Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025

This Act may be cited as the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025.

Any reference in this or any other Act to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 shall be deemed to be a reference to the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025.

This Act is organized into 7 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—Other Matters.

(6) Division F—Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025.

(7) Division G—Department of State Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025.

The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

In this Act:

(1) In divisions A through D, the term this Act refers to divisions A through D.

(2) The term congressional defense committees has the meaning given that term in section 101(a)(16) of title 10, United States Code.

The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purposes of complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall be determined by reference to the latest statement titled Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation for this Act, jointly submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the Chairmen of the House and Senate Budget Committees, provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage in the House acting first on the conference report or amendment between the Houses.

The joint explanatory statement regarding this Act, printed in the House section of the Congressional Record on or about December 11, 2024, by the Chairman of the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Chairman of the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, shall have the same effect with respect to the implementation of this Act as if it were a joint explanatory statement of a committee of conference.

Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2025 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.

The Secretary of the Army, in coordination with the heads of relevant organizations of the Department of Defense and other departments and agencies of the Federal Government, shall develop a plan for the implementation of a Centralized Security Monitoring Program (referred to in this section as the Program) for installations and facilities of the Department of the Army within the United States.

The plan required by subsection (a) shall include the following:

A proposal for the development and implementation of a cost-effective, scalable solution to modernize and centralize security operations across Army facilities in the United States with full consideration given to minimizing operational impacts while maximizing technological advantages for enhanced security.

Identification of at least three military installations selected to host the Program. These locations shall—

(A) serve as the primary hubs for the continuous monitoring of installation security across all installations of the Department of the Army in the United States;

(B) represent a mix of large and extra-large facilities, as defined by the 2016 business case analysis conducted by the Provost Marshal General of the Army; and

(C) be chosen based on geographical diversity and their strategic importance to the Army’s overall security infrastructure.

A comprehensive breakdown of the full costs of the Program, including—

(A) initial capital expenditure for system implementation;

(B) the cost of networking all installations and facilities across the Department of the Army within the United States;

(C) estimated operation and maintenance costs;

(D) a detailed funding schedule with expenditures projected across the period covered by the most recent future-years defense program submitted to Congress under section 221 of title 10, United States Code (as of the date of the plan); and

(E) identification of potential cost-saving opportunities from the consolidation of current security monitoring systems.

An assessment of the viability of funding and sustaining the Program across the period covered by the most recent future-years defense program submitted to Congress under section 221 of title 10, United States Code (as of the date of the plan), considering—

(A) the financial impact relative to existing Army security infrastructure budgets;

(B) cost-benefit analysis of upgrading existing systems versus implementing new technologies at each selected location; and

(C) identification of technological challenges or barriers to implementing modern monitoring solutions.

A list of any additional authorities, appropriations, or other resources necessary to ensure the success of the Program.

Not later than September 1, 2025, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a completed version of the plan developed under subsection (a).

The Secretary of the Army may not commence implementation of the Program until the date on which the Secretary certifies to the congressional defense committees that sufficient appropriations for military construction and operational costs have been programmed to fund the Program.

Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Secretary of the Army shall implement the Program by not later than January 1, 2027.

In the event the certification described in subsection (d) is not submitted on or before January 1, 2027, the Secretary of the Army shall implement the Program as soon as practicable after the date on which such certification is so submitted.

The Secretary of the Army shall carry out a pilot program under which the Secretary incorporates the use of moving robotic target systems into live fire training provided to select infantry units of the reserve and National Guard components of the Army.

The pilot program under subsection (a) shall be known as the Lethality and Warfighting Enhancement Program.

The Secretary of the Army shall select not fewer than three military installations at which to conduct the pilot program under subsection (a).

The objectives of the pilot program under subsection (a) shall be—

(1) to increase the lethality of the combined fighting force of the Army by providing reserve component and National Guard infantry units with the opportunity to conduct realistic live fire training on state-of-the-art moving robotic target systems; and

(2) to demonstrate the effect of such training on small arms proficiency and lethality in ground combat operations.

The Secretary of the Army shall select infantry units of the reserve components of the Army to participate in the pilot program under subsection (a) taking into consideration—

(1) the past performance of the unit;

(2) the readiness status of the unit, with an emphasis on providing training to those units designated as preparing to deploy or at a similarly designated readiness status; and

(3) the likelihood that a unit would be actively deployed or commanded to conduct decisive action.

The Secretary of the Army shall commence the pilot program under subsection (a) not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

The pilot program under subsection (a) shall terminate five years after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Not later than 90 days after concluding activities under the pilot program at a military installation selected under subsection (c), the Secretary of the Army shall provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a briefing that includes a description of—

(1) the manner in which the program was conducted at such installation; and

(2) any results achieved under the program at such installation.

The Secretary of the Army is authorized to enter into one or more contracts for the procurement of moving robotic target systems for use in the pilot program under subsection (a).

Robotic target systems procured under paragraph (1) shall be capable of—

(A) conducting multiple realistic offensive and defensive scenarios in a single training session that are consistent with combat operations;

(B) operating in an unpredictable, realistic, and reactionary fashion;

(C) objectively scoring trainee performance;

(D) maneuvering across diverse geographic landscapes, including snow, ice, soft soils, extreme heat, extreme cold, wooded terrain and offroad areas;

(E) operating at distances greater than 100 yards from the range operator;

(F) surviving live fire from 6.8 mm rounds and the Next Generation Squad Weapon of the Army; and

(G) fully functioning in all reasonably expected weather conditions.

The Secretary of the Army shall develop and implement a plan for the procurement and fielding of additional kinetic effectors for the low, slow, small unmanned aircraft integrated defeat system of the Army (FS–LIDS and M–LIDS).

Not later than September 30, 2025, the Secretary of the Army shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing on the plan developed under subsection (a).

Not later than September 30, 2025, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the procurement, by the Army from sources outside of the United States, of energetic materials that are otherwise available from Federal Government-owned production facilities.

The report required by subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1) A list of all energetic materials that are in production at a Federal Government-owned production facility but that are nonetheless procured by the Army from a source outside of the United States.

(2) The authorities and production capacity the Army has available to ensure it procures energetic materials, to the maximum extent practicable, from domestic sources to meet the national security needs of the United States.

(3) An evaluation of the factors that the Army considers when procuring energetic materials from a source outside of the United States, including the production capacity for such materials at Federal Government-owned production facilities, the cost of materials, and the timelines associated with the production of end items.

In this section:

(1) The term end item has the meaning given that term in section 4863(m) of title 10, United States Code.

(2) The term energetic materials means critical chemicals and formulations that—

(A) release large amounts of stored chemical energy; and

(B) are capable of being used as explosives, propellants, pyrotechnics, and reactive materials that create lethal effects in warheads in kinetic weapons components and systems.

Section 129 of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117–263; 136 Stat. 2448) is amended—

(1) in subsection (c)—

(A) in the subsection heading, by inserting across programs after advance procurement; and

(B) by inserting across programs after advance procurement;

(2) by redesignating subsections (d), (e), and (f) as subsections (e), (f), and (g), respectively; and

(3) by inserting after subsection (c) the following new subsection:

The Secretary of the Navy may use funds made available to carry out this section to enter into contracts known as economic order quantity contracts with private shipyards and other commercial or government entities to achieve economic efficiencies based on production economies for major components or subsystems of covered ships. The authority under this subsection extends to the procurement of parts, components, and systems (including weapon systems) common with, and required for, covered ships under joint economic order quantity contracts.

(3) .

Section 124(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 117–81; 135 Stat. 1570) is amended by striking fiscal year 2025 and inserting fiscal year 2028.

Section 130(a) of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 115–232; 132 Stat. 1665), as most recently amended by section 122 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 137 Stat. 169), is further amended by striking through 2024 and inserting through 2025.

Section 126(c) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 130 Stat. 2035) is amended—

(1) in the subsection heading, by striking and CVN–81; and inserting CVN–81, and subsequent carriers;

(2) in paragraph (1) by striking and the CVN–81 and inserting the CVN–81, and each subsequent Ford-class aircraft carrier;

(3) in paragraph (2)—

(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking and the CVN–81 and inserting the CVN–81, and each subsequent Ford-class aircraft carrier; and

(B) by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:

(H) A comparison of the ship cost baseline to the most recent budget estimate available as of the date of the report, set forth separately for costs related to—

(i) development;

(ii) procurement; and

(iii) operations and sustainment.

(I) For each contract that requires the production of a contract performance report, estimates from the contractor and program manager of—

(i) the total cost of the ship at completion, taking into account any changes in costs known or anticipated as of the date of the report; and

(ii) the schedule for completion of the ship, taking into account any variances to such schedule known or anticipated as of the date of the report.

(B) ; and

(4) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

The requirement to submit a report with respect to a Ford-class aircraft carrier under paragraph (1) shall—

(A) begin in the year following the first fiscal year for which funds are appropriated for the procurement of the carrier; and

(B) end on the date the carrier reaches its obligation work limiting date.

(4) .

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Navy shall designate an appropriate official within the Department of the Navy to have primary responsibility for the development and acquisition of surface and underwater dual-modality, advanced autonomous vehicles, consistent with warfighter requirements.

The Secretary of the Navy shall ensure, within budget program elements for the Navy, that there is a dedicated program element for the development and acquisition of surface and underwater dual-modality, advanced autonomous vehicles.

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 2025 program year, for the procurement of the following:

(1) CH–53K aircraft.

(2) T408 engines for such aircraft.

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 2025 is subject to the availability of appropriations or funds for that purpose for such later fiscal year.

The Secretary of the Navy may enter into one or more contracts, beginning in fiscal year 2025, for advance procurement associated with the aircraft and engines 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 or engines when cost savings are achievable.

The Secretary of the Navy shall ensure that all covered F–18 aircraft are—

(1) provided only to the Navy Reserve; and

(2) used to recapitalize and maintain, within the Navy Reserve, a threat representative adversary support capability that may be used in support of training activities of the Department of Defense.

Not later than April 15, 2025, the Secretary of the Navy shall submit to the congressional defense committees a plan for the potential establishment of a deployable tactical fighter squadron capability in the Naval Reserve using the covered F–18 aircraft. The plan shall include—

(1) a description of any funding and other resources needed to establish and maintain such capability; and

(2) a proposed timeline for the implementation of such capability.

In this section, the term covered F–18 aircraft means the eight F/A–18E/F Super Hornet aircraft procured using funds authorized and appropriated for the Navy during fiscal year 2023.

The Secretary of the Navy may not enter into a contract or other agreement that includes a scope of work, including priced or unpriced options, for the construction, advance procurement, or long-lead material of the lead ship of the Landing Ship Medium program until the Secretary certifies to the congressional defense committees that basic and functional design with respect to such ship is complete.

The limitation in subsection (a) does not apply to the lead ship of the Landing Ship Medium program if such a ship is a commercial or nondevelopmental item.

In a case in which the exemption under paragraph (1) applies, the service acquisition executive of the Navy may exempt a contract or other agreement for the lead ship of the Landing Ship Medium program from the requirements of full and open competition under section 3201 of title 10, United States Code.

In this section, the term basic and functional design has the meaning given that term section 8669c of title 10, United States Code.

None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2025 for the Navy may be obligated or expended for the construction of a Constellation-class frigate beyond the basic and functional design phase (as defined in section 8669c of title 10, United States Code) until the date on which the Secretary of Defense submits the certification required by subsection (b).

Upon final approval of 95 percent of all basic and functional design drawings for the Constellation-class frigate program by the designated technical authority for the program, the Secretary of Defense shall certify to the congressional defense committees that such drawings have been so approved.

Not later than 30 days after the date on which the Secretary of Defense submits the certification required by subsection (b), the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the congressional defense committees an assessment of—

(1) the Secretary’s compliance with this section; and

(2) the completeness of the basic and functional design drawings described in such subsection.

The Secretary of Defense shall provide the Comptroller General with timely access to any documents or other information the Comptroller General determines necessary to fulfill the requirements of subsection (c).

The Secretary of the Navy may not carry out covered upgrades to AH–1Z Viper and UH–1Y Venom helicopters at a location other than a facility owned by the original equipment manufacturer for such helicopters until the date on which the Secretary certifies to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives that the plan for carrying out covered upgrades at location other than a facility owned by the original equipment manufacturer is expected—

(1) to result in levels of performance, survivability, lethality, interoperability, mission execution, and overall safety of the helicopter platform that match or exceed the levels that would otherwise be achievable by completing such upgrades at a facility owned by the original equipment manufacturer for the model of helicopter involved;

(2) to provide improved onboard electrical power capacity and ensure adequate power margin for integrating future capabilities;

(3) to improve and expand future weapons interfaces; and

(4) to allow for improved ease of maintenance.

In this section, the term covered upgrades means any structural improvements or electrical power upgrades for AH–1Z Viper or UH–1Y Venom helicopters.

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and once every fiscal year thereafter through September 30, 2029, the Secretary of the Navy shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report analyzing suppliers of components for surface ships of the Navy.

Each report required by subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1) An assessment of the status of each supplier of surface ship components using the same or a similar methodology to that used in the Navy’s evaluation tool for suppliers of components for Columbia-class submarines.

(2) If the assessment described in paragraph (1) indicates that the supply base of any surface ship component is in an at-risk status, a plan for actions to stabilize that supply base.

Section 9062(m)(1) of title 10, United States Code, is amended, in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking September 30, 2028 and inserting September 30, 2029.

Chapter 907 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 9062 the following new section:

Not later than April 1, 2025, and annually thereafter through 2029, the Secretary of the Air Force, in consultation with the Director of the Air National Guard and the Commander of the Air Force Reserve Command, shall—

(1) develop a 10-year tactical fighter aircraft force structure, recapitalization, training, and sustainment plan for the active and reserve components of the Air Force; and

(2) submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the plan.

The report required by subsection (a) shall address each of the following:

(1) The appropriate mix of tactical fighter aircraft, and associated operational risk analyses, required for the Secretary of the Air Force to meet expected steady-state, global force management allocation plans and geographic combatant commander contingency operational plans tasked to the Air Force, using active and reserve component tactical fighter aircraft units.

(2) The procurement, divestment, and unit activation, deactivation, or re-missioning plans or actions the Secretary plans to implement, fiscal year-by-fiscal year, unit-by-unit, for the 10-year period beginning on the date on which the report is submitted, for each active and reserve component tactical fighter aircraft unit existing as of such date of submittal, including the rationale and justification for any such plans or actions.

(3) The actions the Secretary will take to ensure that required operational readiness rates are maintained during any planned recapitalization, modernization, or change of mission affecting tactical fighter aircraft units.

(4) Any plans of the Secretary to augment or supplant existing piloted tactical fighter aircraft capability or capacity with collaborative combat aircraft increment 1 or increment 2 capability or capacity.

(5) Any plans of the Secretary to augment or supplant existing piloted tactical fighter aircraft training events through the acquisition and fielding of common, joint, all-domain, high-fidelity synthetic simulation environments.

The report required by subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form with accompanying graphs, tables, and charts, but may contain a classified annex.

In this section, the term fighter aircraft has the meaning given that term in section 9062(i)(2) of this title.

.

Section 133 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 137 Stat. 173) is amended—

(1) in subsection (a), by striking 1,112 aircraft and inserting 1,101 aircraft; and

(2) in subsection (c)(1), by striking 2024 and inserting 2025.

Section 134(d) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 130 Stat. 2038) is amended by striking 135 A–10 aircraft and inserting 96 A–10 aircraft.

Section 142 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 137 Stat. 176) is amended by inserting or fiscal year 2025 after fiscal year 2024.

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 amended by section 134(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 137 Stat. 173), is amended by striking 2024 and inserting 2025.

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 amended by section 134(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 137 Stat. 173), is amended by striking During fiscal years 2023 and 2024 and inserting During the period of fiscal years 2023 through 2025.

Section 133 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 117–81; 135 Stat. 1574), as most recently amended by section 136 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 137 Stat. 174), is further amended—

(1) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and

(2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following new subsection (c):

The Secretary of the Air Force shall, to the extent practicable, manage the temporary relocation of any B–1 bomber aircraft or personnel assigned to units responsible for the operation and maintenance of such aircraft resulting from planned military construction in a manner that—

(1) minimizes effects to combat readiness;

(2) mitigates the risk of concentrating a significant number of the total B–1 bomber fleet at one location;

(3) uses the construction period to maximize expeditionary actions such as through Bomber Task Force and Agile Combat Employment; and

(4) takes into consideration travel options and travel distance for families and dependents of such personnel.

(2) .

The Secretary of the Air Force shall transfer to the Air Force Sustainment Center supply chain management, item management, and delegated engineering authorities for landing gear systems of F–15EX, F–22, F–35, and T–7A aircraft.

Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Air Force shall develop and initiate an implementation plan for the transfers required under subsection (a).

Not later than 30 days after completing the development of the implementation plan required under subsection (b), the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report that includes a description of—

(1) the planned milestones for execution of the implementation plan;

(2) any data, staff, and funding needed to effectively carry out such plan; and

(3) the progress of the Secretary in meeting such milestones as of the date of the report.

The Secretary of the Air Force shall replace covered reserve KC–135 aircraft on a one-for-one basis with air refueling tanker aircraft that have capabilities equivalent to or exceeding the capabilities of the aircraft being replaced.

In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary of the Air Force—

(1) may not take any action that would reduce the inventory of air refueling tanker aircraft assigned to a reserve component below the levels set forth in the budget of the President for fiscal year 2025 (as submitted to Congress under section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code); and

(2) shall ensure that, in the event a reserve component unit is assigned a greater number of KC–135 aircraft than are being replaced with a KC–46 or later-generation air refueling tanker aircraft, any KC–135 aircraft remaining after such replacement will remain within the reserve component for redistribution within that component.

The Secretary of the Air Force may waive the requirement to replace an air refueling tanker aircraft under subsection (a), on a case by case basis, if the Secretary determines that such replacement would degrade the readiness of the air refueling capability of the Air Force.

This section shall terminate on October 1, 2025.

In this section, the term covered reserve KC–135 aircraft means a KC–135 aircraft of the reserve components of the Air Force that the Secretary of the Air Force has identified to be replaced with a KC–46 or later-generation air refueling tanker aircraft.

None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2025 for the Air Force may be obligated or expended to reduce the number of KC–135 aircraft designated as primary mission aircraft inventory within the reserve components of the Air Force.

In this section, the term primary mission aircraft inventory has the meaning given that term in section 9062(i)(2)(B) of title 10, United States Code.

The Secretary of the Air Force may not retire, prepare to retire, or place in storage or on backup aircraft inventory status any F–15E aircraft until September 30, 2027.

The prohibition under paragraph (1) of shall not apply to individual F–15E aircraft that the Secretary of the Air Force determines, on a case by case basis, to be no longer mission capable and uneconomical to repair because of aircraft accidents, mishaps, or excessive material degradation and non-airworthiness status of certain aircraft.

The prohibition under paragraph (1) supercedes any provision of section 9062(l) of title 10, United States Code, that is inconsistent with such prohibition.

The Secretary of Defense shall seek to enter into a contract or other agreement with a federally funded research and development center pursuant to which the center shall carry out—

(A) an analysis of the fighter aircraft procurement, fielding, and divestment plan of the Department of the Air Force, as submitted to Congress in accordance with section 148 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 137 Stat. 178); and

(B) a fighter aircraft capability and requirements study that estimates the number of fighter aircraft needed by the Air Force to meet the requirements of combatant commanders.

The federally funded research and development center that carries out the study and analysis under paragraph (1) shall submit to the Secretary of Defense a report on the results of such study and analysis.

Not later than March 15, 2026, the Secretary of Defense shall—

(A) submit to the congressional defense committees an unaltered copy of the report received by the Secretary under paragraph (2);

(B) submit to such committees a separate report on the views of the Secretary with respect to the results of the study and analysis carried out under paragraph (1), which shall include—

(i) a detailed explanation of the strategy and methodology used to conduct the study and analysis, including any force sizing and shaping constructs, scenarios, and assumptions used as part of such study and analysis; and

(ii) assessed operational risk based on the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff risk management classifications set forth the most recent version of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Manual 3105.01A, titled Joint Risk Analysis Methodology; and

(C) provide a briefing to the committees on such results.

In this section, the term fighter aircraft means—

(1) F–15, F–16, F–22, and F–35 aircraft; and

(2) the Next Generation Air Dominance piloted combat aircraft.

Not later than 30 days after becoming aware of an expected delay in the delivery date of an MH–139 aircraft, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives written notice of such delay together with an explanation of the reasons for such delay.

In this section, the term delivery date, when used with respect to an MH–139 aircraft, means the date on which such aircraft is expected to be delivered to the Air Force under the most recent schedule for such delivery in effect as of the date of the enactment of this Act.

The Secretary of the Air Force, in consultation with the Commander of the United States Northern Command, the Commander of United States European Command, and the Commander of United States Indo-Pacific Command, shall develop and implement a plan to support the fielding of air base air defense sites at Air Force installations and other priority sites identified by the Secretary.

Each air base air defense site fielded under the plan required under subsection (a) shall have the following capabilities:

(1) Expeditionary mobile protection for dispersed air bases.

(2) Fixed protection for primary air bases.

(3) Ground-based protection systems that incorporate kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities.

(4) Counter-unmanned aircraft systems.

(5) Counter-fixed and Counter-rotary wing aircraft capabilities.

(6) Counter-cruise missile capabilities.

(7) Interoperability with joint command and control networks.

(8) 360-degree active and passive sensors.

(9) Systems and software that enable reduced staffing.

Pursuant to the plan developed under subsection (a), the Secretary shall—

(1) by not later than September 30, 2027, field a total of not fewer than four air base air defense sites, of which not fewer than two such sites shall be located in the United States; and

(2) in each of fiscal years 2028 through 2031, field at least four air base air defense sites per year, of which not fewer than two of the sites fielded each year shall be located in the United States.

Not later than March 1, 2025, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the plan required under subsection (a).

The Secretary of the Air Force, in coordination with the Director of the Air National Guard, shall develop a plan to fully fund the establishment and maintenance of F–16 simulators at training centers of the Air National Guard as described in subsection (b).

The plan under subsection (a) shall include—

(1) an estimate of the costs of maintaining F–16 simulators at Air National Guard training centers that have such simulators as of the date of the plan;

(2) an estimate of the costs of establishing F–16 simulators at all Air National Guard training centers that are required to, but do not, have such simulators as of the date of the plan, including training centers for Air National Guard units converting from the A–10 aircraft to the F–16 aircraft; and

(3) a plan for allocating funding to pay the costs described in paragraphs (1) and (2), including the proportion of such funding expected to be provided by the Air Force and the Air National Guard, respectively.

Not later than March 1, 2025, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report that includes—

(1) the plan developed under subsection (a); and

(2) an assessment from the Secretary and the Chief of the National Guard Bureau evaluating how the readiness of Air National Guard Units requiring F–16 simulators may be affected if such simulators are not established and maintained at mission training centers as proposed under the plan.

The Secretary of the Air Force, in consultation with the Director of the Air National Guard, shall develop a plan to sustain and recapitalize the fighter fleet of the Air National Guard.

The recapitalization plan required under subsection (a) shall—

(1) identify each of the 25 fighter aircraft squadrons of the Air National Guard in existence on the date of the enactment of this Act;

(2) provide a plan for recapitalization of all such squadrons at a similar rate as the fighter aircraft squadrons of the active components of the Armed Forces, with the same combination of legacy capability fighter aircraft and advanced capability fighter aircraft found in fighter aircraft squadrons of the active components of the Armed Forces;

(3) establish a timetable for a plan or actions for the recapitalization proposed under paragraph (2), disaggregated by fighter aircraft squadron and fiscal year, which shall identify funding required for each fiscal year;

(4) assess budgetary effects on the active components of the Armed Forces if the recapitalization plan proposed under paragraph (2) were implemented in accordance with the timeline established in paragraph (3); and

(5) assess the effects of such plan on the operational readiness and personnel readiness of the active and reserve components of the Armed Forces, including the effects of such plan on the ability of such components to meet steady state and contingency force presentation and mission requirements of combatant commanders.

Not later than July 1, 2025, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report that includes the sustainment and recapitalization plan required under subsection (a).

The report required under paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may contain a classified annex.

In this section:

(1) The term advanced capability fighter aircraft —

(A) means the next-generation air dominance fighter aircraft or any other fighter aircraft referenced or designated as a sixth generation airframe; and

(B) does not include unmanned fighter aircraft.

(2) The term fifth generation, with respect to fighter aircraft, means an F–22 or F–35 aircraft.

(3) The term fighter aircraft has the meaning given that term in section 9062(i)(2) of title 10, United States Code.

(4) The term legacy capability fighter aircraft means pre-fifth generation fighter aircraft, including an F–16, both pre-block and post-block, F–15C/D, F–15E/EX, and A–10.

Section 161 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117–263; 10 U.S.C. 3453 note) is amended—

(1) in the section heading, by striking used;

(2) in subsection (a)(1), by inserting new, before used; and

(3) in subsection (b)(2), by inserting, or from a certified production approval holder pursuant to part 21 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations before the period at the end.

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall establish and carry out an integrated set of measures—

(1) to identify risks in the supply chain for small unmanned aerial systems (referred to in this section as sUAS); and

(2) to increase the resiliency of such sUAS supply chain using parts supplied by domestic sources and from allies and partners of the United States.

The measures carried out under subsection (a) shall include the following:

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and not less frequently than once every three years thereafter until 2034, the Secretary of Defense shall fully disassemble a drone aircraft made by Da Jiang Innovations or a similar commercially available sUAS manufactured in a covered foreign country in order to—

(A) create a taxonomy for each component that categorizes the component by function, level of risk, and such other criteria as the Secretary determines appropriate; and

(B) help assess the risk of such components for the purposes of supply chain monitoring and visibility.

Not later than 150 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and using the taxonomy developed under paragraph (1)(A), the Secretary of Defense shall develop a supply chain risk framework in order to—

(A) assess the risk of each sUAS component to Department of Defense networks or operations;

(B) for components that present a risk as determined under subparagraph (A), identify any manufacturers of such components are based in covered foreign countries and evaluate whether measures to mitigate the risk posed by such foreign-produced components are feasible or practical; and

(C) determine if any of the foreign companies in the sUAS supply chain should be included on the list maintained by the Department of Defense in accordance with section 1260H of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283; 10 U.S.C. 113 note).

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and based on the analyses conducted under paragraphs (1) and (2), the Secretary of Defense shall develop a strategy to develop a secure and resilient domestic and allied supply chain of critical components for sUASs, which shall include—

(A) identification of sources of supply for sUAS components outside of a covered foreign country assessed to present a risk under paragraph (2)(A) and the total manufacturing capacity of such suppliers;

(B) an assessment of the total requirement for sUASs of the Department of Defense;

(C) a plan to increase the manufacturing capacity of alternative sources of supply that can meet the requirement specified in subparagraph (B), including estimated funding needs; and

(D) a description of how existing initiatives and programs of the Department of Defense may be used to create alternative sUAS sources of supply outside of a covered foreign country, including recommendations for—

(i) using authorities available to the Department of Defense, such as Defense Production Act authorities, the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment program, loan guarantees, or other programs; and

(ii) incentivizing private sector investment to grow or foster domestic or allied sourcing for components for sUASs.

Not later than 270 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 includes—

(1) a list of each component identified under subsection (b)(1), including a description of any security vulnerabilities associated with such component;

(2) a description of the supply chain risk framework developed under subsection (b)(2);

(3) any recommendations for the inclusion of companies on the list described in subsection (b)(2)(C); and

(4) the full strategy developed under subsection (b)(3).

The report required under subsection (c) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.

In this section, the term covered foreign country has the meaning given that term in section 848(e) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116–92; 10 U.S.C. 4871 note).

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Defense Logistics Agency shall develop and implement a policy pursuant to which acquisition planning shall be performed for any contract providing for the into-plane procurement for heavy-lift aircraft of an estimated 5,000,000 gallons or more of aviation fuel per year within the continental United States.

As part of the acquisition planning required under subsection (a), the Director of the Defense Logistics Agency shall determine whether to use evaluation factors to assess the qualifications of fixed-based operators bidding on contracts described in such subsection. In the event the Director determines it is appropriate to use such evaluation factors, the factors may include the following:

(1) Whether the fixed-base operator is able to maintain sufficient onsite fuel storage.

(2) Whether the fixed-base operator’s total number of employees is sufficient to service military customers.

(3) Whether the fixed-based operator is capable of performing a sufficient range of cargo on-load, off-load, and handling operations, including for dangerous goods and cargo, for military aircraft of all sizes.

(4) Whether the fixed-based operator has acceptable past performance history on similar procurements.

(5) Any other factors the Director determines appropriate.

The Director of the Defense Logistics Agency shall, as appropriate, consult with appropriate personnel of the military departments in developing mission requirements at commercial airports for purposes of the acquisition planning required under subsection (a).

In this section, the term heavy-lift aircraft means an aircraft with a maximum gross takeoff weight in excess of 107,000 pounds.

The Secretary of Defense shall not operate or enter into or renew a contract for the procurement of—

(1) a covered light detection and ranging technology (referred to in this section as LiDAR technology) that—

(A) is manufactured in a covered foreign country or by an entity domiciled in a covered foreign country;

(B) uses operating software developed in a covered foreign country or by an entity domiciled in a covered foreign country; or

(C) uses network connectivity or data storage located in or administered by an entity domiciled in a covered foreign country; or

(2) a system or systems that incorporates, interfaces with, or otherwise uses LiDAR technology as described in paragraph (1).

The prohibition under subsection (a) shall not apply if the operation, procurement, or contracting action is for the purposes of intelligence, electronic warfare, and information warfare operations, testing, analysis, and training.

The Secretary of Defense may waive the prohibition under subsection (a) on a case-by-case basis if the Secretary certifies, in writing, to the congressional defense committees that the operation, procurement, or contracting action is required in the national interest of the United States.

The prohibition under section (a) shall take effect on June 30, 2026.

In this section:

(1) The term covered foreign country means any of the following:

(A) The People’s Republic of China.

(B) The Islamic Republic of Iran.

(C) The Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea.

(D) The Russian Federation.

(2) The term covered LiDAR company means any of the following:

(A) Hesai Technology (or any subsidiary or affiliate of Hesai Technology).

(B) Any entity that produces or provides LiDAR and that is included on—

(i) the Consolidated Screening List maintained by the International Trade Administration of the Department of Commerce; or

(ii) the civil-military fusion list maintained 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).

(C) Any entity that produces or provides LiDAR and that—

(i) is domiciled in a covered foreign country; or

(ii) is subject to unmitigated foreign ownership, control or influence by a covered foreign country, as determined by the Secretary of Defense in accordance with the National Industrial Security Program or any successor to such program.

(3) The term covered LiDAR technology means LiDAR technology and any related services and equipment manufactured by a covered LiDAR company.

(4) The terms light detection and ranging and LiDAR mean a sensor that emits light, often in the form of a pulsed or modulated laser, and scans or flashes the environment to detect and measure the range of its surroundings.

The Secretary of Defense may not accept or take delivery of covered F–35 aircraft in excess of the maximum quantities specified in subsection (c) until the date on which the Secretary certifies to the congressional defense committees that the Secretary is in compliance with each of the following requirements:

(1) The Secretary has submitted to Congress (in accordance with subsection (b)) and is implementing a plan, with appropriate actions and milestones, to develop and field F–35 aircraft and mission systems digital-twin models across the F–35 enterprise.

(2) The Secretary has submitted to Congress (in accordance with subsection (b)) and is implementing a plan, with appropriate actions and milestones, to procure at least one new cooperative avionics flying test bed aircraft for the F–35 enterprise.

(3) The Secretary has submitted to Congress (in accordance with subsection (b)) and is implementing a plan, with appropriate actions and milestones, to procure and construct a new F–35 mission software integration laboratory to enable concurrent testing of TR–2 and TR–3 mission system hardware, software, and any existing or new F–35 capabilities.

(4) The Secretary has submitted to Congress (in accordance with subsection (b)) and is implementing a plan of corrective actions and milestones to resolve all deficiencies and recommendations identified in the 2024 F–35 Initial Operational Testing and Evaluation report submitted to Congress by the Director of Operational Testing and Evaluation.

(5) The Secretary has submitted to Congress (in accordance with subsection (b)) and is implementing a plan of corrective actions and milestones to minimize F–35 new aircraft production interruptions and resolve all programmatic deficiencies associated with the new F–35 mission system radar hardware and software related to the development, testing, acceptance, certification, production, and fielding of the radar as identified by the Director of the F–35 Joint Program Office.

(6) The Secretary has submitted to Congress (in accordance with subsection (b)) and is implementing a plan of corrective actions and milestones to resolve all deficiencies and recommendations identified in the report of the F–35 software Independent Review Team commissioned by the Secretary of the Air Force and the Director of the F–35 Joint Program Office.

(7) The Secretary has submitted to Congress (in accordance with subsection (b)) and is implementing a corrective action plan with appropriate actions, milestones, necessary technical data and other resources, and metrics for measuring improvements, to address long-standing sustainment challenges and improve fleetwide mission capable and full mission capable rates for F–35 aircraft. At a minimum, such plan shall provide for—

(A) completing the set-up of military service depots and attaining the required production capacity;

(B) addressing and mitigating corrosion, particularly in all F–35 variants, including the necessary parts, equipment, technical data, and any necessary adjustments to squadron staffing to effectively conduct corrosion inspections and work;

(C) improving the visibility and availability of assets and parts that detract from mission capable rates; and

(D) developing mechanisms to surge supply support for the air vehicle and engine and ensure continuity of F–35 logistics and operations in contested environments.

(8) The Secretary has submitted all plans and corrective action plans described in paragraphs (1) through (7) to the congressional defense committees as required under subsection (b).

(9) The Secretary has met the requirements of subsections (b)(5) and (c) of section 226 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 137 Stat. 196) and has submitted all documentation required to be submitted to Congress pursuant to such subsections.

The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees all plans and corrective action plans described in paragraphs (1) through (7) of subsection (a).

Each plan submitted under paragraph (1) shall include—

(A) an estimate of the total amount of funds required to complete implementation of the plan;

(B) realistic, event-driven schedules to achieve the objectives of the plan; and

(C) a schedule risk assessment to a minimum of 80 percent confidence level.

Each plan described in paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may contain a classified annex.

The maximum quantities of covered F–35 aircraft specified in this subsection are the following:

(1) Thirty F–35A aircraft.

(2) Nine F–35B aircraft.

(3) Nine F–35C aircraft.

Not later than April 1, 2025, and on an annual basis thereafter for the following five years, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report that includes a comprehensive update on all plans that—

(A) were developed pursuant to paragraphs (1) through (7) of subsection (a); and

(B) are being implemented by the Secretary as of the date of the report.

Each report under paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may contain a classified annex.

In this section, the term covered F–35 aircraft means new production F–35 aircraft—

(1) that are authorized to be procured using funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2025 for the Department of Defense; and

(2) the procurement of which is fully funded by the United States.

The Secretary of the Air Force and the Secretary of the Navy, in coordination with the commanders of the combatant commands, shall jointly assess the sufficiency of established inventory requirements for air-to-air missiles.

In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary of the Air Force and the Secretary of the Navy shall jointly—

(1) assess planned deliveries of air-to-air missiles through 2029 and the total available missiles by type in each year through 2029;

(2) assess combined requirements for air-to-air missiles to support operational plans of the United States Central Command, the United States Indo-Pacific Command, the United States Northern Command, and the United States European Command, at low, medium, and high risk;

(3) consider emerging requirements for surface-to-air defense and collaborative combat aircraft and how those additional missions will affect inventory requirements for air-to-air missiles;

(4) consider the sufficiency of planned acquisition for air-to-air missiles through 2029 to meet operational requirements;

(5) consider whether continuing production of the advanced medium-range air-to-air missile program of record through 2029 would enhance available inventories of air-to-air missiles; and

(6) develop recommendations to adjust the planned mix of missiles, including an assessment of whether extending the range or capability of existing air-to-air missiles would better support combined combatant command requirements at medium risk.

Following the completion of the assessment required under subsection (a), but not later than April 1, 2025, the Secretary of the Air Force and the Secretary of the Navy shall jointly submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the results of the assessment, which shall include a summary of the results of the assessment with respect to each element specified in subsection (b).

The report required under subsection (c) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict and the Commander of the United States Special Operations Command shall jointly submit to the congressional defense committees a plan for integrating signals intelligence capabilities on fielded armed overwatch aircraft.

At a minimum, the plan required by subsection (a) shall—

(1) define the signals intelligence requirements for armed overwatch aircraft, including the required signals intelligence capabilities and the number of aircraft to be equipped with such capabilities;

(2) articulate the resources necessary by fiscal year to fulfill the requirements described in paragraph (1); and

(3) include any other matters the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict and the Commander of the United States Special Operations Command consider relevant.

Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2025 for the use of the Department of Defense for research, development, test, and evaluation, as specified in the funding table in section 4201.

Subsection (d) of section 148 of title 10, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

(1) The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the Office is budgeted for and funded in a manner sufficient to ensure the Office has the staff and other resources necessary to effectively carry out the responsibilities specified in subsection (c).

(2) In the budget justification materials submitted to Congress in support of the Department of Defense budget for fiscal year 2027 and each fiscal year thereafter (as submitted with the budget of the President under section 1105(a) of title 31), the Secretary of Defense shall include a dedicated budget line item for the implementation of subsection (a) and for the testing and evaluation of energetic materials and technologies by the Office.

.

The second section 222e of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (a), by striking the Secretary of Defense shall and inserting the Secretary of Defense, after coordinating with the Secretaries of the military departments, shall; and

(2) in subsection (e)—

(A) in paragraph (1), by striking and at the end;

(B) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and inserting; and; and

(C) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(3) in the case of a military construction project, has reached 35 percent design.

(C) .

Section 2194(b) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in paragraph (6), by striking and at the end;

(2) in paragraph (7), by striking the period at the end and inserting; and; and

(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(8) entering into new and separate contracts or cooperative agreements with, or making grants to, the institution to provide financial assistance for activities conducted under such partnership agreement.

(3) .

Section 4066(f) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking September 30, 2025 and inserting September 30, 2035.

Subsection (a) of section 4067 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking during the research and development phase of such system and inserting to increase ally and partner military capability or improve coalition interoperability.

Subsection (b) of such section is amended—

(1) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3);

(2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new paragraph (2):

(2) Any contract for the design or development of an exportability feature of a system resulting from activities under subsection (a) for the purpose of enhancing or enabling the exportability of the system shall include a cost-sharing provision that requires the contractor to bear half of the cost of such activities, or such other portion of such cost as the Secretary considers appropriate upon showing of good cause.

(2) ; and

(3) in paragraph (3), as so redesignated—

(A) by inserting or (2) after paragraph (1);

(B) by inserting or exportability feature after with respect to a designated system; and

(C) in subparagraph (A), by inserting in the case of a designated system, before the.

Section 4092 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in the section heading, by striking science and engineering and inserting science, engineering, and certain other disciplines;

(2) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

The Director of the Office of Strategic Capital may carry out a program of personnel management authority provided in subsection (b) in order to facilitate recruitment of eminent experts in finance and investment for the Office.

(2) ; and

(3) in subsection (b)—

(A) in paragraph (1)—

(i) in subparagraph (D), by striking 5 scientific and engineering positions in the Office and inserting 20 scientific and engineering positions in the Office, of which not more than 5 such positions may be positions of administration or management of the Office;

(ii) in subparagraph (E) by striking 5 scientific and engineering positions in the Unit and inserting 35 scientific and engineering positions in the Unit, of which not more than 5 such positions may be positions of administration or management of the Unit;

(iii) in subparagraph (H), by striking 15 and inserting 25;

(iv) in subparagraph (I), by striking and at the end;

(v) in subparagraph (J), by adding and at the end; and

(vi) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

(K) in the case of the Office of Strategic Capital, appoint individuals to a total of not more than 30 positions in the Office;

(vi) ; and

(B) in paragraph (2), by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows:

(A) in the case of employees appointed pursuant to subparagraphs (B), (D), (E), (H), and (K) of paragraph (1), at a rate to be determined by the head of the organization concerned up to 150 percent of the total annual compensation payable to the Vice President under section 104 of title 3;

(B) .

Subchapter III of chapter 303 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

(1) The Secretary of Defense, acting through the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, shall carry out a program under which the Secretary shall establish the panels described in subsection (b) and direct such panels—

(A) to review and make recommendations to the Secretary with respect to—

(i) existing policies and practices affecting the science and technology reinvention laboratories to improve the mission effectiveness of such laboratories;

(ii) new initiatives proposed by the science and technology reinvention laboratories; and

(iii) new interpretations of existing provisions of law that would enhance the ability of a director of a science and technology reinvention laboratory to manage the laboratory and discharge the mission of the laboratory;

(B) to support implementation of current and future initiatives affecting the science and technology reinvention laboratories; and

(C) to conduct assessments or data analysis on the effectiveness of the authorities granted to the science and technology reinvention laboratories and such other issues as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.

(2) The program carried out pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be known as the Laboratory Quality Enhancement Program.

The panels described in this subsection are the following:

(1) A panel on personnel, workforce development, and talent management.

(2) A panel on facilities, equipment, and infrastructure.

(3) A panel on research strategy, technology transfer, and industry and university partnerships.

(4) A panel on governance and oversight processes.

(1) Each panel described in paragraphs (1) through (3) of subsection (b) may be composed of subject matter and technical management experts from—

(A) laboratories and research centers of the Army, Navy, and Air Force;

(B) appropriate Defense Agencies;

(C) the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering; and

(D) such other entities as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.

(2) The panel described in subsection (b)(4) shall be composed of—

(A) at least one member from each of the science and technology reinvention laboratories; and

(B) such other members as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.

(1) The chairperson of each panel established pursuant to subsection (a) shall be selected by the members of the respective panel.

(2) Each panel, in coordination with the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, shall transmit to the Science and Technology Executive Committee of the Department of Defense such information or findings on topics requiring decision or approval as the panel considers appropriate.

(1) The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, acting under the guidance of the Secretary, shall issue regulations regarding the meaning, scope, implementation, and applicability of any provision of a statute relating to a science and technology reinvention laboratory.

(2) In interpreting or defining under paragraph (1), the Under Secretary shall, to the degree practicable, emphasize providing the maximum operational flexibility to the directors of the science and technology reinvention laboratories to discharge the missions of their laboratories.

(3) In interpreting or defining under paragraph (1), the Under Secretary shall, to the extent practicable, consult and coordinate with the secretaries of the military departments and such other agencies or entities as the Under Secretary considers relevant on any proposed revision to regulations under paragraph (1).

(4) In interpreting or defining under paragraph (1), the Under Secretary shall seek recommendations from the panel described in subsection (b)(4).

In this section, the term science and technology reinvention laboratory means a Department of Defense laboratory designated as a Department of Defense science and technology reinvention laboratory under section 4121 of this title.

.

Section 211 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 10 U.S.C. note prec. 4121) is repealed.

Section 223(c) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 10 U.S.C. 4841 note) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (5), by striking and at the end;

(2) in paragraph (6), by striking the period at the end and inserting; and; and

(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(7) develop a process to certify new materials and processes for fabricating flight critical parts and initiate planning for a rapidly deployable additive manufacturing system that is capable of fabricating replacement safety-critical parts for military aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles in environments where access to traditionally manufactured replacement parts is severely restricted.

(3) .

Section 225(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 137 Stat. 195) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (1), by striking designate two F–35A aircraft, two F–35B aircraft, and two F–35C aircraft and inserting designate a total of not fewer than nine F–35A, F–35B, or F–35C aircraft; and

(2) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking Lot 19 and inserting Lot 18.

Section 221 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 117–81; 135 Stat. 1599) is amended—

(1) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following new sentence: A minimum of two motor technologies with comparable efficiency, weight, and space characteristics that provide minimum of 40 megawatts of reserve power, in excess of propulsion and ship service at patrol speed, shall be tested in full scale to mitigate program risk and provide sufficient competition prior to down selecting to a class decision.;

(2) in subsection (c), by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following new paragraph (1):

(1) Two electrical propulsion motor technologies.

(2) ; and

(3) in subsection (d)(1), by inserting that incorporates two propulsion motor technology options before the period at the end.

Section 230 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116–92; 10 U.S.C. note prec. 501) is amended by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:

Not later than April 30, 2025, the Secretary of Defense shall appoint a civilian official responsible for the development and implementation of the policy and implementation plan set forth in subsections (a) and (b), respectively. The official shall be known as the Chief Digital Engineering Recruitment and Management Officer of the Department of Defense.

In addition to the responsibilities specified in paragraph (1), the Officer appointed under such paragraph shall—

(A) fully define and identify the artificial intelligence workforce of the Department of Defense, including by—

(i) clarifying the roles and responsibilities of the artificial intelligence workforce and the relationship between the artificial intelligence workforce and the overall Department of Defense innovation workforce and digital workforce;

(ii) coding artificial intelligence workforce roles in workforce data systems; and

(iii) developing a qualification program for artificial intelligence workforce roles; and

(B) update the Department of Defense Human Capital Operating Plan to be consistent with the Strategic Management Plan of the Department and the Annual Performance Plan of the Department relating to artificial intelligence workforce issues, including—

(i) addressing the human capital implementation actions planned to support the strategic goals and priorities identified in the Agency Strategic Plan and Annual Performance Plan; and

(ii) ensuring the use of consistent artificial intelligence terminology.

The appointment of the Officer under paragraph (1) shall expire on September 30, 2030.

.

Not later than 90 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 includes an update on any activities carried out in accordance with the implementation plan required under section 230(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116–92; 10 U.S.C. note prec. 501).

Not later than 240 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing on—

(1) the positions included in the artificial intelligence workforce of the Department as of the date of the briefing;

(2) any positions not identified under paragraph (1) that should be included in the artificial intelligence workforce of the Department;

(3) which positions require Department of Defense personnel with artificial intelligence skills;

(4) the current state of the artificial intelligence workforce of the Department as of the ate of the briefing; and

(5) planned or proposed future requirements for the artificial intelligence workforce of the Department.

Section 256 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116–92; 133 Stat. 1290) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025, the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer of the Department of Defense, in coordination with the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, shall—

(A) develop a set of distance education courses on—

(i) the foundational concepts of artificial intelligence and machine learning; and

(ii) the responsible and ethical design, development, acquisition and procurement, deployment, and use of artificial intelligence and machine learning applications; and

(B) make such courses available to members of the Armed Forces.

Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this subsection, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the progress of the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer in implementing paragraph (1).

.

Section 219 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 115–232; 132 Stat. 1680) is amended by striking shall and all that follows and inserting shall modify the compartments and infrastructure of the aircraft carrier designated CVN–73 to support the fielding of the MQ–25 unmanned aerial vehicle before the planned deployment date of such vehicle..

Section 220 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), by inserting Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office, the Defense Innovation Unit, and the before Defense Technical Information Center;

(2) in subsection (b), by inserting in accordance with subsection (e) before the period at the end;

(3) in subsection (c)—

(A) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:

(1) be coordinated across the Department of Defense to focus on small business concerns (as defined in section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632), including—

(A) participants in the Small Business Innovation Research Program or the Small Business Technology Transfer Program established under section 9 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638);

(B) participants in the pilot program established under section 834 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 or the Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve of the Department of Defense; and

(C) small business concerns that are nontraditional defense contractors (as defined in section 3014 of title 10, United States Code) that work with research, innovation, and advanced project entities;

(A) ; and

(B) in paragraph (2)—

(i) in subparagraph (C), by striking and at the end;

(ii) in subparagraph (D), by striking and at the end; and

(iii) by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:

(E) the date of the initial award to the participant from the Department of Defense; and

(F) the dates of any additional awards made to the participant by the Department of Defense, including the dates of any contracts or other agreements entered into between the participant the Department of Defense; and

(iii) ; and

(4) by adding at the end the following new subsection:

Not less frequently than once each fiscal quarter and subject to the availability of appropriations, the head of the Defense Technical Information Center, in coordination with the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, shall update the innovators information repository established under this section.

(4) .

Section 238(d)(3)(E) of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 115–232; 10 U.S.C. note prec. 4061) is amended—

(1) by redesignating clause (x) as clause (xi); and

(2) by inserting after clause (ix) the following new clause (x):

(x) With respect to artificial intelligence models and advanced artificial intelligence technologies—

(I) to identify and assess artificial intelligence models and advanced artificial intelligence technologies that could pose a national security risk if accessed by an adversary of the United States;

(II) to develop strategies to prevent unauthorized access and usage of potent artificial intelligence models by countries that are adversaries of the United States; and

(III) to make recommendations to Congress and relevant Federal agencies for legislative or administrative action in the field of artificial intelligence.

(2) .

Section 1286 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 115–232; 10 U.S.C. 4001 note) is amended—

(1) in subsection (d)(1)(B), by striking subsection (g) and inserting subsection (h);

(2) by redesignating subsections (e) through (h) as subsections (f) through (i), respectively;

(3) by inserting after subsection (d) the following new subsection (e):

Not later than March 30, 2025, and not later than March 30 of each year thereafter—

(1) each head of a Department of Defense component that awards grants for research shall carry out a review of a representative sample of the research grants awarded by the respective component in the previous fiscal year to ensure that the component is awarding grants in compliance with the applicable policies of the Department of Defense; and

(2) the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering shall carry out a separate review of a representative sample of the research grants awarded by such components in the previous fiscal year.

(3) ; and

(4) in subsection (f), as redesignated by paragraph (1)—

(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting and on the periodic reviews conducted pursuant to subsection (e) after by subsection (a); and

(B) in paragraph (2)—

(i) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (G) as clauses (i) through (vii), respectively, and indenting such clauses two ems to the right;

(ii) by inserting before clause (i), as redesignated by clause (i) of this subparagraph, the following new subparagraph (A):

(A) With respect to the activities carried out under the initiative required by subsection (a), the following:

(ii) ; and

(iii) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

(B) With respect to the periodic reviews conducted pursuant to subsection (e), the following:

(i) The total number of research grants awarded by the Department in the fiscal year covered by the reviews.

(ii) The number of reviews carried out pursuant to subsection (e)(1).

(iii) The number of reviews carried out pursuant to subsection (e)(2).

(iv) A description of the processes by which the heads of the components described in paragraph (1) of subsection (e) and the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering conducted the reviews under such subsection.

(v) An assessment of issues identified during the reviews carried out under subsection (e), including a list of grants that were identified as having not been awarded in compliance with applicable policies of the Department of Defense.

(iii) .

Section 219(d) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 10 U.S.C. 4205 note) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (6), by adding at the end the following:

(1) Each such briefing shall include—

(A) for each organization and element of the Department carrying out work related to directed energy capabilities, cost data and associated program elements for each fiscal year across the period covered by the most recent future-years defense program submitted to Congress under section 221 of title 10, United States Code (as of the time of the briefing); and

(B) information on any enabling work that supports such capabilities, including—

(i) vehicle or software integration and testing;

(ii) command, control and targeting architectures;

(iii) supporting infrastructure requirements; and

(iv) workforce training.

(1) ; and

(2) in paragraph (7), by striking 4 years and inserting 9 years.

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall establish a council to identify, evaluate, and coordinate existing research efforts, or propose new research topics, relating to economic competition activities, such as economic coercion, manipulation, or other uses of economic power to undermine the national defense strategy of the United States and the partners and allies of the United States.

The council established pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be known as the National Defense Economic Competition Research Council (referred to in this section as the Council).

Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall issue a charter for the Council with a mission that includes the following:

(1) Conducting analysis of ongoing or proposed government and academic research relating to economic competition.

(2) Making proposals for new areas of research to increase understanding of adversarial uses of economic tools in support of military objectives to improve understanding of threats, vulnerabilities, and defensive options to mitigate such threats and vulnerabilities.

(3) Informing the tools available to the Department of Defense to defend against such economic competition, coercion and manipulation activities, including the use of adversarial capital to acquire technology, real estate, or other infrastructure, or to preemptively deny access by the United States.

(4) Assessing current data needs or shortfalls impairing understanding of threats and vulnerabilities relating to economic competition.

(5) Convening groups, which may include academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, commercial entities, other departments and agencies of the Federal Government, and international partners, to better understand regional requirements or inform the understanding of regional partners on the threats and vulnerabilities relating to military objectives as a result of increasing economic competition.

(6) Carrying out such other activities relating to economic competition as the Secretary deems appropriate.

The co-chairs of the Council shall be the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, and the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment.

The co-chairs of the Council shall ensure that the Council includes participation from each of the following:

(A) The Office of Commercial and Economic Assessment of the Air Force.

(B) The Office of Expanded Competition.

(C) The Office of Strategic Capital.

(D) The Defense Innovation Unit.

(E) The Strategic Capabilities Office.

(F) The Joint Warfighting Analysis Center (JWAC).

(G) The Office of Global Economic and Investment Security under the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy.

(H) The Office of Naval Research, including ONR-Global.

(I) The Army Research Office.

(J) The Air Force Office of Scientific Research.

(K) The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

(L) The Office of Strategic Intelligence and Analysis under the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.

(M) The program office of the Minerva Research Initiative.

(N) Other relevant organizations as determined by the Secretary of Defense.

The Council shall regularly solicit input from the Joint Staff and combatant commands on needs, problem statements, or other topics relating to economic competition activities described in subsection (a)(1) affecting their areas of responsibility.

The Council shall terminate on December 31, 2035.

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, in coordination with the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and the Director of the Defense Innovation Unit, shall establish a working group to be known as the Agility Prime Transition Working Group (referred to in this section as the Working Group).

The duties of the Working Group shall include the following:

(1) To develop and implement a strategy to transition capabilities developed under the Agility Prime program of the Air Force to program executive offices of the covered Armed Forces, as appropriate.

(2) To provide a forum for members of the Working Group to coordinate activities relating to hybrid and electric vertical takeoff and landing capabilities developed under the Agility Prime program, including—

(A) research, development, testing, and evaluation activities;

(B) demonstration activities; and

(C) activities to transition such capabilities from the research and development phase into operational use within the covered Armed Forces, as appropriate.

(3) To identify programs, projects, activities, and requirements of the covered Armed Forces that may be supported by technologies and capabilities developed under the Agility Prime program, including hybrid and electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, advanced air mobility platforms, autonomous flight capabilities, test and evaluation software, and related technologies.

(4) To identify requirements of the combatant commands and the covered Armed Forces that align with previous, ongoing, or planned efforts under the Agility Prime program.

(5) To assess whether previous, ongoing, or planned efforts under the Agility Prime program and other vertical take off and landing aircraft capability development efforts align with other current, planned, or future acquisition programs of the covered Armed Forces.

(6) Identify any changes to doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership, personnel, facilities, and policy (commonly known as DOTMLPF–P) required to successfully integrate hybrid and electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft platforms into future force design.

(7) To assist the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment in preparing the reports required under subsection (g).

The Working Group shall be composed of representatives from the following organizations:

(1) The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment.

(2) The military departments.

(3) The Joint Chiefs of Staff.

(4) The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.

(5) The Defense Innovation Unit.

(6) The Office of Strategic Capital.

(7) The United States Special Operations Command.

(8) The United States Transportation Command.

(9) Such other organizations and elements of the Department of Defense as the Chairperson of the Working Group determines appropriate.

The Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, or the designee of the Under Secretary, shall serve as the Chairperson of the Working Group.

The Working Group shall meet not less frequently than twice each year at the call of the Chairperson.

The working group shall terminate on September 30, 2027.

Not later than September 30, 2025, and not later than September 30 of each year thereafter through 2027, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the efforts of the Working Group. Each report shall include, with respect to the year covered by the report, information on—

(1) any funding under the categories of research, development, test, and evaluation, procurement, or operation and maintenance that is expected to be used for further development or procurement of hybrid and electric vertical takeoff and landing capabilities in the fiscal year of the report and the in the following fiscal year;

(2) any planned transitions of hybrid and electric vertical takeoff and landing technologies to—

(A) acquisition programs of the covered Armed Forces; or

(B) research, development, test, and evaluation programs of the covered Armed Forces.

(3) any actions taken by the Working Group;

(4) any milestones achieved by the Working Group; and

(5) such other matters as the Under Secretary determines appropriate.

In this section:

(1) The term Agility Prime program means the program of the Air Force under which the Air Force is developing hybrid and electric vertical takeoff and landing capabilities in collaboration with partners in commercial industry and other sectors.

(2) The term covered Armed Forces means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force.

Using the authority provided under section 1599g of title 10, United States Code, the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Director of the Office of Strategic Capital, may carry out a program under which the Director arranges for the temporary assignment of an employee of the Office to a qualifying private-sector organization.

The objectives of the program under subsection (a) shall be—

(1) to enable the Office of Strategic Capital to rapidly acquire industry-specific context and technical competence across high priority technology and industrial focus areas through immersion in highly relevant emerging technology and business ecosystems across the United States; and

(2) to enhance, among personnel of the Department—

(A) understanding of, connectivity with, and access to knowledge about critical and emerging defense industrial base capabilities; and

(B) understanding of the strategic role that venture capital and private equity operations have in shaping future sustainment and modernization requirements for the defense industrial base.

In carrying out program under subsection (a), the Director of the Office of Strategic Capital shall—

(1) use digital automation and analysis capability to optimize the identification, assessment, and placement of participants within the program, which shall include the ability to match and track private-sector organizations with employees of the Office participating in the program in a manner that aligns the priorities, needs, and expertise of such employees, organizations, and the Office; and

(2) establish a database or other digital automation capability that—

(A) enables the Office to identify and track current and former participants in the program;

(B) documents the nature of the experience such participants had while in the program; and

(C) is suitable for potential development and expansion to other organizations of Department of Defense in the event the Secretary of Defense determines such expansion is appropriate.

In this section, the term qualifying private-sector organization means a private-sector organization that has functions and expertise relevant to the responsibilities of the Office of Strategic Capital, which may include organization such as a venture capital firm, private equity firm, or other such organizations as determined appropriated by the Director of the Office.

The Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency shall establish and carry out an initiative to rapidly expand and support efforts to evaluate concepts, development plans, and prototypes, components, and subsystems needed to develop a utility-scale quantum computing capability available to the Department of Defense.

The initiative established pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be known as the Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (referred to in this section as the Initiative).

The Initiative shall include the following:

(1) Activities to broaden existing efforts of the Department of Defense to verify and validate commercial efforts to design and build utility-scale quantum computers, including through collaboration with key partners in the Air Force Research Laboratory, the Office of Strategic Capital, the Defense Innovation Unit, and such other partners and organizations of the Department of Defense as the Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency deems appropriate.

(2) Working with the Office of Strategic Capital to establish regular interactions with the venture capital and finance community to help accelerate commercial efforts to develop concepts, plans, prototypes, components, and subsystems needed to develop viable utility-scale quantum computers.

(3) Working with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy to connect key performers in fault-tolerant utility-scale quantum computing with support for industrial bases analysis, manufacturing support, and other analysis support to help foster and grow the broader industrial base supporting fault-tolerant utility-scale quantum computing.

(4) Working with the military departments and other components of the Department of Defense to refine use cases for militarily relevant applications of utility-scale quantum computers.

Subsection (c) of section 229 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 117–81; 135 Stat. 1611; 10 U.S.C. 4001 note) is hereby repealed.

The Secretary of Defense shall take such steps as may be necessary—

(1) to expand the availability of the Digital On-Demand Program to—

(A) all organizations and elements of the Department of Defense; and

(B) all members of the Armed Forces and civilian employees of the Department; and

(2) to actively promote the Program throughout the Department.

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and on an annual basis thereafter through 2029, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the progress of the Secretary in expanding and promoting the Digital On-Demand Program as described in subsection (a).

In this section, the term Digital On-Demand Program means the program overseen by the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer pursuant to which educational resources on artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, data literacy, and related topics are made available to personnel of the Department of Defense through a digital platform on an on-demand basis.

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, in consultation with the Secretaries of the military departments and the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer of the Department of Defense, shall develop and implement policies to manage and utilize data derived from digital data systems for aircraft, ships, and ground vehicles to inform and support maintenance activities conducted with respect to such aircraft, ships, and vehicles.

The policies required by subsection (a) shall include investment in advanced and scalable data infrastructure to efficiently record, transmit, categorize, and otherwise process data generated by digital data systems described in such subsection. Such policies shall—

(1) require development of a strategy to invest in advanced technologies, including automated systems and artificial intelligence, to streamline the process of organizing, indexing, and categorizing data;

(2) require work with vendors to address and resolve limitations imposed by proprietary information and data, including through the adoption of open data and open mission systems approaches;

(3) address data transmission capabilities, such as—

(A) implementing high-speed data transfer technologies;

(B) optimizing network infrastructure; and

(C) developing secure and efficient methods for transmitting mission-critical data between bases;

(4) require central compilation of maintenance data and creation of user interfaces, prioritizing analysis of long-lead components;

(5) require the use of vendor-agnostic, government-owned tagging and interoperable systems, except in cases where there is a compelling reason not to use such systems;

(6) require review of classification policies relating to digital data to ensure that data is appropriately classified without unnecessarily restricting its usability; and

(7) establish protocols for detecting unauthorized access or intrusion into vehicle or platform systems.

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment shall provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a briefing on—

(1) the policies developed under subsection (a); and

(2) the status of the implementation of such policies.

Not later than November 30, 2025, the Chief Information Officer of the Department of Defense, in coordination with the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, shall complete a demonstration program to assess the viability of using wideband adaptive signal processing technology to support simultaneous transmit and receive signals on the same electromagnetic spectrum frequency band that—

(1) does not produce harmful interference;

(2) significantly reduces electromagnetic spectrum guard bands;

(3) maintains signal quality with respect to latency and throughput; and

(4) increases electromagnetic spectrum access within the frequency band.

The demonstration program required by subsection (a) shall be conducted at a test and training range of the Department of Defense.

In carrying out the demonstration program required by subsection (a), the Chief Information Officer, the Under Secretary, and the Director shall consult with, at a minimum, the following:

(1) The Joint Staff.

(2) The military departments and their associated research labs.

(3) Other Department of Defense organizations and agencies.

(4) The Federal Communications Commission.

(5) The National Telecommunications and Information Administration.

(6) Other Federal agencies.

(7) Industry and nongovernmental entities.

Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Chief Information Officer may enter into such contracts or other agreements as the Chief Information Officer considers appropriate to conduct studies and demonstration projects under the demonstration program required by subsection (a).

Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Chief Information Officer, the Under Secretary, and the Director shall jointly provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing on the plans to carry out the demonstration program required by subsection (a).

The Chief Information Officer, the Under Secretary, and the Director shall, periodically, assess the demonstration program required by subsection (a) while the program is being carried out.

Upon completion of the demonstration program required by subsection (a), the Chief Information Officer, the Under Secretary, and the Director shall jointly provide the congressional defense committees a briefing on their findings with respect to the demonstration program.

Not later than June 1, 2025, the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer of the Department of Defense, in coordination with appropriate counterparts in the military departments, shall develop a venue and processes, including a specified set of baseline scenarios, for comparative testing of automated target recognition algorithms to evaluate mission efficacy.

Not later than September 1, 2025, the Secretary of Defense shall use the venue developed under subsection (a) to test the mission capability of at least two relevant programs included in the Replicator initiative.

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 activities carried out under this section.

The Secretary of Defense shall carry out a pilot program to develop near-term use cases and demonstrations of artificial intelligence for national security-related biotechnology applications.

The Secretary of Defense shall carry out the pilot program required by subsection (a) through one or more public-private partnerships entered into for purposes of the pilot program.

In support of a public-private partnership entered into under subsection (b), the Secretary of Defense may, on a reimbursable basis, make available—

(1) the facilities and services of a Department of Defense laboratory to perform experimentation for biotechnology applications to aid in the validation of artificial intelligence models; and

(2) computing and data storage infrastructure and capabilities of the Department of Defense.

The pilot program required by subsection (a) shall—

(1) commence not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act; and

(2) terminate five years after the date of the on which the program commences under paragraph (1).

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and not later than December 1 of every other year thereafter until the termination date specified in subsection (d)(2), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the pilot program.

Each report submitted under paragraph (1) shall include, for the period covered by the report, the following:

(A) An assessment of existing Department of Defense biotechnology-related data resources and how they may be used in the pilot program.

(B) An assessment of required cybersecurity measures for users under the pilot program.

(C) A description of any mechanisms developed for collaboration among different parties associated with projects under the pilot program, including intellectual property agreements, funding agreements, and material transfer agreements.

(D) An assessment of the role that artificial intelligence is playing in developing biotechnology applications for national security purposes, including identification of commercial or academic applications used in the pilot program.

(E) A description of near-term use cases developed under the pilot program for artificial intelligence-enabled biotechnology applications for national security.

(F) A description of planned, ongoing, and completed demonstrations or other pilot programs funded under the pilot program required by subsection (a) or otherwise funded by the Department of Defense.

(G) An assessment of the viability of transitioning technology developed under the pilot program into operational use within the Department, including assessment of—

(i) the resources needed for further development and scaling of such technology; and

(ii) the potential benefits of such technology.

Each report under paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.

Not later than one year before the date on which the pilot program terminates under subsection (d)(2), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a plan that outlines what steps the Department could take to turn the pilot program into an operational program if authorized and funded by Congress to do so. The plan shall include the following:

(1) A transition timeline.

(2) Associated projected annual cost of operating the program.

(3) Additional infrastructure that might be needed, including associated costs.

(4) A descriptive analysis of the relevant technical, engineering and commercial biotechnology ecosystem, including entities within the Department and external stakeholders.

(5) Examples of projects from the pilot phase of the program and their outcomes.

(6) The potential impact to Department capabilities of transitioning the program.

(7) Any other details deemed necessary to include by the Secretary.

Beginning not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall carry out a pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of using artificial intelligence-enabled software to optimize the workflow and operations for—

(1) depots, shipyards, or other manufacturing facilities run by the Department of Defense; and

(2) contract administration for the Department, including—

(A) the adjudication and review of contracts; and

(B) activities related to the Modernization and Analytics Initiative managed by the Defense Contract Management Agency.

The Secretary of Defense may carry out subsection (a) through—

(1) the establishment of a new pilot program; or

(2) the designation of an existing initiative of the Department of Defense to serve as the pilot program required under such subsection.

In carrying out the pilot program required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall—

(1) use best in breed software platforms;

(2) consider industry best practices in the selection of software programs;

(3) implement the program based on human centered design practices to best identify the business needs for improvement; and

(4) demonstrate connection to enterprise platforms of record with authoritative data sources.

In carrying out the activities described in subsection (a)(1) under the pilot program, the Secretary of Defense shall consult with—

(1) the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment;

(2) the Secretary of the Army;

(3) the Secretary of the Navy; and

(4) the Secretary of the Air Force.

Not later than one year after the date of the commencement of the pilot program under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report containing the following information:

(1) An evaluation of each software platform used in the pilot program.

(2) An analysis of how workflows and operations were modified as part of the pilot program.

(3) A quantitative assessment of the impact the software had at each of the locations in which the pilot program was carried out.

Except as provided in subsection (b), none of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2025 may be obligated or expended to award a grant or contract to an institution of higher education for the specific purposes of conducting fundamental research in collaboration with a covered entity.

The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Science and Technology may waive the limitation under subsection (a), on a case-by-case basis, with respect to an individual grant or contract for an institution of higher education if the Assistant Secretary determines that such a waiver is in the national security interests of the United States.

Not later than 30 days after the date on which an award is made by the Department of Defense involving an institution of higher education with respect to which a waiver is made under paragraph (1), the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Science and Technology shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives notice of such waiver.

On an annual basis, as a classified or controlled unclassified information annex to the annual report required by section 1286(f) of the John S McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 115–232; 10 U.S.C. 4001 note) (as so redesignated by section 226 of this title), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report annex on the compliance of the Department of Defense and institutions of higher education with the requirements of this section.

Each report annex submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include, for each waiver issued under subsection (b) during the period covered by the report—

(A) a justification for the waiver; and

(B) a detailed description of the type and extent of any collaboration between an institution of higher education and a covered entity allowed pursuant to the waiver, including identification of the institution of higher education and the covered entities involved, the type of technology involved, the duration of the collaboration, and terms and conditions on intellectual property assignment, as applicable, under the collaboration agreement.

In this section:

(1) The term collaboration means coordinated activity between an institution of higher education and a covered entity and includes—

(A) sharing of research facilities, resources, or data;

(B) sharing of technical know-how;

(C) any financial or in-kind contribution intended to produce a research product;

(D) sponsorship or facilitation of research fellowships, visas, or residence permits;

(E) joint ventures, partnerships, or other formalized agreements for the purpose of conducting research or sharing resources, data, or technology;

(F) inclusion of researchers as consultants, advisors, or members of advisory or review boards; and

(G) such other activities as may be determined by the Secretary of Defense.

(2) The term covered entity —

(A) means an academic institution that is included in the most recently updated list developed pursuant to 1286(c)(9) of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 115–232; 10 U.S.C. 4001 note); and

(B) includes any individual employed by such an academic institution.

(3) The term fundamental research has the meaning given that term in National Security Decision Directive-189 (NSSD-189), National Policy on the Transfer of Scientific, Technical and Engineering Information, dated September 21, 1985, or any successor document.

(4) The term institution of higher education has the meaning given that term in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002) and includes—

(A) any department, program, project, faculty, researcher, or other individual, entity, or activity of such institution; and

(B) any branch of such institution within or outside the United States.

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment and the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, shall initiate a review of the ANSI/HFES Standard 400-2021 to determine whether any elements of such standard may be incorporated into relevant Department of Defense procedures and guidance material—

(1) to ensure the safety and effective implementation of technology by ensuring that human readiness levels are adequately aligned with technology readiness levels; and

(2) to reduce the likelihood that technology will be deployed before adequate human factors considerations are incorporated into such technology.

In carrying out the review required by subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense—

(1) shall conduct a review of ANSI/HFES Standard 400-2021;

(2) shall conduct a preliminary analysis of the human readiness levels of the Department of Defense based on ANSI/HFES Standard 400-2021 to determine whether and to what extent those readiness levels align with the current technology readiness levels of technology used in major research and development programs and major defense acquisition programs (as defined in section 4201 of title 10, United States Code);

(3) shall consult with personnel responsible for such programs regarding the effect of incorporating ANSI/HFES Standard 400-2021 with respect to the schedule, cost, and performance of such programs; and

(4) may consult with subject matter experts affiliated with the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

Not later than 180 days 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 progress of the review required by subsection (a).

In this section:

(1) The term ANSI/HFES Standard 400-2021 means American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) Standard 400-2021 (pertaining to human readiness level scale in the system development process).

(2) The term human readiness level means a measurement system used to evaluate the suitability and usability of a technology for human use.

(3) The term technology readiness level means a measurement system used to assess the maturity level of a particular technology.

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, and the Secretaries of the military departments, shall submit to the congressional defense committees a biotechnology roadmap.

In the roadmap required by subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall—

(1) identify the strategic objectives of the Department of Defense relating to biotechnology;

(2) for each strategic objective, establish specific goals and milestones for the achievement of such objective, including timelines for meeting such goals and milestones;

(3) in the case of each updated version of the roadmap following submittal of the initial roadmap under subsection (a), include—

(A) a review of the goals and milestones established under paragraph (2) to ensure such goals and milestones continue to align with strategic objectives under paragraph (1); and

(B) a description of any goals and milestones that changed as a result of such review;

(4) identify the biotechnology development needs and priorities for national security applications based on the strategic objectives identified in paragraph (1);

(5) assess the technology maturity of each priority identified pursuant to paragraph (4);

(6) describe funding sources for each priority identified pursuant to paragraph (4), including both current sources and sources covered by the future-years defense program submitted to Congress under section 221 of title 10, United States Code;

(7) provide a plan, timeline, and metrics for research, development, testing, and evaluation activities for the priorities identified pursuant to paragraph (4);

(8) assess opportunities for rapid acquisition and fielding of biotechnology in support of the priorities identified pursuant to paragraph (4);

(9) identify and describe the role of each organization of the Department with responsibilities relating to biotechnology under the strategy, including investment priorities for the Office of Strategic Capital and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency;

(10) assess the overall risk to the security of the United States of the biotechnology efforts covered by the strategy;

(11) analyze any requirements of the Federal Government that hinder the ability of the Department to advance and use biotechnology;

(12) provide for the development and support of the biotechnology workforce of the Department, including personnel with responsibilities relating directly to biotechnology and personnel who indirectly support the biotechnology efforts of the Department such as personnel involved program management, acquisition, investment, and legal matters;

(13) with respect to the biotechnology workforce described in paragraph (12)—

(A) identify the total number of biotechnology positions required to support the objectives of the roadmap—

(i) as of the date of the roadmap; and

(ii) over the periods of five and 10 years following such date;

(B) indicate the number of such positions that have been filled as of the date of the roadmap;

(C) describe the positions included in the biotechnology workforce, including a description of—

(i) the role of each position in supporting the objectives under paragraph (1); and

(ii) the qualifications required for each position, including any qualifications relating to seniority level, education, training, and security clearances;

(D) identify any challenges affecting the ability of the Department to develop the biotechnology workforce and propose solutions to those challenges;

(E) assess whether the codes used to define positions and roles within the workforce of the Department adequately cover the range of positions and personnel that comprise the biotechnology workforce, such as personnel in research, engineering, and testing;

(F) identify mechanisms to enable the Department to access outside expertise relating to biotechnology, including mechanisms to assemble a pool of outside experts who have been prequalified (including by obtaining any necessary security clearances) to provide advice and assistance to the Department on matters relating to biotechnology on an as-needed basis; and

(G) assess whether personnel occupying existing positions in the Department could be used to meet biotechnology workforce needs with additional training and, if so, the nature and scope of the training required; and

(14) address collaboration between the Department and international partners to advance research on biotechnology, which shall include—

(A) a description of any international partnerships under which the United States is collaborating with partners to conduct biotechnology research and development for defense purposes, including a description of any investment priorities for the Office of Strategic Capital and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency relating to such partnerships;

(B) a description of any new international partnerships that may be entered into, or existing partnerships that may be modified, to provide for such collaboration; and

(C) identification of any challenges affecting the ability of the Department engage in such collaboration with international partners, including—

(i) any limitations on co-investments within international partnerships;

(ii) any United States export controls or other technology protections that hinder information sharing within such partnerships; and

(iii) any other challenges that may prevent the full utilization of such partnerships for such collaboration.

Not less frequently than once every two years following the submittal of the initial roadmap under subsection (a) until the termination date specified in subsection (h), the Secretary shall—

(1) review and update the roadmap; and

(2) submit an updated version of the roadmap to the congressional defense committees.

Each version of the roadmap required to be submitted under this section may be submitted in classified form, but if so submitted, shall include an unclassified executive summary.

On annual basis, the Secretary shall make an unclassified version of the most recent roadmap submitted under this section available on a publicly accessible website of the Department of Defense.

Not later than 180 days after the date on which the Secretary of Defense submits the initial roadmap pursuant to subsection (a), the Comptroller General of the United States shall—

(1) complete an evaluation of the roadmap; and

(2) submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the findings of the Comptroller General with respect to such evaluation.

In this section, the term biotechnology means the application of science and technology to living organisms and to parts, products, and models of such organisms to alter living or non-living materials for the production of knowledge, goods, or services.

This section shall terminate on the date that is 10 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Chief Information Officer of the Department of Defense, shall develop and commence implementation of a five-year plan for advancing United States defense policy interests at meetings of relevant international organizations and other international fora relating to electromagnetic spectrum, including all phases of the World Radiocommunication Conferences preparatory process.

At a minimum, the plan developed under subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1) Actions and resourcing required to ensure that the Department of Defense has the personnel and expertise required to engage meaningfully in the international activities described in subsection (a).

(2) Processes to increase pre-coordination with relevant domestic partners and Federal agencies on matters relating to the international activities described in subsection (a), including the defense industrial base and industry.

(3) Appropriate avenues to increase cooperation activities with friendly foreign partners relating to the international activities described in subsection (a).

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Chief Information officer of the Department of Defense, shall provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a briefing on the plan developed under subsection (a), which shall include information on relevant funded and unfunded resourcing requirements for current and future fiscal years.

The Secretary of Defense shall develop a strategic plan to guide the research, development, test, and evaluation, procurement, and implementation of quantum information science (referred to in this section as QIS) technologies within the Department of Defense, including the covered Armed Forces, over the period of five years following the date of the enactment of this Act.

The plan required under subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1) Identification of QIS technologies that have the potential to solve operational challenges faced by the Department of Defense.

(2) Plans to transition technologies identified under paragraph (1) from the research, development, and prototyping phases into operational use within the Department.

(3) Plans for the continuous evaluation, development, and implementation of QIS technology solutions within the Department.

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 that includes—

(1) the strategic plan developed under subsection (a); and

(2) an assessment of whether the budgets proposed for QIS-related activities of the Department of Defense and each of the covered Armed Forces appropriately balance the use of research, development, test, and evaluation funds designated as budget activity 1 (basic research), budget activity 2 (applied research), and budget activity 3 (advanced technology development) (as those budget activity classifications are set forth in volume 2B, chapter 5 of the Department of Defense Financial Management Regulation (DOD 7000.14–R)) to achieve the objectives of the strategic plan over near-, mid-, and long-term timeframes.

Following the submittal of the initial strategic plan pursuant to subsection (c)(1), the Secretary of Defense may periodically update the plan as the Secretary determines necessary.

In this section, the term covered Armed Force means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Space Force.

Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering shall direct the Defense Science Board to conduct a study to assess the feasibility and advisability of designating the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site (RTS) and the United States Army Garrison Kwajalein Atoll (USAG-KA) as facilities and resources comprising the Major Range and Test Facility Base, including with respect to the availability and mission capability of such test site and garrison.

The study conducted under subsection (a) shall cover the following:

(1) The history and rationale for the split funding of the United States facilities and capabilities on Kwajalein Atoll between an Army Garrison and a Major Range and Test Facility Base and whether those objectives have been achieved and, if not, an explanation of the reasons those objectives have not been achieved.

(2) The status of the garrison infrastructure and operations.

(3) The status of the test asset operability, usage, and maintainability.

(4) The interrelationship between garrison infrastructure and test asset operability.

(5) The status of the supported or supporting relationship between the United States Army Garrison Kwajalein Atoll, the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site, and the Lincoln Laboratory of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the long-term outlook for this partnership.

(6) The role of the Kwajalein Atoll in supporting current and future missions of the Department of Defense.

(7) Such other matters as the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering or the Defense Science Board consider appropriate.

The Defense Science Board shall complete the study required by subsection (a) by not later than May 15, 2025.

Not later than 10 days after the completion of the study required by subsection (a), the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the findings of the Defense Science Board with respect to the study.

In this section, the term Major Range and Test Facility Base has the meaning given such term in section 4173 of title 10, United States Code.

Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2025 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.

Section 183a(h)(2)(A)(ii) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking under this title and inserting by law.

Section 2713(c)(3) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking two calendar years and inserting five calendar years.

Section 2920(d)(2)(C)(ii) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking 2027 and inserting 2032.

Section 2920(g) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking 2029 and inserting 2027.

Not later than June 30, 2025, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing on the progress of the Secretary in meeting the requirements under section 2920(a) of title 10, United States Code.

Section 2922h of title 10, United States Code, is repealed.

Subchapter II of chapter 173 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

Not less frequently than annually, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report that, for the year covered by the report—

(1) identifies each instance in which the Secretary purchased drop-in fuel that was not cost-competitive with traditional fuel; and

(2) for each instance identified under paragraph (1), states whether the purchase was based on a military requirement or not.

In this section:

(1) The term drop-in fuel means a neat or blended liquid hydrocarbon fuel designed as a direct replacement for a traditional fuel with comparable performance characteristics and compatible with existing infrastructure and equipment.

(2) The term traditional fuel means a liquid hydrocarbon fuel derived or refined from petroleum.

.

Section 318(a)(2) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31) is amended by striking one-year period and inserting three-year period.

Clause (iv) of section 316(a)(2)(B) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 115–91; 131 Stat. 1350), as most recently amended by section 333 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31), is further amended by striking during fiscal year 2024 and inserting a year during fiscal years 2024 through 2025.

The Secretary of Defense shall enhance efforts to manage, control, and interdict the coconut rhinoceros beetle on military installations in Hawaii.

The efforts required under subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1) Carrying out science-based management and control programs to reduce the effect of the coconut rhinoceros beetle on military installations and to prevent the introduction or spread of the coconut rhinoceros beetle to areas where such beetle has not yet been established.

(2) Providing support for interagency and intergovernmental response efforts to control, interdict, monitor, and eradicate the coconut rhinoceros beetle on military installations in Hawaii.

(3) Pursuing chemical, biological, and other control techniques, technology transfer, and best practices to support management, control, interdiction and, where possible, eradication of the coconut rhinoceros beetle from Hawaii.

(4) Establishing an early detection and rapid response mechanism to monitor and deploy coordinated efforts if the coconut rhinoceros beetle, or another newly detected invasive alien species, is detected at new sites on military installations in Hawaii.

(5) Carrying out such other activities as the Secretary determines appropriate to manage, control, and interdict the coconut rhinoceros beetle on military installations in Hawaii.

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for each of the next three years, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment shall provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate a briefing on the implementation of this section, which shall include detailed information about the efforts of the Secretary to manage, control, and interdict the coconut rhinoceros beetle on military installations in Hawaii.

None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2025 may be used to finalize or implement any rule based on the advanced notice of proposed rulemaking titled Federal Acquisition Regulation: Minimizing the Risk of Climate Change in Federal Acquisitions (October 15, 2021; 86 Fed. Reg. 57404).

With respect to each recommendation of the Inspector General of the Department of Defense contained in the report published by the Inspector General on April 11, 2024, and titled Audit of the Defense Logistics Agency Oversight of Defense Fuel Support Points (DODIG–2024–075), by not later than May 1, 2026, the Secretary of Defense shall—

(1) implement such recommendation; or

(2) submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report containing an explanation of why the Secretary has not implemented the recommendation.

Except as provided in subsection (b), the Secretary of the Air Force shall provide meteorological and environmental services for operations of the Department of the Air Force and shall provide meteorological services for the Department of the Army.

The requirement under subsection (a) shall not apply to meteorological ballistics data for the Department of the Army.

Section 185 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (k)—

(A) in paragraph (1)—

(i) by striking Chair and inserting Chairperson; and

(ii) by striking semi-annual and inserting biannual; and

(B) in paragraph (2)—

(i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A)—

(I) by striking March 31, 2023, and not later than;

(II) by striking thereafter; and

(III) by striking a report and inserting an annual report;

(ii) in subparagraph (A), by striking and after the semicolon;

(iii) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period and inserting; and; and

(iv) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

(C) for the year covered by the report—

(i) releasable information regarding any mishap that occurred during such year; and

(ii) an identification of any corrective or preventative action implemented pursuant to a recommendation made in a safety or legal investigation report of such a mishap.

(iv) ; and

(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:

Not later than March 31 and December 31 of each year, the Chairperson of the Council shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing on the contents of the report required to be submitted under subsection (k)(1) that covers the six-month period preceding the date of the briefing.

(2) .

Section 357 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 117–81) is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)—

(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 and inserting 2025, 2026, and 2027;

(B) in paragraph (1)—

(i) by striking (including and inserting, which may include; and

(ii) by striking the closing parenthesis; and

(C) in paragraph (2), by striking as a result of such review; and

(2) in subsection (b), by striking of the following: and all that follows through the period at the end of paragraph (4) and inserting of matters regarding the sustainment or affordability of the F–35 Lighting II aircraft program that the Comptroller General, after consulting with staff from the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate, determines to be of critical importance to the long-term viability of such program..

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of the Air Force shall each develop a plan to improve the required inspection procedures for the prepositioned stockpiles of the Armed Force concerned, for the purpose of identifying deficiencies and conducting maintenance repairs at levels necessary to ensure such prepositioned stockpiles are mission capable.

The plan of the Secretary of the Navy required under paragraph (1) shall include—

(A) an analysis of the readiness of ships of the Navy and Marine Corps that hold or facilitate the off-loading of prepositioned stockpiles; and

(B) suggestions for improving inspection procedures of such ships.

Not later than 30 days after the date on which the Secretary concerned completes the development of a plan under subsection (a), and not less frequently than twice each year thereafter for the three-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary concerned shall inspect the prepositioned stockpiles of the Armed Force concerned in accordance with the procedures under such plan.

Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, each Secretary concerned shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing on the plan of the Secretary developed under subsection (a).

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 180 days thereafter for the three-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, each Secretary concerned shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing on the status and condition of the prepositioned stockpiles of the Armed Force concerned.

In this section:

(1) The term Armed Force concerned means—

(A) the Navy and the Marine Corps, with respect to the Secretary of the Navy;

(B) the Air Force, with respect to the Secretary of the Air Force.

(2) The term Secretary concerned means—

(A) the Secretary of the Navy, with respect to matters concerning the Navy and the Marine Corps; and

(B) the Secretary of the Air Force, with respect to matters concerning the Air Force.

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, each Secretary of a military department and the Director of the Defense Logistics Agency shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing that—

(1) identifies the designated organization or command that will serve as the global integrator of that military department or agency and assume responsibilities as the manager of the storage network of that military department or agency; and

(2) sets forth a comprehensive plan of the Secretary concerned or the Director of the Defense Logistics Agency, as the case may be—

(A) to deploy storage space management tools, as authorized by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment, across the network of that military department or agency; and

(B) to evaluate approaches for identifying improved supply chain processes, visibility, mission alignment, and cost savings and avoidances enabled through space consolidation.

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for the following five years, each Secretary of a military department and the Director of the Defense Logistics Agency shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report containing the following:

(1) Plans for reconstituting commercially-stored inventory of the Department of Defense into the warehouses of the Department on military installations.

(2) Information on barriers to reconstituting such inventory from commercial storage locations.

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall prescribe regulations providing that Government-owned, Government-operated facilities are eligible to receive production base support funding from the Army.

The Secretary of Defense may establish pre-positioned stocks of finished defense textile articles, such as uniforms and protective gear, to support the rapid mobilization and sustainment of members of the Armed Forces during a contingency operation.

The Secretary shall develop a plan for phasing in and targeting policy changes relating to defense textile articles to reduce delinquencies and mitigate delays between policy decisions that may result in the miscalculation of stockpiling in order to ensure ample finished textiles are available to prevent a scenario in which the demand for certain articles is ramping down by the time the supply chain can ramp up to meet the need.

Paragraph (5) of section 482(b) of title 10, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

(5) The total number of upgrades and the total number of downgrades of the combat readiness of a unit that were issued by the commander of the unit, disaggregated by armed force.

.

Section 363 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 117–81; 10 U.S.C. 2722 note) is amended—

(1) in subsection (a), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking fiscal years 2022, 2023, and 2024 and inserting fiscal years 2022 through 2029; and

(2) in subsection (b), by striking to the National Crime Information Center and local law enforcement. and inserting “to—

(1) the National Crime Information Center;

(2) local law enforcement; and

(3) the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

(2) .

Not later than March 31, 2025, and annually thereafter for each of the subsequent two years, the commanding officer of the 22nd Air Force shall provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a briefing on the operational readiness of the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron. Each such briefing shall address spares, personnel, supporting infrastructure, and such other matters as the commanding officer determines appropriate.

Section 2642(b) of title 10, United States Code is amended by striking October 1, 2024 and inserting October 1, 2026.

Section 510 of title 32, United States Code, is amended—

(1) by striking The Secretary and inserting (a) In general.—The Secretary; and

(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(1) The Secretary of Defense may enter into a contract or cooperative agreement with a qualified individual or entity for the performance of duties to supplement members of the National Guard in carrying out the FireGuard Program under subsection (a).

(2) In association with a contract or cooperative agreement entered into under paragraph (1) with a qualified individual or entity, the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, in coordination with relevant State, local, and commercial entities, shall execute a memorandum of understanding with the qualified individual or entity, which shall clearly delineate the roles, responsibilities, functions, timelines, and end dates for the transition of the duties to be performed under the contract or cooperative agreement.

(3) In this subsection, the term qualified individual or entity means—

(A) any individual who possesses a requisite security clearance for handling classified remote sensing data for the purpose of wildfire detection and monitoring; or

(B) any corporation, firm, partnership, company, nonprofit, Federal agency or sub-agency, or State or local government, with contractors or employees who possess a requisite security clearance for handling such data.

(2) .

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture and any National Guard units affected by subsection (b) of section 510 of title 32, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall submit to Congress a report that includes an evaluation of the effectiveness of the FireGuard Program under such section and of opportunities to further engage civilian capacity within the program.

The report under paragraph (1) shall include the following:

(A) An assessment of the efficacy of the FireGuard Program in detecting and monitoring wildfires, including the speed of detection.

(B) A plan to facilitate production and dissemination of unclassified remote sensing information for use by civilian organizations, including Federal, State, and local government organizations, in carrying out wildfire detection activities.

(C) An assessment of the sustainability of the Fireguard program, including the cost, the effects on readiness, and the effects on other required missions.

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army, through the Joint Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office, shall establish and maintain a threat library, or expand and maintain an existing threat library, to coordinate efforts across the Department of Defense to counter unmanned aircraft systems.

The threat library required under subsection (a) shall include—

(1) classified and unclassified information relating to known or suspected threats from unmanned aircraft systems;

(2) proposed solutions for countering such known threats; and

(3) a comprehensive listing of global incursions from unmanned aircraft systems at installations of the Department of Defense.

The Secretary of the Army, through the Joint Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office, shall establish a framework to share the information contained in the threat library required under subsection (a) with the military departments, the combatant commands, other Federal agencies, and relevant industries, as determined by the Secretary of the Army, in order to maintain technological superiority in aerial defense.

Of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2025 for operation and maintenance, defense-wide, and available for the Office of the Secretary of Defense for travel expenses, not more than 75 percent may be obligated or expended until the date on which the Secretary of Defense has submitted to the congressional defense committees all of the following documents:

(1) The implementation plan for the Joint Concept for Competing released on February 10, 2023, as required by section 1088 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 137 Stat. 419; 10 U.S.C. 113 note).

(2) The Department of Defense Operations in the Information Environment Implementation Plan, as referenced in the Strategy for Operations in the Information Environment released in July 2023.

(3) The Special Operations Forces joint operating concept for competition and conflict, as required by section 1047(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 117–81; 135 Stat. 1905).

(4) Unredacted copies of documents requested by the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate during the period beginning on January 1, 2024, and ending on June 1, 2024.

By not later than September 30, 2033, the Secretary of the Army shall ensure that all high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles of the Army are equipped with an anti-lock brake system and electronic stability control kit.

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the congressional defense committees a plan to carry out subsection (a). Such plan shall include each of the following:

(1) A description of the steps required to increase production of anti-lock brake systems and electronic stability control kits and retrofit high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles at Red River Army Depot, Texas, and its associated flyaway teams.

(2) An identification of any challenges to meeting the requirement under subsection (a) and a list of steps required to address those challenges.

(3) An estimated monthly rate of retrofits needed to meet the requirement under subsection (a).

(4) A funding plan for carrying out the steps referred to in paragraphs (1) and (2).

(5) An identification of any authorities or funding required for any secondary destination transportation necessary to carry out the plan.

Not later than each of March 1, 2025, March 1, 2026, and March 1, 2027, the Secretary of the Army shall certify to the congressional defense committees that the budget of the Army will enable the Army to meet the requirement under subsection (a).

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Secretary of the Navy and in consultation with the Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, shall carry out a program under which the Secretary shall establish an advanced manufacturing facility on or near a military installation within the area of responsibility of the United States Indo-Pacific Command for the purpose of—

(1) meeting flexible manufacturing requirements to support the submarine, shipbuilding, and other defense activity industrial bases;

(2) fostering partnerships between industry, local universities, and workforce training programs to develop a local workforce in the vicinity of such facility capable of meeting advanced manufacturing demands;

(3) coordinating responses to requirements of the Submarine Industrial Base Task Force, the United States Indo-Pacific Command, the Innovation Capability and Modernization Office of the Department of Defense, the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment program of the Department, and other relevant defense organizations;

(4) providing for the manufacturing of unmanned vehicles, including surface and underwater vehicles, and develops ship maintenance capabilities; and

(5) responding to needs across the uniformed services and the defense industrial base.

In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary shall—

(1) ensure that the advanced manufacturing facility under such subsection is capable of—

(A) applying advanced manufacturing to small and large metal and composite structures;

(B) manufacturing systems and components that—

(i) use appropriate advanced manufacturing methods including hybrid and additive (for example, additive manufacturing, powder bed fusion manufacturing, cold spray manufacturing, or other similar manufacturing capabilities); and

(ii) maintain a set of modern local machining systems with at least five-axis capability sufficient to support requirements;

(C) maintaining a production capability across critical materials of the Navy in order to respond to emerging repair and production requirements during conflict; and

(2) ensure broad workforce participation by establishing the facility either outside of a military installation (but very close to a military installation) or onboard a military installation with readily available access to a civilian trainee workforce.

Not later than December 1 of the year after the year during which a facility is established under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report summarizing the actions taken under the program established under such subsection, including information on how the program is supporting initiatives of the United States Indo-Pacific Command.

In this section, the term advanced manufacturing means a manufacturing process using the following techniques:

(1) Additive manufacturing.

(2) Wire-arc additive manufacturing.

(3) Powder bed fusion manufacturing.

(4) Other similar manufacturing capabilities.

The Armed Forces are authorized strengths for active duty personnel as of September 30, 2025, as follows:

(1) The Army, 442,300.

(2) The Navy, 332,300.

(3) The Marine Corps, 172,300.

(4) The Air Force, 320,000.

(5) The Space Force, 9,800.

Subsection (a) of section 115 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(3) The end strength for the Space Force for members in space force active status.

.

Such subsection is further amended—

(A) in the subsection heading, by striking and selected reserve and inserting, Selected Reserve, and Space Force; and

(B) in paragraph (1), by striking each of the armed forces (other than the Coast Guard) and inserting the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps.

Subsection (c) of such section is amended—

(1) in paragraph (2), by striking; or and inserting a semicolon;

(2) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and

(3) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new paragraph:

(3) the use of members of the Space Force in space force active status unless the end strength for the Space Force for that fiscal year for members in space force active status has been authorized by law; or

(3) .

Subsection (f) of such section is amended—

(A) in the subsection heading, by striking and Selected Reserve and inserting, Selected Reserve, and Space Force; and

(B) in paragraph (1), by striking subsection (a)(1)(A) and inserting paragraph (1)(A) or (3) of subsection (a).

Subsection (g) of such section is amended—

(A) in the subsection heading, by striking and Selected Reserve and inserting, Selected Reserve, and Space Force; and

(B) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking subsection (a)(1)(A) and inserting paragraph (1)(A) or (3) of subsection (a).

The amendments made by paragraphs (1) and (2) shall take effect upon the date specified under paragraph (2) of section 1736(a) of the Space Force Personnel Management Act (title XVII of Public Law 118–31; 137 Stat. 677) for the expiration of the authority provided by paragraph (1) of that section.

Section 1736(a)(1) of the Space Force Personnel Management Act (title XVII of Public Law 118–31) is amended by striking section 115(a)(1)(A) both places it appears and inserting section 115(a)(3).

During fiscal years 2025 through 2027, officers who are licensed mental health providers (including clinical psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, mental health nurse practitioners, and psychiatric physician assistants) shall be excluded in computing and determining authorized strengths under section 523 of title 10, United States Code.

Not later than September 30, 2025, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a report containing recommendations of the Secretary regarding amendments to subsection (b) of such section that would eliminate permanent exclusions to computations and determinations under such section.

The Armed Forces are authorized strengths for Selected Reserve personnel of the reserve components as of September 30, 2025, as follows:

(1) The Army National Guard of the United States, 325,000.

(2) The Army Reserve, 175,800.

(3) The Navy Reserve, 57,700.

(4) The Marine Corps Reserve, 32,500.

(5) The Air National Guard of the United States, 108,300.

(6) The Air Force Reserve, 67,000.

(7) The Coast Guard Reserve, 7,000.

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.

Whenever units or individual members of the Selected Reserve for 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.

Within the end strengths prescribed in section 411(a), the reserve components of the Armed Forces are authorized, as of September 30, 2025, 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, 30,845.

(2) The Army Reserve, 16,511.

(3) The Navy Reserve, 10,132.

(4) The Marine Corps Reserve, 2,400.

(5) The Air National Guard of the United States, 25,982.

(6) The Air Force Reserve, 6,311.

The minimum number of military technicians (dual status) as of the last day of fiscal year 2025 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, 22,294.

(2) For the Army Reserve, 6,492.

(3) For the Air National Guard of the United States, 10,744.

(4) For the Air Force Reserve, 6,697.

The number of temporary military technicians (dual status) under subsection (a) may not exceed 25 percent of the total number authorized under such subsection.

A State may not coerce a military technician (dual status) to accept an offer of realignment or conversion to any other military status, including as a member on Active Guard and Reserve duty. No action may be taken against an individual, or the position of such individual, who refuses such an offer solely on the basis of such refusal.

During fiscal year 2025, 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.

Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2025 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.

The authorization of appropriations in the subsection (a) supersedes any other authorization of appropriations (definite or indefinite) for such purpose for fiscal year 2025.

Section 115a of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (a), by striking Congress and inserting the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives, and furnish to any Member of Congress upon request,; and

(2) in subsection (b)—

(A) by inserting (1) before The Secretary; and

(B) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(2) The justification and explanation required by paragraph (1) shall include the following:

(A) An explanation of how personnel end strength level requests address threats described in the national defense strategy under section 113(g) of this title.

(B) The rationale for recommended increases or decreases in active, reserve, and civilian personnel for each component of the Department of Defense.

(C) The actual end strength number for each armed force for the prior fiscal year, compared to authorized end strength levels.

(D) The shortfall in recruiting by each armed force as a percentage, as the Secretary determines appropriate.

(B) .

Section 525(a)(4) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subparagraph (B), by striking 17 and inserting 18; and

(2) in subparagraph (C), by striking 22 and replacing with 21.

Section 526 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) by redesignating subsections (g) through (j) as subsections (h) through (k), respectively; and

(2) by inserting, after subsection (f), the following new subsection (g):

The limitations in subsection (a) and in section 525(a) of this title do not apply to a general officer or flag officer assigned to the Secretary of Defense Adaptive Force Account as designated by the Secretary of Defense. The total number of positions designated as the Secretary of Defense Adaptive Force Account for purposes of this subsection shall not exceed 35.

(2) .

Section 501(a)(3) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 10 U.S.C. 525 note) is hereby repealed.

Section 577 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting or an approved retirement date after an established separation date that is within 90 days after the date on which the board is convened.

Section 619(c)(2)(C) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting or an approved retirement date after an established separation date that is within 90 days after the date the board is convened.

Section 14301(f) of title 10, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

The Secretary of the military department concerned may, by regulation, preclude from consideration by a selection board by which an officer would otherwise be eligible to be considered, an officer who has an established separation date that is within 90 days after the date the board is convened or an approved retirement date.

.

Section 616(d) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) by striking The number and inserting (1) Subject to paragraph (2), the number; and

(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph (2):

(2) During the period beginning on January 1, 2025, and ending on December 31, 2030, the number of officers recommended for promotion by a selection board convened under section 611(a) of this title may not equal or exceed 100 percent of the number of officers included in the promotion zone established under section 623 of this title for consideration by the board, for nurse officers recommended for promotion to major or lieutenant commander, if the Secretary concerned determines that such greater number is necessary to maintain or improve medical readiness.

(2) .

Section 619(e)(2)(A) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(A) by inserting training, after Department,; and

(B) by striking assignment or education and inserting assignment, education, or training.

Section 14301(j)(2)(A) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(A) by inserting training, after Department,; and

(B) by striking assignment or education and inserting assignment, education, or training.

Section 631(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(A) in paragraph (1), by striking the President approves the report of the board which considered him for the second time and inserting the Secretary concerned releases the promotion results of the board which considered the officer for the second time to the public; and

(B) in paragraph (2), by striking the President approves the report of the board which considered him for the second time and inserting the Secretary concerned releases the promotion results of the board which considered the officer for the second time to the public.

Section 632(a)(2) of such title is amended by striking the President approves the report of the board which considered him for the second time and inserting the Secretary concerned releases the promotion results of the board which considered the officer for the second time to the public.

Section 8372 of such title is amended—

(A) in subsection (b), by striking the President approves the report of the selection board in which the officer is considered as having failed of selection for promotion to the grade of commander or lieutenant colonel for the second time and inserting the Secretary concerned releases the promotion results of the board which considered the officer for the second time to the public;

(B) in subsection (d), by striking the President approves the report of the selection board in which the officer is considered as having failed of selection for promotion to the grade of lieutenant commander or major for the second time and inserting the Secretary concerned releases the promotion results of the board which considered the officer for the second time to the public; and

(C) in subsection (e), by striking the President approves the report of the selection board in which the officer is considered as having failed of selection for promotion to the grade of lieutenant or captain, respectively, for the second time and inserting the Secretary concerned releases the promotion results of the board which considered the officer for the second time to the public.

Section 14504 of such title is amended—

(A) in subsection (a), by striking the President approves the report of the board which considered the officer for the second time and inserting the Secretary concerned releases the promotion results of the board which considered the officer for the second time to the public; and

(B) in subsection (b), by striking President approves the report of the selection board which resulted in the second failure and inserting the Secretary concerned releases the promotion results of the board which considered the officer for the second time to the public.

Section 14505 of such title is amended by striking the President approves the report of the board which considered the officer for the second time and inserting the Secretary concerned releases the promotion results of the board which considered the officer for the second time to the public.

Section 14506 of such title is amended by striking the President approves the report of the board which considered the officer for the second time and inserting the Secretary concerned releases the promotion results of the board which considered the officer for the second time to the public.

Section 628a(d)(4)(A) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting ranks in the upper half of an order of merit created by the special selection review board or before ranks on an order of merit created by the special selection review board as better qualified.

Section 14502a(d)(4)(A) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting ranks in the upper half of an order of merit created by the special selection review board or before ranks on an order of merit created by the special selection review board as better qualified.

Section 632(c) of title 10, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

(1) If an officer is subject to discharge under subsection (a)(1) and, as of the date on which the officer is to be discharged under that subsection, the officer has not completed the officer’s active duty service obligation, the officer shall be retained on active duty until completion of such active duty service obligation, and then be discharged under subsection (a)(1), unless sooner retired or discharged under another provision of law.

(2) The Secretary concerned may waive the applicability of paragraph (1) to any officer if the Secretary determines that completion of the active duty service obligation of that officer is not in the best interest of the service.

.

Section 1182(d) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:

(A) If a board of inquiry determines that an officer should be retained, the officer’s case is closed unless the board substantiated a basis for separation and, upon recommendation from the service chief, the Secretary of the military department determines that the board’s retention recommendation is clearly erroneous in light of the evidence considered by the board, a miscarriage of justice, and inconsistent with the best interest of the service. In such cases, the Secretary of the military department may separate the officer after providing a written justification of the decision to separate.

(B) An officer considered for separation under this section must be notified and afforded the opportunity to present matters for the Secretary of the military department to consider when making the separation determination. The Secretary of the military department shall review the case to determine whether the retention recommendation of the board is clearly contrary to the substantial weight of the evidence in the record and whether the officer’s conduct discredits the Service, adversely affects good order and discipline, and adversely affects the officer’s performance of duty.

(C) Exercise of authority to separate an officer under this section shall be reserved for unusual cases where such action is essential to the interests of justice, discipline, and proper administration of the service.

(1) ;

(2) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively; and

(3) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new paragraph:

(2) Authority to direct administrative separation after a board of inquiry’s recommendation to retain an officer may only be delegated to a civilian official within a military department appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The least favorable characterization in such cases will be general (under honorable conditions).

(3) .

Section 1185 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)(3), by striking shall be and inserting subject to subsection (c), shall be; and

(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(c) The Secretary concerned may determine that, in exceptional circumstances, the appearance of an officer before the proceedings of a board of inquiry may be via means other than in person.

(2) .

Section 14904 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)(3), by striking shall be and inserting subject to subsection (c), shall be; and

(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:

The Secretary concerned may determine that, in exceptional circumstances, the appearance of an officer before the proceedings of a board of inquiry may be via means other than in person.

(2) .

Section 8045 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking not more than seven Deputy Commandants and inserting not more than eight Deputy Commandants.

Chapter 806 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

(a) There is a Medical Officer of the Marine Corps who shall be appointed from among flag officers of the Navy.

(b) The Medical Officer of the Marine Corps, while so serving, shall hold the grade of rear admiral (lower half).

.

The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 806 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 8047 the following new item:

.

Section 525 of such title is amended—

(1) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (h); and

(2) by inserting after subsection (f) the following new subsection:

(g) A naval officer while serving as the Medical Officer of the Marine Corps is in addition to the number that would otherwise be permitted for the Navy for officers serving on active duty in the grade of rear admiral (lower half) under subsection (a).

(2) .

Section 526 of such title, as amended by section 502, is further amended—

(1) by redesignating subsections (g) through (k) as subsections (h) through (l), respectively; and

(2) by inserting after subsection (f) the following new subsection:

The limitations of this section do not apply to the flag officer who is serving as the Medical Officer of the Marine Corps.

(2) .

Chapter 908 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) by redesignating sections 9083, 9084, 9085, and 9086 as sections 9084, 9085, 9086, and 9087, respectively; and

(2) by inserting after section 9082 the following new section 9083:

There is a Vice Chief of Space Operations, appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, from the general officers of the Space Force.

The Vice Chief of Space Operations, while so serving, has the grade of general without vacating the permanent grade of the officer.

The Vice Chief of Space Operations shall have such authorities and duties with respect to the Space Force as the Chief of Space Operations, with the approval of the Secretary of the Air Force, may delegate to or prescribe for the Vice Chief of Space Operations. Orders issued by the Vice Chief of Space Operations in performing such duties have the same effect as orders issued by the Chief of Space Operations.

(2) .

Section 9082 of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

When there is a vacancy in the position of Chief of Space Operations or during the absence or disability of the Chief of Space Operations—

(1) the Vice Chief of Space Operations shall perform the duties of the Chief of Space Operations until a successor is appointed or the absence or disability ceases; or

(2) if there is a vacancy in the position of the Vice Chief of Space Operations or the Vice Chief of Space Operations is absent or disabled, unless the President directs otherwise, the most senior officer of the Space Force in the Space Staff who is not absent or disabled and who is not restricted in performance of duty shall perform the duties of the Chief of Space Operations until the earliest of—

(A) the appointment of a successor to the Chief of Space Operations or the Vice Chief of Space Operations; or

(B) the cessation of the absence or disability of the Chief of Space Operations or Vice Chief of Space Operations.

.

The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by striking the items relating to sections 9083, 9084, 9085, and 9086 and inserting the following new items:

.

Section 9160 of title 10, United States Code, is hereby repealed.

The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 915 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking the item relating to section 9160.

Section 20241(f) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking section 14310 and inserting section 629 or 14310.

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary concerned shall implement, in a covered Armed Force, a five-year pilot program, pursuant to which—

(1) an officer described in subsection (b) shall be assessed by peers and subordinates; and

(2) the results of such assessments may be available to a command selection or command qualification board concerned; and

(3) the command selection or command qualification board may consider such results in determining whether to recommend such officer for such selection or qualification.

An officer described in this subsection is a regular officer—

(1) eligible for consideration for command;

(2) in grade O-5 or O-6; and

(3) in a career field—

(A) specified in subsection (c); or

(B) determined by the Secretary concerned.

The career fields specified in this subsection are the following:

(1) In the Navy, surface warfare, submarine warfare, special warfare, or explosive ordnance disposal.

(2) In the Marine Corps, infantry, logistics, or field artillery.

(3) In the Air Force, operations or logistics.

(4) In the Space Force, space operations.

The Secretary concerned may select an individual to assess an officer under the pilot program if the Secretary determines such individual has worked with the officer closely enough to have an informed opinion regarding the officer’s leadership abilities. An officer may not have any input regarding the selection of an individual who shall assess such officer.

Not later than three months after the termination of a pilot program, a Secretary concerned shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and Senate a report regarding the pilot program. Elements of each such report shall include the following:

(1) The determination of the Secretary concerned whether the pilot program improved the command selection or command qualification process of the covered Armed Force.

(2) The rationale and findings of the Secretary concerned in determining whether to use such assessments in the command selection or command qualification process of such covered Armed Force.

In this section:

(1) The term covered Armed Force means the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space Force.

(2) The terms regular and Secretary concerned have the meanings given such term in section 101 of title 10, United States Code.

Section 10216(f) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking 60 and inserting 62.

Section 14702(b) of such title is amended by striking 60 and inserting 62.

Section 14314 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)—

(A) by redesignating paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) as subparagraphs (A), (B), (C), and (D), respectively;

(B) by striking Within and inserting (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), within; and

(C) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(2) For any general officer covered by paragraph (1) who is released from a joint duty assignment or other non-joint active-duty assignment, the Secretary concerned shall complete the transfer or discharge required by paragraph (1) not later than 60 days after the officer’s release.

(C) ; and

(2) in subsection (c), by striking subsection (a)(3) and inserting subsection (a)(1)(C).

Chapter 1409 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 14701 the following new section:

The Secretary of the military department concerned may authorize a reserve commissioned officer in a grade above O-2 to remain on the reserve active-status list after the date otherwise provided for the separation or retirement of the officer under section 14505, 14506, or 14507 of this title, as applicable, if the officer has a military occupational specialty, rating, or specialty code in a military specialty designated pursuant to subsection (b).

The Secretary of a military department shall designate the military specialties in which a military occupational specialty, rating, or specialty code, as applicable, assigned to members of the armed forces under the jurisdiction of such Secretary authorizes the members to be eligible for continuation on the reserve active-status list as provided in subsection (a).

An officer continued on the reserve active-status list pursuant to this section shall, if not earlier retired, transferred to the Retired Reserve, or discharged, be separated in accordance with section 14513 or 14514 of this title, as applicable, on the first day of the month after the month in which the officer completes 40 years of commissioned service.

The Secretaries of the military departments shall carry out this section in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense. The regulations shall specify the criteria to be used by the Secretaries of the military departments in designating military specialties for purposes of subsection (b).

.

The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 1409 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 14701 the following new item:

.

Title 10, United States Code, is further amended—

(1) in section 1558(b)(2)(A), by inserting 14701a, after 14701,;

(2) in section 14505, by inserting or 14701a after 14701;

(3) in section 14506, by inserting 14701a, after 14701,; and

(4) in section 14507, by inserting, 14701a, after 14701 both places it appears.

During the transition period, the Secretary of the Air Force shall transfer to the Space Force the covered space functions of the Air National Guard of the United States. The transfer shall occur without regard to section 104 of title 32, United States Code, or section 18238 of title 10, United States Code.

With regard to personnel billets, the statutory waiver under paragraph (1) is limited to 578 personnel billets of the Air National Guard, as follows:

(A) 33 personnel from the State of Alaska.

(B) 126 personnel from the State of California.

(C) 119 personnel from the State of Colorado.

(D) 75 personnel from the State of Florida.

(E) 130 personnel from the State of Hawaii.

(F) 69 personnel from the State of Ohio.

(G) 26 personnel assigned to Headquarters, Air National Guard.

Upon the transfer to the Space Force of a covered space function of the Air National Guard of the United States, the Secretary of the Air Force may—

(1) change the status of a unit related to such covered space function of the Air National Guard of the United States from a unit of the Air National Guard of the United States to a unit of the Space Force;

(2) deactivate the covered space function of the Air National Guard of the United States; or

(3) assign the covered space function of the Air National Guard of the United States a new Federal mission.

During the transition period, the Secretary of Defense may, with the consent of the covered officer, transfer a covered officer of the Air National Guard of the United States to, and appoint the covered officer in, the Space Force.

During the transition period, the Secretary of the Air Force may, with the consent of the covered enlisted member, transfer a covered enlisted member of the Air National Guard of the United States to the Space Force. Upon such a transfer, the covered enlisted member shall cease to be a member of the Air National Guard of the United States and be discharged from enlistment as a Reserve of the Air Force.

A transfer under this subsection shall be effective on the date specified by the Secretary of Defense, in the case of an officer, or the Secretary of the Air Force, in the case of an enlisted member. No date so specified may be after the last day of the transition period.

A covered officer or covered enlisted member transferred under paragraph (1) or (2)—

(A) may consent to a transfer under this subsection during the period, beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, that is the longer of one year, or a period determined by the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of the Air Force, as applicable; and

(B) to the maximum extent practicable, shall not be subject to a permanent change of duty station during the period of three years beginning on the day that the covered officer or covered enlisted member consents to such transfer.

A transfer under subsection (c) shall be carried out under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense. In the case of a covered officer, applicable regulations shall include those prescribed pursuant to section 716 of title 10, United States Code.

In the case of a covered enlisted member who is transferred to the Space Force under subsection (c), the Secretary of the Air Force may accept the initial enlistment of the covered enlisted member in the Space Force for a period of less than two years if such period is not shorter than the period remaining, as of the date of the transfer, in the term of enlistment in a reserve component of the Air Force of such covered enlisted member.

Upon the transfer to the Space Force of a covered space function of the Air National Guard of the United States during the transition period, the end strength authorized for the Space Force pursuant to section 115(a)(1)(A) of title 10, United States Code, for the fiscal year during which the transfer occurs, shall be increased by the number of billets associated with such transfer.

For purposes of the transfer of covered members of the Air National Guard of the United States under subsection (c)—

(1) the Air National Guard of the United States and the Space Force shall be considered to be components of the same Armed Force; and

(2) the Space Force officer list shall be considered to be an active-duty list of such Armed Force.

If a covered member of the Air National Guard of the United States does not consent to a transfer under subsection (c), the Secretary of the Air Force shall provide to the covered member retraining and reassignment, in a reserve component of the Air Force, that the Secretary determines appropriate for such covered member.

A covered member of the Air National Guard who transfers to the Space Force under subsection (c) shall not lose rank or pay solely as a result of such transfer.

In order to reduce the cost of transferring to the Space Force a covered space function of the Air National Guard of the United States, and to reduce the impact of such a transfer on an affected State, the following provisions apply:

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Space Force shall continue to perform the mission of a covered space function of the Air National Guard of the United States within the affected State during a period not shorter than 10 years following the date of such transfer.

(2) Except when the Secretary of the Air Force determines that it would not be in the best interests of the United States, the Secretary may not, during the 10-year period following such a transfer, move a covered space function of the Air National Guard of the United States out of an affected State until 120 days after the congressional defense committees receive, from the Secretary of the Air Force, notice of such move, including—

(A) details of such move; and

(B) an explanation regarding why the move is necessary to support the National Defense Strategy.

(3) Unless the Secretary of the Air Force determines that it would not be in the best interests of the United States, the Secretary shall seek to enter into an agreement with the Governor of an affected State under which the Space Force may be a tenant on an installation—

(A) of the National Guard of the affected State; and

(B) that was the home station of a covered space function of the Air National Guard of the United States.

In this section:

(1) The term active-duty list has the meaning given such term in section 101 of title 10, United States Code.

(2) The term affected State means Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, or Ohio.

(3) The term covered, with respect to a member of the Air National Guard of the United States, has the meaning given such term in section 1733 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 137 Stat. 676).

(4) The term covered space function of the Air National Guard of the United States means any of the following units of the Air National Guard of the United States associated with the performance of a space-related function, including personnel, equipment, and resources:

(A) 213th Space Warning Squadron, Alaska Air National Guard.

(B) 148th Space Operations Squadron, California Air National Guard.

(C) 216th Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron, California Air National Guard.

(D) 137th Space Warning Squadron, Colorado Air National Guard.

(E) 138th Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron, Colorado Air National Guard.

(F) 114th Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron, Florida Air National Guard.

(G) 150th Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron, Hawaii Air National Guard.

(H) 109th Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron, Hawaii Air National Guard.

(I) 126th Intelligence Squadron, Ohio Air National Guard.

(5) The term Space Force officer list means the list maintained under section 20235 of title 10, United States Code.

(6) The term transition period means the period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and ending on the last day of the eighth fiscal year beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Not later than 60 days before reapportioning the force structure of the National Guard of a State, including by converting a position into a military technician (dual status), the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, in consultation with the Secretary of the military department concerned, shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a notice of such reapportionment.

A notice under subsection (a)—

(1) may be submitted in unclassified form with a classified annex; and

(2) shall include the following elements:

(A) A description of such reapportionment, including the number of such conversions and any changes to the number of personnel.

(B) A description of the projected operational effect of such reapportionment on the mission of the National Guard of such State.

(C) A description of any end strength requirements that justify such reapportionment.

(D) Recommendations for any change to statutory end strengths that may be necessary to offset such requirements.

In this section:

(1) The term military technician (dual status) has the meaning given such term in section 10216 of title 10, United States Code.

(2) The term State has the meaning given such term in section 901 of title 32, United States Code.

Section 152(c) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking general, in the case of the Navy, admiral, or, in the case of an officer of the Space Force, the equivalent grade and inserting general or, in the case of the Navy, admiral.

Section 181(c)(1)(F) of such title is amended by striking in the grade equivalent to the grade of general in the Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps, or admiral in the Navy and inserting in the grade of general.

Section 531(a) of such title is amended—

(A) in paragraph (1), by striking and Regular Marine Corps in the grades of ensign, lieutenant (junior grade), and lieutenant in the Regular Navy, and in the equivalent grades in the Space Force and inserting Regular Marine Corps, and Space Force, and in the grades of ensign, lieutenant (junior grade), and lieutenant in the Regular Navy; and

(B) in paragraph (2), by striking and Regular Marine Corps in the grades of lieutenant commander, commander, and captain in the Regular Navy, and in the equivalent grades in the Space Force and inserting Regular Marine Corps, and Space Force, and in the grades of lieutenant commander, commander, and captain in the Regular Navy.

Section 533(b)(2) of such title is amended by striking or Marine Corps, captain in the Navy, or an equivalent grade in the Space Force and inserting Marine Corps, or Space Force, or captain in the Navy.

Section 611(a) of such title is amended by striking or Marine Corps and inserting Marine Corps, or Space Force.

Section 612(c)(3)(A) of such title is amended by inserting or the Space Force after of the Marine Corps.

Section 645(1)(A) of such title is amended by striking and Marine Corps, both places it appears and inserting Marine Corps, and Space Force,.

Section 1370(g) of such title is amended by striking or Marine Corps, rear admiral in the Navy, or an equivalent grade in the Space Force and inserting Marine Corps, or Space Force, or rear admiral in the Navy.

Section 1370a of such title is amended—

(A) in subsection (d)(1), by striking or Marine Corps both places it appears and inserting Marine Corps, or Space Force; and

(B) in subsection (h), by striking or Marine Corps and inserting Marine Corps, or Space Force,.

Section 1406(i)(3)(B)(v) of such title is amended by striking The senior enlisted advisor of the Space Force and inserting Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force.

Section 210(c)(5) of title 37, United States Code, is amended by striking The senior enlisted advisor of the Space Force and inserting The Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force.

Section 414(b) of title 37, United States Code, is amended by striking the senior enlisted advisor of the Space Force and inserting the Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force.

Footnote 2 of the table titled ENLISTED MEMBERS in section 601(c) of the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 (Public Law 109–364; 37 U.S.C. 1009 note) is amended by striking the senior enlisted advisor of the Space Force and inserting Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force.

Section 2107 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (a), by striking Marine Corps,, as the case may be and inserting Marine Corps, or Space Force; and

(2) in subsection (d), by striking lieutenant, ensign, or an equivalent grade in the Space Force, and inserting lieutenant or ensign,.

Section 9016(b)(6)(B)(iv)(II) of such title is amended by striking Space and Missile Systems Center and inserting Space Systems Command.

Section 9082 of such title is amended—

(1) in subsection (a), by striking, flag, or equivalent each place it appears; and

(2) in subsection (b), by striking grade in the Space Force equivalent to the grade of general in the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, or admiral in the Navy and inserting grade of general.

Section 9279(a) of such title is amended—

(A) by adding or Space Force after Air Force; and

(B) by adding or space after aerial.

Section 9280(a)(1) of such title is amended by adding or Space Force after Air Force.

Section 9414b(a)(2)(B) of such title is amended by striking or the equivalent grade in the Space Force.

Section 20106(d) of such title is amended by striking pertaining.

Section 20211(b) of such title is amended by striking 20238(a)(4)(A) and inserting 20239(c)(4)(A).

Section 20212(a)(1) of such title is amended by striking Secretary of Air Force and inserting Secretary of the Air Force.

Section 20216(c) of such title is amended by striking 20214(g) and inserting 20215(g).

Section 20231 of such title is amended—

(1) in subsection (b)—

(A) in paragraph (4), by striking 20238(a)(4) and inserting 20239(c)(4); and

(B) in paragraph (5), by striking 20232 and inserting section 20232; and

(2) in subsection (c)(2)(E), by striking Secretary Air Force and inserting Secretary of the Air Force.

Section 20234(b) of such title is amended by striking pursuant subsection (a) and inserting pursuant to subsection (a).

Section 20239 of such title is amended—

(1) in subsection (c)(2), by striking subparagraph (A) and inserting paragraph (1); and

(2) in subsection (d)(2), by striking subparagraph (C)(ii) of such section and inserting section 741(d)(4)(C)(ii) of this title.

Section 20243(a)(3) of such title is amended by striking as a.

Section 20251 of such title is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)—

(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 14504 and section 631 and 632 and inserting 14504, 631, and 632; and

(B) in paragraph (2), by striking section 14201 or 611 and inserting section 14201 or section 611; and

(2) in subsection (d)(1), by striking 14502(b) and inserting 14501(b).

The second section 20251 of such title is amended—

(A) in subsection (b)—

(i) in paragraph (2)—

(I) by striking ((1) and inserting (1); and

(II) by striking sch and inserting such; and

(ii) in paragraph (4), by striking a officer and inserting an officer; and

(B) in subsection (f)(2), by striking which of officer and inserting which an officer.

Such section is redesignated as section 20252 of such title (and the heading of such section and the table of sections at the beginning of subchapter IV of part I of chapter 2005 of such title are amended accordingly).

Section 20401(b) of such title is amended by inserting, and after 1174(b).

Section 20502 of such title is amended—

(1) in subsection (c)—

(A) in the heading, by striking than an Officer Has Failed to Establish That the Officer Should Be Retained and inserting that an officer has failed to establish that the officer should be retained; and

(B) by moving paragraph (1) to appear in line with the subsection heading and adjusting the margins accordingly; and

(2) in subsection (d), in the heading, by striking than and inserting that.

Section 1737(b)(3)(A) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 137 Stat. 678) is amended by striking 20213 and inserting 20212.

Section 714 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in the section heading, by striking within the United States;

(2) in subsection (a), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking within the United States; and

(3) in subsection (b)(1), in the matter preceding sub paragraph (A), by striking within the United States.

Such section is further amended, in subsection (b)(3), by inserting or the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security after only to the Deputy Secretary of Defense.

Such section is further amended, in subsection (b)(4)—

(1) by inserting whether before to provide;

(2) by striking the authorized and inserting any authorized; and

(3) by striking the arrangements for the and inserting any arrangements for such.

Such section is further amended, in subsection (b)(6)(A)—

(1) by striking each determination made under paragraph (4) to provide protection and security to an individual and inserting an initial determination made under paragraph (4), or a determination to deny the renewal of protection and security; and

(2) by adding at the end the following: In the case of determination to continue protection and security, the Secretary shall make such submission not less than twice each year.

Such section is further amended, in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

The Secretary of Defense may temporarily provide physical protection and personal security under this subsection to an individual—

(A) pending the determination of the Secretary under paragraph (4) regarding such individual; and

(B) for a period not to exceed 30 days.

.

Section 1552(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by amending paragraph (5) to read as follows:

(5) Each final decision of the board under this subsection shall be made available to the public in electronic form on a centralized Internet website. The information provided shall include a summary of each decision, to be indexed by subject matter, except that the Secretary shall protect the privacy of claimants by redacting all personally identifiable information.

.

The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect on October 1, 2026.

Section 2603(b) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking three times the length of the period of the education or training. and inserting determined by the Secretary concerned, which may not be less than twice the length of the period of the education or training. Notwithstanding section 2004(c) of this title, the service obligation required under this subsection may run concurrently with any service obligations incurred under chapter 101 of this title in accordance with regulations established by the Secretary concerned..

Chapter 933 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

The Secretary of the Air Force may prescribe regulations that authorize an eligible individual to be designated as an honorary separated member of the Space Force. An eligible individual so designated may be referred to as a Legacy Guardian.

Regulations prescribed under this section may include the following elements:

(1) Eligibility criteria, including applicable dates of service and constructive service credit, for designation under this section.

(2) An application process through which an eligible individual, or a survivor of a deceased eligible individual, may apply for such designation of such eligible individual.

(3) A certificate, approved device, or other insignia of such designation.

Designation of an eligible individual under this section shall not be construed to entitle such eligible individual to any benefit in addition to those established by this section or pursuant to regulations prescribed under this section.

In this section, the term eligible individual means an individual—

(1) whom the Secretary of the Air Force determines served in support of space operations as a member of the Air Force; and

(2) who separates (or previously separated) from the armed forces as a member of the Air Force.

.

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 posthumously award the Medal of Honor, under section 7271 of such title, to Roderick W. Edmonds for his actions as a master sergeant in the Army during the period of January 27 through March 30, 1945.

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 posthumously award the Distinguished Service Cross, under section 7272 of such title, to William D. Owens for his actions as a staff sergeant in the Army during the period of June 6 through June 8, 1944, at La Fiere Bridge, for which he was previously awarded the Bronze Star.

General John D. Lavelle, United States Air Force (retired), is entitled to hold the rank of lieutenant general while on the retired list of the Air Force.

The advancement of General John D. Lavelle on the retired list of the Air Force under subsection (a) shall not affect the retired pay or other benefits from the United States to which General John D. Lavelle would have been entitled based upon his military service or affect any benefits to which any other person may become entitled based on his military service.

Nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing the advancement of General John D. Lavelle to a rank higher than lieutenant general.

Section 546 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 10 U.S.C. 520 note) is amended—

(1) in subsection (c)—

(A) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:

Prior to attending initial basic training, all enlisted persons attending the course established under this section must achieve a score on the Armed Forces Qualification Test that is—

(A) at least 10 points higher than the individual’s most recent score taken prior to the individual’s date of enlistment; or

(B) no longer subject to the restrictions of section 520 of title 10, United States Code.

(A) ; and

(B) in paragraph (3), by striking course graduation requirements within 180 days of enlistment and inserting meaningful progress, as determined by the Secretary concerned, within 90 days of enlistment; and

(2) in subsection (d)—

(A) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (6); and

(B) by inserting, after paragraph (3), the following new paragraphs:

(4) The determination of the Secretary regarding the effectiveness of the preparatory course.

(5) Recommendations of the Secretary regarding—

(A) how to improve the preparatory course;

(B) whether to expand the preparatory course.

(B) .

Section 15(e) of the Military Selective Service Act (50 U.S.C. 3813(e)) is amended—

(1) by striking the names and addresses and inserting the full names, email addresses (if available), dates of birth, phone numbers (if available), and mailing addresses; and

(2) by striking Names and addresses furnished and inserting Full names, email addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers, and mailing addresses furnished.

The amendments made by this section shall take effect 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Subpart 2 of Part F of title VIII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7901 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 8528 the following:

Each local educational agency receiving assistance under this Act shall provide military recruiters the same access to the campus of each secondary school served by the local educational agency for the purpose of recruiting students who are at least 17 years of age that is provided to any prospective employer, institution of higher education, or other recruiter.

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The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.

On an annual basis, the Secretary of Defense shall—

(1) collect information from military recruiters regarding the compliance of local educational agencies with the requirements of section 8528A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (as added by subsection (a)); and

(2) based on such information, prepare and submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a report that—

(A) identifies each local educational agency that the Secretary determines to be in violation of such section; and

(B) explains the reasons for such determination.

Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall implement a program to use health care providers, from any component of the Armed Forces under the jurisdiction of such Secretary, to support United States Military Entrance Processing Command (in this section, referred to as MEPCOM) and accelerate the review of medical records, as determined necessary by the Secretary.

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a briefing on actions taken to carry out subsection (a).

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 House of Representatives a report regarding the program under subsection (a) that includes an explanation of any effect the program has had on recruitment, including the speed of medical waiver processing.

The Secretary of Defense shall notify the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives at least one year before terminating the Medical Accession Records Pilot program.

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall prescribe regulations directing the Secretary of a military department to provide, to a person described in subsection (b), information regarding opportunities for Federal, or other public, service for which the person may be qualified.

A person described in this subsection is a person ineligible to serve in a covered Armed Force.

In this section, the term covered Armed Force means the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space Force.

The Secretary of Defense may reimburse an individual who applies to join a covered Armed Force for costs incurred by such individual for a medical appointment required for military entrance processing.

The maximum amount an individual may be reimbursed under this section is $100.

Not later than 16 months after the date of the enactment of this Act and once each year thereafter for two years, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a briefing on reimbursements under this section. Such a briefing shall include, with respect to the most recent one-year period after such date, the following elements:

(1) The number of individuals reimbursed.

(2) The total funds spent each on such reimbursements.

(3) The number of civilian employees hired by the Secretary to carry out this section.

(4) The effect, if any, of such reimbursements on—

(A) the time required to complete military entrance processing; and

(B) recruitment.

(5) Other information the Secretary determines appropriate.

The authority to reimburse under this section shall terminate on the day that is three years after the date of the enactment of this Act.

In this section, the term covered Armed Force means the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space Force.

During fiscal year 2025, the Secretary of the Army may modernize recruitment for the Army in order to attract and retain fit and ready individuals to serve as members of the Army. To carry out such modernization, the Secretary may take steps including the following:

(1) Establish a military occupational specialty for enlisted members who specialize in talent acquisition.

(2) Establish a professional recruiting force of warrant officers who specialize in talent acquisition, data analytics, and other human resource functions necessary to develop expertise in recruiting and military accessions.

(3) Routinely determine which areas of the United States yield greater-than-average numbers of recruits and, with regard to each such area—

(A) build relationships with sources of such recruits, including schools; and

(B) assign additional recruiting personnel.

(4) Consider using a commercially available, off-the-shelf, recruiting platform.

Not later than the last day of each quarter of fiscal year 2025, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a briefing on the use of the authority under this section. Each such briefing shall include the following:

(1) An up-to-date timeline, milestones, resources used, and resources needed for such use.

(2) The number of enlisted members, officers, and civilian employees of the Army required to use such authority.

(3) Policies altered or prescribed by the Secretary to use such authority and recruit a capable and ready all-volunteer force.

(4) Related legislative recommendations of the Secretary.

Not later than September 30, 2025, the Secretary of Defense shall seek to enter into an agreement with the entity that operates the National September 11 Memorial and Museum (in this section referred to as the Museum) under which the Secretary and such entity shall carry out a program at the Museum to promote military recruitment and education.

A program under subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1) Provision of informational materials to promote enlistment in the covered Armed Forces, by the Secretary to such entity, for distribution at the Museum.

(2) Education and exhibits, developed jointly by the Secretary and such entity, and provided to the public by employees of the Museum, to—

(A) enhance understanding of the military response to the attacks on September 11, 2001; and

(B) encourage enlistment and re-enlistment in the covered Armed Forces.

In this section, the term covered Armed Force means the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space Force.

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Navy, in coordination with the heads of such other Federal agencies as the Secretary determines appropriate, shall seek to enter into a contract with an entity described in subsection (b), through a competitive bidding process, for the establishment a targeted campaign to educate and recruit potential workers regarding careers in the maritime sector, including by—

(1) promoting maritime workforce in the United States including careers in the maritime industry afloat, including in the United States Merchant Marine, sailing in the Military Sealift Command, and related positions in the maritime sector; and

(2) promoting the United States shipbuilding industry and highlighting the critical need to attract skilled workers in the shipbuilding and related maritime sectors.

An entity described in this subsection is a reputable marketing, recruiting, and public relations firm with expertise in developing and deploying branding, content, advertising buys, and local and national engagement strategies.

A contract entered into under subsection (a) shall provide that the campaign carried out pursuant to the contract shall—

(1) emphasize the importance of the maritime workforce for national security;

(2) showcase the numerous career opportunities available in the maritime domain;

(3) highlight the career opportunities in the maritime sector;

(4) promote the excitement, benefits, and appeal of a career in the maritime industry;

(5) inform potential workers of the points of entry available to join and receive training for such employment, including—

(A) the United States Merchant Marine Academy;

(B) State and regional maritime academies described in chapter 515 of title 46, United States Code;

(C) centers of excellence for domestic maritime workforce training and education designated under section 51706 of title 46, United States Code;

(D) the Military to Mariners Act (46 U.S.C. 7302 note);

(E) merchant mariner and shipbuilding labor union training facilities;

(F) merchant mariner and shipbuilding apprenticeship programs approved by the Secretary of Labor;

(G) shipbuilding industry training programs; and

(H) any other potential resources as identified by the Secretary of the Navy;

(6) inform potential workers of sources of financial assistance for training for individuals interested in joining such industry; and

(7) attract workers to the United States merchant marine, shipbuilding, and related sectors.

A contract entered into under subsection (a) shall provide that in carrying out the campaign carried out pursuant to the contract, the entity shall target a diverse audience, including—

(1) potential workers interested in maritime careers;

(2) educational institutions, including K-12 educational institutions and community colleges, and the students of such institutions considering vocational training in maritime fields;

(3) military veterans;

(4) individuals seeking career transitions; and

(5) the general public.

A contract entered into under subsection (a) shall provide that, not later than 30 days after the end of each quarter of each fiscal year during which a campaign is carried out pursuant to the contract, the entity carrying out the campaign, in consultation with the Secretary of the Navy and the heads of such other Federal agencies as the Secretary determines appropriate, shall submit to the relevant congressional committees quarterly reports detailing the progress, outreach, and effect of the campaign, including the effectiveness of such campaigns in increasing applications for employment in the United States Merchant Marine and shipbuilding sectors.

Not later than 180 days after the conclusion of a campaign carried out pursuant to a contract entered into under subsection (a), the entity carrying out the campaign, in consultation with the Secretary of the Navy and the heads of such other Federal agencies as the Secretary determines appropriate, shall submit to the relevant congressional committees a comprehensive final report on the campaign.

No funds may be authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available to carry out this section after the date that is three years after the date of the enactment of this Act.

In this section, the term relevant congressional committees means—

(1) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Armed Services, and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives; and

(2) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Armed Services, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate.

Subsection (a)(2) of section 992 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subparagraph (C), by striking grade E–4 and inserting grade E–6;

(2) by striking subparagraph (D); and

(3) by redesignating subparagraphs (E) through (K) as subparagraphs (D) through (J), respectively.

Such section is further amended—

(1) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections (e) and (f), respectively; and

(2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following new subsection (d):

In each training under subsection (a) and in each meeting to provide counseling under subsection (b), a member of the armed forces shall be provided with—

(1) all forms relating to retirement that are relevant to the member, including with respect to the Thrift Savings Plan; and

(2) information with respect to how to find additional information.

(2) .

Section 2031 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)(1), by inserting, including Job Corps centers as defined in section 147 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3197), after secondary educational institutions; and

(2) in subsection (b)(1)(C), by inserting, or is a Job Corps center as defined in section 147 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3197) after military department concerned.

Section 2031(b)(1)(A) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) by striking not less than (i) 10 percent of the number of students enrolled in the institution who are in a grade above the 7th grade and physically co-located with the 9th grade participating unit, or (ii) 100, whichever is less; and inserting an em dash; and

(2) by adding at the end the following new clauses:

(i) in the case of an educational institution with fewer than 1,000 enrolled students, the lesser of—

(I) 10 percent of the number of such students who are in a grade above the 7th grade and physically co-located with the 9th grade participating unit; and

(II) 50; or

(ii) in the case of an educational institution with 1,000 or more enrolled students—

(I) 50; or

(II) a number, determined by the Secretary of the military department concerned, that is higher than 50 and not more than 100;

(2) .

Section 2031(c) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in paragraph (2), by striking; and and inserting a semicolon;

(2) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and inserting; and; and

(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(4) maintain a prioritized waiting list that includes all secondary educational institutions that have made a request for a unit under this section and have not yet been approved by the Secretary concerned, and prescribe regulations describing the factors to be considered in assigning priority, including the length of time an institution has been waiting for a unit.

(3) .

Section 2031 of title 10, United States Code, is amended, in the first subsection designated subsection (i), by striking support not fewer than 3,400, and not more than 4,000, units and inserting support not fewer than 3,500, and not more than 4,100, units.

The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect on October 1, 2026.

Beginning not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that all newly commissioned officers of the Armed Forces receive training on the Constitution of the United States prior to reporting to their first operational assignment.

The training required under subsection (a) shall include—

(1) education on the centrality of the Constitution to the commitment officers make to serve in the Armed Forces;

(2) emphasis on the loyalty of officers to the Constitution; and

(3) instruction on the importance of, and basis for, civilian control over the military.

No funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act may be used to fund the Department of Defense Countering Extremism Working Group established by the Secretary of Defense memorandum on April 9, 2021.

Section 347 of title 10, United States Code, is amended, in subsection (a)(1)(B), by striking 60 and inserting 80.

Section 2004 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)—

(A) by inserting (1) before The Secretary;

(B) by striking the second sentence; and

(C) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:

(2) Pursuant to regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned, the Secretary of a military department may fund educational expenses for members of the armed forces detailed under paragraph (1). Not more than 25 officers and enlisted members from each military department may commence such training in any single fiscal year.

(3) Pursuant to regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned, the Secretary of a military department may also detail members under paragraph (1) without funding any educational expenses. A member detailed pursuant to this paragraph shall not count against the limitation in paragraph (2).

(C) ; and

(2) in subsection (b)—

(A) in paragraph (1)—

(i) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) and (B) as clauses (i) and (ii), respectively;

(ii) by inserting (A) in the case of a member detailed pursuant to subsection (a)(1), after (1);

(iii) in clause (ii), as redesignated by clause (i) of this subparagraph, by adding or after the semicolon; and

(iv) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

(B) in the case of a member detailed pursuant to subsection (a)(2), either—

(i) have served on active duty for a period of not less than two years nor more than eight years and be an officer in the pay grade O-3 or below when the training is to begin; or

(ii) have served on active duty for a period of not less than four years nor more than ten years and be an enlisted member in the pay grade of E-5, E-6, or E-7 when the training is to begin;

(iv) ; and

(B) in paragraph (3)(C), by striking period of two years and inserting “period of—

(i) two years for each year or part thereof of legal training under subsection (a)(1); or

(ii) one year for each year or part thereof of legal training under subsection (a)(2).

(B) .

During each of the three years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of a military department may fund educational expenses under section 2004(a) of such title, as amended by subsection (a), for 35 members of such military department.

Section 502(b) of title 37, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: Nothing in this subsection may be construed to deprive a member, detailed or assigned by the Secretary concerned as a full-time student at a civilian institution to pursue a program of education that is substantially the same as a program of education offered to civilians, of pay or allowances to which such member is entitled..

Chapter 104 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 2114 the following new section:

(1) The Secretary of Defense may permit an individual who is a member of the military of a foreign country—

(A) to enroll (including as a full-time student) and receive instruction—

(i) as a medical student of the University; or

(ii) in a postdoctoral, postgraduate, or certificate program of the University; and

(B) to participate in training exercises of the University.

(2) Enrollment of an individual under this section—

(A) shall be subject to—

(i) the academic capacity of the University described in section 2112(b) of this title; and

(ii) an international agreement or qualifying non-binding instrument (as such terms are defined in section 112b of title 1); and

(B) may not decrease the number of members of the uniformed services enrolled in the University; and

(C) may not be given priority over the enrollment of a member of the uniformed services.

(3) The number of individuals simultaneously enrolled under this section may not exceed—

(A) 10, in the case of medical students of the University; and

(B) 40, with regards to all postdoctoral, postgraduate, and certificate programs of the University.

In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary may select an individual to enroll under this section—

(1) who was nominated for such enrollment by the medical command of the military of a foreign country; and

(2) pursuant to regulations prescribed by the Secretary regarding—

(A) qualifications for such enrollment that are comparable to the qualifications required of a United States citizen; and

(B) procedures for such selection.

(1) The Secretary shall require the foreign country of an individual enrolled under this section to reimburse the United States for the cost of providing instruction to such individual.

(2) The Secretary shall prescribe rates for such reimbursement that equal or exceed the cost to the United States of providing such instruction to a member of the uniformed services.

(3) The Secretary may waive, in whole or in part, reimbursement with regards to an individual enrolled under this section.

(4) Amounts received by the Secretary under this subsection shall—

(A) be used to defray the costs of providing instruction to an individual enrolled under this section;

(B) be credited to appropriations available for the maintenance and operation of the University; and

(C) remain available for until expended.

(5) The source and the disposition of such amounts shall be specifically identified in records of the University.

(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) through (4), and to the determination of the Secretary, an individual enrolled under this section shall be subject to the same regulations and policies that apply to a member of the uniformed services enrolled in the University.

(2) The Secretary may prescribe regulations regarding access to classified information by an individual enrolled under this section that differ from the regulations that apply to a member of the uniformed services enrolled in the University.

(3) An individual enrolled under this section shall not be entitled to an appointment in a uniformed service by reason of completing of a program of the University.

(4) Section 2114 of this title shall not apply to an individual enrolled under this section.

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Section 2151 of title 10, United States Code, is amended, in subsection (b)(3), by striking National Defense Intelligence College and inserting National Intelligence University.

Section 2154 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(1) Any distance education program offered to satisfy Phase I or Phase II instruction under paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (a) shall include a pathway for a student who is a member of a reserve component to fully complete the course of instruction while physically separated from the course instructors and without any in-person attendance required to graduate from such program.

(2) In this subsection, the term distance education has the meaning given such term in section 103 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1003).

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Section 2601(a)(2)(A) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting or a professional military education institution after museum program each place it appears.

Section 7448 of title 10, United States Code, is amended as follows:

(1) In the section heading, by striking agreement to serve as officer and inserting service obligation.

(2) In subsection (b)—

(A) in paragraph (1), by striking The Secretary of the Army and inserting Subject to paragraph (4), the Secretary of the Army; and

(B) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following:

(4) Each academic year, the Secretary of the Army may transfer not more than three cadets, who obtain employment in violation of paragraph (5) of subsection (a), to the Selected Reserve of the Army. Each cadet so transferred shall—

(A) serve as a commissioned officer—

(i) in an appropriate grade or rating, determined by the Secretary of the Army; and

(ii) for a period, determined by the Secretary of the Army, not longer than 10 years; and

(B) while so serving, participate in efforts to recruit and retain members of the armed forces.

(B) .

(3) In subsection (c)(2)(A), by inserting unless such cadet receives a transfer under paragraph (4) of subsection (b) before the semicolon.

(4) In subsection (f), by striking the alternative obligation and inserting an alternative obligation.

Section 8459 of title 10, United States Code, is amended as follows:

(1) In the section heading, by striking agreement for length of service and inserting service obligation.

(2) In subsection (b)—

(A) in paragraph (1), by striking The Secretary of the Navy and inserting Subject to paragraph (4), the Secretary of the Navy; and

(B) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following:

(4) Each academic year, the Secretary of the Navy may transfer not more than three midshipmen, who obtain employment in violation of paragraph (5) of subsection (a), to the Selected Reserve of the Navy or the Selected Reserve of the Marine Corps. Each midshipman so transferred shall—

(A) serve as a commissioned officer—

(i) in an appropriate grade or rating, determined by the Secretary of the Navy; and

(ii) for a period, determined by the Secretary of the Navy, not longer than 10 years; and

(B) while so serving, participate in efforts to recruit and retain members of the armed forces.

(B) .

(3) In subsection (c)(2)(A), by inserting unless such midshipman receives a transfer under paragraph (4) of subsection (b) before the semicolon.

(4) In subsection (f), by striking the alternative obligation and inserting an alternative obligation.

Section 9448 of title 10, United States Code, is amended as follows:

(1) In the section heading, by striking agreement to serve as officer and inserting service obligation.

(2) In subsection (b)—

(A) in paragraph (1), by striking The Secretary of the Air Force and inserting Subject to paragraph (4), the Secretary of the Air Force; and

(B) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following:

(4) Each academic year, the Secretary of the Air Force may transfer not more than three cadets, who obtain employment in violation of paragraph (5) of subsection (a), to the Selected Reserve of the Air Force. Each cadet so transferred shall—

(A) serve as a commissioned officer—

(i) in an appropriate grade or rating, determined by the Secretary of the Air Force; and

(ii) for a period, determined by the Secretary of the Air Force, not longer than 10 years; and

(B) while so serving, participate in efforts to recruit and retain members of the armed forces.

(B) .

(3) In subsection (c)(2)(A), by inserting unless such cadet receives a transfer under paragraph (4) of subsection (b) before the semicolon.

(4) In subsection (f), by striking the alternative obligation and inserting an alternative obligation.

Section 7455 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:

(a) A Board of Visitors to the Academy is constituted annually of—

(1) the chair of the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, or the designee of such chair;

(2) the ranking member of the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, or the designee of the ranking member;

(3) two other members of the Senate designated by the Majority Leader of the Senate, one of whom is a member of the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;

(4) two other members of the Senate designated by the Minority Leader of the Senate, one of whom is a member of the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;

(5) the chair of the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives, or the designee of such chair;

(6) the ranking member of the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives, or the designee of the ranking member;

(7) two other members of the House of Representatives designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom is a member of the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives;

(8) one other member of the House of Representatives designated by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives; and

(9) six persons designated by the President.

(1) ; and

(2) in subsection (f), by inserting and the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives after the President both places it appears.

Section 8468 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:

(a) A Board of Visitors to the Academy is constituted annually of—

(1) the chair of the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, or the designee of such chair;

(2) the ranking member of the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, or the designee of the ranking member;

(3) two other members of the Senate designated by the Majority Leader of the Senate, one of whom is a member of the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;

(4) two other members of the Senate designated by the Minority Leader of the Senate, one of whom is a member of the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;

(5) the chair of the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives, or the designee of such chair;

(6) the ranking member of the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives, or the designee of the ranking member;

(7) two other members of the House of Representatives designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom is a member of the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives;

(8) one other member of the House of Representatives designated by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives; and

(9) six persons designated by the President.

(1) ; and

(2) in subsection (f), by inserting and the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives after the President both places it appears.

Section 9455 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:

(a) A Board of Visitors to the Academy is constituted annually of—

(1) the chair of the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, or the designee of such chair;

(2) the ranking member of the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, or the designee of the ranking member;

(3) two other members of the Senate designated by the Majority Leader of the Senate, one of whom is a member of the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;

(4) two other members of the Senate designated by the Minority Leader of the Senate, one of whom is a member of the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;

(5) the chair of the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives, or the designee of such chair;

(6) the ranking member of the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives, or the designee of the ranking member;

(7) two other members of the House of Representatives designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom is a member of the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives;

(8) one other member of the House of Representatives designated by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives; and

(9) six persons designated by the President.

(1) ; and

(2) in subsection (f), by inserting and the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives after the President both places it appears.

Section 16401 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (d), by striking $5,200 and inserting $13,800; and

(2) in subsection (e)(2), by striking 1,200 and inserting 450.

Section 575(a)(1) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283; 10 U.S.C. 7442 note) is amended by striking Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act and inserting Not later than December 31, 2026.

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Education shall jointly complete a data matching process—

(1) to identify each individual who, while serving as a covered employee of the Department of Defense, made one or more student loan payments eligible to be counted for purposes of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program under section 455(m) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)); and

(2) without requiring further information or action from such individual—

(A) to certify the total period of such employment for purposes of such program; and

(B) to count the total number of qualifying payments made by the individual for purposes of such program during such period.

In this section, the term covered employee means an individual who, at any time beginning on or after October 1, 2007, was—

(1) a member of the Armed Forces serving on active duty for a period of more than 30 consecutive days; or

(2) a civilian employee of the Department of Defense.

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall establish a system whereby a covered individual may elect to have the Secretary share information regarding such covered individual with a senior military college or a unit of the Senior Reserve Officer Training Corps.

In this section:

(1) The term covered individual means an individual who applied for an appointment as a cadet or midshipman at a Service Academy.

(2) The term senior military college means a school specified in section 2111a of title 10, United States Code.

(3) The term Service Academy has the meaning given such term in section 347 of title 10, United States Code.

The Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of the Army may jointly conduct a pilot program (referred to in this section as the Program) under which certain enlisted personnel of the covered Armed Forces may enroll in a master’s degree program at the Naval Postgraduate School.

The Secretaries concerned may carry out the Program—

(1) in accordance with this section;

(2) in accordance with such regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of Defense for purposes of the Program; and

(3) in a manner consistent with the Graduate Education Program–Enlisted pilot program of the Marine Corps.

The Secretaries concerned shall establish criteria for determining the eligibility of enlisted members of the covered Armed Forces for participation in the Program.

Selection of a member for the Program shall be based on consideration of—

(1) the eligibility criteria established under subsection (c);

(2) professional performance;

(3) promotion potential;

(4) retention potential;

(5) academic background, capabilities, and accomplishments;

(6) the needs of the Navy and Army; and

(7) input from the component within each covered Armed Force with primary responsibility for determining the duty assignments of enlisted members.

Subject to such terms, conditions, and exceptions as the Secretaries concerned may establish, an enlisted member who receives a master’s degree under the Program shall serve for a period of not less than two years in a duty assignment that is relevant to the degree obtained by the member under the Program.

In conjunction with selecting enlisted members for participation in the Program as described in subsection (d), the Secretaries concerned shall establish a framework for assigning enlisted personnel who are not participating in the Program—

(1) to fill the billets of the members participating in the Program while such members are completing a course of study at the Naval Postgraduate School; and

(2) to fill the billets of members who received a master’s degree under the Program while such members are engaged in post-participation service as described in subsection (e).

The Secretaries concerned shall coordinate with the President of the Naval Postgraduate School to identify specific master’s degree programs offered by the School in which Program participants may enroll. In identifying such programs, the Secretaries shall consider—

(1) the needs of the Navy and Army;

(2) the capacity of the Naval Postgraduate School; and

(3) the extent to which enrollment in a specific program is expected to have a positive effect on the career trajectories of participants.

The Secretaries concerned shall take such actions as are necessary to notify and inform enlisted members about the Program.

Before the expiration of the six-year period described in subsection (j), the Secretaries concerned, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report that includes—

(1) an assessment of whether and to what extent the Program has met the needs of the covered Armed Forces and had positive effects on participating enlisted members, including with respect to—

(A) career trajectory, including potential pay increases;

(B) retention;

(C) recruitment;

(D) job performance;

(E) merit-based promotions and merit-based promotion reorder; and

(F) compatibility with the objectives outlined in the 2022 National Defense Strategy to modernize the Armed Services, spur innovation, and outpace and outthink adversaries of the United States;

(2) the recommendations of the Secretaries regarding whether the Program should be extended or made permanent;

(3) an assessment of the funding and capabilities that may be needed to make the Program permanent; and

(4) any other matters the Secretaries determine to be relevant.

The Program shall terminate six years after the date on which the Program commences under this section.

In this section:

(1) The term covered Armed Force means the Army or Navy.

(2) The term Secretary concerned means—

(A) the Secretary of the Army, with respect to matters concerning the Army; and

(B) the Secretary of the Navy, with respect to matters concerning the Navy.

No funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act may be used to endorse critical race theory—

(1) at an academic institution operated by the Department of Defense;

(2) in training provided to a member of the Armed Forces; or

(3) in professional military education.

Nothing in this section shall be construed to supersede the institutional autonomy or academic freedom of instructors involved in the selection of textbooks, supplemental materials, or other classroom materials, or in the preparation or presentation of classroom instruction or lectures.

In this section, the term critical race theory means the theory that individuals, by virtue of race, ethnicity, color, or national origin, bear collective guilt and are inherently responsible for actions committed in the past by other individuals of such race, ethnicity, color, or national origin.

Section 802(a)(14) of title 10, United States Code (article 2(a)(14) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amended by inserting 20601 or before 20603.

Section 824a(d) of title 10, United States Code, as added by section 531 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 137 Stat. 258), is amended—

(1) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking section 920 (article 120), and inserting section 919a (article 119a), section 920 (article 120), section 920a (article 120a),;

(2) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3);

(3) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new paragraph:

After January 1, 2025, a special trial counsel may, at the sole and exclusive discretion of the special trial counsel, exercise authority over the following offenses:

(A) The standalone offense of sexual harassment punishable under section 934 of this title (article 134) in each instance in which—

(i) the offense occurs after January 26, 2022, and on or before January 1, 2025; and

(ii) a formal complaint is substantiated in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned.

(B) A conspiracy to commit an offense specified in subparagraph (A) as punishable under section 881 of this title (article 81).

(C) A solicitation to commit an offense specified in subparagraph (A) as punishable under section 882 of this title (article 82).

(D) An attempt to commit an offense specified in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) as punishable under section 880 of this title (article 80).

(3) ; and

(4) in paragraph (3), as so redesignated—

(A) in subparagraph (A), by inserting or (2) after paragraph (1); and

(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking paragraph (1) and inserting subsection (c)(2)(A) or paragraph (1) or (2) of this subsection.

Subsection (b) of section 865 of title 10, United States Code (article 65 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amended—

(1) in paragraph (1)—

(A) by striking the Judge Advocate General shall forward the record and inserting the following:

(A) the Judge Advocate General shall forward—

(A) the record

(A) ;

(B) in subparagraph (A), as designated by subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, by striking the period and inserting; and; and

(C) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

(B) a copy of the record of trial to an appellate defense counsel who shall be detailed to review the case and, upon request of the accused, to represent the accused before the Court of Criminal Appeals.

(C) ; and

(2) in paragraph (2)—

(A) in subparagraph (A)—

(i) in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking shall and inserting shall, upon written request of the accused;

(ii) in clause (i), by striking, upon request of the accused,; and

(iii) in clause (ii), by striking upon written request of the accused,; and

(B) in subparagraph (B)—

(i) by striking accused and all that follows through waives and inserting accused waives;

(ii) by striking; or and inserting a period; and

(iii) by striking clause (ii).

Section 903b(2) of title 10, United States Code (article 103b(2) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amended by inserting provides military education, military training, or tactical advice to, after gives intelligence to,.

Section 920b of title 10, United States Code (article 120b of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amended—

(1) by striking subsection (f);

(2) by redesignating subsections (g) and (h) as subsections (f) and (g), respectively; and