implementing the plan; and
(4)
recommendations for legislative or administrative action to further increase procurement from producers in Guam.
594.
Submission of review of operational effectiveness of Army and Marine Corps ground combat units
(a)
Submission to Congress
Not later than seven days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress the complete, unredacted review of operational effectiveness of Army and Marine Corps ground combat units that is the subject of the memorandum issued by the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness on December 18, 2025, relating to  Review of the Operational Effectiveness of Army and Marine Corps Ground Combat Units  .
(b)
Comptroller General review
Not later than 180 days after the date of the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report reviewing—
(1)
the review submitted to Congress under subsection (a); and
(2)
any actions taken by the Secretary of Defense in response to the review.
595.
Pilot program of anonymous nonmedical counseling for special operations forces
(a)
Pilot program
In addition to authorities under sections 167 and 1788a of title 10, United States Code, the Commander of the United States Special Operations Command shall carry out a pilot program to provide anonymous nonmedical counseling services to members of the special operations forces and families of such members using a novel anonymous telehealth platform. The Commander shall ensure that counseling services under the pilot program are available to eligible individuals described in subsection (c) beginning not later than June 1, 2027.
(b)
Use of existing personnel
(1)
Designation
The Commander shall designate counselors and clinicians employed by, contracted to, or assigned to the United States Special Operations Command or its component commands, including counselors and clinicians supporting the Preservation of the Force and Family program, to provide services under the pilot program. Counseling hours dedicated to the pilot program shall be equivalent to not less than 20 percent of the total counseling capacity supporting the Preservation of the Force and Family program.
(2)
Continuation of existing duties
The Commander shall ensure that—
(A)
designated personnel under paragraph (1) continue to perform the existing assigned duties of the personnel; and
(B)
the pilot program and the anonymous telehealth platform serve as a supplemental intake pathway for participating counselors.
(3)
Geographic scope of service
A counselor or clinician designated under paragraph (1) may provide services under the pilot program to any eligible individual described in subsection (c), regardless of the installation, duty station, or geographic location of the counselor, clinician, or eligible individual.
(c)
Eligibility
The Commander shall ensure that the pilot program is available to all individuals currently or previously assigned to, supporting, or augmenting the United States Special Operations Command or its component commands, and to the spouses and dependents (as defined in section 1072 of title 10, United States Code) of such individuals.
(d)
Standard of care
Services under the pilot program shall consist of nonmedical counseling similar in type and scope to the nonmedical counseling provided under the Department of Defense Military and Family Life Counseling Program under section 1781(d) of title 10, United States Code, including with respect to charting and recordkeeping practices and the cross-jurisdictional authorities described in paragraph (2) of such section, except that services under the pilot program shall be delivered exclusively through an anonymous telehealth platform.
(e)
Anonymity
(1)
Platform
The Commander shall ensure that—
(A)
the anonymous telehealth platform does not collect or retain personally identifiable information regarding any participant; and
(B)
session content transmitted during the course of services is protected by end-to-end encryption, such that the platform vendor cannot access such content, and is not retained on the platform after the session.
(2)
Participant disclosure
A participant may voluntarily disclose identifying information in the course of receiving services but is not required to do so as a condition of participation.
(3)
Counselor conduct
A counselor providing services under the pilot program may not request, require, or otherwise solicit personally identifiable information from a participant, except as necessary to act on a duty arising under applicable Federal or State law in cases involving imminent risk of harm.
(4)
Use of information
Participation in the pilot program, and any information disclosed by a participant during services, shall not result in entry into medical records, command notification, or referral, except as required to discharge a duty described in paragraph (3).
(f)
Information security
The Chief Information Officer of the Department of Defense shall establish alternative information security requirements for the anonymous telehealth platform used to deliver services under the pilot program, reflecting the anonymous design of the platform and the limited duration of the pilot program. Such requirements shall not include authorization under the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program.
(g)
Funding
No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the pilot program.
(h)
Reports
Not later than February 1 of each year following the date counseling services first become available under the pilot program, the Commander shall submit to the congressional defense committees an annual report evaluating utilization, impact on existing counseling capacity, cost considerations, readiness implications, and recommendations for continuation or expansion.
(i)
Sunset
The authority under this section terminates on September 30, 2029, except that the Commander may extend the pilot program for up to two additional fiscal years upon notification to the congressional defense committees.
596.
Assessment of antisemitism in the Service Academies
(a)
Inclusion
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the Defense Organizational Climate Survey (hereinafter,  DEOCS ) includes specific questions to assess the prevalence, nature, and impact of antisemitism in the Service Academies (as such term is defined in section 347 of title 10, United States Code). The questions included shall be designed to gather detailed information on the following:
(1)
Instances of antisemitic behavior, language, and symbols.
(2)
Perceptions of antisemitism among members, cadets, and midshipmen.
(3)
The impact of antisemitism on unit cohesion, morale, and readiness.
(4)
The effectiveness of current policies and training programs in addressing antisemitism.
(b)
Reporting requirements
(1)
Annual report
The Secretary of Defense shall submit a report to the congressional defense committees not later than 180 days after the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, detailing the following:
(A)
The findings from the antisemitism assessment.
(B)
Steps taken to address identified issues related to antisemitism.
(C)
Recommendations for additional actions to mitigate antisemitism in the Armed Forces.
(2)
Inclusion in existing report
The results of the antisemitism assessment shall be included in the annual report on the results of the DEOCS.
K
Military Chaplains Modernization Act of 2026
597.
Short title
This subtitle may be cited as the   Military Chaplains Modernization Act of 2026  .
598.
Findings
Congress makes the following findings:
(1)
Religion and religious liberty have always served an essential role in society, culture, and military service, making them necessary for good democratic governance and a strong military.
(2)
George Washington, as a young colonel, recognized the importance of religious practice for his soldiers, repeatedly requesting chaplains for his troops and periodically performing religious duties himself.
(3)
When the Second Continental Congress established the Continental Army in June 1775, it recommended  all officers and soldiers diligently to attend Divine Service .
(4)
In 1775, at the behest of George Washington, then General of the Continental Army, the Second Continental Congress established the Federal chaplaincy that is in existence to this day, making it one of the oldest military services provided for American troops.
(5)
From their earliest days, military chaplains have existed to provide pastoral care, meeting the religious needs of members of the Armed Forces and their families.
(6)
In 1775, the Continental Congress, understanding the significance of chaplaincy, similarly instructed its fledgling navy that,  The commanders of the ships of the Thirteen United Colonies are to take care that divine services be performed twice a day on board, and a sermon preached on Sundays, unless bad weather or other extraordinary accidents prevent it. .
(7)
John Adams instructed his Secretary of the Navy on the influence of a Navy chaplaincy, stating,  I know not whether the commanders of our ships have given much attention to this subject [chaplains], but in my humble opinion, we shall be very unskillful politicians as well as bad Christians and unwise men if we neglect this important office in our infant Navy. .
(8)
In 1942, Franklin D. Roosevelt also acknowledged the importance of the chaplaincy by vowing to  never fail to provide for the spiritual needs of our officers and men under the Chaplains of our armed forces , and during World War II, President Roosevelt had Bibles printed and provided to troops in the field.
(9)
Understanding the importance of religion not only to the members of the United States military, but also to the United States as a whole, the Founders ratified the First Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1791.
(10)
Under the First Amendment, which applies to the Armed Forces, the Federal Government has a constitutional duty to provide for the religious exercise of members of the Armed Forces, an obligation to which the chaplain corps is essential.
(11)
The Supreme Court stated, in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, 597 U.S. 507 (2022), that the court is  aware of no historically sound understanding of the Establishment Clause that begins to  mak[e] it necessary for government to be hostile to religion * * *  .
(12)
In Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, the Supreme Court further explained that  the Establishment Clause does not include anything like a  modified heckler's veto, in which * * * religious activity can be proscribed  based on  perceptions  or  discomfort   and that the Clause does not   compel the government to purge from the public sphere  anything an objective observer could reasonably infer endorses or  partakes of the religious  .
(13)
The Supreme Court made clear in Parker v. Levy, 417 U.S. 733 (1974) that chaplains in the Armed Forces do not forfeit their First Amendment rights by virtue of their military service.
(14)
Section 6 of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 ( 42 U.S.C. 2000bb–3 ) specifies that that Act ( 42 U.S.C. 2000bb et seq. )  applies to all Federal law, and the implementation of that law, whether statutory or otherwise, and whether adopted before or after [November 16, 1993] .
599.
Duties, responsibilities, requirements, and protections for Army chaplains
(a)
Chaplains
Section 7073 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a)—
(A)
by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (5) and (6), respectively; and
(B)
by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new paragraph:
(2)
the Deputy Chief of Chaplains;
(3)
the Deputy Chief of Chaplains for the Army Reserve;
(4)
the Deputy Chief of Chaplains for the Army National Guard;
 ;
(2)
by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (f);
(3)
by inserting after subsection (a) the following new subsections:
(b)
The Chief of Chaplains shall serve as a principal advisor to the Secretary of the Army and the Chief of Staff of the Army.
(c)
The Deputy Chief of Chaplains shall serve under the authority, direction, and control of the Chief of Chaplains.
(d)
Under the authority, direction, and control of the Chief of Chaplains, the Deputy Chief of Chaplains for the Army Reserve shall serve as a principal advisor to the Chief of the Army Reserve.
(e)
Under the authority, direction, and control of the Chief of Chaplains, the Deputy Chief of Chaplains for the Army National Guard shall serve as a principal advisor to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau.
 ; and
(4)
adding at the end the following new subsection:
(g)
The Deputy Chiefs of Chaplains, while so serving, hold the grade of brigadier general.
 .
(b)
Chiefs of branches: appointment; duties
Section 7036 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (h); and
(2)
by inserting after subsection (f) the following new subsection (g):
(g)
The Chief of Chaplains serves as the principal advisor to the Secretary of the Army and the Chief of Staff of the Army on chaplaincy matters and the provision of religious support in the Army, including strategic planning and the development of policies that affect religious support or have a nexus with the chaplaincy.
 .
(c)
Chaplains
Section 7217 of title 10, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
7217.
Duties, responsibilities, requirements, and protections for Army chaplains
(a)
Duties, responsibilities, and requirements
(1)
The Army Chaplaincy shall perform such duties as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Army and the Chief of Chaplains of the Army.
(2)
The Army Chaplaincy shall be overseen by the Chief of Chaplains and shall—
(A)
serve as principal advisers to commanders on all issues concerning religious practices, spiritual readiness, spiritual care, religious provisions, and religion’s influence on military operations, which shall include, but not be limited to—
(i)
advising and assisting commanders in discharging their responsibilities to provide for the free exercise of religion in military service, pursuant to the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, section 3 of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 ( 42 U.S.C. 2000bb–1 ), and related statutes and policies;
(ii)
assisting commanders in managing religious affairs, including the accommodation of religious practices and the development of policies and procedures related to the free exercise of religion;
(iii)
assisting commanders by serving as advisers with respect to all religious accommodation requests and by providing advice on spiritual readiness and matters concerning religion, morals, ethics, well-being, and morale; and
(iv)
overseeing education and training programs concerning the accommodation of religious practices for members of the armed forces;
(B)
meet the religious requirements and care for the spiritual needs of members of the armed forces, other authorized persons, and dependents of members, potentially in isolated or combat environments;
(C)
have a primary role in providing for the free exercise of religion and other religious requirements associated with the free exercise of religion;
(D)
facilitate meeting the religious needs and requirements for members of the armed forces to whom an assigned chaplain cannot directly minister; and
(E)
maintain confidential, sacramental, and privileged communications, including those recognized under applicable laws and policies.
(3)
The tasks of chaplains in the Army shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(A)
Performing religious rites, rituals, services, ordinances, ceremonies, and observances (such as memorials, weddings, retirements, sermons, worship, and burials).
(B)
Counseling, meeting, advising, and praying with individuals or groups.
(C)
Providing crisis prevention and response.
(D)
Providing pastoral and spiritual care, guidance, support, and activities.
(E)
Advising on religious accommodation requests.
(F)
Providing religious training and education.
(b)
Protections
(1)
A chaplain’s duties, responsibilities, and requirements, as set forth in subsection (a), shall be conducted in a manner consistent with the chaplain’s sincerely held religious beliefs and the manner, form, and tenets of the chaplain’s religious-endorsing organization.
(2)
A chaplain shall have the right to conduct public worship, provide counseling, teach, deliver sermons, advise, minister, and offer prayer in accordance with the chaplain’s sincerely held religious beliefs and the manner, form, and tenets of the chaplain's religious-endorsing organization. Those activities shall be free from censorship, undue restriction, or fear of retribution.
(3)
A chaplain shall uphold the chaplain's duty to protect confidential, sacramental, and privileged communications, including communications recognized under applicable laws and policies.
(4)
No member of the Armed Forces may—
(A)
require or assign a chaplain to perform any rite, ritual, ceremony, sermon, or speech contrary to the sincerely held religious beliefs of the chaplain or contrary to the manner, form, or tenets of the chaplain’s religious-endorsing organization;
(B)
require or assign a chaplain to perform any task or action contrary to the sincerely held religious beliefs of the chaplain or contrary to the manner, form, or tenets of the religious-endorsing organization of the chaplain, consistent with section 3 of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 ( 42 U.S.C. 2000bb–1 );
(C)
retaliate or discriminate against a chaplain based on the chaplain’s refusal to comply with a requirement prohibited under this subsection, or take, with respect to such a chaplain, any adverse personnel action including—
(i)
denial of promotion, schooling, training, assignment, or financial recoupment;
(ii)
issuance of letters of reprimand; or
(iii)
any other adverse action or entry in the chaplain's record; or
(D)
preclude a chaplain from conducting an activity described in paragraph (2).
(5)
A member of the Armed Forces who violates paragraph (4) shall be subject to prosecution under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
(c)
Assistance by commanding officers
Each officer shall furnish facilities, including necessary transportation, to any chaplain assigned to the command of the officer, to assist the chaplain in performing the duties, responsibilities, and requirements of the chaplain under subsection (a).
(d)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
Administrative endorser
The term  administrative endorser  means an organization that was approved to endorse chaplains for service in the armed forces under the requirements of the Department of Defense and the armed force in which those chaplains will serve, as in effect at the time the organization initially began endorsing chaplains, not on its own behalf, but on behalf of one or more external religious organizations that—
(A)
are religious-endorsing organizations;
(B)
at the time the organization initially began endorsing chaplains, did not possess the organizational capacity to endorse chaplains directly; and
(C)
were not members of, nor otherwise affiliated with, a fellowship or other organizational structure meeting the requirements set forth in paragraph (5)(A)(iii) that possessed authority to endorse chaplains.
(2)
Adverse personnel action
The term  adverse personnel action  means any action taken against a member of the Armed Forces that affects or has the potential to adversely affect the member's current position or career, including—
(A)
a disciplinary action, transfer, negative performance evaluation, removal, separation, discharge, or mental health evaluation; and
(B)
a decision not to give the member a promotion, an increase in pay or benefits, an award, training, or relief.
(3)
Censorship
The term  censorship  means any governmental action taken to suppress or restrict information, ideas, or expression.
(4)
Confidential, sacramental, and privileged communications
The term  confidential, sacramental, and privileged communications  means any private communication made to a chaplain acting in the chaplain’s capacity as a spiritual advisor.
(5)
Religious-endorsing organization
(A)
The term  religious-endorsing organization  means an entity that—
(i)
(I)
is organized and functions primarily to perform religious ministries to nonmilitary lay members and meets the requirements of the Department of Defense and the armed force in which chaplains endorsed by the entity will serve; and
(II)
possesses ecclesiastical authority to endorse and withdraw endorsements for chaplains serving under the authority of the entity to conduct religious observances or ceremonies in a military context; or
(ii)
(I)
meets the requirements of the Department of Defense and the armed force in which chaplains endorsed by the entity will serve;
(II)
is organized and functions primarily to support member religious organizations and religious ministry professionals that function primarily to perform religious ministries to nonmilitary lay members; and
(III)
performs the function described in clause (i)(II) on behalf of its member religious organizations and religious ministry professionals.
(B)
An administrative endorser that endorses chaplains before the date of the enactment of this section may continue to endorse chaplains on and after such date of enactment if administrative endorser meets the requirements of the Department of Defense and the armed force in which chaplains endorsed by the administrative endorser will serve to provide documentation verifying that the religious organizations the administrative endorser represents meet the requirements of subclause (I) and (II) of subparagraph (A)(i).
 .
599A.
Duties, responsibilities, requirements, and protections for Navy chaplains
(a)
Chaplain corps and chief of chaplains
Section 8082 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
(f)
The Chief of Chaplains shall serve as a principal adviser to the Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations.
 .
(b)
Deputy chiefs of chaplains
Section 8082a of title 10, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
8082a.
Deputy Chiefs of Chaplains
(a)
The Secretary of the Navy shall detail as Deputy Chiefs of Chaplains officers of the Chaplain Corps in the grade of commander or above who are on active duty and who have served on active duty in the Chaplain Corps for at least eight years.
(b)
Under the authority, direction, and control of the Chief of Chaplains, the Deputy Chief of Chaplains shall also serve as the Chaplain of the Marine Corps and shall serve as a principal advisor to the Commandant of the Marine Corps.
(c)
Under the authority, direction, and control of the Chief of Chaplains, the Deputy Chief of Chaplains for Reserve Matters shall also serve as a principal advisor to the Chief of Navy Reserve.
(d)
The Deputy Chiefs of Chaplains, while so serving, hold the grade of rear admiral (lower half).
 .
(c)
Chaplains
Section 8221 of title 10, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
8221.
Duties, responsibilities, requirements, and protections for Navy chaplains
(a)
Duties, responsibilities, and requirements
(1)
The Navy Chaplaincy shall perform such duties as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Chaplains of the Navy.
(2)
The Navy Chaplaincy shall be overseen by the Chief of Chaplains and shall—
(A)
serve as principal advisers to commanders on all issues concerning religious practices, spiritual readiness, spiritual care, religious provisions, and religion’s influence on military operations, which shall include, but not be limited to—
(i)
advising and assisting commanders in discharging their responsibilities to provide for the free exercise of religion in military service, pursuant to the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, section 3 of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 ( 42 U.S.C. 2000bb–1 ), and related statutes and policies;
(ii)
assisting commanders in managing religious affairs, including the accommodation of religious practices and the development of policies and procedures related to the free exercise of religion;
(iii)
assisting commanders by serving as an adviser with respect to all religious accommodation requests and by providing advice on spiritual readiness and matters concerning religion, morals, ethics, well-being, and morale; and
(iv)
overseeing education and training programs concerning the accommodation of religious practices for members of the armed forces;
(B)
meet the religious requirements and care for the spiritual needs of members of the armed forces, other authorized persons, and dependents, potentially in isolated or combat environments;
(C)
have a primary role in providing for the free exercise of religion and other religious requirements associated with the free exercise of religion;
(D)
facilitate meeting the religious needs and requirements for members of the armed forces to whom an assigned chaplain cannot directly minister; and
(E)
maintain confidential, sacramental, and privileged communications, including communications recognized under applicable laws and policies.
(3)
The tasks of chaplains in the Navy shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(A)
Performing religious rites, rituals, services, ordinances, ceremonies, and observances (such as memorials, weddings, retirements, sermons, worship, and burials).
(B)
Counseling, meeting, advising, and praying with individuals or groups.
(C)
Providing crisis prevention and response.
(D)
Providing pastoral and spiritual care, guidance, support, and activities.
(E)
Advising on religious accommodation requests.
(F)
Providing religious training and education.
(b)
Protections
(1)
A chaplain’s duties, responsibilities, and requirements, as set forth in subsection (a), shall be conducted in a manner consistent with the chaplain’s sincerely held religious beliefs and the manner, form, and tenets of the chaplain's religious-endorsing organization.
(2)
A chaplain shall have the right to conduct public worship, provide counseling, teach, deliver sermons, advise, minister, and offer prayer in accordance with the chaplain’s sincerely held religious beliefs and the manner, form, and tenets of the chaplain's religious-endorsing organization. Those activities shall be free from censorship, undue restriction, or fear of retribution.
(3)
A chaplain shall uphold the chaplain's duty to protect confidential, sacramental, and privileged communications, including communications recognized under applicable laws and policies.
(4)
No member of the Armed Forces may—
(A)
require or assign a chaplain to perform any rite, ritual, ceremony, sermon, or speech, contrary to the sincerely held religious beliefs of the chaplain or contrary to the manner, form, or tenets of the chaplain's religious-endorsing organization;
(B)
require or assign a chaplain to perform any task or action contrary to the sincerely held religious beliefs of the chaplain or contrary to the manner, form, or tenets of the chaplain's religious-endorsing organization, consistent with section 3 of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 ( 42 U.S.C. 2000bb–1 );
(C)
retaliate or discriminate against a chaplain based on the chaplain’s refusal to comply with a requirement prohibited under this subsection, or take, with respect to such a chaplain, any adverse personnel action including—
(i)
denial of promotion, schooling, training, assignment, or financial recoupment;
(ii)
issuance of letters of reprimand; or
(iii)
any other adverse action or entry in the chaplain's record; or
(D)
preclude a chaplain from conducting an activity described in paragraph (2).
(5)
A member of the Armed Forces who violates paragraph (4) shall be subject to prosecution under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
(c)
Assistance by commanding officers
Each officer shall furnish facilities, including necessary transportation, to any chaplain assigned to the command of the officer, to assist the chaplain in performing the duties, responsibilities, and requirements of the chaplain under subsection (a).
(d)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
Administrative endorser
The term  administrative endorser  means an organization that was approved to endorse chaplains for service in the armed forces under the requirements of the Department of Defense and the armed force in which those chaplains will serve, as in effect at the time the organization initially began endorsing chaplains, not on its own behalf, but on behalf of one or more external religious organizations that—
(A)
are religious-endorsing organizations;
(B)
at the time the organization initially began endorsing chaplains, did not possess the organizational capacity to endorse chaplains directly; and
(C)
were not members of, nor otherwise affiliated with, a fellowship or other organizational structure meeting the requirements set forth in paragraph (5)(A)(iii) that possessed authority to endorse chaplains.
(2)
Adverse personnel action
The term  adverse personnel action  means any action taken against a member of the Armed Forces that affects or has the potential to adversely affect the member's current position or career, including—
(A)
a disciplinary action, transfer, negative performance evaluation, removal, separation, discharge, or mental health evaluation; and
(B)
a decision not to give the member a promotion, an increase in pay or benefits, an award, training, or relief.
(3)
Censorship
The term  censorship  means any governmental action taken to suppress or restrict information, ideas, or expression.
(4)
Confidential, sacramental, and privileged communications
The term  confidential, sacramental, and privileged communications  means any private communication made to a chaplain acting in the chaplain’s capacity as a spiritual advisor.
(5)
Religious-endorsing organization
(A)
The term  religious-endorsing organization  means an entity that—
(i)
(I)
is organized and functions primarily to perform religious ministries to nonmilitary lay members and meets the requirements of the Department of Defense and the armed force in which chaplains endorsed by the entity will serve; and
(II)
possesses ecclesiastical authority to endorse and withdraw endorsements for chaplains serving under the authority of the entity to conduct religious observances or ceremonies in a military context; or
(ii)
(I)
meets the requirements of the Department of Defense and the armed force in which chaplains endorsed by the entity will serve;
(II)
is organized and functions primarily to support member religious organizations and religious ministry professionals that function primarily to perform religious ministries to nonmilitary lay members; and
(III)
performs the function described in clause (i)(II) on behalf of its member religious organizations and religious ministry professionals.
(B)
An administrative endorser that endorses chaplains before the date of the enactment of this section may continue to endorse chaplains on and after such date of enactment if administrative endorser meets the requirements of the Department of Defense and the armed force in which chaplains endorsed by the administrative endorser will serve to provide documentation verifying that the religious organizations the administrative endorser represents meet the requirements of subclause (I) and (II) of subparagraph (A)(i).
 .
599B.
Duties, responsibilities, requirements, and protections for Air Force chaplains
(a)
Chief of chaplains
Section 9039 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
(d)
The Chief of Chaplains shall serve as the principal adviser to the Secretary of the Air Force and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force on chaplaincy and religious support, including strategic planning and policy development related to those areas.
(e)
The Air Force Chaplaincy, which also services the Space Force, shall—
(1)
be overseen by the Office of the Chief of Chaplains; and
(2)
advise and assist commanders in ensuring the right of members of the armed forces to religious freedom, in accordance with the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, section 3 of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 ( 42 U.S.C. 2000bb–1 ), and applicable laws and policies.
 .
(b)
Deputy chief of chaplains
 Chapter 905  of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after  section 9039  the following new section:
9039a.
Deputy Chief of Chaplains: appointment; duties
(a)
The Secretary of the Air Force shall detail as a Deputy Chief of Chaplains one or more officers of the Chaplain Corps in the grade of colonel or above who are on active duty and who have served on active duty in the Chaplain Corps for at least eight years.
(b)
Under the authority, direction, and control of the Chief of Chaplains, a Deputy Chief of Chaplains shall also serve as the Chaplain of the Space Force and shall serve as a principal advisor to the Chief of Space Operations.
(c)
A Deputy Chief of Chaplains, while so serving, holds the grade of brigadier general.
 .
(c)
The Air Staff: function; composition
Section 9031 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
by redesignating paragraphs (7), (8), and (9) as paragraphs (8), (9), and (10), respectively; and
(2)
by inserting after paragraph (6) the following new paragraph (7):
(7)
The Chief of Chaplains for the Air Force and the Space Force.
 .
(d)
Chaplains
Section 9217 of title 10, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
9217.
Duties, responsibilities, requirements, and protections for Air Force chaplains
(a)
Duties, responsibilities, and requirements
(1)
The Air Force Chaplaincy shall perform such duties as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Air Force and the Chief of Chaplains of the Air Force.
(2)
The Air Force Chaplaincy shall be overseen by the Chief of Chaplains and shall—
(A)
serve as principal advisers to commanders on all issues concerning religious practices, spiritual readiness, spiritual care, religious provisions, and religion’s influence on military operations, which shall include, but not be limited to—
(i)
advising and assisting commanders in discharging their responsibilities to provide for the free exercise of religion in military service, pursuant to the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, section 3 of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 ( 42 U.S.C. 2000bb–1 ), and related statutes and policies;
(ii)
assisting commanders in managing religious affairs, including the accommodation of religious practices and the development of policies and procedures related to the free exercise of religion;
(iii)
assisting commanders by serving as an adviser with respect to all religious accommodation requests and by providing advice on spiritual readiness and matters concerning religion, morals, ethics, well-being, and morale; and
(iv)
overseeing education and training programs concerning the accommodation of religious practices for members of the armed forces;
(B)
meet the religious requirements and care for the spiritual needs of members of the armed forces, other authorized persons, and dependents, potentially in isolated or combat environments;
(C)
have a primary role in providing for the free exercise of religion and other religious requirements associated with the free exercise of religion;
(D)
facilitate meeting the religious needs and requirements for members of the armed forces to whom an assigned chaplain cannot directly minister; and
(E)
maintain confidential, sacramental, and privileged communications, including communications recognized under applicable laws and policies.
(3)
The tasks of chaplains in the Air Force shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(A)
Performing religious rites, rituals, services, ordinances, ceremonies, and observances (such as memorials, weddings, retirements, sermons, worship, and burials).
(B)
Counseling, meeting, advising, and praying with individuals or groups.
(C)
Providing crisis prevention and response.
(D)
Providing pastoral and spiritual care, guidance, support, and activities.
(E)
Advising on religious accommodation requests.
(F)
Providing religious training and education.
(b)
Protections
(1)
A chaplain’s duties, responsibilities, and requirements, as set forth in subsection (a), shall be conducted in a manner consistent with the chaplain’s sincerely held religious beliefs and the manner, form, and tenets of the chaplain’s religious-endorsing organization.
(2)
A chaplain shall have the right to conduct public worship, provide counseling, teach, deliver sermons, advise, minister, and offer prayer in accordance with the chaplain’s sincerely held religious beliefs and the manner, form, and tenets of the chaplain’s religious-endorsing organization. Those activities shall be free from censorship, undue restriction, or fear of retribution.
(3)
A chaplain shall uphold the chaplain's duty to protect confidential, sacramental, and privileged communications, including communications recognized under applicable laws and policies.
(4)
No member of the Armed Forces may—
(A)
require or assign a chaplain to perform any rite, ritual, ceremony, sermon, or speech contrary to the sincerely held religious beliefs of the chaplain or contrary to the manner, form, or tenets of the chaplain's religious-endorsing organization;
(B)
require or assign a chaplain to perform any task or action contrary to the sincerely held religious beliefs of the chaplain or contrary to the manner, form, or tenets of the chaplain’s religious-endorsing organization, consistent with section 3 of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 ( 42 U.S.C. 2000bb–1 );
(C)
retaliate or discriminate against a chaplain based on the chaplain’s refusal to comply with a requirement prohibited under this subsection, or take, with respect to such a chaplain, any adverse personnel action including—
(i)
denial of promotion, schooling, training, assignment, or financial recoupment;
(ii)
issuance of letters of reprimand; or
(iii)
any other adverse action or entry in the chaplain's record; or
(D)
preclude chaplains from exercising the activities described in paragraph (2).
(5)
A member of the Armed Forces who violates paragraph (4) shall be subject to prosecution under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
(c)
Assistance by commanding officers
Each officer shall furnish facilities, including necessary transportation, to any chaplain assigned to the command of the officer, to assist the chaplain in performing the duties, responsibilities, and requirements of the chaplain under subsection (a).
(d)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
Administrative endorser
The term  administrative endorser  means an organization that was approved to endorse chaplains for service in the armed forces under the requirements of the Department of Defense and the armed force in which those chaplains will serve, as in effect at the time the organization initially began endorsing chaplains, not on its own behalf, but on behalf of one or more external religious organizations that—
(A)
are religious-endorsing organizations;
(B)
at the time the organization initially began endorsing chaplains, did not possess the organizational capacity to endorse chaplains directly; and
(C)
were not members of, nor otherwise affiliated with, a fellowship or other organizational structure meeting the requirements set forth in paragraph (5)(A)(iii) that possessed authority to endorse chaplains.
(2)
Adverse personnel action
The term  adverse personnel action  means any action taken against a member of the Armed Forces that affects or has the potential to adversely affect the member's current position or career, including—
(A)
a disciplinary action, transfer, negative performance evaluation, removal, separation, discharge, or mental health evaluation; and
(B)
a decision not to give the member a promotion, an increase in pay or benefits, an award, training, or relief.
(3)
Censorship
The term  censorship  means any governmental action taken to suppress or restrict information, ideas, or expression.
(4)
Confidential, sacramental, and privileged communications
The term  confidential, sacramental, and privileged communications  means any private communication made to a chaplain acting in the chaplain’s capacity as a spiritual advisor.
(5)
Religious-endorsing organization
(A)
The term  religious-endorsing organization  means an entity that—
(i)
(I)
is organized and functions primarily to perform religious ministries to nonmilitary lay members and meets the requirements of the Department of Defense and the armed force in which chaplains endorsed by the entity will serve; and
(II)
possesses ecclesiastical authority to endorse and withdraw endorsements for chaplains serving under the authority of the entity to conduct religious observances or ceremonies in a military context; or
(ii)
(I)
meets the requirements of the Department of Defense and the armed force in which chaplains endorsed by the entity will serve;
(II)
is organized and functions primarily to support member religious organizations and religious ministry professionals that function primarily to perform religious ministries to nonmilitary lay members; and
(III)
performs the function described in clause (i)(II) on behalf of its member religious organizations and religious ministry professionals.
(B)
An administrative endorser that endorses chaplains before the date of the enactment of this section may continue to endorse chaplains on and after such date of enactment if administrative endorser meets the requirements of the Department of Defense and the armed force in which chaplains endorsed by the administrative endorser will serve to provide documentation verifying that the religious organizations the administrative endorser represents meet the requirements of subclause (I) and (II) of subparagraph (A)(i).
 .
599C.
Definition of chaplain for title 10, United States Code
Section 101(b) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(17)
The term  chaplain  means a fully qualified religious ministry professional from a religious tradition who—
(A)
satisfies the professional qualifications of the chaplain’s religious-endorsing organization (as defined in sections 7217, 8221, and 9217 of this title) and the educational requirements of the Department of Defense and the Armed Force in which the chaplain serves or will serve; and
(B)
is appointed as both an officer in the Chaplain Corps of the Armed Forces and a representative of the chaplain’s religious-endorsing organization, to which the chaplain shall remain accountable to for providing religious ministry to the armed forces.
 .
599D.
Effect of violations
(a)
In general
A member of the Armed Forces who violates section 7217(b)(4), 8221(b)(4), or 9217(b)(4) of title 10, United States Code, as added by section 3, shall be subject to prosecution under section 934 of such title (article 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice).
(b)
Regulations
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall—
(1)
prescribe regulations establishing that a violation of section 7217(b)(4), 8221(b)(4), or 9217(b)(4) of title 10, United States Code, as added by section 3, constitutes an offense punishable under section 934 of such title (article 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice); and
(2)
revise the Manual for Courts-Martial to include such offenses.
599E.
Regulations
The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe such regulations as are necessary to carry out the amendments made by this subtitle.
599F.
Conforming amendments
(a)
Existing protections for chaplains
Section 533 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 ( Public Law 112–239 ;  10 U.S.C. 1030  note prec.) is amended—
(1)
in the section heading, by striking
and chaplains of such members  ;
(2)
by striking subsection (b); and
(3)
by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (b).
(b)
Professional functions of the Air Force
Section 9063(h) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding  in accordance with section 9217(a)  after  Secretary .
VI
MILITARY COMPENSATION AND OTHER BENEFITS
A
Bonus and Incentive Pays
601.
One-year extension of certain expiring bonus and special pay authorities
(a)
Authorities relating to reserve forces
Section 910(g) of title 37, United States Code, relating to income replacement payments for reserve component members experiencing extended and frequent mobilization for active duty service, is amended by striking  December 31, 2026  and inserting  December 31, 2027 .
(b)
Title 10 authorities relating to health care professionals
The following sections of title 10, United States Code, are amended by striking  December 31, 2026  and inserting  December 31, 2027 :
(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.
(c)
Authorities relating to nuclear officers
Section 333(i) of title 37, United States Code, is amended by striking  December 31, 2026  and inserting  December 31, 2027 .
(d)
Authorities relating to title 37 consolidated special pay, incentive pay, and bonus authorities
The following sections of title 37, United States Code, are amended by striking  December 31, 2026  and inserting  December 31, 2027 :
(1)
Section 331(h), relating to general bonus authority for enlisted members.
(2)
Section 332(g), relating to general bonus authority for officers.
(3)
Section 334(i), relating to special aviation incentive pay and bonus authorities for officers.
(4)
Section 335(k), relating to special bonus and incentive pay authorities for officers in health professions.
(5)
Section 336(g), relating to contracting bonus for cadets and midshipmen enrolled in the Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps.
(6)
Section 351(h), relating to hazardous duty pay.
(7)
Section 352(g), relating to assignment pay or special duty pay.
(8)
Section 353(i), relating to skill incentive pay or proficiency bonus.
(9)
Section 355(h), relating to retention incentives for members qualified in critical military skills or assigned to high priority units.
(e)
Authority to provide temporary increase in rates of basic allowance for housing
Section 403(b) of title 37, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (7)(E), relating to an area covered by a major disaster declaration or containing an installation experiencing an influx of military personnel, by striking  December 31, 2026  and inserting  December 31, 2027 ; and
(2)
in paragraph (8)(C), relating to an area where actual housing costs differ from current rates by more than 20 percent, by striking  December 31, 2026  and inserting  December 31, 2027 .
602.
Authorizing board certification incentive pay for medical officers with doctoral degrees
Section 335(c)(2) of title 37, United States Code, is amended by inserting  , or holds a doctoral degree that the Secretary concerned determines appropriate,  after  is board certified .
603.
One-time corrective increase and annual adjustments for certain special and incentive pays for members of the armed forces; clarification of special and incentive pay authorities for members of reserve components
(a)
Adjustments
(1)
In general
 Chapter 19  of title 37, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
1017.
Adjustments to amounts of special and incentive pays
(a)
Initial increase
Effective on January 1 of the first year that begins after the date of the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027, the Secretary of Defense shall increase the amount of each covered special and incentive pay (rounded to the nearest dollar) for members of the armed forces by the greater of—
(1)
the percentage by which the CPI for the base quarter of the preceding year exceeds the CPI for the base quarter preceding the last statutory or administrative increase date for such covered special and incentive pay; and
(2)
the percentage by which the average rate of basic pay for members of the armed forces under section 203(a) of this title in effect on such January 1 exceeds the average rate of basic pay for members of the armed forces under such section 203(a) that was in effect on the last statutory or administrative increase date for such covered special and incentive pay.
(b)
Recurring increase
Effective on January 1 of the second year that begins after the date of the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027, and each January 1 thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall increase the amount of each covered special and incentive pay (rounded to the nearest dollar) for members of the armed forces by the greater of—
(1)
the percentage by which the CPI for the base quarter of the preceding year exceeds the CPI for the base quarter of the year before the preceding year; and
(2)
the percentage by which the rate of basic pay for members of the armed forces under section 203(a) of this title is increased on such January 1 from the rate of basic pay for such members in effect the preceding year.
(c)
Relationship to limits of amounts in law
The Secretary shall increase the amount of each covered special and incentive pay in accordance with subsection (a) or (b) notwithstanding any limitation on the maximum amount of such pay specified in any other provision of law.
(d)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  base quarter  for any year is the three-month period ending on September 30 of such year.
(2)
The term  covered special and incentive pay  means—
(A)
a bonus, incentive, or special pay payable under chapter 5 of this title; and
(B)
the allowance payable under section 427 of this title.
(3)
The term  CPI  means the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor.
(4)
The term  last statutory or administrative increase date  means the date of the most recent adjustment to an amount of pay that—
(A)
reflects a revision based on objective economic indicators or an increase to basic pay for members of the armed forces; or
(B)
was made by Act of Congress.
 .
(2)
Publication of one-time adjustments
Not later than December 31 of the year of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall publish in the Federal Register a table that identifies—
(A)
each covered special and incentive pay (as defined in section 1017 of title 37, United States Code, as added by subsection (a) of this section);
(B)
the last statutory or administration increase date (as defined in such section 1017) of each such pay;
(C)
the amount of increase of such pay after the application of subsection (a) of such section 1017; and
(D)
the total amount of such pay after the application of such subsection (a).
(b)
Clarification of special and incentive pay authorities for members of reserve components
Section 357 of title 37, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
by striking  special or incentive pay  and inserting  bonus, incentive, or special pay ; and
(2)
by striking  if the Secretary concerned  and all that follows and inserting a period.
604.
Payment of maximum amount of aviation incentive pay to aviation officers with more than 8 years of aviation service; enhancement of retention incentives available to aviation officers
(a)
Payment of maximum amount of aviation incentive pay to officers with more than 8 years of aviation service
Section 334(c) of title 37, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (1)(A), by inserting  subject to paragraph (5),  before  aviation incentive ; and
(2)
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(5)
Maximum amount for officers with more than 8 years of aviation service
An officer of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Space Force who is entitled to aviation incentive pay under subsection (a) and has completed more than 8 years of aviation service shall receive the maximum monthly amount of such pay under paragraph (1)(A).
 .
(b)
Enhancement of Air Force rated officer retention demonstration program
(1)
Eligible officers
Subsection (b)(2) of section 604 of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 ( Public Law 117–263 ;  37 U.S.C. 301b  note) is amended—
(A)
by striking  and not less than one year ; and
(B)
by striking  under section 653 of title 10, United States Code .
(2)
Written agreements
Subsection (c)(1) of such section is amended—
(A)
by striking  four years  and inserting  one year ; and
(B)
by striking  under section 653 of title 10, United States Code .
(3)
Retention incentives
Subsection (d) of such section is amended—
(A)
by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following new paragraph (1):
(1)
Flexibility of assignment and duty locations
Under the demonstration program required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall offer to a rated officer described in subsection (b), to the maximum extent practicable (as determined by the Secretary)—
(A)
assignment to the duty location of the rated officer’s preference, including consecutive assignments to the same duty location;
(B)
the opportunity to perform a staff assignment that does not require flying remotely, such that the officer may avoid relocation or remain in active flying status; and
(C)
the opportunity to transition indefinitely to a non-combat aviation service position.
 ;
(B)
by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following new paragraph (2):
(2)
Aviation bonus
(A)
In general
Under the demonstration program required under subsection (a), notwithstanding section 334(c) of title 37, United States Code, the Secretary may pay to a rated officer described in subsection (b) an aviation bonus not to exceed an average annual amount of $100,000.
(B)
Payment of maximum amount
The Secretary—
(i)
shall ensure the maximum amount payable under subparagraph (A) is offered to any rated officer described in subsection (b) who executes a written agreement under subsection (c) to remain on active duty for one or more years after the completion of the active duty service obligation of the officer; and
(ii)
may not vary the amount of an aviation bonus offered to an officer based on the active duty service commitment the officer has remaining at the time of offer.
 ; and
(C)
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(4)
Aligning total force incentives
The Secretary shall ensure that an offer under this subsection to a rated officer described in subsection (b) includes—
(A)
contract length options equal to or shorter than contract length options offered by the Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve; and
(B)
an aviation bonus under paragraph (2) in an amount that is equal to or exceeds the amounts offered by the Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve.
 .
(4)
Extension of demonstration project
Subsection (g) of such section is amended by striking  2028  and inserting  2031 .
605.
Expansions of authorities to contract with members of the Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps
(a)
Expansion of authority to contract with members ineligible for advanced training
Section 2103a(a) of title 10, United States Code is amended in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by striking  who has completed successfully the first year of a four-year Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps course and .
(b)
Contracting bonus: increased maximum bonus; expansion of training covered by contract
Section 336 of title 37, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in subsection (b), by striking  $5,000  and inserting  $15,000 ; and
(2)
in subsection (c)(1), by striking  field training or a practice cruise under section 2104(b)(6)(A)(ii) of title 10  and inserting  training requirements prescribed by the Secretary concerned .
606.
Retroactive granting of waivers for aviation incentive pay
(a)
Mandatory waiver
Subject to subsection (c), the Secretary of the Navy shall—
(1)
waive the requirements relating to months of operational flight for the receipt of aviation incentive pay under section 334 or 357 of title 37, United States Code, for any officer who—
(A)
was assigned to a tactical air control squadron during the period beginning on September 1, 2018, and ending on January 1, 2025;
(B)
(i)
submitted a request to waive such requirements during such period that was denied; or
(ii)
did not submit a request for a waiver of such requirements during such period; and
(C)
who the Secretary of the Navy determines would have qualified for a waiver of such requirements under the criteria applicable to requests for such a waiver at that time, provided that the Secretary shall consider as qualified for a waiver an officer who accumulated not less than 72 months of creditable operational or proficiency flying duty as of—
(i)
in the case of an officer described in paragraph (1)(B)(i), the date of the submission of a request for such a waiver; and
(ii)
in the case of an officer described in paragraph (1)(B)(ii), the date on which such officer was determined ineligible for aviation incentive pay under section 334 or 357 of title 37, United States Code, due to the failure to meet the requirements relating to months of operational flight;
(2)
apply the waiver required by paragraph (1) for each officer as of—
(A)
in the case of an officer described in paragraph (1)(B)(i), the date of such request; and
(B)
in the case of an officer described in paragraph (1)(B)(ii), the date on which such officer was determined ineligible for aviation incentive pay under section 334 or 357 of title 37, United States Code, due to the failure to meet the requirements relating to months of operational flight; and
(3)
provide each such officer aviation incentive pay under those sections in the amounts such officer would have received had the waiver been granted and applied on such date.
(b)
Review of flying duty policies
(1)
In general
Subject to subsection (c), if the Secretary of the Navy has reason to believe that the process for certifying operational or proficiency flying duty for members of the Navy or Marine Corps is not being carried out correctly, the Secretary shall conduct a review of such process, including all flying duty policies, procedures, and determinations, and take such corrective actions as the Secretary considers appropriate.
(2)
Status of aviation incentive pay
If the Secretary conducts a review under paragraph (1), the Secretary may not make a determination that an officer is ineligible for aviation incentive pay under section 334 or 357 of title 37, United States Code, due to failure to meet the requirements relating to months of operational flight until the completion of such review.
(3)
Submission
If the Secretary conducts a review under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees the results of the review.
(c)
Limitations
(1)
Appropriations required
Payments under subsection (a) and corrective action under subsection (b) in a fiscal year may only be made using amounts appropriated in advance specifically for such payments or such corrective action under such subsection in such fiscal year.
(2)
Matter of payments
Payments under subsection (a) and corrective action under subsection (b) shall be made on a pro rata basis if the amounts appropriated for such payments or such corrective action are less than the total amount that would be paid for such payments or such corrective action.
(3)
Amounts of payments
The total amount of funding obligated for payments under subsection (a) and corrective action under subsection (b) may not exceed the amount specifically appropriated for providing payments or taking such corrective action during the period of availability of such amount.
607.
Improvements to incentive pay for explosive ordnance disposal duty
(a)
Establishment
Subchapter I of  Chapter 5  of title 37, United States Code, is amended by inserting, after section 301e, the following new section:
301f.
Incentive pay: explosive ordnance disposal duty
(a)
Eligibility
(1)
Subject to regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, a regular member of a covered armed force is entitled to continuous monthly explosive ordnance disposal duty incentive pay in the amount specified in subsection (b)(1) if the member—
(A)
is entitled to basic pay;
(B)
holds (or is in training leading to) an explosive ordnance disposal duty designator; and
(C)
is in and remains in explosive ordnance disposal duty on a career basis.
(2)
Subject to regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, a member of a covered armed force who is entitled to basic pay but is not entitled to continuous monthly explosive ordnance disposal duty incentive pay under paragraph (1) is entitled to explosive ordnance disposal duty incentive pay in the amount prescribed pursuant to subsection (b)(2) for any period during which such member performs explosive ordnance disposal duty under orders.
(b)
Rates
(1)
Continuous monthly explosive ordnance disposal duty incentive pay under subsection (a)(1) shall be in the following amounts:
  Years of explosive ordnance disposal  duty (including training):  Monthly Rate        2 or fewer   $125     Over 2   $156     Over 3   $188     Over 4   $206     Over 6   $650     Over 8  $800     Over 10   $1,000     Over 17   $840     Over 22   $585     Over 24  $385     Over 25  $250
(2)
Explosive ordnance disposal duty incentive pay under subsection (a)(2)—
(A)
shall be in amounts prescribed by the Secretary of Defense;
(B)
may not, for any month, exceed the maximum amount specified in paragraph (1); and
(C)
may not be less per day than the amount under subsection (d).
(c)
Computation of years
Years of explosive ordnance disposal duty by a member shall be computed beginning with the effective date of the initial order to such member to perform explosive ordnance disposal duty.
(d)
Applicability to certain duty in the reserve components
Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense and to the extent provided for by appropriations, for each day that a member of a reserve component of a covered armed force who is entitled to compensation under section 206 of this title, performs, under orders, explosive ordnance disposal duty, such member is eligible for an increase in compensation equal to one-thirtieth of the continuous monthly incentive pay under subsection (b)(1) for a member of corresponding years of service entitled to basic pay.
(e)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  covered armed force  means the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space Force.
(2)
The term  explosive ordnance disposal  has the meaning given such term in section 2284 of title 10.
(3)
The term  explosive ordnance disposal duty  means duty performed by a member of a covered armed force, under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, in explosive ordnance disposal.
 .
(b)
Effective date
Section 301f of title 37, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall take effect on the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and apply to explosive ordnance disposal duty performed on or after such date.
608.
Modification of implementation determination for special and incentive pay authorities for members of reserve components
Section 602(d) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 ( Public Law 117–81 ;  37 U.S.C. 357  note) is amended—
(1)
by striking
Implementation Date   and all that follows through  The Secretary shall not  and inserting
Implementation Date.— The Secretary shall not ;
(2)
by striking paragraph (2); and
(3)
by redesignating subparagraphs (A) and (B) as paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively, and conforming the margins accordingly.
B
Allowances
611.
Basic needs allowance: exclusion of basic allowance for housing from the calculation of gross household income of an eligible member of the Armed Forces
Section 402b(k)(1)(B) of title 37, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
by striking  in  and all that follows through  portion of ; and
(2)
by striking  that the Secretary concerned elects to exclude  and inserting  paid to such member .
612.
Basic allowance for housing: permanent authority to make certain temporary increases
(a)
Area covered by a major disaster declaration or containing an installation experiencing an influx of military personnel
Subsection (b) of section 403 of title 37, United States Code, is amended, in paragraph (7)—
(1)
in subparagraph (D), by striking  Subject to subparagraph (E), an  and inserting  An ; and
(2)
by striking subparagraph (E).
(b)
Area where actual housing costs differ from current rates by more than 20 percent
Such subsection is further amended, in paragraph (8), by striking subparagraph (C).
613.
Temporary adjustment to a rate of the basic allowance for housing for members of the uniformed services: lower threshold; permanent authority
Section 403(b)(8) of title 37, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in subparagraph (A), by striking  20 percent  and inserting  15 percent ; and
(2)
by striking subparagraph (C).
614.
Modifications to cost-of-living allowance in the continental United States for members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force
Section 403b of title 37, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
by redesignating subsection (i) as subsection (j); and
(2)
by inserting after subsection (h) the following new subsection:
(i)
Special rule for members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force
This section shall be applied for members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force as follows:
(1)
Subsection (a) shall be applied by substituting  shall pay  for  may pay .
(2)
Subsection (c) shall be applied by substituting for the second and third sentences the following:  The threshold percentage shall be three percent, except that the administering Secretaries may prescribe a higher threshold percentage to be applied for a fiscal year when it is necessary to do so in order to ensure that the total amount of the payments of the cost-of-living allowance made to members of the uniformed services under this section for such fiscal year does not exceed the total amount available to all uniformed services for that fiscal year for paying such allowance.
(3)
The Secretary concerned may exclude general officers (as defined in section 101(b) of title 10) and flag officers (as defined in such section) from members who are eligible to receive a cost-of-living allowance under this section.
 .
615.
Payment of costs to ship breast milk of a member performing certain duty
(a)
Authority
Section 453 of title 37, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
(j)
Costs to ship breast milk
(1)
The Secretary concerned shall pay directly, or reimburse a covered member for, the costs for shipping expressed breast milk of the covered member to be used by the infant child of such member because the infant is separated from the member by reason of a qualifying circumstance.
(2)
The costs paid or reimbursed by the Secretary concerned with respect to a covered member for a single qualifying event may not exceed $1,000.
(3)
A covered member shall be eligible for a payment or reimbursement under paragraph (1) during the period in which the member is eligible for breastfeeding support pursuant to  chapter 55  of title 10.
(4)
In this subsection:
(A)
The term  covered member  means a member of the armed forces serving on active duty or inactive duty training.
(B)
The term  qualifying circumstance  means, with respect to a covered member, any of the following:
(i)
The covered member is performing temporary duty pursuant to orders.
(ii)
The covered member is undergoing a permanent change of station, regardless of whether the tour of duty is an accompanied or unaccompanied tour of duty.
(iii)
The covered member is performing annual training duty.
(iv)
The covered member is performing inactive-duty training.
 .
(b)
Regulations
The Secretary of Defense shall—
(1)
prescribe regulations to carry out subsection (j) of section 453 of title 37, United States Code, as added by subsection (a) of this section, in a manner that ensures parity with relevant existing programs of the Department of Defense; and
(2)
issue implementing guidance by not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
616.
Prohibition on charging members of the Armed Forces for meals while serving on naval vessels
(a)
In general
Section 402 of title 37, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
by redesignating subsection (i) as subsection (j); and
(2)
by inserting after subsection (h) the following new subsection:
(j)
Prohibition on charging members of the armed forces for meals while serving on naval vessels
A member of the armed forces assigned to duty on a naval vessel of the United States shall not be required to pay any charge for meals provided to the member while the vessel is underway or deployed from the homeport of the vessel.
 .
(b)
Effective date
The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect on October 1, 2026, and apply to meals provided to a member of the Armed Forces on or after that date.
C
Leave
621.
Accrual of leave for members of the Armed Forces
Section 701(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking  2 ½  calendar days  and inserting  3 ½  calendar days .
622.
Accumulation of leave for members of the Armed Forces
(a)
Accumulation of leave for members of the Armed Forces
Section 701 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
by striking subsections (b), (e), and (g);
(2)
by redesignating subsections (c), (d), (f), (h), (i), (j), (k), (l), and (m) as subsections (b) through (j), respectively;
(3)
in subsection (d), as redesignated by paragraph (2), by striking  without regard to the limitations in subsections (b) and (e) ; and
(4)
in subsection (f) (as so redesignated), by striking  , subject to the accumulation limits in subsections (b) and (e), .
(b)
Conforming amendments
(1)
Cadets and midshipmen
Section 702(c) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking  section 701(m)  and inserting  section 701(j) .
(2)
Emergency leave retention authority
(A)
In general
Section 2508 of title 14, United States Code, is repealed.
(B)
Clerical amendment
The table of sections at the beginning of  chapter 25  of title 14, United States Code, is amended by striking the item relating to section 2508.
(3)
Payments for unused accrued leave
Section 501 of title 37, United States Code, is amended—
(A)
in subsection (b)—
(i)
in paragraph (5), by striking  and in subsection (f) ; and
(ii)
by striking paragraph (6);
(B)
in subsection (d)—
(i)
in paragraph (1), by striking  subsections (b) and (g)  each place it appears and inserting  subsections (b) and (f) ;
(ii)
in paragraph(2), by striking  subsection (b)(3), subsection (f), and the second sentence of subsection (g)  and inserting  subsection (b)(3) ;
(C)
by striking subsection (f);
(D)
by redesignating subsections (g) and (h) as subsections (f) and (g), respectively; and
(E)
in subsection (f) (as so redesignated), by striking the second sentence.
(4)
Absences due to sickness, wounds, and certain other causes
Section 502(b) of title 37, United States Code, is amended by striking  and section 701(g) of title 10 .
623.
Bereavement leave for a member of the Armed Forces in the case of a loss of pregnancy or stillbirth
Subsection (l)(1)(A) of section 701 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
by striking  the death of an immediate family member.  and inserting an em dash; and
(2)
by adding at the end the following new clauses:
(i)
the death of an immediate family member; or
(ii)
the loss of a pregnancy or a stillbirth by such member or the spouse of such member.
  .
624.
Authorization of more than one period of rest and recuperation absence for certain members extending duty at designated locations overseas
Section 705(b) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (1), by striking  a period of ; and
(2)
in paragraph (2)—
(A)
by striking  a period of ; and
(B)
by inserting  one  before  round-trip .
D
Family and Survivor Benefits
631.
Payment to participant in Survivor Benefit Plan whose spouse dies before the participant
(a)
Establishment
Subchapter II of  chapter 73  of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting, after section 1448a, the following new section:
1448b.
Payment to participant whose spouse dies before the participant
(a)
Payment required
The Secretary concerned shall make a one-time payment of $1,000 to a participant described in subsection (b).
(b)
Eligible participant
A participant described in this subsection is a person—
(1)
who becomes a participant in the Plan on or after July 1, 2027;
(2)
whose beneficiary under the Plan is the spouse of such person; and
(3)
whose spouse dies before such person.
 .
(b)
Conforming reduction in retired pay
Section 1452(a)(1) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
(C)
Additional reduction for payment to participant whose spouse dies before the participant
The reduction under subparagraph (A) or (B) for a participant in the Plan who elects to provide spouse coverage on or after July 1, 2027, shall be increased by an amount prescribed in regulations by the Secretary of Defense as a premium for coverage under section 1448b of this title.
 .
632.
Increase in and cost-of-living adjustment of death gratuity
(a)
Increase in death gratuity
(1)
Increase
Section 1478(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking  $100,000  and inserting  $165,000 .
(2)
Applicability
The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall apply with respect to deaths occurring on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(b)
Cost-of-living adjustment of death gratuity
(1)
Adjustment
Section 1478 of title 10, United States Code, as amended by subsection (a) of this section, is further amended by inserting after subsection (b) the following new subsection:
(c)
Annual adjustment to death gratuity
(1)
On January 1 of each year, the amount of the death gratuity payable under subsection (a) shall be increased by the percentage (if any) by which the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, during the preceding calendar year exceeds such Consumer Price Index for the calendar year before such preceding calendar year, rounded to the nearest $100.
(2)
The Secretary of Defense shall annually publish the amount of the death gratuity payable under subsection (a), as adjusted by paragraph (1), in the Federal Register.
 .
(2)
Applicability
The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall apply beginning on January 1, 2027.
E
Defense Resale Matters
641.
Use of commissary stores by employees of the Department of Defense Education Activity and military child development centers
Section 1066(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(3)
An employee of the Department of Defense Education Activity or a military child development center may be permitted to use commissary stores and MWR retail facilities on the same basis as members of the armed forces on active duty.
 .
642.
Single-use shopping bags in commissary stores
Section 2485 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
(j)
Single-use shopping bags
The Defense Commissary Agency may not prohibit the use of, or charge a fee for, single-use shopping bags in a commissary store.
 .
643.
Limitation on implementation of Supply Chain Transformation Initiative of the Defense Commissary Agency
No funds authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available to the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2027 may be obligated or expended to implement, award contracts in furtherance of, or change commissary supply chain operations pursuant to the two-wholesaler national supply model of the Supply Chain Transformation Initiative of the Defense Commissary Agency until 180 days after the day when the Secretary of Defense submits to the congressional defense committees the report regarding the Defense Commissary Agency required by the conference report accompanying the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 ( Public Law 119–60 ).
644.
Prohibition on procurement and commissary sales of seafood originating or processed in the People’s Republic of China
(a)
Prohibition on procurement of seafood originating or processed in the People’s Republic of China for military dining facilities
(1)
In general
Except as provided by paragraph (2) or (3), the Secretary of Defense may not enter into a contract for the procurement of seafood that originates or is processed in the People’s Republic of China for use in military dining facilities, including galleys onboard United States naval vessels.
(2)
Exceptions
(A)
Undue burden
The Secretary of Defense, or a designee of the Secretary, may grant exceptions to the prohibition under paragraph (1) to facilities on military installations located outside of the United States if such prohibition would unduly burden or prevent seafood from being served at such facility.
(B)
United States vessels visiting foreign ports
The Secretary of Defense, or a designee of the Secretary, may grant exceptions to the prohibition under paragraph (1) to United States vessels visiting foreign ports.
(3)
Waiver
The Secretary of Defense may waive the prohibition under paragraph (1).
(b)
Prohibition on sales of seafood originating in the People’s Republic of China at commissary stores
(1)
In general
Section 2484 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
(m)
Prohibition on sales of seafood originating in the People’s Republic of China
(1)
In general
Except as provided by paragraph (2), raw or processed seafood or seafood products originating in the People’s Republic of China may not be sold at commissary stores.
(2)
Waiver
The Secretary of Defense may waive the prohibition under paragraph (1).
 .
(2)
Briefing on compliance
Section 2481(c)(4) of such title is amended—
(A)
in subparagraph (D), by striking  ; and  and inserting a semicolon;
(B)
by redesignating subparagraph (E) as subparagraph (F); and
(C)
by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following new subparagraph (E):
(E)
an assessment of compliance with the prohibition under section 2484(m) of this title; and
 .
(3)
Transition rules
(A)
Applicability
The prohibition under subsection (m) of section 2484 of title 10, United States Code, as added by paragraph (1), shall apply on and after the date that is 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(B)
Disposal of remaining stock
The Director of the Defense Commissary Agency may determine how to dispose of any stock covered by the prohibition under subsection (m) of section 2484 of title 10, United States Code, as added by paragraph (1), that remains as of the date described in subparagraph (A).
(c)
Effective date
The prohibitions under this section, and the amendments made by this section, shall take effect 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
F
Other Benefits, Reports, and Briefings
651.
Career flexibility programs: eligibility of a member already subject to a period of obligated service; minimum length of program
(a)
Eligibility of a member already subject to a period of obligated service
Section 710 of title 10, United States Code, is amended, in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(3)
The Secretary of a military department may not prohibit a member from inactivation under this section solely on the basis that such member is subject to a period of obligated service on active duty other than a period of service under subsection (c)(3).
 .
(b)
Minimum length of program
Such section is further amended, in subsection (b)(1), by inserting  and the minimum period shall be one month  after  may not exceed three years .
652.
Provision of information regarding food access and child care for members receiving orders for a change of permanent station
Section 1056(b)(2)(F) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in clause (v), by striking  ; and  and inserting a semicolon;
(2)
by redesignating clause (vi) as clause (viii); and
(3)
by inserting after clause (v) the following new clauses:
(vi)
resources regarding food access and assistance, including the supplemental nutrition assistance program (as such term is defined in section 3 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( Public Law 88–525 ;  7 U.S.C. 2012 )), State requirements for eligibility for the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children established by section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 ( 42 U.S.C. 1786 ), and local support services;
(vii)
available child care services, including child care furnished under subchapter II of chapter 88 of this title, other assistance furnished by the Secretary of Defense, community-based partner programs, and other resources; and
 .
653.
Reserves and retired members: acceptance of employment, payments, and awards from foreign governments through private entities
Section 908(a) of title 37, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
by redesignating paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) as subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C), respectively, and adjusting the margins accordingly;
(2)
by inserting
(1)    before  Subject to ; and
(3)
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(2)
(A)
The Secretary of the military department concerned shall apply the provisions of this section to the acceptance, by a person described in subparagraph (B) who is under the jurisdiction of such Secretary, of employment (and compensation related to that employment) or payments or awards indirectly from a foreign government through a private entity to the same extent and in the same manner as such provisions apply to employment (and compensation related to that employment) and payments and awards described in paragraph (1).
(B)
A person described in this subparagraph is—
(i)
a retired member of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space Force; or
(ii)
a member—
(I)
of a reserve component of an armed force specified in subclause (i); and
(II)
who is not serving on active duty under a call or order to active duty for a period in excess of 30 days.
 .
654.
Program to provide to certain patrons a discount on motor fuel sold at exchange stores
(a)
In general
The Secretary of Defense may, if there is a tax described in subsection (b) applicable to motor fuel, carry out a program to provide to eligible patrons a discount on such motor fuel—
(1)
sold at an exchange store; and
(2)
dispensed directly into a vehicle owned by an eligible patron.
(b)
Amount of discount
(1)
Base discount
A discount provided under subsection (a) shall be an amount not less than—
(A)
the rate of tax applicable to gasoline under  section 4081  of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 ( 26 U.S.C. 4081 ), except that such discount may not be less than 18.4 cents per gallon; and
(B)
the rate of tax applicable to diesel fuel under such section 4081, except that such discount may not be less than 24.4 cents per gallon.
(2)
Authorization of supplemental discount
The Secretary of Defense may, if there is a State or local tax applicable to such motor fuel, provide an additional discount to an eligible patron, with respect to each gallon of motor fuel sold at an exchange store, of such amount as the Secretary of Defense determines appropriate.
(c)
Automatic application
The Secretary of Defense shall, to the maximum extent practicable, ensure that a discount provided under this section is applied upon the sale of motor fuel at an exchange store to an eligible patron.
(d)
Regulations
The Secretary of Defense shall update any appropriate regulations to prevent—
(1)
fraud or abuse of a program carried out under this section; and
(2)
the resale or commercial use of motor fuel purchased at a discount under this section.
(e)
Termination
The authority of the Secretary of Defense to provide a discount under this section shall terminate on September 30, 2029.
(f)
Report
Not later than 180 days after the date on which the Secretary of Defense carries out a program under this section, and annually thereafter until the termination under subsection (e), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report on such a program, including—
(1)
the number of exchange stores, disaggregated by exchange system, that sold motor fuel subject to a discount under subsection (b)(1);
(2)
the total gallons of such motor fuel sold annually by—
(A)
each exchange store;
(B)
all exchange stores; and
(C)
all exchange stores, disaggregated by exchange system;
(3)
the total annual cost of the discount under subsection (b)(1)(A);
(4)
the total annual cost of any additional discount under subsection (b)(1)(B);
(5)
the average amount of motor fuel sold annually by each exchange store before the date of the enactment of this Act;
(6)
any identified fraud, abuse, or issues with implementation with respect to such program; and
(7)
any recommendations with respect to continuing or modifying such program.
(g)
Coordination
Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the Secretary of Defense from coordinating with the heads of other Federal departments or agencies to encourage the adoption of similar policies with respect to discounts on motor fuel—
(1)
for members of the uniformed services; or
(2)
other persons served by exchange systems outside the Department of Defense.
(h)
Eligible patron defined
The term  eligible patron  means a person who is authorized under Federal law and applicable regulations to purchase motor fuel from a fuel station operated by an exchange store.
655.
Independent study on military personnel tempo, workload, and compensation in comparison to civilians with similar duties
(a)
Independent study
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall seek to enter into an agreement with a federally funded research and development center with expertise in matters relating to military and civilian personnel responsibilities and compensation to conduct a study on military personnel tempo, workload demands, and compensation in comparison to civilian counterparts in comparable professions.
(b)
Elements
The study required under subsection (a) shall include the following:
(1)
An assessment of average weekly and annual work hours performed by members of the Armed Forces, and civilians if available, in all military career fields, including those with operational, administrative, training, and deployment-related duties.
(2)
A comparative analysis of work hours, personnel tempo, and workload demands, if available, between military personnel and civilians in comparable professions, including professions relating to aviation, explosive ordnance disposal, medical, diving, cyber, nuclear, law enforcement, special operations forces communities, and technical specialties.
(3)
An assessment of the effects of deployment cycles, training rotations, field exercises, shipboard operations, alert requirements, shift work, and other operational demands on total military workload.
(4)
An assessment of the cumulative time burden associated with military accession training, professional military education, qualification requirements, readiness training, and advanced specialty training pipelines.
(5)
An assessment of workload and personnel tempo within specialized military communities, including aviation, explosive ordnance disposal, medical, diving, cyber, nuclear, law enforcement, special operations forces communities, and technical specialties.
(6)
An assessment of the impact of military-specific obligations on members of the Armed Forces and military families, including permanent change of station requirements, family separation, deployment frequency, irregular work schedules, and fitness and training requirements.
(7)
A comparative analysis of military compensation relative to civilian compensation when accounting for cumulative workload demands and military-specific service obligations.
(8)
Identification of any limitations associated with direct comparisons between military and civilian professions, including recommendations for appropriate methodologies, assumptions, and future data collection efforts.
(9)
Recommendations, if any, for improving the measurement and tracking of personnel tempo, workload, and workforce use by the Department of Defense.
(c)
Reports
(1)
Submission to Secretary of Defense
The agreement entered into in accordance with subsection (a) shall include a requirement that—
(A)
not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the federally funded research and development center that is party to the agreement shall submit to the Secretary of Defense a report containing the results study conducted under subsection (a); and
(B)
not less than every 180 days until the final report required by subparagraph (A) is submitted, such federally funded research and development center shall provide to the Secretary of Defense and the congressional defense committees an interim report on the progress and results of such study.
(2)
Submission of final report to Congress
Not later than 30 days after the date on which the Secretary of Defense receives the report required under paragraph (1)(A), the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a copy of the report and any comments of the Secretary with respect to the report.
(d)
Form
The reports required under subsection (c) shall be submitted in unclassified form.
(e)
Personnel tempo defined
In this Act, the term  personnel tempo  means the amount of time a member of the Armed Forces is engaged in official duties at a location or under circumstances that make it infeasible for such member to spend off-duty time in the housing in which the member resides.
656.
Department of Defense Military Retirement Fund: payment of retired pay for all members of the uniformed services
(a)
In general
Section 1463 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (1), by striking  retired lists  and all that follows through  Space Force  and inserting  retired lists of the uniformed services ;
(2)
in paragraph (2), by striking  armed forces  and inserting  uniformed services ; and
(3)
in paragraph (4)—
(A)
by striking  Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security  and inserting  Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Commerce, and Health and Human Services ;
(B)
by striking  armed forces  and inserting  uniformed services ;
(C)
by striking  and section  and inserting  section ; and
(D)
by inserting  , subtitle C of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps Act of 2002 ( 33 U.S.C. 3041 et seq. ), and section 229 of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 429 )  after  Public Law 96–402 .
(b)
Conforming amendments
(1)
Fund purpose; definition
Section 1461 of such title is amended—
(A)
in subsection (a), by striking  the Department of Defense and the Coast Guard  and inserting  the uniformed services ; and
(B)
in subsection (b)—
(i)
in paragraph (2)—
(I)
by striking  armed forces  and inserting  uniformed services ; and
(II)
by striking  ; and  and inserting a semicolon;
(ii)
in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and
(iii)
by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
(4)
a program under subtitle C of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps Act of 2002 ( 33 U.S.C. 3041 et seq. ); and
(5)
a program under section 211 or 221 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 212 , 213a).
 .
(2)
Determination of contributions to the Fund
Section 1465 of such title is amended—
(A)
in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(3)
Not later than January 1, 2027, the Board of Actuaries, in consultation with the Secretaries of the departments specified in section 1463(a)(4) of this title, shall determine the amount that is the value on the date of such determination of future benefits payable from the Fund that are attributable to service in the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and of the Public Health Service performed before such date. That amount is the original National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Public Health Service unfunded liability of the Fund. The Board shall determine the period of time over which the original National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Public Health Service unfunded liability should be liquidated and shall determine an amortization schedule for the liquidation of such liability over that period. Contributions to the Fund for the liquidation of the original National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Public Health Service unfunded liability in accordance with such schedule shall be made as provided in section 1466(b) of this title.
 ;
(B)
in subsection (b)—
(i)
in paragraph (1)—
(I)
in the matter preceding subparagraph (A)—
(aa)
by striking  Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating  and inserting  Secretaries of the departments specified in section 1463(a)(4) of this title ; and
(bb)
by striking  Department of Defense and Coast Guard  and inserting  uniformed services ;
(II)
in subparagraph (A)(ii), by striking  Armed Forces  and inserting  uniformed services ; and
(III)
in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking  armed forces  and inserting  uniformed services ;
(ii)
in paragraph (2), by inserting  , the Department of Health and Human Services Retirement Pay account for Commissioned officers, and the Department of Commerce NOAA Corps Retirement Pay account for Commissioned officers  after  Coast Guard Retired Pay account ; and
(iii)
in paragraph (3), by striking  Department of Defense and Coast Guard ;
(C)
in subsection (c)—
(i)
in paragraph (1)—
(I)
in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking  Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating  and inserting  Secretaries of the departments specified in section 1463(a)(4) of this title ;
(II)
in subparagraph (A), by striking  Armed Forces  and inserting  uniformed services ; and
(III)
in subparagraph (B), by striking  armed forces  and inserting  uniformed services ; and
(ii)
in paragraphs (2) and (3), by striking  Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating  both places it appears and inserting  Secretaries of the departments specified in section 1463(a)(4) of this title ; and
(D)
in subsection (e), by striking  The Secretary of Defense and, with regard to the Coast Guard, the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall  and inserting  The Secretary of a department specified in section 1463(a)(4) of this title shall, with regard to the respective department .
(3)
Payments into the Fund
Section 1466 of such title is amended—
(A)
in subsection (a)—
(i)
in the matter preceding paragraph (1)—
(I)
by striking  Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, with respect to the Coast Guard  and inserting  Secretaries of the departments specified in section 1463(a)(4) of this title ; and
(II)
by striking  the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating  and inserting  such Secretaries ;
(ii)
in paragraph (1)(B), by inserting  , the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service  after  Coast Guard ; and
(iii)
in paragraph (2)(B), by striking  armed forces  and inserting  uniformed services ;
(B)
in subsection (b)—
(i)
in paragraph (1), by striking  armed forces under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of a military department  and inserting  uniformed services ; and
(ii)
in paragraph (2), by striking  Coast Guard  and inserting  Coast Guard, commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service ; and
(C)
in subsection (c)—
(i)
in paragraph (1), by striking  Secretary of Defense  and inserting  Secretaries of the departments specified in section 1463(a)(4) of this title of this title ;
(ii)
in paragraph (2)(A), by striking  the Department of Defense and the Coast Guard  and inserting  each uniformed service ; and
(iii)
in paragraph (3), by striking  Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating  and inserting  Secretaries of the departments specified in section 1463(a)(4) of this title .
(4)
Retired Serviceman's Family Protection Plan
Subchapter I of  chapter 73  of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(A)
in section 1444(a), by striking  armed forces, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Public Health Service  and inserting  uniformed services ;
(B)
by striking  armed forces  each place it appears and inserting  uniformed services ;
(C)
by striking  an armed force  both places it appears and inserting  a uniformed service ;
(D)
by striking  armed force  each place it appears and inserting  uniformed service ; and
(E)
in the headings to sections 1431 and 1432 by striking
armed forces   both places it appears and inserting
uniformed services  .
(5)
Survivor Benefit Plan
Section 1449(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking  armed force  and inserting  uniformed service .
(6)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps Act of 2002
Section 261(a) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps Act of 2002 ( Public Law 107–372 ;  33 U.S.C. 3071 ) is amended—
(A)
by redesignating paragraphs (21) through (27) as paragraphs (22) through (28), respectively; and
(B)
by inserting, after paragraph (20), the following new paragraph (21):
(21)
Chapter 74, relating to the Department of Defense Military Retirement Fund.
 .
(7)
Public Health Service Act
Section 221(a) of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 213a(a) ) is amended—
(A)
by redesignating paragraphs (6) through (21) as paragraphs (7) through (22), respectively; and
(B)
by inserting, after paragraph (5), the following new paragraph (6):
(6)
Chapter 74, Department of Defense Military Retirement Fund.
 .
657.
Report on military camping and recreational park program
(a)
In general
Not later than March 1, 2027, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report describing how each military department administers military camping and recreational parks to ensure such parks are equally accessible to all persons authorized to use such parks.
(b)
Elements
The report required under subsection (a) shall include the following:
(1)
A list of military camping and recreational vehicle parks that includes the location of each park and an identification of the military department that administers such park.
(2)
An estimate of the average number of members of the Armed Forces and veterans who use each facility in a year, disaggregated by members of an active component, members of a reserve component, and veterans.
(3)
A list of such parks that allow users to stay more than 30 days during any 90-day period.
(4)
A list of such parks that allow users to live at a park full-time.
(5)
An explanation of how the Department of Defense policy on recreational vehicle parks complies with industry safety standards.
(6)
An explanation of the differences between the policies that apply to such parks and the policies that apply to other morale, welfare, and recreation facilities of the Department of Defense that do not allow persons to stay more than 30 days.
(7)
A description of any additional authorities or resources the Secretary determines are necessary to increase capacity and to ensure such parks are equally accessible to all persons authorized to use such parks.
VII
Health Care Provisions
A
TRICARE and Other Health Benefits
701.
Dental readiness for certain members of Selected Reserve
Section 1076a of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a)—
(A)
in paragraph (1), by striking  A dental insurance plan  and inserting  Except as provided by paragraph (5), a dental insurance plan ;
(B)
in paragraph (2), in the header, by inserting
individual ready   after
other  ; and
(C)
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(5)
Plan for certain Selected Reserve
A dental benefits plan for members of the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve in pay grade E–1, E–2, E–3, or E–4.
 ;
(2)
in subsection (d)—
(A)
by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and
(B)
by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new paragraph:
(3)
No premium plans
(A)
The dental insurance plan established under subsection (a)(5) is a no premium plan.
(B)
Members enrolled in a no premium plan may not be charged a premium for benefits provided under the plan.
 ;
(3)
by redesignating subsections (f) through (l) as subsections (g) through (m), respectively;
(4)
by inserting after subsection (e) the following new subsection (f):
(f)
Copayments under no premium plans
A member who receives dental care under a no premium plan referred to in subsection (d)(3) shall pay no charge for any care described in subsection (c).
 ; and
(5)
in subsection (i), as redesignated by paragraph (4), by striking  subsection (k)(2)  and inserting  subsection (l)(2) .
702.
Expanded access to dental care for certain dependents
Paragraph (2) of section 1077(c) of title 10, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
(2)
Dependents who are covered by a dental plan established under section 1076a of this title may be treated on a space available basis by postgraduate dental residents in a dental treatment facility of the uniformed services under a graduate dental education program accredited by the American Dental Association if the Secretary of Defense determines that adequate resources exist to provide such treatment.
 .
703.
Fertility treatment for certain members of the Armed Forces and dependents
(a)
Fertility treatment
 Chapter 55  of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after  section 1074o  the following new section:
1074p.
Fertility treatment for certain active duty members of the armed forces and dependents
(a)
Coverage
The Secretary shall ensure that fertility-related care for a covered member (or a dependent of such a member) shall be covered under TRICARE Prime and TRICARE Select.
(b)
In vitro fertilization
In the case of in vitro fertilization treatment furnished to an individual pursuant to subsection (a)—
(1)
three completed oocyte retrievals may be furnished per calendar year; and
(2)
single embryo transfers shall be provided unless otherwise medically indicated in accordance with the guidelines of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
(c)
Cost sharing and other limitations
The Secretary shall ensure that cost-sharing amounts for an individual who receives fertility-related care under this section are determined under section 1075, 1075a, or other applicable provision of this chapter in accordance with the kind of care provided (such as an in-network inpatient visit) and without regard to whether the care is fertility-related care. The Secretary may not impose any waiting periods or other limitations once the individual has received a medical diagnosis of infertility.
(d)
Prohibitions
Funds available to the Department of Defense may not be used for preimplantation genetic screening, human cloning, international surrogacy, or artificial womb technology.
(e)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  covered member  means—
(A)
a member of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space Force, serving on active duty; and
(B)
does not include a former member of the armed forces.
(2)
The term  infertility  means a disease, condition, or status characterized by—
(A)
the failure to establish a pregnancy or to carry a pregnancy to live birth after regular, unprotected sexual intercourse in accordance with the guidelines of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine;
(B)
the inability of an individual to reproduce without medical intervention either as a single individual or with the partner of the individual; or
(C)
the findings of a licensed physician based on the medical, sexual, and reproductive history, age, physical findings, or diagnostic testing, of the individual.
(3)
The term  fertility-related care  means—
(A)
the diagnosis of infertility; and
(B)
fertility treatment.
(4)
The term  fertility treatment  includes the following:
(A)
In vitro fertilization or other treatments or procedures in which human oocytes, embryos, or sperm are handled when clinically appropriate.
(B)
Sperm retrieval.
(C)
Egg retrieval.
(D)
Preservation of human oocytes, embryos, or sperm.
(E)
Artificial insemination, including intravaginal insemination, intracervical insemination, and intrauterine insemination.
(F)
Transfer of reproductive genetic material.
(G)
Medications as prescribed or necessary for fertility.
(H)
Fertility treatment coordination.
(I)
Such other information, referrals, treatments, procedures, testing, medications, laboratory services, technologies, and services facilitating reproduction as determined appropriate by the Secretary of Defense.
 .
(b)
Program on fertility treatment coordination
 Chapter 55  of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
1110c.
Program on fertility-related care coordination
(a)
In general
The Secretary of Defense shall establish a program on the coordination of fertility-related care by the Secretary for purposes of ensuring patients receive timely fertility-related care.
(b)
Training and support
In carrying out the program established under subsection (a), the Secretary shall provide to community health care providers training and support with respect to the unique needs of members of the armed forces and the dependents of such members.
 .
(c)
Conforming amendment
Section 1079(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(21)
Fertility-related care shall be provided in accordance with section 1074p of this title.
 .
(d)
Exclusion from contracts for former members and their dependents
Section 1086(a) of such title is amended by striking  eye examinations and  and inserting  eye examinations, fertility-related care pursuant to paragraph (21) of such section, and .
(e)
Application
The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to services provided on or after October 1, 2028.
704.
Limitation on ability of Secretary of Defense to modify scope of medical services
(a)
Limitation
Section 1073d(f) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (1)(A), by striking  a notification of  and inserting  a notification under paragraph (2) and a report under paragraph (3) regarding ; and
(2)
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(3)
Each report under paragraph (1) shall contain the following:
(A)
A budget that is consistent with the requirements under this chapter regarding access to medical care and the quality of such care.
(B)
A description of how the Secretary uses enhanced appointment and compensation authorities, including under section 1599c of this title, to recruit and retain civilian employees.
(C)
An analysis of the effects to services at a military medical treatment facility when any medical provider who is a member of the armed forces permanently changes station and the position of such member is not filled (whether by a member, a civilian, or a contractor).
(D)
The number of positions required to fully staff the current military health system, as of the date of the report, and the number of such unfilled positions, including with respect to whether such positions would be filled by a member, a civilian, or a contractor.
(E)
An analysis of the ability of the managed care network to absorb a member or covered beneficiary that cannot be provided care at a military medical treatment facility, including an explanation of the exact elements used in developing a cost analysis between such providing care through such network and such facilities.
(F)
An analysis of the ability of the Defense Health Agency to encourage members and covered beneficiaries to use military medical treatment facilities over the managed care network.
(G)
The status of efforts to close all recommendations by the Comptroller General of the United States contained in the July 2025 report titled  Defense Health Care: Information Needed to Improve Monitoring of Military Personnel Staffing at Medical Facilities  and numbered GAO-25-106988.
(H)
The status of efforts to close all recommendations by the Comptroller General contained in the April 2025 report titled  Defense Healthcare Actions Needed to Address Long-Standing Management Challenges with Medical Facilities  and numbered GAO-25-107432.
(I)
The status of efforts to close all recommendations by the Inspector General of the Department of Defense contained in the December 2025 report titled  Audit of the Defense Health Agency’s Management of Military Medical Treatment Facilities Outside the Continental United States in Meeting Access to Primary Care Standards  and numbered DODIG-2026-025.
 .
(b)
Application
The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to any modification of the scope of medical care proposed by the Secretary of Defense on or after January 1, 2026, including such proposals submitted by the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate on March 4, 2026.
705.
Prohibition on and reversal of actions to modify scope of medical services provided at certain military medical treatment facilities
(a)
Prohibition
The Secretary of Defense may not take any action to carry out a service change described in subsection (c).
(b)
Reversal and restoration
Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall carry out the following actions:
(1)
Reverse any steps taken to carry out a service change described in subsection (c).
(2)
Restore personnel and clinical services affected by any such service change to the level existing as of March 3, 2026 (unless such level is otherwise modified by a provision of law enacted on or after such date).
(c)
Service change described
A service change described in this subsection is a service change specified in the notification of service changes submitted by the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate on March 4, 2026, pursuant to section 1073d(f) of title 10, United States Code, including the following:
(1)
Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Fort Gordon, Georgia
With respect to the Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Fort Gordon, Georgia—
(A)
converting the military medical treatment facility from an inpatient hospital to an outpatient ambulatory care center;
(B)
discontinuing inpatient, operating, and emergency room services; and
(C)
realigning medical manpower to other military medical treatment facilities.
(2)
88th Medical Group, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
With respect to the 88th Medical Group, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio—
(A)
converting the military medical treatment facility from an inpatient hospital to an outpatient ambulatory care center with surgical capabilities;
(B)
discontinuing inpatient, operating, and emergency room services;
(C)
realigning medical manpower to other military medical treatment facilities;
(D)
closing pediatric cardiology services; and
(E)
discontinuing contracts for chiropractic services.
(3)
Naval Hospital Beaufort, South Carolina
With respect to the Naval Hospital Beaufort, South Carolina—
(A)
converting the military medical treatment facility from an inpatient hospital to an outpatient ambulatory care center;
(B)
discontinuing inpatient, operating, and emergency room services;
(C)
realigning medical manpower to other military medical treatment facilities; and
(D)
discontinuing contracts for chiropractic services.
(4)
22d Medical Group, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas
With respect to the 22d Medical Group, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, limiting access to the military medical treatment facility only to members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty and the dependents of such members.
(5)
19th Medical Group, Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas
With respect to the 19th Medical Group, Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas—
(A)
limiting access to the military medical treatment facility only to members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty and the dependents of such members; and
(B)
discontinuing contracts for nutrition services.
(6)
341st Medical Group, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana
With respect to the 341st Medical Group, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, limiting access to the military medical treatment facility only to members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty and the dependents of such members.
(7)
28th Medical Group, Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota
With respect to the 28th Medical Group, Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, limiting access to the military medical treatment facility only to members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty and the dependents of such members.
(8)
92d Medical Group, Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington
With respect to the 92d Medical Group, Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, limiting access to the military medical treatment facility only to members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty and the dependents of such members.
(9)
90th Medical Group, Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming
With respect to the 90th Medical Group, Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming, limiting access to the military medical treatment facility only to members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty and the dependents of such members.
(10)
355th Medical Group, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona
With respect to the 355th Medical Group, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, limiting access to the military medical treatment facility only to members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty and the dependents of such members.
(11)
9th Medical Group, Beale Air Force Base, California
With respect to the 9th Medical Group, Beale Air Force Base, California, limiting access to the military medical treatment facility only to members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty and the dependents of such members.
(12)
45th Medical Group, Patrick Space Force Base, Florida
With respect to the 45th Medical Group, Patrick Space Force Base, Florida, limiting access to the military medical treatment facility only to members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty and the dependents of such members.
(13)
4th Medical Group, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina
With respect to the 4th Medical Group, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, limiting access to the military medical treatment facility only to members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty and the dependents of such members.
(14)
20th Medical Group, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina
With respect to the 20th Medical Group, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina—
(A)
limiting access to the military medical treatment facility only to members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty and the dependents of such members; and
(B)
discontinuing contracts for nutrition services.
(15)
460th Medical Group, Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado
With respect to the 460th Medical Group, Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado, limiting access to the military medical treatment facility only to members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty and the dependents of such members.
(16)
27th Special Operations Medical Group, Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico
With respect to the 27th Special Operations Medical Group, Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, limiting access to the military medical treatment facility only to members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty and the dependents of such members.
(17)
412th Medical Group, Edwards Air Force Base, California
With respect to the 412th Medical Group, Edwards Air Force Base, California, limiting access to the military medical treatment facility only to members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty and the dependents of such members.
(18)
30th Medical Group, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
With respect to the 30th Medical Group, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, limiting access to the military medical treatment facility only to members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty and the dependents of such members.
(19)
Naval Health Clinic Corpus Christi, Texas
With respect to Naval Health Clinic Corpus Christi, Texas, limiting access to the military medical treatment facility only to members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty and the dependents of such members.
(20)
23d Medical Group, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia
With respect to the 23d Medical Group, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, limiting access to the military medical treatment facility only to members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty and the dependents of such members living on base.
(21)
366th Medical Group, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho
With respect to the 366th Medical Group, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, limiting access to the military medical treatment facility only to members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty and the dependents of such members living on base.
(22)
319th Medical Group, Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota
With respect to the 319th Medical Group, Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota, limiting access to the military medical treatment facility only to members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty and the dependents of such members living on base.
(23)
61st Medical Squadron, Los Angeles Space Force Base, California
With respect to the 61st Medical Squadron, Los Angeles Space Force Base, California, limiting access to the military medical treatment facility only to members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty and the dependents of such members living on base.
(24)
78th Medical Group, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia
With respect to the 78th Medical Group, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, limiting access to the military medical treatment facility only to members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty.
(25)
72d Medical Group, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma
With respect to the 72d Medical Group, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, limiting access to the military medical treatment facility only to members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty.
(26)
75th Medical Group, Hill Air Force Base, Utah
With respect to the 75th Medical Group, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, limiting access to the military medical treatment facility only to members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty.
(27)
66th Medical Squadron, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts
With respect to the 66th Medical Squadron, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, limiting access to the military medical treatment facility only to members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty.
(28)
David Grant Medical Center, Travis Air Force Base, California
With respect to the David Grant Medical Center, Travis Air Force Base, California, closing the labor and delivery services.
(29)
42d Medical Group, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
With respect to the 42d Medical Group, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, discontinuing educational and developmental intervention services.
(30)
Vilseck Army Health Clinic, Germany
With respect to the Vilseck Army Health Clinic, Germany, discontinuing physical medicine and rehabilitation services.
(31)
Desert Sage Community Based Medical Home, William Beaumont Army Medical Center, Fort Bliss, Texas
With respect to the Desert Sage Community Based Medical Home, William Beaumont Army Medical Center, Fort Bliss, Texas, closing such home.
(32)
Naval Health Clinic Patuxent River, Branch Health Clinic Dahlgren, Virginia
With respect to Naval Health Clinic Patuxent River, Branch Health Clinic Dahlgren, Virginia, discontinuing radiology services.
(33)
Army Health Clinic Munson, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
With respect to Army Health Clinic Munson, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, discontinuing mammography services.
(34)
Naval Health Clinic Lemoore, California
With respect to Naval Health Clinic Lemoore, California, discontinuing operating room services.
(35)
55th Medical Group, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska
With respect to the 55th Medical Group, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska—
(A)
discontinuing contracts for nutrition services; and
(B)
discontinuing contracts for chiropractic services.
(36)
7th Medical Group, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas
With respect to the 7th Medical Group, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, discontinuing contracts for nutrition services.
(37)
2d Medical Group, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana
With respect to the 2d Medical Group, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana—
(A)
discontinuing contracts for nutrition services; and
(B)
discontinuing contracts for chiropractic services.
(38)
87th Medical Group, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey
With respect to the 87th Medical Group, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey—
(A)
discontinuing contracts for nutrition services; and
(B)
discontinuing contracts for chiropractic services.
(39)
1st Special Operations Medical Group, Hurlburt Field, Florida
With respect to 1st Special Operations Medical Group, Hurlburt Field, Florida, discontinuing contracts for chiropractic services.
(40)
10th Medical Group, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado
With respect to 10th Medical Group, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado, discontinuing contracts for chiropractic services.
(41)
96th Medical Group, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida
With respect to 96th Medical Group, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, discontinuing contracts for chiropractic services.
(d)
Report
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report on each action taken under subsection (b).
(e)
Service change defined
The term  service change  means, with respect to a military medical treatment facility, an action by the Secretary of Defense to modify the scope of medical care provided at the facility, or the beneficiary population served at the facility, as described in section 1073d(f) of title 10, United States Code, including with respect to reducing or transferring personnel, converting an inpatient hospital to an outpatient ambulatory care center, and restricting the type of beneficiary that can access the facility.
706.
TRICARE coverage for increased supply for contraception
(a)
In general
Beginning not less than 180 days after the date of the enactment of the Act, contraceptive supplies of up to 365 days shall be covered for any eligible covered beneficiary to obtain, including in a single fill or refill, at the option of such beneficiary, the total days of supply (not to exceed a 365-day supply) for a contraceptive on the uniform formulary provided through a military treatment facility pharmacy, retail pharmacy described in section 1074g(a)(2)(E)(ii) of title 10, United States Code, or through the national mail-order pharmacy program of the TRICARE Program.
(b)
Outreach
Beginning not later than 90 days after the implementation of coverage under subsection (a), the Secretary shall conduct such outreach activities as are necessary to inform health care providers and individuals who are enrolled in the TRICARE Program of such coverage and the requirements to receive such coverage.
(c)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  covered Armed Force  means the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space Force.
(2)
The term  eligible covered beneficiary  means an eligible covered beneficiary as such term is used in section 1074g of title 10, United States Code, who is—
(A)
a member of a covered Armed Force serving on active duty; or
(B)
a dependent of a member described in subparagraph (A).
(3)
The term  TRICARE Program  has the meaning given that term in section 1072 of title 10, United States Code.
707.
Pilot program to help certain members of the Armed Forces stop smoking
(a)
Authority
Beginning not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense may carry out a one-year pilot program to furnish to covered members the alternatives to smoking specified in subsection (b)—
(1)
to help such covered members stop smoking; and
(2)
to improve the health of such covered members.
(b)
Alternatives to smoking
The alternatives to smoking specified in this subsection are—
(1)
counseling;
(2)
nicotine gum;
(3)
nicotine patches;
(4)
electric nicotine delivery systems;
(5)
nicotine pouches; and
(6)
heat-not-burn products.
(c)
Participation
If the Secretary carries out the pilot program under subsection (a), the pilot program shall operate—
(1)
in not less than one covered Armed Force; and
(2)
at not less than one military installation at which covered members serve in numbers that exceed the national average for—
(A)
smoking cigarettes or other combustible tobacco products;
(B)
the population of Black Americans;
(C)
the population of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans;
(D)
the population of Hispanic Americans; and
(E)
the population of Appalachian Americans.
(d)
Report
Not later than one year after the date on which the pilot program under subsection (a) is completed, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a report regarding the results of the pilot program, including the determination of the Secretary regarding—
(1)
whether the pilot program helped covered members stop smoking;
(2)
the alternatives specified in subsection (b) that are most effective in helping covered members to stop smoking;
(3)
gaps in health care services available to covered members who belong to the populations described in subsection (c)(2); and
(4)
the recommendation of the Secretary whether to expand, extend, or make permanent the pilot program.
(e)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  covered Armed Force  means the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space Force.
(2)
The term  covered member  means a member of a covered Armed Force—
(A)
serving on active duty; and
(B)
who smokes at least one cigarette (or other combustible tobacco product) per week.
708.
Continuity of maternity care during permanent change of station
(a)
Requirement
The Secretary of Defense shall establish procedures to ensure continuity of care for pregnant and postpartum members of the Armed Forces and spouses of such members during a permanent change of station.
(b)
Requirements
The procedures required under subsection (a) shall include—
(1)
coordination between the military medical treatment facilities at the relevant military installations;
(2)
timely transfer of medical records;
(3)
assignment of a receiving provider before the permanent change of station, to the extent practicable; and
(4)
measures to prevent interruption of prenatal, obstetric, postpartum, and behavioral health services.
(c)
Report
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the implementation of this section.
709.
Prohibition on coverage of gender-related medical treatment under TRICARE
(a)
TRICARE
(1)
In general
 Chapter 55  of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after  section 1076f  the following new section:
1076g.
TRICARE program: prohibition on coverage and furnishment gender-related medical treatment
(a)
Prohibition
Except as provided by subsection (b), medical care under section 1076 of this title with respect to members of the armed forces and dependents of such members does not include gender-related medical treatment, and the Secretary of Defense may not furnish any such treatment.
(b)
Exceptions
The prohibition in subsection (a) shall not apply to medical treatment provided for purposes of treating—
(1)
a disorder of sex development, diagnosed by a physician after such physician has determined through genetic or biochemical testing that such minor does not have normal sex chromosome structure, sex steroid hormone production, or sex steroid hormone action;
(2)
irresolvably ambiguous biological sex characteristics of such minor, including the presence of—
(A)
46 XX chromosomes with virilization;
(B)
46 XY chromosomes with undervirilization; or
(C)
both ovarian and testicular tissue; or
(3)
an infection, injury, disease, or disorder caused or exacerbated by gender-related medical treatment.
(c)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  female  means an individual who naturally has, had, will have, or would have, but for a developmental or genetic anomaly or historical accident, the reproductive system that at some point produces, transports, and utilizes eggs for fertilization.
(2)
The term  gender —
(A)
means—
(i)
males, females, or the natural differences between males and females, unless such term is otherwise specified or used alone (rather than with or as an adjective modifying other words); and
(ii)
is a synonym for sex; and
(B)
does not mean gender identity, experienced gender, gender expression, or gender roles.
(3)
The term  gender-related medical treatment  means—
(A)
with respect to a female individual, medical treatments provided for purposes of addressing the perception of such individual that the gender or sex of such individual is not female, including—
(i)
surgical procedures, including—
(I)
vaginectomy;
(II)
hysterectomy;
(III)
oophorectomy;
(IV)
reconstruction of the urethra;
(V)
metoidioplasty;
(VI)
phalloplasty;
(VII)
salpingo-oophorectomy;
(VIII)
scrotoplasty;
(IX)
implantation of erection or testicular protheses;
(X)
subcutaneous mastectomy;
(XI)
vocal cord surgery;
(XII)
pectoral implants; and
(XIII)
penile transplantation;
(ii)
exogenous doses of testosterone or other androgens; and
(iii)
puberty blockers, including—
(I)
GnRH agonists; and
(II)
synthetic drugs that suppress the production of estrogen and progesterone or delay or suppress pubertal development in female individuals; and
(B)
with respect to a male individual, medical treatments provided for purposes of addressing the perception of such individual that the gender or sex of such individual is not male, including—
(i)
surgical procedures, including—
(I)
penectomy;
(II)
orchiectomy;
(III)
vaginoplasty;
(IV)
clitoroplasty;
(V)
vulvoplasty;
(VI)
augmentation mammoplasty;
(VII)
facial feminization surgery;
(VIII)
vocal cord surgery;
(IX)
chondrolaryngoplasty;
(X)
gluteal augmentation; and
(XI)
uterine transplantation;
(ii)
exogenous doses of estrogen; and
(iii)
puberty blockers, including—
(I)
GnRH agonists; and
(II)
synthetic drugs that suppress the production of testosterone or delay or suppress pubertal development in male individuals.
(4)
The term  male  means an individual who naturally has, had, will have, or would have, but for a developmental or genetic anomaly or historical accident, the reproductive system that at some point produces, transports, and utilizes sperm for fertilization.
(5)
The term  sex  means the biological determination as to whether an individual is male or female.
(d)
Rule of construction
Nothing in this section may be construed to entitle an individual to medical care under this chapter for which they are not otherwise entitled to under this chapter.
 .
(b)
Conforming amendments
Such chapter is further amended as follows:
(1)
In section 1077(b), by adding at the end the following:
(4)
Treatment prohibited under section 1076g of this title with respect to members of the armed forces and dependents of such members.
 .
(2)
In section 1079(a)(20), by striking  that could result in sterilization .
710.
Coverage of cranial orthotic devices for deformational plagiocephaly under TRICARE program
Section 1079(a) of title 10, United States Code, as amended by section 703, is further amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(22)
Cranial orthotic devices (molding helmets) for deformational plagiocephaly may be provided as part of a reconstructive medical treatment.
 .
711.
TRICARE coverage for anesthesia for in-office dental procedures for pediatric dentistry for children age 5 and under
Section 1079(a)(1)(B) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking  or for pediatric patients age 5 or under, only institutional and anesthesia services may be provided  and inserting  or for pediatric patients age 5 or under, only institutional services and anesthesia services (including at a dental clinic with respect to such pediatric patients) may be provided .
712.
Education on newborn screening options for TRICARE beneficiaries
(a)
Education requirement
The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that covered beneficiaries receiving prenatal care through the military health system are provided educational information regarding newborn screening.
(b)
Contents
The educational information provided under subsection (a) shall include—
(1)
a description of newborn screening and the purpose of such screening in identifying certain congenital and genetic conditions in infants;
(2)
information regarding conditions recommended by the Secretary of Health and Human Services for newborn screening in infants;
(3)
notice that newborn screening panels may vary depending on the State or location in which an infant is born; and
(4)
information describing options for discussing and obtaining supplemental newborn screening for conditions recommended by the Secretary of Health and Human Services for newborn screening in infants that may not be included in the applicable State newborn screening panel.
(c)
Provision of information
The Secretary shall ensure that the educational information described in subsection (a) is made available to covered beneficiaries receiving prenatal care through—
(1)
military medical treatment facilities; and
(2)
TRICARE network providers furnishing prenatal care.
(d)
Report
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report on the feasibility of ensuring that newborns of covered beneficiaries receive screening for all conditions recommended by the Secretary of Health and Human Services for newborn screening in infants, including conditions not included in the applicable State newborn screening panel. Such report shall include—
(1)
an assessment of the feasibility of providing such screening through military medical treatment facilities and private sector care under TRICARE;
(2)
an estimate of the costs associated with providing such screening;
(3)
an assessment of the administrative and logistical requirements associated with identifying gaps in State newborn screening panels and providing supplemental screening; and
(4)
options for implementing such screening, including through reimbursement, contracting, or other mechanisms.
(e)
Covered beneficiary defined
In this section, the term  covered beneficiary  has the meaning given the term in section 1072 of title 10, United States Code.
713.
Improvement to continuation of transitional health care
Section 1145(a)(4) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
by striking  Except as  and inserting  (A) Except as ; and
(2)
by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
(B)
In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that a member may enroll in the transitional health care under paragraph (1) by not later than two business days after the date on which the 180-day transition period begins.
 .
B
Health Care Administration
721.
Improvements to Defense Health Agency
(a)
Administration of military medical treatment facilities
Subsection (b) of section 1073c of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (1)—
(A)
in subparagraph (H), by striking  ; and  and inserting a semicolon;
(B)
by redesignating subparagraph (I) as subparagraph (J); and
(C)
by inserting after subparagraph (H) the following new subparagraph (I):
(I)
civilian personnel; and
 ; and
(2)
in paragraph (2)—
(A)
by striking subparagraph (C) and inserting the following new subparagraph:
(C)
to determine, in coordination with the senior military operational command